ADVICE FROM UKM MEDICAL DOCTOR
Little did you know ...... after reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at petai in the same way again!
Petai contains three natural sugars -sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute wor kout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS(premenstrual syndrome):
Forget the pills - eat petai. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anaemia:
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.
Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power :
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. Understand that bananas contain lot of potassium too so eat more banana. Just look at those monkeys, they are really active, alert, smart and cunny too!!
Constipation
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn: Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness : Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites : Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves: Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report
concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers: Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control : Many other cultures see petai as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Holland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affecti ve Disorder (SAD) : Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.
Smoking: Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack.
Strokes: According to research in 'The New Engla nd Journal of Medicine, ' eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%'.
Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, as you can see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A Petai a day keeps the doctor away'.
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Thursday, October 15, 2009
七种食物让女人皮肤白里透红
第一天：猪脚汤
重点：增加肌肤的弹性
猪脚含有丰富胶质，每天持续摄取5000mg的胶原蛋白质可增加肌肤的弹性，减少细纹，让肌肤看起来更年轻。
第二天：弥猴桃色拉
重点：帮助肌肤排毒
水果含有丰富的维生素，多吃水果可以帮助肌肤排毒，而弥猴桃有很高含量的维生素C，可干扰黑色素生成，有助于消除皮肤上的暗沉，让肌肤更明亮。
第三天：豆浆
重点：增加肌肤的细滑度
豆浆富含维生素C和E，每天饮用豆浆能增加肌肤的细滑度，并改善疤痕。
第四天： 红豆汤
重点：排水肿
红豆自古便是养生圣品，不但可以排水肿，还可以补血行气，让你即使不上腮红也可拥有红润的苹果脸!
第五天：红糖糕
重点：加速代谢速度和美白
红糖在日本被视为美肤圣品，它含有的氨基酸和微量元素可以帮助肌肤排毒，加速痘痘和粉刺的代谢速度，美白肌肤。
第六天：蜂蜜红枣茶
重点：使皮肤细嫩有光泽
蜂蜜含有大量易被人体吸收的氨基酸、维生素及糖类，可使皮肤细嫩有光泽，红枣具有活血养颜的功能，能改善冬天手脚冰冷的状况。
第七天：薏仁牛奶粥
重点美白滋润肌肤
薏仁加上牛奶，可以让肌肤美白效果更突出。牛奶滋润肌肤，薏仁帮助排水肿。
重点：增加肌肤的弹性
猪脚含有丰富胶质，每天持续摄取5000mg的胶原蛋白质可增加肌肤的弹性，减少细纹，让肌肤看起来更年轻。
第二天：弥猴桃色拉
重点：帮助肌肤排毒
水果含有丰富的维生素，多吃水果可以帮助肌肤排毒，而弥猴桃有很高含量的维生素C，可干扰黑色素生成，有助于消除皮肤上的暗沉，让肌肤更明亮。
第三天：豆浆
重点：增加肌肤的细滑度
豆浆富含维生素C和E，每天饮用豆浆能增加肌肤的细滑度，并改善疤痕。
第四天： 红豆汤
重点：排水肿
红豆自古便是养生圣品，不但可以排水肿，还可以补血行气，让你即使不上腮红也可拥有红润的苹果脸!
第五天：红糖糕
重点：加速代谢速度和美白
红糖在日本被视为美肤圣品，它含有的氨基酸和微量元素可以帮助肌肤排毒，加速痘痘和粉刺的代谢速度，美白肌肤。
第六天：蜂蜜红枣茶
重点：使皮肤细嫩有光泽
蜂蜜含有大量易被人体吸收的氨基酸、维生素及糖类，可使皮肤细嫩有光泽，红枣具有活血养颜的功能，能改善冬天手脚冰冷的状况。
第七天：薏仁牛奶粥
重点美白滋润肌肤
薏仁加上牛奶，可以让肌肤美白效果更突出。牛奶滋润肌肤，薏仁帮助排水肿。
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
九种食品让30岁女人越吃越美丽
当今时代，水果、蔬菜和其它各种植物，正越来越明显地改变着传统美容方法。它们正在成为特效护肤产品的重要成分之一，为我们的皮肤阻隔环境毒素的侵害，抵抗细菌的感染，减少岁月的痕迹。对于皮肤而言，越来越多的发现，越来越高超的科技，再加上你的细心呵护，无疑地延长着我们皮肤的青春寿命。今天，裸妆，从三十岁开始都不怕!
30岁女人养颜该吃九种蔬果
樱桃
自古以来就是美容果。樱桃汁能帮助面部皮肤嫩白红润、去皱清斑，是不少美白产品的最爱。樱桃不仅富含维生素C，而且含铁极其丰富，是山楂的13倍，苹果的20倍。除了含铁量高之外，它还含有平衡皮质分泌、延缓老化的维生素A，帮助活化细胞、美化肌肤。
石榴
娇艳欲滴的红石榴已经被证实具有很强的抗氧化作用。它含有一种叫鞣花酸的成分，可以使细胞免于环境中的污染、UV射线的危害，滋养细胞，减缓肌体的衰老。有研究表明，鞣花酸在防辐射方面比红酒和绿茶中含有的多酚更“厉害”。
胡萝卜
胡萝卜被誉为“皮肤食品”，能润泽肌肤。胡萝卜含有丰富的果胶物质，可与汞结合，使人体里的有害成分得以排出，肌肤看起来更加细腻红润。它含β胡萝卜素，可以抗氧化和美白肌肤，预防黑色素的沉淀，并可以清除肌肤的多余角质。它也含有抗氧化不能少的维生素E。
橄榄
早在古希腊时代，橄榄树就是生命与健康的象征，除了可以作为健康食品食用之外，更有突出的美容功效。由树叶到果实，橄榄树全身都能提炼出护肤精华。橄榄叶精华有助皮肤细胞对抗污染、紫外线与压力引致的氧化;而橄榄果实中则含有另一强效抗氧化成分--酚化合物，它与油橄榄苦素结合后，能提供双重抗氧化修护。
黄瓜
它的味道鲜美，脆嫩清香，备受瘦身人士的推崇。而且它富含人体生长发育和生命活动所必需的多种糖类和氨基酸，以及丰富的维生素，为皮肤、肌肉提供充足的养分，可有效地对抗皮肤老化，减少皱纹的产生。所含丰富的果酸，能清洁美白肌肤，消除晒伤和雀斑，缓解皮肤过敏。
葡萄
它含有大量葡萄多酚，具有抗氧化功能，能阻断游离基因增生，有效延缓衰老;它还含单宁酸，柠檬酸，有强烈的收敛效果及柔软保湿作用。另外，葡萄果肉蕴含维生素B3及丰富矿物质，可深层滋润、抗衰老及促进皮肤细胞更生。
30岁女人养颜该吃九种蔬果
樱桃
自古以来就是美容果。樱桃汁能帮助面部皮肤嫩白红润、去皱清斑，是不少美白产品的最爱。樱桃不仅富含维生素C，而且含铁极其丰富，是山楂的13倍，苹果的20倍。除了含铁量高之外，它还含有平衡皮质分泌、延缓老化的维生素A，帮助活化细胞、美化肌肤。
石榴
娇艳欲滴的红石榴已经被证实具有很强的抗氧化作用。它含有一种叫鞣花酸的成分，可以使细胞免于环境中的污染、UV射线的危害，滋养细胞，减缓肌体的衰老。有研究表明，鞣花酸在防辐射方面比红酒和绿茶中含有的多酚更“厉害”。
胡萝卜
胡萝卜被誉为“皮肤食品”，能润泽肌肤。胡萝卜含有丰富的果胶物质，可与汞结合，使人体里的有害成分得以排出，肌肤看起来更加细腻红润。它含β胡萝卜素，可以抗氧化和美白肌肤，预防黑色素的沉淀，并可以清除肌肤的多余角质。它也含有抗氧化不能少的维生素E。
橄榄
早在古希腊时代，橄榄树就是生命与健康的象征，除了可以作为健康食品食用之外，更有突出的美容功效。由树叶到果实，橄榄树全身都能提炼出护肤精华。橄榄叶精华有助皮肤细胞对抗污染、紫外线与压力引致的氧化;而橄榄果实中则含有另一强效抗氧化成分--酚化合物，它与油橄榄苦素结合后，能提供双重抗氧化修护。
黄瓜
它的味道鲜美，脆嫩清香，备受瘦身人士的推崇。而且它富含人体生长发育和生命活动所必需的多种糖类和氨基酸，以及丰富的维生素，为皮肤、肌肉提供充足的养分，可有效地对抗皮肤老化，减少皱纹的产生。所含丰富的果酸，能清洁美白肌肤，消除晒伤和雀斑，缓解皮肤过敏。
葡萄
它含有大量葡萄多酚，具有抗氧化功能，能阻断游离基因增生，有效延缓衰老;它还含单宁酸，柠檬酸，有强烈的收敛效果及柔软保湿作用。另外，葡萄果肉蕴含维生素B3及丰富矿物质，可深层滋润、抗衰老及促进皮肤细胞更生。
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
3 Protein Sources You Must Add to Your Diet Today
When it comes to eating healthy and getting in shape protein is known to be very important. Protein is the building block of muscle and bodybuilders have been singing its praises for years. Even if you are not looking to add on slabs of muscle and be the next ahh-nald you should definitely be adding in some quality proteins to your diet. It can work wonders for your overall health. One thing people do not understand though is the need to make sure these are quality proteins.
