What now? Resources and Ideas for after NaNoWriMo

So you completed your 50,000 words for National Novel Writing Month or maybe you didn't, but you've been bitten by the writing/publishing bug and you want to know what to do with what you've written. That's why we have put together this small resource guide for you.

Revising/Editing
First things first. Congratulations on having written however much you have written! Getting words onto paper (or a Word document) is an important first step. The next step is -- in some ways -- more difficult. You need to put aside your document for a day or two, a week or two, or maybe even a month and then come back with fresh eyes. Put on your editor's hat and take a serious look at what you have written.  In the heat of the moment, we may think everything we've written is wonderful. Or we might think much of it is junk. Either way, taking a break from your writing and rereading it with your editor's hat on is a necessary step if you want to get published. Few author's (or any other type of writers for that matter) are able to write a perfect first draft. Here are a couple of good articles on editing and revising:

Editing Your First Novel: 7 Things You Must Know

How to Revise a Novel

Finding a Publisher
Finding a home for your novel will take patience, research, and perseverance. Start by figuring out what genre you think your novel is. Remember that it is possible that it might fit into more than one genre. If you are having trouble deciding what genre it is think of a book you have read that is similar and then see where it is placed in the bookstore. Then research presses that publish novels like yours. You can find lots of good information in the Writer's Market. Most libraries have at least one copy.

Instead of going directly to a publisher, you may want to look for a literary agent. You can find literary agents listed in the Writer's Market or The Guide to Literary Agents. You can also attend conferences like the ones below that provide short meetings with agents and editors.

Finally, you could consider publishing your novel your self. That gives you full control over the title, content, and how it is marketed as well as all the profits. One key element to self-publishing is to invest the time and money to make certain your novel is edited to be the best possible. Nothing is worse than reading a book with a ton of grammatical errors and story line mishaps.

Whichever route you take, it will benefit you to spend some time researching and networking with others as well as thinking about the next topic: Marketing/Platform.

Publishing Your Novel

DFW Writers Conference

Writers' League of Texas Agents' Conference

Marketing/Platform
Gone are the days when publishers would arrange for book tours for authors. That generally only happens with big-name authors any more. Successful authors need to take an active role in their marketing plan. And...if you want to find a publisher, you will be more successful if you have already started working on your platform and have some marketing ideas ready.

What is your platform? Your platform is your presence, your outreach to potential buyers. Do you have a blog? A Facebook account? Do you Twitter? Are you a member of any organizations that could help you in marketing your book? You don't have to have all of these, but you need to have some way to get information out there about your book. After all, your book is competing with thousands of other books. How will someone find it? What will make them decide to buy yours instead of another similar book? That's where your platform and marketing efforts come in.

Another  thing you will want to think about both for your marketing efforts and finding a publisher is networking. You need to make connections and talk to others in the writing, reading, and publishing worlds. You can do this by attending some of the conferences above as well as joining a writing group or organization. Many libraries offer local writing groups. In addition, try some of these larger organizations for writers:

Writers' League of Texas

Story Circle Network (For Women)

The Writer's Garret (Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex)

The suggestions and links above are just a few of the many resources available out there. We wish the best as you continue your quest to publish your novel!

We hope you will take a few moments to fill out this survey on NaNoWriMo 2011 at TWU. Thank you!

Poets & Writers Magazine - Well Established and Still Relevant!

Since my last post was over a really new writing site, I thought it would be nice in this post to talk about one that has been around for years. Poets & Writers Magazine was established in 1970 and is "the nation's largest nonprofit organization serving creative writers" (http://www.pw.org/). Their Tools for Writers section has everything from grants and awards that are available to writing prompts for the budding writer. They also provide a community where you can connect with other writers including a directory of poets and writers with information on upcoming events. This is a site that I have returned to time and again for the good variety of information and assistance that they provide.

May the words flow onto your page like water in a bubbling brook! :-)

Writing for Wellness

I write poetry, Toby. That's how I enter the world.
Tabitha Fortis, "The U.S. Poet Laureate," The West Wing,Season 3 Episode 17

Almost a decade has passed since I first watched that episode, and those words still resonate with me. Writing is how I enter the world. And it's not just me. Many people process emotions and events in their lives by writing poetry, journaling, composing sent or unsent letters, and even writing fiction. In fact, Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, acknowledges that she turned to writing fiction as a form of therapy. You can also see the growing importance of writing as a form of therapy or self-healing with the publication of books like Creative Writing in Health and Social Care; Pain and Possibility: Writing Your Way Through Personal Crisis; Writing for Emotional Balance; The Write Way to Wellness; and many, many more. In fact, Managing Stress: Principles and Strengths for Health and Well-Being, is used in some health education settings and devotes a whole chapter to journaling as a technique for dealing with stress.

