10 Tips of Safe Pilgrimage With Kids

Asalamoalikum/Good Morning

********   Note: This Blog Post First Published on  Muslimah Bloggers *********

Visiting the Holy lands of Makkah and Medina is the dream of every Muslim, but having children like Toddlers and Juniors can become a nerve wrenching and tiresome experience.

A toddler who needs constant attention and care makes the rituals difficult to perform with Heart and Soul and a little stumble can change the pilgrimage into a frightening experience as often witnessed.

Makkah, the soul satisfying

But keeping these few points in mind and few precautions before hand makes the pilgrimage safe, sound and fulfilling experience.

1. Make the Identification Cards of every kid displaying NAME, FATHER'S NAME, HOTEL NAME and PHONE NO in bold. Kids should not forget to wear it every time they are out.
2. Keep only the necessary luggage with you.Use the backpacks, Hand carries as they are easier to manage
3. Ahram is not mandatory for kids but if they clad them ,be sure it is not over fitted or loose, as it will greatly irritate the child so you to. Rehearse them wearing at home. Also tell them the necessities of it. Otherwise make them clad in a simple and decent clothes.
4. Medicines and liniments including AntiHistamines, Calpol, Thermometer, ORS should be kept handy in the luggage.
5. Goggles and Moisturizing lotion should be worn whenever outside as the weather is usually hot in Arab Countries.

   

   Medina

6. A Wrist Band or a Chest Jacket must be tied between the mother and the kids at the time of prayers as it is usually the time when the kids get misplaced.
7. Avoid going to rush area with the kids as this will imbalance you and can result in a fall.
8. A Handy Bag with Extra baby Food, Baby Wipes, Diapers, Nappy rash cream, Clothes, Mosquito repellent lotion should be kept every time.
9. Be Calm and Hassle free, Kids usually take a lot of time doing little things. Rotate turns with your hubby while performing rituals like TAWAAF and SA EEE or you can take a wheelchair to let the kids sit on them.
10. Always mention a POINT i.e a Meeting Place before entering a prayer hall in case anyone get lost can easily located.
.

Wishing all Safe and Fulfilling journey.

Beware of Dogs: 5 Preventive Tips of Rabies everybody should know

Asalamoalikum/Good Morning

Rabies, a viral disease caused by the bite or scratch of a Rabid animal, is 100% preventable.It is similar to Death sentence if untreated. Majority of the Rabies deaths occur in our part of the world.

It is also known as Hydrophobia because the patient develops an intense fear of water.

What prompts me to share some information about Rabies is a heart touching  real life incident of a small village kid who is an unaware victim of this.

Salim(name changed) is an apple's of his parent's eye as he is the first male child in the family. His giggles and laughs were well known in the whole neighborhood One day he got bitten by some stray mad dog,being so terrified he is unable to tell his parents about the accident and develops flu like symptoms which nobody bothers to notice. Until the furious symptoms develop, it was too late to be shifted to any nearby hospital and died due to share negligence.

Rabid Bat

As more common in the village area, it is also referred as the Neglected disease of the poor population where Vaccine and Antibody are not readily available.
It is caused by the attack of a foaming mad dog (most common in the local scene) usually attacking the kids of 5 to 15 years of age.
Following are the ways to prevent the fatal yet avoidable disease.

1. Avoid contact with the animals you don't know.
2. Pre exposure vaccination should be done of all the high risk individuals including Laboratory workers, Zoo keepers, Travelers who spend time in the Rural areas, Vets and others who work closely with pets.
3. Call or visit the near by health care center as soon as any serious bite from the animal.
4. Wash the wound immediately with Soap and Water thoroughly after the contact.
5. Vaccinate the domestic animals.

Although research is going on to cure the the Late Stages of Rabies, no definite treatment is available once the furious symptoms develops.
Please feel free to share any update on the disease.
Stay aware and Stay Healthy.

