Cotton seed halwa

A storytelling walk through the town of Karaikal led the writer to stumble upon an unusual delicacy — paruthi halwa or cotton seed halwa. A tantalising aroma of ghee, coconut and roasted nuts wafts in the air. Here, a smiling bhaiya tells us that the scent is from the mound of coal-black halwa he is selling. While I’ve tasted many types of halwa, this is a first for me. Called paruthi halwa, it is made from cotton seed and I’m intrigued. The vendor serves us a scoop of the warm sweet, laden with cashews and grated coconut.

Shop here for nostalgia (food)

Mylapore’s Ganapathy’s Butter & Ghee, celebrating its 75th year, is a haven for healthy, homemade foods. 

Changing times: Started stocking appalam, podi, vadam and pickle sourced locally in the neighbourhood. Among the pickle varieties (over 50), the special avaka and vadu maanga are most popular. Since inception, the shop has been selling two types of butter and ghee — cooking butter/ghee from buffalo milk and cow’s milk butter and ghee.

“Right from my grandfather’s days, we have been making ghee from butter, following traditional processes in our homes. Our process takes three to four hours, giving it a good aroma and flavour,” says S Saravanan.

Focus on health  “We have started sourcing vaagai mara chekku oil (wooden cold pressed) from our native town. We have shifted our focus to health food, and therefore millet-based ready-to-make tiffin items such as navadhanya adai mix, thinai kichidi and kanji mavu are also available,” says Saravanan.

Apart from the traditional sweets of Tamil Nadu, such as adhirasam, somas, kamarkat and thaen mittai, the brothers are taking efforts to bring in regional specialities (sweets and savories) as well — Kovilpatti kadalai mittai, Srivilliputhur palgova, Tirunelveli halwa (from Iruttu Kadai), Thoothukudi achu murukku. They source palm jaggery and palm sugar from Udangudi, veppilakatti from Palakkad and honey from Marthandam. Customers across Chennai can currently place orders over the phone, and have their products delivered to their homes.

@Ganapathy’s Butter & Ghee, 14, Chitrakulam west street, Mylapore,9840359274

Mop your space toxins with plants

Kudos to the South Indian platter

Did you know that the south Indian way of eating can be one of the tastiest and simplest paths to health? Read on to discover why

Free from anti-nutrients

Rule # 1 of nutrition is to do no harm. That is, before we start eating things that help us get better, we need to stop eating things that are making us worse. Traditional south Indian cuisine is one that uses ingredients, most of which are devoid of anti-nutrients.

This cuisine involves eating rice, lentils, vegetables, dairy, cooking oils and, in cases, meat, eggs and seafood. And guess what? There is absolutely nothing harmful in these foods. Anyone from any part of the world can eat them in an effort to attain good health.

Loaded with nutrients
Our avials and poriyals are super-rich in micro-nutrients. Our lentils and millets are loaded with minerals and fibre. And, curd and milk are abundant with calcium, protein and help strengthen our bones and muscles. If you’re eating seasonal vegetables and fruits, organic millets and lentils, farm-fresh dairy and good-quality meat, egg and seafood, you can be assured that you’re nourishing your body with every bite.

Has the safest starch options
Rice, lentils and tubers are our starch sources, and that’s great because they are the safest options when it comes to starch. Other options like wheat and oats come with a side of anti-nutrients like gluten and avenin, which could be problematic for many. But rice and tubers like potatoes are clean in that they are almost pure starch and don’t contain much else.

Lends itself to a wonderful mix of macro-nutrients
We have abundant carbohydrates, fat and protein options in south Indian cuisine. It’s upto us to use them wisely. Obviously, three courses of rice with a little bit of vegetable poriyal on the side is not going to help (because it is high in carbohydrates and low in everything else). But a reasonable portion of rice (say one cup of cooked rice per day for every 30 kilos of BW) with an equal portion of vegetables and protein is perfectly balanced for anyone looking to lose fat and gain health.