Just as journaling can be a dialogue with the self so too can creative writing or fiction. William Stafford, the author of more than sixty-five books and winner of the National Book Award, said in an interview in Master Class: Lessons from Leading Writers, "I'd like to go all out on this and confront as squarely as possible those who make students feel that writing is something done with the fully conscious, already accomplished self. I think writing is itself educational, exploratory, and worthy of trust while you're doing it." 

Not only do I like that quote for acknowledging writing as a way to explore the self, I think it is a particularly useful quote for NaNoWriMo. Many of the writers attempting NaNoWriMo have already written pages of plotting and character background. If that works for you, excellent.  However, for those writers who are unsure of the direction of their novel, who don't know where their characters were born or what their middle names are, I would say that by writing not only will you learn this information, but you will likely learn something about yourself along the way.

Learning about yourself through writing as well as nurturing yourself are themes explored in The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.  The Artist's Way uses morning pages as one tool to nurture creativity. Morning pages are three pages of long-hand writing each morning. These pages are stream-of-consciousness and there is no right or wrong way to do them. They simply allow the artist/writer to vent or empty out much of the negativity and worries that block our creative energy. Most people are surprised to discover how much inner criticism they tell themselves. Morning pages allow people to deal with the criticism, fears, and worries and then move on. Another tool used by The Artist's Way is called the artist date and consists of taking time to nurture your creative self. You do this by actually making a date and spending time with yourself doing fun and/or creative things. It is a method of connecting with the inner child as well as becoming mindful.

David Richo, author of Being True to Life:Poetic Paths to Personal Growth, says:

Composing poetry is both a psychological and spiritual event, because the requirements for writing a poem are like those of psychological and spiritual progress. We must learn to live in the moment. We see them in new ways and focus on what is significant….In using poetry as a tool for growth and healing, we write in our own way and on any theme. We do not have to write perfectly or for publication (2).

As you are writing madly through the month of November and trying to make your word count, be mindful. Pay attention to what your writing is trying to tell you. That may be the most important story of all.

For Further Reading

Writing for Wellness

Wellness & Writing Connections
  
Six Suggestions for Sustainable Writing: Inspiration from Frank Herbert's Dune

Self Healing Expressions 

Therapeutic Writing

Help Us Select a New Tagline!

The Department of Health Studies is seeking a new tagline to help people better understand what we do. We hope you will check out some of the ideas that our very own students and faculty have come up and help us narrow it down by voting for the one you like best. The survey is in the left hand corner of the main page.


Please Note: The final decision on the tagline rests with a committee and may be modified.

LitReactor - A New Site for Writers and Readers

Hello again everyone in Nano land! For this post I thought I would introduce one of my favorite new sites. LitReactor is actually very new and was developed as a spin-off of The Cult, a site that included a writer's workshop by Chuck Palahniuk. While the Writers Workshop area requires a membership, the Magazine area has frequent posts on different areas of the writing craft like this one on creating characters http://litreactor.com/columns/write-characters-in-a-representation-free-zone and this one on narrative structure http://litreactor.com/columns/out-of-order-a-discussion-of-nonlinear-narrative-structure. In addition, you can always find many interesting posts around books and reading, and the Community area offers a chance to discuss books and writing with others who share the same interests.

Keep working on those novels, everyone! :-)

NaNoWriMo Mid-month Check In

We are halfway through National Novel Writing Month. Yay! Pat yourself on your back that you have survived this far. I myself have experienced the woes and joys as well as craziness of NaNoWriMo. I have been behind on my word count most days until this last weekend when I went all out and caught up. That euphoria was short lived as the next night (Monday) I promptly fell behind and am behind right now. In my writing craziness I have resorted to trips to Starbucks for lattes, cappucinnos, and even espressos! I say that with amazement because, for the most part, I am not only a tea drinker, but a green tea drinker. One night I even busted into my husband’s stash of chocolate expresso beans. Boy, did I write then. Of course, if I were to dare reread that section it is entirely possible that it is complete gibberish, which is I why I refuse to go back and read it. There is time enough for that later on December 2^nd when I have woken up from sleeping 24 hours straight…ha, ha.

I’d like to invite you to share your stories here in the comments. How are you doing? Have you forgotten to feed your dog? Do you long to watch TV until you drool? Have you been reduced to using five adjectives or more to describe everything in order to meet your word count? I will admit that I have tossed in a war, psychological problems, spirits, and country music in an attempt to meet my word count. Who knows, I might even toss in the kitchen sink! So take a break and let us know you are alive by posting in the comments!

Time Management Tips

Hello fellow NaNoWriMo writers! Since at this point we may all be feeling like we may have bitten off a little more than we could chew, I thought it would be a good time to share some links to tips on time management.