Eid and Fitness: Do's And Dont's

    
Asalamoalikum/Good Morning                                          

Eid Fun

Wow! What a Cow,
                  Look at his long horns and the Hunch! It must be from the Sibbi!
                                                  It's one of its kind.
Guess it!
What's the occasion?
Yeah! Right,

It's EID-ul-AZHA, commonly  known as BARI EID. Its is one of the most popular festive occasion of the muslims celebrated around the globe in which a ritual of sacrificing the animal is performed according to the Sunnah of Prophet IBRAHIM. As, obvious, it is quite a Meaty affair. People usually indulge themselves in different B.B.Q, Tikka Parties and other Meat delicacies. But too much meat consumption will result into different immediate and delayed medical conditions affecting the overall Health.

Here are some simple tips to enjoy the true essence of the Eid without any cramps, bulkiness and else.

Bakra in action

 DO'S

1.  Always wash the meat thoroughly removing all the blood and dirt from the surface as any remaining blood provides the media for the germs to increase in number leading to various gastric infections
2. Indulge yourself in a bowl of greens and yellows. They are loaded with healthy goodness and provides the necessary fiber which the meat and meat products are lacking.
3. Always insists on cooking the lean portion of the meat removing all the excessive fat. Try to cook it with vegetables or lentils to strike the right balance .
4.  Steamed or Roasted meat is of much nutritive value than the fried one.
5. Do limit the Invitations of the day and night B.B.Q parties.
6. Make the habit of taking Green Tea\Lemon Juice after the meaty affair instead of Fizzy drinks. They will increase the metabolism removing the  harmful by products off the body.

DONT'S

1. Don't give up your exercise routine as will keep up the moral up against not eating too much.
2. Don't excuse yourself by overeating and sleeping the rest of the day as it will move the pointer ahead on the weight scale.
3. Don't be impressed by the various tempting deals offered by the shops to have the mutton legs roast, or masalay dar chops from them this eid.
4. Don't let the meat lying out for too long in this hot and dusty weather.
5. Too much spices and peppers put on a great load on the stomach resulting in complaints like Acidity and Bloating.
6. Don't stack up the freezer with tons of meat to be kept for months as the quality of the meat greatly alters as the temperature fluctuates due to power failures.
7. Avoid eating out at the restaurants as we all have the idea of the donkey business going on here.      

 Although a lot of meaty affair is going on but still the best part of it is a wide portion of meat is distributed among the less privileged, remembering them and sharing the bounties and festivities of  EID.

EID Parlour

Eat Healthy Stay Healthy :)

Detoxifying your Life with Citrus

Asalamoalikum/ Good Morning.

Citrus fruits are the tropical blessings of the nature available in different forms through out the year in our part of the world. They are not  just the juicy, delicious treat  but are loaded with healthy goodness which are usually not widely appreciated.

Half cut citrus is a source of inspiration for me through years and years, it reminds me of the Spokes of the wheel, Sun and Sunlight.
Lemon, Lime, Oranges, Grapefruit, Fruitell are all part of the citrus family widely available here within the reach of both rich and the poor. There can be a thousand marvelous recipes with them, they can be employed as a magical ingredient to anything one can imagine, whether it is a mouth watering Marmalades, tarts, Cakes or it can be used as apart of a Preservative, Disinfectant,  Perfumes or any Refreshing Salads, Dressings for weight watchers. Garlands or Wreaths of the lime are also available on special request. Lemon peel is also works as Candles.

These magical juicy pouches are considered as ALL STAR Fruit, as they contain a special biochemical Compound called FLAVONOIDS, which are considered as ANTI-CANCEROUS.
For Weight watchers lemon and lemon juice are the important part of the menu.
Grape fruit are the rich Source of Vitamin C which is essential for bone forming Collagen and helps in the absorption of Iron.
Citruses are also found to be very useful for  Diabetics as they help in controlling the raised blood sugar levels.
Instead of Tea and Fizzy drinks a Lemon squeezed in a glass of water with leaves of Mint in it is not only Thirst Quenching but also Refreshing.
Lemon juice mixed with water is also used for cleaning the Jewelry.
Now I am sharing an important Recipe to purify yourself after a full fledged Holiday. This I called as DETOX WATER. Its ingredients are:

• 2-3 table spoons of Lemon Juice
• Filtered Water
• Pinch of salt.
• Slices of Cucumber, Lemon Slices with peel

This will flush all the junk from the body keeping hearty and Light throughout the day.
Now go and grab the one you like and enjoy the natural boosters.

