Month: May 2014

Fresh Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad

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Grilled corn on the cob mixed with ripe grape tomatoes tossed in a light fresh basil vinaigrette, you can serve it warm or cold but the longer it sits the better!

Make sure you grill the corn ahead of time and make the salad a few hours in advance before serving it chilled!

Ingredients

6 ears of corn
1 pint grape tomatoes
8 basil leaves, julienne
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbls olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Remove out husk and silks from corn. Grill on oiled grill gates over medium high heat. You are looking to get the outside slightly charred, about 10 minutes rotating every few minutes. Take corn off the grill and set aside.
  • Slice grape tomatoes in half and add to a large bowl.
  • When the corn is cool enough to be handled, cut the kernels off the cob and place in the bowl with the tomatoes.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients for the vinaigrette. Pour vinaigrette over the corn and tomato mixture.
  • Place in fridge a few hours in advance until ready to serve or serve immediately if you prefer it warm. Enjoy!

Source: TSGL

How to lower cholesterol using foods instead of drugs

 

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If your diet gave you high cholesterol, your food choices can lower it too. Eating fatty, fried, high calorie foods sends your cholesterol levels through the roof, especially if you make a steady diet of these unhealthy foods. If you have high cholesterol, you are not alone – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1) says that 17 percent of the adults in the United States has high cholesterol.

The first step is to understand the role cholesterol plays in your body. You may be surprised to learn that cholesterol is essential to every cell in your body. Cholesterol is important to cell membranes, metabolism, and for the synthesis of hormones. Cholesterol is so important, in fact, that your liver would make cholesterol if you did not consume any foods containing cholesterol.

Most people in the United States consume much more cholesterol than their bodies need. Cholesterol is a fatty, wax-like substance that can build up in your bloodstream and increase your risk for heart disease. High cholesterol contributes greatly to the high rates of heart disease among Americans.

 

Many people try to rely on medications to lower cholesterol levels artificially. These cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins, work by blocking a substance your liver needs to make cholesterol. While some find these drugs beneficial, others worry about the associated risks of statins, which include cognitive impairment, increased risk for high blood sugar levels and the development of type 2 diabetes, and muscle damage, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2).

Once you know how to lower cholesterol using foods, you can keep your cholesterol levels under control without resorting to dangerous drugs.

Eat a bowl of oatmeal every day
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces the amount of cholesterol put into your bloodstream. Mayo Clinic (3) recommends you consume 5 – 10 grams of soluble fiber each day. A 1 ? cup bowl of oatmeal provides about six grams of fiber. Add another four grams of soluble fiber by tossing in bananas or other fruit.

Get fruity
Eat apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits. These fruits contain pectin, a special type of soluble fiber known to lower cholesterol levels.

Eat fish twice a week
The American Heart Association (4) recommends you eat at least two servings of fatty fish per week. Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, known to improve heart health. The following fish contain the most omega-3 fatty acids:

Albacore tuna
Halibut
Herring
Lake trout
Mackerel
Salmon
Sardines
For best results, enjoy fish baked or grilled rather than fried. Cook with low-sodium, low-fat oils and seasonings.

Go nuts over walnuts and almonds
Eat a handful of nuts on most days of the week – about an ounce and a half a day will do. Walnuts, almonds and some other nuts are also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids that keep blood vessels healthy. Do not go too nutty, though, as nuts are high in calories and could lead to weight gain.

Switch to olive oil
Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants to lower your cholesterol. Replace two tablespoons of butter, lard or mayonnaise with olive oil each day. Again, olive oil is high in calories so go easy on the amount.

Eat food fortified with sterols and stanols
Sterols and stanols prevent your body from absorbing cholesterol from the food you eat. Food scientists extract sterols and stanols from plants then add them to foods, including margarine, granola bars, fruit juices and even chocolate. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide (5) says that consuming 2 grams of plant sterols each day can reduce your unhealthy cholesterol levels by as much as 10 percent.

Lower cholesterol by avoiding foods that raise it
One of the best ways to lower cholesterol is to avoid eating those foods that raise levels. Cut back on saturated fat, which is that white “marbling” you see in meat when it is cold. Start by replacing fatty cuts of meat with extra lean versions, opting for low fat or skim milk and cheese instead of regular varieties, and opting for vegetable or olive oil instead of butter. Avoid trans fat whenever possible.

Lower your cholesterol and associated risk for heart disease by making smart food choices. Your heart will repay you with a long and healthy life.

Source: intelli hub

8 Foods That Fight Depression

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Can Your Food Affect Your Mood?

