Latest news with #Booked
India Today
25-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Parenting doesn't need to feel chaotic. ‘Rhythmic Parenting' offers a gentler path
There's no sugarcoating it -- parenting today feels like a race. From screens to schools to sugar-laced foods, kids are bombarded. Meanwhile, parents are left wondering why tantrums, sleep issues and backchat are becoming so what if the problem isn't the kids, but the rhythm?That's what Saloni Azuchi and Aparajita Sadhu unpack in Rhythmic Parenting, a book that pushes back on the chaos of modern child-rearing. Speaking to India Today's Sneha Mordani on Booked, the authors broke down some of their boldest and most practical IS MORE THAN ROUTINE 'Rhythm is not just about a timetable. It's about flow,' Saloni routine, which can feel mechanical, rhythm gives breathing space. A child's day should gently alternate between what the authors call 'in-breath' (taking things in, like school or screen time) and 'out-breath' (rest, play, naps).'The most intense in-breath for a child is screen time,' says Saloni. This is why they recommend zero screen time for children under ISN'T OPTIONAL, IT'S BRAIN WORKIf your child struggles to wake up in the morning, parents need to understand that they aren't being difficult, it's biology.'They're not just being difficult,' Aparajita says. 'The body is not ready for the next day.''Sleep is when children grow, not just physically but mentally. Even school learning gets processed better after sleep. 'Please take them to sleep no later than 7 pm,' they out the full Booked episode here: DECISION-MAKING? LEAVE IT TILL 21It may sound harsh, but letting children make constant choices -- even about clothes or meals -- might be harming them.'Judgement and decision-making doesn't even start developing until puberty,' says a 4-year-old what they want for breakfast may sound empowering, but it often causes anxiety and distraction. Let them play be free in the true sense when they're developmentally ISN'T PUNISHMENTChores are where children can thrive. From folding laundry to sweeping floors, even toddlers can be involved -- not as helpers but as participants.'They love to do it because it requires them to move,' Aparajita points out. Motor skills, confidence, focus -- all of it improves. All it takes is some space and PUSHING WRITING BEFORE THEY'RE READYPreschools often expect kids to write before their hands are even physically developed.'The wrist of a six-year-old is not ready to write,' says Aparajita. Instead of rushing academics, they say, focus on movement, chores, play and will come -- and come well -- if we wait till the body is ready.- Ends
India Today
11-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Can Ayurveda help reset your gut, mood and sleep in 21 days? Nidhi Pandya says yes
Can ancient wisdom still work in modern life? Author and third-generation Ayurvedic practitioner Nidhi Pandya says yes, and her new book Your Body Already Knows is a guide to making that this episode of Booked, with Suyesha Savant, Pandya breaks down how simple changes in daily routine can reset our gut, improve sleep, balance the mood, and even help with emotional health. All in just 21 days!advertisementYOUR BODY ALREADY KNOWSAt the heart of her book is a powerful idea: tuning back into the body's natural intelligence. But Pandya is quick to clarify what that means. 'Somebody could very well be like, my body wants to watch Netflix till 1 a.m. and my body is craving this big bag of chips. And that is really not what I'm talking about when I say, 'your body already knows'.' Instead, she points to how animals in nature live intuitively. 'A deer wakes up in the morning at a certain hour without the alarm clock, and they go and graze on possibly the same exact patch of grass day after day. Tigers don't get carried away with the 5 a.m. club. And nursing mammals will actually eat galactical plants and animals that are wounded will roll in sulphur-rich soil so they can heal.''We have forgotten what every other species knows on the planet,' she says. 'So this book offers you a framework to come back to that intelligence which is already within us.'THE COST OF QUICK FIXESIn a world full of expensive treatments and health trends, many people find it hard to commit to slow and natural warns that our fragmented, fast-fix approach can backfire. 'We like a fragmented quick fix,' she says, 'but the truth is, you and I, we are looking younger than our parents' generation, but we're feeling older.'This is because, she explains, constantly tampering with the body in unnatural ways creates long-term damage. "Every time you touch the body at a deeper level in a manner which is unnatural, it changes the entire system. It is so complex that in a million years man will never understand what is really going on.'ANCIENT SCIENCE, MODERN LIFEPandya says India hasn't fully tapped into the real depth of Ayurveda. 'I'll be very honest because I grew up in Mumbai. I lived here for 20-plus years. And we think Ayurveda is about ancient practices. We think it's about, you know, when I was growing up, there used to be herbs and purkis. Like my Dada ji used to give little herbs and little purkis, powders and, you know, smelly oils. And honestly, that's the Ayurveda that's been left in India.' advertisementShe explains, 'Ayurveda is a whole, complete science. It has everything from social conduct to circadian rhythms to fertility to how to live. Even if you didn't bring in the herbs, you could still practice Ayurveda as the ultimate science of life.'So where should people begin? Small shifts. 