One of the best proteins to add in to your meals is wild salmon. One of the keys here is the wild in wild salmon. Sometimes when eating a fish portion that you pick up at your local supermarket you have no real idea where it came from and what it contains. Some of the fish comes from a fish farm and as such it can be diseased and unhealthy. Of course this is not always the case but if you want the best you should always go with wild caught fish. With salmon you are also getting a bonus. It is an oily fish so it is packed with good fats. These good fats are essential to a healthy fat burning diet. Again the wild salmon generally has more of these good omega 3 fats due to the fact that farmed salmon are sometimes fed cheap feed and are generally not as healthy.
Eggs have gotten a bad rap when it comes to buring fat and eating healthy. But these things are some of the best sources of protein to add to your diet. They are packed with vitamins that actually help to burn fat. Vitamin B12 is on the top of the list of vitamins on eggs. Of course the yolk does contain cholesterol and you have to be very careful to keep this in moderation. I am a believer in eating the whole egg yolk and all I just feel that you have to be sensible about it. Of course you cannot expect to have a six egg omelet and call it a day. You have to limit your intake to a couple of eggs a day. As long as you do this then you should definitely add this protein source to your diet. The effects (not to mention the taste) are wonderful.
Last but not least almonds can be a great source of protein for your diet. Again though like with other quality sources of natural protein the almond comes with an added benefit and added caution. Almonds are also high in good fats. These fats are good for you and definitely need to be utilized in your program. You just have to make sure you watch overall calorie intake. It does not take many almonds to tip you over the limit on total calories. Be mindful of this and these are a great source of quality protein with the added benefit of good fats. Add these in and you can not go wrong.
One of the best proteins to add in to your meals is wild salmon. One of the keys here is the wild in wild salmon. Sometimes when eating a fish portion that you pick up at your local supermarket you have no real idea where it came from and what it contains. Some of the fish comes from a fish farm and as such it can be diseased and unhealthy. Of course this is not always the case but if you want the best you should always go with wild caught fish. With salmon you are also getting a bonus. It is an oily fish so it is packed with good fats. These good fats are essential to a healthy fat burning diet. Again the wild salmon generally has more of these good omega 3 fats due to the fact that farmed salmon are sometimes fed cheap feed and are generally not as healthy.
Eggs have gotten a bad rap when it comes to buring fat and eating healthy. But these things are some of the best sources of protein to add to your diet. They are packed with vitamins that actually help to burn fat. Vitamin B12 is on the top of the list of vitamins on eggs. Of course the yolk does contain cholesterol and you have to be very careful to keep this in moderation. I am a believer in eating the whole egg yolk and all I just feel that you have to be sensible about it. Of course you cannot expect to have a six egg omelet and call it a day. You have to limit your intake to a couple of eggs a day. As long as you do this then you should definitely add this protein source to your diet. The effects (not to mention the taste) are wonderful.
Last but not least almonds can be a great source of protein for your diet. Again though like with other quality sources of natural protein the almond comes with an added benefit and added caution. Almonds are also high in good fats. These fats are good for you and definitely need to be utilized in your program. You just have to make sure you watch overall calorie intake. It does not take many almonds to tip you over the limit on total calories. Be mindful of this and these are a great source of quality protein with the added benefit of good fats. Add these in and you can not go wrong.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Are the Salads You Eat Really That Healthy?
All health conscious people love to eat salad and if you’re one of those people, you probably know how sumptuous well-made salads can be. All that lettuce topped with your favorite dressing and sprinkled with other toppings is enough to make your mouth water. However, not all salads are really healthy as you might think, and discussed here are the factors you must consider if you have maximum health in mind while eating salads.
Most of the vegetable salads we know today are composed of a primary ingredient called lettuce. Now, don’t get me wrong, lettuce is a very healthy thing to eat, however, its downside is that it really doesn’t have much of an impact when regards to taste. That’s why we include all those extras in our salads to enhance its flavor. Fruits can easily accomplish this, but most of the time, we add in a little bit sin to the meal.
These are the ingredients that make the salad not so healthy and if you’ll like to have an actual example, then take a look at any local salad bar. If you take a closer look, many of the items in a salad bar are not for health conscious people, but all salad bar patrons love to include them in the mix. So, let’s just take a closer look at these ingredients and provide some guidelines to lessen their consumption.
Obviously, fruits and vegetables are the healthy part of salad so we’ll just look at the next tray of ingredients. Here we see bacon bits and croutons which are both adding to the downfall of your salad. Bacon bits and any other meat add fat to your body. But I’m not saying avoid them entirely, just moderate additional meat and you’re perfectly fine.
Another part of salad we cannot do without are dressings. Generally, dressings are unhealthy, so the greatest way around the use of dressings is to measure just enough of them before you begin eating the salad. At an average, a two tablespoon of dressing will accumulate eleven grams of fat in your body. Not really a lot, but it can certainly build up overtime if you consume more.
Unfortunately, a salad is not a happy salad unless it has a dressing on top and adding flavor to every bite. That is why in order for you to cut back on the calories, here’s a handy little tip you can implement. Try using a fat free or low calorie dressing to add flavor to your salads. Nowadays, this is already a very famous option seen on groceries, with most of our favorite flavors already having its low fat counterpart.
The downside to all these is that low fat dressings doesn’t really taste the same as their original counterparts. This will probably make you use more of them, which is a downside to cost savings. For this problem, here’s a possible solution. Instead of spreading the dressing evenly across the salad before you eat, try putting it in a small cup. Use the dressing as a dip for your salad, taking in only a few portions just to add taste to the vegetables. This way, you can monitor well your calorie intake and see more progress in your health efforts.
To sum it up, in order for a salad to become really healthy, you must pay attention to the ingredients you put in it. I know it takes a bit of self control but hopefully with these little tips, you can still enjoy eating your favorite salads without much toll on its taste.
