Olive Oil is not just for cooking | Here are 10 Unusual uses of olive oil

Benefits of Taking Energy Supplements

Do you go to the gym on a regular basis? Do you have an office job? No matter what type of work you do, you need energy to keep yourself going. Although diet and exercise carry a lot of weight, taking energy supplements is a great way of getting an energy boost in a natural manner. Let's go through some amazing benefits of supplements.

Benefits of energy supplements

First of all, it should be kept in mind that energy supplements have a great impact on your energy levels. For instance, they can help you boost your lifestyle. Given below are some of the major benefits that you can enjoy if you take these supplements on a regular basis.

They are healthier

Compared to the classic energy boosters, energy supplements are lot healthier. Most people opt for coffee to get the required energy boost. While coffee may help you improve your focus, the results don't last longer and you may feel uncomfortable. At times, you may even experience unpleasant crashes.

Apart from these, these drinks are rich in sugar and lots of other additives that you may not want in your diet. On the other hand, energy supplements are a great source of sustained energy that is good for your overall health.

Nutrients alternatives

These products can provide your body with essential nutrients that you can't get in your diet. According to experts, most of these supplements are loaded with nutrients and vitamins that can be found in natural foods as well. The good news is that these nutrients are part of most supplements that are sold in the market nowadays.

If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you may benefit greatly from the extra nutrients since you can only eat specific foods. Most people who don't eat dairy products or meat may not get enough vitamins like Vitamin B12. In order to meet this deficiency, they can opt for some good energy supplements.

Anxiety and stress

These products can help you deal with stress and anxiety. In today's world, stress and anxiety have become one of the most common psychological problems. If you are suffering from stress, we suggest that you try out some energy supplements. A special compound called pantothenic acid is found in the products that can help you reduce your stress, fatigue and tiredness.

Overall health

If you are looking for something to improve your general health, you should give a go to energy supplements. These products contain different types of compounds that can help you boost your overall health in an efficient manner. For instance, Folic acid may help you prevent negatives modifications in your DNA. As a result, your chances of getting cancer are reduced significantly. In the same way, niacin may help you improve our heart health in addition to reduce your cholesterol levels. Moreover, thiamine makes your heart, nervous system and muscles a lot stronger.

So, if you are looking for a product to boost your health, we suggest that you try out some good energy supplements.

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Lentils

Lentils are associated with the human food for thousands of years. Western Asia is believed to be the origin place of the lentils. They are available in different colors including green, brow, red, black, orange, etc.

The color, shape and size of lentils vary depending upon its type. However, mostly, all types of lentil are available throughout the year. Fresh lentils cannot be used for the consumption. Only dry lentils are included in the human meal. Many countries including US, India, Australia, Canada, Bangladesh, Turkey, Iran, and Ethiopia grow the lentils.

All over the world, there are numerous varieties of lentils are available. However, white, yellow and red lentils are widely used. After removing their seed coat, they are sold in the market. Seeds with the coat, split ones, and the whole lentils are also available for you to buy. You can use lentils to make curries, soups, salads and various other rice cuisines. Lentils are easily available and are healthy and tasty food.

Lentils are enriched with the proteins. They contain more than 25% proteins in it. People who cannot afford expensive meat or vegetable, their need of protein can be fulfilled with the lentils. They contain other minerals, vitamins, amino acid, dietary fiber, and folate, as well.

Lentil consumption is helpful for lowering cholesterol. Dietary fiber of lentil helps to lower down the cholesterol. The considerable amount of folate and magnesium in lentils restrain the damages to artery walls of the heart. Due to its iron content, it is known as a good energy supplier. It provides slow and steady energy which constrains sudden increment in the blood sugar after having a meal. Some of the studies claim that lentils are useful to prevent the breast cancer, as well.

Lentils have a mild flavor and tastes best when are cooked with the assertive flavored ingredients. Lentils, generally, hold their shape after cooking, but you can smash them easily, if cooked well. There is no need to soak the lentils. Unlike beans and peas, you can cook them up anytime without prior preparations.

Bigger lentils take longer time to cook and vice versa. You should keep in mind that, salt slows down the cooking speed of lentils. So, add salt only when you have finished cooking. One cup of the dried lentils will yield 3 cups of the cooked ones. Lentils absorb other flavors and seasonings. So, if they are cooked with assertive flavors, they will give the best taste.

While buying lentils, make sure that there are no insect damages, and they are not cracked. Remove foreign articles, shivered lentils and debris. Rinse them well in water and discard the water completely. Spread them in the dish or on the cloth and let them dry. Once they are dried, they are ready to cook.

Cooking method:

Take a sauce pan. Add adequate water in it. Use 3 cups of water for one cup of lentils. Let the water boil vigorously and then add washed and dried lentils in it. It is better adding lentils in boiling water than brought them to boil with the water. Green lentils usually take 30 minutes where as red ones takes about 20 minutes.

Determine the firmness according to the dish for which you will use these lentils. Soups and salads need firmer texture while curries require bit mushy lentils. When the desired results are achieved, remove the pan from the gas.

Don’t discard the hot water immediately. Lentils absorb water which makes them juicy and tasty. Let them be in a hot water for few minutes and then discard the water. Avoid using this discarded water for the preparation of final dish as it may change the color of final dish and may leave an unpleasant stink.

You can season these lentils with your favorite herbs and spices. Fresh lemon juice, vinegars, herbs works really well with the lentils. Add the salt after lentils are completely cooked otherwise it will make them hard and tough. Older lentils take longer time to cook. So, do not mix old lentils with the new ones. It may give an uneven result.

You can use these cooked lentils for any recipes including rice, soups or curries.

