Amazing Health Benefits Of Curry leaves

Two trips to Hyderabad and I fell in love with the local food. Rich in spices, flavor,
a fine balance of nutritious carbs like ragi, millets, barley, along with lentils and fresh
vegetables, what also made me appreciative of this cuisine was the more than liberal
use of ‘ curry leaves’ , also known as ‘ curry patta’ in most of their food.

The ‘curry leaf’ is a powerhouse of nutrition. It has been used to cure and prevent
diseases for generations.

It is an essential ingredient in Indian cooking especially in South India. However, it's customary for most of us to
simply remove and throw the leaf from our food and not consume it. Well, you shouldn't be doing that!

This leaf builds strong immunity in children and adults.

It stimulates digestive enzymes and helps break down food more easily.
Have a glass of buttermilk mixed with a
little hing (asafoetida) with a few curry leaves thrown after meal for good digestion.

Chewing curry leaves if known to help one lose body fat. Grind it into
a juice with lemon juice and ginger.

Rich in fiber, these leaves can contribute to a healthy bowel movement.

Curry leaves improve eye sight and is known to prevent cataract

Excellent for hair growth and for preventing graying of hair.

Regulates cholesterol in the body

Rich in antioxidants, these leaves have anti-cancer properties.

Decreases the side effects which come with chemotherapy and radiation sessions.

Excellent for diabetes. Regulates blood sugar levels in the body

Besides using the fresh leaves in cooking, one can also add these
fresh leaves to vegetable juices.
 
You can dry the leaves and grind them into a powder, which you can then sprinkle
over food, especially if your kids don’t like the sight of leaves in their food.

This way they can still reap the benefits of curry leaf nutrition.

You can even add them to your chutneys for taste and enhanced nutrition.

Carbs and Weight Loss

Carbs have become the buzz word when it comes to weight loss and health.

Do low carb diets and weight loss go hand in hand?

Yes, if you want short term results.
Yes, if you want to lose some weight and your hair too.
Yes, if you want to look gaunt and old.
Yes, if you want to gain the lost weight back, quickly.
Yes, if you want to deprive your body of essential vitamins.

Going back to school, carbohydrates are classified as a Macro-Nutrient, along with 
protein and fats.

A macro nutrient is called a MACRO nutrient, because of the enormous amount of nutrition
it provides when it comes to providing energy to the body and vital organs, and the BRAIN.

There's no science involved when it comes to lowering your carb intake. You will lose weight.

But, is that the right way to lose weight?

There are good carbs and bad carbs,,and sometimes eating the good carbs can become bad
when our overall intake increases thru the day, due to mindless snacking, emotional eating
and eating more than our body requires. Eating your meal at a fast pace also makes us eat more than
our body requires.

Good complex carbs provide us with great energy: -

Energy that is required for a super charged metabolism.
Energy that is required for the brain to function well.
Energy that can prevent us from 'crashing' during the day and reaching out for quick sugar and salt fixes.
Energy that can help us excel at our workouts
Energy that can help us BURN FAT
Energy that keeps us from getting irritable and frustrated.
Energy that can keep us feeling full for a longer period of time.

Here are some of those amazing carb foods that one should eat daily.

Whole wheat pasta 
( should be 100% whole wheat)
Cook this carb in a tomato based sauce with loads of veggies, spices and herbs. Portion control. Don't over eat.

Oatmeal

Excellent for the heart and for losing fat. Rich in fiber, keeps you full and satiated. Cleanses the intestines and colon
as it passes thru the body.

Beans

Black beans, rajma, channa, navy beans, all beans, rich in fiber, protein, folic acid, zinc, iron. Helps burn fat
and build lean mass. Excellent for cholesterol and heart health.

Brown rice 

Pure brown rice is rich in fiber and nutrients, that can help you lose weight and pump up your nutrition levels.

Green peas

Rich in protein, fiber and nutrients. Excellent for the hair and skin.

Barley

What an amazing grain. Can be cooked in so many ways, highly nutritious, extremely low in fat, excellent
to drain out excess body water

Whole wheat bread

Don't get fooled by the packaging. The first ingredient must be WHOLE WHEAT and not Enriched or Bleached wheat.
Enjoy a sandwich, it's a great way or combining vegggies, protein and carbs.

Quinoa

Not local to India, but a highly nutritious grain, low in fat, rich in protein and fiber.
The Indian equivalent, nutrition wise would be brown rice.

Homemade Popcorn

Not the micro wave cooked version, but actually popped in a vessel on your cooking range.
Excellent high fiber snack. Add a little rock salt
and this could be the ideal night time or evening snack.

All carbs should be eaten in moderation, and all your main meals should have some carbs in.

The exception is dinner. if you have a late dinner, closer to your bed time, then avoid carbs.