Looking for a new weapon in the fight against depression? These foods have shown a lot of promise as alternative depression treatments.

A number of lifestyle factors can contribute to depression, but one that’s often overlooked is what you put in your mouth. “Diet plays a huge role in depression,” says Shawn Talbott, PhD, a nutritional biochemist and author of Vigor: 7 Days to Unlimited Energy, Focus, and Well-Being.

Do you crave sweet, salty, and fatty foods when you’re feeling blue? You’re not alone. But, says Dr. Talbot, “If we eat better foods like lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and fish, we short-circuit the junk food cravings and have higher energy levels and sharper mental focus.” Should you add these good-mood foods to your diet?

The Diet and Depression Connection. Dr. Andrew Weil shares the key nutrient you should to eat to boost your mood.

Walnuts for Depression
When eaten in moderation, most nuts are a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats as well as protein. But walnuts get the edge when it comes to lessening the symptoms of depression because they also are one of the richest plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids. “The omega-3s in walnuts support overall brain health,” says Robin H-C.

Fatty Fish for Depression
When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, no food source is better than fatty fish like mackerel, bluefish, wild salmon, and tuna, says Talbott. He adds that the fatty acids found in these fish not only have specific brain-boosting properties to fight depression, but also are good for overall health as well. They improve circulation and reduce inflammation and your overall risk of heart disease.

Low-Fat Dairy for Depression
Skim milk, yogurt, low-fat cheeses, and other dairy products are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein. These are great for your body for many reasons, including fighting depression. “Low-fat dairy is the richest dietary source of two powerhouse nutrients, calcium and vitamin D, as well as specific peptides (proteins) that induce a sense of well-being and relaxation,” says Talbott.

Whole Grains for Depression
When looking for foods that fight depression, focus on the healthy, high-fiber carbohydrates found in whole grains and you can feel good and do your body good at the same time. “Complex carbohydrates are wonderful foods to improve mood quickly,” says Debbie Mandel, a stress management expert and author of Addicted to Stress. “Whole grains, brown rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat pasta are all good choices. They help the body release serotonin.”

Green Tea for Depression
Researchers know that green tea is an incredibly rich source of antioxidants, but its depression-fighting properties can be traced to an amino acid known as theanine, says Talbott. “Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves that provides an anti-stress relaxation benefit to tea drinkers,” he adds. “The presence of theanine in green tea is thought to be responsible for the observation that caffeine intake in coffee drinkers (who aren’t getting theanine) is more apt to result in tension as opposed to the ‘relaxed alertness’ more common to tea drinkers.”

Turmeric for Depression
If you’re feeling depressed, this bold spice found in many Indian and Asian curry dishes is a great way to boost your mood, among other benefits. “Turmeric can indeed be considered one of the ‘spices of life’ because of its profound anti-inflammatory activity,” says Talbott. “Famously used in spicy Indian and Thai dishes, turmeric contains the active compounds turmerones and curcuminods, which have been associated with a wide range of health benefits.”

Dark Chocolate for Depression
Can chocolate be considered among the foods that fight depression? Current thinking is that the dark variety really can help boost your mood. “Dark chocolate helps to release serotonin and relaxes the blood vessels of the cardiovascular system,” says Mandel. Just remember that dark chocolate is incredibly calorie-dense, with about 150 calories per ounce, so eat just one small piece at a time.

Source: woman post

Aloe Vera ‘The Plant Of Immortality’ History Origin and Composition

aloe vera

Lily of the Desert

Aloe Vera has been used for thousands of years in all kinds of health issues.The name Aloe is probably derived from the Arabic word “alloeh” or the Hebrew word “allal” both means “bitter substance”. In Africa they call the plant ‘Aalwijn’ which also means “bitter juice”.

The genus includes about 300 species of Aloe thickened leaves (leaf succulents).

Origin: Africa, Arabian Peninsula

Aloe vera is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. In ancient Greece, the doctors used the plant in their prescriptions while with the ancient Egyptians, the plant was not only used as a medicine, but also as the elixir of life, for skin care and embalming. They called this plant: “The Plant of Immortality”. They included this among the gifts buried with the pharaohs.

The powerful healing properties of aloe Vera were first discovered by the ancient Egyptians. They grew aloe vera widely and it is believed that the stories surrounding Cleopatra’s infinite beauty circles around the extensive use of this medicinal plant. The Greeks knew Aloe Vera and Alexander the Great was a big fan of this powerful plant. He used this plant as a first aid in the battle. He even conquered the island of Socotra, part of present-day Yemen, purely to stock aloe vera for him and his troops. There are also records of Aloe being used as a medicine by Christopher Columbus in his voyages.

