Feature Article
Ginger Tea
Ginger root, an aromatic and spicy herb, has been used for centuries as both food and medicine. It is one of the most widely used herbal remedies on the planet today.
Ginger tea, made from ginger root, is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, magnesium, and potassium. Its characteristic flavor and odor is caused by a mixture of volatile oils (gingerols, shoagaols, and zingerone).
Ginger root is actually not a root but an underground stem (rhizome). It is harvested year round. The longer ginger root is in the ground, the hotter and spicier it is and the better it is when used as a medicinal herb.
Health Benefits of Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is well known for treating motion sickness by calming a queasy stomach. Before taking a trip, and during, sip on a cup of ginger tea.
Ginger tea, because it has anti-fungal properties, is a great herbal remedy for relieving the burning and itching associated with athlete's foot. Prepare ginger tea, let it cool down, and soak your foot for 15 minutes a couple of times a day.
Other health benefits of ginger tea include:
• relieves sore throat
• minimizes symptoms of allergies, the common cold, and other respiratory disorders
• relieves flatulence
• reduces excessive perspiration
• decreases blood sugar
• relieves menstrual pain
• freshens bad breath
• increases libido.
Preparing Ginger Tea
Preparing ginger tea using fresh, mature ginger root:
• wash and peel the ginger
• cut into small, thin pieces
• pour 1 cup of boiling water over 3/4 teaspoon of ginger
• cover
• steep for 5 minutes
• strain.
To get the best health benefits of ginger tea, wrap fresh ginger root tightly in a towel, place it in a sealed plastic bag, and keep it in the refrigerator (for 3 weeks) or in the freezer (for 3 months).
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Here are the 10 tips to healthy eating
1. Balance Diet – Some people think that if they eat healthy and nutritious food, that is already enough to say that they are eating healthy. Little do they know that healthy eating requires a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, protein, fats, and fiber. Check the food pyramid for the proper servings.
2. Love the Plants – The most eluded food sources of all in the food pyramid are the farm produce. A number of people hate the taste of vegetables, fruits, and grains so they remove them from their meals once they see them. These types of food are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibers so don’t skimp on them.
3. Maintain Ideal Weight – The right weight depends on a lot of different factors including age, height, sex, and heredity. Being too thin may mean that you are malnourished, which can increase the risk of certain ailments like osteoporosis, anemia, and other health problems. On the other hand, having too much weight can also lead to serious medical issues such as high blood pressure, heart ailments, diabetes, and many more. If you are having problem with your weight, you can consult a dietician for professional advice.
4. Eat in Moderation – Everything is bad if it is done excessively. Even being extremely good is bad. Same goes for the food. You can actually eat all kinds of food as long as they are of the right amount. Like meat, it is the main source of protein but eating too much can lead to health problems.
5. Eat on Time – Skipping meals is bad. Some people skip breakfast because they don’t want to be late for school or for work. But this kind of punctuality is not good for the body. Breakfast is the most important meal because it provides energy to jumpstart our day. If you do, you will perform poorly in school or at work.
6. Reduce, not Avoid – Some people think that zeroing the fat intake will take us a step closer to healthier body. Fat is a concentrated energy source. It also keeps the hair strong and shiny and nails less brittle; essential in keeping our body warm; and needed in hormones production. Without fats (and oils), a lot of our body functions will be affected.
7. Drink Plenty of Water – 75% of our body is made of water. Proper water intake helps flush toxics out of our body, hydrates our organs, and regulates body temperature.
8. Watch What You Eat – Be aware of what you eat. Know which part of the daily nutrition requirements you are lacking on. List down the food that you ate for the last three days and you might get surprised that you are missing some vital nutrients.
9. Take it Slow – Change should be done gradually. A sudden shift on your eating habit is harmful to your body. Start by slowly shaving on your excesses and following up on your deficiencies. A slow yet steady introduction of food and nutrients will make it easier for your body and also your taste buds to adapt to the changes.