This site - http://www.collegeathome.com/blog/2008/05/21/57-time-management-hacks-for-college-students/ - is especially for college students and has 57 different tips - although, you may have to plan how to manage your time just to read through all of them! However, the top two tips that I think are important for this month are probably #34 Avoid Over-Commitment and #57 Set Boundaries. Remember that we all have to prioritize our lives and schoolwork will most likely come before NaNo writing! So, don't be afraid to adjust your goals if you need to!

Here is another good link by the Mayo Clinic staff that has just a few, basic tips that we all can benefit from - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/time-management/wl00048.  My favorite is the one about getting plenty of sleep. I need to be refreshed every day so I can pump out those words on my computer! :-)

Remember, balance is the key my Nano friends!

The Paris Review - Interview with Julian Barnes

One of my favorite writer's resources is The Paris Review, where I found an interview with this year's Man Booker Prize winner, Julian Barnes - http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/562/the-art-of-fiction-no-165-julian-barnes.

In reading this interview, I found the discussion on truth in fiction to be especially interesting. In particular, I liked the quote from Barnes that states "when you are writing fiction your task is to reflect the fullest complications of the world, to say things that are not as straightforward as might be understood from reading my journalism and to produce something that you hope will reveal further layers of truth on a second reading." I am a rereader myself and am always amazed at how some of the best literature can have so many different meanings when read at different times of my life. And, I too would pick Flaubert's Madame Bovary as one of my favorite books, and one which I recently had the pleasure of rereading.

If you enjoy this interview, you should definitely check out the archives, which go back to the 1950s - http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews.

Happy writing! :-)

Advising Tip - Course Rotation

Advising Tip: Always be sure to check the most recent course rotation schedule before advising. Remember the course rotation is what the department ANTICIPATES offering. However, the rotation can sometimes change depending on circumstances beyond departmental control.

Prioritizing

If you are to have any hope of surviving National Novel Writing Month, you will need to set priorities. Also, you will need copious amounts of caffeine, an understanding spouse or significant other, and possibly a unicorn. But today, I will talk to you about the big P.

At first glance, it seems like setting priorities are extremely easy, right? Especially if your priorities are rewatching the Harry Potter movies, reading obscure (or not so obscure) science fiction, and trying to invent new candies.  Certainly author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey makes it sound fairly easy.

However, we know that isn't always the case. Still, Covey makes a good point about taking the time to think about what is really important to YOU. We can't prioritize if we don't know what is really important. So your first step is figuring out what is most important to you. You might try ranking them to help you. Here is an example from my own life of some things that are important to me:

• Completing NaNoWriMo
• Spending time with my family
• Spending time with friends
• Exercising
• Working on my Toastmasters' goals
• Doing well at work
• Reading fiction

For this month, writing is very important to me, but how does it stack up against the others? Well, even though I want to complete NaNoWriMo that still doesn't trump wanting to do well at work as that is what keeps food on the table. However, for one month I am willing to put my Toastmasters's goals on hold and spend less time with my family and friends (In fact, I told most of my friends they wouldn't hear from me again till December.). Here is how I would rank my priorities this month:

1. Doing well at work
2. Completing NaNoWriMo
3. Exercising
4. Spending time with family 
5. Reading fiction
6. Spending time with friends
7. Working on my Toastmasters' goals

Next month, it might look more like this:

1. Doing well at work
2. Spending time with family 
3. Exercising
4. Spending time with friends
5. Working on my Toastmasters' goals
6. Writing
7. Reading fiction 

Your priorities will be different and there are a number of systems you can use to help you prioritize. You can start by reading some of the articles below. However, you need to find the one that works best for you and in the end, you are the one who needs to decide what is really important to you.

Articles: 

Back to Basics: Setting Priorities

Easy 7-Step System for Prioritizing Your Day and Simplifying Your Life

How to Prioritize Yourself AND Be More Effective in Your Life


Books to Consider:

First Things First
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long
Lifehacker: The Guide to Working Smarter, Faster, and Better

Writer's Digest - Competitions!

Hello fellow writers! To help celebrate NaNoWriMo, I thought that I would provide a few links to some of my favorite "writerly" sources online. First up is  Writer's Digest. The focus here is on helping new authors work on their craft and get published. So, if you are looking for a contest to enter, this is the place to go: http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writing-competitions.

However, they also have tons of articles on writing and you can access them in a variety of ways, such as by genre, goal, or writing level, as well as several blogs by the editors all focused on different aspects of writing and getting published. There is an Education area where you can register for writing courses (for a fee). And, they have links to a variety of writing resources, like the Writer's Market.

