Archive for December, 2009
The energy drinks of today rely on extreme amounts of caffeine and sugar to shock our central nervous system into giving us a boost. This is very unhealthy. If you are a person who needs to reduce stress or often relies on the typical energy drinks to get you through, you need to know there are other choices that are natural, that can greatly improve your wellbeing.
There are a few new energy drinks on the market that are gaining national attention, and they are all natural. These healthy drinks could be your newest solution for handling the excess pressures and problems of modern life. Most of the products available to us today, use less than desirable ingredients, that are actually deleterious to our bodies and health. It’s about time we had a truly natural health and energy drink alternative that we could look forward to using daily.
One of the natural energy drinks, utilizes specialized herbs classified as adaptogens. Like most herbs they have healing properties, but are unique in the respect that they specifically give your body what is needs. They help to balance and relieve stress. They also naturally stimulate your body to produce more ATP or cellular energy and keep cortisol levels in balance. Keep reading for more on these fantastic herbals that might be in some of the healthy beverages out there.
An adaptogen, known in China as Wu wei zi, or the Schizandra herb, is a climbing vine which produces unique looking red berries. Schizandra is used in many high quality supplements to promote balance. Studies on the schizandra berries suggest that they have antibacterial properties. These berries are used in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as an herbal treatment for a wide range of conditions. They may also be effective for certain heart conditions. The plant also appears to give antioxidant protection when taken, it is a youth preserving herb, historically consumed by Chinese royalty. Schizandra can sooth irritation, including irritating skin conditions. The herb is also prescribed for insomnia, night terrors, coughs, lung problems, depression, and liver disorders.
Another not so widely know herb, Rhodiola Rosea, is added to many of the brain support and adrenal formulas of today. This herb is considered a powerful adaptogenic which means it helps your body adjust to what it needs at the time. It can be used as a brain health supplement to promote healthy cognitive functions such as focus, attention, concentration, memory and mental focus. So if your life is such that you need to fight fatigue, combat stress, ease depression and improve poor memory, you might want to look for a health and energy drink product that contains both of these incredible herbs.
By: Charise Princeton
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“Food Miles”, the distance our food travels between the farm that produced it and our table. Preliminary estimates in some areas suggest that less than 8.5% of our diet is produced on local farms. While fifteen years ago it was almost double. The environmental pressure that our food transportation produces is enormous. Food that has been locally produced and traveled less “food miles” not only is better for the environment but often tastes better too, Food has to be harvested in a much less mature state so it can “ripen” in transit while locally grown food can “ripen” on the plant. Fortunately people are becoming more aware of the source of their food.
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa State University, Ames Iowa reported in July 2003, that the weighted average source distance (WASD) for locally locally grown produce to reach institutional markets was 56 miles, while the conventional WASD for the produce to reach those same institutional points of sale was 1,494 miles, nearly 27 times further.
According to Statistics Canada’s, Food Consumption in Canada, imports of food as a percentage of net supply are going up. Between 1964 and 2001, imports of fruits (and fruit products) have gone from 67% to 97% of supply. Imports of vegetables (and vegetable products) have gone from 20% to 48% in the same time period. While dairy products, poultry, and eggs have remained relatively stable, imports of red meat have risen from 4.2% in 1964 to 24% in 2002
Critics tell us that this debate risks turning consumers off imported products from the developing world and fails to take into account the emissions produced by farmers who would fill the market gap.
We know the booming aviation market is also very good for farmers and consumers. The millions of tonnes of flowers, fruit and fish flown around the world every day is staggering. BUT, complex chemical reactions that occur when aviation fuel is burnt at high altitude make aircraft emissions nearly three times as damaging as the carbon dioxide to our environment over ground transport, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The British Government has the right line of thinking because they would like to reduce the environmental and social costs of food transport by 20 per cent by 2012. The country’s supermarkets are considering labeling produce with “food miles” showing the distance goods have traveled. Some of the large retailers like the US Wal-Mart, has started favoring suppliers that aggressively cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The ideal would be to have a system of labeling that would enable us to compare a product’s carbon footprint just as we currently compare price or nutritional value.
Take a minute to think of how many shopping carts are passing through supermarket checkouts each and every minute of every day in your country. How much precious fossil fuel is being burned up and added to the critical state of our atmosphere every single day to get this food to the shopping carts. Buying locally grown food, or taking the responsibility of growing some of your own food is no longer just a lifestyle option, it’s becoming a necessity for life itself. We all need to do our part if our children and grandchildren are going to have a safe place to live.
By: Carm Paynter
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Welcome to the Gourmet Indian Series. Today we bring you the dinner delight, Pork Vindaloo.
