javed khalil

Well, here are some useful pointers; preventive measures and controls that will not take more than 10 minutes of your precious time and easily help you maintain an insect-free home:

Regularly air and thoroughly vacuum carpets etc., in your home, taking care not to forget poorly accessible places.

Larvae on the wall should be wiped off with a cloth or removed using a vacuum cleaner.

Beetles on windows indoors should simply be moved outdoors.

Infested textiles should be brushed out, beaten, washed, cleaned or ironed.

Do not allow water to accumulate at the base of flowerpots or in pet dishes for more than 2 days

Clean debris from rain gutters and remove any standing water under or around structures, or on flat roofs.

Check around faucets and air conditioner units and repair leaks or puddles that remain for several days.

Change water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week.

Eliminate sewage from cisterns, cesspools, and septic tanks.

Irrigate lawns and gardens carefully to prevent water from stagnating for several days.

Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened.

Use repellents containing ingredients such as diethyl phthalate, diethyl carbate, diethyl toluamide (DEET), and ethyl hexanediol.

Check the label for these active ingredients.

Muslims generally break their fast by eating dates. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) is reported to have said: “if anyone of you is fasting, let him break his fast with dates. In case he does not have them, then with water. Verily water is a purifier.”

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) used to break his fast by eating some dates before offering Maghrib prayer, and if ripe dates were not available, he used to substitute them with some dried grapes. When they too were not available, he used to have a few sips of water, according to some reports. Modern science has proved that dates are part of a healthy diet. They contain sugar, fat and proteins, as well as important vitamins. Hence the great importance attached to them by the Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam).

Dates are also rich in natural fibres. Modern medicine has shown that they are effective in preventing abdominal cancer. They also surpass other fruits in the sheer variety of their constituents. They contain oil, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium. In other words, one date is a minimum of a balanced and healthy diet. Arabs usually combine dates with milk and yogurt or bread, butter and fish. This combination indeed makes a self-sufficient and tasty diet for both mind and body. Dates and date palms have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an 20 times, thus showing their importance. The Prophet likened a good Muslim to the date palm, saying, “Among trees, there is a tree like a Muslim. Its leaves do not fall.”

Sayyidah Mariam (alaiyhas salaam) mother of Isa (alaiyhis salaam) had dates as her food when she felt labour pains and during confinement. They are definitely the “crown of sweets,” and ideal food which is easy to digest, and within half an hour of taking it, the tired body regains a renewed vigour. The reason for this is that a shortage of sugar in the blood is the main factor that makes people feel hungry and not an empty stomach as is often assumed. When the body absorbs the nutritional essence of a few dates, the feeling of hunger becomes appeased. When one breaking the fast with dates and takes some other food afterwards, he cannot eat much. It would seem that breaking the fast with dates then helps one avoid excessive eating.

Experiments have also shown that dates contain some stimulants that strengthen the muscles of the uterus in the last months of pregnancy. This helps the dilation of the uterus at the time of delivery on one hand and reduces the bleeding after delivery on the other. Dieticians consider dates as the best food for women in confinement and those who are breast-feeding. This is because dates contain elements that assist in alleviating depression in mothers and enriching the breast-milk with all the elements needed to make the child healthy and resistant to disease. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has emphasized the importance of dates and their effectiveness in the growth of the fetus. He has also recommended they be given to women. Modern dietary institute now recommend dates to be given to children suffering from a nervous nature or hyperactivity. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) has also recommended dates as a medicine for heart troubles, according to so me reports. Modern science has also proved the effectiveness of date, in preventing diseases of the respiratory system.

Sayyidah Ayisha, (R.A.) wife of Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam), used to prescribe dates for those suffering from giddiness. It is now well known that a fall in the level of the sugar in the blood and low blood pressure are among the causes of giddiness. She was also reported to have used dates combined with cucumber to treat her over-slim condition! She said, “they’ve tried to fatten me giving me everything. But I did not become fat. Then they fattened me with cucumber and ripe dates and I gained!” Ayisha was quite correct, as we now know that one-kilogram of dates contains nearly 3,000 calories, which alone are sufficient to supply the minimum daily requirements of an active man for one full day.
 
