Ingredients:
1 bunch spring onions
1 lb peas (either fresh and shelled or frozen)
1/2cup water
1/3 cup butter
2.5 cups milk (or cream if preferred)
1-2 tsp fresh mint or tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Clean the bunch of spring onions and chop them finely. Set some of the green pieces aside for later.

In a medium-sized saucepan melt the butter on a low heat and add the peas, water and spring onions. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the peas are tender (but not mushy). Take the saucepan off the heat, let it cool down a bit and then add the milk and the herbs. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.

Put the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Return it to a saucepan and reheat the soup gently.

Serve this delicious creamy pea soup with the reserved chopped spring onion sprinkled on top and nice crusty bread.

We have all heard how saturated and trans fats such as butter, animal fats, partially hydrogenated oils, as well as tropical oils can increase your risk for various heart diseases. The reason for this is how it increases your total cholesterol, including LDL cholesterol levels.
Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, make up your total cholesterol count, which can be determined through a blood test.

Trans fat is the worst type you can consume. It’s mostly manufactured in a process forcing hydrogen into polyunsaturated fats. This hydrogenation process creates a solid fat product, such as margarine. It also gives foods containing trans fats a longer shelf life and stabilizes flavors.

Saturated fat is an unhealthy choice as the body turns it into LDL cholesterol. This type of fat clogs arteries and is harmful for your heart. Saturated fat is most commonly found in animal products, such as the white fat along the edge of a piece of meat. It can also be found in the skin of poultry, and hidden in whole milk, tropical oils and products made containing these products.

Polyunsaturated fat is moderately healthy. It can lower LDL levels, but is also known for reducing the levels of “good” cholesterol or HDL. This fat is usually liquid at room temperature. Popular variations are soybean, safflower, corn and several other vegetable oils.

Monounsaturated fat such as olive oil is by far a healthier choice. This type can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing the total and LDL cholesterol levels in your blood.

image from: http://www.rachelraydiet.com/images/fruits.jpg

Now That you know what Juice Diets are, here are a few pointers in how to make the perfect menu for your diet:

Some ingredients which can be used in juice fasts are:

Vegetables: celery, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes.

Greens: parsley, beet greens, chard, kale, dandelion leaf and spinach.

Herbs: fennel, spearmint, yucca root, basil, ginger, peppermint, green onion, chili pepper.

Fruits: grapes, apples, citrus, Açaí berry.

Extras: wheat grass juice, spirulina, complete vitamin & mineral supplement, psyllium husks.

Some side effects of a juice fast need mentioning here. Some common but temporary side effects include headaches, hypoglycemia, acne, tiredness, bad breath and an increase in body odor. Others could include dizziness or fainting, low blood pressure, weight loss, hunger, heart palpitations, vomiting and kidney problems. If you experience any of these side effects or any situation worsens contact a medical professional immediately.

During a juice fast the stomach shrinks to its original size, about the size of your fist. After only three days of simply ingesting raw organic and fresh juices and water, you will lose those cravings for solid foods.

Your mind might try to tell you differently; however, your body doesn’t need more at this time. While just drinking your food, your stomach is able to get some well-deserved rest, allowing your colon to shed old compacted material which could be waiting there to cause future disease.

If you are considering a diet which is more than just counting calories, this extreme detox diet could be the one for you. Using juices in this diet beneficially provides the antioxidants and vitamins required to keep you healthy for the duration.

Shrimp Pizza

Ingredients:
2 small ready-made pizza bases

8 thin slices mozzarella

8 to 10 prawns, peeled and clean but with tales intact

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp capers

4 anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)

12 small black olives

1 garlic clove, finely slices

1 pickled jalapeno chilli, finely chopped (optional)

1 small red onion, finely sliced

1 small red bed pepper, finely sliced

2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Splash of olive oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400º F.

Put the pizza bases on a large baking tray and spread with the tomato paste. Place the mozzarella slices on top and add the remaining ingredients to the two pizzas. Drizzle with a splash of olive oil, then cover with the grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the prawns are tender and heated through.

Sprinkle the chopped basil leaves on top and serve immediately.

