Family Dinner Saves Lives!

There is a simple key to help keep your family healthy and happy. Can you guess what it is? Oh right... I put it in the title already. The fact is that numerous studies show that the decision to eat at least one meal a day as a family can have a significant impact on you and your kids.

Family dinner can be a unique time in otherwise hectic lives. I have 4 kids who participate in soccer, piano, karate, school, plays, etc. I run a chiropractic practice, am involved with my church and do personal training in the mornings. My wife is the glue that holds us all together taking care of the kids, the house and keeping track of the finances of our business. If it weren't for text messaging we might go most of our day without ever touching base in some cases. But we always come together for family dinner. It's the best time to catch up with each member of my family even if it's between telling my boys to stop spitting food and the girls to clean their plates.

Beyond this studies have shown that family meals can make your family healthier as well. Families that eat together tend to have lower rates of obesity. This is especially true when the meals are prepared at home rather than sitting down to take-out. A family meal is a great time for parents to model healthy dietary habits for kids. Other studies show that family meals lower your child or adolescent's chances of engaging in "at risk" behaviors such as: teen pregnancy, drugs, depression, suicide, violence and sexual activity. It's not just the simple act of sitting down together.

Family meals require some level of engagement to be successful. Research shows that having the TV on during dinner can negate the positive effects of a family meal. Although I'm unaware of any specific studies I imagine the same is true of firing up the smart phone or similar devices, which I'm often guilty of. (I know my wife is ecstatic to read that last sentence and I will probably hear it over and over again).

Unfortunately, statistics show that family meals are becoming less and less common since the days when we were kids. That doesn't have to be the case for your family though. Commit to at least one family meal a day and you will wind up happier and healthier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Jason Young, DC is the founder and chiropractor of Body of Health Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Corvallils, OR. Dr. Young is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and enjoys treating and training athletes of all sports and skill levels.

Visit the website today: www.YourBodyofHealth.com
Be sure to check Dr. Young's Blog at: Blog.YourBodyofHealth.com
(c) Copyright - Jason J. Young. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

The American Sacred Fruit

From the beginning of time people have deemed certain plants and fruits as having extraordinary characteristics and as sacred. Generally it is accepted that anything of a religious nature is sacred, when not connected to religion sacred is anything possessing special properties. In Christianity we hear mention of the tree of good and evil (the forbidden fruit) and of the tree of life; which was guarded by cherubim with flaming swords.

The Bible makes several other references. For example Rachel believed that mandrake would make her fertile and thus enable her to conceive the child she longed for. It is alluded that King Solomon used mandrake as well to cast out demons. Although it is possible that the mandrake could not and can not eradicate infertility and that Rachel's usage of it was an act of personal belief; King Solomon's use of it speaks of mandrake as the go to plant. Likewise, during the Middle Ages mandrake was used as a cure, as an anesthetic; in magical terms it made flying possible.

"Mediterranean gold" also known as olive oil, was used by Mythical gods. Olive oil played an important role in the Greek economy as it was used as a light source. The Greeks also valued it for its nutritional value and curative properties, but beyond this they accredit it with a quality of purity, and a vehicle of purification. It was used religiously as a healing balm.

In the Americas the native peoples also had their sacred plants and fruits. The Mayas had the Ceiba or Yaxche tree which they taught was the doorway to the underworld and the sky. Undoubtedly the earth provides nutritional plants and trees necessary for the sustenance of men; in like manner the earth provides for the other necessities of men.

The Mapuches credited the food of the earth for their great strength. Particularly the maqui berry, which was said to give warriors supernatural powers bordering on the magical. The Mapuches go down in history as one of the native American peoples who conquistadors were unable to conquer. Inca warriors and Spanish conquistadors were no match for the people of the land. Maqui berry has been used for centuries as a symbol of strength, in sacred ceremonies, for its curative properties and highly regarded for it nutritional content.

It wasn't until recently that the Orac (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) deemed maquiberry as the best super fruit, better than acai, mangosteen, and noni, whereas the Mapuches have treasured the maqui berry for centuries; including it in religious ceremonies. Thus this fruit has been used ceremoniously as a symbol of power, good health, energy, strength and courage for the Mapuche warriors. The maqui berry use in religious worship cemented the belief that the earth, when revered, will unleash rare powers for the deliverance and protection of man.