Most of the vegetable salads we know today are composed of a primary ingredient called lettuce. Now, don’t get me wrong, lettuce is a very healthy thing to eat, however, its downside is that it really doesn’t have much of an impact when regards to taste. That’s why we include all those extras in our salads to enhance its flavor. Fruits can easily accomplish this, but most of the time, we add in a little bit sin to the meal.
These are the ingredients that make the salad not so healthy and if you’ll like to have an actual example, then take a look at any local salad bar. If you take a closer look, many of the items in a salad bar are not for health conscious people, but all salad bar patrons love to include them in the mix. So, let’s just take a closer look at these ingredients and provide some guidelines to lessen their consumption.
Obviously, fruits and vegetables are the healthy part of salad so we’ll just look at the next tray of ingredients. Here we see bacon bits and croutons which are both adding to the downfall of your salad. Bacon bits and any other meat add fat to your body. But I’m not saying avoid them entirely, just moderate additional meat and you’re perfectly fine.
Another part of salad we cannot do without are dressings. Generally, dressings are unhealthy, so the greatest way around the use of dressings is to measure just enough of them before you begin eating the salad. At an average, a two tablespoon of dressing will accumulate eleven grams of fat in your body. Not really a lot, but it can certainly build up overtime if you consume more.
Unfortunately, a salad is not a happy salad unless it has a dressing on top and adding flavor to every bite. That is why in order for you to cut back on the calories, here’s a handy little tip you can implement. Try using a fat free or low calorie dressing to add flavor to your salads. Nowadays, this is already a very famous option seen on groceries, with most of our favorite flavors already having its low fat counterpart.
The downside to all these is that low fat dressings doesn’t really taste the same as their original counterparts. This will probably make you use more of them, which is a downside to cost savings. For this problem, here’s a possible solution. Instead of spreading the dressing evenly across the salad before you eat, try putting it in a small cup. Use the dressing as a dip for your salad, taking in only a few portions just to add taste to the vegetables. This way, you can monitor well your calorie intake and see more progress in your health efforts.
To sum it up, in order for a salad to become really healthy, you must pay attention to the ingredients you put in it. I know it takes a bit of self control but hopefully with these little tips, you can still enjoy eating your favorite salads without much toll on its taste.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Hot Pepper Benefits
Originating from Central and South America, the hot pepper is nowadays cultivated worldwide for its food and therapeutic qualities. It is a 30-60 cm high annual herbal plant. It has got different variants, both with a sweet taste and especially with a hot taste.
The fruit is red or yellow coloured, with many seeds on the inside. The ripe fruit of the plant is used both for culinary and therapeutic purposes. In a document appeared in 1493 together with Columbus' travels, the hot pepper is said to be a spice. In naturist medicine the most used variety of hot pepper is "cayenne".
Pharmacologic action: antiseptic, vitaminizing (it contains a large amount of C vitamin and of beta-carotene), it regulates the blood circulation, it strengthens the heart, the arteries and the nerves, it has an excellent anti-flue action, it eliminates pains and abscesses, it is an excellent remedy against alcoholism.
Caution! when cooked alongside other spices it is likely to give birth to burns, irritations of the digestive system and even to ulcers.
The dried up hot pepper has got exceptional healing qualities. As a powder, the hot pepper is used for quickly healing wounds. A thin layer of pepper powder cleans the wound, destroys the germs and hastens its healing process.
Another external application is the one related to sinus decongestion. On adding a little hot pepper powder in a glass of water and stirring it well, when the mixture is slowly breathed in each nostril, this one will unclog fast and the infection will be gone. Still externally, the hot pepper is an exceptional remedy for healing the infections appeared at the level of the tooth gums as well, eliminating the pains and the abscesses.
The simplest treatment is to apply hot pepper powder on the toothbrush and to gently brush those respective areas.
In order to treat alcoholism, the hot pepper tincture made from 2-3 broken up peppers macerated in 100 ml of alcohol for 15 days is used. 5-10 drops of tincture in one litre of alcohol, preferably the patient's favourite one, should be taken.
Ingesting the alcohol with the hot pepper tincture will shortly give that alcoholic person repulsion toward drinking. If during the treatment three mugs of toad's tail tea cure is
additionally introduced, the alcoholic patient will quit drinking himself.
The hot pepper tincture used in frictions may re-establish the blood circulation and relieve the pains due to rheumatism, neuralgias and frostbites.
For an internal use, the tincture should be taken 20-25 drops 30 minutes before the main meals. The treatment is recommended in flus, colds, and cough.
Caution! Consuming hot peppers is forbidden in various stomachs, liver, urinary ways disorders and in hemorrhages, because they worsen the effects of the diseases, seeing that they are irritating.
The physicians that know well the therapeutic qualities of the hot peppers recommend that half a hot pepper should be taken a day in order to stimulate the nervous system and to be in high spirits.
Natural treatments and application procedures:
1. The hot pepper powder:
It is made from dried up and ground hot peppers. In various treatments it heals the infections at the level of the tooth gums and the abscesses; it cicatrizes old wounds, decongests the sinuses and cures cold.
2. The hot pepper tincture:
It is made from 2-3 broken up hot peppers macerated in 100 ml of alcohol for 15 days. It should be used for treating alcoholism, in frictions for relieving the pains due to rheumatism, neuralgias and frostbites.
As for its internal use, the tincture is to be taken 15-20 drops 30 minutes before each main meal. Such a tincture treats flu, cold and cough.
3. The decoction made from hot peppers:
It is made from broken up hot pepper boiled for 15 minutes in 250 ml of water. Gargles will be performed with this tea for treating the fatigue of the vocal cords.
The fruit is red or yellow coloured, with many seeds on the inside. The ripe fruit of the plant is used both for culinary and therapeutic purposes. In a document appeared in 1493 together with Columbus' travels, the hot pepper is said to be a spice. In naturist medicine the most used variety of hot pepper is "cayenne".
Pharmacologic action: antiseptic, vitaminizing (it contains a large amount of C vitamin and of beta-carotene), it regulates the blood circulation, it strengthens the heart, the arteries and the nerves, it has an excellent anti-flue action, it eliminates pains and abscesses, it is an excellent remedy against alcoholism.
Caution! when cooked alongside other spices it is likely to give birth to burns, irritations of the digestive system and even to ulcers.
The dried up hot pepper has got exceptional healing qualities. As a powder, the hot pepper is used for quickly healing wounds. A thin layer of pepper powder cleans the wound, destroys the germs and hastens its healing process.
Another external application is the one related to sinus decongestion. On adding a little hot pepper powder in a glass of water and stirring it well, when the mixture is slowly breathed in each nostril, this one will unclog fast and the infection will be gone. Still externally, the hot pepper is an exceptional remedy for healing the infections appeared at the level of the tooth gums as well, eliminating the pains and the abscesses.
The simplest treatment is to apply hot pepper powder on the toothbrush and to gently brush those respective areas.
In order to treat alcoholism, the hot pepper tincture made from 2-3 broken up peppers macerated in 100 ml of alcohol for 15 days is used. 5-10 drops of tincture in one litre of alcohol, preferably the patient's favourite one, should be taken.
Ingesting the alcohol with the hot pepper tincture will shortly give that alcoholic person repulsion toward drinking. If during the treatment three mugs of toad's tail tea cure is
additionally introduced, the alcoholic patient will quit drinking himself.
The hot pepper tincture used in frictions may re-establish the blood circulation and relieve the pains due to rheumatism, neuralgias and frostbites.
For an internal use, the tincture should be taken 20-25 drops 30 minutes before the main meals. The treatment is recommended in flus, colds, and cough.
Caution! Consuming hot peppers is forbidden in various stomachs, liver, urinary ways disorders and in hemorrhages, because they worsen the effects of the diseases, seeing that they are irritating.
The physicians that know well the therapeutic qualities of the hot peppers recommend that half a hot pepper should be taken a day in order to stimulate the nervous system and to be in high spirits.