Versatile and delicious
The variety that south Indian cuisine offers is pretty phenomenal, especially considering the above four points. We have hundreds of traditional dishes and I’d bet most of us would find at least 20 dishes that we enjoy on any given day. That’s a sufficient variety for anyone looking to sustain health and taste in the long term. Any time of the day, any day of the week, there is a dish that will fit the situation. Be it a fun breakfast, refreshing evening beverage, multi-course lunch or a simple supper, the south Indian cuisine has it all.

So remember, your cuisine already has everything you need. Don’t change too much because the Western world is telling you to. Just modify the portions to match your current lifestyle. Eat less of what you get too much of (that is, starch, oil and sugar) and eat more of what you don’t get enough of (that is, protein and vegetables) and you’re done.

முருங்கையை நட்டவன் வெறுங்கையோடு போவான்......!!

முருங்கையை நட்டவன் வெறுங்கையோடு போவான்......!!  ஏன் சொல்கிறார்களென தெரியுமா....?

இந்த பழமொழிக்கு தவறான அர்த்தம் புரிந்து கொண்டு பலர் வீடுகளில் முருங்கை மரத்தை நடுவதை தவிர்த்துவிடுகிறார்கள்.

ஒருவர் முருங்கை மரத்தை வீட்டில் வளர்த்தால் அவருக்கு பூ, காய், இலை, பிசின் என்று அனைத்தும் பயன் தரக்கூடியவை. 

முருங்கை இலை உடலை இளமையோடும் ஆரோக்கியத்தோடும் வைத்துக்கொள்ள கூடிய மூலிகை. 

இவற்றை தினமும் யார் உணவில் பயன்படுத்துகிறாரோ அவர் வயதானாலும் குச்சி ஊன்றாமல் வெறுங்கையோடு நடந்து செல்வார். 

இதைத்தான் நம் முன்னோர்கள்  "முருங்கையை நட்டவன் வெறுங்கையோடு போவான்" என்று சொல்லி வைத்தார்கள்.  ஆகவே நாமும் முருங்கையை நட்டு வெறுங்கையோடு நடப்போமா..?

குழந்தைகளுக்கு தேவையான ஊட்டச்சத்தான மிட்டாய் :

💪  தேங்காய் மிட்டாய்
💪  கடலை மிட்டாய்
💪  எள் மிட்டாய்
💪  கொகோ மிட்டாய் 

💜  பொரிகடலை உருண்டை 
💚  நிலக்கடலை உருண்டை
💛  எள் உருண்டை
❤  பாசிப்பருப்பு உருண்டை
💙  நவதாண்ய உருண்டை

👅  கேப்பை லட்டு

👌  சேவு
👌  சீடை
👌  பருப்பு வடை
👌  உளுந்து வடை

குழந்தைகள் சாப்பிடக்கூடாதது :
MSG Monosodium Glutamate உள்ள இன்றைய தின்பண்டங்கள் எலும்பை உருக்கி பல்லை சொத்தையாக்கக் கூடியது.

😈  Kurkure
😠  Lays
😨  Bingo
😱  Cheetos
😲  Jelly
😵  Boomer
😳  Kinder joy
😢  Cream Biscuit
👹  5 Star
👺  Dairy Milk
👽  Kit kat
👾  Perks
👿  Munch
💀  Snickers

இவைகளை சாப்பிடுவதால் குழந்தைகளுக்கு நிகழ்காலத்திலும், எதிர்காலத்தில் எந்த ஒரு நன்மையையும் கிடைக்கப் போவதில்லை. ஆனால் ஒரு கம்பனிக்கு லாபம் கொடுத்த புண்ணியம் கிடைக்கும். வாழ்க நமது தியாக உள்ளங்கள். As received throough whatsApp 

Sex tonight won't trigger heart attack

If you have suffered a heart attack and feel that exertion between the sheets can be further detrimental to the health of your heart, just chill and plan some real action tonight.

According to researchers, sex can never trigger a heart attack and for those who has suffered one, its is absolutely safe to resume sexual activity.

