Oats - Nutritional Facts...

Oat (Scientific Name: Avena sativa L.) is a cereal just like wheat, barley etc. and originated in Scotland. It is still a national diet of the people of this country. This cereal can be used in many forms as food product though is not a refined product and rather is termed as ‘whole food’. The Oat groat (kernel) is rolled or crushed into oatmeal or may be crushed in fine oat flour. Ideally this should be having for breakfast, cooked with water or milk (as porridge) and one can add fruits and nuts to it. It can be eaten hot or cold and is an ideal way to provide the body with energy through the morning. It digests slowly, thus keeping you feeling full longer, and studies have shown that it can help in many diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, and helps women through mood swings during menopause. It also has a cancer fighting properties.

Oats contains more soluble fibre than any other cereals and it is the only cereal which contains protein, avenalin, which is of globulin or legume category. 100 gram of oats provides 390 Kcal of energy level.

Other than porridge, you can make several other salty dishes with oats. I will write such easy recipes using oats next day.

Tinnitus – troublesome but not so serious...

Tinnitus is a disease in which the patient hears a ringing or other type of sound continuously and it seems that the sound is originating in the ear or adjoining areas of one’s head. Though the disease is not so serious and may go away over time, in some cases it needs medical attention as the patient is continuously disturbed by the sound which is taking away his/her ability to continue daily normal life.

To know the causes of tinnitus more clearly you have to first know the inner structure of human ears. The inner ear part cochlea is lined by hair cells and in normal situations it moves while stimulated by the sound waves. This stimulation activates those hair cells to produce signals to carry over to our brain. But when this area is damaged by either a loud noise or other type of accidents, the cochlea part moves randomly and hence produce such a signal which our brain interprets as a noise. At this situation the patient is suffering from tinnitus.

Some causes of temporary tinnitus are impacted ear wax or some infections of our ear drum. Some aspirin like medicines and some antibiotics may also cause temporary tinnitus. Continuous exposure to loud music, fire arms or other sources is the very common causes of tinnitus in today’s world. In these types of tinnitus both ears are affected.

If there is tumor formed on the nerves of inner ear area, a complicated form of tinnitus may cause the complete hearing impairment and need immediate medical treatment. Head or neck injury and the aging are also the causes of tinnitus in human body.

The only way to prevent tinnitus is to protect your hearing from unwanted sound, continuous exposure to loud noise, especially the sound of lawn mower, hair dryer and those which are bothering you. Wear an ear plug to protect yourself in these occasions. Do not allow your child to hear loud music wearing an ear plug for more than one hour continuously. With some precautionary measures you may keep the tinnitus at bay though it may occur at any time and at any age in spite of taking preventions.

Zenni Optical - Affordable Eyeglasses...

Zenni optical, a leading eyeglass store in Novato, CA is manufacturing and marketing the most affordable prescription eyeglasses under their own brand Zenni. As eyeglasses are very personal and depict one’s style, Zenni Optical’s affordable eyeglasses provides the best fashionable and stylish products in this industry. Moreover, as prescription eyeglasses are necessary for the persons who have some eye ailment, they also take into account the quality, durability and comfort factor while manufacturing those products.

Their new interactive website gives you different options like prescription type, gender, type, style, shape and color to choose from their vast range of products, the prices of which starts from as low as $6.95. Any glass you choose, either bifocal or progressive eyeglasses, can be customized from Zenni Optical with tint. These bespoke eyeglasses with tint can be done even on full rim, half rim or rimless frame and this also be worth mentioned that this customization can be obtained by adding only a little extra with the actual price. All their eyeglasses even the lowest range of their products, the $6.95 prescription eyeglasses have anti-scratch coating, UV protection and other standard facilities.

Zenni Optical is now running a very attractive scheme of Buying 2 pairs and gets the 3rd pair free (equal or less value). This is a very limited time offer and you must step into their world to find the most suitable pair of eyeglasses for you which stands both for your personal needs in terms of your health and also for your style.

Stuffed Capsicums...

Capsicum is a kind of vegetable grown in every parts of this country as well as in the tropical climate of other countries of this world. It can be found in three bright colors of red, green and yellow and also be known as red, green or yellow pepper, bell pepper or by simply the capsicum. Apart from its a special kind of flavor and tastes it has also some nutritional value. It has proteins, fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and other nutritional compounds.

Regular use of capsicum is believed to be helpful for those who are suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and it also help to smooth your skin and your eyesight. I am giving here a simple recipe made with capsicum.

Ingredients: Capsicums: 200 gms, Gram or Chana dal: 200 gms, Chilli powder: 1 tsp, Sweet/white oil: 100 gm, Mustard Seed: 1/4 tsp, Coriander leaves: 1 bunch, Salt: to taste.

Method: Soak the gram dal for 2 to 3 hours and when soft, grind with the grinder. Add chilli powder, turmeric, salt, some of the chopped coriander leaves and about 2 to 3 tsp of oil. Mix well. Slit the capsicums lengthwise and scoop out the seeds, leaving the stems intact. Stuff them with the filling. Heat the oil in a pan and put the mustard seeds. Arrange the stuffed capsicums in the hot oil, cover and cook on a low fire till the color changes to light brown. When done, remove, garnish with the rest of the chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Sweet Potato Halwa...