Natural treatments and application procedures:
1. The hot pepper powder:
It is made from dried up and ground hot peppers. In various treatments it heals the infections at the level of the tooth gums and the abscesses; it cicatrizes old wounds, decongests the sinuses and cures cold.
2. The hot pepper tincture:
It is made from 2-3 broken up hot peppers macerated in 100 ml of alcohol for 15 days. It should be used for treating alcoholism, in frictions for relieving the pains due to rheumatism, neuralgias and frostbites.
As for its internal use, the tincture is to be taken 15-20 drops 30 minutes before each main meal. Such a tincture treats flu, cold and cough.
3. The decoction made from hot peppers:
It is made from broken up hot pepper boiled for 15 minutes in 250 ml of water. Gargles will be performed with this tea for treating the fatigue of the vocal cords.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Caffeine In Coffee and the Effect on our Bodies
Millions of people consume coffee on a daily basis. That rich, smooth taste and the pick-me-up feeling you get from drinking coffee can't be beat. But what is the caffeine in every cup doing to our bodies? Here are the most common side effects of caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant by the way it's strong effect on the central nervous system. Those effects begin as quickly as 15 minutes after drinking for up to six hours later. Caffeine can increase blood pressure, your body temperature, heart rate, blood flow to the skin & extremities, blood sugar levels, stomach acid secretion and act as a diuretic.
Side Effects of Caffeine.
Moderate doses of about two 6-ounce cups of coffee will create very few or no negative side effects. Moderate consumption of caffeine hasn't been found to increase the risk for irregular heartbeats, heart disease, high cholesterol levels, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or infertility.
* It increases wakefulness and motor activity.
* Drinking coffee, contrary to popular belief, won't help you become sober if you're intoxicated.
* Sensitivity to caffeine can vary by individual. Some can drink several cups of coffee with hardly any side effects. Others are so sensitive to caffeine that even small dose makes them uncomfortable.
* Sensitive drinkers who consume more that 2 size-ounce cups of coffer at a time, might experience insomnia, irritability, hand tremors, restlessness, nervousness, headaches, extra heartbeats and have a difficult time concentrating.
* Other side effects that might be temporary felt include a rise in blood pressure, breathing rate and your metabolism. PMS symptoms may become more noticeable with caffeine.
* Some of the more serious long term side effects of drinking over ten cups of coffee a day might include increased heartburn problems, conception problems, and changes in bowel habits.
* Caffeine can increase your alertness, especially in tired individuals. Caffeinated beverages may help you stay alert at work or while studying.
* Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found there aren't any differences in how children and adults handle caffeine. This means the long held belief that caffeine causes hyperactivity or short attention spans in children probably isn't the cause. Just use common sense when allowing your kids to consume high caffeine foods, as with any foods.
* Caffeine doesn't affect reproduction in humans, although pregnant women need to consume caffeine products in small doses.
* Consuming too much caffeine can lead to sleep deprivation since you might have a tendency to disregard your body's tiredness signals.
* Too much caffeine can lead to anxiety-related feelings like sweating, excessive nervousness, and tremors.
Caffeine comes from the German word kaffee and the French word cafe. They both mean coffee. Caffeine is completely absorbed in the body within 30 to 45 minutes and the effects normally lessen in three hours. Caffeine affects the mood, stamina, the gastric and colon activity and the cerebral vascular system of the body.
Is it addictive?
That depends on whom you ask. Some researchers found that the effects of caffeine withdrawal included a wide range of symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness or sleepiness, irritability and other similar symptoms. The symptoms began within 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from caffeine products and lasted any where from 2 to 9 days. This amount of time shows evidence that some may be addicted to caffeine.
Other research, however, has found that caffeine is not addictive. The research shows that we have a desire to repeatedly consume caffeine merely for pleasurable reasons such as the aroma, taste and social aspects of consuming caffeine. They believe caffeine product consumption is simply a habit and not a need.
So whether you drink caffeinated beverages in moderation to boost your alertness or consume only a small amount for the taste, you should know the effects it may have on your body.
Caffeine is a stimulant by the way it's strong effect on the central nervous system. Those effects begin as quickly as 15 minutes after drinking for up to six hours later. Caffeine can increase blood pressure, your body temperature, heart rate, blood flow to the skin & extremities, blood sugar levels, stomach acid secretion and act as a diuretic.
Side Effects of Caffeine.
Moderate doses of about two 6-ounce cups of coffee will create very few or no negative side effects. Moderate consumption of caffeine hasn't been found to increase the risk for irregular heartbeats, heart disease, high cholesterol levels, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or infertility.
* It increases wakefulness and motor activity.
* Drinking coffee, contrary to popular belief, won't help you become sober if you're intoxicated.
* Sensitivity to caffeine can vary by individual. Some can drink several cups of coffee with hardly any side effects. Others are so sensitive to caffeine that even small dose makes them uncomfortable.
* Sensitive drinkers who consume more that 2 size-ounce cups of coffer at a time, might experience insomnia, irritability, hand tremors, restlessness, nervousness, headaches, extra heartbeats and have a difficult time concentrating.
* Other side effects that might be temporary felt include a rise in blood pressure, breathing rate and your metabolism. PMS symptoms may become more noticeable with caffeine.
* Some of the more serious long term side effects of drinking over ten cups of coffee a day might include increased heartburn problems, conception problems, and changes in bowel habits.
* Caffeine can increase your alertness, especially in tired individuals. Caffeinated beverages may help you stay alert at work or while studying.
* Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found there aren't any differences in how children and adults handle caffeine. This means the long held belief that caffeine causes hyperactivity or short attention spans in children probably isn't the cause. Just use common sense when allowing your kids to consume high caffeine foods, as with any foods.
* Caffeine doesn't affect reproduction in humans, although pregnant women need to consume caffeine products in small doses.
* Consuming too much caffeine can lead to sleep deprivation since you might have a tendency to disregard your body's tiredness signals.
* Too much caffeine can lead to anxiety-related feelings like sweating, excessive nervousness, and tremors.
Caffeine comes from the German word kaffee and the French word cafe. They both mean coffee. Caffeine is completely absorbed in the body within 30 to 45 minutes and the effects normally lessen in three hours. Caffeine affects the mood, stamina, the gastric and colon activity and the cerebral vascular system of the body.
Is it addictive?
That depends on whom you ask. Some researchers found that the effects of caffeine withdrawal included a wide range of symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness or sleepiness, irritability and other similar symptoms. The symptoms began within 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from caffeine products and lasted any where from 2 to 9 days. This amount of time shows evidence that some may be addicted to caffeine.
Other research, however, has found that caffeine is not addictive. The research shows that we have a desire to repeatedly consume caffeine merely for pleasurable reasons such as the aroma, taste and social aspects of consuming caffeine. They believe caffeine product consumption is simply a habit and not a need.
So whether you drink caffeinated beverages in moderation to boost your alertness or consume only a small amount for the taste, you should know the effects it may have on your body.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Bottled Mineral Water. Healthy or Not? Discover the Truth
Let me tell you a story about a guy who considered mineral water healthy. He thought that the best thing in the world he could drink was a particular brand of natural mineral water H20.
He also happened to work at a treatment facility in North Carolina. He wanted to show everyone how pure his beverages were and why he considered his pricey mineral water healthy.
Now, this particular brand of so-called natural mineral water H20 does come from a spring in the south of France and is naturally carbonated. It contains calcium, chloride, bicarbonate, fluoride, magnesium, nitrate, potassium, sodium and sulfates. The total level of "dissolved solids" is 475 milligrams per liter, very close to the maximum suggested by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Most brands of natural mineral water H20 do not come from a spring and the mineral content is usually limited to one or two elements, typically potassium. They use ion exchange or another method to alter the water’s natural content and "enhance" the flavor. Sometimes, this is a good thing. Sometimes, it is not.