Your body does not need carbs at night, it needs more protein and fat, so limit intake, or have a healthy carb snack late evening and then
a very light dinner.

Enjoy your carbs. Your body needs them.

What Happens If You Stop Smoking Now

We all know that smoking is the number 1 cause of preventable death in the U.S and worldwide, and we also know that it leads to -

Cardiovascular disease
Impotence
lack of sexual desire and inability to perform
Cancer, Cancer, Cancer
Weak immune system
Stained teeth
early degeneration of bones ( spine)
Reduced lung function
Toxic liver
Reduced stamina and endurance
Premature aging

Besides this there are several benefits of kicking the butt. besides just saving money and time.

Interesting fact: 75 - 85% of smokers, want to quit, but just don't know

One of the main reasons it’s so hard to quit smoking is because all
the benefits of quitting and all the dangers of continuing seem very far
away.

Well, here’s a little time line about some of the more immediate
effects of quitting smoking and how that will affect your body RIGHT NOW.

* In 20 minutes your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.

* In 8 hours the carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your blood stream
will drop by half, and oxygen levels will return to normal and your
metabolism will increase.

* In 48 hours your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All
nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will
return to a normal level.

* In 72 hours your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will
increase along with your libido

* In 2 weeks your circulation will increase, and it will continue to
improve for the next 10 weeks.

* In three to nine months coughs, wheezing and breathing problems will
dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.

* In 1 year your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.

* In 5 years your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non-smoker.

* In 10 years your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a
non-smoker.

* In 15 years your risk of heart attack will have returned to that of a
non-smoker.

So, you have more immediate things to look forward to if you quit now
besides just freaking out about not being able to smoke. Quit now!

Smokers should ensure they take Vitamin C regularly as smoking depletes natural levels in the body. Regular consumption of 'Curcumin ', turmeric extract, is known to reduce nicotine patches from the lungs and is used in the possible prevention of cancer.

Power Up Your Metabolism

What is metabolism?

The rate at which your body burns calories for energy.

Yes it is true, the more powerful your metabolism, the less chances you

have of storing fat in your body.

You can have that slice of pizza or an

ice-cream or chocolate cake and not worry about gaining even a little bit

of fat.

This is because your body's metabolism is powerful enough to break

down what you eat and digest it easily.

If your metabolism is slow, the entire process of digestion slows down, and

that's when you begin to store fat.

People with more lean mass/muscle and who work out regularly develop high

metabolisms. For your body to hold muscle in place, or body tone in place,

it continuously breaks down calories to do this.

Ever wondered why you can

break out into a sweat while holding a simple stretch or just doing simple

yoga? That's because to hold that stretch/muscle, your body is burning

calories.

If you have more fat that's dormant, your body does not need to burn

calories to hold fat in place.

How to build a powerful metabolism:

Exercise regularly, take the steps, stretch during the day, even if it's

for 2 minutes, stay active.

Breathe deeply, let oxygen flow through all your muscles and nourish them.

A little resistance exercise is always great to develop lean mass/muscle. You can use your own body weight
to exercise

Eat several small meals in a day. By doing this, your body is continuously

breaking down calories to provide energy for digestion. But don't over eat.

eat slow and stop when full.

NEVER NEVER NEVER skip meals or miss breakfast. You need breakfast to jump

start your metabolism after you wake up.Try and start of with a fruit

first, then your breakfast.

A fruit is a simple sugar and will digest

quickly, providing you with energy needed to boost your metabolism.

You know your metabolism is good when:

You miss your workout for a few days, eat out of your regular plan, and

your weight still remains the same.

When your tummy rumbles every 2.5 to 3 hours. It's your body's way of

saying "feed me, i need more energy now".

I am listing a few foods that naturally boost metabolism. Try and include

them in your food plans.

Broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, apples, jalapenos, green tea, yogurt,

almonds, grapefruit, channa (gazebo), rajma (kidney beans), turkey,

oatmeal, soy milk, cinnamon,cayenne pepper and chillies, egg( whole)
.

Green Tea is a great metabolism booster and fat burner ( whole leaf variety)

Stretch a lot, it keeps your body and muscles toned and tone equals a higher metabolism.

Sleep sufficiently ( at-least 7 hours)

Don't sit in one place for more than 45 minutes. Get up and move about at regular intervals.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. Even a 1 % drop in your body water level can lower your metabolism.

Do You Really Have Cancer? Power Of Your MInd

For years, people have cured themselves of diseases using the power of the mind. There is no doubt that the power of the mind can be used to prevent and cure disease, to amass wealth, to live a better and wholesome life.

Sounds easy, but yet, with over 60000 thoughts or more crossing ones mind in a day, coupled with stress, pressure, a fast track life and the enormous demands of living, it can seem like a task, to harness the power of your mind.