Burn Plant

The plant is also known as ‘Burn Plant’, because of its healing properties for burns and other skin irritations and problems. Aloe Vera has 300 different varieties and these beautiful cactus like plant is classified in the family of Lily. Aloe Vera is one of the most nutritious and medicinal plants in the world, thanks to the amazing healing gel that hides in the long spiky leaves of this medicinal plant.

Knowledge of the extraordinary healing properties of Aloe vera plant is transferred to our time through folk tales of ancient medical practices.

What makes it so “Magical”??

The Aloe Vera as well as other plants belonging to the family of succulents, is able to survive in arid and desert climates and has an ingenious technique of storing water. It acts as a living reservoir of the precious liquid. However, the liquid stored by these plants is more than just water, but in fact a gel composed of long chain glyconutrients, called polysaccharides.

What’s in the Aloe Vera gel:

Water
20 minerals
12 vitamins
18 amino acids
200 active plant compounds (Phyto nutrients), including:
Enzymes
Terpenes (a Phyto nutrient that reduces blood sugar)
Glyconutrients and glycoproteins
Polysaccharides including Acemannan, Mannose-6-phosphate and Polymannans
Phenolic glycosides such as Dihydrocoumarins

Vitamins:

Aloe Vera contains a large amount of vitamins, but the most important are the antioxidant vitamins C, E, B12 and beta carotene (the precursor of vitamin A).

Other vitamins include Vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, niacinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), folacin, folic acid and choline.

Minerals:
Include magnesium, zinc, copper, chromium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese and potassium, aluminum, calcium oxalate, chloride, cobalt,sodium, selenium, silicon, tin and zinc. Fatty acids such as linoleic, linolenic, myristic, capryline, oleic, palmitic and stearic

Amino acids
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. The human body needs. 22 amino acids Aloe Vera gel provides 20 of the 22. More importantly, it provides in 7 of the 8 amino acids, which cannot be produced by the body itself and therefore have to be consumed with food.

  • Antiseptic: cinnamic acid, lupeol (natural salicylic acid), phenol, saponins, urea nitrogen, sulfur, resistannol.
  • Analgesic: Lapel, magnesium (lactate), anthracene, anthranol, aloetine acid, emodin and aloe-emodin.
  • Anti-inflammatory: brady kinase, beta-sitosterol, campesterol, HDL-cholesterol, a newly discovered component acemannan shows a stimulation of the immune defense system
  • Enzymes: aliinase, amylase, brady kinase, catalase, cellulase, creatinine phosphokinase, prolactin dehydrogenase, lipase, nucleotidase, oxidase, protease, SGO transaminase and SGP transaminase
  • Mono / Polysaccharides: aldonantose, cellulose, glucose, mannose, L-rhamnose, acemannan.

Source: health care

12 potent herbs to enhance immune function

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There are numerous herbs which are known, both through traditional knowledge and modern scientific research, to benefit the immune system. Typically, such herbs work by directly attacking and destroying disease-causing pathogens, increasing the numbers and/or activity of immune cells in the body, or both. Here are some powerful immune-boosting herbs, in no particular order.

1.Astragalus

Astragalus was described by Mark Stengler, ND, as “one of the best herbs in the world for enhancing the protective effects of the immune system.” This herb boosts immunity by increasing the numbers and/or enhancing the function of various immune cells in the body, including macrophages, natural killer cells, white blood cells and antibodies. It also stimulates the production of interferon, a potent antiviral compound. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, where astragalus is also known as Huang Qi, it is used to help prevent common colds and upper respiratory tract infections.

2.Echinacea

Echinacea gives the immune system a boost by stimulating the immune cells that patrol the body and fight off disease-causing pathogens. This herb raises both the number and activity of white blood cells, a core component of the body’s immune system, and activates interferons, which are required for protective immune defense against pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, parasites and tumor cells. Echinacea also contains other chemicals which prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses, and has even been shown to have anticarcinogenic properties.

One particular study in Germany found that 30 drops of Echinacea taken thrice daily helped to enhance the activity of phagocytes, a type of immune cell, in the body by 120% after 5 days of consumption.

The direct antiviral properties of Echinacea make it valuable considering the limits of conventional medicine in dealing with viral infections.

3.Licorice

There are two compounds in licorice, glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid, which research has shown to elevate the levels of interferon in the body. This helps to keep the replication of viruses and other pathogens in check. Licorice root is actually found in many Chinese, Ayurvedic, Japanese and even Western formulas for treating infections and infectious diseases.