A recent blog post by one of the editors, Brian A. Klems, directly addresses "How to Prepare for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)" and you can check out his advice here: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-prepare-for-national-novel-writing-month-nanowrimo

Best wishes in your Nano writing adventure! :-)

Graduate Tip

Graduate students who are inactive (do not take courses) for two years will need to completely reapply and be accepted to resume work on their degrees.

National Novel Writing Month

Looking for more information about being part of TWU's National Novel Writing Month madness? Then look no further! You can find more info about upcoming campus events on this page.  We will be posting some short motivational pieces as well as tips to help you along the way right here so stay tuned!

If you are not part of the TWU family, our neighbors at UNT are also hosting NaNoWriMo activities. For more information, contact UNT Libraries.

Recruiting

I will be venturing out of my ivory tower next week to visit some other universities on a recruiting spree around the DFW Metroplex. If you know of anyone interested in our programs, please feel free to have them stop by the TWU booth. Below is the schedule.

Monday, October 10th - University of North Texas 10 - 2 pm and Texas Woman's University 4 - 6 pm

Tuesday, October 11th - Texas Wesleyan University
Wednesday, October 12th - University of Texas at Arlington
Thursday, October 13th - Texas Christian University
Friday, October 14th - Midwestern State University

Hope to see you there!

Light Indian Food Tips

This article is by Sanjeev Kapoor(Very Famous Indian Chef). I'm his fan and liked his tips on eating healthy.

There are many ways to enjoy some light Indian food. If you have roti and sabzi make sure that the roti is not laden with ghee and the sabzi is smartly made in a non stick pan with use of minimal oil. In fact, go ahead and have a bowl of skim milk yogurt, some dal and a bowl of brown rice. What about the salad – have it with a dash of lemon! So you can judge for yourself that is easy to have a balanced meal of light Indian food.

In case you are looking at skimming off calories through the day here are some tips:

Replace one cup of full cream milk with either half a cup or better still replace with same quantity or lesser of low-fat (skimmed) milk.

• Snack on an orange and a banana instead of something fried
• Have steamed vegetables once in a while instead of sautéed ones.
• If you are about to reach for a handful of caramel chocolates, look at dried fruit instead. When making a sandwich, use two slices of whole wheat bread instead of two slices of white bread.
• The nightcap of whole milk hot chocolate can be replaced with skimmed milk flavoured with a dash of elaichi.
• Cut back on sampling during cooking. All "tastes" have calories!
• Snack on a papaya instead of a packet of biscuits.
• On a hot day, quench your thirst with a glass of ice water with lemon or mint instead of a can of cola.
• Use one cup of fat-free cottage cheese instead of regular cottage cheese.
• Have a single scoop of ice cream instead of a double scoop.
• A good sandwich spread is made with mustard paste or green coriander chutney. So why use mayonnaise or butter?
• Once in a while one can have fried foods but there are possibilities of creating tastier versions using the grill, microwave or methods of steaming or baking.
• In case of cutlets and croquettes, which are deep-fried, ensure to drain them well and then keep on absorbent kitchen paper. This helps in removing the top oil.
• The list of wafers, chocolates, cakes, pastries and biscuits as snacks can be replaced. I suggest that once in a while you also try out fresh fruit, dry fruits, breadsticks or vegetable sticks whenever hunger pangs strike you in between meals.

By: www.sanjeevkapoor.com

Quick Healthy Recipes- Part 5

Broccoli Stir Fry

2 medium size Fresh Broccoli
McCormick Grill Mates Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning(2.75 oz)
3tsp Oil
1 tsp Salt

Cut Broccoli into medium-size pieces. You can even slice the hard stem from out side and use the soft part of stem.  Take microwaveable bowl Add Cut Broccoli and soak in water with 1 tsp salt.
Microwave 4 min on high. Drain all the water with help of Colander.
Heat nonstick pan, put 3 tsp oil and put Broccoli. Use wooden flat spoon to stir Broccoli time to time for 5min. Once Broccoli is slightly pan roasted from all sides sprinkle McCormick Ready Seasoning. Sprinkle generously till all the broccoli is covered with Seasoning. Keep stirring till for another 3min.

Note: Don’t add salt as McCormick Ready Seasoning already has salt and all spices. Don’t cover while cooking as we want Broccoli to be crispy.

Chilli Stuffed

10 Long Green Fresh Chillis with Stem(jalapenos)
2 Tsp Jeera Powder(Cumin Pwd)
1 Tsp Salt
½ tsp Hing(Asafetida)
Pam(Spray oil)

Wash Green Chillis and wipe it dry. Don’t take out the stem of chillis. Slit chillis with help of Knife from one side and let other side remain intact.  Scrape out seeds very gently with help of tip of the knife.

