Dry Beans and Peas: Natural Weight-Loss Food

If you had to pick one food to be stuck on a desert island with, it would have to be beans. They'd provide you with almost complete nutrition and you wouldn't have to worry about offending anyone.

Yes, beans can be gassy, but there are ways around that. So don't let their "explosive" nature scare you away from some of the best lean protein around.

When your diet's based on protein -- and fiber-rich beans and other complex carbohydrates -- you're more likely to feel full sooner. In addition, a diet high in fiber can reduce your risk of developing diabetes and help lower blood cholesterol levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Complementing beans with grain foods, like rice, makes them a great substitute for higher-fat protein sources like meats. Beans are also filling enough to stave off hunger. The low-fat, high-fiber nature of a bean-centered diet means chances are good that you'll lose weight eating this way. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating 3 cups of beans per week.

 

 

Nutritional Values Fiber Content of Selected Dry Beans & Peas (grams per 1/2 cup serving, cooked) Kidney beans: 6.9 Butter beans: 6.9 Navy beans: 6.5 Black beans: 6.1 Pinto beans: 5.9 Broad (fava) beans: 5.1 Great Northern beans: 5.0 Black-eyed peas: 4.7 Chick-peas (garbanzos): 4.3 Mung beans: 3.3 Split peas: 3.1 Black Beans, Cooked Serving Size: 1/2 cup Calories: 113 Fat: <1 g Saturated Fat: <1 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Carbohydrate: 20 g Protein: 8 g Dietary Fiber: 8 g Sodium: 1 mg Thiamin: <1 mg Folic Acid: 128 mcg Copper: <1 mg Iron: 2 g Magnesium: 60 mg Manganese: <1 mg Phosphorus: 120 mg Potassium: 306 mg

Health Benefits
Not only are beans low in fat and high in quality protein, but they also have the added bonus of soluble fiber's disease-preventing qualities. The soluble fiber in beans dissolves in water, trapping bile acids in its gummy goo. This lowers blood levels of damaging LDL cholesterol, especially if LDL cholesterol levels were high to begin with, without compromising the level of protective HDL cholesterol.

Because beans are singled out for their soluble fiber, you may not realize they also provide substantial insoluble fiber, which helps combat constipation, colon cancer, and other conditions that afflict your digestive tract. How?

 

 Insoluble fiber absorbs water, which swells the size of stool, puts pressure on the intestines, and moves everything along faster. To help combat the gas problem -- caused by indigestible carbohydrates -- let your body get used to eating beans. Start slowly, eating only small amounts at first, and try to eat them when you know you'll be active afterward; it helps break up the gas.

Beans contain several types of phytochemicals. They are rich in lignans, which may play a role in preventing osteoporosis, heart disease, and certain cancers. The flavonoids in beans may help reduce heart disease and cancer risk. Phytosterols, also in legumes, help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

As for vitamins and minerals, beans are a bonanza of folic acid, copper, iron, and magnesium -- four nutrients that many nutrition experts agree we don't get enough of. Indeed, most dry beans and peas are rich sources of iron -- ideal for people who don't eat meat.

 

The nutritional content of most beans is very similar to the black beans we've chosen as a representative example. (Soybeans are in a class by themselves, so are listed separately.) Exceptions? White beans have almost twice the iron of black beans, while kidney beans are somewhere in between. And fiber does vary. Most differences, however, are minor.

 

somE usefuL tipS

 Almonds: To remove the skin of almonds easily, soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes.•

 Ants: Putting 3-4 cloves in the sugar container will keep the ants at bay.•

 Biscuits: If you keep a piece of blotting paper at the bottom of the container, it will keep biscuits fresh for a longer time..•

 Butter: Avoid the use of butter. If it is essential to use, use a butter containing low saturated fat or with plant stanols (which avoid absorption of cholesterol by our body) or similar substitutes.•

 Apples: Apply some lemon juice on the cut surface of the apple to avoid browning. They will look fresh for a longer time.•

 Banana: Apply mashed banana over a burn on your• body to have a cooling effect.

 Bee and Scorpion Sting Relief: Apply a mixture of 1 pinch of chewing tobacco and 1 drop of water. Mix and apply directly and immediately to the sting; cover with band aid to hold in place. Pain will go away in just a few short minutes•

 Bitter Gourd (Karela): Slit Karelas at the middle and apply a mixture of salt, wheat flour and curd all round. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour and then cook.•
Stuffed Karela

 Celery: To keep celery fresh for long time, wrap it in aluminium foil and place in the refrigerator.•

 Burnt Food: Place some chopped onion in the vessel having burnt food, pour boiling water in it, keep for 5 minutes and then clean.•

 Chilli Powder: Keeping a small piece of hing (asafoetida) in the same container will store chilli powder for long time.•

 Chopping: Use a wooden board to chop. It will not blunt the knife. Don't use a plastic board, small• plastic pieces may go with the vegetables.