'Part of my work is to start at the easiest place. I like to meet people where they're at. And that's really what the book does. A very kind, gentle, loving approach.'WHAT'S THE 21-DAY RESET?Pandya's book lays out a step-by-step plan to reset your health in 21 days-not by adding more tasks, but by living smarter. 'I'm barely asking you to add things to your day,' she says.'I'm asking you to reconfigure the way you eat, the way you wake up and sleep, when you eat, how you exercise, how you interact with others.'It begins with eating a big lunch and a light dinner, because, she says, 'we are mammals of the sun. You want to eat when the sun is at its peak.'advertisementOther habits include using spices correctly, managing stress, and syncing your sleep with natural cycles. 'You just have to keep progressing,' she adds. 'If you're sleeping at 1 a.m., move to 12:45, gradually, little by little.'HOW FOOD AND EMOTIONS ARE CONNECTEDPandya also highlights how deeply emotional health is linked with food habits. 'Every thought produces a chemical in your body,' she says. 'Imagine, just a thought can change your chemistry right away. Over a period of time, that biochemical reality is going to change your entire biology.'She shares an example of a client who came to her for weight loss, but the real issue was emotional distress. "The client was expecting cucumbers and tea, but I said, let's work to see when it gets really intense? What is it that gets you rushing for that packet of chips?'Pandya's solution? 'We created a whole list of tools - those that you can learn to regulate? And that becomes a game changer.'RITUALS THAT WORKPandya also recommends incorporating three simple yet powerful Ayurvedic practices into daily life: tongue scraping, nasya (putting herbal oil drops into the nostrils), and oil explains that tongue scraping helps remove overnight build-up and stimulates digestion. 'Think of it as a ceiling in your kitchen. If you were cooking every day, you're going to have gunk on your ceiling, that's kind of what our tongue is.'Nasya, which she calls 'the most underrated practice in the world,' can improve memory, clear sinuses, and protect against environmental pollutants. Oil pulling, on the other hand, supports oral hygiene by replenishing the mouth's microbiome and maintaining a strong ahead, Pandya hopes to explore more in future books. 'I definitely want to write about women's bodies and how they're different from men and I also want to do a deep dive into sleep deeper than what we've done ever before,' she says.- EndsTrending Reel
India Today
27-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Dr Ambrish Mithal decodes benefits of new weight-loss drugs
Dr Ambrish Mithal decodes benefits of new weight-loss drugs Jun27,2025 Credit: India Today Most type 2 diabetes patients are overweight, need to lose weight, and losing weight will help them even reverse or at least treat their diabetes better. Reverses diabetes Dr. Mithal describes body fat distribution in India is more on the belly. This, he says leads to a BMI lower than 30. However, the drugs can be used for someone whose BMI 27 and lower with comorbidities. Skinny fat Indians Dr. Mithal says that GLP-1 drugs are not magic but are powerful when taken along with proper diet high in protein and strength training. Credit: Getty Images GLP-1 drugs are not magic Rapid weight loss, especially without strength training, can lead to muscle loss. Therefore, while taking the medicines, ensure you exercise and have a proper diet to avoid severe muscle loss. Does it lead to muscle loss? The medicines have shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and even reverse fatty liver. Happy side-effects GLP-1 drugs can help improved infertility in women with PCOS. Beyond weight loss Weight-loss drugs are not for everyone. Dr. Mithal says that assessing various factors like obesity and diabetes are required before prescribing the medicines. Not for everyone 'You can't eradicate obesity by using these drugs you have to eradicate obesity by preventing it," Dr. Mithal says. Forever drugs? For years, metformin has been the standard first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes. But newer medications are rapidly changing that equation, says Dr. Ambrish Mithal in conversation with Sneha Mordani for India Today's Booked. Beyond Metformin
Wall Street Journal
04-06-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Inside the $135 Million Mission to Get Your Flight to Leave on Time
Your trip may be booked, but there are hundreds of people and processes that help you travel to where you need to go. WSJ's Booked goes behind-the-scenes with the experts to peel back the curtain on the travel industry.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Saloon cuts funding for drag performers, putting some shows at risk
