Food & Flower

2010-01-10T10:40:00.002+08:00

5 New Year's Resolutions That Save Money
When you make those New Year's resolutions, you're thinking about fresh starts and the year ahead. What you might not realize is that they also could save money.

Here are five popular resolutions and just how much you could save if you resolve them in 2010:
Quit Smoking
Smoking won't just kill you, it'll drain your bank account.
Smokers are using the high cost of the habit as one reason to quit. In an August study by the American Lung Association in Washington, D.C., smokers listed "saving money" as the No. 1 reason they wanted to quit, says Dr. Norman H. Edelman, chief medical officer.
You can save money by stopping a pack-a-day habit, which can cost between $1,825 and $3,650 per year, depending on the cost of cigarettes in your area. Nationally, a pack-a-day smoker is going to average $2,000 annually on cigarette costs, says Edelman.
Then there's the extra dry cleaning to rid your clothes of the smell, dental bleaching or caps for yellowed teeth and Botox to iron out smoking-induced wrinkles, he says.
Quitting also can save on insurance premiums. Typically, a smoker pays 15 percent to 25 percent more on health insurance premiums than nonsmokers and 50 percent more for life insurance, says Scott Leavitt, past president of the National Association of Health Underwriters in Arlington, Va., and president of Scott Leavitt Insurance & Financial Services in the Boise, Idaho, area.
And if you successfully quit smoking, you'll get nonsmoker rates after you've been smoke-free for a year, says Leavitt.
Exercise Regularly
You'll save money in several ways with regular exercise.
On average, Americans are spending $7,800 annually on health care, according to the National Association of Health Underwriters. "More than half those costs are the result of lifestyle choices," says Leavitt.
But exercise brings real savings. "If people are eating right and exercising three times a week for 20 minutes a day, they see prescription costs decrease by 70 percent and medical costs decrease by 30 percent," he says.
Dietitian Katherine Tallmadge has seen similar results in her patients. Exercise can dramatically improve conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease, she says.
With exercise alone, patients (with their doctor's guidance) "are able to go off medications entirely or cut medication in half," says Tallmadge, spokeswoman for the Chicago-based American Dietetic Association and author of "Diet Simple."
Eat Healthier
A healthy eating plan can be as -- or more -- economical than fast food. "It's a total myth that eating healthy is expensive," says Tallmadge. "It's the cheapest way to eat."
"The fat, the salty, the sweet, that's the expensive stuff," she says. For example, a 10-ounce bag of potato chips is $2.59. For the same money, you could buy four pounds of potatoes, which contain vitamins and fiber, she says.
Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis and past president of the American Dietetic Association, offers these tips to save money: Buy smaller but leaner cuts of meat, eat protein-rich beans and buy produce in season when it's freshest and least expensive.
A smaller amount of a leaner cut can slice your food bill and your bad cholesterol.
"You don't focus on what's the cheapest," says Diekman. "You focus on what's going to meet your needs most economically."
Pay Down Debt
If this is a priority, it means that you've already recognized your life would be better without the stress of debt.
The average American owes $8,329, according to a 2009 survey by The Nilson Report, a Carpinteria, California-based newsletter on consumer payment systems. If you're carrying that load with a 15.99 percent APR and making minimum payments of $167 per month to start, it will take you 33 years to pay off the debt. And you'll pay $15,289 in interest.
But kick in an extra $35.50 per month (paying $202.50 every month), and you can pay that same debt off in five years. Total interest: $3,821.
Paying down debt has another added benefit: Your credit score goes up. That means the next time you borrow money, you'll pay less for that loan.
Build Up Emergency Fund
Nothing takes the stress out of financial situations like spare cash. But it can also save you money. When you have cash on hand, you don't have to use more expensive options like high-APR credit cards, short-term loans and payday loans for emergencies.
If you're hit with an unexpected $500 car repair, you're covered. If you put that $500 on a credit card with a 15.99 percent APR and take a year to pay it off, it will cost you about $580.
With a payday lender, the interest rate will average 15 percent for two weeks, which works out to 400 percent annually, says Keith Ernst, director of research for the Center for Responsible Lending in Durham, N.C. At that rate, a $500 emergency could cost much more.
Having money set aside can be your answer to unexpected bills, says Dave Jones, president of the Fairfax, Va.-based Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies. Says Jones: "Having that emergency fund there is such a comfort."

2009-07-31T08:02:00.003+08:00

The Wonders of Honey and Cinnamon

Bet the drug companies won't like this one getting around. It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept honey as a "Ram Ban" (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.

Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients. Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada , in its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES:Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada , various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS:Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS:Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

TOOTHACHE:Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied three times a day until the tooth stops aching.

CHOLESTEROL:Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS:Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and clear the sinuses.

UPSET STOMACH:Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS:According to the studies done in India and Japan , it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM:Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION:Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA:A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural Ingredient which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY:Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Take four spoons of honey, one spoon of cinnamon powder and three cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

WEIGHT LOSS:Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. If taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body.

CANCER:Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month three times a day.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than! than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

2009-07-23T13:54:00.003+08:00

HEALTHY JUICES FOR TOTAL WELLNESS

Recommend below are the secret recipe for healthy drinking.

Carrot + Ginger + Apple
> Boost and cleanse our system.

Apple + Cucumber + Celery
> Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and improve stomach upset and headache.

Tomato + Carrot + Apple
> Improve skin complexion and bad breath.

Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk
> Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.

Orange + Ginger + Cucumber
> Improve skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat.

Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon
> To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney

Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi
> To improves skin complexion.

Pear & Banana
> To regulates sugar content.

Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango
> Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization!

Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk
> Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increases cell activity and strengthen body immunity.

Papaya + Pineapple + Milk
> Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism.

Banana + Pineapple + Milk
> Rich in Vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation

2009-04-19T09:04:00.005+08:00

Women Over 40: Blood Sugar Hormones Make You Fat And What To Do About It

By Perry Permann

Are you a women over 40? Your hormone system changes. If you are a woman over 40 and you want to lose weight permanently, an important hormone to look at is insulin. Insulin has a large effect on if you are capable to lose weight permanently- and might make you fat instead. Do you know why?

Insulin is released by the pancreas- an organ playing a major part in digestion and regulating blood sugar. There are many hormones raising your blood sugar, including glucagon, adrenalin and growth hormones. Numerous health risks, such as diabetes are correlated with high blood sugar. So we have numerous hormones raising your blood sugar level, and increasing health dangers.

But: There is only one hormone aiding you to decrease blood sugar, and that's insulin. Insulin scales down blood sugar levels. Hence it is essential to balance your blood sugar.

After eating, sugar is getting into the blood stream- for example as a result of digesting starchy foods. To deliver energy to your body, this blood sugar needs to go into the cells of your body. Insuline facilitates this process: Sugar goes from the blood into the cells where it can be burned.

Insulin has more tasks to do. It assists to get fatty acids from the blood into the fat cells where they are stored. Insulin prevents your body from burning fat as well. So, insulin is a major player in the old orchestra of players raising fat storage- very useful for our ancestors who were vulnerable by starvation all the time, but causing too much fat on our bodies nowadays.

Too much insulin contributes to belly fat, being overweight and diabetes, disorder in fat metabolism, heart attacks and strokes.