Partaking of Maqui berry Mapuche traditionally links you to ancestral guardians and reconnects you to mother earth.

Rogelio H Lepillan from Winkul LLC. Visit us today at http://www.maqui-mapuche.com.

Dehydrating Eggplants

This past Saturday I was fortunate enough to acquire a few eggplants and did not want them to go to waste so I decided my best course of action would be to dehydrate them. Eggplants are a healthy vegetable alternative which is very high in vitamins C as well as potassium. They are generally in season from around the beginning of July to late October so it is best to grab them up when they are available. I could have canned or froze them but I chose to dehydrate them for a longer shelf life.

When dehydrating your eggplant you will need to blanch it first in order to stop the enzymes which continually break down the vegetable. The downside of bleaching is that it will often cause the eggplant to lose a bit of its nutritional value but it also ensures that your eggplant will remain fresh and preserved or a good period of time.

The things you will need to accomplish this dehydrating project are:

Eggplants
A mandolin or a sharp knife
Large pot

When selecting your eggplant choose the ripest vegetables that you can find to dehydrate. A ripe eggplant will have a shiny but firm skin with a series of bright green caps. When looking, select eggplants which lack any sort of cuts or bruises.

Begin by washing the eggplant thoroughly and next slice it into ¼ to ½-inch slices. After slicing it is time to blanch them. Fill a large pot of water 2/3 full of water and bring it to a full boil. Place the eggplants into the water and process for 4 minutes. Immediately place the eggplants in either a container of cold water or one filled with ice. This will shock the vegetable and stop all cooking action. Now dry the eggplant off with a paper towel.

You can now place the slices of eggplant on your dehydrator tray. Place the pieces on your drying tray in a single layer. Do not allow the pieces to touch each other but ensure that they are separated by a fraction of an inch. Set the dehydrator to between 100 and 135 degrees and dehydrate for 12 hours. According to the machine used this time may vary slightly.

When the eggplants are hard and brittle they are finished. If you can shatter the eggplant with a small hammer they are sufficiently done. Store your dehydrated eggplant in a clean, airtight container. These will last a good ten years if stored in a dry, dark location. The blanching water can be used up to five times prior to having to replace it.

Copyright @2012 Joseph Parish

http://www.survival-training.info

http://www.survival-training.info

Bring Back the Memories With Popcorn and Candyfloss

We all love the fun of the fair, no matter what age we are. When we smell that gorgeous melted sugar fragrance wafting through the air we are almost immediately transported back to our childhood. Remembering golden days which seemed to last forever. Going on rides and eating hotdogs. For many people however candyfloss and popcorn are the true reminders of yesterday.

Candyfloss is a type of spun sugar which looks like a big cloud on a stick and which is usually pink in colour. However candyfloss can technically be any colour considering that it is white in its natural state and it gets its characteristic pink hue through the use of food colouring.

Candyfloss is loved the world over by young kids and big kids alike. Various different countries have their own versions of the sweet treat which is called Pashmak by the Persians and Pismaniye by the Turkish. It must be noted that the Turkish version is made with both sugar and flour.

The machine spun candyfloss which we know and love was invented in the late 1800's and was first marketed as Fairy Floss. Immediately the idea and business took off but it was not until the 1970s that the candyfloss machines which we know and love were created and sold to shops and fairs.

Candyfloss is so loved and enjoyed that there is even a full day dedicated to it in the United States. National Cotton Candy Day is held every December 7.

Another sweet treat which we all know and love is popcorn. Nowadays you can buy home candyfloss and popcorn makers however nothing tastes as good as the ones bought from the cinema or the fair. A visit to the cinema is never complete without a big bag of popcorn. Usually popcorn comes in two different varieties, sweet or salted. Many people have very strong preferences with regards to which is their favourite and it is rare for an individual to enjoy both.

Popcorn can actually be a very healthy snack even though you might not expect this to be the case. Being high in fibre and very low in fat, popcorn is the snack of choice for the health conscious individual.

Popcorn has been eaten for thousands of years which has been proven by the discovery of some popcorn in caves in New Mexico and which is believed to be over 5,000 years old! In fact the Native American peoples have a long history of eating the stuff and it is said that they believed that in each and every kernel there lived a spirit. The Native American tribes flavoured their popcorn a little differently than we do today. They used dried spices, herbs and some historians believe that they also used chilli which must have made for an amazing taste. Native Americans also used popcorn in their clothing to make elaborate headdresses and used popping corn to make beer and soup amongst other things.

