The Magic of Outdoors

Every parent of my generation agrees over the benefits of spending time outdoors for kids, and laments about how kids are spending fewer hours outside. Compare the situation with our own childhood. We would be raring to go outside and play.

There are several benefits of spending time outdoors for the kids as well as for us.

1. Vitamin D

We all know sunlight is the primary source of Vitamin D [more specifically Vitamin D3] and thanks to certain advertisements, we also know how Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of Calcium in the body. Our traditional wisdom has also vouched for keeping babies in sunlight. But in reality, as more and more people are living in apartments, they are hardly spending any time in the sun. Reference this article to read more about Vitamin D.

Personally, whether it is summertime or winters, I try to take the toddler in the sun for half an hour at least every alternate day. It gives me and the toddler our dosage of Vitamin D. 

2. Taking a Break on difficult days

With young kids, there are days when nothing seems to work, no toy seems to be interesting enough, no activity seems to be stimulating enough, and then there are some days when you do not feel like cleaning up the mess. So, what is your best bet? Outdoors! It always works like a magic. It also gives you a change of scene, and there is always

something or the other to look at or play with.

Please click here to read the complete article.

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The benefits of a Cold Shower [UBC Post 10]

Image courtesy: impossiblehq.com

I am the kind of person who feels cold most of the time. And it does not help that my home does not get enough direct sunlight. It is a blessing in the summers but you can imagine the situation during winters for a person who anyways feels cold all the time. So, 60% of the time I am found wearing socks. Yesterday my husband started laughing at me for wearing socks. As if that was a new sight for him!

I am also prone to throat pain and cold very frequently. So, I usually avoid cold things like chilled water, cold drinks, ice creams and the likes. I am anyways not too fond of any of those. I am the luke warm water type. Whenever we will go out for dinner with friends, I would always order salted lime water (luke warm water) while ordering drinks. It also helps digestion. My friends were quite used to it. They would know what to order for me. The situation turned 180 degrees when I was pregnant. I used to feel nauseous most of the time. I had read that chilled water helps in nausea. So, during those times when I will go out for dinner with friends, I would order salted lime water (chilled water). My friends were totally shocked at this turn-around.

But I digress.

I have also been the person who takes warm water shower 80% time of the year. But it was not helping my tendency to catch cold. Now, my uncle, who himself used to take bath in hot water 365 days a year, converted into a cold shower fan. He found that he was falling ill less, and he started recommending it to all of us.

My husband started taking cold showers from this season. And when I came to know about it, I thought, may be I should try that as well. So, for about last 20 days I am taking a cold shower. I have not got used to it yet but I will certainly continue. But it is not as terrifying as it sounds. I even wash my hair in cold water now.

Many people have vouched for the benefits of cold shower. So, I finally did a little research to find out the facts.

Health Benefits of Cold Shower:

• Improves immunity
• Burns fat
• Improves blood circulation
• Better body temperature regulation
• Healthy skin and hair
• Better metabolic rate

Read more about the benefits here.

Well, I cannot personally prove any of the above benefits; they have been culled out of the internet searches. But one thing I can completely vouch for, a cold shower saves a lot of water. One can stand in a warm shower for a long time. Cold shower? It is always short and sweet. Thank you very much!