I am here again with a sweet dish after a long break..

Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes (boiled, skinned and mashed) : 1 cup
Cardamom powder : 1 pinch
Sugar: 2 heaped tablespoons
Pure Ghee or butter: 2 tablespoons

Method: Wash and boiled the sweet potatoes. Skin and mash with your hand or potato smasher well to make a smooth paste. On a slow fire put 2 tablespoon ghee in a thick bottomed pan and when hot put the sweet potato mix in it. Stir constantly until the colour changes and the ghee starts to separate from the mixture. Now add sugar and mix well. Cook on a slow fire, stirring, till the sugar is mixed properly and ghee separating again. Remove from fire and add the cardamom powder. See my other dish with Sweet Potato.

Chocolate and Your Heart...

The latest news about chocolate is encouraging: an analysis of several studies involving data on more than 100,000 people suggested that those who reported eating chocolate regularly lowered their risk of heart disease by more than one-third. That may be cause for celebration among chocolaholics, but of course, there's a catch to it: the studies involved were all observational - that is, they all looked at chocolate consumption and health as reported by participants. The analysis didn't directly compare those who ate a set amount of chocolate per week with those who consumed a placebo (in this case, a chocolate look-alike and taste-alike), as would be required in a clinical trial to investigate chocolate's effects on the heart. What's more, the studies included reports of consuming chocolate in all its forms - dark, milk, in drinks, cookies and desserts. And it didn't specify how much chocolate study participants ate. Still, if the analysis has any merit, people who eat lots of chocolate regularly may find that they have healthier hearts than those who don't. The analysis, from England's University of Cambridge, was published August 29 in BMJ online.

My take? Chocolate is a source of polyphenols (the same type of antioxidants found in red wine). Stearic acid, the fat it contains, doesn't affect cholesterol levels, and studies have shown that flavonoids in dark chocolate help reduce the stickiness of platelets, cells that play an important role in blood clotting. As a result, blood takes longer to clot, reducing the danger of coronary artery blockages. Chocolate's polyphenols also appear to boost levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol) and lower LDL (the "bad" cholesterol), at least in the lab. I recommend consuming good-quality dark chocolate that is at least 70 percent cocoa as a healthy snack, as long as you don't go overboard. An ounce or two a few times a week is good for you.

Source: http://www.drweil.com/

Paneer with Curd...

Dishes made of paneer or Cottage cheese are very popular vegetarian dishes in India. It can be cooked in many ways. The most popular version is with green peas, carrot, beans, cauliflower pieces, broccoli and other spices. This preparation is very delicious. Paneer can be eaten instead of fish or other protein rich food.

Here is a very easy version of paneer preparation.

Cut the paneer (take 500 gm of paneer) into very small pieces and fried a little in white oil. Mix it up with plain curd (take 750 gm of plain curd), add a little salt and sugar (as per your choice). Now take a thick bottomed pan, add one teaspoon oil and put it on the flame. After a while add a pinch of black mustard seed, 2-3 dried red chili, and 5-6 curry leaves. Now pour this oil with all those spices into that curd-paneer mixture. Let it cool and serve after keeping it 1-2 hour in refrigerator covered with a lid.

Lady's Finger - some unknown truths..

Lady's Finger is treated as a regular vegetable in mainly the eastern part of India and it is available only in summer. This deep green, very attractive looking vegetable is rich in various nutritional values such as it is very low in sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat, high in dietary fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Manganese, Protein, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper.

Generally it is cooked with potato as a curry or cut into small pieces and fried in oil is also very delicious. I am giving here a very easy but lip-smacking recipe.

Cut it in small pieces (required quantity) and just boil it by adding a little water and a pinch of salt and remove it from heat before it is too soft. Add lemon juice and black pepper powder of your choice and eat hot. It's delicious!!

Prostate cancer in Men...

Prostate cancer remains the second most common cause of cancer deaths among men, and an estimated 217,000 new cases were diagnosed in 2010. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases significantly after the age of 65.

Many cases of prostate cancer are discovered during routine blood work that reveals an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level - a possible indicator of prostate cancer. If you have any of the following symptoms, contact your physician:

Frequent urges to urinate, especially at night
Difficulty starting urination or holding it back
Weak or interrupted urinary flow
Painful or burning urination
Erectile dysfunction
Painful ejaculation
Blood in urine or semen
Recurrent, persistent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips or upper thighs

Source: DrWeil.com

Broccoli - A complete vegetable

This vegetable - both as a raw and cooked - is tasty and can have many benefits if one can take it regularly.

1. It is a good source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin)which can help to maintain a healthy nervous system.
2. It is a good source of vitamin K and calcium which supports bone health.
3. As it is also a source of vitamin C, can improve energy level.

Different nutrients in broccoli may help to fight against cancer, heart disease, cataracts and birth defects, while promoting a strong immune system and supporting optimal gastrointestinal function.

Source: www.drwell.com

Don't eat it raw directly as it may cause different fungal or bacterial infection. Try it as lightly steamed as it retain all its nutritional components. Use this vegetable along with carrot, beans, corns and onions to prepare Chinese dishes, what we, the Indians, always prepare at home and what our children like to eat very much.