A client, who over the years became a good friend of mine, resides in the U.S. For several years, she would visit fortune tellers and began to rely heavily on what they told her during these sessions. When confronted with any situation or crisis, she would rely on a fortune teller to forecast how her future looked or would turn out to be.

This lady is extremely fit and healthy, works out regularly, sleeps well and eats in moderation. Perfect lifestyle, happy family and well to do. A few months ago, on one of her trips, she consulted with a fortune teller who told her that she would suffer from cancer. She was alarmed and made random visits to other fortune tellers to discuss the same. Most of them stated that she was likely to get breast cancer.

A few months passed, and i thought something was brewing, because all of a sudden she was asking me for plans that would boost her immunity and prevent the onset of cancer. She swore to me that she was fine health wise, but just wanted to take precautions. So i sent her a couple of plans that would boost her immunity.

2 months ago, she called me up whilst i was in India, and told me that she had detected a lump in her right breast. She was devastated. She made travel plans with her family and wanted to drink and live up before she began her treatment. Once she calmed down, i asked her to explain what the doctor said, and she told me that there was a lump detected, and the doctor would take some time to perform tests on it. In the meantime, she would take off for her holiday. I asked her not to worry or even focus on this, and instead focus on the rest of her that was healthy and on the fact that she had everything else in life that many many others didn't even have. I encouraged her to take her mind of the lump completely and stay away from fortune tellers until her results came in.

She got back a week ago and learnt that the lump was non cancerous. She called up to express her joy, and through our conversation she admitted how her life had changed after fortune tellers had told her she would get cancer. She constantly thought about it all day, and was wondering how she would handle it if she got the cancer, what she would tell her family and friends, and whether she would survive it.

It's clear that she manifested the lump in her right breast through this immense stress and negative energy on her mind and her body cells. The mind is so powerful that it will attract what you think of. It will play on the words you believe or what you hear, and if you are not string enough to curb or ration these thoughts, they can very well manifest into the real thing.

It is so true that our thoughts become actions.

We can dream up success or failure.

We can think and believe health, or sickness

We can think wealth or we can think poverty.

We can think fat or we can think thin.

Emotional stress on the mind is more destructive than that french fry or cake. It lowers and destroys your immunity at a cellular level, making your body susceptible to disease and suffering.

We should not let the negative words or comments of others affect the quality of our lives. We should choose to let go of such sources of ' negative energy' and focus on source of 'positive energy' 

We must learn to be aware of all our thoughts and address them or convert the negative ones into positive thoughts.

It's a process, a slow and stead one, which if practiced daily, will become a habit, and then it's easy to do.

Most cures of all diseases, lies in the power of the victims mind.

Doctors, parents, friends, bosses, should all learn how their words can impact someone’s life, and everyone, all of us, need to learn the same, and be cautious with the words we use with others and the thoughts we think.

I am extremely grateful for her and her family, that the lump was just a non cancerous lump. Let’s always wish good health for everyone we know, or don't know.

It's All In The Chew

What if i told you you could enjoy a bit of dessert and it would not impact your weight?

What if i told you that snacking on a cookie here or there would not impact your weight goals?

What if i told you that you could eat rice / Roti / Bread at lunch and dinner, and it would not
impact your weight or health?

The human body is a miracle. We are living examples of a miracle. The way our brain and body
functions, blood flow, though, smell, 
feelings, emotions, the ability to recover from the deadliest of diseases, and the ability of our cells to heal and repair.

Everyday the trillions of cells in our body work non-stop to fight out germs and bacteria all around us,
which if, infected us, we could fall very sick 
and even die. That miracle is called ' immunity'.

Our stomach produces sufficient acid to melt down a razor blade. Such is the power of our digestive system.

So whats an ice- cream or a chocolate bar or a cookie gonna do when it finds it way into our stomachs?

Our body is made to digest the hardest of foods. Red meat is tough to digest, but the body will break it down.
Vegetarians don't escape either. Cellulose in vegetables are extremely difficult to break down,
but the body breaks it down eventually.
( this is one reason that vegetarians suffer from more flatulence than non vegetarians.)

The body can break down meats and vegetables and that dessert. The secret lies in the 'chew'.

It turns out there’s a reason food tastes so good. You’re supposed to enjoy it—slow down and savor it,
not just get it to your stomach as quickly as possible. Chewing your food thoroughly is actually the first
step in the complex process of digestion, and if you glaze over it, just chewing the minimum amount of times
necessary to get the food down your esophagus, you’re actually compromising this process. And it’s a mistake many people make.

We were give teeth not just to make that smile or picture pretty. The primary function of teeth is to tear down and break up food into small bits.