One particular brand of natural mineral water H20 contains high levels of manganese. That’s an element that has upper advisory limits for consumption, set down by the nutritional guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture, because, at high levels, it can cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Yet, the company considers their mineral water healthy and recommends it for a variety of health problems. But, let me get back to my story.
So, using the tests developed by the EPA, those that he used in the treatment facility to test the waters before they were sent to the public, he checked to see what he would find in his natural mineral water H20. Once again, he was sure that he would find his mineral water healthy and he was going to use the results as an example for the other employees.
"This is true purity," he might have said, before the results showed high levels of an organic chemical compound known as benzene. Benzene pollution is a problem throughout the world. It is used in the manufacture of a variety of products, including plastics, rubber and drugs. It occurs naturally in crude oil, so it is not considered a synthetic chemical, but a volatile organic compound or VOC.
Thinking that the test must have somehow gone awry, he tried another bottle. The results were the same. Hoping that it was merely one affected lot, he went out and looked for a bottle that had a different lot number and tested that one.
Again, the results were the same. He called up a friend in Georgia, who confirmed his findings. It looked as if he could no longer consider his mineral water healthy, since consuming benzene causes a number of health problems including vomiting and dizziness. If enough is consumed, it can even cause death.
The EPA sets the maximum level for benzene contamination at 5 parts per billion. The levels that they found in the bottles of natural mineral water H20 ranged from 12.3 to 19.9.
People consider mineral water healthy largely because of advertising hype.
SOme people said the best choice for drinking purposes is to install a filtration system on your kitchen tap that uses ion exchange to remove the toxic metal lead and replace it with healthy potassium then the water will taste better and be better for your health. But the choice is in your hand.
He also happened to work at a treatment facility in North Carolina. He wanted to show everyone how pure his beverages were and why he considered his pricey mineral water healthy.
Now, this particular brand of so-called natural mineral water H20 does come from a spring in the south of France and is naturally carbonated. It contains calcium, chloride, bicarbonate, fluoride, magnesium, nitrate, potassium, sodium and sulfates. The total level of "dissolved solids" is 475 milligrams per liter, very close to the maximum suggested by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Most brands of natural mineral water H20 do not come from a spring and the mineral content is usually limited to one or two elements, typically potassium. They use ion exchange or another method to alter the water’s natural content and "enhance" the flavor. Sometimes, this is a good thing. Sometimes, it is not.
One particular brand of natural mineral water H20 contains high levels of manganese. That’s an element that has upper advisory limits for consumption, set down by the nutritional guidelines of the US Department of Agriculture, because, at high levels, it can cause liver and kidney dysfunction. Yet, the company considers their mineral water healthy and recommends it for a variety of health problems. But, let me get back to my story.
So, using the tests developed by the EPA, those that he used in the treatment facility to test the waters before they were sent to the public, he checked to see what he would find in his natural mineral water H20. Once again, he was sure that he would find his mineral water healthy and he was going to use the results as an example for the other employees.
"This is true purity," he might have said, before the results showed high levels of an organic chemical compound known as benzene. Benzene pollution is a problem throughout the world. It is used in the manufacture of a variety of products, including plastics, rubber and drugs. It occurs naturally in crude oil, so it is not considered a synthetic chemical, but a volatile organic compound or VOC.
Thinking that the test must have somehow gone awry, he tried another bottle. The results were the same. Hoping that it was merely one affected lot, he went out and looked for a bottle that had a different lot number and tested that one.
Again, the results were the same. He called up a friend in Georgia, who confirmed his findings. It looked as if he could no longer consider his mineral water healthy, since consuming benzene causes a number of health problems including vomiting and dizziness. If enough is consumed, it can even cause death.
The EPA sets the maximum level for benzene contamination at 5 parts per billion. The levels that they found in the bottles of natural mineral water H20 ranged from 12.3 to 19.9.
People consider mineral water healthy largely because of advertising hype.
SOme people said the best choice for drinking purposes is to install a filtration system on your kitchen tap that uses ion exchange to remove the toxic metal lead and replace it with healthy potassium then the water will taste better and be better for your health. But the choice is in your hand.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Dairy Products manufactured in China
1) Straits Times, AsiaOne, Reuters
SINGAPORE'S Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has advised local importers and retailers to remove from the market a China-made dairy product as it could be tainted with a health-threatening chemical.
The AVA yesterday said the 'Yili brand' Natural Choice Yogurt Flavoured Ice Bar with Real Fruit (90ml) should be withheld from sale immediately in Singapore, pending the authority's investigation and tests.
The advisory came after AVA's Hong Kong counterpart, the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety, issued a press statement on the recall of the product, which was made by Shanghai Yili AB Foods Company.
A sample of the ice bar was found to contain a low level of melamine (15 ppm) - the chemical at the heart of the infant formula scandal in China.
Melamine is rich in nitrogen, an element often used to measure protein, and can be used to disguise diluted milk. It can cause kidney stones and other organ problems.
China said on Wednesday that a third infant has died after drinking contaminated milk and the number of sick has leapt to many thousands. An official said the health threat had been concealed for at least a month.
The number of children ill after drinking powdered milk laced melamine has risen nearly five-fold to 6,244, and those with 'acute kidney failure' has reached 158, China's Health Minister Chen Zhu told a news conference.
(http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080918-88532.html)
2) Singapore: White Rabbit Creamy Candy" Found To Contain Melamine
AVA's latest laboratory findings show that the "White Rabbit Creamy Candy" (大白兔奶糖) from China is also contaminated with melamine. Consumers who have bought the affected products are advised not to consume them.
The latest test results bring the total number of milk and related products from China imported into Singapore that are found to be contaminated with melamine to three. The other two affected products are 'Yili Brand' Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection" and "Dutch Lady" brand of strawberry flavoured milk.
All the affected products have been recalled earlier. Since 19 Sep 08, AVA has suspended the import and sale of all milk and milk products from China. These products include milk, ice-cream, yoghurt, confectionery such as chocolates, biscuits and sweets as well as any other products containing milk from China as an ingredient.
As a precaution, consumers are also advised not to consume any milk or milk products from China.
Consumers who have any queries can call AVA's hotline at 63257625 during office hours (8.30 am – 6.00 pm, Monday – Friday). (http://www.ava.gov.sg/)
Additionally, consumers of Dutch Lady products can call 6419-8466 to get further information. Consumers can call the hotline starting from September 22 to 26, from 9am till 5pm daily. (http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/cna/20080921/tap-297-milk-importer-dutch-lady-brand-d-231650b.html)
SINGAPORE'S Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) has advised local importers and retailers to remove from the market a China-made dairy product as it could be tainted with a health-threatening chemical.
The AVA yesterday said the 'Yili brand' Natural Choice Yogurt Flavoured Ice Bar with Real Fruit (90ml) should be withheld from sale immediately in Singapore, pending the authority's investigation and tests.
The advisory came after AVA's Hong Kong counterpart, the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety, issued a press statement on the recall of the product, which was made by Shanghai Yili AB Foods Company.
A sample of the ice bar was found to contain a low level of melamine (15 ppm) - the chemical at the heart of the infant formula scandal in China.
Melamine is rich in nitrogen, an element often used to measure protein, and can be used to disguise diluted milk. It can cause kidney stones and other organ problems.
China said on Wednesday that a third infant has died after drinking contaminated milk and the number of sick has leapt to many thousands. An official said the health threat had been concealed for at least a month.
The number of children ill after drinking powdered milk laced melamine has risen nearly five-fold to 6,244, and those with 'acute kidney failure' has reached 158, China's Health Minister Chen Zhu told a news conference.
