Raisin - Nature's Candy

Nature’s candy – the raisin

Raisins are fat free, cholesterol free and low in sodium and they rejuvenate us from within.

Health benefits
1. Eating raisins promotes oral health. There are five antioxidants in raisins that prevent cavities and gum disease.

2. Raisins are rich in antioxidants, dietary fibre and several essential vitamins and minerals like iron, potassium and calcium.

3. Being a rich source of iron, raisins are a boon for people suffering from anaemia.

4. Containing 70 per cent pure fructose, raisins are easily digested and quickly assimilated into the bloodstream, thus providing instant energy.

5. Raisins help maintain the body’s pH balance. Consuming 1 gm of raisins daily reduces urine acidity.

6. To cure chronic constipation, soak few raisins overnight in a glass of drinking water. In the morning, eat them and drink the water. This is an extremely effective remedy.

7. To combat fevers, soak raisins in water for a few minutes and crush them in that very water. Strain, discard skin and drink up. A great tonic for people battling fevers.

8. Black raisins restore sexual vigour. Just boil 50 gm black raisins with 200 ml milk and munch away.

Papaya - The Healthy Food

Papaya – For Health

The papaya or paw paw is native to tropical America, but it is now grown in most tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The large pear shaped fruits grow up to 8 inches in length approximately. Some varieties remain green when ripe, but most turn deep yellow and orange. Papayas have deep salmon pink flesh, with an abundance of grey-black seeds in the central cavity, which are edible. The soft, juicy sweet flesh tastes like a cross between melons and peaches.

The Goodness of Papaya:-
Papayas are rich in Vitamin A and Calcium and contain large quantities of the enzyme papain, which breaks down protein and can be used to tenderize meat. Papain also makes this fruit very easy to digest.

How to Buy:-
Choose uniformly yellow fruit. Sniff them, the scent should be delicate. Do not buy papayas with damaged or shriveled skins since they bruise easily. If the fruit is not ripe, check the skin around the stem end, it should be yellow, otherwise the papaya will never ripen. Ripe papayas should be eaten immediately. Fruit that is not quite ripe should be left at room temperature until soft and yellow.

How to Cook:-
Simply cut the papayas in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from the cavity. You can eat the seeds (they have a peppery flavor), but they are not particularly pleasant. Squeeze a little lime or lemon juice on the flesh before serving. Papayas can be used in the same way as melons, served solo with a squeeze of lime or sprinkled with ground ginger and served with meat. The cubed flesh can be added to fruit salads, made into ice-creams and fruit drinks or served with yogurt. Finely chopped papaya is perfect with chilies in fresh salsa. The skin can be used to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat. The papain however, prevents gelatine from setting, so do not attempt to make a fresh fruit jelly, cold soufflé or mousse with papaya. Papayas which are not fully ripe can be used in salads, while fruit that is still hard is ideal for relishes and jams.

Medicinal Benefits:-

1. Consumption of ripe fruit is good for the treatment of ringworms, green fruit treats high blood pressure and is used as an aphrodisiac.
2. The fruit can be directly applied topically to skin sores.
3. The seeds are anti-inflammatory and analgesic and they are used to treat stomach ache and fungal infections.
4. The leaves are used as heart tonic, analgesic and for the treatment of stomach ache.
5. The roots are used as analesic.

Everlasting Youth-Everlasting Happiness

All of us wish to hold on to youth and the energy and zing associated with it. We all crave for it. But are we doing enough except applying a brighter make-up and dyeing grey hair? Maybe not. Don’t you think you should get moving?
Here are a few ways with the help of which we can stay young for a long, long time to come!

Know Your Body
Before we start exercising to shed flab, we should find out the root cause of the problem so that we can win the battle of the bulge. The excess flab may be due to poor metabolism. Our appetite is controlled by hormones produced by our body and certain chemicals produced by our brains. We should strive to balance our hormones and consume omegas, pumpkin oil, hemp oil, flaxseed oil as they help reduce fat.

Check Inflammation
Inflammation is our body’s natural reaction to injury or infection. Inflammation may sometimes lead to weight gain, which gives rise to lethargy, high blood sugar levels and hormonal imbalances. This can be checked by consuming naturally processed grape seed extract (an excellent antioxidant), green tea extract and mineral extracts.