 Coriander/Mint: You can use dried coriander and mint leaves in coarse powder form in vegetable curry or chutney, if fresh ones are not available.•
To keep them fresh for a longer time, wrap them in a muslin cloth and keep in a fridge.

 Cockroaches: Put some boric powder in kitchen in corners and other places. Cockroaches will leave your house.•

 Coconut: Immerse coconut in water for 1/2 an hour to remove its hust.•

 Dry Fruits: To chop dry fruits, place them in fridge for half an hour before cutting. Take the fruits out and cut them with a hot knife (dip it in hot water before cutting).•

 Dough/Rolling pin: If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, place it in freezer for a few minutes.•

 Egg peeling off: Make a small hole in the egg by piercing a pin before boiling it. You will be able to remove its skin very easily.•

 Egg fresh: Immerse• the egg in a pan of cool salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, it is certainly quite old.

 Garlic: Garlic skin comes off easily if the garlic cloves are slightly warmed before peeling.•

 Ghee: Avoid the use of ghee. If it is necessary, substitute it with canola oil. Even for making halwa, you can partly substitute it with oil.•

 Green Chillies: To keep the chillies fresh for a longer time, remove the stems before storing.•

 Green Peas: To preserve green peas, keep them in a polythene bag in the freezer.•

 Idlies: Place a betel (paan) leaf over the leftover idli and dosa batter to prevent them sour.•
Do not beat idli batter too much, the air which has been incorporated during fermentation will escape.
If you add half a tsp of fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking, dosas will be more crisp.


 Fruits: To ripen fruits, wrap them in• newspaper and put in a warm place for 2-3 days. The ethylene gas they emit will make them ripe.

 Frying: Avoid deep frying. Substitute deep frying with stir frying or oven bake. Don't pour the oil, but make a habit of spraying the oil in the utensil for cooking. Heat the utensil first, then add oil. This way oil spreads well. You will use less oil this way.•

 Left Over: Don't throw away the foods left over. Store them in Fridge. Use them in making tasty dishes.•

 Lemon/Lime: If the lemon or lime is hard, put it in warm water for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to squeeze.•

 Lizards: Hang a peacock feather, lizards will leave your house.•

 Milk: Moisten the base of the vessel with water to reduce the chances of milk to stick at the bottom.•
Keep a spoon in the vessel while boiling milk at medium heat. It will avoid sticking the milk at the bottom of the vessel.
Adding half a tsp of sodium bicarbonate in the milk while boiling will not spoil the milk even if you don't put it in the fridge.

 Mixer/Grinder: Grind some common salt in your mixer/grinder fro some time every month. This will keep your mixer blades sharp.•

 Mosquitoes: Put a few camphor tablets in a cup of water and keep it in the bed room near your bed, or in any place with mosquitoes.•

 Noodles: When the noodles are boiled, drain all the hot water and add cold water. This way all the noodles will get separated.•

 Onions: To avoid crying, cut the onions into two parts and place them in water for 15 minutes before chopping them.•
Wrap the onions individually in a newspaper and store in a cool and dark place to keep them fresh for long time.

 Oven: Watch from the oven window to conserve energy because the oven temperature drops by 25 degrees every time its door is opened,•
To clean the oven, apply a paste of sodium bicarbonate and water on the walls and floor of the oven and keep the oven on low heat for about half an hour. Dried food can easily be removed.

 Paneer: To keep paneer fresh for several days, wrap it in a blotting paper while storing in the refrigerator.•
Do not fry paneer, immerse it in boiling water to make it soft and spongy.

 Papad: Bake in microwave oven.•
Wrap the papads in polythene sheet and place with dal or rice will prevent them from drying and breaking.

 Pickles: To prevent the growth of fungus in pickles, burn a small grain of asafoetida over a burning coal and invert the empty pickle jar for some time before putting pickles in the jar.•

 Popcorn: Keep the maize/corn seeds in the freezer and pop while still frozen to get better pops.•

 Potato: To bake potatoes quickly, place them in salt water for 15 minutes before baking.•
Use the skin of boiled potatoes to wipe mirrors to sparkling clean.
Don't store potatoes and onions together. Potatoes will rot quickly if stored with onions.