Now mix the Cumin Powder, Salt and Hing and keep this mix on flat plate. Lift that mix on knife  tip and gently spread it evenly inside the slit green Chillis. You can even use the spoon end to spread the mix inside chillis. Once done stuffing all the chillis with the mix, heat the nonstick pan.

Keep chillis on hot pan and spray oil or sprinkle little oil evenly on all the chillies, after a minute turn the chillies with help of fork. Make sure to cook very little on both sides of chilies and remove from pan.

Serve as side dish for pulao or Roti Subjior Curd Rice or with Sambar Rice. It goes well with all Indian meal.

Note: Keep exhaust fan on as sometime chilli smoke can really make you cough hard. Don’t overcook chilli as semi crispy chillis taste great.

Red Spinach/Chaulai/Rajgiri  ki Subji

Ingredients:
1 bunch Red Spinach(Clean it by separating leaves from hard stem)
1 big onion chopped
3 red dry whole chili
1-2 whole garlic pods(Optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
Salt to taste

Method to cook:
Wash the cleaned Red Spinach leaves properly under running water and chop them.
Heat oil in a kadai/pan. Add cumin seeds, Red Whole Chilli, chopped Onions. You can add sliced Whole Garlic pod(it’s optional). Cook till onion turns soft and slightly golden.
Add chopped Red Spinach and salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. The leaves will release water. Lower the flame at this point. Don’t cover the pan it should be cooked in open pan.
Bhaji needs to be cooked in that water only. If water dries out, add splash of water and cook again.
Your Subji(Veggie) is ready to eat with rice or roti.

By: Reena Sharma

How to Really Make Your Diet Work For You By: Stanislav Karpunin

First of all, you need to understand, that your body needs a proper Balanced Nutrition Diet, with a proper daily amount of: vitamins, proteins, minerals and carbohydrates.

Get into a habit of eating exactly 3 Meals a day.

1. Eat breakfast within one hour of rising.
Breakfast provides at least 30 percent of the total energy and nutrition needed to sustain the human body during the whole day. And therefore it is very important to have a proper breakfast and not to skip it.

2. Have a healthy low-fat lunch snack.
Have a healthy snack in your lunch time, low fat yogurt for example, to keep your energy running.

3. Have your dinner three hours before your bedtime.
Have a Proper dinner three hours before your bedtime; never go to bed on a full stomach.

Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. 2 liters of water a day would help your body to burn calories more effectively and to get rid of toxins.

Exercising is a KEY.
By exercising, your body gets an advantage of many physiological benefits such as:

• Weight Control by elevating your metabolism so that you burn more calories daily.
• The Boost in your energy level
• Strengthening of your heart and lungs
• Improvement in your self-image and self-confidence.

So, don't forget to exercise at least 10 minutes a day.

Try to avoid using fats. Try to keep the fat level in your cooking as low as possible.

Make Calcium your friend. Include as much calcium as you can in your daily diet by eating:

• Oranges
• Broccoli
• Soybeans
• Tofu
• Sunflower Seeds
• Papaya

And other sources of calcium. Calcium is a crucial element for bone metabolism. Calcium deficiency is very common. The "Average" American diet does not even come close to meeting the normal calcium requirements:

425 mg. a day for Men
450 mg. a day for Women

So, to sum it up:

1. Have exactly 3 meals a day
2. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
3. Exercise at least 10 minutes a day
4. Avoid fats
5. Make calcium your friend

By following these 5 simple rules, you will be losing weight in no time.

Author Bio
WellnessWorx.net markets quality, weight-management, nutrition and personal health care products created by WellnessPro leading industry experts. Weight-loss can be a pleasure! http://wellnessworx.net WellnessWorx.net

Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Quick Healthy Recipes- Part 4

Chana(Garbanzo) Salad

2 Cup Boiled Chana(Garbanzo)
1 small onion
2 Green Chilies(jalapenos)
2 Tomato
Cilantro/Hara Dhania
1 Lemon
Salt

Cut Onion, green chilies, tomato in very small pieces. Mix with boiled & water drained Chana(Garbanzo).
Add Salt, little lemon juice and finely chopped cilantro on the top. Mix it well and it’s ready to eat.

Note: I use canned Chana(Garbanzo) sometimes when I shortage of time but ake sure rinse it well under running water to make sure all preservatives are gone.

Raita/Yogurt Salad

1 Cup Yogurt/Dhai/Curd
1 Cucumber
1 small onion
2 Green Chilies(jalapenos)
1 Tomato
Cilantro/Hara Dhania
Salt

Cut Cucumber, Onion, green chilies, tomato in very small pieces. Mix with Yogurt.
Add Salt and finely chopped cilantro on the top. Mix it well and it’s ready to eat.

