Potassium

While sodium is our principle extracellular cation (positively charged ion), potassium is our principal intracellular cation.
The normal functioning of the human body depends on an intricate balance of potassium and sodium concentrations. Potassium plays a critical role in nerve impulse transmission, maintaining cellular fluid volume and pH, muscle contraction, heart function and tissue growth and repair. Additionally, potassium helps our body hold onto calcium, while excessive sodium leads to both potassium and calcium loss (Rhoades and Pflanzer, 1996; Schauss, 1998).
Potassium is not as readily lost in sweat, partially because the composition of sweat is more similar to extracellular fluids, and potassium is primarily found intracellularly.
However, prolonged sweating in hot environments does lead to potassium loss through sweat, which may have significant consequences. The Committee on Military Nutrition Research, Food and Nutrition Board published a book called Fluid Replacement and Heat Stress. The chapter entitled “Potassium Deficiency as the Result of Training in Hot Weather” came to the conclusion that potassium loss in extreme training conditions may adversely effect blood flow, muscle function and energy storage, impairing both endurance and performance.

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Sodium and chloride

Usually a package deal, sodium and chloride are the major extracellular electrolytes in the human body, sodium providing the positive charge and chloride the negative charge. In addition to providing balance to one another, these ions are essential for maintaining blood volume and pH (Schauss, 1998). 

Sodium and chloride also happen to be the main electrolytes lost in sweat, especially during prolonged exertion in warm and hot environments. Though the average American consumes substantially more than enough sodium chloride, there are some individuals and situations in which these electrolytes should be supplemented. 

Those who experience higher than average sweating, either through recreational activities such as long-distance running, professional athletics, or mining, construction work, and the armed forces, need to replace both their fluids and their electrolytes (especially sodium and chloride) to maintain a healthy balance.

Drinking water alone can sometimes be counter-productive, as it will decrease the osmolality (concentration of ions) of the extracellular fluid, signaling the kidney to let go of even more fluid to find a balance. This “diluted blood” also tends to shut off the thirst mechanism. 

Because strenuous exercise actually requires fluid replacement to be slightly above fluid loss, thirst is a key way to assure that individuals will replace an adequate amount of fluid. 

Eating solid food is an effective way of replacing sodium and chloride, however there are many instances when this would be impossible or impractical. 

Therefore, adding sodium and chloride to the water of individuals who regularly sweat will not only replace the loss of these essential electrolytes, but will also help maintain proper blood osmolality, assuring thirst and kidney mechanisms to maintain adequate blood volume and hydration (Maughan and Shirreffs, 1997).

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Electrolytes

Electrolytes are the charged substances that result when a salt is dissolved in solution. These positive and negatively charged ions can conduct electricity, and are thus referred to as “electrolytes.” For instance, common table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). When dissolved in water (or blood), it separates into a positively charged sodium ion (Na+) and a negatively charged chloride ion (Cl-). Important electrolytes for physiological functions in humans include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), magnesium (Mg2+), and chloride (Cl-).
As a group, these electrolytes are involved in countless activities essential for life, including energy production, nerve transmission, muscle contractions, pH balance, fluid balance, and more. The human body, the amazing self-regulating organism that it is, has a number of mechanisms in place to maintain proper electrolyte balance.
However, human beings, the amazing boundary-pushers that we are, have put ourselves in a variety of situations that may threaten this balance—extreme environments, heavy physical activity, and inadequate diets can all contribute to situations in which humans have to give their normally self-regulating bodies a helping hand. In other words, under average conditions, healthy individuals will meet their electrolyte requirements over the course of a normal day by eating and drinking.
But when conditions promote excessive sweating and increased metabolic activity, especially those who have marginal electrolyte intake may place themselves at risk for deficiency. Environmental factors, such as a sharp decrease in the amount of minerals people now consume in their drinking water or eat in their foods, especially when too much sodium is consumed, can move more people into an electrolyte imbalance.