"Based on our data, it seems very unlikely that sexual activity is a relevant trigger of heart attack," said Dietrich Rothenbacher, professor and chair of the institute of epidemiology and medical biometry at Ulm University in Ulm, Germany.

According to the researchers, sexual activity generally involves moderate physical activity comparable to climbing two staircases or taking a brisk walk.

"Less than half of men and less than a third of women are getting information about sexual activity after heart attack from their doctors. It is important to reassure patients that they need not be worried and should resume their usual sexual activity," he explained.

To reach this conclusion, the researchers looked at 536 heart disease patients between the age 30 and 70 to evaluate sexual activity in the 12 months before a heart attack.

During 10 years of follow up, 100 adverse cardiovascular events occurred in patients in the study.

Sexual activity was not a risk factor for subsequent adverse cardiovascular events.

Researchers also evaluated the timing of the last sexual activity before the heart attack.

Only 0.7 percent reported sex within an hour before their heart attack.

"In comparison, over 78 percent reported that their last sexual activity occurred more than 24 hours before the heart attack," the authors noted.

Despite the benefits of sexual activity outweighing risks, the potential of erectile dysfunction as a side-effect from medications and the risk of a drop in blood pressure from combining certain heart medications with erectile dysfunction medications should be clearly communicated to patients.

Sexual activity can be a concern for many heart attack patients who worry about exertion triggering another heart event, but data on the harms and benefits of sexual activity in heart disease patients is limited.

The research was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/Sex-tonight-wont-trigger-heart-attack/articleshow/49056761.cms

Health reasons why you should sleep naked

Pack away your pajamas and make way for your skin. Yes, we’re suggesting you ditch your clothes for good tonight while you go to sleep. There are endless health benefits of sleeping in the buff that science has agreed upon.

According to a study by the U.S. National Sleep Foundation, sleeping naked have proved to have all sorts of health benefits. Here, we have compiled the top benefits of sleeping naked.

1) Improves your sleep quality Sleeping naked prevents the body from overheating, and thus lets you have a good night’s sleep. Sleeping naked makes it easier for the body to stay cool and maintain a lower temperature, which the brain requires for a sound sleep. Russell Foster, professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford, says, “If you’re wearing lots of bed clothes, it’s going to be more difficult to regulate your temperature, so wear the least you can get away with.”

2) Helps lose weight A good night’s sleep is one of the best way to beat stress, which is known to cause belly fat. At night, when our body is resting, production of the growth hormone is said to increase while cortisol – the stress hormone decreases.

3) Boosts memory and production of growth hormone Deep sleep is key for memory consolidation and production of growth hormone which is important for cell repair and growth.

4) Good for the vagina and testicle Experts say that sleeping naked can be healthy for the vagina. Considering bacteria thrive in moist and warm environments, sleeping naked will reduce the probability of fungal infection. While for men, sleeping naked has been found to increase fertility and sperm quality.

5) Boosts your love life When you and your partner sleep naked, experts say, the skin-to-skin contact releases the “love” hormone – oxytocin, which increases physical and emotional intimacy between couples, leading to happier relationships. It also fights off stress and depression.

6) Burn more calories Sleeping naked can help activate brown fat. Known as the good fat, brown fat can generate heat and burn the calories piled on by the white body fat. Thus helping the body burn some calories.

7) Lowers blood pressure By now you aware that skin-to-skin contact generates a generous boost of oxytocin, a hormone that’s known for a whole lot of health benefits, including having a protective effect on the heart – it lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system and reduces anxiety.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Health-reasons-why-you-should-sleep-naked/articleshow/46541505.cms

Soak Nuts Before Eating Them

Almonds are the generation next superfood. Most health experts believe that raw food is the future of our food habits. And almonds are excellent sources of raw food that give you plenty of useful nutrients. Almonds have nutrients like dietary fibres, Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids and proteins. All these nutrients make almonds the perfect snack for people who are on a diet. You may have noticed that most people soak almonds in water overnight before having them. This is a common practice but very few people know why almonds are soaked. In fact some people even snack on almonds dry without peeling them. This is a wrong practice as it reduces the nutrient value of almonds.