10 Tips to boost your Daily Routine

10 Best Tips to boost your Daily Routine.

Habits are the ways which we repeatedly do. It is a common saying that

“ First we make our habits than our habits made us”

They have profound effect on our life and relationships. Following are the some easy going tips which truly give a pop up and refreshing effect to our stagnant life and also help us to be a better person and a good Muslim.
 

Kids

1. Sleep

Seep is the integral part of our routine. Studies recommend to have a 6-7 hours sleep. An uninterrupted good night sleep boosts up energy levels and mood. Make a habit of giving a signal to your brain at maghrib (sunset) that you are going to sleep at 10 pm or 11 pm. Put of all the gadgets and devices half an hour before your sleep time.

2. Recite the Holy Book

We  as Muslim recite our holy book but the idea is develop a morning ritual before engaging into any other activity. Dot it daily you will notice that the whole day will be quite different and blissful from the previous one.

3. Work out / Exercise

Twice a day workout is the best thing for boost up your energy levels. Even a simple brisk walk for 30 minutes is a way to keep apart a number of diseases and your weight in control. It is also boost the self confidence and is known to cure mild to moderate depression.

4   4. Drink a lot of water

Don’t wait yourself to be thirsty to drink water. Drink before the urge and in small gulps otherwise it will quite nauseating to drink again and again.

5   5. Never skip the Breakfast

Breakfast as it is the most important meal of the day to keep the energy levels constant throughout the day but mind you I am talking about a healthy Breakfast. Oatmeal and porridge should be the not to omit part of the breakfast.

6   6. Rest of the Meal Plan

Indulge as many vegetable and fruits in your diet as you can because they not only make you full and relive your urge to eat more but also provides with the necessary nutrition’s and maintain weight, making you and your weight machine happy. Also Meat and Meat products should be limited to once a week.

Happiness

7  7. Take Dinner Early

Now there comes the dinner which should be light and taken at least two hours before sleep. This will give enough time to the body to digest it preventing heart burn.

8    8. . Be Positive

Try to be a person who face any situation with
 “ AH what an opportunity !” rather than “ My ! What a Problem !”

Every situation behaves like we dealt it. Consider that every person has difficulties but who greet them cheerfully will be the winner in the end. Count your blessings every day this will be push you to next step.

9   9. Meditate

Give yourself sometime just before sleep to mediate. Close the door take deep breaths and think about the whole day, yourself, your achievements and goals.

1   10. Get back to your Goals 

Last but not least, there are situations and happenings where we all lost our daily routine but the best person is who revert back to his routine as soon as possible. Stick to it.

Wish you all good health because without this bounty we cant enjoy the blessings of our life.
Feel free to share these tips  to our friends and family and place the print out of them in a location where you can review them daily.

Stay Healthy and Stay Aware 

How Do I Get Motivated?

Asalamoalikum /Good Morning

We are addicted to our Thoughts,we can't change anything if we can't change our thinking

Change in life

After a long pause from work, now it time to get into scene, but how to overcome the fears of negative beliefs The answer comes from within.

 Need a change

Yes I got the answer A change in the daily routine.As we all know, the change is the most difficult part of Life.

Now there comes a battery of questions how to get motivated for a change?

A change is the most permanent thing in Life,it is the  force which keeps you moving like you want to change your home(a common thing) for which you need to have a higher salary job for which you might switch your job so you have move ahead.

Now how you cope with the change?

Below are some tips to consider:

Positivity

Accept the Responsibility.

Make a mind that whatever will be the  consequences I will be responsible.Be confident. Be the one to get most of your life.

Redefine your Thinking.

Stop thinking about the negativity of the change. Redirect your thinking and beliefs that this change will definitely boost my life and illuminate my life 

Willingness.