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Sports Drinks Vs Water - The Ugly Truth

Lucozade, Powerade, Gatorade...
In the 21st century - advertisements for energy drinks are everywhere. You can no longer switch on the television or flick open a magazine without seeing an advert for these glorified potions. It seems that these drinks are taking over the fitness world, and you only have to wander down to your local gym to see just how popular they are.
So what actually are these so called "sports drinks", and what do they proclaim to do?
A sports drink is a beverage designed to increase energy levels, replace electrolytes and and keep you hydrated. So let's look at how they claim to do this:
Increase Energy Levels
Sports Drinks are full of sugar - A 500ml bottle of Lucozade energy contains 21 teaspoons of sugar! To put that into perspective, a can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. When these sports drinks are consumed, our body converts all the sugar into glucose which is released into our blood stream. This glucose provides our bodies with energy - which is what gives us that "alert" feeling.
The problem is - glucose is a very short lived energy source and has detrimental effects on the body. When we drink sports drinks, our bodies have to produce large amounts of insulin to help our cells absorb the glucose from our blood stream. Any excess glucose is then converted to fat in our livers and deposited into our cells. Insulin also inhibits the breakdown of fat within our bodies. Both these factors encourage the accumulation of fat, and are counter productive when you consider the reason people are at the gym!
The counter argument to this is that the sports drinks provide you with the energy you require to perform an intense workout - which provides benefits that far exceed the negative impacts of the sports drink. Well I say that is a terrible argument, and here's why..

The average person that visits the gym performs moderate intensity exercise for around 30 minutes. Let's imagine their chosen exercise is running - in which case they will burn around 250-400 calories in their session. Now let's imagine they consume a 500ml bottle of Lucozade Sport, which contains 140 calories. That is around half the total calories that they are burning by being at the gym, just from consuming an energy drink. So for every 10 minutes they run, they are only burning 5 minutes worth of calories...
What makes matters worse is the sugar in the sports drink - which is bad for two reasons.
1. As explained earlier - consuming sugar causes a surge in insulin levels, which promotes the accumulation of fat within our bodies.
2. When glucose is readily available in our bloodstream, our cells will use this as their primary source of energy. As a result, the energy we require to perform exercise will come from the glucose in our blood. If we didn't drink the sports drink then our cells would not have access to that glucose - which means they would have to get energy from breaking down our fat.
As you can see - sports drinks are a counter-productive method for someone who want's to lose fat. However, those in support of sports drinks will still argue that they provide you with the energy that you require to perform exercise. However again, that is a flawed argument..
The average gym visitor has access to more than enough energy to perform 30 minutes of exercise. They are likely to have glucose in their bloodstream from their meals that day, and if they run out of glucose, they can breakdown fat reserves to power their bodies. The only time when sports drinks are beneficial is for ultra endurance athletes - the kind that are performing intense exercise for hours on end. But even then, there are far better sources of energy - what's wrong with a good old banana? Not only is this far better for your body than sports drinks, but it is broken down far slower so provides sustained energy over a long period of time - as opposed to a short spike that is supplied by glucose. In short - sports drinks are just as bad for us as sweets, and there are far better ways to provide our bodies with the energy required for exercise.
Replacing Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals that can be found in blood and cells, and help to regulate bodily fluids. The most well known of these are Sodium and Chloride.
During exercise - the body's electrolyte balance can begin to shift - and as the body loses electrolytes through sweat, the imbalance can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue and nausea. Sports drinks capitalise on this by promising that they can replace the electrolytes in our bodies and prevent these symptoms Whilst there may be an element of truth in this - it is irrelevant to the average gym visitor. Our bodies lose electrolytes relatively slowly, so unless you are exercising for over an hour, your body will be able to address its electrolyte imbalance without the need for sports drinks.
Hydration
The final promise of the "sports drinks" is that they keep you hydrated. Keeping hydrated is an important part of any exercise routine, as the body loses water far quicker than it loses electrolytes. A lack of water can lead to dehydration which results in fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness and poor concentration.
However - do you want to know the best way to keep your body hydrated? WATER

