Six Spices to boost brain

 

Alzheimer's is an incurable disease at present and can be onset even in your childhood but can not be detected until very late. So, take care good care of your brain as your children's. Our kitchen is full of simple and powerful remedies. So, here's is a list of six spices from the kitchen shelf which are strong anti-oxidants and keep you or your brain from getting aged. Make sure you include them in your subsequent meals.

• Garlic: Brings a different flavor in the dishes and protects the nervous system. Promotes the growth of neurons (nerve cells), increases learning and memory capacity.
• Rosemary: Lowers pulse rate and anxiety levels. May also help in improving memory performance.
• Sage: Protects against injurious affects of the toxins on the brain cells. Can be substituted with basil leaves.
• Clove: is the best source of anti-oxidants so you can start taking a clove or two per day.
• Turmeric: Promotes removal of toxic metals from the brain.
• Cinnamon: Promotes effects of insulin and lowers blood sugar levels preventing diabetes which might trigger Alzheimer's.

In India, you do get four of these condiments pretty easily. Start sprinkling them in your food from today and enjoy the benefits. And, before I forget, let me again remind you, they are anti-aging agents too.

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Wheat Grass for anti-aging

Wheat Grass is an extremely useful and beneficial plant. It is rich in so many minerals and nutrients and can fight against so many diseases in our body ranging from acting as anti-inflammatory agent to preventing cancers in the body. Wheat Grass has been a highly prized medicine during the time of Egyptians. Spray wheat grass juice on a burn or inflammation and voila, the skin gets soothed immediately. It is that potent. Why? Because, it acts at cellular level within and outside the body.

What is so special about Wheat Grass? 

The green pigment of the plants - chlorophyll - is the real 'hero' of the wheat grass. Plants use sun light to make chlorophyll and thus, trap the benefits and energy of direct sunlight in them. Thus, consuming this green pigment will help to release this energy in our system and allow it to make beneficial changes in our body. Not only does this energy give a boost to our health, but it also improves our appearance. "Healthy In, Healthy Out".

You will ask why not other greens help then? Well, because Wheat Grass is one of the plants containing the highest amount of chlorophyll in it. About 70% of the plant constitutes of chlorophyll. This releases the much needed energy and catalyses the action of healing and regeneration within the body. Thus, comes its contribution in the anti-aging arena.

Our body can absorb as much as 60% of the wheat grass juice. It is an excellent cleanser, toner and also protects the body from harmful radiations from the sun. It can stimulate blood flow in the body so extremely useful for collagen repair and also, rejuvenating the dead hair follicles.

It is also rich in fiber helping in weight loss.

How to consume Wheat Grass?

Juice it or chew it. Juicing is an easier option as chewing might or might not be a pleasant activity. But, it can be included in salads and dishes which requires garnishing along with parsley or coriander. While juicing, you can strain the juice and apply the pulp on your face and leave it on till it dries or for 30 minutes. Wash it off after the stipulated time.

You can also grow your own wheat grass. Buy some organic or non-organic wheat grains from a farmer's market and lay them in a tray. This is a great resource for instructions on how to grow wheat grass at home. I have to yet give it a try.

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American Corn - A Healthy Snack

We are getting so many American corns in the market these days. Why not make a good use of it and replace our unhealthy snacks with this healthy one. And, it is appetizing too. You can chew it directly, rub lemon with salt on the corn and then enjoy the taste or remove the corn and make simple salads or soups from it. You can also roast it lightly over the stove just like maize. Just remember never to over do it or the corn will get charred. All the recipes are easy to make and provide the same amount of nutrition. 

Corn is extremely good at cutting down the heart risks by around 10%. It is rich in all kind of vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber. Thus, eating corn is not only enjoyable but extremely healthy. More fiber means more weight loss. And, you can google for American Corn recipes and you will surely get a lot of them. You can also make corn parathas and include it in sandwiches along with paneer or aloo.So, next time you feel like munching on something, go ahead and bite into corn. You need not even think once about the calorie intake then. And, it also controls your cravings for junk food as it is naturally sweet. But, people with diabetes should be careful as excess corn can cause sugar spikes in the blood. The best thing is it is so cheap as compared to a pizza or even a pav bhaji as an evening snack.