Storage:

Dry lentils have a long shelf life if they are stored properly. It is considered as a staple food for its durability. Store them in a cool and dry place in an airtight container. The color may fade away with time, but the quality will remain the same with few alterations.

Cooked lentils can be used even after one week from which they are cooked. Just make sure they are refrigerated in an air tight container. The frozen lentils kept in air tight container can be used even after six months. However, it might adversely affect their taste and quality.

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What happens to your body when you eat 3 EGGS every day

How the Spice Cumin Helps You Live a Healthier Life

Besides adding culinary sophistication to our cooking, integrating herbs and spices into the diet offers significant health benefits. Seasonings are known to have helpful and/or healing effects on many conditions, including nausea, infections, inflammatory problems, autoimmune disorders, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and digestive disorders.

Every spice and herb used in my recipes has one or more of these benefits. For example, turmeric helps reduce symptoms of arthritis and tendonitis, while cayenne has anti-coagulating properties and aids in circulation. Garlic helps heal colds and sore throats, while coriander can relieve joint inflammation. In a nutshell, herbs and spices are generously used in my recipes for flavor as well as for their healing and medicinal properties.

Cumin is one of my favorite spices. It is the dried seed of the herb Cuminum cyminum, a member of the parsley family. Its seeds were excavated at Tell ed-Der, a Syrian archeological site, around the second millennium BC, as well as at several ancient Egyptian sites. It's obviously been around for thousands of years.

Cumin stimulates the appetite and is invaluable as a digestive aid. In Ayurvedic circles it is considered a cleansing spice, as it helps eliminate digestive toxins. It also eases pain caused by indigestion, flatulence, or heaviness of the stomach, and reduces superficial inflammation by flushing toxins out of the body. Ayurvedic practitioners also believe cumin is an aphrodisiac.

Cumin is also known for increasing milk production in lactating mothers. Cumin is a skin-friendly herb and has a cooling effect on the body and reduces itching.

Used as a gargling solution, cumin freshens the mouth and eliminates foul odors. Prepared as a tea with a small piece of ginger it will relieve symptoms of the common cold.

It is delicious when added to a freshly chopped salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and a dab of olive oil.

If you would like to start using Cumin in your diet, I recommend the following delicious recipe that my uncle Hubert used to make when I used to live in India.

Cumin Chicken (Serves 4)

Ingredients 

1 large red onion 

2 cloves garlic 

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped 

2 tablespoons water 

4 large pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/2 tsp turmeric 

4 bay leaves 

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 tablespoons canola oil 

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 

1 each green and red bell pepper, chopped

Directions

1. In blender, puree onions, garlic, ginger and 2 tablespoons water. 

2. Except for bell peppers, mix ingredients in bowl with the paste from blender. Let sit 30 minutes. 

3. In a skillet, bring ingredients to a boil, then lower to simmer and cook, covered, until chicken is done. 

4. Add bell peppers and let sit 5 minutes to allow curry to absorb them. Serve over steamed rice.

To Your Longevity and Abundant Living!

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Royal Jelly To Boost Your Health

Royal jelly is a nutritional food secreted by worker bees in a beehive. The substance is usually fed to all colony larvae. However, when there is a need for a new queen bee, a group of the larvae are fed large quantities of the jelly. This exclusive feeding of royal jelly is what turns the normal bees into queen bees with a longer life expectancy compared to the worker bees. The queen bees are also much larger and end up laying thousands of eggs daily. In essence, this jelly variety can also be as beneficial to humans and luckily it is now available in supplement form. You can now easily boost your health using royal jelly supplements.

The Benefits of Royal Jelly

Controls cholesterol - Research conducted on volunteers prove that eating this jelly variety greatly decreases low density lipoprotein and total cholesterol without harming the levels of good cholesterol in anyway. The supplement can be a better natural option of keeping cholesterol levels down.

Prevents osteoporosis and bone loss - Studies have also shown that it prevents osteoporosis through the enhancement of intestinal calcium absorption. The enhanced absorption of calcium then makes it possible for the same to be deposited to the bone structure also preventing bone loss.

Protects from cancer - This jelly has a way of fighting cancer through the inhibition of blood supply to tumors. It works by suppressing the effects of blood vessel formations hence easily fighting cancers especially breast cancer. A daily dose of the royal jelly supplement can protect you from cancer.

Acts as an anti-inflammatory - Considering that chronic inflammation can be the cause of heart disease as well as other degenerative diseases including arthritis and Alzheimer's, royal jelly stands to be very helpful. Tests on pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-1, TNF-alpha and IL-6 ended up suppressing inflammatory compounds. Those with a history of Alzheimer's disease and heart disease will find the royal jelly very helpful in keeping these diseases under control.

Promotes healing - The jelly has minerals and vitamins including zinc, acetyl-choline, Vitamins B3, B2, B1, B6 and B5. They are all good for the skin and the acids contained in the jelly enhance the production of collagen thus leading to a glowing healthy skin. It shortens healing through skin renewal by nucleic acid, flavonoids, hormones and enzymes that it contains. The use of fresh royal jelly powder or supplements daily will optimize skin health.

Improves blood pressure and blood sugar - This is another one of the benefits. It decreases blood vessel constriction and this leads to lower systolic blood pressure and also reduces the insulin triglyceride levels. It can therefore be used as a functional food in the prevention of insulin resistance and blood pressure.

Protects the liver - The liver is exposed to lots of toxins from different things, including water taps and different kinds of drugs. This is one of the most important organs considering that everything that is ingested must pass through it for filtration. There is therefore a need to keep the liver healthy and clean. Royal jelly offers protective effects by flushing out the toxins.
The royal jelly supplement has many more health benefits and can therefore be a great addition to any good daily diet.

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