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Issue 139
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5111 Kali Era, Virodhi
Year, Ashadha
month
2066
Vikramarka Era, Virodhi
Year, Ashadha
month
1930
Salivahana
Era, Virodhi
Year, Ashadha
month
2009
AD, July
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Contents
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Diet and Exercise
Buckwheat for Brain
Buckwheat is high in several important nutrients essential for healthy living.
In particular, Buckwheat contains a lot of lecithin. Researchers found
that eating a diet rich in lecithin can prevent many of the mental conditions
such as brain fog, depression, anxiety and mental fatigue as well as produce
a clearer and sharper brain.
Lecithin is also great at soaking up ‘bad’ cholesterol, stopping it from
being absorbed by the body. Additionally, lecithin works as a detoxifying
agent on the lymphatic system, purifying it and as a result removing some
stress from the liver. Some of those are selenium, magnesium, manganese,
co-enzyme Q10, bioflavonoids, flavonols and all of the B vitamins. Iron is
also in abundance and due to that it has a good blood building ability. The
high levels of calcium and boron lead to osteoporosis prevention.
Despite being called wheat, Buckwheat is actually gluten free as the seed
is not a grain. It has an alkalizing effect on the body which is great for
the generally acidic bodies of Westerners. It also contains all 8 amino acids
and so is an excellent source of complete protein.
The best composition of nutrients is found in sprouted Buckwheat. All one
needs to do is soak some Buckwheat seeds in tepid water for an hour then drain
off the water. For the next two days rinse the seeds 3 times a day taking
care to especially wash off any starch that tends to develop on the outside
of the seeds, Once sprouted they can be eaten as they are, used as part of
another dish or for the best results, juice them and drink while they are
fresh.
Common buckwheat was domesticated and first cultivated in the Indian Continent
(southeast Asia), possibly around 6000 BC, and from there spread to Europe
and to Central Asia and Tibet. Domestication most likely took place in the
western Yunnan region of China. Buckwheat is documented in Europe in the Balkans
by at least the Middle Neolithic (circa 4000 BC) and the oldest known remains
in China so far date to circa 2600 BC, and buckwheat pollen has been found
in Japan from as early as 4000 BC. It is the world's highest elevation domesticate,
being cultivated in Yunnan on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau or on the Plateau
itself. Buckwheat was one of the earliest crops introduced by Europeans to
North America. Dispersal around the globe was complete by 2006, when a variety
developed in Canada was widely planted in China.
Olive
Leaves
The value of olive oil for the body is very well known but not so much
the value of olive leaf. Recent studies are revealing that olive leaves
are possibly even more effective at keeping the body healthy than olive
oil.
The use of olive leaf has been going on for over three millennia.
Traditionally, olive leaf is used as an antioxidant to offer general good
health and fitness. The leaves are in most cases sourced from the Manzanillo
and Mission Olive trees. By creating an extract of olive leaf, it has been
possible to produce several health benefits, namely to fight infection, deal
with chronic fatigue, control cholesterol levels and produce more energy in
the body.
Even more interesting are its tendencies to battle against viruses like
herpes, shingles and flu by building up the body’s immune system. Apart from
the antioxidants that olive leaf possesses, there is also oleuropein which
is an important agent that is credited with offering great benefits to overall
health.
Olive leaf is also the ’parent’ of many products such as soap, lotions,
extracts and herbal tea, containing even more antioxidants than the ever popular
green tea. As a soap it clears the skin and as a lotion it offers excellent
moisturizing benefits.
http://www.healthypages.co.uk/newsitem.php?news=6054
Eat Less, Live Long
A 20-year study has found that sharply cutting calories extends life for
some of humans' closest relatives. The study was published in the journal
Science. The study included 76 rhesus monkeys. Researchers divided them into
two groups. One group ate the normal diet of a captive monkey. The other group
ate a nutritious diet with 30% fewer calories. So far, 37% of the monkeys
on the regular diet have died of age-related diseases, researchers said. This
compares with just 13% of those on the lower-calorie diet. A few other monkeys
died of causes not considered to be age-related. Monkeys eating fewer calories
also had less than half of the cancer and heart disease of the normal-diet
group. They had less brain shrinkage and muscle loss as well. They look
younger and are healthier.
Vegetarians and Vegans Do Just Fine
Despite media speculation, teenagers can get plenty of the right nutrients
from a vegetarian diet. Although vegetarianism is becoming increasingly popular
in the Western world, when teenagers come home and announce that they are
going to be vegetarian from that moment onwards, it can be quite a shock to
many western parents. Two very established institutions, Health Canada
and the Dietitians of Canada both stated that vegetarian diets can be just
as healthy as the omnivore counterpart, although they did say vitamin B12
would need to be acquired from other sources. One of those sources could
be from a multivitamin.
Another mineral that vegetarian and vegan teenagers need to be sure to get
in sufficient quantities is calcium. 1300 milligrams of calcium is the recommendation
for teenagers and the best source outside of dairy products is orange juice,
broccoli, fortified soymilk and dark green vegetables.