 Refrigerator: To prevent formation of ice, rub table salt to the insides of your freeze.•

 Rice: Add a few drops of lemon juice in the water before boiling the rice to make rice whiter.•
Add a tsp of canola oil in the water before boiling the rice to separate each grain after cooking.
Don't throw away the rice water after cooking. Use it to make soup or add it in making dal (lentils).
Add 5g of dried powdered mint leaves to 1kg of rice. It will keep insects at bay.
Put a small paper packet of boric powder in the container of rice to keep insects at bay. Put a few leaves of mint in the container of rice to keep insects at bay.


 Samosa: Bake them instead of deep frying to make them fat free. Don't fry the filling potato masala.•
Preserve the samosas in freezer. For eating, take out of the freezer two hours in advance and bake them over low temp.

 Sugar: Put 2-3 cloves in the sugar to keep ants a•t bay.

 Tadka: Use sprouted mustard seeds (rayee) and fenugreek (methi) seeds for your tadkas. Both of them when sprouted have more nutritional values. Also this add flavour to the dish and can be more beneficial, besides giving decorative look to the dish. Submitted by MS Itisha Madhav•

 Tomato: To remove the skin of tomatoes, place them in warm water for 5-10 minutes. The skin can then be easily peeled off.•
When tomatoes are not available or too costly, substitute with tomato puree or tomato ketchup/sauce.
Place overripe tomatoes in cold water and add some salt. Overnight they will become firm and fresh.

 Tamarind: Tamarind is an excellent polish for brass and copper items. Rub a slab of wet tamarind with some salt sprinkled on it on the object to be polished.•
Gargles with tamarind water is recommended for a sore throat.

 Utensils: Use nonsticking utensils. Use thick bottom utensils, they get uniformly heated. For electric stoves, use flat bottom utensils.•
Add a little bit of common salt to the washing powder for better cleaning of utensils.

 Vegetables: Don't discard the water in which the vegetables are soaked or cooked. Use it in making soup or gravy.•
To keep the vegetables fresh for a longer time, wrap them in newspaper before putting them in freeze.
Chop the vegetables only when you are ready to use them. Don't cut them in too advance. It would spoil their food value.

 Sink (Blocked): To clear the blocked drain pipe of your kitchen sink, mix 1/2 cup sodium bicarbonate in 1 cup vinegar and pour it into the sink, and pour about 1 cup water. In an hour the drain pipe will open.•

 Soup Salty: Place a raw peeled potato in the bowl, it will absorb the extra salt.•

 Yoghurt (Home Made): To set yogurt in• winter, place the container in a warm place like oven or over the voltage stabliser.

 Yogurt: If the yogurt has become sour, put it in a muslin cloth and drain all the water. Then add milk to make it as good as fresh in taste. Use the drained water in making tasty gravy for vegetables or for basen curry.•
To keep the yogurt fresh for many days, fill the vessel containing yogurt with water to the brim and refrigerate. Change the water daily..

 

Home health remedies

For a Fever

 

Kristy said: When a child has a high fever, chop up onions, put them on the child's feet and then cover with socks. Kinda smelly, yes, but it works. My grandmother swore by it, and when my 9 year old daughter recently ran a fever of 103, I did this, and her fever broke in an hour, and did not return.

 

Dry Feet Remedy

 

Desiree said: Cover your feet with a lot of lotion, whichever kind you prefer, then cover with a pair of thick socks overnight. When you wake up your feet will be softer.

 

Cold Sore Cure

 

Maggie said: Apply an ice cube at the first sign of a cold sore or fever blister. Stops it in its track! The outbreak is minimal and they seem to be less frequent over time. Apply off and on for about 15 minutes, for a few minutes each time. The trick is to get the ice to it quickly when you first notice it coming on.

 

Make Gas Go Away

 

estella2977 said: For indigestion or gas, a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of lukewarm water works better than any antacid I've ever tried. It's gross, but it's worth the wincing at the taste.

 

Help Hiccups

 

fallen5729 said: Try a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice. It works for me every time!!

 

Jeanetta said: Simply swallow about a half teaspoon of sugar, It stops them every time.

 

Cut Coughing

 

Tracey said: I have no idea why this works, but everyone I know swears by this: Whenever you have a persistent cough, rub generous amount of Vick's VapoRub on your feet, then cover with socks. The cough is gone almost immediately. This works especially well at night. I just got over pneumonia about a week ago, and this worked for my cough better than the cough medicine I was taking.

 

Stop Sinus Pain

 

Bonnie said: When sinus pain won't go away, try a teaspoon of regular table salt in 6 ounces of warm water. Breathe it in through your nostrils. The salt dissolves any mucous build-up. (Ever put salt on a slug? Same thing happens with built up mucous in your nasal passages.)

