Monday, January 27, 2020

How do you make the simple changes that can really impact your daily health?

The place where good health begins is your kitchen.
The utensils that you use to cook, the wrapping that you store your food in and the method you use to reheat food can all affect your micro-nutrient status, especially that of Iron, Calcium, Zinc and even vitamins like B12, folic acid, etc. Micro-nutrient deficiencies can lead to imbalances in hormones, irritability, constipation, etc, all of which can make weight loss an elusive dream. So, if you want sustainable health and weight loss, this is where it all begins.
In fact, if you look around, you will notice that waists were slimmer when our kitchens were larger. Now we have homes with bathrooms larger than kitchens, because intuitively the real estate market knows that in the world of micro-nutrient deficiency, people are spending more time in their toilets than in their kitchens.

So here’s me trying to compress the big idea of sustainable health into three small but significant kitchen rules for a healthier and happier you.
1. Reduce plastic
2. Bring back the iron kadhai
3. Heat, don’t microwave

Reduce plastic

Plastic is a major pollutant not just for our environment but also for the hormonal balance in our body. It releases estrogenic chemicals in our body and disturbs the ratio between our male and female hormones. This is especially important if you have PCOD, adult acne or are a young girl at puberty.
Some quick places where you can start:
1. Use cloth bag instead of plastic bags to shop for vegetables and fruits. Avoid buying veggies and fruits that come individually packed in plastic or thermocol.
2. No plastic tiffin boxes, especially for hot food, and no plastic cutlery. Use your hands. Also, no cling films for fruits and dabbas. France by the way is the first country to ban plastic cutlery. Use steel dabbas and malmal cloth for wrapping rotis, etc.
3. Use steel or copper water bottles for drinking water when travelling and not plastic bottles (including mineral water bottles).

Bring back the iron pan /skillet

The iron pan is an important and undervalued source of iron in your diet.
Much of our lack of energy and enthusiasm, as well as anger, stems from low haemoglobin concentration. Micronutrient deficiencies don’t always need an expensive supplement, they just need an inexpensive change in the kitchen environment. Women who struggle with too much bleeding during periods or the complete lack of it are often prescribed iron tablets. But a lot of them are unable to take the supplement due to the digestion problems it causes. A simple change by cooking in an iron pan solves this problem.
1. Say goodbye to your Teflon-coated non-stick pan that have made you believe that glory lies in avoiding fat (you know now that it doesn’t).
2. Cook your stir fry  in an iron pan. Don’t forget to add ghee or oil and spices and I bet you will never fall short of iron ever again.
3. Also, let go of the aluminium vessels and foil too. You can use stainless steel or brass. Exposure to aluminium lowers the levels of zinc, an important mineral for our bodies, especially for brain health and diabetes prevention.

Heat, don’t microwave

First of all, if you are microwaving, it means you are just overcooking and then overeating, followed by overstoring and again overeating. So stop this vicious cycle and if you have to heat food, simply heat it slowly on a flame. Microwaving is harmful for the micronutrients in the food as it heats them quickly at extremely high temperatures at which their bonds break and they are oxidised, becoming toxic for your body.
If for some reason you have to reheat your food often, then do this: Take out the portion you want to eat in a small vessel and then slow-heat it on your gas stove. It may take a minute or two more than microwaving, but the nutrients and taste it retains is well worth the trouble.If you are unable to heat on a regular stove and microwaving is the only option, use a ceramic or glass bowl and avoid plastic. Every step in the right direction counts.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Kashmir Tea

Kashmiri Kahwa or Kehwa Chai or Kashmiri Tea is a traditional Kashmiri tea flavoured with cardamom and infused with cloves, cinnamon and saffron. It was traditionally prepared in a brass kettle known as samovar. It is basically green tea with flavours of spices
Kahwa tea drink is generally served with a sprinkling of chopped dry fruits like almonds, cherry pistachios or cashew nuts, almonds being the most popular.
It is usually served after meals in any Kashmiri household as it aids in digestion and burns the fat.
It reduces the risk of heart disease by keeping the deposition of cholesterol in check.
Saffron used in kahwa is rich in vitamin B12 and aids in immunity building and keeping the body’s defence mechanism in check.
Since it is rich in anti oxidants, it is a great stress buster and it also helps to improve metabolism. It is a great remedy for cold and cough and improves skin health.
The only thing to keep in mind while making Kahwa is that you should not add leaves while the heat is on.
How to prepare Kahwa?

Traditionally, kahwah is prepared in a copper kettle known as a samovar. A samovar consists of a “fire-container” running as a central cavity, in which live coals are placed keeping the tea perpetually hot. Around the fire-container there is a space for water to boil and the tealeaves and other ingredients are mixed with the water. Kahwah may also be made in normal pans and vessels, as modern day urban living may not always permit the use of elaborate samovars” – Wikipedia

Boil the water with spices and saffron and then switch off the heat. Let the water rest for a few seconds and then add the tea leaves. It helps to retain the nutritions in the tea intact and do not hamper with the taste.

You can get tea leaves from Amazon UK  

Monday, January 13, 2020

Why do we light candles or lamps when we pray ?


Candle burning goes as far back as the ancient Egyptians. They were not used by the Egyptians just for light, they also used them in forms of prayer and ritual. From ancient times all the way up to the present time candles are widely used in the practice of prayer and ritual. When you go into a church there are candles burning on the alter and it is certainly not because the priest needs some light. We see candles at weddings when they are lit to ensure a long happy marriage. They are even burned at funerals in honor of the dead. Candles have a special energy and power to them, a power that many are not aware of.

Candles are good for good for mindful relaxation, too, like when you intend to release negative energy, such as anxiety and stress. Also, candles are utilized during séances, wherein the psychic medium and the participants gather their collective energies, with the intention of communicating with the spirits of the departed. Many psychics also light candles when making psychic predictions, and while conducting a reading.
Furthermore, candles have a way of changing the ambience in a room, making it more subdued and calm. This sense of calmness that candles radiate allows you to become more sensitive to your psychic senses, and become more connected with the universe.

• Select a candle that you feel most comfortable with. Listen to your intuitive senses when choosing the colour, shape, size, and scent.
Always use a new candle, because those that have already been lit have embedded energies in them from when they were previously used.
• Go to a quiet room with minimal wind or draft.
• Light your candle and close your eyes.
• Meditate. Relax your mind and body, and when your breathing becomes relaxed, express your intention. Visualize your desire in your mind, and mentally affirm it is what you want.
• Remember that when you state your desire, you need not plead or beg.
• Believe, claim, and thank the universe. Because you know without a doubt that what you intend will come to pass, it's only fitting that you send out your appreciation to the universe as well.
• Now, release your intention. You can do this by either blowing out the flame, or by allowing the candle to burn out on its own. Once you release your desire, stop thinking about it. The universe will handle the details. Know with confidence that it's yours, leaving the details up to the Universe
• Then bring your awareness back into the room.

Candles are a great psychic tool to use for focusing and releasing your power of intention.