Note: Raita goes well with Biryani or vegetable Pullao

Spinach Paratha

Ingredients:

·         3 cups whole-wheat flour

·         1 large bunch spinach Only leaf part not the stem (approximately 1 lb or 500 gms)

·         1 tsp cumin powder

·         1/2 tsp red chilli powder

·         1/4 tsp asafetida powder

·         1/2 tsp turmeric powder

·         1/2 tsp Oregano(Ajwine)

·         Salt to taste

·         Oil to pan-fry the parathas

Preparation:

·         Wash spinach leafs then steam it in cooker(just 1 whistle) or put in bowl put the lid and microwave for 4min without any additional water.

·         Add the coriander, cumin, red chilli, asafetida, Ajwaine and turmeric powders, salt to taste to the whole-wheat flour. Add the spinach also and mix all together, kneading to form a medium-soft, smooth dough. Add some more whole wheat flour if the dough is too soft or you can add little water if dough is too hard.

·         Keep the dough aside in a close container for 1/2 hours.

·         Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and roll into balls between your hands till they are smooth and without cracks.

·         Very lightly flour a rolling board or clean counter surface and roll each ball into a circle Or you can fold it with little oil between the layers and make triangle paratha.

·         Heat a griddle/nonstick pan/ tava and cook the parathas one at a time like this: Put a paratha on the griddle. Do the first flip when you see tiny bubbles rise on the surface of the paratha. As soon as the first flip is done, apply little oil on both sides of paratha . Flip again cook from both side. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.

·         Serve hot with yogurt and chutney. I will not recommend pickle as it’s high in saturated fat. As we are practicing healthy food let’s avoid pickle and try it with fresh CilantroChutny or mint Chutny.

Note: Spinach Parata well with curd or pickle or Tomato or mint chutney

By: Reena Sharma

Welcome to Graduate Advising!

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away there was a graduate academic advisor called Mo Solo. Although she had been ordered by the Empire to advise students in a dry and boring manner, she hooked up with a group of rebels determined to make advising more fun. Instead of doing the same old, routine PowerPoint Wimba presentations for an online orientation, this group of rebels courageously inserted humor and zaniness, resulting in much less boring (but probably still tedious) online orientation. After that, encouraged by the other rebels, she brought a Star Wars blow-up punching bag to work. Later, she and fellow rebel Hoda Fett adopted a monkey and brought him to work for fun. Who knows what she will do next?!?

This is her attempt to make advising more fun.
Stay tuned!

What do you want to be?

Welcome!

Welcome to the new blog for the Health Studies Department! This is a new opportunity for us to share our successes and ideas with each other, and everyone in our department has the ability to post here. You may want to tell us about an article you recently published, a conference you attended, a book or article that you read that made you think, or an upcoming important event that others might be interested in. So, take a look around, make yourself at home, and let us know what you've been doing, reading, and thinking!

Limit Oil intake for good health

*My Observation Friends*:

I drained the Oil in kitchen sink I had used for frying Modak(dumplings) & Puri(Indian bread) during Ganesha festival. Then I started tap water to max; to my surprise sink was clogged, I had to start garbage disposal unit to drain the water. If kitchen sinks (2inches wide) can get clogged with little oil then our Arteries are way too small to handle oil. Be careful!!! Limit intake of oily food to avoid health issues, heart diseases.

Note: It was left over oil (100% pure olive just 3/4th cup) without any food remains and my sink was clean.

By: Reena Sharma

Things I do to Cheer Myself Up

1. Call up a friend or sister or mother to talk about it (or to get your mind off it).

2. Watch a good movie, preferably one that you've already seen and liked.

3. Eat a good meal. Something different and delicious, something out of the ordinary. A good meal can always brighten up a bad mood.

4. Go for a walk (After an argument I do this to cool down). Doing this will make your body release endorphins and adrenaline through your body which will make you feel better physically and emotionally.

5. Be spontaneous. Sometimes a consistent and boring routine can make you feel bad. Do something out of the blue, but don't make any rash decisions ;) Like Give surprise visit to close friend.

6. Take a nice long shower. You will feel happier and refreshed.

7. Get out of the house! The fresh air will make you feel better. Go somewhere with a friend, a family member, or even by yourself like beauty parlor, shopping, temple or just window shopping. Staying inside is like trapping yourself inside your depression.

8. Listen to music. Don't listen to sad music–try listening to energetic tunes or a song that inspires you or reminds you of good times.

9. Have a good cry. Sometimes the sadness stays inside your head if you try to force yourself to be happy. Try to let the tears out at the most appropriate time, mainly the best time when you are alone. Do this, and you might feel more relieved of your sad feelings, as if it "got off your chest".