 

Banish Headaches

 

solomeeeo said: To relieve a headache, soak your feet in a basin of warm water at the same time apply a cold compress to your head. It really works!

 

Robb said: Gatorade has electrolytes magnesium and potassium and are necessary for the control of blood pressure which is effected by headaches and vice versa. I have kept both in my kitchen for when I have minor headaches due to weather changes and every day stress factors.

 

Beat Breakouts

 

Scripty said: Plagued by boils and acne, I found eating brocoli helps get rid of it almost over night (especially if you do this right away after a break out occurs!). Also vitamins with lot's of "B" does the trick too!

 

Laurie L. said: For my rare acne outbreaks I resort to hemorrhoid cream (new tube, mind you). It relieves the irritation/soreness and the blemish is gone within a couple days (sometimes overnight).

 

miamialexis said: Honey works wonders on acne, put a little dab on the pimple and cover overnight with a bandage, wake up the next day pimple free.

 

Paula Sanders said: If you have a pimple or a boil that needs to come to a head try this. Crack open a raw egg and gently remove the membrane from the shell. Quickly (before it dries out) lay it over the top of the boil or pimple and the next morning it will be ready to open (sometimes it is already open) with much less pain.

 

Stop Ears from Popping

 

Ryan said: Here's a tip for when your ears are popping:

 

Pinch your nose and exhale against it. The air will be unable to go out, and the pressure will push against the pressure in your ears.

 

Scuba divers use this trick to keep pressurized as they go deeper and deeper underwater.

 

It takes a little bit of practice-- do it too hard and you'll over-pressurize the ears, which is just as annoying but harder to fix.

 

For Pain Down There

 

Margaret said: To relieve hemorrhoid pain apply a generous amount of "Vicks" salve. (Menthol salve of any brand will work but I like Vicks) It feels great. It may burn a little at first but in seconds you begin to feel cool RELIEF. My mother told me to do this. I was reluctant, but desperation won! I am so glad I listened.

 

Home Cures for Burns

 

Donna M. Lambert said: In the good old days just plain tea bags would and still do to soothe a sunburn. make a cup of tea, drink the tea and use the tea bag on the burn.

 

John said: Try soy sauce. Yes, no scars and a quick heal, also, fast pain relief!

 

Solaida said: I burned my thumb taking something out of the oven and my grandmom scraped a peeled potato and placed it where the burn was. No blister no redness no pain after a while.

 

Marilyn Fonken said: So you can handle the pain from a burn, such as hot oil while frying, put some white regular colgate tooth paste. This help your pain after a few seconds. It always works for me.

 

Jay Said: For sunburns, put honey on the burned area. As it pulls the fever from the skin it will turn to water. Keep applying until it stops turning to water. It prevents blistering.

 

Suzette said: Use vanilla extract on it a couple of times a day and it will soothe and keep from scaring. Keep doing this until you don't see the scar anymore. Use this for any kind of burn.

 

Soothe Sore Throat

 

Desiree said: Drink about a 1/4 cup of pickle juice. Takes the sore throat away immediately. If it is a severe sore throat you may need to repeat this once or twice.

 

Ruth Bomhan said: for sore throat, I gargle about every 45 minutes or so with one tablespoon of clear Karo corn syrup dissolved in glass of warm tap water....works for me

 

Jay said: Soak a tea towel in very hot water. Ring it dry and wrap it about the neck. Cover it with a bath towel. When the towel gets noticeably cool resoak the tea towel.

 

Suzette said: Use a tablespoon of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 honey. The vinegar will kill the infection and the honey will soothe your throat.

 

Best Decongestant

 

mom said: When your nose is really stuffed, try dropping a glob of vapor rub into a hot shower just before you get into it. the rub melts and turns to steam and opens up that nose.

 

For all who love eating Maggi ...

DO NOT IGNORE THIS ……. Especially those fond of Maggi……

"CORRECT WAY OF COOKING NOODLES"
The correct way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and
health. `Normally, how we cook the instant noodles is to put the noodles
into a pot with water, throw in the powder and let it cook for around 3
minutes and then it's ready to eat.

This is the WRONG method of cooking the instant noodles.

By doing this, when we actually boil the ingredients in the powder,
normally with MSG, it will change the molecular structures of the MSG
causing it to be toxic.

The other thing that you may or may not realize is that, the noodles are
coated with wax and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete
the wax after you have taken the noodles.

CORRECT METHOD :

1. boil the noodles in a pot with water.
2. once the noodles is cooked, take out the noodles, and throw away the
water which contains wax.
3. boil another pot of water till boiling and put the noodles into the hot
boiling water and then shut the fire.
4. only at this stage when the fire is off, and while the water is very
hot, put the ingredient with the powder into the water, to make noodle
soup.
5. however, if you need dry noodles, take out the noodles and add the
ingredient with the powder and toss it to get dry noodles.

