Tamarind and its amazing Health Benefits and Uses

2023-04-27T08:08:00.006-07:00

Tamarind is a fruit that is native to tropical Africa but is now grown in many parts of the world. It has a unique sweet and sour taste and is used in many different types of cuisine.

Benefits Of Tamarind

Here are some of the benefits of tamarind:

1. Good source of vitamins and minerals: Tamarind is rich in several important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, and iron.

2. Anti-inflammatory properties: Tamarind contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and alleviate pain.

3. Good for digestion: Tamarind contains natural digestive enzymes that can help to improve digestion and reduce constipation.

4. May help to lower cholesterol: Tamarind contains fiber and other compounds that have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

5. May help to regulate blood sugar: Tamarind contains compounds that can help to regulate blood sugar levels, making it a good food for people with diabetes.

6. Good for the skin: Tamarind contains antioxidants that can help to protect the skin from damage caused by free radicals, which can help to reduce the signs of aging.

7. May help to boost the immune system: Tamarind contains vitamin C and other antioxidants that can help to boost the immune system and protect the body against infections.

8. May help to promote weight loss: Tamarind contains fiber and other compounds that can help to promote feelings of fullness and reduce appetite, making it a good food for weight loss.

Uses of Tamarind

Tamarind is a versatile fruit that can be used in many different ways to maximize its health benefits. Here are some ways you can use tamarind for maximum health benefits:

1. In cooking: Tamarind is commonly used in many types of cuisine, especially in Southeast Asia and India. You can use tamarind paste or pulp to add a tangy, sour flavor to curries, stews, and marinades.

2. As a drink: Tamarind juice is a popular drink in many countries and is a great way to enjoy the health benefits of tamarind. You can make tamarind juice by blending tamarind pulp with water, sweetener, and spices.

3. In sauces and dips: Tamarind can be used to make tangy sauces and dips, such as chutneys and dipping sauces for snacks. These sauces can be a healthy alternative to high-fat dips and condiments.

4. As a natural remedy: Tamarind has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for a variety of health issues, including digestive problems, fever, and sore throat. You can make a tamarind tea by boiling tamarind pulp with water and adding honey and ginger for extra flavor and health benefits.

5. In desserts: Tamarind can also be used to make sweet treats, such as tamarind candy and sorbet.

An Amazing Recipe to Try with Tamarind : Sambar

One of the best Indian recipes using tamarind for health is sambar. Sambar is a vegetable stew that is a staple of South Indian cuisine and is made with tamarind as the main flavoring agent. Here's a recipe for sambar:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup mixed vegetables (such as carrots, beans, eggplant, and pumpkin), chopped
- 1 tablespoon sambar powder (a spice blend made with coriander, cumin, and other spices)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- A few curry leaves
- 2 dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Instructions:
1. Wash the toor dal and cook it in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water until it is soft and mushy. Set aside.
2. In a separate pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Fry for a few seconds until the mustard seeds start to pop.
3. Add the onions and sauté until they are soft and translucent. Add the mixed vegetables and sauté for a few minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, sambar powder, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
5. Add the tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
6. Add the cooked toor dal and mix well. Simmer for a few more minutes until everything is heated through.
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or bread.

Sambar is a delicious and healthy dish that is rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins from the vegetables and tamarind. It is also a great way to incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet.

How To ACTUALLY Deal With A Friend That Is Mentally Depressed (Detailed)

2020-07-20T16:16:00.002-07:00

We all go through a lot in our lives, everyone has a different journey. No real struggle is worse or better, but a person's tolerance might be more or less than the next person. A person who is unable to cope with all the difficulties, problems, and situations in their life, finds it difficult to stay strong, happy, and physically or mentally healthy. They are feeling a sensory overload, which makes it difficult for them to feel okay.

What is Depression? Bust the Myths.

Depression is not the same as being sad, very emotional, or moody! It is not being lazy, it is not a term to use just to exaggerate negative feelings. A depressed person may sad, emotional, moody, and negative, but just these symptoms cannot imply that a person is depressed.

Professionals would explain Depression as a longer-term mental illness. It impairs social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. Left untreated, symptoms of depression may last for a long time. When you’re sad, it may feel all-encompassing at times. But you should also have moments when you are able to laugh or be comforted. Depression differs from sadness. The feelings you have will affect all aspects of your life. It may be hard or even impossible to find enjoyment in anything, including activities and people you used to enjoy. Depression is a mental illness, not an emotion.

And in easier terms, Depression is a mental illness which can make a person feel a huge void of emotions (the feeling of being empty), they can lose interest in things that normally excite people, they can have pessimistic behaviors, they usually have negative thoughts and emotions if any and they feel overwhelmed by their state. This does not completely explain what a depressed person feels like because some feelings/behaviors/thoughts are too complicated.

Symptoms/Behavioral Patterns of a Depressed Person (How to recognize a person who might be suffering).