There is absolutely no better way to hydrate your body than to drink water - and plenty of it. What's more - it's free, contains no calories and has a multitude of benefits to your body.
The other trouble will sports drinks is that they encourage you to drink before you feel thirsty. They claim the reason for this is that once you feel thirsty - it is too late - and dehydration has already kicked in. This is absolute nonsense, and there is simply no scientific research to back up this claim. Our bodies are extremely complex machines that have evolved over thousands of years. Considering water is the single most important element for our survival, I'm sure our bodies have developed the ability to warn us when we need to drink (before we get dehydrated). And how does it do that? It's called being thirsty!
The fact of the matter is, we do not need to drink water until we feel thirsty, as this is our bodies way of letting us know we need to drink. The danger of drinking before we feel thirsty is that it can result in over hydration - which is very dangerous. People very rarely die of dehydration, but it is very common for people to die of over hydration.
So there you have it..
Sports Drinks are completely unnecessary for the average gym visitor:
- They contain a massive amount of sugar.
- They are rich in calories
- They promote fat accumulation in your body.
- They are a short term energy source.
- They are useless in regards to replacing electrolytes unless exercising for 1 hour+
- They are an expensive form of hydration - water is free and more effective.

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Salt and Sodium - Are They the Same?

Salt, some of us like the taste, some of us can't stand it, but like it or not it is required in your daily intake. But just how much do you need?

The amount of salt intake will vary depending on your physical activity as well as other factors. Runners for example, the recommended salt intake per day is less than 2,300 milligrams.

Salt has been liked to various forms of diseases and conditions, such as high blood pressure and even Dementia. In Therapy Today Magazine, research director Iain Ryrie said "that If people want to protect themselves against dementia, they should limit the amount of salt and saturated fat they consume and eat foods that contain essential B vitamins, Omega 3 and zinc."

Sodium which is found in salt, is big culprit when it comes to these conditions. The present average person intakes, approximately 3000-4500 mg/day of sodium That is very high, and is, 2-3-fold in comparison with the current Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) of 1500 mg.

According to Matthew Kadey of Muscle & Fitness, "Between checking labels for fat grams and counting carbs, who has time to think about sodium? You don`t need to obsess over sodium intake, but you should probably work on ways to reduce it in your diet. Here`s why: It`s estimated that 25% of people with normal blood pressure and about 60% of those with high blood pressure are salt-sensitive, which means that as salt intake goes up, so does blood pressure. If you`re salt-sensitive, you may be at a much higher risk for strokes and heart attacks, even though your blood pressure may ordinarily be normal."

Kadey continues, "The sodium in salt can raise your blood pressure in two ways. By causing the body to retain water, sodium increases blood volume and therefore blood pressure. Sodium also causes smooth muscle contraction and constriction of small blood vessels, which is associated with a greater resistance to blood flow. The common "cheat" day that`s a part of many fitness enthusiasts` diets can produce an elevated heart rate and blood pressure in response to a sudden increase in sodium ingestion."

"With excessive sodium intake, there`s more to worry about than just high blood pressure. When you consume too much sodium, your body retains water to dilute the sodium concentration in your blood to a healthier level. As a result, you urinate less and bloating can occur. So next time your pants feel a little snug, think about that soup you had for lunch -- a can of chicken noodle soup has 2,690 mg of sodium! But you also don`t want to go too far in your efforts to avoid sodium. The extreme sodium restriction often employed by fitness competitors and bodybuilders can result in this same water retention as the body fights to retain sodium and, in turn, water," claims Kadey.

So what is the different between sodium and salt? Kadey says, "Sodium is an element found naturally in various foods, and it`s essential that we get some in our diets because it regulates the body`s fluid balance and blood pressure, helps the muscles relax and carries nutrients to the cells. Table salt (sodium chloride) consists of 40% sodium and 60% chloride; a teaspoon contains 2,300 mg of sodium. Sodium and salt are terms often used interchangeably."

So when choosing your foods read the labels and choose foods with 200mg or less of sodium. Do not just concentrate on reading the fat and carb contents. Remove the salt shaker from the table and use as little salt as possible when cooking. Chances are you are already getting enough in your diet, regardless of how good or bad it is.

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Sea Salt Vs Table Salt - Which Is Better?

You've probably heard that sea salt is so much healthier for you than table salt. You may have also heard that it has less sodium than table salt. I've heard these claims too. I wanted to see if they were really true, so, I decided to check them out.

Where does sea salt come from?