10. Eat Right – Start a good eating habit. You can still eat ice cream, candies, chocolates, or apple pie just as long as you eat in moderation. Fruits, even with all the good things it can do, may bring problems to your hormones if taken excessively.
There are the 10 tips to healthy eating. Bearing these in mind will surely make your health concerns much easier to handle.
Fresh vegetables vs. Frozen vegetables
Fruits and vegetables form the basic fundamental block of human the nutritional system. There has been continued debate on whether fresh fruit is better than frozen fruit and vegetables. Much as the arguments suggest that the frozen fruits and vegetable can be kept for long time because they are well preserved as compared to the freshly perishable ones, there is still need to know some nutritional differences that come between the fresh and the frozen fruits. Diet is all about better nutritional set that makes your dining habit worth the effort.
Juice from a fresh fruit is pure, with all the active enzymes and minerals, which are good for the body. This means that the nutrients will be absorbed into the body while still fresh thus enhancing their functions in the body. On the other hand, frozen fruits will have all the active enzymes deactivated and thus their nutritional value is greatly lowered. The freshness of fruits reduces with time and so is the nutritional value. When it is frozen, fruit content is reduced as the low temperatures of the freezer reduce the juice content and quality. Thus, fresh fruits are better than frozen ones in terms of nutritional value.
Human body requires fresh vitamins from vegetables to develop proper immune system and keep it fit. These nutrients are mostly found in freshly picked vegetables and fruits. Frozen or canned vegetables are more or less like boiling the vegetables, then pouring out the nutritious liquid. The vitamins are drained out and unhealthier vitamin supplements introduced. This means that keeping it fresh is the simplest way of having naturally healthy vitamins and roughage, if you want to feel the healthy taste of fresh vegetable. Still the convenience offered by the frozen ones can still serve your purpose
Organic Eating
What is Organic Food?
In today’s marketplace, the word “organic” can be seen in almost every retail section, on a multitude of different products. So what is “organic” ?
Organic apply’s to all types of foods, clothing, and household goods. General organic food is grown on farms close to your local community, which follow strict guidelines and “treads lightly” on the earth. They are grown with no pesticides, hormones, or any other chemical cocktails, which enhance their growth and resistance to bugs.
Growing, processing, and handling/transporting of food organically, means to do so in a healthy and ecologically sound way. Organic food is more than just growing foods without toxic substances, the farms producing such products go far beyond these methods. Organic farmers strive to create a healthy balance within their environment, to ensure the best quality of produce and have a minimal impact on the surrounding ecosystem. By building healthy soil, it deters pests and disease outbreaks, somewhat like keeping yourself healthy to prevent getting a cold. When disease does come along on an organic farm, the farmers will remove bugs or the infected part of the plant by hand or by use of biological controls.
Many organic farms have mixed gardens that invite all types of bugs, birds, and small amphibians to pass through. These animals will eat many of the bugs which destroy such crops; all these animals are living in equilibrium. Research of planting certain crops together will also aid in keeping farms healthy. By planting mint with cabbage, the white cabbage moth is repelled by the neighbouring mint! There are many types of organic pest control which have been used successfully over a long period of time.
In addition, farmers raise animals to produce natural fertilizers that will be put back into the soil. They will only use non-genetically modified seeds and many will not raise crops with neighbours who use pesticides or non organic fertilizers, due to fear of wind drift.
Livestock can be raised organically by living in conditions which meet their natural behaviour (not locked into miniscule pens), allow roaming free, socializing with other animals, and are fed organic crops. The animals will not be given growth enhancing hormones nor will they be force fed antibiotics.
When processing and transporting organic goods, special care is also taken with organic foods. Standards are met to make sure the products are safe and processed in an ecological manner. Products will be transported short distances (less pollution to get an apple from a local farm then a farm in a different country) and will be transported physically divided from non-organic foods or chemicals to avoid contamination.
Organic food is:
Quality food, no synthetic pesticides, no synthetic herbicides, no preservatives, no additives, no irradiation, no sewage as fertilizer, resulting in less soil erosion, enriched soils, drought resistant soil, less groundwater pollution and improved farm land biodiversity.