The DSM-5 criteria include nine potential symptoms of depression, which professionals use to determine if a person is depressed or not. The severity of each symptom is also weighed as part of the diagnostic process. The nine symptoms are:

feeling depressed throughout each day on most or all days
lack of interest and enjoyment in activities you used to find pleasurable
trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
trouble eating or eating too much, coupled with weight gain or weight loss
irritability, restlessness, or agitation
extreme fatigue
unwarranted or exaggerated feelings of guilt or worthlessness
inability to concentrate or make decisions
suicidal thoughts or actions, or thinking a lot about death and dying

View this post on Instagram

A lot of people are scared of the diagnosis depression or fear the development of depression when dealing with anxiety... it is very common to feel periods of depression when dealing with extreme anxiety because if you are anything like I was. I isolated myself from all my friends, I felt like I failure, I felt like a loser, I felt like my life wasn’t mine anymore, I felt like life was over this was my forever, I felt I’d never see a day without a panic attack... I felt so much. It was exhausting. Studies show that anxiety and depression sometimes co exist in people. For me, that was true. I wasn’t living, I was waking up wishing i was still sleeping, I was going through the day just sitting on the couch numb all day long, I was on my phone all day, I didnt talk to anyone besides family and when talking to family it was always me panicking about something I was feeling “wrong” with myself. I didn’t feel I even existed on the world. If you feel all of this, please listen to me- THIS DOESNT HAVE TO BE YOUR FOREVER. THIS WILL PASS. It’s not permanent, I remember thinking I’d feel that way forever. It’s not. You will overcome. You are not alone. • • Photo: @the_depression_chronicles11 #anxietyrelief #anxietyawareness #anxietyproblems #overcominganxiety #overcomingdepression #depressionhelp #depressionawareness #anxietyattack #anxietysupport #healthanxiety #panicdisorder #panicattack #mentalhealthmatters #anxietysucks #anxietyhelp #anxietyisreal #anxietytips #anxietywarrior #anxietyattacks #anxietytreatment #anxietymanagement

A post shared by Anxiety Support (@health_anxiety) on Jul 14, 2020 at 10:15am PDT

In the Instagram post above, you can see what a depressed person might behave like. Once you are familiar with these behavior patterns you can stay more aware of the people around you and why they might be feeling a certain way.

How To Deal With A Depressed Person (Detailed)

Check-In On Them!

People tend to mask or hide such behaviors in public, in front of their family and even their closest friends in order to not bother them, that is why you need to pay even closer attention to them and to check in on them, not just as a formality, but in a genuine way.

For example, instead of asking "How are you doing nowadays?" which leads to replies like, "Good! what about you?", approach them as if you trust them and they can trust you, by saying things like "Hey! Omg I had the toughest day today, XYZ did PQR and I feel really annoyed, you know? Anyways, I just wanted to talk to you! What's up? ❤". Such messages can create a genuine conversation which gives them a huge opportunity to open up and vent. Venting is extremely important for someone who is suffering from depression, but if you are not successful in getting them to open up, do not push them and try again after a while, until they trust you or feel comfortable enough to talk to you.

The problem with being direct and asking "How are you feeling now?" or something similar is that they might feel -

1. Like something is wrong with them.

2. You're just asking to feel better about yourself, and you don't really care.

3. Tired of constantly trying to explain the same things over and over again to people, only leading to them, not understanding.

4. As if they're a burden.

etc.

How To Properly Have A Conversation With Them

Once they are comfortable talking to you, there are a few things to keep in mind while carrying your conversation.

You need to keep your emotions and your words in check. Be sure not to accidentally say something offensive or triggering.
Be gentle. Do not make fun of their emotions, even as a joke. Do not resort to tough love unless absolutely necessary.
Do not constantly center the conversation around their illness, because it WILL make them uncomfortable. It is important to talk freely and in a comfortable environment, in a way that real friends would.
Don't give them the ignorant "just think positively".
Let them talk without constantly giving them unwanted advice. They will ask for advice if they want it, unwanted advice can do more harm than good sometimes
Ask a few questions to know more details if the conversation allows it.
Seek permission to give them help.
Do not compare their experiences with that of someone else's. Everyone has a different story and a different recovery timeline.
Don't try to fix them as if they're broken. They're not your project to fix, let them go through it enough to let them grow, but keep an eye on them and keep supporting them.
Avoid labeling them as "mentally ill". "depressed", "unstable" etc as much as possible, they do not need such unnecessary reminders.
Since every conversation cannot be about the same things, on a regular basis, talk about things that ignite unforced positivity in a way that both parties can appreciate.
Give them the validation they might be seeking, and do not invalidate their experiences.
If they try to push you away, don't let them win. It's their way of seeking out true friends and assurance, but give them some space if it seems required, BUT DO NOT LEAVE THEM COMPLETELY ALONE.
Constantly try to suggest the fact that you understand them and respect them.
Give them reminders about how amazing they might be as a person.
Give them hope in whichever way they can accept it.
Do not validate their negative misconceptions about themselves.