A lineup change is coming to The Saloon Bar, which is reducing funding for its long-running drag shows, forcing at least one of them to cancel. One of the longest-running gay bars in the Twin Cities, The Saloon is a staple in the drag community, hosting multiple shows a week ranging from competitions to variety shows. It's a proven platform for many performers and producers to break out into the drag scene and make money, with The Saloon typically paying performers for their talents. However, bar management is now paring back its investment in drag shows, only paying for performances of its Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday shows: Werk and Hot Pink. "We are at the point financially, especially with the economy downtown, where we just can't put out the kind of money that we were putting out for drag," Bobby Palmer, the Saloon's manager, said to Bring Me The News. "We still support all of our drag producers. We still support all of our shows and offer our space to everyone who wants to use it, but I need producers to come to the table now with a little more than just an idea." Previously funded shows are still welcome to perform at the Saloon and use its space, and they will not be charged for the platform. However, producers and cast will have to pay out of their pocket to put on their shows instead of being paid by the bar, and will rely on tips. The effects of this decision have already been seen with alternative drag show Ghoulfriends, which announced on May 8 that its final show would be on July 23. "Due to changes beyond our control, we are sorry to announce that July will be the final Ghoulfriends show," the story post read. "We thank you for the years of support, boos, and fun. You all made this an incredible experience for us, and we loved entertaining you all." Ghoulfriends was the first show to announce it would not be returning to the Saloon. However, the withdrawal of funds has left the future of multiple shows at risk, according to Slaymantha Fox, drag queen and producer of "Booked" and "Drag Show: The Musical." "Pretty simply, if we can't find the funding, the shows end. I can't speak for other producers, but personally, I can't afford to fund them myself, and honestly, most shows I don't make a profit other than tips," Fox said to Bring Me The News. "I created Booked because I was seeing a lot of performers coming up in the scene that weren't getting those bookings, and I just wanted to celebrate the underdogs to lift others up that otherwise wouldn't have a space." Booked has been a staple show at The Saloon since April 2022. According to Fox, Palmer had contacted them in late April to discuss the future of the bars' drag shows, and said they no longer had the funds to pay performers, with an exception for "Hot Pink," which has been the "headlining" show at The Saloon for years now, and its competition show "Werk." "You are going to start seeing a lot from me and possibly other producers asking for sponsorship... You might see GoFundMe's other forms to try and find the money to pay these performers because we don't want these shows to go away," Fox said live on Facebook on May 7. While the bar has said it is still supportive and welcomes drag performances in its space, the news of The Saloon's change spread within the community, causing many to voice their unhappiness at the situation. "I don't doubt there's a possibility of funds lacking. I just feel like this could've been done with a lot more communication,' frequent Saloon visitor, Juniper Foster said. "Seeing a drag space get relegated to one specific type of drag feels limiting and disappointing, especially in a city that has such a vibrant art scene." "I think it's easy to point the blame, and it's what humans do, right? We look for someone or something to direct our frustration, anger, and anxiety at. And until you have all the information, you'll only see it from one perspective," Fox said. "I encourage people to look deeper and do the math. Once I multiplied that across all the shows, it made more sense from a business standpoint. But I don't deny people's anger or frustration at the bar because it is upsetting." While Palmer told Bring Me The News that the bar is currently doing fine financially, the decision was made to ensure that it continues to stay afloat, saying that "the place is too important to too many people." Many have critiqued the decision, claiming that the bar profits heavily during Pride Month with its annual block party, which will take place from June 27-29. It features DJs, drag performers, and even a Ferris wheel. Tickets range from $44 for a day to $106 for a weekend pass. "I get what people think about it, but I need people to understand that Pride is very expensive to put on and it's very, very risky," Palmer said in response. "If we have bad weather, we are out of luck. I get what people think about it, but there is a large amount of anxiety and concern about it." Drag Queen Miz Diagnosis, formerly a host for Stand Up Saloon (SUS), a show cancelled months before this decision, said shows like SUS and Booked are "integral" to the local drag scene. "They were designed to push artists in a way that some shows don't. SUS always booked comedians to push themselves in front of a queer audience, and drag artists would get an opportunity to try stand up and/or comedic numbers for the first time," Diagnosis said to Bring Me The News. "Booked has monthly changing themes that allow its casts and guests to develop new numbers and work on passion projects/themes that may not be deemed 'marketable.' They were incubators for the art form of drag, and elevated it to new levels." The next Booked will be on May 23 at 8:30 p.m., and while the future remains uncertain, Fox said she has not given up yet. "I have a few leads on donors and sponsorship, but nothing confirmed or in writing yet. But I am hopeful," Fox said. "If we can stop pointing blame a bit and take a step back and come together as a community and find a positive constructive way forward we can solve this bump in the road. But people need to do the work, step up, and support each other." Upcoming shows at the Saloon can be found posted on their Instagram.