In women over 40 the endocrine system can be disturbed much easier compared to women in their twenties. If you are a women over 40, you need to look at your insulin level. Two crucial mistakes in eating lead to too much insulin:

* High glycemic index (GI). The easier sugar contained in food gets in the blood, the faster and higher the insulin level grows. The gycemic index (GI) measures how easy sugar from digestion gets in the blood. Cakes, most sweets, white bread and rice or sweet fruits are common foods with a high GI. Broadly speaking, the GI rises with the amount of processing for food. So natural foods have a comparably low GI, whereas extremely processed foods often have a high GI. Avoid foods containing syrup, fructose, saccharose etc.

* Eating artificial sweeteners fools your brain into thinking sugar has got in the blood stream. The insulin level grows, and, as you know by now, you will burn less fat because of that. That's one of the reasons diet sodas do not contribute to losing weight permanently in a healthy way.

If you eat too much fat and have a high insulin level, the fat gets right into fat cells- what you want to avoid to lose weight permanently over 40.

Are you a woman over 40? I've created a free, personalized program for women over 40 who want to lose weight permanently. How would you like to get excellent, lasting weight loss results- be attractive, healthy, energetic, youthful? This program adjusts to your specific situation and keeps you motivated while you enjoy healthy eating and exercise.

2009-03-22T15:22:00.002+08:00

How to Make Garlic Flavored Oil

By Gloria Daniels

Go into any specialty cooking store these days and you will find a large array of flavored oils. They are all bottled beautifully and have a beautiful price tag to match. If you love to cook and this product interests you, why not make your own?

Flavored oils add depth of flavor to your dish as they disperse their flavor throughout a dish immediately and maintain their fresh flavor. They add richness to your cooking and give intense flavors immediately.

Make small batches of oil and refrigerate them to preserve their flavor. FDA recommends that home-prepared mixtures of garlic oil be made fresh for use and not left at room temperatures. Leftovers should be refrigerated and used within 10-14 days to avoid botulism.

Garlic flavored oil is delicious in dressings and is also great to brush on meat and fish. It also can't be beat as a dipping oil with fresh bread. Try the method below for making your own flavored garlic oil, and you may find this becomes a staple in your kitchen.

Recipe for Flavored Garlic Oil

Heat 3 3/4 cups of extra virgin oil oil to a gentle simmer. Add 25 peeled large fresh garlic cloves and poach them for approximately 25 minutes until tender and translucent. Take off the heat and leave in pan until the oil is cooled. Make sure the oil doesn't come to a boil as this will affect the delicate flavor of the olive oil.

Strain the garlic from the oil, reserving them for future use. Pour the oil into a clean decorative bottle and seal with a screw top or cork.

Makes 3 cups of flavored oil

The leftover garlic cloves are a rare treat spread on french bread, meat or fish. If they are not used immediately, pack in a glass jar, cover with oil, refrigerate and use within 10 days.

Remember that the end result is only as good as the ingredients you use. Use a good extra virgin olive oil and fresh plump garlic cloves and you will have a superior flavored oil equal to the best garlic oil you can buy in a high end boutique.

2009-02-16T21:50:00.002+08:00

Are You Wasting Money on Multivitamins?

By Simeon Margolis, M.D., Ph.D. -

Advertisements with tantalizing promises of improved health, prevention of cancer and heart disease, and greater energy have lured millions of Americans to spend billions of dollars on the purchase of multivitamins.

An article in the February 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine reported that multivitamin use did not protect the 161,808 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Study from common forms of cancer, heart attacks, or strokes. And the numbers of deaths during the 8 years of the study were the same in vitamin users as in non-users. Still, it is important to recognize that this was an observational study, not a more meaningful clinical trial. Although these findings apply only to women, other studies have failed to show benefits of multivitamins in older men.

These results are not at all surprising for several reasons. No large study has shown that multivitamins significantly benefit healthy men and women. In addition, for some years physicians prescribed folic acid and vitamins B12 and B6 in the hopes of preventing heart attacks and strokes by lowering blood levels of homocysteine. (High blood levels of homocysteine are associated with an increased risk of coronary and other vascular diseases.) A number of recent studies, however, have shown that, while these vitamins do lower homocysteine levels, they do not prevent heart attacks or strokes.

Many doctors have also prescribed the antioxidants vitamin E and beta-carotene to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Alas, studies have now proven that these supplements are not protective--and may even be harmful.

No one denies that an adequate intake of vitamins is essential; however, vitamins can and should be obtained from eating enough healthy foods rather than from swallowing vitamin supplements.

Then what about vitamins being a great source of energy? Some multivitamin ads do indeed claim that their supplements boost energy; and some professional athletes gobble handfuls of vitamin pills to increase their energy and strength. But researchers proved long ago that energy comes from calories, not vitamins. The highly touted cholesterol-lowering effects of substances added to some multivitamin supplements? Still unproven.

All this is not to say that specific vitamins supplements are never desirable. Vitamins can be valuable in certain situations:

Folic acid supplements in women who are pregnant or plan to become pregnant can help to prevent serious neural-tube defects that affect the baby's brain and spine.

Supplements that contain more vitamin D and calcium than is present in regular multivitamin pills can help older men, and especially women, avoid osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Supplements of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper may slow the progression of vision loss in people with early macular degeneration.

And multivitamins are beneficial for some entire groups of people:
those on a very-low-calorie weight-loss diet

strict vegetarians

heavy alcohol drinkers

individuals who are not getting an adequate diet because they are too sick or too poor--or live by themselves and are unable to prepare proper meals for themselves

I also agree with a comment made by one of the coauthors of the Archives of Internal Medicine article about postmenopausal women mentioned above. An 8-year follow-up period may not be long enough to show that multivitamins protect against cancers that take many years to develop.
All the same, the results of the studies on vitamins so far point to one conclusion: Healthy people who eat enough calories from a varied diet do not benefit from multivitamin supplements.

Cure For Dengue Fever

2009-01-14T08:31:00.005+08:00

Dear All

I would like to share this interesting discovery from a classmate's son who has just recovered from dengue fever. Apparently, his son was in the critical stage at the SJMC ICU when his pallet counts drops to 15 after 15 litres of blood transfusion. His father was so worried that he seeks another friend's recommendation and his son was saved.

He confessed to me that he give his son raw juice of the papaya leaves. From a pallet count of 45 after 20 litres of blood transfusion, and after drinking the raw papaya leaf juice, his pallet count jumps instantly to 135.

Even the doctors and nurses were surprised. After the second day he was discharged. So he asked me to pass this good news round. Accordingly it is raw papaya leaves, 2 pcs just cleaned and pound and squeeze with filter cloth. You will only get one tablespoon per leaf. So two tablespoon per serving once a day. Do not boil or cook or rinse with hot water, it will loose its strength. Only the leafy part and no stem or sap. It is very bitter and you have to swallow it like Won Low Kat.

But it works.

Papaya Juice - Cure for Dengue
You may have heard this elsewhere but if not, I am glad to inform you that papaya juice is a natural cure for dengue fever. As dengue fever is rampant now, I think it's good to share this with all. A friend of mine had dengue last year. It was a very serious situation for her as her platelet count had dropped to 28,000 after 3 days in hospital and water has started to fill up her lung. She had difficulty in breathing. She was only 32-year old. Doctor says there's no cure for dengue. We just have to wait for her body immune system to build up resistance against dengue and fight its own battle. She already had 2 blood transfusion and all of us were praying very hard as her platelet continued to drop since the first day she was admitted.