(http://www.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20080918-88532.html)
2) Singapore: White Rabbit Creamy Candy" Found To Contain Melamine
AVA's latest laboratory findings show that the "White Rabbit Creamy Candy" (大白兔奶糖) from China is also contaminated with melamine. Consumers who have bought the affected products are advised not to consume them.
The latest test results bring the total number of milk and related products from China imported into Singapore that are found to be contaminated with melamine to three. The other two affected products are 'Yili Brand' Choice Dairy Fruit Bar Yogurt Flavoured Ice Confection" and "Dutch Lady" brand of strawberry flavoured milk.
All the affected products have been recalled earlier. Since 19 Sep 08, AVA has suspended the import and sale of all milk and milk products from China. These products include milk, ice-cream, yoghurt, confectionery such as chocolates, biscuits and sweets as well as any other products containing milk from China as an ingredient.
As a precaution, consumers are also advised not to consume any milk or milk products from China.
Consumers who have any queries can call AVA's hotline at 63257625 during office hours (8.30 am – 6.00 pm, Monday – Friday). (http://www.ava.gov.sg/)
Additionally, consumers of Dutch Lady products can call 6419-8466 to get further information. Consumers can call the hotline starting from September 22 to 26, from 9am till 5pm daily. (http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/cna/20080921/tap-297-milk-importer-dutch-lady-brand-d-231650b.html)
Food Alert Crisis
IMPORTERS / AGENTS TO RECALL IMPLICATED MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS FROM CHINA WHICH ARE ALREADY SOLD IN THE MARKET
Due to the issue of contamination of melamine in milk and milk products imported from China, Ministry of Health is instructing all importers / agents who brought such implicated products to Malaysia which are already sold in the local market to recall them immediately.
The implicated milk and milk products from China cover products as follows:-
a). Milk
b). Milk products
c). Chocolate
d). Ice cream
e). Butter
f). Biscuits
g). Cheese
h). Yogurt
i). Flour and sugar confections
j). Cakes
k). Any food products containing milk imported from China as its ingredients
WHITE RABBIT CREAMY CANDY IMPORTED FROM CHINA BANNED
As a result of a positive detection of melamine in White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China found by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), Singapore, Ministry of Health is imposing a ban towards any importation of this product.
Therefore, a Level 6 (Auto Rejection) Examination Level through FoSIM will be imposed for White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China immediately.
The particulars of the product are as follows:-
a). Product: White Rabbit Creamy Candy
b). Exporter: Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food Ltd,
Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food General Factory,
No. 220, Cao Bao Road, Shanghai, China
c). Importer: BB Foods & Toy Trading,
No. 20A, Jalan Kelewang,
Taman Sri Tebrau,
80050 Johor Bahru, Johor.
All importers / agents are restricted from importing White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China for the time being.
Kindly log on to http://fsis.moh.gov.my for more information
Due to the issue of contamination of melamine in milk and milk products imported from China, Ministry of Health is instructing all importers / agents who brought such implicated products to Malaysia which are already sold in the local market to recall them immediately.
The implicated milk and milk products from China cover products as follows:-
a). Milk
b). Milk products
c). Chocolate
d). Ice cream
e). Butter
f). Biscuits
g). Cheese
h). Yogurt
i). Flour and sugar confections
j). Cakes
k). Any food products containing milk imported from China as its ingredients
WHITE RABBIT CREAMY CANDY IMPORTED FROM CHINA BANNED
As a result of a positive detection of melamine in White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China found by Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), Singapore, Ministry of Health is imposing a ban towards any importation of this product.
Therefore, a Level 6 (Auto Rejection) Examination Level through FoSIM will be imposed for White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China immediately.
The particulars of the product are as follows:-
a). Product: White Rabbit Creamy Candy
b). Exporter: Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food Ltd,
Shanghai Guan Sheng Yuan Food General Factory,
No. 220, Cao Bao Road, Shanghai, China
c). Importer: BB Foods & Toy Trading,
No. 20A, Jalan Kelewang,
Taman Sri Tebrau,
80050 Johor Bahru, Johor.
All importers / agents are restricted from importing White Rabbit Creamy Candy from China for the time being.
Kindly log on to http://fsis.moh.gov.my for more information
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
HEALTHY JUICES
Prevention is better than cure.
Carrot + Ginger + Apple - Boost and cleanse our system.
Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache.Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad breath.
Bitter gourd + Apple + Raw Milk - Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.
Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - To improve skin complexion.
Pear & Banana - regulates sugar content.
Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango - Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization.
Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Raw Milk - Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and strengthen body immunity.
Papaya + Pineapple + Raw Milk - Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism.
Banana + Pineapple + Raw Milk - Rich in vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
5 Most Commonly Used Ingredient In Chinese Vegetarian Recipes
Are you into vegetarian recipes?
How about trying out vegetarian recipes in Chinese style?
Not sure what to use?
No worries! Here are five most commonly used ingredients you can use to create you own Chinese style vegetarian meal!
1. Mushroom
The mushroom you see here is actually the dried mushroom, which is also known as Black Mushroom, Chinese Black Mushroom or Dried Flower Mushroom.
It is an excellent ingredient to add taste and aroma to your dishes. It is also an excellent absorbent which takes in the taste and flavor of your cooking – thus giving you a pleasurable bite; exploding the splendor in your mouth as you chew!
Because of it's ability to add taste and aroma to the dishes, it is commonly added into vegetarian dishes to add more flavor to the otherwise plain vegetables.
2. Chinese Wolfberry
These tiny red seeds has sweet and plain taste, and has found its way into many Chinese soup and dishes. In fact, it is considered to be one of the medicine used in Traditional Chinese medicine.
It is also used to improve lung functions, strengthen lower limbs, reduce headache and fainting, improve premature ejaculation etc. Current researches have proven that Chinese Wolfberry have anti-oxidant ability, increasing immunity, anti radiation, anti aging and other health effects.
It is commonly known to have helps improve eye-sight.
Because of its benefits, Chinese vegetarian practitioneer use it widely to enhance nutritional value of their meals.
3. Bean Curd (Tofu)
Bean Curd was created by the Chinese, accidentally, in the Eastern Han dynasty. Initially, only monks and priests ate them. However, slowly it was accepted by the masses, and now, it is an indispensible ingredient for most of the Chinese meals, be it vegetarian or not.
Bean Curd is soft, tender, nutritious and affordable. It can be easily digested.
It promotes production of bodily fluid to reduce dryness. It also reduces heat and removes toxins; reduces blood cholesterol and the risk of heart diseases; and reduces respiratory and digestive problems.
You can find Bean Curd in many forms – soft, firm, dried, Bean Curd puff, Bean Curd skin (which we will see next), Jelly form, fermented Bean Curd, smelly Tofu, and many more!
Because of its wide variety, you'll find it almost in every meal, cooked in many different methods.
4. Bean Curd Skin or Sheet
Bean Curd Skin, either in long stick form, or in sheet form, is as popular as Bean Curd.
This is because it can either be soaked and fry together with the vegetables, or cooked in soup, or in sweet soup. And the sheet form can be used for wrapping in many recipes, e.g. Wanton, Chinese sausage etc; or even used to create the popular Chinese vegetarian duck!
Another indispensable ingredient for Chinese vegetarian meals!
5. Bean Thread
Bean Thread or Mung Bean Vermicelli which is also known as Glass Noodles, Cellophane Noodles, or Fenzi in Chinese or Fun See in Cantonese.
It is commonly used in many Asian countries, and in particular - Chinese vegetarian dishes.
Althought it is a form of noodle, and may be eaten as noodle, when these slender and gelatinous noodles are soaked, they become soft and slippery, springy and translucent. They’re almost flavorless, but they are a good absorbant which absorb the taste of their accompanying sauce or broth.