Saliva mixes with these small bits, further softening them, and guess what? Here's the foremost reason you should begin to chew your food.When
you chew, more saliva gets produced and your saliva contains enzymes that break down FATS and CARBS. Yes!!! Digestion starts in the MOUTH.

When digestion starts in your mouth, by the time your food reaches your stomach, it's already processed by enzymes, and your stomach has no issues
in completing the assimilation/digestion process.

You feel light
You feel full for a longer period of time.
You do away with flatulence, gas, indigestion, burping.
You learn to savor and enjoy the taste of your food.
Your body absorbs all the goodness of your food ( vitamins, minerals)  better.
You eat exactly how much your body needs, to you maintain or arrive at a healthy weight

Imagine all the times you gobble down your food.You have undigested chunks sitting in your stomach, giving rise to gas
discomfort and chances are that most of your food gets converted to fat.

Chew your food. Enjoy a dessert but eat it slow, savor it, enjoy it, and over time you will learn not to abuse it.

The more you chew your food, the cleaner you keep your intestines, stomach and colon, because the body can quickly cleanse itself
when digestion happens the right way. Bye to constipation , fatigue and migraines/headaches.

Try this exercise today:

The next meal, it it really slow. Take a spoon of food, chew it several times, savor the flavor and taste, and then swallow. Put your spoon down.
Then take the next. You will find yourself getting fuller quickly, and then you should stop eating. This way you save on calories you intake, and over time this
will become a habit and you will serve yourself less food. Less food equals less calories, equals better health, longer living and a healthy weight.

Take 1 serving spoon less at every meal, and chew and eat your food. You will find that it is enough and all these saves spoons of food add up to a lot of calories saved.

You will lose fat and you will feel healthier

Diseases are caused in most cases by over eating, and we always think how much we eat is enough, but it may not be correct, if you 
have been eating your meals fast.

Chew your food and you will never have to diet.

Your meal time is more important that your work, respect it. That's your personal time between you and your body, where you feed and nourish it
to keep you healthy and strong to do your work and live well.

This is a lifestyle change, and if you master it, you can enjoy all the foods you like in moderation.

Constipated ? Smelly Poop?

A few days ago i sent out a mail on poop and your health. I received several questions on the same.
I am glad that many of you have actually realized the importance
of how a good poop can do wonders for your health.
 

We should always strive for the healthiest elimination habits possible.
Sometimes, due to things we have eaten, elimination is difficult,
while other times it is difficult to stop. Proper digestion and elimination go hand in hand.

Drinking healthy smoothies is a fabulous way to re-balance your digestive system
and relieve any uncomfortable issues that you may be having with elimination.

If your digestive system is in order, your elimination will be in order.
Rather than reach for over-the-counter aids when things go wrong “down under,”
try a healthier and safer alternative, a smoothie. No matter what your digestive malfunction is,
there is a smoothie to rectify the problem. There is nothing healthier than a fresh smoothie
made with whole food ingredients.

Constipation:

If you have poor bowel movement, and each visit to the loo is a painful struggle,

or you don't feel like going to the loo daily,  chances are you are constipated.
Your poops may be small, hard and very difficult to pass causing you exceptional discomfort.
It is important to understand that constipation is a symptom, not a disease, but chronic
constipation can lead to deadly diseases.

Constipation occurs when the colon absorbs too much water or if the colon’s muscle contractions are weak.
Constipation may also be a symptom of dehydration, lack of fiber, inactivity,stress, medications or irritable bowel.

Combine these ingredients in a blender for relief from painful constipation.
 

• 6 pitted prunes (dried plums)
• 1 cup apple juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
• 1 cup of crushed ice (using filtered water)
• 1 cup of organic Kefir or plain organic yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• Pinch of nutmeg

Put ice in the blender first, followed by other ingredients and blend well. Drink the smoothie right away.
 

Stinky Poop Smoothie

O.K. so you say that all poop stinks, right? Well, not exactly, some poop smells way worse than other poop. The odor of your poop is really dependent on a number of things, including what you are eating, medications, how long it has been sitting in your colon and possibly a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract.

One way to bring balance back to your gut is to be sure that you are consuming plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits and very little, if any, processed foods.

Combine these ingredients in a blender to help improve the overall health of your digestive tract.

• 1 lemon
• 1 cucumber
• 1 cup of crushed ice
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery stalks
• 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice

Put the ice in the blender first, followed by the other ingredients and blend well. Drink right away.

Focus on your elimination. The faster you get toxins out of your system, the healthier you are
with less chances of contracting diseases and cancer.

You will slow down the process of aging and your mental ability and memory will improve.

You will feel lighter, all those headaches and migraines may just disappear and your battle with
weight loss may just change for the better.

Credits: Alternative Daily ( excerpts)