That is why, you must be made aware of why one should soak almonds before eating them.

Reasons For Soaking Almonds Nutrients: The brown peel of the almonds contain tannin acid that is a nutrient inhibitor. As almonds are tree nuts or rather seeds, they are protected by this cover from sunlight and moisture. When you soak almonds, the skin of the almond comes off easily. This releases the nutrients in the almonds more freely. Thus, soaked almonds are more nutritious than dry ones. Digestion: Soaking the almonds makes them softer and sweeter. But it is not just about taste. Almonds become easier for the human stomach to digest once they are soaked. Besides, almonds also become easier to chew for little children and older people with weak teeth.

How To Soak Almonds? Place the almonds in a large bowl and cover them with 2 cups of water per 1/2 cup of almonds. Always cover them and allow them to get soaked for at least 8 hours/overnight. Then drain away the water and peel the almonds. If you want to store the almonds after peeling, store them in the refrigerator using  plastic packets or containers. They will last for about a week after being soaked. 

Germinating Almonds The benefits of almonds can be unlocked further by taking soaking to the next level and actually sprouting your nuts. Sprouted almonds are softer, moister and sweeter as well as being easier to digest. Sprouting almonds is also the only way to release lipase, an enzyme which digests fat. To sprout almonds, soak your almonds overnight for 10 to 12 hours, rinse and place them in glass jar with a lid in the refrigerator. It generally takes between one and three days for the almonds to sprout and you can expect a 1/8-inch sprout to grow.                       http://www.boldsky.com/health/nutrition/2013/why-to-soak-almonds-before-eating-035084.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/509747-why-do-people-soak-almonds-in-water/
http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2013/08/soaking-nuts/
http://www.wikihow.com/Soak-Nuts   9 step by step with photos

Health reasons why you should sleep naked!

Pack away your pajamas and make way for your skin. Yes, we’re suggesting you ditch your clothes for good tonight while you go to sleep. There are endless health benefits of sleeping in the buff that science has agreed upon.

According to a study by the U.S. National Sleep Foundation, sleeping naked have proved to have all sorts of health benefits. Here, we have compiled the top benefits of sleeping naked.

1) Improves your sleep quality Sleeping naked prevents the body from overheating, and thus lets you have a good night’s sleep. Sleeping naked makes it easier for the body to stay cool and maintain a lower temperature, which the brain requires for a sound sleep. Russell Foster, professor of circadian neuroscience at the University of Oxford, says, “If you’re wearing lots of bed clothes, it’s going to be more difficult to regulate your temperature, so wear the least you can get away with.”

2) Helps lose weight A good night’s sleep is one of the best way to beat stress, which is known to cause belly fat. At night, when our body is resting, production of the growth hormone is said to increase while cortisol – the stress hormone decreases.

3) Boosts memory and production of growth hormone Deep sleep is key for memory consolidation and production of growth hormone which is important for cell repair and growth.

4) Good for the vagina and testicle Experts say that sleeping naked can be healthy for the vagina. Considering bacteria thrive in moist and warm environments, sleeping naked will reduce the probability of fungal infection. While for men, sleeping naked has been found to increase fertility and sperm quality.

5) Boosts your love life When you and your partner sleep naked, experts say, the skin-to-skin contact releases the “love” hormone – oxytocin, which increases physical and emotional intimacy between couples, leading to happier relationships. It also fights off stress and depression.

6) Burn more calories Sleeping naked can help activate brown fat. Known as the good fat, brown fat can generate heat and burn the calories piled on by the white body fat. Thus helping the body burn some calories.

7) Lowers blood pressure By now you aware that skin-to-skin contact generates a generous boost of oxytocin, a hormone that’s known for a whole lot of health benefits, including having a protective effect on the heart – it lowers blood pressure and boosts the immune system and reduces anxiety.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Health-reasons-why-you-should-sleep-naked/articleshow/46541505.cms