Because of that property, it is added into dishes for more bite and flavor, and is commonly found in the famour vegetarian meal - Luohan Zai (The Dish of The Arahant)
So, here you are - the 5 most commonly used ingredients which you can also use to create your own Chinese vegetarian meal today! Enjoy!
How about trying out vegetarian recipes in Chinese style?
Not sure what to use?
No worries! Here are five most commonly used ingredients you can use to create you own Chinese style vegetarian meal!
1. Mushroom
The mushroom you see here is actually the dried mushroom, which is also known as Black Mushroom, Chinese Black Mushroom or Dried Flower Mushroom.
It is an excellent ingredient to add taste and aroma to your dishes. It is also an excellent absorbent which takes in the taste and flavor of your cooking – thus giving you a pleasurable bite; exploding the splendor in your mouth as you chew!
Because of it's ability to add taste and aroma to the dishes, it is commonly added into vegetarian dishes to add more flavor to the otherwise plain vegetables.
2. Chinese Wolfberry
These tiny red seeds has sweet and plain taste, and has found its way into many Chinese soup and dishes. In fact, it is considered to be one of the medicine used in Traditional Chinese medicine.
It is also used to improve lung functions, strengthen lower limbs, reduce headache and fainting, improve premature ejaculation etc. Current researches have proven that Chinese Wolfberry have anti-oxidant ability, increasing immunity, anti radiation, anti aging and other health effects.
It is commonly known to have helps improve eye-sight.
Because of its benefits, Chinese vegetarian practitioneer use it widely to enhance nutritional value of their meals.
3. Bean Curd (Tofu)
Bean Curd was created by the Chinese, accidentally, in the Eastern Han dynasty. Initially, only monks and priests ate them. However, slowly it was accepted by the masses, and now, it is an indispensible ingredient for most of the Chinese meals, be it vegetarian or not.
Bean Curd is soft, tender, nutritious and affordable. It can be easily digested.
It promotes production of bodily fluid to reduce dryness. It also reduces heat and removes toxins; reduces blood cholesterol and the risk of heart diseases; and reduces respiratory and digestive problems.
You can find Bean Curd in many forms – soft, firm, dried, Bean Curd puff, Bean Curd skin (which we will see next), Jelly form, fermented Bean Curd, smelly Tofu, and many more!
Because of its wide variety, you'll find it almost in every meal, cooked in many different methods.
4. Bean Curd Skin or Sheet
Bean Curd Skin, either in long stick form, or in sheet form, is as popular as Bean Curd.
This is because it can either be soaked and fry together with the vegetables, or cooked in soup, or in sweet soup. And the sheet form can be used for wrapping in many recipes, e.g. Wanton, Chinese sausage etc; or even used to create the popular Chinese vegetarian duck!
Another indispensable ingredient for Chinese vegetarian meals!
5. Bean Thread
Bean Thread or Mung Bean Vermicelli which is also known as Glass Noodles, Cellophane Noodles, or Fenzi in Chinese or Fun See in Cantonese.
It is commonly used in many Asian countries, and in particular - Chinese vegetarian dishes.
Althought it is a form of noodle, and may be eaten as noodle, when these slender and gelatinous noodles are soaked, they become soft and slippery, springy and translucent. They’re almost flavorless, but they are a good absorbant which absorb the taste of their accompanying sauce or broth.
Because of that property, it is added into dishes for more bite and flavor, and is commonly found in the famour vegetarian meal - Luohan Zai (The Dish of The Arahant)
So, here you are - the 5 most commonly used ingredients which you can also use to create your own Chinese vegetarian meal today! Enjoy!
Monday, September 8, 2008
The Stimulating Effects Of Black Tea And Green Tea
The effect of tea on your body depends largely by the growth stage of the leaf, the brewing time, the amount of tea used and a person's sensitivity to tea's ingredients.
The stimulating effect of a tea is mainly due to what is called alkaloid caffeine which is then linked with tannin found in a tea leaf.
Almost the entire amount of caffeine is dissolved during the infusion within the first 1-2 minutes because caffeine dissolves well in hot water. This is without the tannin.
This short brewing time results to a brew with a high level of caffeine not related to tannin. If the tea is brewed for a longer time about 4-8 minutes, the tannin as well as other ingredients start to dissolve gradually. This results, however, to a stronger brew.
Tannin has the ability to prevent or delay the caffeine from being absorbed quickly in the stomach or intestines.
It has been found that this delayed effect can stretch the cumulative effect of caffeine to 10-12 hours with frequent, daily tea-drinking.
So, if you want a more stimulating effect of a black tea or green tea, consider a short brewing time and if you only want a slightly stimulating effect, have a longer brewing time.
The caffeine of a tea can be reduced by pouring a little boiling water over the amount of tea to be used and then sieving this off after half a minute.
When not consumed in excess, tea can have a stimulating effect but not irritating unlike other beverage. This stimulating effect does not raise blood pressure. However, an excess intake of caffeine can cause an increase in blood pressure.
A recommended amount of tea to use is a maximum of one level teaspoon per cup of tea leaves with a longer brewing time about 4-6 minutes. This can be consumed naturally without the use of artificial sweeteners or sugar.
A tea left for a shorter time only results to a milder brew.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Are U Drinking The Right Tea...
1. People who use their 'brain' to work or students who study hard day and night.
=> Should drink more Chrysanthemum Tea.
2. People who need a lot of body energy to work or those people who exercise a lot everyday.
=> Should drink Wu Loong Tea.
3. People who travel on a bike or work in dirty and polluted places.
=> Should drink Green Tea.
4. For people who like to sit down all day long and not do anything, even exercising
=> Must drink Green Tea and Flower Tea.
5. People who smoke and drink a lot of alcoholic drinks.
=> Should drink more Green Tea.
6. Carnnivore ( i.e. people who must eat meat at least once a day, or feel sickly)
=> Try to drink some Wu Loong Tea.
7. People who go to the washroom too often or not often enough.
=> Should drink more Honey Tea
8. People with high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
=> Wu Loong Tea, Green Tea.
9. Those who work with computers everyday.
=> Need to drink a Lot of Tea (any tea will do).
Whenever you are working with the computer, you should make some tea, drink it when you are free.
Drinking Tea is healthy; it can protect and prevent the harmful. Ultraviolet light from harming us (when using computer).
Furthermore, it can also cure us when we are tired and help making our body feel fresh again.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Soya Bean
All of us know that soya bean drink provides good protein to our body...but many of us don’t know that there are certain days we should avoid drinking it.
Soya bean drinks are best consumed on hot sunny days when the sun is strong. The soya milk will give lots of nutrients to the body as the body is able to absorb the protein well.
However, avoid the drink when the weather is cloudy or raining. Taking the drink in this weather, the body will not be able to take in the protein and will result in a disease called ‘GOUT’ or 'high acidic urine' due to the high protein residue in the body, after a long run.
This disease will cause pain to your knee joints and it will only be in control when you control your food intake of proteins and medication. The pain is unbearable and usually you will have no idea what you have taken to cause the pain. Food like soya beans, ikan bilis, broccoli, spinach, peanuts, & animal organs (i.e. pork liver) etc will have to be avoided to prevent the pain from attacking. So to keep an alert on the pros and cons of soya bean milk and when it is to be taken and to be avoided.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Soya/Tofu lovers
In 1989, I graduated from high school in Texas and couldn't wait to hit
the big college city. One of the changes I wanted to make was to eat
healthier.
Once I moved to health-conscious Austin , Texas , I began to fortify my
body with the best and healthiest foods I could find.
