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Ask Vandana

RAIN, RAIN COME AGAIN Indoor workouts are a great alternative to keep you fit during wet spells

Fitness expert and beautician Vandana Luthra offers tips and answers your queries. You can send your queries to: queries@vlcc.co.in

I love outdoor sports but because of the rains, I am unable to follow my exercise routine. Could you suggest some indoor exercises that will help me keep fit?

Don't let the rains dampen your spirits! Indoor workouts are a great alternative to keep you fit during wet spells. Try the following:

Aerobics: Whether high or low impact, aerobics improves cardio-vascular fitness and is great for burning fat.

Kickboxing: Similar to boxing, but uses the feet, as well as the hands, for striking. This results in building overall strength.

Yoga: Helps to improve flexibility and muscle endurance.

Pilates: This is a safe, sensible exercise system done using a floor mat or equipment. It will help you look and feel your very best. It works miracles, irrespective of age or physical condition. Pilates improves core strength, flexibility and agility. It can even help alleviate back pain and other chronic ailments.

I have curly hair and I love to use gel to accentuate the curls. But I was recently told that gel is not good for hair. Is it true? If so, what alternative do I have?

Hair is merely dead tissue being pushed through the scalp, so a gel coating on the hair should not lead to any damage to it. However, excessive use of gels with inadequate maintenance of hygiene will lead to irritation of the scalp and may cause dandruff. The dandruff could lead to hair fall and the associated complications.

My hair is very thin and comes up to my ears. I wish to have long, thick, lustrous and bouncy hair. What should I do?

The texture of hair is usually determined by the genes, so we cannot change thin hair to thick. A regular oil scalp massage and a balanced diet will help in providing good blood circulation at the hair follicle, which may in turn improve your hair texture. There are also many gels and mousses available in the market which can help to improve hair texture. Re-bonding or chemical straightening also gives a feeling of increased volume.

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