Fortunately her mother-in-law heard that papaya juice would help to reduce the fever and got some papaya leaves, pounded them and squeeze the juice out for her. The next day, her platelet count started to increase, her fever subsided. We continued to feed her with papaya juice and she recovered after 3 days!!!

Amazing but it's true. It's believed one's body would be overheated when one is down with dengue and that also caused the patient to have fever. Papaya juice has cooling effect. Thus, it helps to reduce the heatiness in one's body, thus the fever will go away. I found that it's also good when one is having sore throat or suffering from heatiness.

2008-12-19T05:44:00.002+08:00

By David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding
Provided by: Eat This, Not That America's Worst Mall Foods!

It’s that time of year again, when you’re logging more hours than ever at the mall. Blame stress, blame shopping fatigue, or blame the irresistible smell of food-court treats slamming your senses from the minute you walk in the door—whatever the reason, you’ll probably end up chowing down at the mall during your shopping trip.

Here’s the danger: Studies have shown that the more temptation people resist, the harder it becomes to continue resisting. That means after hours of being surrounded by last-minute sales, special offers and life-changing, one-time deals, your ability to resist the enticing edibles of the mall food court may be severely compromised. And considering the industrial-strength calorie bombs we uncovered while researching the Eat This, Not That! series, a lack of willpower in the presence of mall eateries can be a very dangerous thing.

Fortunately, we’ve developed a guide to help you navigate the nutritional pitfalls that pollute nearly every mall food court in America. What follows is a list of the worst foods we discovered in our scramble to save shoppers serious calories in the holiday season. Proceed with caution.

WORST CHINESE MEAL
Panda Express
Orange Chicken
500 calories
27 g fat (5.5 g saturated, 1 g trans)
42 g carbs
810 mg sodium

FAT EQUIVALENT: 9 strips of Oscar Mayer Bacon!

Compared to other traditional Chinese meals (think multi-serving takeout boxes of carb-loaded lo mein), 500 calories doesn’t seem so bad. But consider the source—one small serving of Panda Express orange chicken usually comes with a second entrée (add another 300-400 calories) and a side of rice (add 450 calories if you choose the fried variety, 380 for the steamed). Make it a double serving of orange chicken and a side of fried rice and you’ve just consumed 75 percent of your day’s calories in one moment of weakness.

Eat This Instead:
Broccoli Beef
150 calories
7 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
510 mg sodium
11 g carbs

WORST SNACK
Auntie Anne’s
Glazin’ Raisin Pretzel
510 calories
107 g carbs
4 g fat (2 g saturated)
480 mg sodium

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 2 slices of Pizza Hut cheese pizza!

It’s hard to consider this meal. Not all of Auntie Anne’s options are this heavy, though. The jalapeno pretzel (without butter) is a reasonable-sized snack that can give you the energy boost you need to make it through your shopping spree, without loading you down and threatening your waistline.

Eat This Instead:
Jalapeno Pretzel, no butter
270 calories
58 g carbs
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
780 mg sodium

WORST SLICE OF PIZZA
Sbarro
Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza, 1 slice
890 calories
g fat: unknown
mg sodium: unknown

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 3 Snickers bars!

It’s probably no surprise that a pizza labeled “stuffed” would pack a caloric punch—but 890 calories for a single slice? You’d have to eat 3 Snickers bars, or 20 Chicken McNuggets, or 15 KFC Hot Wings to match that load. And that’s not even taking into account what are surely stratospheric fat and sodium counts. (Sbarro’s doesn’t release full nutritional information for their menu items. Check out what other dirty little secrets your favorite restaurants are hiding in this eye-popping expose!)

Eat This Instead!
New York Style Thin Crust Cheese, 1 slice
460 calories

WORST SIDE
Steak Escape
Ranch and Bacon Fries
1,044 calories
71 g fat
1,398 mg sodium
84 g carbs

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 23 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets!

Consuming half your day’s allowance of calories in one meal is bad enough—but in one side dish? Claiming innocence will never hold up in a Food Court of Law, though—not when a flood of ranch, a flurry of bacon, and a mountain of fried potatoes are involved. Until some nutritionally savvy company starts baking their fries in the oven, you’ll need to seek out alternative treatments to get your spud fix.

Eat This Instead:
Smashed Potatoes
246 calories
0 g fat
43 mg sodium
53 g carbs

WORST DRINK
Smoothie King
Grape Expectations II (40 oz)
1,096 calories
0 g fat (0 g saturated)
266 g carbs
250 g sugars

SUGAR EQUIVALENT: 13 Dunkin’ Donuts Chocolate Frosted Donuts!

Smoothie King calls this a way to “snack right”; we call it one of the quickest ways to pack on extra pounds. Even if most of the sugar comes from some form of fruit or fruit juice (in this case, ultra-sweet grape juice), the resulting blood-sugar surge (and inevitable energy crash) from this much sweetness may leave you struggling to find that last gift for Aunt Elma.

Drink This Instead:
Slim-N-Trim Orange-Vanilla 20 oz
250 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
46 g carbs
38 g sugars

WORST BREAKFAST
Cinnabon
Regular Caramel Pecanbun
1,100 calories
56 g fat (10 g saturated, 5 g trans)
141 g carbs
47 g sugars

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 8 White Castle hamburgers

Cinnabon and malls are inseparable. Consider it a symbiotic relationship: Researchers have found that men are turned on by the smell of cinnamon rolls, and further studies have shown that men are more likely to spend money when they’re thinking about sex. But just because Cinnabon might be good for the Gap doesn’t mean it’s at all good for you. This dangerously bloated bun—among these Fattiest Foods in America—contains nearly an entire day’s worth of fat and more than half of your daily allotment of calories. Reconsider your breakfast or snack options, but if you absolutely must eat something, make it Stix.

Eat This Instead:
Cinnabon Stix
379 calories
21 g fat (6 g saturated, 4 g trans)
41 g carbs
14 g sugars

WORST SOUP
Au Bon Pain
Large Macaroni and Cheese Stew with Bread Bowl
1,120 calories
42 g fat (19 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,070 mg sodium
157 g carbs

SODIUM EQUIVALENT: 22 small orders of McDonald’s French Fries!

Whether it’s made from a giant fried tortilla or a massive hunk of sourdough, if you’re serving vessel is edible, you’re asking for trouble. In this case, the bread bowl adds a belly-building 600 calories to what is already one of America’s most decadent, over-the-top spoonables. If soup’s your thing, you’ll have a hard time keeping the sodium down no matter which bowl you order; good, old-fashioned tomato soup is as good as you’ll do at Au Bon Pain.

Eat This Instead:
Medium Old Fashioned Tomato Soup
200 calories
7 g fat (3 g saturated)
1,150 mg sodium
27 g carbs

WORST MALL FOOD IN AMERICA
Quizno’s
Large Tuna Melt Club with cheese and dressing
1,820 calories
147 g fat (27 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
2,020 mg sodium
85 g carbs

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 12 Taco Bell Fresco Style Beef Tacos!