Yes I need to have a change is the must statement to begin with If one gets excited reading a positive story and decided to change but without deep down willingness one is unable to stand on that road for long.

Never give up

Be Slow and Steady

Don't have high expectation in the beginning Change will  have a positive impact on the long run. It is not magical wand which will change the scene in an instant. Always remember the golden rule 

"Slow and Steady wins the race"
so, all in all, a positive rather optimistic approach with the courage to hold the responsibility and willingness in the long run will definitely help the one to be on the success road.

Serving mother earth by feeding nature

Asalamoalikum /Good Morning.

These birds on the roadside  always remind me to play with them.As the earth day is approaching, my daughter gave me the idea to make it a memorable one by enjoying with the birds there. So we reach there early morning to capture this:

Mother earth day 2015 : Serving Earth by... by myda-tahir

So on the occasion of earth day 2015 I want to share my readers to view the above video 'Serving mother earth by feeding nature' and pass message to others.

5 Best Quotes for Earth Day

Asalamoalikum /Good Morning.

International mother earth day is organised on 22nd of April every year. The message of the UN Secretary-General Ban-ki-moon states that:

" I appeal to all people everywhere to raise their voices. Speak out on behalf of this planet, our only home. Let us care for Mother Earth so she can continue to care for us as she has done for millennia. "

Here are 5 Best Quotes for Earth Day:

• We don't inherit the earth from our ancestors we borrow it from our children. 

• He that plants trees loves others beside himself.

• The proper use of science is not to conquer nature but to live with it.

• Life comes to earth and life returns to the earth.

• The earth doesn't belong to us we belong to earth

In the end of my post may I request all my readers to help our mother earth "Green & Clean" !

10 Tips to Spark Creativity in Kids

Asalamoalikum /Good Morning.

It is widely said that to be more productive spend time with kids because they have the unending flow of energy which make them never stopping for anything but the matter is how to mold and convert this force into a more productive and result oriented goals.It is a challenging task for the Guardians and Parents. 
Now here are a few tips to spark the creativity in the kids.

Happy Kids

1. Make the children take the responsibility.Give them small tasks according to their age like collect clothes from the rope, help in bed making.
2. Allow them to explore nature by themselves like take them to the nurseries and make them watch the gardener planting making the soil, help them feeding the birds.
3. Encourage them to be physically active. Make them learn the exercise from  the beginning and practise in front of them daily.

   

   Creativity

4. Read them autobiographies and life stories of creative people.
5. Give them exposure of different situations like climbing a tree.
6. Meet them people of different professions and take them to their  working  places.
7. Allow them the chance to experiment randomly, provide them with the raw material.
8. Nurture the habit to face the failures because its the one who will survive the drought.
9. Raise the habit of saying sorry as it make them more conscious.
10. Self accountability is the key to success as it will make them a  better person. 
 



Innovation

Cookies craze. Are you still after it?

Asalamolikum/Good Evening

You must be wondering why I put the cookie container in front of you.
Yes, I know, we all LOVE the DANISH BUTTER COOKIES or SAINSBURY'S BUTTER COOKIES.

Definitely I will offer you some ONLY IF THERE ANY COOKIES IN IT?
Can u make a wild guess what is in the box?
Anyone!
It's a Mystery!
This box is a Mirage i.e things which appear from far away are not real when you reach there..
To everybody 's astonishment its a Cookie Box containing the sewing equipment, which used to be in my mother's cupboard always.
When I was a kid, me and my sis had a crush for this box and by looking at it we imagine ourselves indulging on the delicious treat. But as soon as we open it  we always get disappointed as it is filled with needles,  buttons, elastics, reels. of different colours............and amazingly this happens over and over again. We keep asking our mommy that why this BOX is misused and are made to deceive us? She always SMILES in return.

 Now my daughter always rush for it and tried her best to be the first to open it and always regret  to see stuff of no use but settled on playing with  them. At least it is not as pleasurable but still give some delight.

 

 Kindly provide your feedback and comments.

A LITTLE TIP FOR HOUSEWIVES:

To make the Lemons more juicy, dip them in a warm Water for a while .