Shoba Rajamani

Throughout the ages, parents have grappled with the question of how best to raise well-behaved children. Of all the styles of parenting, perhaps the most painless is the way our Indian grandmothers imparted values and...

Regardless of age, race or gender, most people want to look and feel their best for any occasion. Men and women alike adorn their bodies to please both themselves and others, attracting favorable attention to...

When I accompanied my sister for her regular pregnancy check-up one time, I was surprised that her doctor advised her to drink milk with saffron. Little did I know that saffron, a favorite in the...

Cooking, in scientific terms, is the transfer of heat energy which changes the condition of the food or, more specifically, the state of matter. Whether you boil, bake, fry, or grill, the cooking process decreases...

You may have heard that chia seeds are a healthy addition to your diet that can also help you lose weight. It’s true! Chia seeds are regarded as a highly-nutritious food with numerous health benefits....

Sleep is a biological requirement, just like drinking water and eating. Getting sufficient sleep at night can improve your days in many ways, while sleep deprivation is linked with decreased productivity and decreased immune response,...

Basil (Ocimum basilicum), a popular culinary herb across most of the world, is a green leafy plant that belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and shares several medicinal traits with its botanical cousins.  King of...

Roses have been treasured for thousands of years, not only for their intoxicating fragrance, but also to enhance health, beauty, and even culinary creations. To capture their universally admired scent, rose essential oil (rose attar)...

The world’s biggest bats (Pteropus sp.), also known as flying foxes — or Old World fruit bats — are many times the size of their smaller cousins. Found in Asia, Africa, and Australia, flying foxes...

The lovely white lotus, with its enchanting beauty and fragrance, is universally admired for its pure and enduring nature. Owing to its many healing properties,  the entire lotus plant has also been employed in Traditional...

Humans traditionally lived in diurnal, 24-hour cycles of light and darkness, with the day filled with natural light and the moonlit night enhanced only by the light of a fire. Under such lighting conditions, people...

Ceylon cinnamon, a mildly aromatic spice with earthy tones, is gaining popular recognition for its many health benefits. Unlike the more commonly used Cassia cinnamon, Ceylon is harvested from the Cinnamomum zeylanicum plant, and offers...