10. Put your feelings into perspective. Is what you're upset about really as important as you think? Did it seem too heavily affect more on yourself than those around you? If you sulk about little problems, like not receiving a perfect behavior from senior or something from past, then you're going to feel sad a lot more easily. Not all of your problems require you to use your head. If you use reason to cheer yourself up, chances are you'll feel a lot less stressed.

Quickly reduce triglycerides

Lowering your triglyceride levels, you may be able to reduce your risk for heart disease and improve your overall health.

Step 1
Eat fewer calories to keep your triglyceride levels from soaring. Unused calories are stored as fat and turn into triglycerides in the body. By limiting the number of unused calories you consume, you may be able to lower your triglyceride levels.

Step 2
Limit your sugar intake, Eating fewer sweets, like candy and cake, may help lower your triglyceride levels within days.

Step 3
Switch out saturated fats, like butter, for monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like olive oil. For example, dipping your bread in olive oil instead of coating it in butter at dinner may help lower your triglyceride levels.

Step 4
Replace a dinner of red meat with fish twice a week. Instead of eating a hamburger, enjoy a piece of baked salmon, drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice. Salmon is lower in saturated fat than red meat and contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may help lower triglyceride levels.

Step 5
Swap refined carbohydrates, like white bread, for complex carbs, like whole-grain bread. Complex carbohydrates do not turn into fat as quickly as refined carbohydrates, which may help lower your triglyceride levels.

Summary: Reduce Calories, Diet(Whole Grains), Replace bad fats with good(Olive oil,Omega-3), Exercise(30min), Weight Loss(lose 5lbs to 10lbs)

http://www.livestrong.com/

Lime & Honey: Does it help in losing weight?

Lime juice is a very rich source of vitamin C which helps in boosting the immunity and is a “Liver Detoxifier” while “Honey” is a better form of sugar, which provides many Vitamins & Minerals and is an energy booster; which keeps us active throughout by enhancing our work performance there by resulting in calorie burn. But still moving and exercising is must along with this for weight loss.

Calories in honey negate your weight loss efforts?

You are right - honey contains sugar. But unlike refined sugar, honey contains vitamins and minerals too. Normally, to digest sugar, the vitamins and minerals stored in body are utilized, rendering the body devoid of these nutrients. These nutrients are essential to dissolve fats and cholesterol. Thus when you eat too much sugar you tend to increase weight not just because of the calories but due to lack of vitamins and minerals. On the contrary, honey being a good source of nutrients helps you in reducing weight.

Honey and warm water: Normally fat remains as an un-used resource in your body adding bulk and weight. It is believed that honey mobilizes this stored fat. When this fat is burnt to provide energy for your daily activities, you see a gradual decrease in your weight and obesity levels. It is suggested that you drink this honey (about one tablespoon daily), with equal amount of warm water.

Honey and lemon juice: Honey can also help in weight loss when consumed with warm water and lemon juice. Many people drink this formula first thing in the morning to reduce their weight.

Honey also improves your digestion and thus helps in weight loss. Hence honey is also consumed after dinner especially after overeating.

The latest theory based on the hibernation diet also builds a link between fructose-rich honey and weight loss. It suggests taking a generous spoonful or two of honey at night, either as a warm drink or straight from the jar, and promises to help us sleep and lose weight at the same time by fuelling the liver, speeding up fat-burning metabolism and easing stress hormones.

The good news is that honey, a natural sweetener, contains 22 amino acids and a variety of minerals essential for its metabolism and hence is helpful in preventing obesity. It is believed that drinking lemon juice with a little honey the first thing in the morning is an effective anti-cellulite treatment as it helps to increase body metabolism. If you are determined to shed weight and speed up your sluggish metabolism, try this honey and lemon diet tip.

From: http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/ And  http://www.organicfacts.net/

Loss 5 Pounds by this weekend

Step 1. Drink More Water.Drink water three times a day before meals.
Water also keeps you energized, so you’ll have the vigor needed to burn additional calories in the gym, on the tennis court, or wherever the day takes you. “Even being slightly dehydrated can lead to feeling fatigued,”.

Step 2. Say No to a Side of Fries or Potato Chips.
Replace these greasy sides with fresh veggies to save yourself hundreds of calories in a week.

Step 3. Cut Down on Added Sugars.

Eliminating added sugars could save you thousands of calories in a week. Other offenders included cookies, cakes, doughnuts, and dairy desserts. To trim hundreds of empty calories from your daily diet, check nutrition labels. “Look for anything that ends in the letters "ose,” the biochemical ending for sugars, such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose, and maltose, and the word syrup,”. If it’s sweetened, skip it.

Step 4. Watch and Avoid Hidden Calories.

Learn appropriate portions for common foods and skip calorie-laden condiments and dressings.