Tofu was the main ingredient in every healthy dish and I bought soya
milk almost every day used it for everything from cereal to smoothies or
just to drink for a quick snack. I bought soya muffins, miso soup
with tofu,soybeans, soybean, sprouts, etc. All the literature in all
the health and fitness magazines said that soya protected you against
everything from heart disease to breast cancer. It was the magical
isoflavones, the estrogen-like hormones that all worked to help you stay
young and healthy. I looked great - I was working out all the time, but
my menstrual cycle was off. At 20,I started taking birth control pills to regulate my
menstrual cycle.
In addition to this I began to suffer from painful periods. I began to
get puffy, it was as though I was losing my muscle tone. I began
to suffer from depression and getting hot flashes. I mistook all
this for PMS since my periods were irregular. By the time I was 25, my
periods were so bad,I couldn't walk. The birth control pills never made
them regular or less painful so I decided to stop taking them.
I went on like this for another two years until I realized my pain
wasn't normal.. At 27, my gynecologist found two cysts in my uterus.
Both were the size of tennis balls. I went through surgery to have
them removed and thank God they were benign. The gynecologist told
me to go back on birth control pills. I didn't.. In 1998, he discovered a
lump in my breast. Again, I went through surgery and again it was
benign.
In November 2000 my glands swelled up and my gums became inflamed.
Thinking I had a tooth infection I went to the dentist who told me that
teeth were not the problem.
After a dose of antibiotics the swelling still did not go down. At this
point I could feel a tiny nodule on the right side of my neck. I told my
mother I had thyroid trouble. She thought I was being silly. No one in
the family suffered from thyroid trouble. Going on a hunch I saw a
specialist who diagnosed me with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.
After a series of tests he told me it was cancer. My fiance and I sat
stunned. We were not prepared and I was so scared. We scheduled surgery
right away.
The specialist told us that it would only be after the operation
that a pathologist would be able to tell us for sure if it was cancer.
They found a tumor at my right lobe composed of irregular cells and
another smaller tumor growing on the left, so the entire thyroid was
removed. They told me that after undergoing radioactive iodine I would
be safe and assured me that I could live a long life.
After treatment I began to search for the cause of all these problems.
I never once thought it could be all the soya I had consumed for
nearly ten years. After all, soya is healthy. I came upon a web page
that linked thyroid problems to soya intake and the conspiracy of
soya marketed as a by-product of the vegetable oil industry. This
was insane, after all, the health and fitness magazines had said
nothing about soya being harmful.
I visited a herbalist who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1985.
She informed me that soya was the culprit. She had a hysterectomy
due to cysts and other uterine problems.
A few months later another acquaintance who had consumed soya
came down with thyroid cancer.
A girl in England I met through the Internet in a thyroid cancer forum
had just undergone surgery and she was only 19. What was going
on?
Breast cancer is linked to estrogen. What mimics estrogen in the
female body, SOYA! But I never suspected soya because until now I
never once found a single article that stated soya could be dangerous.
Women who took soya prior to thyroid problems will continue to
take it after if they are not aware of what soya actually does, what it
contains and how it reacts in the female body.. I think this is the reason
that women with thyroid cancer often develop breast cancer later. My
co-worker is big into soya and I see her losing hair and gaining weight
despite a walking workout during her break and after work, and apples
and oranges for lunch. She just had cysts removed from her uterus
too. I warned her to stay off soya. I referred her to websites but
until it is on the evening news on all four networks, women will suffer.
Since the thyroidectomy, I do not touch soya, haven't for two years.
Dear readers,
Please use my story in any way you can. There are so many young
girls who are consuming soya because they think they are taking care
of themselves, and women taking soya because they want to be
healthy. It is so unfair that the information about the dangers of soya isn't
more widely circulated. It is sad.
Here are some references:
http://www.haelan.co.uk/Wholefood-Soya.shtml
http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2000/000813.html
the big college city. One of the changes I wanted to make was to eat
healthier.
Once I moved to health-conscious Austin , Texas , I began to fortify my
body with the best and healthiest foods I could find.
Tofu was the main ingredient in every healthy dish and I bought soya
milk almost every day used it for everything from cereal to smoothies or
just to drink for a quick snack. I bought soya muffins, miso soup
with tofu,soybeans, soybean, sprouts, etc. All the literature in all
the health and fitness magazines said that soya protected you against
everything from heart disease to breast cancer. It was the magical
isoflavones, the estrogen-like hormones that all worked to help you stay
young and healthy. I looked great - I was working out all the time, but
my menstrual cycle was off. At 20,I started taking birth control pills to regulate my
menstrual cycle.
In addition to this I began to suffer from painful periods. I began to
get puffy, it was as though I was losing my muscle tone. I began
to suffer from depression and getting hot flashes. I mistook all
this for PMS since my periods were irregular. By the time I was 25, my
periods were so bad,I couldn't walk. The birth control pills never made
them regular or less painful so I decided to stop taking them.
I went on like this for another two years until I realized my pain
wasn't normal.. At 27, my gynecologist found two cysts in my uterus.
Both were the size of tennis balls. I went through surgery to have
them removed and thank God they were benign. The gynecologist told
me to go back on birth control pills. I didn't.. In 1998, he discovered a
lump in my breast. Again, I went through surgery and again it was
benign.
In November 2000 my glands swelled up and my gums became inflamed.
Thinking I had a tooth infection I went to the dentist who told me that
teeth were not the problem.
After a dose of antibiotics the swelling still did not go down. At this
point I could feel a tiny nodule on the right side of my neck. I told my
mother I had thyroid trouble. She thought I was being silly. No one in
the family suffered from thyroid trouble. Going on a hunch I saw a
specialist who diagnosed me with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.
After a series of tests he told me it was cancer. My fiance and I sat
stunned. We were not prepared and I was so scared. We scheduled surgery
right away.
The specialist told us that it would only be after the operation
that a pathologist would be able to tell us for sure if it was cancer.
They found a tumor at my right lobe composed of irregular cells and
another smaller tumor growing on the left, so the entire thyroid was
removed. They told me that after undergoing radioactive iodine I would
be safe and assured me that I could live a long life.
After treatment I began to search for the cause of all these problems.
I never once thought it could be all the soya I had consumed for
nearly ten years. After all, soya is healthy. I came upon a web page
that linked thyroid problems to soya intake and the conspiracy of
soya marketed as a by-product of the vegetable oil industry. This
was insane, after all, the health and fitness magazines had said
nothing about soya being harmful.
I visited a herbalist who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1985.
She informed me that soya was the culprit. She had a hysterectomy
due to cysts and other uterine problems.
A few months later another acquaintance who had consumed soya
came down with thyroid cancer.
A girl in England I met through the Internet in a thyroid cancer forum
had just undergone surgery and she was only 19. What was going
on?
Breast cancer is linked to estrogen. What mimics estrogen in the
female body, SOYA! But I never suspected soya because until now I
never once found a single article that stated soya could be dangerous.
Women who took soya prior to thyroid problems will continue to
take it after if they are not aware of what soya actually does, what it
contains and how it reacts in the female body.. I think this is the reason
that women with thyroid cancer often develop breast cancer later. My
co-worker is big into soya and I see her losing hair and gaining weight
despite a walking workout during her break and after work, and apples
and oranges for lunch. She just had cysts removed from her uterus
too. I warned her to stay off soya. I referred her to websites but
until it is on the evening news on all four networks, women will suffer.
Since the thyroidectomy, I do not touch soya, haven't for two years.
Dear readers,
Please use my story in any way you can. There are so many young
girls who are consuming soya because they think they are taking care
of themselves, and women taking soya because they want to be
healthy. It is so unfair that the information about the dangers of soya isn't
more widely circulated. It is sad.
Here are some references:
http://www.haelan.co.uk/Wholefood-Soya.shtml
http://www.netlink.de/gen/Zeitung/2000/000813.html
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