Erroneously, protein is often listed as the food element that vegans and
vegetarians have difficulty getting enough of. However, this is
not really true. Despite what everyone thinks, vegetarians and vegans
shouldn’t have problems getting enough protein. In fact, the majority of plant
foods contain protein.
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Miscellaneous
Walk Outdoors
Health benefits of a walk in outside are a reduced risk of heart attack
and a greater feeling of happiness. Seratonin, the feel good chemical is
released by the body in sunlight. Additionally, vitamin D is produced when
you are exposed to sunlight. Experts recommend walking for thirty minutes
a day, 5 times per week to enjoy the health benefits.
Despite the great benefits of exposure outdoors, sunlight needs to be respected
and treated with care, because of melanoma. Cancer Research say that a light
skinned person only needs 10 minutes a day exposure to sunlight for their
body to produce sufficient vitamin D for the day.
Coffee and Alzheimer’s
Coffee drinkers may have another reason to pour that extra cup. When aged
mice bred to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease were given caffeine –
the equivalent of five cups of coffee a day – their memory impairment was
reversed, report University of South Florida researchers at the Florida Alzheimer's
Disease Research Center.
Back-to-back studies published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease,
show caffeine significantly decreased abnormal levels of the protein linked
to Alzheimer's disease, both in the brains and in the blood of mice exhibiting
symptoms of the disease. Both studies build upon previous research by the
Florida ADRC group showing that caffeine in early adulthood prevented the
onset of memory problems in mice bred to develop Alzheimer's symptoms in old
age.
Based on these promising findings in mice, researchers at the Florida ADRC
and Byrd Alzheimer's Center at USF hope to begin human trials to evaluate
whether caffeine can benefit people with mild cognitive impairment or early
Alzheimer's disease, said Huntington Potter, PhD, director of the Florida
ADRC and an investigator for the caffeine studies. The research group has
already determined that caffeine administered to elderly non-demented humans
quickly affects their blood levels of β-amyloid, just as it did in the Alzheimer's
mice.
http://www.dddmag.com/news-Caffeine-Protects-Mice-From-Alzheimers-070609.aspx
But, what happens if you drink five cups of coffee per day?
Pollution
Exposure Reduces IQ
In a study, children exposed to more air pollution before birth had lower
IQs at age 5, researchers reported this month. This is the first time research
has linked air pollution and intelligence. The study included 249 pregnant
New York City women. None of them smoked. They lived mostly in low-income
areas of Manhattan and the South Bronx. The women wore devices to track pollution
for two days during the latter part of pregnancy. At age 5, their children
were given IQ tests. Those exposed to the most pollution before birth scored
4 to 5 points lower than children exposed to less pollution. The journal Pediatrics
published the study online.
Endangered Male
Scientists in Newcastle claim to have created human sperm in the laboratory
in what they say is a world first. The researchers believe the work could
eventually help men with fertility problems to father a child. But other experts
say they are not convinced that fully developed sperm have been created. Writing
in the journal Stem Cells and Development, the Newcastle team says it will
be at least five years before the technique is perfected. They began with
stem cell lines derived from human embryos donated following IVF treatment.
The stem cells had been removed when the embryo was a few days old and were
stored in tanks of liquid nitrogen. The stem cells were brought to body temperature
and put in a chemical mixture to encourage them to grow. They were "tagged"
with a genetic marker which enabled the scientists to identify and separate
so-called "germline" stem cells from which eggs and sperm are developed. The
male, XY stem cells underwent the crucial process of "meiosis" - halving the
number of chromosomes. The process over creating and developing the sperm
took four to six weeks. However, this is not the end of Men. People
will continue to procreate normal way, at least for the sheer pleasure of
it.
Staying Young
One of the main concerns of people getting old is how to stay sharp. Scientists
may have an answer. A group of scientists conducted a study involving the
observation of 2,500 people as they passed through their seventies and eighties.
The participants were put through a series of memory tests over an eight year
period. 30% of the participants remained sharp without mental decline. It
was found that a combination of education, no smoking, regular social activity
and regular exercise contributed to people to remain sharp into their later
years. Exercise performed enthusiastically at least twice a week was recognized
as providing a 30% greater chance of remaining sharp.
High literacy levels offered 5 times the chance of staying mentally agile
whereas a good education was responsible for a 3 times chance of remaining
mentally agile. Those who were non smokers had double the odds in their favor
and socially active people, meaning those who lived with someone or who were
regularly engaging in interactivity had a 24% greater likelihood of staying
sharp.
Child
Obesity is Child Neglect?
In a few cases across the country, parents have been charged with child
neglect because of their children's obesity. In a South Carolina case, Alexander
Draper reached 555 pounds by age 14. His mother, Jerri Gray, said she had
done everything she could to help her son lose weight. But she was arrested
in June. She was charged with criminal neglect. Her son is now in foster care.
Cases also have occurred in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, New Mexico, Indiana
and California in recent years. That tally comes from a 2008 report by the
Child Welfare League of America. No parents were sentenced to jail. In fact,
most of the cases did not involve criminal charges. But they led to new interpretations
of state law. Except for California, courts ruled that the state's definition
of neglect included morbid obesity.