Dates are rich in several vitamins and minerals. When the level of trace elements falls in the body, the health of the blood vessels is affected leading to an increased heart rate and a consequent inability to perform its function with normal efficiency. As dates are also rich in calcium, they help strengthen the bones. When the calcium content in the body decreases, children are affected with rickets and the bones of adults become brittle and weak.

Dates are also important in keeping up the health of eyes. It is quite effective in guarding against night-blindness. In the early years of Islam, dates served as food for Muslim warriors. They used to carry them in special bags hung at their sides. They are the best stimulant for muscles and so the best food for a warrior about to engage in battle.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) used to combine dates with bread sometimes. At other times he mixed ripe dates with cucumber, or dates combined with ghee. He used to take all varieties of dates, but he preferred the variety called Ajwah.

We all want to look young, energetic, and healthful. Here are 10 tricks…er, tips culled from Prevention magazine, The New York Post, and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that will help you look younger than your real age–without surgery.

1. Conceal and moisturize

“When you hit a certain age, the things you’ve done before don’t apply,” makeup artist Robin Narvaez of Manhattan’s Borja Color Studio told The New York Post. “You need to learn new tricks.” And the No. 1 trick in her book is moisturize, moisturize, moisturize and then use makeup to conceal any imperfections, such as broken capillaries, age spots, and shadows.

2. Use sunscreen as a moisturizer

In the morning, slather sunscreen on your face just as you would a moisturizer, advises Prevention magazine. Use SPF 15. If you plan to be outside most of the day, use SPF 45.

3. Trim your eyebrows

Splurge and let a pro do it the first time or two until you learn the tricks. If your eyebrows are the wrong shape, they can actually make you look older and even sadder. But beware: Narvaez says you should never wax your brows since that pulls on the skin and will make you look older.

4. This will make you blush

Since older skin dries out faster, use a brush and loose powder for foundation. “Stay away from anything called matte,” warns Narvaez. “A dry, flat finish will only emphasize wrinkles and cracks.” And do use blush–a soft pink is best. Always avoid bronze.

5. The great wrinkle cover-up

Once you hit your 40s, call your dermatologist for a prescription-strength vitamin A derivative, such as Retin A, Renova, or Tazorac. These products will make your wrinkles less noticeable and will actually help fade age spots. Prevention magazine says they may even help prevent certain pre-cancerous changes in your skin. Narvaez says you can disguise fine lines around your lips by building up the cupid’s bow with a neutral-covered lip liner. Want that dewy look? Try lip gloss.

6. Get an eyeful of this

Use a light-colored eye shadow to open up your eyes and make them look bigger–but avoid anything shiny because it’s so artificial looking. Narvaez also recommends curling your eyelashes and using dark brown or black mascara. No other colors work for the over-40 crowd because they look so fake. Avoid waterproof mascara since you’ll have to rub hard to get it off, which can stress your delicate (read: aging) skin.

7. Sleep seven hours every night

Sleep refreshes your body. If you regularly get only a few hours of sleep at night, it will hinder metabolism and hormone production in a way that is similar to the effects of aging, warns Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of “The No-Grain Diet.” He says seven hours a night is the absolute minimum for all of us, and some folks benefit from more. His advice: Be in bed by 9 p.m. in the winter months and 10 p.m. the rest of the year.

8. High energy

You’ll look and feel better if you eat the right kind of fat–specifically nuts. Peanuts, walnuts, and almonds are best. They slowly release their good fat, giving you more endurance for the day’s demands.

9. Flaunt your figure

Once you hit 40, Houston-based image consultant Karen McCullough has some surprising advice for women: “Don’t be too covered up. Show your clavicles or some cleavage, but make sure to wear a well-fitting bra for support.” If you’re letting a little show on top, wear a longer skirt of slacks. You don’t want to look trashy. She also told the Plain Dealer this tip: Trousers that are slightly too big make you look much skinnier than trousers that are a bit too tight.

10. Get a good pair of sunglasses–and wear them

Wear sunglasses so you don’t squint in the bright light. If you don’t squint as much, you’ll help prevent crow’s feet and forehead lines, notes Prevention magazine.