Got a Headache? Then this dish can the best thing that could happen to you. Recent research shows the ingredients in a curry, particularly a very spicy one like a Vindaloo, can cure a headache faster and more effectively than asprin or paracetemol. More importantly unlike those chemical concotions a curry doesn’t have unwanted side effects. The active tumeric ingredient in a vindaloo is also present in current medical treatments we use every day for treeating cold and flu symptoms.
Ingredients: 1.5 kgs of pork, 1/2 cup curry leaves, Grind: 20 red chilies, 10 peppercorns, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, 1 tsp. coriander seeds, 4 green cardamom pods, 2 small sticks cinnamon, 2 tsp. turmeric powder Slice: 7 medium onions (red onions), 1 head of garlic, 1 inch ginger, 6 green chilies, 30 centiliter of malt vinegar, 25 centiliter of oil, salt to taste
Method: 1. Grind the masala with vinegar. 2. Cut the pork into cubes and wash with weak
vinegar. 3. Rub the meat with the ground masala and keep overnight. 4. Heat the oil, add the curry leaves. 5. When they turn gold, add the meat with all the other ingredients. 6. Mix well, add the salt. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours until the meat is tender. 7. Cool and then transfer into clean jars.
Vindaloo is great with sandwiches, with dal and rice, hot parathas. Do not add any water. If there
is some cooking juice, make sure it is all evaporated. The sauce should be almost nonexistent, just coating the pork with bits of onions etc.
BON APÉTIT……
By: Chris Jacob
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Born 25th December 1981 in Melbourne, Australia, Chris (also known as CJ) graduated from Monash University in 2003 after completing Bachelor degrees in Commerce and Business Systems. He went on to co-own a Computer Troubleshooters franchise which also introduced him to the opportunities of writing for the News Corp, mX newspaper and Metro News in Australia. He continues in that jounalistic capcity today. He sold the business in late 2005 allowing him to pursue other opportunities both around Australia and abroad. At last check he was involved in global enterprises covering bereavement and business broking, writng a couple of books, becoming an art ditributor and developing an education platform for the new millenium. Chris can always be found having a good time on the dance floor and at any good restaraunt around town usually with a wine in his hand. He currently has no permanent residence but still calls Australia home.
Kansieo.com
You would think that the UK and USA does not produce any food, if this is the case then where has the billions of pounds gone that our two governments pay in farmers subsidies?
By buying food from abroad, developing countries get to market their produce world-wide and we get out of season food all year round. Everyones happy except the environment. Food transportation across the globe is making a significant contribution to climate change. Just look at the following examples:
Food in the UK travels 65% further than it did two decades ago
Heinz ketchup eaten in California is made with California-grown tomatoes shipped to Canada for processing and returned in bottles
In one year, the port of New York City exported $431,000 of Californian almonds to Italy, and imported $397,000 of Italian almonds to the US
Examples are from http://www.newint.org
What is local food and how can it help?
For many, local food is interpreted as unprocessed food, to be transformed by the consumer or a local shop rather than by the food industry. The food originates from as close to home as possible such as on a regional or national level. As such, local food reduces or eliminates the costs of transport, processing, packaging, and advertising. The go local food movement is currently flourishing with over 15% of people buying food locally and this number continues to rise as the number of farmers markets and local vegetable box schemes increases.
The benefit of locally grown fresh food is that it can be consumed almost immediately after production leading to an increase in food quality and taste as it may be sold fresher and usually riper. Also, the need for chemical preservatives to artificially extend the shelf-life can be reduced or eliminated.
Buying local food does not necessarily mean giving up all food coming from distant countries, but rather favoring local foods when available. Why buy apples from South Africa when you can buy British apples? But often buying food produced abroad can be cheaper (yes, cheaper) than locally produced food due to the subsidies the farmers receive and economies of scale from these large plantations.
It is also argued that national borders should preferably not be used to define what is local and instead measurements made in miles. The growth of Sat Nav systems maybe able to help in calculating the exact number of food miles that food has undertaken. For people living in, say, the south of England, food produced in northern France is more local than food produced in Scotland as it is closer. The local food movement in the European Union has been furhter complicated and hindered by EU rules requiring items produced in the EU, including food, to be marked as products of the EU, rather than as products of any particular country. The instinct of customers to buy nationally produced food in the name of patriotism was deemed to be a barrier to free trade and anti EU.
Studies need to be undertaken so that people can have faith and knowledge that the food that they are buying is actually reducing their carbon footprint on the earth. For example, we need to assess whether it is likely to be more environmentally friendly for tomatoes to be grown in the hot climate of Spain and transported to the UK than for the same tomatoes to be grown in greenhouses in the UK requiring huge amounts of electricity to light and heat them.