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24 Letter Mantra Products by Sresta Natural Bio Product Limited

Disclaimers: This is not a brand endorsements or even for that matter a review. I am just recommending a brand which I found useful and beneficial for me. I was not sent any samples for reviews. Rather, I bought the products from nearby supermarket, Spencers. And, I am not compensated to write this post. The views and experience is entirely mine.

I have recently seen a huge increase in the people going for Olive Oils and other products which are deemed to be good for body but not produced in India. Thus, we have to rely on the international companies and buy what we get. But, as I pointed out in one of my posts, even the most famous and popular of the brands sell adulterated olive oil labeling it to be Extra-Virgin. You can read the article here. So, how much would you like to compromise on the quality? If you ask me, I would prefer to go for products produced in India so that at least I am able to distinguish between the qualities. 

So, I would like to introduce you to one of the first food organic company of India - 24 Letter Mantra. First, let me talk about its certifications. The company is registered with US FDA and is certified from USDA Organic, India Organic and Control Union. You would find their symbols on the products and the license numbers are also give in its site. And, has various process and quality certifications of ISO 9001 and 22000 among others. The products range from all fruits and vegetables to spices and bakery. I have not yet had a chance to visit its retail store. Once I visit it, I would surely report back. Unfortunately, it has only two retail stores across India - Hyderabad and Pune and has partner stores across the main towns across the country. Its website provides the requisite information. The one thing which struck me was that it does not label everything to be organic. For instance, it labels the raisins (kismis) 'Natural'. And, makes a clear cut distinction among its 'Organic' and 'Natural' products. It claims most of its products to be organic.

I have had a chance to use many of its products including spices, dry fruits and vegetable oils. The vegetable or cooking oils are all cold pressed and organic. It has five oils: Safflower, Coconut, Mustard, Peanut / Groundnut and Sesame Oil. I had a chance to use Mustard oil till July. The duration for safe usage of the oil was just 9 months. Same goes for the Groundnut oil. The texture of the oils are rough and the taste is harsh on the mouth specially for the Groundnut oil which makes it pretty clear that it has undergone minimum processing. I applied the oil on my hair too and I can definitely say that the result was better than the commercial oils I have used. Both mustard oil and groundnut oil cost 200 INR for 1 liter bottle. In case of spices and dry fruits, most of the spices are good to use for only 4-6 months. Some of the packed are usable for a year but not more.  And, the cost is reasonable. The packaging is neat and clean.

Update: So, recently, I  bought a jar of honey of the same brand. The jar is labeled 'organic'. The ingredients list contains only honey. When I opened the jar, I was immediately repulsed by the smell of honey and I was happy!!
You see contrary to the widely held belief that honey is very aromatic, the smell is unusual and takes getting used to. I know this because some years before I had a bottle of honey straight from the beehive when a certain beehive was burnt in my locality. So, I know what a real honey tastes like. (I consider myself lucky for that.) Real Honey is pale yellow in color (actually that might vary because of the quality of flowers on which the bees have fed and other environmental factors) and is extremely thin in consistency as opposed to the thick ones available in the market. It is not even that sweet as much as the market honey is made to be. This happened in 2006 or 2007. And, I am never likely to forget the smell and taste.
Coming back to the product which I bought, it is touted to be 'Himlayan Multiflower Honey'. I do not know how much truth is in that. But, at least the consistency of the honey is thinner than others and smells foul. Regarding the taste, I can say it tastes tad sweeter than the one I tasted long ago but I think that again varies on the flowers fed upon by the bees and environmental factors. The color is almost like Dabur Honey. The price of the jar is 115 INR for 300 gms. And, the expiry period is after 12 months from the date of manufacture.
I do have my own reservations on the product but the fact that it is organic and smells foul and is thinner in consistency wins the argument and I would say that this product is worth a try. The fact that it is USDA certified Organic makes it better for me. I have already posted on how chemically treated honey is poisonous for our body.

So, in case you get a chance to try out these products, I would recommend you to. And, if you are already using these products, I encourage you to share your views and experiences.

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