Combat Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress can occur either due to a decrease in antioxidant level or due to an excess of free radicals or both. If the living condition surrounding us is polluted or unhygienic, we are working in stressful conditions and not drinking enough water, we might be victims of oxidative stress. It can cause cellular damage, thus accelerating wrinkling and hair loss and might also result in diabetes and weight gain. To combat this, we should increase intake of colorful plant food, green tea and herbal tea to fight it.

Watch your Thyroid
Thyroid is the master metabolic regulator. Its malfunctioning leads to a gamut of problems like depression, anxiety, infertility, pregnancy complications, dry skin and hair, high cholesterol, heart trouble, joint pain and menstrual irregularities. Consume cabbage, sweet potato, corn and pearl millet to boost thyroid functioning.

Liver and Blood
To detoxify our liver, we should consume soy protein, whey water, broccoli, pomegranate, phytonutrients and grape seed extract.

Watch What You Eat
Keeping a watch on what exactly we are eating is extremely important to our overall well being. We should ban processed food from our diet and go for natural foods. Organic extracts should be consumed on a regular basis. Consume all plant food colors possible in a balanced manner.

No Ill Feelings
Hatred or ill feelings towards others reflects on our face. If we delete the bad memories, we would regain a childlike state of happiness.

Keep the Child in You Alive
Never get into the comfort zone. Never think that there is nothing else to do. We should keep the child in us alive by constantly indulging in meaningful activities that makes us happy. Keep on developing new hobbies.

Focus on De-Stressing
Stress can arise from three factors.
Genetic Disposition: We may be prone to certain genetic disorders like diabetes and hypertension. We should be very cautious about such problems and be aware of every minute change that our body displays. If our family history confirms such genetic tendencies, we should be very regular with our check-ups.
Lifestyle: Lifestyle disorders arise from negative habits like smoking, consumption of alcohol, watching too much TV and not eating on time. These result in stress. We should abhor these habits and focus on being physically active which would help in burning calories and staying fit.
Environment: Our offices, our homes, the pollution, our relationships etc. creates our environment. We should try to find out what exactly is pulling us down and then try to find a solution by talking to our peers and well wishers. Always try to look at the brighter side of things.

When under stress, the adrenal gland in our body produces cortisol, a hormone that increases our blood sugar and insulin levels and slows down the burning of fat. Stress increases inflammation which causes weight gain around the waist. We should fight stress by trying to keep our mind free from negatives.

Friends
Friends, who really care, are life long assets of an individual. They have the ability to make things better for you just by their physical presence beside you. Just by taking a look at their smiling faces, you would have a feeling that your worries are fading away.

Chuck the Routine
Life is not just about getting up in the morning, doing the same old stuff all day and then going off to sleep. Instead, listen to some heart warming music, watch a dance performance or go for a drive. Set aside time for daily exercise and relaxation. Do some stretching initially followed by deep breathing for five minutes and then meditation. This goes a long way in relieving mental stress.

Sleep Tight
Lack of sleep reflects on our face. It makes us age faster. We should try to sleep for at least six hours every night. And don’t forget to dream big!

All the Best !!!

Do Throat Lozenges Really Help?

Everybody has a piece of free advice for one with a sore throat. While you wonder whose advice to take seriously one of the commonest things , that all of us tend to do is to pop in a throat lozenge. Today with an endless variety of lozenges flooding the market, and every other TV commercial promising instant relief, it's time to ask, how effective are throat lozenges?

Medicated lozenges In most cases, a mere sore throat is easy to treat. Paracetamol, aspirin (in adults) or ibuprofen seem to provide symptomatic relief when used regularly and in adequate doses. However, if you are wondering about the effectiveness of medicated lozenges, here are a few facts. While some medicated lozenges do relieve the symptoms, others only have a soothing effect because they lubricate the throat. Lozenges that contain anaesthetic or analgesic ingredients are the most likely to help relieve symptoms. But you may need to pay more for lozenges with these ingredients.

Another common ingredient is antibacterials. But taking antibiotics when they are not needed can be harmful. Every time you take an antibiotic, you are more likely to carry resistant bacteria in your nose and throat. Common antibiotics, or antibiotics administered through injections, cannot kill these resistant bacteria. You may even need to be in hospital for intravenous (IV) antibiotics. And remember, antibiotics are not without side-effects.

