Shopping Ban

I do not condemn shopping, it builds and nourishes the economy. But here is a thought, in the good old days, people got their clothes mended from tailors, shoes fixed from the cobbler, got small little parts of the blender and stuff from the dingy little stores located in some tiny alleys - this all paid the small local businesses. Now the mentality is we are looking for something to go wrong with our stuff so that we can buy new stuff and throw away the old stuff.

So I say - I do not condemn shopping but I condemn the stigma attached to repeating clothes, needing something new to wear to every party, having things in the closet with their price tag on and yet complaining about having nothing to wear, throwing away stuff without even trying to get it fixed first and just mindless shopping for self-gratification or shopping for the sake of having-everything-everyone-else has.

That is why I follow a shopping ban every other year or so. I have enough stuff to mix- match - use, I think most of us do. Imposing a ban gives a break to the mind and forces you to make most of your existing closet, try to make things work. While sometimes the temptations try and take over your sanity but staying strong gives you a greater sense of achievement later. Not to mention the money and time you save you can spend on hobbies, activities, travel or maybe go towards paying your loan.

If you are interested in pledging a shopping ban then -

Things that are banned:

• Clothes (all kinds!)

Shoes

Accessories/Jewelry

Bags/Purses/Clutches

Cosmetics

Electronics/Gadgets and anything that is unnecessary

Things that are allowed:

• Food
  


• Water
  


• Home Supplies
  


• Medicines
  


• Toiletries (shampoo, soap, etc.)
  

Jeans: American Eagle, Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger, Top: J Crew Factory, Sweater: Nordstrom Rack

Ecosystem

Our ecosystem relies on a self-regulating balance of predators and prey. This system worked well with humans and their prey until we began inhumane farming practices that compromise the well-being of animals, the health of humans and the health of our planet. If you eat nonveg then opt for organic meat - the key requirements of organic meat are -

• Animals should be raised organically on certified organic land


• they must be fed certified organic feed


• No antibiotics or added growth hormones are allowed and


• All animals have outdoor access

Jeans: Abercrombie and Fitch, Shoes: Vaneli, Top: Ann Taylor, Sweater: Nordstrom Rack

What the health: part 18 - How to stay healthy continued ...

This is part 18 of ‘What the health’ series. You can find earlier parts here – part1, part2, part3, part4,  part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8,  part 9, part 10, part 11, part12, part13, part14, part15, part16, part 17

3. Sleep (3)

How do you ensure a good night’s sleep -

• Shutdown your computer, cell phone, and TV at least an hour before you go to bed. No gadgets on the bedside.


• Save your bedroom for sleep, rather than work, dining or entertainment.


• Create a bedtime ritual. It's not the time to tackle big issues. Instead, take a warm bath, meditate, or read.


• Stick to a schedule, waking up and retiring at the same time every day, even on weekends.


• Avoid eating heavy meals and alcohol close to bedtime, which may cause heartburn and make it hard to fall asleep. And steer clear of soda, tea, coffee, and chocolate after 2 p.m. Caffeine can stay in your system for 5 to 6 hours. I stopped drinking coffee completely for the last 2 years.


• Turn out the lights. Darkness cues your body to release the natural sleep hormone melatonin, while light suppresses it.

I do have sleep issues - I am oversensitive to sounds, any small sound wakes me up and if I wake up in the middle of the night I have a hard time going back to sleep again (mostly thoughts keep in awake). So the thing that helped me the most with my sleep issues is the app InsightTimer - it has loads of guided sleep meditations/ hypnosis. I absolutely love it, Glenn Harrold’s meditations are my most favorite. Whenever I am having trouble sleeping I play his sleep hypnosis and sleep like a baby… no more sleeping pills for me.

to be continued...

Dress: Esprit

Sweater: Nordstrom Rack

Tights: DSW

Shoes: Steve Madden

What the health: part 12 - How to lose weight and stay healthycontinued...

This is part 12 of ‘What the health’ series. You can find earlier parts here – part1, part2, part3, part4,  part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8,  part 9, part 10, part 11

2. Diet (1)

When I was little eating out at restaurants was an event, the event probably happened once a year...