Tuna off the grill or straight from the can is perfectly healthy; tuna drowning in mayonnaise, blanketed in melted cheese, and slicked with oily dressing is decidedly not. Not only does this sandwich carry with it nearly an entire day’s worth of calories and sodium, it also contains as much fat as 49 strips of bacon. In fact, it’s so bad that it will replace Quizno’s Classic Italian in our list of the 20 Worst Foods in America when we update it for 2009.

Eat This Instead:
Small Tuna Melt, no cheese, no dressing
500 calories
33 g fat (5 g saturated)
630 mg sodium
37 g carbs

Plan to have the little ones in tow this shopping season? Make sure they’re eating at the best possible places by checking out our list of the Best and Worst Restaurants for Kids.

Better yet, skip the restaurants now and then, and live off the healthiest staples in the supermarket. You’ll find them here.

2008-10-28T01:46:00.003+08:00

Herb Folklore
By Tina Columbus

Throughout the centuries, herbs have provided many practical uses. Their aromatic leaves have been used for cooking, decorating, and medicinal purposes. Many myths and legends have also become associated with herbs. With their healing properties as well as being tasty, fragrant, and attractive, people throughout the ages believed that the plants possessed magical qualities and attributed some interesting myths to them:

Bay Leaf: According to myth, the beautiful Daphne was changed into a bay as she escaped the clutches of Apollo. Thus, Apollo made a crown out of bay leaves and branches and wore it in her honor; In the 17th century it was believed that bay leaves repelled witchcraft. Pots of bay were placed in front of doorways in order to ward thwart evil spells and curses; It was also believed that bay would prevent one's house from being struck by lightning.

Chamomile: The Anglo-Saxons believed chamomile was one of the sacred herbs given to the earth by the god Woden; In Victorian times, chamomile symbolized patience in adversity; Chamomile is believed by some to possess the power to attract money, gamblers soak their hands in a chamomile infusion in order to increase their chances of winning.

Cinnamon: The Romans believed cinnamon to be sacred, and the emperor Nero burned bunches of it as a sacrifice at his wife's funeral; In the Middle Ages, cinnamon represented wealth and power. At large banquets, hosts served cinnamon in order to impress the guests.

Cloves: When the fragrant clove forests were discovered in Indonesia, it was said that they must always be planted around water in order to flourish; For over 4,000 years, people chewed whole cloves in order to freshen their breath and it was said that in ancient China if anyone wanted to speak to the emperor, they were required to have a clove in their mouth.

Dill: Dill represented wealth to the ancient Greeks; During the Middle Ages, dill was believed to possess magical powers and could destroy evil spells. A drink made from dill leaves was the remedy for anyone who believed that a witch had cast a spell on them. People also wore charms made from dill leaves to protect themselves from evil spells.

Fennel: During the Middle Ages, fennel was hung above doorways and on rafters in order to ward off the devil. Fennel seeds were also placed inside keyholes in order to prevent ghosts from entering the house; In 470 b.c. the Greeks defeated the Persians at Marathon. They fought on a field of fennel and this led to the belief that fennel inspired courage and strength. Greek and Roman soldiers chewed fennel seeds before entering battle.

Lavender: Legend says that the pleasant smell of lavender comes from the baby Jesus. After washing his swaddling clothes, Mary hung them to dry on a lavender bush. Thus, the plant was given the smell of heaven; In the Middle Ages it was believed that couples who place lavender flowers between their bedsheets would never fight.

Mint: According to myth, Hades had developed a lust for a nymph named Minthe. Hade's wife Persephone found out and angrily transformed Minthe into a plant to be trampled on. Hades could not undo the spell, but he was able to ease it by giving Minthe a wonderfully sweet fragrance which would be released whenever her leaves were trampled on.

Oregano (Marjoram): The ancient Greeks believed that Aphrodite created oregano; They believed that if it grew around a grave, the deceased would have eternal happiness; In Germany, oregano was hung over doorways to protect against evil spells; In the Middle Ages, oregano symbolized happiness and love.

Rose: According to myth, the first roses did not have thorns. While Venus' son Cupid was smelling a rose, a bee came out and stung him on the lip. Venus then strung his bow with bees. She removed their stingers and placed them on the stems of the roses; Myth also says that all roses were originally white until Venus tore her foot on a briar and all the roses were dyed red with her blood; In Christian lore the red color of roses comes from the blood of Christ.

Rosemary: From the times of ancient Greece through the Middle Ages, it was believed that rosemary strengthened the brain and memory. When they needed to take exams, students braided rosemary into their hair in order to help their memory; The ancient Greeks burned rosemary in order to repel evil spirits and illness; In some parts of Europe, it was believed that if an unmarried woman placed rosemary under her pillow, her future husband would be revealed to her in her dream.

Sage: The Romans believed that sage was a sacred herb that gave immortality. Up until the 18th century, it was believed that sage increased fertility. It was also believed that sage strengthened the mind.

Thyme: During the Middle Ages it was believed that the scent of thyme inspired bravery. Knights wore scarves with thyme leaves sewn on them during tournaments; In English lore, if a person collected thyme flowers from hillsides where fairies lived, and rubbed the flowers on their eyelids, they would be able to see the fairies.

Fun, Healthy, Delicious Food - Can You Really Have it All

2008-10-18T06:57:00.002+08:00

Fun, Healthy, Delicious Food – Can You Really Have it All?

by: Sahar Aker

Is there really such a thing as food that is fun, healthy, and delicious? So many people think grub that’s good for you automatically takes all the fun out of eating. After all, healthy food can’t possibly taste good, can it? Of course it can!

I have been busy gathering some ideas for fun, healthy, delicious foods to share with you. If you have kids, these are recipes I think they’ll like too. And here’s another bonus – they are all easy to make:

• Have you seen those “Flatout Mini” soft wraps? I love these! They are small-size wraps that are low in calories, convenient, and very versatile. Try this easy recipe – all you need are the wraps, cooking spray, Mrs. Dash, and Parmesan cheese. Cut each wrap into 16 wedges and place on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with a little Mrs. Dash and a bit of Parmesan. Bake at 350-degrees for about ten minutes or until lightly brown and crisp.

• Fruit kabobs – This is a fun alternative to a plain old bowl of fruit. Just pick a few of your favorites – maybe apples, pineapple, bananas - and cut them into chunks. Slide the fruit onto a skewer. Next, roll the skewer in a plate of nonfat yogurt… then roll again in a plate of shredded coconut. Voila! A fun, healthy, delicious snack!

• Sandwich kabobs - Cut whole-grain bread, low-fat cheese, and your favorite deli meat into cubes. Slide them onto skewers along with some veggies like grape tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and olives. Dip into fat-free or low-fat Italian dressing.

• For a quick mini-pizza, top an English muffin (go for the whole grain ones) with spaghetti sauce and a little shredded low-fat mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts.

• Pop a frozen waffle or pancake into the toaster and top it with warm applesauce and cinnamon. Too easy, huh? • Freeze some grapes, bananas, cherries, or maybe peaches and blend with yogurt for a fruit smoothie.

• Yogurt pops – fill paper cups with your favorite non-fat or low-fat yogurt and put a popsicle stick in each cup. Freeze and enjoy!

• Creamy Coolwich (from Nabisco World) - put 2 tablespoons of sugar free Cool Whip in between graham cracker squares. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for three hours or until firm. Yum!