Types of lozenges Besides anaesthetics, analgesics and antibacterials, the other ingredients that go into throat lozenges are cough suppressant, eucalyptus oil, menthol, peppermint oil, pectin, echinacea, vitamin C and zinc. Only a few of these - not all - are used in any one brand of throat lozenges.

Anaesthetics: Local anaesthetics numb the area they are in contact with and provide temporary relief from sore throat.

Analgesics (pain killers): These pain killers belong to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that help reduce swelling.

Antibacterials: They fight bacteria, but since most cases of sore throat are caused by viral infection, antibacterial lozenges don't help.

Cough suppressants (antitussives): These are intended to help suppress dry un , productive coughs, which can contribute to your sore throat.

Menthol / Peppermint: Menthol is an alcohol found in mint oils, especially peppermint. The sensation of nasal decongestion from menthol is a subjective perception, studies show.

Eucalyptus: Like menthol, it is ‘thought to act' as a nasal decongestant.

Pectin: Pectin is a water-soluble carbohydrate that is extracted from fruits, usual ly from citrus peels. In throat lozenges, it is used to coat the throat, and in doing so, has a soothing effect.

Echinacea: A Cochrane review (an international source of reliable health information) of trials investigating the effectiveness of echinacea for preventing and treating common colds found that some preparations might be effective for the early treatment of colds in adults, but the results are not consistent. A flower extract, echinacea, is common in children's cold remedies including sore throat lozenges, but shouldn't be taken beyond a week or two.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): A Cochrane review of vitamin C found that the trials did not show any benefit in doses of up to 4 gm daily.

Zinc: New studies have shown that treatment with zinc lozenges significantly decreased the duration of colds. No wonder a zinc mania has swept the US and retailers can't store them fast enough and manufacturers are rushing to launch zinc products.

But the good news is, say experts, zinc lozenges do seem to work.

However, with an increasing awareness, more consumers are now preferring medicines that contain herbal and vitamin remedies.

(For more information write to cerc@cercindia.org)
Consumer Education and Research Society, Ahmedabad.
Above article is an extract from "The Telegraph"

Planning an Indian Meal

When planning your menu, always bear in mind that an Indian meal features only three items: the main dish, a side dish and a staple, which would be rice or bread. Chutneys salads and raitas can also be served to add a tangy taste.

A little careful planning will ensure that the flavors of the dishes complement, rather than compete with, each other choose the side dish according to the strength of the main one. A lightly spiced side dish is more enjoyable when the main dish is spicier.

Dishes with a drier consistency are generally accompanied by a vegetable curry or a lentil dish. Biryanis and pulaos are traditionally served with a simple raita, although they are more usually served with vegetable curry in Indian restaurants in the west.

How to Serve
An Indian meal is not served as separate courses, with an appetizer, followed by a main dish and two side dishes. Although the meal will usually consist of several dishes, all complement each other and brought to the table at the same time, with diners helping themselves to each dish in any order.
For lavish occasions, one or two dry meat dishes, such as a kebab or tandoori chicken, in addition to some chutneys, pickles, raitas and poppadams, with a dessert to follow, can turn an ordinary family meal into a dinner- party fare.

Indian Desserts
In India, a meal will usually end with fresh fruit, rather than elaborate fresh or cooked dessert. Fruits are served with real flair, however, and are often combined with other ingredients to create imaginative and exciting flavors.

Freezing Curries
In today’s busy world, it is not always possible to serve a meal while it is still sizzling in the pan. If you are cooking for guests, you may prefer to cook the curry in advance to save yourself time on the day.
Spicy food is ideal for freezing as the flavours seem to improve when the food is thawed and reheated. Most of the spices used in Indian cooking have natural preservative qualities, as does the acid in souring agents.

Food that you did not plan to freeze, such as leftovers, should not be kept in the freezer for longer than 2-3 months, again depending on the efficiency of your freezer. Meat and poultry curries freeze very successfully, as do curries made from vegetables, lentils and pulses. Fish curries can be frozen, but they are generally less successful as changes in the water balance may damage the more delicate texture of cooked fish.

Thawing and Reheating
It is important to thaw frozen food thoroughly and slowly. A certain amount of water separation is to be expected as a frozen dish thaws out. The dish will return to its normal consistency when it is reheated, as the water will be reabsorbed by the meat or vegetables.