Dietician's Note: If you buy plain hakka noodles which you make initially
need to boil in water and discard the water. This will soften the noodles
but to prevent it from sticking we need to add a tbsp of oil and also the
noodles are deep fried partially to make it crunchy and then dusted with
flour to prevent it from sticking while boiling.
Hence when you buy the noodles they are already made unhealthy and this is
the type we use to make stir fry noodles and the regular maggi too is made
the same way plus they add MSG/ ajinomoto and other chemical preservatives.

A large number of patient with the ages ranging from 18-24 years are ending
up with pancreatitis either as a swelling or infection of the pancreas due
to regular consumption of instant noodles.... If the frequency is more than
3 times a week, then it is very hazardous…

Please share this info and help save a life...

 

H.I.V facts

HIV - Facts - 

·         HIV can never survive in any other liquid* medium also other than blood or semen (& please for God sake .... never in Pani Puri wala pani)

·  Even if one drinks an HIV infected blood (or semen) of someone (ingest through Gastro Intestinal track), the virus can not survive in the acidic pH of stomach*. Highest extent of acidity is 0 (practically not possible) so imagine 1 as pH which is in our stomach. (This pH can burn your own finger in less than a second if you dip in that acid).

·  Exposure of less than 1 second in AIR KILLS the HIV virus* (hence story of needle pricks in Cinema theatres is a crap). Even if blood from a wound (of infected person) dries up (*blood clot*), *the virus dies*and can not infect anyone else

·  HIV transmission is *ONLY* an *INFECTION* i.e. entrance of virus in one's body. It *DOES NOT MEAN AIDS*.

·  An HIV-infected person (after entrance of virus) can progress to a condition of AIDS only after *8 to 10 YEARS *(not in 15 days as in the Pani Puri story)

·  It is *not HIV (virus) that kills a human* .....the virus attacks immune cells (cells that fight against foreign pathogens/antigens) and hence a person's ability to fight against infections & diseases slowly diminishes and person ultimately dies of a disease which could be as simple as TB

·  Most importantly, HIV is no longer a dreadful disease ... it is "*CHRONIC MANAGEABLE DISEASE*" just like Diabetes or Hypertension.

·  If there is anything you need to be careful from to prevent HIV is Unsafe sex*, *Blood transfusion* (check before taking) /Blood donation (use sterilized needles only) and any *blood contact during an accident *or so where amount of bleeding is very high.

 

The Holy Quran on fasting

"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous. 

"The prescribed fasting is for a fixed number of days, but whoso among you is sick or is on a journey shall fast the same number of other days; and of those who are able to fast only with great difficulty is an expiation - the feeding of a poor man. And whoso performs a good work with willing obedience, it is better for him. And fasting is good for you, if you only knew. 

"The month of Ramadhan is that in which the Quran was sent down as a guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination. Therefore, whosoever of you is present at home in this month, let him fast therein. But whoso is sick or is on a journey, shall fast the same number of other days. Allah desires to give you facility and He desires not hardship for you, and that you me complete the number, and that you may exalt Allah for His having guided you and that you may be grateful. 

"And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way. 

"It is made lawful for you to go in unto your wives on the night of the fast. They are a garment for you, and you are a garment for them. Allah knows that you have been acting unjustly to yourselves, wherefore He has turned to you with mercy and afforded you relief. So you may now go in unto them and seek what Allah has ordained for you; and eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then complete the fast till nightfall and do not go in unto them while you remain in the Mosques for devotion. These are the limits fixed by Allah, so approach them not. Thus Allah make His commandments clear to men that they become secure against all evil." (2:183-187)

 

25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green

Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits.
It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health.
And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor.

Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:

1. Green Tea and Cancer

Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer.
The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E.
This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.


2. Green Tea and Heart Disease

Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol.
Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.


3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging

Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals.
What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss

Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally.
It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day.
That translates to 7 pounds in one year.


5. Green Tea and Skin

Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging.
Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.


6. Green Tea and Arthritis

Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.


7. Green Tea and Bones

The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea.
It helps keep your bones strong.
If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol

Green tea can help lower cholesterol level.
It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.


9. Green Tea and Obesity

Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells.
If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes

Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.


11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's

Green tea helps boost your memory.
And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's

Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease

Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.


14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure

Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure.
Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.


15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning

Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar

Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.


17. Green Tea and Immunity

Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu

Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu.
Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma

Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection

Green tea helps with ear infection problem.
For natural ear cleaning, soak a cotton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes

Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes.
First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay

Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases.
It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.