• Blueberry Cracker Bites (from Kraft Foods) – spread 1 teaspoon light cream cheese on a reduced-fat Ritz cracker and top with 5 frozen blueberries. Too fun!

So, you see – healthy foods can be fun and delicious.

Now, I am a firm believer that the key to a successful, healthy lifestyle is to choose fun good-for-you foods and exercises when you can. It’s a tough enough fight out there whether you’re trying to lose or maintain weight. But enjoying the journey is half the battle.

Basic Tips To A Good Multiple Sclerosis Diet

2008-09-30T05:41:00.003+08:00

Basic Tips To A Good Multiple Sclerosis Diet

by Hazel Leong

Healthy eating is important for everyone, but it is particularly important if you have a chronic illness, such as Multiple Sclerosis. A good Multiple Sclerosis diet is understood to help manage and possibly eliminate many of the symptoms that come along with the disease. This can help slow the progression of the disease. Good nutrition, especially adequate calories and protein, helps maintain your bodies store of protein, provide energy, heal wounds, and fight infection. In between you should check with a doctor for a specific suggestions or procedure, for the basic tips to a good Multiple Sclerosis diet.

A key factor in a well Multiple Sclerosis diet is to eliminate all gluten. In general, you should avoid eating anything with flour, but you can check package ingredients if you are unsure of their content. There is no diet that will treat or cure multiple sclerosis, however there may be some connections between Multiple Sclerosis and diet. Many diets besides the Multiple Sclerosis diet do not allow gluten, so this is now easily found on many packages. Avoiding wheat, barley, oats, or rye is another way to cut gluten. People who eat too much saturated fat, processed lunch meats and sausages or have low levels of vitamin B12 or vitamin D may be at a higher risk for Multiple Sclerosis.

Vitamin B12 is found in animal products such as meats, fish, dairy products and eggs. For a successful diet you should also limit or keep away from animal fats, including dairy products and butter. Olive oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil are suitable alternatives for cooking or salads. For good digestion, you should try to avoid fried foods in general. Vitamin D is found in fortified milk and cereals, but your body can make most of the vitamin D you need when your skin is exposed to sunlight. Both vitamins can be taken as dietary supplements as well.

There is some evidence that reducing saturated fats and increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids may be of some benefit to people with Multiple Sclerosis. Totally avoid highly saturated fats in your diet. White meat skinless chicken, seafood, and fish are the best meat choices. Make sure to always completely remove any fat. Try to replace the saturated fats you cut out with unsaturated fats. Be sure to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day and choose whole grains whenever possible.

Anyone, but specially those on a Multiple Sclerosis diet, should try to totally eliminate advanced sugar. There are many healthier alternatives that you should understand as well. Honey, fructose, or natural unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices would be ideal for a person on this diet. Supplements such as evening primrose oil contain gamma-lanoline acid. This substance can be converted by the body to form lanoline fatty acid. However, individuals with Multiple Sclerosis seem to have difficulty making the conversion.

Apparently, any foods you are allergic to should be cut from your diet. If you are unsure of allergies, try consulting a doctor or allergy specialist. Vitamin supplements may also be beneficial or even necessary for your Multiple Sclerosis, but you should consult a doctor to make sure you take the right vitamins. You may also try eliminating all of the most ordinary crisis foods from your diet, and after two weeks bring them back one at a time. If you have a bad response to any food, then you be supposed to eliminate it from your numerous sclerosis diets.

You should increase the amount of fresh vegetables and fruits in your Multiple Sclerosis diet. Try to always eat recently cooked food when you must cook it. This will add to the amount of vitamins and minerals your body absorbs. This will help to make up for some of the nutrients you lose by critical certain things from your diet. Medical researchers currently believe that MS patients are not born with multiple sclerosis and it is not a genetic disease. It has been suggested that geographical locations may have a correlation to Multiple Sclerosis.

Try to always drink lots of water. It is very easy for a person with Multiple Sclerosis to become dehydrated, so make sure to drink at least 8 large glasses of water every day. Additionally, those with Multiple Sclerosis should get enough rest and exercise, should try to lead as stress-free a life as possible, and should try to remain active in both body and brain. As weird as it sounds, this may help to get better the incontinence that many people with Multiple Sclerosis suffer from.

These tips for humanizing your Multiple Sclerosis diet are planned to help you control many universal troubles such as fatigue, incontinence, and constipation. Studies have indicated that eating a healthy low fat diet rich in essential fatty acids may be essential to managing Multiple Sclerosis.

Adjusting your diet may also help to avoid making other problems worse. Many of these tips are built-in in other diets, and even people without special dietary needs may advantage from following these suggestions. It has also been suggested that individuals with Multiple Sclerosis should not only supplement their diet with essential fatty acids but may also benefit by supplementing with vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

How Can You Be Sure Your Children Are Getting The Nutrition They Need?

2008-09-28T06:01:00.002+08:00

Most parents would worry that if they keep their children from eating those fatty foods that they love, and only offer vegetables, that the children will starve, or have nutritional deficiencies.

These parents feel that the kids will just not eat the food. If you think about it this way, how much nutrients are they receiving from the fatty, processed foods now? If their diet consists of French fries, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, chocolate pudding, and maybe chicken fingers, how could it be worse if you only offer fruits and vegetables? Sure, maybe they will demand to have the foods they like, and not eat. They will eventually get hungry and if you keep offering fruits and vegetables and do not give in, you will see that they will begin to enjoy it, especially if they see everyone else in the family eating healthier.

Incorporate bean soups, such as yummy lentil soup and if that doesn’t work make your lentil soup into a “lentil burger”. You may have to gradually change their eating styles. Try making fresh bean and/or vegetable soups with some cheese sprinkled on it. Make sure it is tasty, and not too spicy. Make homemade pancakes with wheat and only sweeten it with pure raw honey. Make fruit shakes and throw in a carrot or romaine lettuce. Make tasty salads with homemade dressings….and also make faces out of the tomatoes and cucumbers and carrots. Make tasty salmon and have them try it.

There are so many possibilities and recipes that you can try. Do not give up on your child because they have shown a dislike for a vegetable or fruit. Just eat it around them and watch them ask you for a piece. Keep offering it to them at dinnertime and ask them to eat a couple of bites.

If children eat plenty of fruits and green leafy vegetables, they are also getting their calcium requirements. But you could also include some almond milk or rice milk if you want.

The focus is to keep introducing them to new foods so that they develop a taste for natural foods that we as humans were meant to eat.

Why Need Drinking Water Filters

2008-09-22T05:25:00.002+08:00

If you are one of the many people who are not using a drinking water filter, then maybe you should start to think about getting one, because otherwise you might be doing yourself some harm. Why is this?

Have a look in any grocery store or supermarket that sells drinks or beverages. What's the most popular item on those shelves? Chances are you'll see it's bottled water. The supermarkets are finding they are selling the stuff in huge quantities now. The reason is that people are beginning to realize that the water coming out of their tap is not really very good for them, and it also often tastes lousy. So they will buy bottled water even though it's heavy and quite a drag to carry all the way home!

If you care about your health and that of your family, that's as good a reason as you need to look into the whole question of the quality of the water you are drinking.

If you haven't yet found out what is in the water that comes out of your kitchen faucet, you could be in for a shock. It often contains varieties of such heavy metals as uranium, radium and also chromium. These metals enter the water supply quite naturally through rock formations and the like. There is often lead from old pipes that the water still passes through.