By: Davinos Greeno
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Hummingbirds are probably one of the most popular birds that people try to attract to their yards. Of course one of the simplest ways to attract them is to add to your yard the plants that they naturally feed on. This can include flowering plants like honeysuckle or trumpet creepers. But you may not be able to locate these where you can easily see them, so the next best solution is to mount a hummingbird feeder where you can see it, and that means you will need to fill it with hummingbird food.
The classic formulation is make make a solution of one part sugar to four parts water. Most experts suggest that you use cane sugar (the white granulated type is fine.) Starting with one cup of water and 1/4 cup of sugar should be enough to begin with, but you can make more and store it if you want. Let it cool and then store it in the refrigerator. Try not to store it for more than a couple of weeks.
The water should be boiled first, this not only makes it easier to dissolve the sugar in the water, but helps eliminate the chlorine and any other baddies in the water.
Add the sugar at a rate of 1 cup of sugar for four cups of water. Note that you can depart from this ratio somewhat, and in fact in the wintertime you may want to add more sugar to boost the energy content of the mix. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Be sure to use real sugar, artificial sweeteners are “low calorie” which means they have no nutritional value, and would do the birds no good. Don’t use honey, as it has different sugars (not the sucrose naturally found in nectar) and it tends to ferment quicker as well.
Natural nectar is odorless and clear, so there is no need to add food coloring to the mix, and the color of the feeder should be enough to attract your hummingbirds.
That’s all there is to making your own humming bird food.
But after you’ve made the hummingbird food for your feeder, it is critical that you clean your feeder often.
By: J Ruppel
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Many people underestimate the health benefits that fish can provide. Fish is a low fat food that provides an abundance of vitamins and minerals, as well as protein. It also contains the Omega 3 fatty acid. This is an essential fatty acid that has been proven to help fight heart disease when included in a healthy diet. In fact, many health professional recommend eating fish twice a week. Finding a tasty fish recipe can sometimes be a challenge, which is why I have included four of my favorite fish recipes below. I hope you enjoy them!
Poached Citrus Salmon
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs skinless salmon fillet
1 qt chicken stock
1 qt orange juice
2 cups white wine
1 small yellow onion (chopped)
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped lemon grass
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper
Directions:
Cut the salmon into equal portions. In a large sauce pan, pour in the chicken stock, white wine, orange juice, onion, lemon grass, and garlic. Mix the ingredients together, then add in the salt and white pepper. Allow this mixture to boil for about five minutes, then reduce it to a low boil. Drop the salmon into the mixture and let it cook for about five minutes, or until it becomes tender and flaky.
Baked Cod
Ingredients:
1 cup seasoned croutons (crushed)
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 cod fillets
1 tbsp ranch salad dressing
Butter-flavored spray
Directions:
In a bowl, mix together the parsley and crushed croutons. Baste the cod with ranch dressing, and then roll it in the crouton mixture. Spray with butter-flavored spray, then place it into a lightly greased 11 x 7-inch pan. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes at 400 degrees F, or until the fish has become flaky.
Fish Cakes (Catfish)
Ingredients:
1 lb catfish fillets
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 tsp prepared yellow mustard
1 tbsp creamy mayonnaise (recommend: Miracle Whip)
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
2 1/2 cups coarsely crushed Ritz crackers
1 egg
1 cup vegetable oil (to fry)
Directions:
Put the catfish into a sauce pan and add just enough water to cover the fish. Allow the water to come to a boil and cook the fish until it is well done. It should flake well with a fork. Drain out the water and mash the fish with a fork or potato masher. Add in the mustard, Old Bay seasoning, egg, cracker crumbs, onion, and salad dressing. Mix the ingredients well. Now you need to prepare the skillet for frying. Pour the oil in and bring it to a medium-high heat. Press the fish mixture into the shape of a patty and fry both sides in the oil until well done. Drain the excess grease using a paper towel.
Creamy Tilapia
Ingredients:
4 tilapia fillets
Butter-flavored spray
4 tsp margarine (melted)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill weed
1 tbsp lemon-pepper seasoning
4 tsp cream cheese
5 tbsp lemon juice, or to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill weed
Directions:
Grease a baking sheet and place the tilapia on the sheet. Give them a light spray with butter-flavored spray. Drizzle a bit of melted butter and lemon juice over each fillet. Season with lemon pepper as well as 2 tbsp dill. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes, or until the fish is done. It should flake easily with a fork. While the fish is in the oven, mix together the cream cheese, 2 tbsp dill, and 5 tbsp lemon juice. When it is well mixed, microwave for just over a minute, then stir. Place the cooked fillets onto plates and spoon the sauce on top of the fillets.
By: Patrick Carpen
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The Platinum Recipes Collection is the Internet’s Most Comprehensive Recipes Collection.