23. Green Tea and Stress

L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety.

24. Green Tea and Allergies

EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies.
So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.


25. Green Tea and HIV

Scientists in Japan have found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells.
What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

 

 

How to Dehydrate Fruits

Introduction

Dehydrated fruit can be a wonderful snack and a healthy alternative meal replacement. Dehydrating has become increasingly popular in recent years due to the easy nature of its preparation. Follow a few easy steps to dehydrate your fruit using the best method and heating for the correct length of time.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Steps

 

Step One

Choose the fruits that you want to dehydrate. Bear in mind the fruits that are easiest to dehydrate are bananas, apples, cherries, peaches, apricot, pineapples, pears and strawberries.

 

Step Two

Properly clean the fruits and avoid using soap or other harsh products. Simple water should be sufficient. Slice the fruits of your choice into quarter inch pieces for easy dehydration.

 

Step Three

Pick the most convenient method of drying available to you. Know that the most common methods are sun drying, oven drying and using a dehydrating machine.

 

Step Four

Preheat the oven, if oven drying, to under 200 degrees if possible. If you are using a dehydrator, then the temperature should be at least 150 degrees.

 

Step Five

Place the fruits on a window sill if your preferred method is sun drying. However, allow for two to four days for proper dehydration and watch for bugs and adverse weather conditions.

 

Step Six

Allow your fruit to dehydrate anywhere from six to 16 hours, depending on the level of heat of your method of dehydration. Check your fruit for moisture to determine how long to continue to dehydrate. It should be leathery with no moisture or softness on any of its parts.

 

Step Seven

Store your dehydrated fruit in an air tight, moisture free container. Use plastic freezer bags or jars as they typically shut out air the best.

Tips & Warnings

• Dehydrating is best when using a dehydrator because it is more energy efficient.
• Arrange the fruit in single layer on trays to make for easier dehydration.
• For fruit leather, puree your fruit. Pour the fruit puree about a quarter inch deep on special fruit leather drying sheets or drying trays that have been lined with plastic wrap. Dry at 135 degrees until pliable. The center should be dry.

Medical benefits of fasting Ramadan

Medical benefits of fasting Ramadan

Fasting Ramadan is an obedience to Allah the Almighty, Who said in His Honourable Book; "O believers, prescribed for you is the fast, even as it was prescribed for those that were before you- haply you will be Allah fearing." (2: 183)

( يا أيها الذين آمنوا كتب عليكم الصيام كما كتب على الذين من قبلكم لعلكم تتقون )

Fasting is a prescribed duty, and a private relation between man and his Lord, which Allah has guaranteed to reward for it.  It was narrated in the Qudsi Hadith that Allah says; "Every act of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting.  It is meant (exclusively) for Me and I give reward for it."

            In 1994, the first conference on health benefits of fasting Ramadan was held in Casablanca, Morocco.  Around 50 research papers from all over the world incorporating the health benefits of fasting Ramadan were discussed by Moslem and non-Moslem researchers.

   

 Of the health benefits of fasting Ramadan are :

• Giving rest to the digestive system.  Ramadan is the period of rest for the digestive system, which is responsible for the metabolism process of food.  Consequently, the liver also takes rest as it is the main factory of food metabolism.  To achieve this benefit, Moslems should adhere to the tradition (sunnah) of the Prophet by abstaining from having too much food after breakfast.  The Prophet (PBUH) said; "The son-of-Adam never fills a bowl worse than his belly. Some bites are enough for man to prop his physique.  Had he wished otherwise, then one third for his food, and one third for his drink, and one third for his breath."    It is of benefit to the body that the break of fasting starts with some dates (as indicated in the Prophetic tradition).  Dates are rich in Glucose and Fructose, which have a great caloric benefit specially for the brain, and are useful in raising the level of sugar gradually in blood, thus reducing the feeling of hunger and the need for large quantities of food.
• Moderate loss of weight.  During fasting, the consumption of sugars decreases, and so does the level of sugar in blood.  This makes the body rely on providing the needed calories for metabolism by burning  sugar stored in the body.   Glycogen stored in the liver, and fats in tissues are decomposed and transferred into calories and energy needed by the body.  This results in moderate shortage of body weight.  Therefore, fasting is considered of great value for overweight persons and stable non-insulin diabetes.
• Decrease of cholesterol level in blood.  Several studies proved that cholesterol level in blood during fasting, as well as the rate of precipitating on the walls of arteries have decreased.   This in turn reduces the chances of cardiac and cerebrovascular accidents, and prevents the raise of hypertension.   Shortage of fats in blood helps reduce stones of gall and choledocus.  The Prophet (PBUH) said; "Fast! You will be healthy."
• Rest of renal system.  Some studies revealed that abstaining from drinking water for about 10-12 hours is not necessarily bad; it is rather useful in many cases.  Concentration of liquids in the body causes moderate dehydration that the body can tolerate, as there is a sufficient liquid reserve, and as long as man has no complaint of renal lithiasis, both kidneys get rest of the process of waste disposing.  The prophetic tradition mandates that Suhur (a meal before the dawn) be delayed and Fotoor (the breakfast meal) be expedited, thus reducing the time period of dehydration as much as possible.   Shortage of liquids leads in turn to moderate decrease of blood pressure that the normal man can tolerate and be of use to those complaining of hypertension.