The water companies add large amounts of chlorine to kill off bacteria. Chlorine gives the water an unpleasant "swimming pool" smell and taste, which is not nice to drink. And there is evidence that chlorine can be harmful to humans, not just bacteria. The water authorities also add fluorides to the water, which is an additive whose benefits are strongly contested by many experts.

As if that wasn't bad enough, there is a dwindling stock of truly fresh water available, and so many municipal systems use reclaimed water and, yes, that does mean the water is reclaimed from the sewage system. Add to this that many irresponsible people tip engine oil, paint, or solvents into the system, and we end up with a picture that is far from pretty. Despite the best efforts of the water companies, quite a lot of that stuff gets through to your tap.

The alternative that many people go for is bottled water. But this is heavy to carry, often expensive, and the disposal of the plastic bottles can be harmful to the environment.

Perhaps it's time for you to think about getting a water filter for your home? The good news is that there are many excellent home filter systems on the market, with different types of filtering arrangement to suit all types of need, and a good filter system will take out almost all of the contaminants we mentioned, without any of the problems associated with bottled water. It is a good idea to read some reviews before you buy.

Chicken Rendang

2008-09-21T00:50:00.002+08:00

Rendang is a popular dish in Malaysia. Preparing it may take a while but the result is satisfying.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

Chicken
- 1.5 kg chicken, cut into 12 pieces and wash with salt. Rinse well.
- 250ml coconut milk
- 100ml water
- salt to taste

Ground Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon clarified butter
- 8 cloves shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 15 stalks chilli padi
- 3cm fresh tumeric
- 4cm ginger
- 1 tablespoon meat curry powder

Garnishing
- thinly sliced tumeric leaves

Instructions
1. Heat the clarified butter, saute the Ground Ingredients until cooked. Add chicken pieces, stir and mix evenly over low fire for 5 minutes. Then add meat curry powder, water and milk.

2. Stir the rendang until gravy thickens. Add salt to taste.

3. Sprinkle with chopped tumeric leaves before serving.

Serve hot.

2008-09-20T22:11:00.001+08:00

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What is a Flogger?

2008-09-20T14:06:00.003+08:00

A friend of mine asked me what a flogger was. I replied, a flogger is a combination of food and flogger.

There are plenty of bloggers out there, ranging from political blogs to gossip blogs and even travel blogs. However, one if the common themes is food, which means there are plenty of floggers out there.

In Malaysia, there are plenty of floggers. This is especially so because Malaysia is famous for its food and there are a lot of bloggers who blogs about food and food outlets.

In fact, I am a flogger, too.

Why Use Flower Food?

2008-09-15T01:14:00.002+08:00

While a flower is attached to the plant, it receives nourishment allowing it to grow and develop. When cut from the plant, it loses its source of nourishment and water. Fresh Flower Food was developed to simulate the flower's original environment, and allow the flower to fully develop (open).

The key functions of a fresh flower food are:- Provides food in the form of sugars to keep the flowers alive. Just like ourselves, flowers use carbohydrates as an energy source.- Helps lower the pH, which keeps the water/food conducting system in flowers working at maximum efficiency.

- Stem unpluggers

Homemade versions such as copper pennies in the water, aspirin, soda, etc., do not contain all of the necessary ingredients vital to sustaining flower life. For the most part, they are ineffective and end up costing you more than fresh flower food.

A Gift Of Flowers Is Better Than An X-Box

2008-09-14T20:35:00.003+08:00

A Gift Of Flowers Is Better Than An X-Box

by: Wesley Berry, AAF

One of today's hottest items, and among the most requested gifts, is the X-Box game system. Although video games are a lot of fun, the money it costs to buy an X-Box would be better spent on flowers. In fact, according to a study titled the Home Ecology of Flowers Study conducted for the Society of American Florists (SAF) Flower Promotion Organization (FPO), flowers have an amazing affect on those who include them in their lives.

The study was conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., who is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School and a practicing psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. One of the findings of the study was that they fuel compassionate feelings in people. Participants in the study began to experience more feelings of compassion towards other people after living with flowers for less than one week.

The study also showed that flowers help people to feel less anxious, worried, and depressed when they were at home. When participants were at home with flowers they quickly began to feel less negative. Because they wanted to see the flowers as much as possible and as soon as they woke up each day, the participants placed their flowers in areas where they would be spending a great deal of time, such as the kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Another finding of the study was that they improve the energy and enthusiasm of people who live with them even when the flowers aren't present. Participants felt better and happier in their workplaces just because they had flowers at home.

To help spread the great news of the positive impact of flowers, Dr. Etcoff will serve as the spokesperson for the SAF/FPO alliance for a major public relations campaign set to begin soon. The campaign will make the findings of the Home Ecology of Flowers Study public and keep generating information about flowers. Included in the campaign will be a press kit for print media, a satellite television tour, and other materials.

Incredible news like this is definitely cause for celebration. May I suggest a party complete with gifts? But, forget the X-Box, give flowers, instead.

A Great Way to Send Flowers

2008-09-14T20:26:00.003+08:00

A Great Way to Send Flowers

by: Morgan Hamilton

Men giving flowers to women probably goes way back to around somewhere near the dawn of man. It is really easy to understand why women adore flower so. They are beautiful to look at and very sweet to smell. Though they’re sometimes considered a bit cliché, sending flowers has been a standby in romantic relationships since the dawn of time.

Granted, some of this predisposition toward flower-giving is more than likely a part of culture we come from as depicted in nearly every old movie and television show. I can recall the husband or boyfriend usually always showing up with the ubiquitous bouquet of flowers when he knows he’s done something wrong. A man's way of paying penance. Nonetheless, flowers make up an aspect of adornment and decoration in almost every culture worldwide, so there must be something universally attractive about them.

If you’ve ever tried to purchase flowers from a florist, especially near Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, you know you want universal fact, they can be quite expensive. But if you think about it, isn't that high cost justified? Ever attempted growing an orchid or a calla lily? There is nothing easy about it. There’s always the option of swinging by the park or your neighbor’s garden and helping yourself to whatever flowers are in season, but getting arrested or whacked over the head with a rolling pin isn't very appealing.

How and where you get your flowers can be a bit of a challenge, it’s never been easier to send flowers. Telflora caught on to the idea early, allowing you to send flowers from anywhere in the U.S. with a phone number, and address, and a credit card. FTD saw that winning business model and ran with it as well, and now the vast majority of florists will send flowers for you as long as the recipient is within a reasonable distance. The delivery the also, of course, costs extra.

With the popularity of e-commerce it’s not surprising to know that most florists, especially larger chains, allow you to send flowers by ordering them online. This is a great way for you to pick out the various flowers that they have in their inventory without having to actually visit the florist. Although few things are more pleasant than the sights and smells of a well-stocked florist. Complex, pre-made arrangements are also a lot easier to visualize and decide upon when you can see a photo of them on your computer screen. When it is time for you to send flowers, I suggest you first at least take a look at the Internet so you will have an idea of what you like to send.

