When Rain Came

  

@Seema

Back then, in the nineties,

in rural India,

monsoon was regular and strong.

We were an agrarian community,

so rains were very important,

to start paddy cultivation.

We would wait, watching the swallows

as harbingers of rain,

and then one day,

black carpets of dense clouds

would cover the sky.

The monsoon had arrived—

to linger for months,

to make the parched land

lush again,

to fill the rivers and ponds,

cattle would be plump up.

We sat leisurely on porches,

enjoying the clouds and rain,

watching birds carry twigs,

to build nests on the trees,

as we munched

crispy pakoras, puffed rice,

with ginger milk tea.

That was bliss,

now I am an immigrant,

in a faraway continent,

Things are not the same,

as we know,

life rhythm is fast,

weather erratic

but I still stand at the window,

sip my tea, and watch the rain

with great delight and passion.

Come what may, we must not lose

the connection with nature,

in its nurturing bosom,

lies our peace and happiness.

 

On Vocal Cord Care

 

Author @Seema

We all have Achilles heels. Well, we can have many. I have a few, and one of mine is my throat region.
I have hypothyroidism. If you don’t know thyroid gland is in threat near the trachea. Recently, I am feeling little discomfort in my throat.

I’ve been trying to understand it better so I can manage it more wisely.
As a mother of two kids who talk and shout a lot, I often end up using my voice constantly. The vocal cords feel tired and strained.

I dictating too many drafts a day. It can affect the vocal cords too.

So, I feel I am over-using my vocal cords. My laryngeal muscles are overworked.

The thyroid gland is below the larynx or voice box. So, the vocal cord strain can affect the thyroid gland too. It’s happening to me.

What can we do to soothe the vocal chord?

🌸Dehydration is bad as it dries the mucus film. So drink plenty of water. Warm water is better.

🌸Good sleep is must for muscle strain repair. So, it is necessary to sleep 6–7 hours.

🌸Stomach acid can irritate both the throat and thyroid area. So, controlling the acid reflux is important.

🌸Resting the voice is important. We don’t always have to talk.

🌸 I learned that throat clearing and coughing can hurt the vocal cords together, so we have to limit that.

🌸 Avoiding irritants like strong scents is also important, and I make sure to take it seriously.

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Say ‘No’ to perfumes @Seema

🌸Foods rich in iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron should be included in the diet, while goitrogenic foods should be limited. Goiter is swollen neck. So, it will surely press the vocal cords.

@Seema

🌸 Stress management is equally important.

🌸Keeping the body warm is important, especially for hypothyroid people as the body is cold-intolerant.

Winter is especially harsh, with low vitamin D, weaker immunity, circulating germs, and cold air. So, I try to stay warm. I hope you found this story informative.