Most people are likely aware that sea salt comes from, well, the sea. Or, at least, it can. You get this salt from the evaporation of ocean water; you also get it from the evaporation of saltwater lakes. Yes, some lakes are actually saltwater. Usually, once the water has evaporated, there is very little processing done to the salt before it goes to the consumer. This means that certain minerals and elements stay in the salt and don't get processed out.

Where does table salt come from?

Table salt also comes from the evaporation of saltwater. However, it is different because it is mined from underground deposits where there was originally a body of salted water. It is also different in that it is heavily processed so that they can get rid of the minerals (American Heart Association, 2013, para. 7).

What about those minerals?

Sea salt has trace levels of the minerals magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Since those are healthy, we should get as much as we can, right? Unfortunately, the amounts are very small. You can easily get those amounts, and much more, from eating other healthy foods.

Does table salt have anything good in it? Most has iodine added to it. This is a good thing. Since the 1920s they've been adding iodine to table salt - they've been doing it to prevent goiter, a disease you can get from not having enough iodine. Sea salt does not have iodine (AHA, 2013, para. 9).

Do they add anything else to table salt? Yes, there is a tiny amount of harmless additives which prevent clumping. The powder form of coffee, tea, sugar and milk, also have non-clumping additives.

So, what's the difference?

Sea salt can be coarse, fine, or flaky; it can also come in various colors and have a unique flavor. It's great for food that's already cooked. However, once it's cooked or dissolved it loses its distinctive flavor. Table salt has a fine texture and it's perfect for using in recipes.

Bottom line

Both of these salts have the same amount of sodium by weight. Yes, they have the same amount of sodium! If you think that sea salt is healthier and has less sodium, you may use more of it and thereby increase your sodium intake. This is bad. We should have no more than 2300 mg of sodium per day. If you're over 51, black, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, you should have only 1500 mg per day (Zeratsky, 2013, para. 4-5). The US National average is 3300 mg per day!

Some sea salt has a stronger taste than table salt so if you truly do use less, then it could be a good choice. Just keep in mind that they both have the same sodium content, and you can easily get sea salt's trace amounts of minerals from other food. So, there is no health value to using sea salt over table salt if you're using the same quantity.

Speaking of value, have you noticed how much sea salt costs?!





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Rice Diet - Brown Rice Detox Recipes

Nowadays, people are getting more aware about the importance of maintaining their health. There are many things that people do in order to keep healthy such as exercising regularly, doing yoga or meditation, quitting smoking, reducing the consumption of alcohol, avoiding unhealthy foods, doing a detox program, going on a healthy diet and many more. For those who are overweight or with a serious health problem, doctors might suggest them to go on the Rice Diet. This diet is an excellent weight loss program; you can lose between 20 to 30 pounds in the first month, and 2.5 to 3.5 pounds per week in the later stages.The program consists of very low-calorie, high-complex carbohydrate, low-fat, low-sugar, low-sodium, low-protein diet that will help detoxify and treat chronic health problems. The diet plan requires the use of brown rice. Regular white rice contains a lot of sodium, sugar, and bad fats which are some of the major causes of weight gain and many diseases such as diabetes. On the other hand, brown rice is rich in fiber and healthy fats that help lower bad cholesterol levels.Besides fiber and good fats, brown rice is also rich in iodine, potassium and essential minerals that are good for your body. It also helps detoxify your body and enhance your energy levels as well mental awareness. Furthermore, it can help you lose weight quickly. Most people do not like the taste of brown rice. However, you can easily turn them into delicious dishes by following easy brown rice detox recipes that can be found in various diet books or on the internet.The detox program does not require you to consume only brown rice throughout the day. For breakfast, you are allowed to consume one serving of fruit, such as banana, apple, pear or citrus. For a wholesome breakfast, you can try the following rice porridge recipe. Combine ½ cup of brown rice, 1 cup of almond milk and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg powder in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring frequently. Cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer for about 45 minutes and serve with walnuts, ground flaxseed and chopped Fuji apple.For lunch and dinner, you must consume about 1 to 2 bowls of fresh vegetables in each meal. You can choose whatever vegetables you like, and they do not have to be the same every day. The following Brown Rice Pilaf is very easy to make. Chop 1 medium onion and 1 green pepper and saute them in a large pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1 ¼ cups of brown rice and 2 cloves of garlic; stir until the rice is lightly browned. Add 1 ½ cups of water, 1 cup of chicken broth, a pinch of dried thyme and a pinch of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer for 40 minutes or until the rice is tender. This dish serves up to 6 people, and you can serve it with a side of green salad.