Best Gourmet Coffee - The Top Ten Ingredients

2008-09-14T19:34:00.004+08:00

Best Gourmet Coffee - The Top Ten Ingredients

by: Joachim Oster

Premium arabica coffee is a gift from the sun and the earth, born only under perfect environmental conditions in the mountainous regions between the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. The best coffee requires light, fertile volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, some cloud cover, warm temperatures, very little wind, sunny mornings, rainy afternoons and the purest air. But where on earth can these ideal conditions be found? How about Kona, Hawaii? At the base of volcanoes Mauna Loa and Hualalai, the view is bounded on one side by mountains of perpetual green and pacific blues on the other. The morning air is soft and balmy, yet pure and refreshing.

There is no place more beautiful where one would desire to pass their allotted time on earth, nor is there any other place better suited for growing specialty coffee! This is the Kona Coffee Belt, a 20-mile long by 2-mile wide band, which rests 700 to 2,500 feet above sea level. Spanning between the slopes of two volcanoes, lush green hills are covered by small, family owned plantations made up of trees that are sometimes more than a hundred years old. Here's are the 10 key reasons why Kona coffee, one of (if not THE) worlds top gourmet coffees can come only from Kona, Hawaii.

The Air

There is an island, which is far away from any other land. So far actually, that when the winds finally arrive, the air is cleaner and clearer than anywhere else on earth. Naturally filtered of pollutants and oxygenated by thousands of miles of ocean in each direction, it feels like breathing pure silk. This is Hawai'i, the most isolated archipelago in the Pacific and in the world. Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The winds are forced up-slope, where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds - a phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawai'i's flowers and vibrant greens.

The Earth

The Big Island is a bit smaller than the state of Connecticut and slightly larger than the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. It's the largest of the seven Hawai'ian islands though, yet only 130,000 inhabitants call this place home. Due to Hawai'i's remoteness, the islands have been spared many diseases and countless pests have never landed on its shores, which enables the land, the sea, even the air to remain abundant, fertile and pure. The disintegrating volcanic rock on the Big Island is rich in natural minerals and erodes easily. This geologically young, porous and well-drained soil, mixed with decayed vegetation creates nutritious and healthy pastures for Hawaii's flowers, fruits and verdant greens. The Big Islands broad slopes and high peaks obstruct the flow of weather patterns over the Pacific, causing 13 of the world's 16 global climates to be found here: sunny beaches, tropical rain forests, cool alpine regions and stony deserts - each with its own unique weather, plants and animals.

The Water

The year-round warm ocean waters are responsible for the equally balmy air temperature. On their long journey, the trade winds pick up the cleanest ocean water and drop it onto our mountains. Rain is not gloomy here, but nurturing, cleansing, warm and refreshing. Towering cumulus clouds tend to build up over the volcanoes on sunny warm afternoons, resulting in brief, intense and localized showers. One may ask where all the rainwater goes, if not used by vegetation or running back to sea? Accumulated rainwater is filtered through rocks and pools between ancient layers of lava, creating gigantic aquifers of the purest fresh water deep in the earth to be tapped by future generations.

The Fire

The Hawaiian islands were created by a fine crack in the mantle of the earth, which leaked so much lava onto the deep ocean floor that it created the world's highest volcano. And if measured from the ocean floor, it is also the world's highest mountain. Magnificent steam explosions occur where the glowing lava flow enters the ocean and creates new land out of rocks, pebbles and sand. The volcano is believed by Hawaiian's to be an incarnation of the goddess Pelé, who is soothed by sacrifices and offerings of respect. Occasionally one may find stony strands of her 'hair' or pellets like shiny 'tears' on the beach, from when she wanders amongst us mortals in the figure of an old woman.

Sun drenched mornings and misty afternoons are not all Kona needs in order to produce the perfect Hawaiian coffee climate. Large steam plumes on the other side of the island are produced where lava enters the ocean. These clouds contain a mixture of light hydrochloric acid and water droplets, which is created when the intense heat of lava evaporates salty seawater. This hazy mixture we call 'laze'. The constant airborne emissions of the Kilauea crater releases sulfur dioxide gases, which react chemically with sunlight and oxygen. They form a sulfuric acid fog we call 'vog' (volcanic fog). The trade winds dilute these cloud mixtures and send them on a hundred mile journey around the southern tip of the island to Kona. Here in the coffee belt this cloud mixtures serve as a gentle and natural fertilizer for the coffee trees. Volcanic soil is sometimes too alkaline and requires these acids in order to balance the pH value, which in turn creates the perfect growing conditions for coffee arabica trees. This unique combination is yet another reason that Kona coffee beans come from the most productive trees on earth!

The Trade Winds

Throughout most of the year Hawaiian weather patterns are affected primarily by high-pressure zones in the north Pacific that send cool, moist trade winds to the island's northeastern slopes. The strength of these winds build as the heat of the day rises and reach a peak in the afternoon, only to diminish in the evening and start again the next day. The trade winds are forced up-slope by the mountain heights where moisture condenses into rain producing clouds. Most of this rain falls then in the mountains and valleys on the wet, windward (northeastern) side of the island and it is this weather phenomenon that creates the rich tropical environment for Hawaii's flowers and vibrant greens. Shelter on the dry, leeward (southwestern) side from the prevailing trade winds and occasional tropical storms is provided by the 14,000 foot height of the volcano Mauna Loa. But there is enough wind left for the Kona coffee belt for some cooling breezes during tropical nights.

The Shade of Vector Clouds

Coffee trees cannot withstand dryness, heat or frost. For these reasons only the world's premium coffees are grown under shade trees, which protect against the overhead tropical sun. Other commercial or inexpensive coffee varieties require additional fertilizers and pesticides in order to thrive in harsh, sunny terrains. Without a lush tree canopy for protection, the thin tropical soil of these sun-loving varieties is exposed to blazing rays and eroding rains. The sun literally scorches the much-needed microorganisms that exist within the earth. Once destroyed, they must then be replenished artificially. Naturally shade grown Kona coffee maintains a nutrient rich soil, which reduces acidity and produces dense and more flavorful beans. During the course of any given Kona day the land is gently heated by the sun, which draws moist breezes up the slopes to create what's called vector clouds. These clouds not only make shade trees obsolete, but they prompt drizzly convection rains throughout the afternoon. Therefore only in Hawai'i is coffee grown at lower altitudes and naturally irrigated. Each day around 20,000 gallons of pure, fresh Pacific rainwater is poured onto each acre of happy coffee trees. But moments after these periodic rains disappear, one may witness the sun once again pushing its way through at the coast below, creating magnificent rainbows and the most breathtaking Hawaiian sunsets.

The Trees

The coffee tree is one of the few plants that can simultaneously grow a blossom as well as a ripe fruit on the same branch. These trees develop a deep root system in our porous, deep and well-drained soil. Not really huge trees, they appear more like bushes with heavily ridged leaves and long whip like branches that bend toward the ground once heavy with fruit. Members of the gardenia family, they produce amazingly fragrant, brilliantly white flowers that coat the hills many times throughout the year. Over here the folks like to call these blooms 'Hawaiian snow'. Century old coffee trees are handpicked to obtain the best flavor, assuring that only the reddest, ripest and finest cherries make it into your cup. Picking cherries too early or too late in the season will affect the taste of coffee, so only a trained eye knows exactly which fruit is at the right stage. Not many people know this, but the average Kona coffee tree yields about 13 pounds of raw cherry, which results in about 2 pounds of roasted coffee. So when you order 2 lbs from a Kona coffee farm, you're actually buying the yearly fruit of an entire tree! If you want to avoid consuming higher levels of caffeine,make sure to always serve coffea arabica beans, as they have half the caffeine, but double the aroma of the cheaper coffea robusta beans. To know that you got any of the other aforementioned benefits buy only pure Hawaiian Kona coffee (100% Kona Coffee).