It is widely believed that Christopher Columbus should be taking the credit for introducing popcorn to us in Europe as long ago as the 15th century. Thank goodness that he did or our fast food society would look very different indeed!

The Art of Healthy Eating

It's a fragrant, lemony scented afternoon in Florence. Having come far from distant lands, the hot, dry wind has settled in my garden for a long-awaited rest. Yawning in a sweet slumber, little puffs of breath escape him, lingering in scents of rosemary and mint. Nestled under a summer hat and tickled by the light that is playfully drawing on the canvas of my face, I am thinking about dinner. A fast-cooked macaroni and cheese certainly will not do! Because amidst the magnificence and glory of all that surrounds me, I feel compelled to believe that the food we have here should also be a joyful feast for all the senses. I have never spent so much time thinking about food. I have a dazzling couple of friends coming over for dinner. Like a film reel, pieces of a story are drifting through my mind: her tender footsteps will echo faintly on the warmed stone pavement of my front yard. She will step inside and the house will blossom to embrace her. The wind will proudly carry the edges of her dress as she steps into my garden and her smile makes all the trees blush. She will lean towards the man beside her and whisper words that caress his ears like rose petals. Indeed! A proper dinner must be fashioned out!

Love you food!

In my lunatic, fast-paced, crazy-flavored life, I don't have time to think about food, barely have time to eat it and surely never have time to love it! Who does? I always felt society made you feel guilty if you spend too much time thinking about food, or making it or eating it. Enjoying your food is a "me" time that was simply not permitted! And now, gazing at yellow, round moons and listening to the songs of ancients stones, I felt like Time had pinned my blue-laced dress to the floor and my frantic whirlpool had come to a halt. I was breathing, and thinking about food, and the most important thing to think about seemed to be the sheer perfection of the statues' god-like shapes.The time has come to love my food!

Food for the Mind

There is an ancient saying that the food we eat affects our mind: our perception, observation, and expression of the world in and around us. I had been reading lately much about the Science of Life, the ancient knowledge of the book of Ayurveda. A science born in the mystic soul of India that helps us understand the nature of our body, what kind of food and lifestyle is suitable for us so that we can have a healthy body and a mind free from distortions and disharmony. As a woman, this was like tinker bells resounding sweetly in my ears. Is there a woman in this world who does not yearn for that? So there was a book that teaches you about how to eat beautifully, how to turn your table into a symphony of ethereal flutes and harps and all the music instruments of gods. Yeah, I'd really like to tell that to the hot dog vendor on the grey street outside my office. Now, in the violet beauty of the rolling hills over Florence, the memories of these pages came swooshing back to me and there was nothing but thoughts of beautiful food on my mind.

The Science of Life

Ayurveda does not only apply to Indian food, it applies to all food! According to the Vedas, the oldest scriptures in the world, our body is a gift from God, an opportunity for the captured soul to set itself free from the bondage of the life and death circle. A healthy lifestyle is of great physical importance: bad eating habits like over eating, eating in a state of tension or worry, and consuming unhealthy foods can lead to bad digestion and that is the "root of all disease". More than that, a healthy life style can help you tame your senses and emotions so that you become their mistress, not the other way around.

Food should firstly be a pleasant sight for the eyes, then it should capture your sense of scent and lastly - it should be a delight for your tongue. Food is not only destined to sustain life and give energy, it also helps to purify the mind and consciousness. Foods such as milk products /mind you, the ancient books did not mean the ones we get at the local supermarket that come from stressed, ill-treated animals/, grains, fruits and vegetables prolong the length of life and bring satisfaction, health, strength and happiness. Foods that are too bitter, sour, salty, spicy, dry or hot can cause suffering and discomfort. So here are a few things to know when we decide that we deserve to turn our eating habits into a rhapsody of bliss:

Try to eat every day at the same time

Always try to take your main meal for the day in the hours around noon, when the sun is at its highest, because that is the time when your stomach works most actively. After a light breakfast, wait at least 3 hours before you eat again, and after a bountiful lunch - wait at least 5 hours.