In Europe, physicians have a high regard for licorice root as one of the best herbal treatments for fighting viral hepatitis. Both hepatitis B and hepatitis C are treated intravenously using licorice in Europe.

4.Mushrooms

Medicinal mushrooms, including shiitake, reishi and maitake, contain compounds which ramp up the immune system and enhance the body’s ability to fight diseases and infections. Shiitake and in particular maitake have also been shown to have anticancer properties.

5.Goldenseal

Goldenseal has been found in research to have antiviral and antibacterial properties, as well as the ability to both increase immune cell production and enhance immune cell activity.

6.Onions

Onions help to protect the body against fungal, bacterial and worm infections. It can be used in a broth or soup to help combat sore throats and upper respiratory tract infections.

7.Garlic

Garlic also contains compounds which fight and destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and even cancer cells. For the best effect, fresh garlic should be chopped or crushed, left for 10-15 minutes, and then eaten raw.

8.Ginseng

Research in Germany found that Siberian ginseng boosts immunity. In particular, the activity of lymphocytes are enhanced, which are immune cells in the body which fight infection. In addition, Chinese ginseng has also been found to give immune function a boost.

9.Cordyceps

Cordyceps has been found in both human and animal studies to have immunity-boosting properties.

10.Green tea

Research carried out on animals has revealed that green tea helped enhance the production of immune cells in the body.

11.Spirulina

Spirulina has been shown to help stimulate various aspects of the immune system. Certain spirulina extracts have also displayed powerful antiviral properties.

Source: natural news

How to Work Out in the Office ?

workout office 2

While you are sitting in your office and you are thinking when the right moment to start with exercise is, do not worry that you have no time. You can start immediately and the results will be visible in 15 days.

Even when you sit all day long, you can burn some calories. Lift the knee under the table. Lift your legs alternately, a few inches back and forth; it will be beneficial for muscles, and stretching.

Build up your abdomen ! It can be done while sitting or standing and no one will notice. You just need to tense the muscles of the abdomen and hold for a few seconds. Make this for about two or three minutes and the results will be visible.

Wear high hills !
Although it sounds a bit strange, really thrives. In fact, in high heels, you are using more muscle and burn more calories than in running shoes.

Walk while you are talking on the phone !
One of the pluses in jobs where there are many phone calls is that you have the opportunity to burn a much more calories. Firstly, if you have a headset or a cordless phone, you can talk while walking around the office.
Not just that burns calories; chewing gum will prevent you from taking snacks that are not needed.

Take the long way !
When you go to the bathroom or take a break, or when you need something to take from your colleagues, take the long way, and if you can, than use the stairs. Drinking water helps to burn calories, and it is particularly useful if other drinks are replaced with water

Often stand ups
One of the best ways to melt calories at work is to get up whenever you have a chance. In addition, it is better than sitting and this is the way to stretch your muscles.
Replace the seat !

Use the ball for Pilates. This is how you will activate more muscles and will improve your grip. It is useful if you eat in the company because you can talk to distract from the fact that you eat as much as you might eat out of boredom.

Source: explosive woman

Raise a Cup of Tea to Your Health

tea for life 2

 

Delicious and Healthy
Stir up a blend of rich black tea, ginger, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon; add hot water, milk and honey and what have you got? The answer is an exotic, delicious drink that may be one of the best things you’ve done for your health in years. Chai tea is the East’s answer to the morning cup of coffee, a delicious blend of tea, milk and spices that is so smooth and wonderfully tasteful that it’s hard to believe it’s good for you.

Powerful Antioxidants
There’s no disputing the health benefits of tea, though. There have been no less than 2000 studies done to confirm those health benefits in the past year. Black tea, the main ingredient in the chai tea recipe, contains the most powerful antioxidants that science knows. Tea and chai tea help prevent and fight many different kinds of cancer, lower cholesterol and high blood pressure may reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and are being studied for their ability to boost the immune system. That’s an awful lot of goodness – and it’s just a start.

The fact is that every ingredient in the chai tea recipe is good for you, and when you put them all together they pack a powerful punch for your immune system.

The next time you’re considering a hot, spicy, sugar free beverage, think exotic AND healthy, and brew up a cup of delicious, sugar-free chai. Both your body and your taste buds will thank you.

source: chai

Male infertility linked to ‘high death risk’

ferfi_orvossal

Researchers have said that men, who are infertile because of defects in their semen, appear to be at higher death risk compared to men with normal semen.