Times have changed and we eat at restaurants casually. Most of the social gatherings happen around food and drinks, it has become a social norm... Looking at the kind of schedule today's parents have I am sure the next generation of kids will be saying 'when we were little, eating home-cooked food was an event'.

Our treatment towards our gut has definitely become very casual, to add to that we engage in things like frozen, processed foods, alcohol, coke/Pepsi and whatnot. The wealthier than our wallets get the unhealthier the food choices that we make.

Would it be too much if I said 90% of the health troubles we go through are because of bad diet and unhealthy gut? It is true. A quarter of what we eat keeps us alive and the rest keeps our doctors alive.

We are what we eat and most importantly we are what we digest. Gut health is responsible for so many things - the chemical, hormonal, bacteria balance, for strong immunity, a good emotional/mental balance, healthy skin and feeling of wellbeing. Having a strong digestive system is a key element in losing weight too. People who are depressed or committing suicide have a bad digestive tract and I am not talking out of my ass, it is proven scientifically. Read the book 'Gut: an inside story' to find the details about the research on this topic and more on gut health.

We need to think before we put anything inside our own gut... are we adding value and nutrition to our own body or poison? Our gut is strong but not as strong to take the insults that we perform each day. Do not take your gut for granted and treat it as a garbage can just to sweep the dishes clean.

And PLEASE provide your kids with home-cooked fresh healthy food - healthy does not mean organic and raw food. In their growing years the kids need nutrition, what they consume right now is also defining the kind of food habits they will have in the future and what you give them right now is building or destroying their gut health. A lot of people are under the risk of catching ailments and getting obese at a very young age because since they were kids they were fed restaurant food/ unhealthy/ frozen/ processed foods by ignorant, lazy and irresponsible parents.

Good gut health and exercising habit is the best heritage you can leave for your kids.

to be continued...

Dress: J crew

Sweater: Nordstrom Rack

Tights: DSW

Shoes: Ellen Tracy

Back!

Back to blogging after almost 10 months of a break! I have started a new Pinterest board for this personal style blog, you can visit it here

Skirt  - Modcloth

Top - white house black market

sweater - Nordstrom rack

Shoes - Circa Joan and David

More ways I wore the stripes skirt:

Reduce, Recycle and Reuse

A materialist concentrates on accumulating things and a minimalist thinks of how to get rid of things, ultimately both are focusing thoughts on stuff. We accumulate stuff and then think of ways to purge it out of life (this is the First World Phenomena).

Owning more than what we need is consumerism, I think we all are consumerists in that sense. All I can say is don’t have a lifestyle of mindless consumerism, don’t be an impulsive consumer be a mindful one. The more realistic thing to do is donate things that you don’t use than giving away things in the name of minimalism. Know what is in your drawers, cupboards, fridge, and corners. Donate anything that is not used for a few years. Ultimately have things that you utilize and utilize what you already have!

Denim Skirt: Banana Republic

Shirt: J crew

Sweater: Tjmaxx

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Vaneli 

Few Things

I really do not like to shop much but I also get bored with the same set of clothes very quickly and so I try to wear different combinations. Mix and match turn out to be fun and I end up not shopping at all for long-duration - the longest I have lived without shopping anything for my closet is 3 years. I buy just a few items every year from good brands (that lasts long) rather than buying 20 from unknown brands and I always keep a set of basic clothes that goes well with everything in the closet. If you are like me who doesn't like to shop a lot yet wants to be well dressed then this blog is for you.

Photo After:

Black Turtleneck: Banana Republic

Dress: Promod India

Tights: Hue

Shoes: Joan and David

Endless possibilities

What I want to provide on this blog are the endless possibilities of recipes that can be put together with just a few ingredients in the closet.

Dress: Promod, India

cardigan: nordstrom rack

shoes: Ellen Tracy

tights: loft

Taking a pic

How does taking a pic each day help me? 

Everyone knows the disadvantages of being overweight but the pictures I took everyday made me realize the superficial aspect of losing weight. Everything looks great on fit bodies, even torn clothes. The pictures I took each day motivated me to lose weight and they still do.

Top: Loft

Jeans: 7 for all mankind

shoes: Ellen Tracy

sweater: Nordstrom Rack

Belt: Style & Co. from Macys