A good mood can help your digestion

Eat in a pleasant environment and peaceful surroundings; the bench near the busy, noisy intersection outside your office does not count. Try to uplift your mood with your favorite velvet melodies while you cook and serve the food. Your food will love it when your heart sings to it and it will come out incredibly delicious!

Combine your foods wisely

Eat combinations of foods that are similar in taste and are easily digested together. Rice and other grains are well combined with vegetables. Yogurt is well combined with grains, boiled food and veggies but milk is incompatible with vegetables. A light, hearty and nutritious lunch would be a combination of rice, boiled food, vegetable and a light bread. Avoid eating vegetables with raw fruits. Fruits are best consumed separately or with a glass of warm milk. Do not mix sour with sweet fruits, and milk with yogurt.

Share your food with others

An ancient Bulgarian tradition believes that if you have stomach problems, you should share your food with 10 people for a period of 10 days. So use that as an excuse to stage a lovely garden party or candle-lit dinner and surround yourself with friends and loved ones. While you listen to the jingle of their words that echoes off the crystal glasses in their hands, your heart will know true happiness!

Eat with measure

Our energy and strength depend not on how much we eat but to a what degree we assimilate the food. For its proper functioning, the stomach needs empty space, so do not stuff it all the way. Eat only half of what you think you are capable of eating. One quarter of the stomach fill up liquids that you can consume before or during eating, and leave one quarter of it empty. This will ease your digestion and will let you enjoy the food. When you eat with measure, this keeps your mind serene and your body in harmony. Overeating excites your mind, making it frantic, or leads it to the other extreme-make it feel withered, heavy and tired.

Do not put out your digestion fire with water

We often speak of "burning" fats and calories, and the word calorie itself is related to heat, released by the burning of food. The ancient Vedas say that our food is digested by a fire in the stomach. And because we often drink liquids while eating, we should notice their effect on our digestive fire.

Drinking liquids before eating quenches your appetite and stops you from overeating. Drinking moderately while eating helps the stomach function properly, but drinking right after eating dilutes the stomach juices and reduces the strength of your digestive fire.Wait at least an hour after food before drinking anything, and after that you can drink at ever hour before your next meal.

Waste not food

Try to put on your plate only as much as you intend on eating. if you cannot eat it all, save the rest for your next meal. When reheating, do so in a covered pot, add a bit of water and stir frequently. If for some reason you have to throw away food, do give it to an animal, put it in the earth or throw it in a river or a lake.

Fast

Fasting strengthens your will and your physical health. It gives a much needed break to your digestion system and freshens up the mind and senses. In most cases, it is advisable to fast only with water. In the West, people drink juices when fasting because Western medicine prescribes long periods of diets. But according to Ayurveda, fasting should be short-from 1 to 3 days. During this time, you should not drink more water than needed to quench your thirst. Your digestion fire is not busy digesting of food and instead of that it absorbs the byproducts that have accumulated in your body. The unduly quantity of water will only hinder its work.

The blissful remains of the day

So, the time came for the wind to set back on the dusty roads to worlds unknown, and for me to start working magic. For every woman is indeed enchantress of the kind that never tires of the world. My dazzling movie couple was soon to walk through my stony-arched pavement and time was of the essence. I was not in ancient India, but I was in tender, vibrant Italy; a country that can teach you much about life and how to live it right. And the art of beautiful food is universal and all-permeating. Just like the essence of us. So, I lick my lemonade-scented lips, I calm my heart that runs with the beat of eternal Florence and step into the dusk of my basil-scented magic workshop.

http://moneternelle.blogspot.com/

Growth in Fruit As an Ingredient Though Advances in Unique Processing Technology

In today's food market there is a growing demand for the use of fruit as an ingredient, and the use of 100% fruit in particular is seeing a rapid growth in many food categories.

In general people like to eat fruit as a snack and for the most part understand the health benefits of eating a diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables. However, messy handling, limited portability and perishability of fresh fruit means many people don't include enough fresh fruit and vegetables in their diet. This is especially true for increasingly large percentage of the population who live in urban areas and lead busy modern lives.

Consequently, demand for healthy and convenient food is on the rise. In today's global market there are increasingly more consumers seeking nutritionally balanced foods that offer real health benefits such as fruit-rich snacks, breakfast cereals, baked goods and confectionery, to achieve a healthy diet.