According to a study led by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine, men with two or more abnormalities in their semen were more than twice as likely to die over a roughly eight-year period as men who had normal semen, the study found.

In the new study, Michael Eisenberg, MD, PhD, assistant professor of urology and Stanford’s director of male reproductive medicine and surgery, and his colleagues examined records of men ages 20 to 50 who had visited one of two centers to be evaluated for possible infertility. In all, about 12,000 men fitting this description were seen between 1994 and 2011 at Stanford Hospital and Clinics or between 1989 and 2009 at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

At both clinics, data were available for several aspects of a patient’s semen quality, such as total semen volume and sperm counts, motility and shape. (Dolores Lamb, PhD, and Larry Lipshultz, MD, of Baylor were senior authors of the study.)

By keying identifiers for the patients to data in the National Death Index and the Social Security Death index, the investigators were able to monitor these men’s mortality for a median of about eight years.

While no single semen abnormality in itself predicted mortality, men with two or more such abnormalities had more than double the risk of death over the eight-year period following their initial fertility examination compared with those with no semen abnormalities. The greater the number of abnormalities, the higher the mortality rate, the study found.

Of the 11,935 men who were followed, 69 died during the follow-up period — a seemingly small number. This reflects, first and foremost, the patients’ relative youth: Their median age was 36.6 years. But it also reflects the fact that men who get evaluated for infertility tend to have a higher-than-average socio-economic status and have accordingly better diets, education and access to health care.

The new study has been published online in the journal Human Reproduction.

Source: Times of India

Magnet-powered toys dangerous for kids: Study

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Does your toddler play with magnet-powered toys? Throw these away as the chances of him/her ingesting tiny magnets is high, resulting in serious injuries that require surgery, an alarming study says.

“With the inclusion of smaller, spherical magnets in children’s toys, we are seeing an increased number of visits to the hospital for surgeries to remove them from the gastrointestinal tract,” said Matt Strickland, a general surgery resident at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and University of Toronto.

Strickland’s team focused their research on digestive-tract injuries because the majority of serious harm from magnets is due to perforations of the stomach, small bowel and colon.

Many children in the study required surgery – in some cases, to remove small parts of their intestines. They found that out of 2,722 patient visits to their hospital for foreign-body ingestions, 94 children had ingested those magnets – including 30 kids who had ingested multiple magnets.

With the smaller magnets, children tend to ingest multiple pieces which can adhere to one another as they travel through the bowel. “They can also attract other magnets in the gastrointestinal tract and tear a hole in the bowel,” Strickland cautioned.

Many children often don’t exhibit symptoms right away. Doctors may not discover the magnets until they do X-rays and severe damage has usually been done till then, said the study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Today’s magnets are 20 times more powerful than older magnets with the potential to cause more damage. These high-powered ball magnets are often sold in jewellery kits or adult desk toys.
Source: Zee news

How do I bleach my skin naturally at home?

Beauty

There are many natural ingredients which have bleaching properties and their regular use can not only lighten these spots, but also make your skin look more radiant. Here are a few face packs you can try.

Potato pack

Grate a potato after peeling its skin. Now add some rose water to it and beat it to make a paste. You can add some drops of lemon juice or honey if you have oily or dry skin respectively. Apply it on your face for at least 15 minutes and then wash away with water. Potato has mild bleaching properties and regular use of this paste will reduce spots and lighten your skin.

Tomato toner

Mash a ripe tomato and pass it through a sieve to strain out the seeds. Add some curd to it and mix well. Apply the pack on your face evenly and then leave it to dry. Then wash it off with lukewarm water and pat your skin dry. Tomato is acidic in nature and has vitamin C in it. It will lighten the marks on regular use.

Cucumber juice

Peel a cucumber and then grate it. Now squeeze it to take out its juice. Mix some aloe vera gel in it and then apply this pack on your face. Literally a cooling pack, this helps soothe the skin and also lighten it.

Orange peel

Don’t throw away the skin of orange. It contains vitamin C and helps bleach the skin. Let the peel dry and then grind it to make its powder. Now add some rose water and honey to it and then apply it on your face. After it dries, wash with plain water.

Lemon juice

Lemon is also one of the best natural bleaching agents and you can skin results after the first use itself. You can squeeze a lemon and apply its juice directly on the skin or even add other natural ingredients such as glycerine or honey or curd to make it slightly less acidic.

Use these packs weekly once to see results. Make sure you avoid the area around the eyes and do not go out in direct sunlight after applying these packs. Follow it up with a good moisturising sunscreen to protect your skin.

Source: The health site