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Tomatoes for Healthy Life

Tomato is a deep red pulpy fruit which comes from the Lycopersicon esculentum plant. According to botanical classification, it belongs to the Solanaceae family. Botanically, tomato is considered to be an edible fruit but when it comes to the cooking practices it is largely considered a vegetable. This fruit originated in South America and has spread all over the world. At present there are at least 7500 different varieties of tomatoes known to us. This fruit is liked because of its tangy taste and is used to prepare a wide range of dishes like jam, sauce, pickles, juice, curries etc.

Nutritional Benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes provide a lower amount of calories and fats and at the same time they are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. An intake of this fruit is recommended to people who are obese and those suffering from higher levels of cholesterol.

It is a rich source of phyto-nutrients named lycopene and beta-carotene. The cell walls of tomato contain Lycopene which acts as an antioxidant protecting the cells and its structures from oxygen free radicals. According to the studies performed by Dr. Edward Giovannucci, Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, Massachusetts, this nutrient lycopene, protects us from many kinds of cancers like the prostate cancer.

Lycopene prevents heart diseases.

Lycopene is associated with the prevention of age-related macular degeneration

Cooking practices like heating or frying it in a little bit oil, does not spoil the nutritional value of tomato. Lycopene is fat soluble hence cooking in a little bit of oil, releases this nutrient from the cell walls of tomatoes to a greater extent.

Intake of tomatoes helps to maintain the Sodium/potassium balance as they provide a lower concentration of sodium and at the same time are richer in potassium. This in turn regulates the blood pressure and allows the cell to function normally.

Tomatoes are richer in two vital vitamins which are Vitamin A and C. Hence they are good for eyes and maintenance of mucus membrane of the skin. They help in developing resistance against infectious agents.

It helps in curing the blisters and ulcers of mouth.



These are some of the innumerable health benefits associated with intake of tomatoes. Many nutritional facts are still being researched. It is good to include this vegetable in our daily diet. As cooking practices do not spoil the nutritional value of this fruit it can be preserved in many ways to get the taste of tomatoes all the year-round. Some preservation methods have been described below.

Preservation of Tomatoes

Tomatoes can be preserved in various ways so that the flavor, taste and nutritional value are retained. The preservation techniques help us to get the tangy taste of tomatoes even when the price of tomatoes reaches the sky. Various home based methods which increase the shelf life of tomatoes have been discussed below.

The techniques discussed below depend on the kind of tomatoes chosen. Red tomatoes which have a very high content of vitamins have to be plucked from the garden during sunrise. During this time the fruits are still cool as the temperatures are low during the past night. Care should be taken to discard those tomatoes which have any kind of black spots. The tomatoes should be properly cleaned with water and should be kept away from prolonged exposure to sunlight before the preparation as this would spoil the tomatoes.

Preparation of Peeled Tomato Preserves

These peeled tomatoes can be used to prepare sauce all the year-round. To prepare this, the tomatoes are gently dipped into hot boiling water for 30 seconds. Soon after this the tomatoes are removed from the cooking pot with the help of a sieve and plunged immediately into cold water for few minutes. This helps to loosen the skin of tomatoes. After this the skin of tomatoes is completely peeled. Clean and dried jars are used to store the peeled tomatoes. Tomatoes are allowed to fit snugly against each other by tapping the bottom of the jar. Lemon juice without the pips is extracted and added to the jars. The amount of lemon juice to be added comes to one coffee-spoonful per half-liter of the jar. The jar is filled up with some amount of hot tomato pulp. The jars are then tightly screwed and allowed for sterilization in hot boiling water for a span of 45 minutes. These jars are allowed to cool and then cleaned and dried. These jars can be stored in a cool dry place and should be consumed within a span of one year.