Step 5. Move More

Move it to lose it!!! Remember this mantra. Not all calories are lost at the kitchen table. Daily physical activity chips away at unwanted pounds.
“Choose an activity that you enjoy, whether it’s yard work, pole dancing, Zumba, or Pilates—anything that gets your body going.”
Integrate these activities into your weekly routine.

To burn…*
More than 100 calories, try:
Walking for an hour at 2 miles per hour (183)
Cooking for an hour (176)

More than 200 calories, try:
Raking the lawn for an hour (281)
Cleaning the house for an hour (246)
Bowling for an hour (219)
Leisurely bicycling (less than 10 mph) for an hour (292)

More than 300 calories, try:
Golfing for an hour while carrying your clubs (329)
Mowing the lawn for an hour (387)
Dancing for an hour (317)
Playing baseball or softball for an hour (365)

More than 400 calories, try:
Doing high-impact aerobics for an hour (493)
Hiking for an hour (438)
Stationary bicycling or rowing for an hour (493)

More than 500 calories, try:Playing basketball for an hour (584)
Jogging at 5 miles per hour (584)
Using a stair treadmill for an hour (657)
Swimming laps for an hour (511)From: fitbie.msn.com



Low Calories Breakfast

#1 Mixed grain bread with a little almond butter, sliced banana, raisins on top, and a sprinkling of cinnamon; serve with a glass of low fat milk.

#2 High fiber cereal, topped with mixed nuts, dried fruit, and a small glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#3 Natural yoghurt mixed with a chopped apple, berries, and whole grain cereal; served with 100% whole orange juice.

#4 Healthy granola bar, one orange, and a glass of low fat milk.

#5 Whole wheat English muffin, toasted and thinly spread with reduced fat cottage cheese, topped with sliced pineapple; serve with a glass of 100% whole fruit juice.

#6 Natural yoghurt, topped with mixed berries, a teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, a slice of whole grain toast; and a cup of green tea.

#7 Swiss muesli - combine 2 cups of rolled oats, and 1 cup low fat milk or fruit juice, cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning add 2 grated apples, 1/4 chopped hazelnuts, and 200g of low fat honey yoghurt, mix well (serves 4).

#8 Whole wheat English muffin topped with melted reduced fat cheese, a sliced tomato, and a sliced hard-boiled egg; served with a small glass of 100% pure fruit juice.

#9 Scrambled egg, sprinkled with a teaspoon of ground flaxseeds; served with mixed grain bread, fresh fruit salad, and a small glass of low fat milk.

#10 Cooked oats topped with raisins, dried cranberries, sliced bananas, and calcium fortified soy milk.

#11 Brown rice or barley - cook the night before, then in the morning top with some raisins, sliced apple, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a little reduced fat milk.

#12 Whole wheat pita half topped with grilled Canadian bacon, a little reduced fat cottage cheese, tomatoes, and mushrooms; serve with 100% pure fruit juice.

#13 Fruit smoothie – add strawberries, kiwi, and a banana to the blender, a cup of natural yoghurt, one teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, and a cup of crushed ice.

#14 Mini wheat cereal, dried fruit, mixed nuts, place in a plastic bag and eat on the way to work with a thermos cup of low fat milk.

#15 Breakfast burrito – scrambled eggs, chopped tomatoes, and a little grated reduced fat cheese, wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, served with green tea and a slice of fresh ginger.

#16 Whole grain bread topped with kippers, or smoked salmon, and sliced tomatoes; serve with two small apricots, and a cup of low fat milk.

#17 Homemade granola – mix 2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup of wheat cereal, 1 cup dried fruits and seeds, 1/4 cup of flaked coconut.

#18 Multi grain English muffin, toasted and spread with peanut butter, topped with sliced apples, and served with a small glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#19 Multi grain cereal, topped with raisins, a sliced banana, and low fat milk.

#20 Healthy “blobs” – mix 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk, 3 cups crushed flake cereal, and 2 tablespoons honey. Form into “blobs” (should make 10). Wrap each blob in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Grab a couple with a travel cup of skim milk and go! (From Nutritionist Alana Unger)

#21 Whole wheat bagel topped with reduced fat cottage cheese, sprinkled with flaxseed; serve with a small bowl of mixed berries, and a cup of herbal tea.

#22 Scrambled tofu, with onions, and peppers, a dash of light soy sauce, and stir-fry with a little olive oil. Serve with whole grain toast, and a glass of calcium fortified soy milk.

#23 Sandwich made with lean ham or turkey, in whole grain bread, topped with sliced tomatoes, and a small glass of reduced fat milk.

#24 Mini whole grain bagel, topped with almond butter, sliced apples, and a glass of 100% whole orange juice.

#25 Sliced melon tossed in a bowl with the pulp of one passion fruit, topped with natural yoghurt, and a handful of muesli.