The Sun Drying

During the pulping process the harvested red berries are soaked in the freshest and purest rainwater to ferment overnight. This labor-intense 'wet method' is the preferred way of processing high grown arabicas. The soaked skins and pulp are then removed from the beans, which are later washed and spread out to dry on a wooden dry deck. The moist beans are raked many times throughout the day so that the drying happens uniformly. Kona's warm sun and gentle breezes dry the beans slowly to the perfect moisture level. Commercial grades of coffee utilize a mechanical drying method, which forces hot air over the beans to speed up the drying process. This method proves less labor intensive, therefore lowering the price. Sundried coffee maintains more of a delicate, mellow flavor--whereas kiln dried coffee will oftentimes lose some of the aromas Kona coffee is famous for. The only way to safely preserve coffee and its rich aromas for as long as possible is to keep it in its parchment form. Yet most coffee is processed very quickly to its green bean form in their respective country of origin. Once the green beans are exposed to air, light and humidity, the surface oxidizes and bacteria, yeasts and moulds start their deteriorating work. Many months journeys in the stuffy hold of a ship, various cargo trucks and warehouses go by before the green beans get to the roasters and ultimately to your cup. Better to only hull the parchment of the beans right before they are roasted. It's simply healthier and tastier.

The Small Estates

Family owned plantations produce the finest, estate-grown coffee with superior large, dense and flavorful beans. Kona coffee maintains individual subtleties; much better tasting than pooled, generically sold cheaper alternatives. Kona is comparable to the Champagne region in France, which produces the only legitimately named 'Champagne' product. And like Champagne, 100% Kona coffee is distinguished from commercial blends not only by region and the ideal growing conditions, but also by the enormous amount of care taken throughout each step of the farming, harvesting and roasting processes. Whether it's from the individual pruning of the trees, handpicking only the ripest coffee cherries, carefully sun-drying on large open decks and roasting prior to packaging the coffee in specially sealed bags to ensure freshness--you can be assured that Hawaiian Kona coffee is comparable to no other. Only 14,000 to 16,000 sacks of this precious Kona coffee is produced each year by the few hundred farms dotting the hills of this region, making pure Kona coffee the rare and sought after gourmet coffee in the world.

The 100% Rule

Most likely any coffees you ever drank came from ultra-productive, low-waged labor, machine-picked and pesticide sprayed coffee farms in other parts of the world. Large companies who trade in coffee are interested in buying the cheapest beans available, resell, ship, store it for many months to the point where they have to infuse coffee aromas back into the beans during the roasting process! And you wonder why your stomach rebels against that second cup... Intense hand labor, only ripe beans, a unique climate and soil in Kona combined with natural processing gives this coffee its greatness. Real, fresh 100% Kona coffee is hard to come by outside of Kona, which is why many coffee drinkers are easily duped. Companies all over the world mislead customers and profit on the reputation of the Kona fame by mixing few Kona coffee beans with much, much cheaper inferior Central or South American beans. This combination produces an atypical, cheaper taste, and is commonly referred to as '10% Kona Blend', 'Kona Roast', or 'Kona Style'. Yet this name misleads folks to believe that the bag of coffee they've purchased contains a mix or 'blend' of various Kona coffees. The law of Hawai'i stipulates that a bag of pure Kona coffee must have printed on its label the words 100% KONA COFFEE to guarantee its contents. So watch out for it and check the bag or cross check the coffee websites carefully before you order!

Barley: An Ancient Super Food Rediscovered

2008-09-14T17:32:00.004+08:00

Barley: An Ancient Super Food Rediscovered

by: Darrell Miller

Most people would be surprised to find out that the number-one cause of premature aging and disease in the Western world is the over-consumption of food. This is true not only because too much food can make us fat, but also because everything we eat must be processed by our bodies, which requires an expenditure of energy. Since the body has to be continually processing calories, we suffer much wear and tear.

Within each cell of the human body, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthful fats, and other important nutrients are the important parts that create energy and repair the wear and tear that our body is continually fighting.

The modern diet is extremely abundant calories, but yet extremely light on these healing, renewing substances. A diet that is calorie-dense yet nutrient-poor has a serious effect on the state of our health, causing us to be overfed and malnourished.

Barley in the most energy-efficient food available in nature, having major implications for those who are concerned with maximizing longevity, avoiding disease, increasing athletic performance, and fighting obesity. Barley is much more than a supplement found at your local health food store, it is a complete food which has been converted into a super food through an all-natural process, making it so powerful and functional that it can be used to nourish those who are struck by famine.

Actually, the United Nations uses it as a relief food for those in famine-stricken countries because of its ability to support human life better than any other single food. In ancient Rome, sprouted barley gruel was used as a food for gladiators and also as a staple for the roman army.

Sprouting is known as a way to transform grains or beans into a more nutrient-dense food that is easier to digest. The unique activating procedure, where the grain isn’t sprouted but pre-sprouted instead, uses a low-temperature process that was first used as a replacement for mother’s milk, as a formula for infants who were unable to nurse. The process that is used to activate barley preserves enzyme activity, vitamins, and minerals, bringing it just to the point where it’s ready to sprout then putting it into a state of suspended animation, where it is then transformed into a powder that mixes easily into any drink or recipe.

Barley transforms into a gel in the GI tract, slowing its passage through the body, which in turn allows maximum nutrient absorption. It also stabilizes glucose levels and is great for use by diabetics. Its composition is unique among others, being extremely energy dense, providing four hundred percent more energy than barley that hasn’t been pre-sprouted.

Barley is often used to improve athletic endurance, help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, control hunger, boost the immune system, and detoxify the blood. It has a very low glycemic index, allowing it be used in low-carbohydrate diets. This super food is rich in soluble fiber and beta-glucans, which explains its healthy effects on cholesterol, blood sugar balance, and the immune system.

The pre-sprouting process that is used also to increase the grain’s content of beta-glucan a substance known to boost the immune system. Have you had your barley today?

Food and Flower

2008-09-14T13:00:00.002+08:00

Food and flower has always been man's best friend. Food is essential to man as it provides energy. Food also provides nutrients.

According to Wikipedia, Food is any substance, usually composed primarily of carbohydrates, fats, water and/or proteins, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role.

Most traditions have a recognizable cuisine, a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices, the study of which is known as gastronomy. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption.

Many cultures study the dietary analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality often affect which foods they will consume. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claiming many lives each year. In many languages, food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in "food for thought".

Flower, on the other hand, makes man happy. Flower, provides happiness to those who are sad, represent oneself when not being able to be present and are used to present as gifts.

A flower, also known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also called angiosperms). The biological function of a flower is to mediate the union of male sperm with female ovum in order to produce seeds. The process begins with pollination, is followed by fertilization, leading to the formation and dispersal of the seeds. For the higher plants, seeds are the next generation, and serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The grouping of flowers on a plant are called the inflorescence.

In addition to serving as the reproductive organs of flowering plants, flowers have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment but also as a source of food.