Thawed food can be reheated in the microwave or in a covered casserole on the stove top. If using a microwave, cover the food with microwave clear film. Stir the food from time to time as it is heated, to ensure the heat passes right the way through. You may also need to add a small amount of water when reheating to ensure that the dish does not dry out.

Complications Of Vegetarian And Vegan Diets

Low on oil?

Vegetarians and vegans are at risk of having a low intake of essential fatty acids. Omega-3 oils found in oily fish are vital for a healthy brain and nervous system function and are also required during pregnancy and throughout breastfeeding. They are needed for cardiovascular protection, hormone production and promoting healthy hair, skin and nails.
The main vegetarian and vegan source of omega-3 essential fatty acids is flax oil – preferably oil that has not been subjected to heat or light.
Flax oil is ideal drizzled over brown rice, baked potatoes or incorporated into a salad dressing.

Poor protein power

Unless careful attention is paid to protein combining in daily meal planning and cooking for both vegetarian and vegan diets, it is very easy to become protein deficient. Protein is an important component of bones, muscles, connective tissues, organs, hair, skin and nails. Proteins are also utilized to generate enzymes, hormones, immune cells and chemical messengers that influence biochemical reactions and body processes. Protein deficiency can be expressed in many different forms including weak muscles, poor bone strength, poor hair, skin and nail condition, frequent infections and poor immunity.

Amino acids are also strongly involved in brain chemistry as they are used to form the brain chemicals dopamine, adrenalin, noradrenalin and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are responsible for generating your feelings, emotions, mood and sleep. Poor dietary intake of amino acids such as tryptophan, leads to imbalances between neurotransmitters. Symptoms include anxiety, nervousness, depression paranoia, mania, and insomnia. It is often this lack of amino acids that is often involved in the progression of some eating disorders, as a low intake of food can exacerbate body dysmorphia and anxiety over food intake.

A word about dairy

As a vegetarian it is very easy to develop an over reliance on dairy produce such as cheese and yoghurt as your main source of protein. However we believe that variety in the diet is of paramount importance.
Remember to get your protein from all food groups, whilst rotating your dairy intake. You can choose from cows, sheep’s or goat’s milk products or perhaps soya instead. However there seems to be a perception that all soya products are healthy, and whilst they make a good protein choice, many soya products, especially are all too often packed with sugar and flavorings which do not match the healthy aura that soya products have. This may have more significance for vegans who will obviously be avoiding all animal products and thus perhaps more reliant on soya products. There are many benefits to be gained by choosing to follow a vegetarian and vegan diet, but it does not require only commitment but also education and variety.

The Benefits Of Vegetarian And Vegan Diet

The benefits of following a healthy balanced vegeterian or vegan diet are endless.

HEALTHY BOWELS:
Vegeterian and vegan diet are generally much higher in both soluble and insoluble fibre, which are fundamentally important for a healthy digestive tract.Trillions of friendly grow in a high-fibre diet and produce the nourishment for the cells of the intestinal lining.They also aid the detoxification of hormones, toxins and cholestrol andmost importantly of all they help to protect the bowel lining from bowel cancer.

HAPPY HEARTS:
There is no doubt that vegeterian and vegan diets contain less saturated fat and cholestrol than a diet that includes meat. As vegeterian and vegan diets are also high in fibre, high in antioxidants, and high in vitamin E they generally provide increased protection against cardiovascular disease.

ACID-ALKALINE BALANCE:
Some opportunistic diseases can start to take root when the body becommes too acidic for extended periods. Vegeterians and in particular vegans, are more likely to have a better acid-alkaline balance and increased protection against degenerative diseases than meat-eaters. It is possible to supplement the diet with nutrients to help establish a more alkaline environment, but as always, it's best to do so under the supervision of a nutrition consultant.

STRONG IMMUNITY:
The increased level of fresh fruit and vegetables in vegeterian and vegan diets bring in a rich supply of antioxidants and phytonutrients, and these plant chemicals have a good reputation for boosting body immunity.

ENZYMES THAT SPRING CLEAN:
Both a vegeterian and vegan diet naturally involve eating high levels of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are themselves packed full of natural enzymes. These enzymes have two major health benefits - firstly, they have a direct effect in your digestion by enhancing the breakdown of foods; secondly, they are capable of being absorbed into the body where they effectively encourage the excretion of dead cells and debris from the blood and the lymph, giving your body a spring clean.