It is hard to deal with becoming a caregiver overnight.  If a loved one has had a stroke, you could possibly be the only one able to tend to their needs.  This could mean full-time care.  Here are ten ways to deal with the new situation for both of you.

1.  Talk to health care professionals.  They will be able to give you all of the answers to physical issues that will arise with your loved one.  Doctors can describe the physical limitations, neurological changes and how and if they will recover from the stroke.  This prepares you for what you will see on a daily basis.

2.  Talk to a social worker.  A social worker can evaluate your loved oneís case and let you know what type of medical support they qualify for.  If you work outside the home, your loved one may qualify for home nursing care and other services like Medicare or Medicaid, wheelchairs and home health supplies and physical therapy.

3.  Find a support group.  In order to get what you need to take care of the myriad of emotions that you and your loved one will experience, join a support group for stroke caregivers.  They can help you to understand your loved one and also yourself in your new role.

4.  Take care of yourself.  Donít neglect your loved one.  Use available resources to carve out time away from your loved one to exercise, meditate, get pampered and talk to others for support.

5.  Know all about medications.  Our loved one will come home with prescriptions from their doctor.  Know dosages, when to give them and side effects.  Staying organized will make pill time easier to handle.

6.  Know about insurance policies.  A thorough knowledge of your loved oneís insurance policy lets you know his or her rights to services.  If you need to supplement policies, you can then apply for assistance from the Federal government in a timely fashion and not at the last minute.

7.  Encourage your loved one.  They may feel like they are trapped inside their own body.  Celebrate each change in their condition or rehabilitation to give them a sense of hope for the future.

8.  Look at the big picture.  It can be depressing thinking of doing the same thing day in and day out for your loved one.  Focus instead on their progress and let a doctor evaluate it.

9.  Pay attention to your loved one.  It is not uncommon for stroke victims to become depressed.  If this starts to happen to your loved one, get help from their doctor and a psychiatrist to get them back on the track to proper mental health.

10.  Make changes to reduce stroke risk factors.  No one wants a stroke to happen again.  Promote a healthy diet, exercise (as much as possible) and check-ups.

It isnít easy becoming a caregiver.  Someone else is depending on you for everything.  Use these tips to keep yourself shored up emotionally as you care for another.

Hello guys!

Summer is around the corner, and for the next week Healthful Goddes is going to dedicate a segment “For The Body” with information about: Tai-Chi, Judo, Akido and Kickboxing!

The first article of “For the Body” is about Tai-Chi, the martial art considered to be a form of meditation. People practicing Tai Chi, also known as “players” learn to emphasize not only slow, deep breathing but rhythmic movements as well. This assists development of a focused and calm mind.

Tai Chi is an enjoyable activity for those of all ages and fitness levels. Each individual can practice the postures and movements in a manner relative to their own level of fitness, energy and state of mind. Each individual starts where they are, and learns at their own pace. It can be beneficial to the fittest athlete, the teenager and everyone in between. You may even find those in wheelchairs as part of a group practicing Tai Chi in the park near your home. You could take part even if you don’t think you could be coordinated or agile enough. These are all aspects you can learn at your own pace.

Traditional Chinese Medicine states that disease results from weak and impaired flow of qi (pronounced chee) through the meridians. There are fourteen main energy meridians which link internal organs and the entire physical body with the mind and emotional systems. These meridians arenít visible; however, you can detect them by the energy which moves through them. With the gentle movements of Tai Chi these energy channels are opened, thereby allowing the rhythm of the movements of the muscles, spine and joint to release energy through the body. This flushes out any stagnant qi, replacing it with fresh qi that is newly oxygenated.

The slow pace of Tai Chi provides the effect of performing a body scan to clear any place where there may be tension building up or stored. By releasing the grip of debris in both mind and body, we allow more space for positive aspects such as love and light to enter our lives. Aside from the meridians Tai Chi uses to work the internal organs, it also clears the joints of any potential debris in those areas, such as calcium deposits. This benefit is a result of the different movements requiring the body to rotate to about 95% of its ability. Tai Chiís health benefits are being quickly discovered in western medicine.
Health and life are simple reflections of our mind state. Body and breath move along with the mind. This encourages cleaning out any roadblocks which normally would keep us from moving forward. These roadblocks keep us locked in emotional and psychological patterns that arenít always healthy. The empowerment of “meditation in motion” can keep us in the train of thought that change itself is a constant in our lives, and new beginnings always follow closures.