Educational and psychological benefits.  Fasting Ramadan is useful as it has a restraining power over the soul's whimsies, and an urge to abandon bad habits, specially when the smoker is obliged to abstain from smoking even if for a temporary period, on the hope such abandon will be permanent.   This is also applied to drinking too much coffee and tea.  The psychological benefits are numerous.  The fasting person feels complacent, attains mental and psychological rest, refrains from all that disturbs the integrity of his fasting, and maintains the proper behaviour controls, that all reflect positively on the general community.  The Prophet said; "Fasting is restraining.  When anyone of you is fasting, he should refrain from obscene language or any acts of ignorance. And if anyone slanders him or quarrels with him, he should say; 'I am fasting, I am fasting.'"  Several studies revealed that crime rate in Islamic countries decreases during Ramadan .

Miracle of honey !

Miracle of honey !

• Allah the Almighty says;
  "Your Lord revealed to the bees: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colours, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect"  (16: 68)

(وأوحى ربك إلى النحل أن اتخذي من الجبال بيوتاً ومن الشجر، ومما يعرشون، ثم كلي من كل الثمرات فاسلكي سبل ربك ذللا ، يخرج من بطونها شراب مختلف ألوانه فيه شفاء للناس، إن في ذلك لآية لقوم يتفكرون) النحل 68

• Although honey is one of the most important products of the bee, yet it is not the only product. Honey wax, propolis, nectar, bee toxicant are cases in point of other products that proved by experimental science to be of medical benefits.
• Honey has more than 80 materials of sugar vitamins and 15 materials of sugars, particularly fructose, glucose, minerals, amino acids and about 5% of unclassified materials.
• "containing healing for mankind" is an explicit verse indicating that honey is a treatment as well as a nutrient.

 

 

  Benefits of honey:

 

• Alleviating inflammation of cornea if used locally on the eye.
• An antibiotic if used locally in situ of wounds and burns, and it is used for healing of wounds :
• - When used in treatment of wounds, thanks to its ability to absorb moisture from the air, honey facilitates healing process and prevents scarring. This is because honey stimulates the growth of epithelial cells that form the new skin cover over a healed wound. In this way, even in case of large wounds, honey may eliminate the need for tissue transplantation.
• - Honey stimulates the re-growth of tissue involved in the healing process. It stimulates the formation of new blood capillaries and the growth of fibroblasts that replace the connective tissue of the deeper layer of the skin and produce the collagen fibres that give strength to the repair.
• - Honey has an anti-inflammatory action, which reduces the swelling around a wound. This improves circulation and thus hastens the healing process. It also reduces pain.
• - Honey does not stick to the underlying wound tissues, so there is no tearing away of newly formed tissue, and no pain, when dressings are changed.
• -Thanks to its aforementioned antimicrobial property, honey provides a protective barrier to prevent wounds becoming infected. It also rapidly clears any existing infection from wounds. It is fully effective, even with antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Unlike antiseptics and antibiotics, there is no impairment of the healing process through adverse effects on wound tissues.
• - Some studies showed that honey is a good treatment against the  hospital infection bacteria "superbugs" (MRSA) .
   