The Bilingual
The best time to learn a second language is between birth and age 7. If
you didn’t learn your native language by then, no one can help you!
New research is showing just how children's brains can become bilingual so
easily. Scientists now know babies are born with the ability to distinguish
all of the sounds, but that ability starts weakening even before they start
talking, by the first birthday. Mastering your dominant language gets
in the way of learning a second, less familiar one. The brain tunes out sounds
that don't fit. The baby is building a brain architecture that's a
perfect fit for whatever is the main language, or, if you're a lucky baby,
a brain with two sets of neural circuits dedicated to two languages.
It's remarkable that babies being raised bilingual can learn both in the time
it takes most babies to learn one.
It is better that parents follow biology and expose youngsters early to
two languages, one at home and the other at school. In America, if you speak
a second language at home and send your child to public school where everything
is taught in English, it is the best approach. For immigrants, it should be
a peace of cake. If you are English speaking parents, find a caregiver
where your child can hear and practice another language everyday for several
hours by "immersion" for for the first seven years and continue practicing
at home and take it as the second language at school.
However, it should be noted that speaking a combination of two languages,
will create new languages like Spanglish (Spanish + English), Tenglish (Telugu
+ English), Hinglish (Hindi + English) Runglish (Russian + English) etc.
Such languages can be seen on many Indian TV channels. They may be considered
modern and new languages. For example, Hinglish can only be understood
by elite Hinglish speakers. Neither native English/American speakers
nor native Hindi speakers can understand Hinglish completely.
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Recipes
Sesame
Noodles
Ingredients: 1 pound Chinese-style noodles, water for boiling, 2 tbsp sesame
oil + 1 tbsp, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tsp water, 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp tahini,
1 tbsp cooking sherry or rice vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 clove garlic,
minced, 1/2 tsp fresh ginger minced or grated, 3 green onions, sliced
Preparation: Cook noodles in water for just a few minutes, so they are just
beginning to soften but are not yet all the way cooked. Drain. In a large
skillet, fry the noodles in 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, stirring frequently.
Allow to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until noodles are soft. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl or blender, whisk or blend together the 1 tablespoon of sesame
oil, peanut butter, water, soy sauce, tahini, sherry or rice vinegar, maple
syrup, garlic and ginger. Toss this mixture with the noodles. Stir in the
green onions. Chill before serving, if desired.
Pad Thai Noodles
Ingredients: 1 pound Asian-style noodles, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup lime
juice, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp hot sauce, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 block tofu,
diced, 1 onion, diced, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1/2 cup
bean sprouts, 1/4 cup chopped or crushed peanuts (optional), 4 green onions
(scallions), sliced
Preparation: Cook noodles according to package instructions. Whisk together
the soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, hot sauce and sugar. In a large
wok or skillet, sautee the tofu, onion and garlic in sesame oil for a minute
or two, stirring frequently. Allow to cook for another minute or two. Add
the cooked noodles and the peanut butter and soy sauce mixture. Stir well,
and allow sauce to thicken as it cooks for about 3 minutes. Top with peanuts,
bean sprouts and green onions and serve hot.
Cornmeal Breaded
Tofu
Ingredients: a bit of oil, 1 package firm or extra firm tofu, well pressed;
2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup corn meal, 1 tsp chili powder,
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper.
Preparation: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees and lightly brush a baking
pan with olive oil. Slice the tofu into rectangular strips, about 1/2 inch
thick. Combine the nutritional yeast, flour, corn meal and spices until well-mixed.
Place tofu in the cornmeal mixture a few pieces at a time and coat well. Place
on baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown, then
flip the tofu over and bake for another 5 minutes. This cornmeal breaded tofu
can also be lightly fried in oil for a few minutes on each side until lightly
golden browned. Enjoy your cornmeal baked tofu with ketchup or another
dipping sauce, perhaps barbecue sauce or even a bit of hot sauce.
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/cornmealtofu.htm?nl=1
Low-fat Vegan
Banana Bread
Ingredients: 1/3 cup vegan margarine, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, 1 1/2
tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2 ripe bananas, mashed, 1/2 cup soy
milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the vegan
margarine and sugar, then stir in the flour and baking powder and baking soda.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into an oiled bread
pan and bake for 50 minutes. http://vegetarian.about.com/od/breakfastrecipe1/r/bananabread.htm?nl=1
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Notice: This material contains
only general descriptions and is not a solicitation
to sell any insurance product or security, nor
is it intended as any financial, tax, medical or health
care advice. For information about specific needs or situations,
contact your financial, tax agent or physician.
Back to the Top
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Source: The
primary sources cited above,
New York Times (NYT),
Washington Post (WP), Mercury
News, Bayarea.com, Chicago Tribune,
USA Today, Intellihealthnews, Deccan
Chronicle (DC), the Hindu, Hindustan
Times, Times of India, AP, Reuters,
AFP, womenfitness.net, about.com
etc.
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