Consumers on the whole are becoming increasingly savvy in regards to food formulation, production techniques and their expectations of value is changing. A noticeable shift is the demand for cleaner label products with limited ingredient listings. In the case of fruit-based snacks and other products - artificial inclusions or fillings,with high levels of added sugar, preservatives, flavouring and colours, don't satisfy the savvy health conscious consumer. Savvy shoppers are now demanding more natural fruit fillings and flavours that include whole fruit purees and juices to deliver on their health promise.

Manufacturers are upping their game to deliver unique food concepts, that deliver health benefits to the end consumer. To help them achieve this, companies at the forefront of product innovation are providing manufacturers with natural ingredients that are nutrient rich, all natural and uniquely formulated to perform in a range of food products. A great example is ultra rapid concentration, a new technology that provides a superior low water activity, high-fruit ingredient with no added sugars, additives or preservatives. These fruit ingredients can then be used in snacking, bakery, breakfast cereal and confectionery.

This type of advancement in technology means the consumer can now purchase convenient food products that have excellent taste, texture and real health benefits. And there are huge benefits to food manufacturers also. A process like ultra rapid concentration, that reduces moisture content of fruit to uniquely low water activity levels, results in a shelf-stable and robust food product that contains real fruit.

Utilising consumer insight, alongside new innovation and technology, the industry is moving towards the introduction of higher quality ingredients and deliciously good-for-you products that deliver value throughout the supply chain.

Taura are an international baking ingredients supplier and the creators of URC (Ultra Rapid Concentration) technology. The unique URC process creates the most functionally advanced fruit pieces, flakes and pastes in the global market.

Visit the Taura Natural Ingredients website to find out more about their products and technology.

Stir Fry Recipes - Basic Ingredients

There are a few basic ingredients that we'll desire on the way to remain readily available in order that we can stir up a stir fry recipe on petite notice. While a few of these, for instance rice vinegar or hoisin sauce, may perhaps be new to us, the majority are on hand in the national or global part of local superstores.

Sauces and Seasonings: There are a number of sauces as well as seasonings that provide taste to stir fry recipe. Soy sauce is a vital ingredient in Asian cuisine. The two major kinds of soy sauce applied in Chinese cooking are light as well as dark soy sauce.

Both are finished from fermented soy beans. Though, as light soy sauce is pretty saline, the adding up of molasses provides dark soy sauce a dim color as well as a better-off quality and flavor. Rice vinegar is able to frequently be found in the global or national part of local superstores.

If it is out of stock, attempt alternating mellow flavored vinegar for example cider vinegar rather than regular white vinegar. With the exemption of sweet-and-sour paste, the piercingly acidic flavor of usual white vinegar is too unkind for most stir fry recipe. Chile paste is a hot condiment made with chilies, vinegar, and further seasonings.

If we're not a fan of managing hot chili peppers, chile paste creates a suitable alternate.
Basic Fresh Ingredients: At times called the "holy trinity" of Chinese cuisine, garlic, ginger, as well as green onions have a mainly vital function on the way to play in stir frying.

Both garlic as well as ginger is added to the heating oil to assist avoid an oily savor from being imparted to the further ingredients. Green onion lends a gentle onion taste to stir-fries. It may perhaps be added to the oil with the garlic and ginger, stirred in with the further ingredients throughout stir frying or scattered on the recipes at the end as a decorate.

All three are at times added to marinades to provide meat or seafood additional taste. Unless a recipe purposely calls for powdered ginger, at all times apply new ginger in stir fry recipe. We can peel the ginger or depart the peel on as preferred.

As soon as applying green onion in stir-fries slice off the ends as well as chop the green onion on the slanting into the dimension called for in the recipe. Usually, all of the green onion is applied. On the other hand, we are able to also apply only the green or white portion to improve the look of the dish.

Canned Asian Vegetables: For a lot of individuals, their primary launch to Asian vegetables arrived when they ordered a stir fry dish prepared with bamboo shoots as well as water chestnuts.

The fame of these two vegetables stems partially from their simple accessibility bamboo shoots as well as water chestnuts is on hand on local superstore shelves.

About The Author:
Hello, I'm Rosa Liang I would like to learn more about writing blogs, I'm a kind person. My hobby is surfing on different informative websites that helps me on improving my writing skills. Thank you very much.

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