• As honey does not accommodate bacteria, this bactericide (bacteria-killing) property of honey is named "the inhibition effect." There are various reasons of this anti-microbial property of the honey. Some examples are: the high sugar content that limits the amount of water microorganisms need for growth, its high acidity (low pH) and composition which deprive bacteria from nitrogen necessary for reproduction. The existence of hydrogen peroxide as well as antioxidants in the honey prevent bacteria growth.
•  Antioxidant: Everyone who wants to live a healthier life should consume antioxidants. Those are the components in cells that get rid of harmful byproducts of normal metabolic functions. These elements inhibit destructive chemical reactions that cause spoilage of food and many chronic illnesses. Researchers believe food products rich in antioxidants may prevent heart problems and cancer. Strong antioxidants are present in honey content: Pinocembrin, pinobaxin, chrisin and galagin. Pinocembrin is an antioxidant that merely exists in the honey.
• A treatment for gastric and duodenal ulcers, as honey decreases the secretion of hydrochloric acid to a normal rate, thus helping to heal such ulcers and alleviate the related pains and reduce resultant cases of vomiting and colic.  For the treatment to be effective, honey should be taken dissolved in warm water one or two hours before meals.
• A treatment for involuntary urination at beds.  Such a disease that could often be a result of psychic or neurotic cause. So, if the child is given one small spoon of honey before sleeping, this will have a positive effect, as honey is sedative for the nervous system, thus helping the cyst to relax and expand during sleep.  Concentrated sugar also helps to absorb water from the child body.
• It supports blood formation: Honey provides an important part of the energy needed by the body for blood formation. In addition, it helps in cleansing the blood. It has some positive effects in regulating and facilitating blood circulation. It also functions as a protection against capillary problems and arteriosclerosis.
• A treatment for colds, flu and pharyngitis.
• A treatment for cases of chronic hepatitis, as honey increases the liver stock of the glycogen material through the increase of blood glucose, thus helping the liver to function properly and relieve it from more burdens.
• A treatment for insomnia and a sedative for nerves, as it contains some sedative and tonic substances as sodium and potassium at a reasonable rate such..
• A treatment for alcoholic poisoning.   Honey is one of the main nutrients prescribed in hospitals and clinics of alcoholic addicts, as it protects the liver from alcoholic poisoning. Fructose and vitamin B group in the honey helps oxidize the alcohol remaining in the body.
• A treatment for cough.
• In cosmetics, a mixture of honey with lemon and glycerin is considered of the best old medical prescription for the treatment of skin cracking and roughness, the inflammation and wounds of lips, sun stroke, and dermal pigments..  Many ointments and creams contain honey as a main element for the treatment of skin diseases.
• A treatment for muscular spasm of sportive exercises or facial spasms and eyelids muscles, which disappear after having one big spoon of honey for three days after each meal.
• Many researches have been done to look at the benefits of natural honey .. !
   

It was narrated by Al Bukhari and Moslem on the authority of Abu Saeed Al Khudari that  A man came to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and said, "My brother has some abdominal trouble." The Prophet said to him "Let him drink honey." The man returned to the prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! I let him drink honey, but it caused him more pain."  The prophet said to him; "Go and let him drink honey".  The man went and let his brother drink honey, then returned back and said; "O Messenger of Allah, it did not cause him except more pains." 

The Prophet then said, "Allah has said the truth, but your brother's abdomen has told a lie. Let him drink honey." So he made him drink honey and he was cured.

It can easily be seen from this information that honey has great "healing" properties. This is undoubtedly one of the miracles of the Quran Allah, Who is Exalted in Power, has revealed.
 

Another interesting point regarding the female honey bee , Allah (SWT) says in the holy Quran : 

(Your Lord revealed to the bees: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow." From inside them comes a drink of varying colours, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect )  ( 16:68-69)

(وأوحى ربك إلى النحل أن اتخذي من الجبال بيوتاً ومن الشجر، ومما يعرشون، ثم كلي من كل الثمرات فاسلكي سبل ربك ذللا ، يخرج من بطونها شراب مختلف ألوانه فيه شفاء للناس، إن في ذلك لآية لقوم يتفكرون) النحل 68

In the honey bee colonies where each of the many bees is assigned a specific task, the only exception is the male honey bee. The males do not contribute to the defence of the hive or its cleaning, gathering food, or making the honeycomb and honey. The only function of the male bees in the hive is to inseminate the queen bee. Apart from reproductive organs, the males possess almost none of the features possessed by other bees and it is therefore impossible for them to do anything but fertilise the queen.

The worker bees carry the entire load of the colony. Although they are females like the queen, their ovaries have no maturity. This renders them sterile. They have several duties: cleaning the hive, maintaining the larvae and the young, feeding the queen bee and the males, producing honey, constructing the honeycomb and repairing it, ventilating the hive and safeguarding it, gathering supplies like nectar, pollen, water and resin, and storing these in the hive.

 

In Arabic, there are two different usages of verbs. By means of the usage, it is possible to determine whether the subject is a female or a male. As a matter of fact, the translated verbs into English (underlined words) used for the honey bee are used in the feminine verb format in the Quranic verses.

Based on this, the Quran indicates that the honey bees that work in the making of the honey are females.

 

We should not forget that it is impossible for this fact to have been known about the honey bees in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Yet, Allah has pointed at this fact and shown us yet another miracle of the Quran.