Whenever stress and tension start taking their toll on health and well-being, it would be wise to look to those who have attained that level of harmony within the body.  Whether one is seeking to find that silence, relaxation and focus of thought, or if what is wanted is a gentle fitness program to increase flexibility and overall general health, Tai Chi would be an excellent place to start.

1/2 cup sesame seeds
16oz bow tie pasta
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tbsp white sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in strips
1 red bell pepper, cut in strips
1/3 cup green onions, chopped

Method:

Heat a little pan over medium heat and add sesame seeds. Stir constantly and cook until toasted. Be careful not to burn them! Set aside.

Boil pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain finished pasta and rinse under cold water. When cool, place into large serving bowl.

Blend vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger and pepper. Add to pasta and toss gently. Mix in chicken, cilantro, green onions and bell peppers.

This makes a great and wholesome take-away lunch.

Build Your Immune System Naturally 2

More foods to help you build your immune system naturally:

* Garlic – Garlic is superb at fighting almost any type of infection. It is often used in herbal remedies. Just eating it a few times a week will help keep the immune system at its peak. For best results, eat garlic fresh and crush it thoroughly. This will maximize the amounts and availability of the infection-fighting compounds present in the garlic.

* Yogurt – Yogurt is rich in bacterial cultures, especially what are called probiotics. Bacteria might sound like the last thing your immune system needs, but probiotics (the opposite of anti-biotics) such as the acidophilus bacteria found in yogurt are essential to the immune system’s proper function. The acidophilus bacteria help us absorb the nutrients in our food and fight disease-causing bacteria and viruses.

Another type of bacteria found in yogurt, bifidobacterium, is particularly beneficial to the elderly to help them digest their food. If you have been ill and taking antibiotics, you might want to consider adding some probiotics to your diet to balance your immune system.

* Oysters – Oysters are one of the best sources of zinc one could hope for. Zinc aids in the reproduction and function of antibodies. It also hinders bacterial and viral growth, making it easier for the immune system to kill harmful germs.

* Pumpkin seeds – Another great source of zinc, and more readily available than oysters. They are not only a great healthy snack you can take with you anywhere, they are also a terrific topper on salads, muffins and more.

* Fatty fish – Omega 3 fatty acids are present in large quantities in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. Omega 3 fatty acids encourage activity in phagocytes, the white blood cells that consume bacteria. Adding a vitamin E supplement will enhance this effect.

Omega 6 fatty acids are similar, and can be found in sources such as flax seed, a great salad topper, if you are not that fond of fish. There are also many fish oil supplements on the market. There is no need to overpay for fish oil. Pretty much any supplement with pure fish oil will do to help boost your immune system.

If we take care of our immune system, it can fight off most diseases and infections without the aid of antibiotics and other drugs. Including these foods in our diet is a good start to build your immune system naturally.

Build Your Immune System Naturally 1

The immune system of the human body is quite remarkable. When our bodies are invaded with foreign bodies such as germs it springs into action, sending defenders to fight them off. It’s too bad that our immune system is often not working as well as it could.

Stress, improper diet, lack of exercise, and environmental factors can all impact the immune system negatively. If the immune system is not in good working order, we’re more likely to get sick. Then the illness is harder on our bodies, and we do not recover as quickly as we should.

But we can boost our immune systems, and we don’t need prescription or over-the-counter drugs to do it. Eating the right foods gives us the nutrients that our immune systems need to be at the top of their game.

Here are some of the best immune-boosting foods to help build your immune system naturally.

* Citrus fruits – Oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits are powerful immune boosters. They contain vitamin C, a nutrient that helps increase the production of white blood cells and antibodies. A medium orange contains 75 milligrams of vitamin C. A single kiwi fruit contains 110% of your daily allowance of vitamin C.

* Carrots – Carrots are loaded with beta carotene. This phytonutrient is a close ally of the immune system. It promotes the production of killer cells and T cells, which are powerful infection fighters. Studies have also shown that falcarinol, a compound found in carrots, may help prevent and fight cancer

Continued in Build Your Immune System Naturally 2