Preparation of Tomato Pulp

Good tomatoes are chosen and cut into two halves to check for rotten tomatoes. An extractor is used to separate pulp from the seeds and the skin of the tomatoes. As an alternative to an extractor the tomatoes can also be cut into very small pieces and squashed. The seeds and the skin can also be separated with the help of a sieve. These steps can be repeated several times to maximize the yield. The extracted pulp is subjected to pre-heating at low temperature. This pulp is then filled into the jars along with a spoonful of lemon juice. These jars have to be sterilized for a span of 45 minutes.

Preparation of Dried Tomatoes

The tomatoes are cut lengthwise into two halves. The seeds are to be carefully removed using hands or spoons. These pips or seeds can be later sun-dried and used to grow the next crop of tomato plants. After this the tomatoes are further cut into small and uniform sizes measuring approximately one centimeter in thickness. These tomato pieces are sun-dried. This technique preserves the tomatoes for a span of three months.

To preserve the tomatoes for more than three months further processing is involved. Water containing a spoonful of salt and preservatives like citric acid powder is boiled. Addition of salt and preservatives prevents the tomatoes from getting blackened during the drying process.

The small pieces of tomatoes and their slices are subjected to the process of blanching. In order to blanch tomatoes, they are put into a clean cloth or a basket and plunged into the above mentioned boiling water for three minutes. Blanching is a preservation technique wherein vegetables are boiled before drying to kill the enzymes which spoil the food. After blanching tomato pieces are drained and then sun-dried with the help of dryers for at least two and a half days. The dried tomatoes are later gathered and cooled for half an hour in a shady place so that they do not release moisture while packing. These tomatoes are then packed into a polythene bags which are later kept into cardboard boxes containing straw. This protects the tomatoes from dampness and preserves them for one year.

Some other ways by which tomatoes can be preserved are by making puree, sauce, jam or pickle.

This deep red fruit not only activates your taste buds but it also encompasses some very wonderful nutritional and medicinal properties. It is a boon for those who want to reduce weight as it can be taken as salad during any time of the day. This fruit has the power to fight against many diseases and at the same time does not lose its nutritional significance upon cooking. With so many advantages associated with this fruit should we not make this a part of our daily diet?


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Celery Juice - Nutritious and Versatile

Among the many vegetable juices from which you can choose, one of the best is celery juice. Not only is it a good choice to mix with other juices, but it is a highly nutritious drink in its own right. Celery juice contains vitamins B and C, and a number of minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, sodium, sulphur, iron and calcium.

Celery juice has a calming effect, and this is thought to be due to the action of the essential oils which have a regulatory effect upon the nervous system. It is used for those suffering from insomnia. If the seeds of the plant are available, they could be added to the juice, for the essential oils which are so beneficial are also present in the seeds. The root, stem and leaves of the celery plant all contain the active ingredients of the plant, and are rich in nutrients.

Celery juice is a natural diuretic, and is an effective treatment for arthritis, gout and rheumatism. Large quantities of the juice can be consumed by patients with these conditions. It is also considered to be useful in cases of kidney stones and gallstones, and is a good treatment for those with bladder problems or those with constipation. It is also considered to be helpful for those who need to lose weight, inasmuch as it is said to reduce the craving for sweet foods, and when mixed with honey and consumed before a meal it is said to reduce the appetite.

Celery juice is used to balance the PH levels in the blood, and is extremely effective in the treatment of stomach acidity and reflux. High acidity in the body can result in degeneration of bones and joints which may be caused by consuming too much meat, too many grains or too many refined starches and sugars. Celery juice will aid in the elimination of calcium deposits before they can cause damage.

Celery juice can be used in hot climates for its cooling qualities and is an excellent drink to take if you need to replace minerals and fluid due to excessive perspiration. Celery juice is a good mixer, and is delicious when mixed with carrot juice or apple juice, and the injection of the combination of nutrients is so beneficial not just because of its inherent nutritional value, but also because of the fact that those nutrients are so readily assimilated when consumed in the form of juice. Celery juice is said to be good for the brain, and is also said to be useful in the treatment of hangovers.

The juice from the celery plant is useful as part of any detoxification programme, and is used also for the regulation of blood pressure. In ancient Greece, the juice from celery was consumed as a treatment for headaches. Don't forget to juice the leaves as well as the stems and roots, and when choosing your celery for juicing, try to choose a plant which has a nice green colour.




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