The Important Difference between Preaching and Listening.

There is a lot to understand about this topic, making it very important.

Someone who is depressed always carries a huge load on their chest, this load sometimes even becomes physically unbearable. They need to talk and cry and scream until they can feel an ounce of relief, it does get extreme in many cases.

In a situation where they cannot control their actions and words, you cannot expect them to have control over their mind, thoughts, and emotions. There is no point in trying to motivate a person who might not want to live to see another day.

Considering all these facts and more, such people aren't seeking advice or preachings from you as a friend (most of the time). Instead, what they might really want is for you to be someone they can just talk to. You need to be the person who understands them, who doesn't make them regret sharing their thoughts, who doesn't "spill the tea" about them just for fun, as someone who is their "safe place".

Instead of suggesting solutions for every problem they list, be the person that accepts them as they are and show them that you're there for them through your continuous actions. That is the difference between Preaching and Listening. Be a listener.

Ways to Help Them and the Right Time to Suggest Them.

There is no specific occasion or conversation which can suggest that it is the right time to suggest ways for self-reflection or to seek medical help.

When someone tells you that they're depressed, it is your responsibility to suggest that they seek medical help and support from their family. But, in many cases, such help is not that easily accessible for some people, so there are also numerous helplines available. But even when those solutions seem scary and unapproachable, which is really unfortunate, suggest that they talk to some experienced adult.

But no matter what they decide, your responsibility has not ended.

There are a lot of things to suggest as other forms of help like

things that have helped you from personal experience if any.
meditation
trusted mental health speakers online
an insight into some form of spirituality
some changes regarding their personality that they might be able to practice
to remove fake friends
to maintain a diary
to take out time for self-reflection
to practice ignorance towards the worse aspects of life temporarily
to stay socially distant
by giving them a reason to stay alive
etc

Also remember that mainstream motivation does not usually work, but don't let this fact discourage you.

Medications like Antidepressants are prescribed by doctors, and as someone who has been depressed before, it is my personal belief to keep trying to fix your problems on your own rather than to be dependant on medications that ruin your health, because just like all other medications, Antidepressants have side effects too and prove to be damaging, but if the situation is no longer under your control, medications and therapy are the solutions.

Here are some Myths and Facts about Antidepressants that need to be talked about.

From my own experience, the things I always try to recommend to the people I care about are -

To meditate and keep themselves busy, so that there is less time to think negatively.
To stop the habit of labeling themselves as "depressed", "suicidal" etc, and to force themselves into optimistic labels s a brain rewiring tactic.
To practice controlled thinking. (usually, it only works for people who are actually trying to get better, and who aren't comfortably stuck.) This is a method of stopping your brain from thinking negatively as soon as you realize that you are. Usually, it is forcefully changed into optimistic thinking or no thinking at all.
To watch the videos of my favorite speaker Sadhguru, on youtube. Yes, this does feel embarrassing at times but it is worth sharing in my honest opinion.
To stop sharing their feelings with too many people, otherwise, they will constantly be reminded of what gives them pain.
To not keep more than 1-3 close friends, and to cut off everyone else, this allows room for self-growth.
To stay off of social media and even away from the news since they are really triggering.
To have proper rest, especially at night.
To stay in as much as they feel like they need to, if possible.

And don't just suggest solutions, teach them how to do I and also show them how to continuously practice it after actually starting. This is a long term responsibility/

When?

But obviously, you can not just unload a bunch of suggestions onto someone at the same time, and expect them to be able to process and implement all of it.

When you are normally discussing things, and having a normal conversation, or talking about your day or the past, or the things that you love, or absolutely any normal conversation that doesn't revolve around their depression, those are all great opportunities to sneak in such suggestions. But it must be done gently, and not unless there is actual control over the situation.

Another time is obviously when they actually ask for advice.

Things you can do Yourself to Give them Comfort if Possible

Watch movies or something entertaining with them
Visit them and stay in with them
Practice some self-care together
Play some video games or their favorite sports with them
Give them gifts, especially handwritten cards
Take them to their favorite restaurants or malls or wherever they would like to go
Indulge yourself in artistic activities to spark passion and creativity
Remind them of the good things in the world and give them hope
Flaunt them to boost their confidence

etc. But do not force them into such activities, make sure that they actually have enough energy, and also prioritize their wishes above your own whenever possible.

How You Should Deal With Yourself

You are important too, a beautiful soul that is reading how to help his/her/their friend. Negative energies, like all other energies, can have an effect on you too, Just because you're not the one who is struggling doesn't mean you don't need a break and your own mental peace.

While taking care of your friend, do not forget to take care of yourself. Practice your forms of self-care and fulfill your own responsibilities

Do not get angry at your friend, they're not the enemy, their depression/mental issue is.

Do not let yourself down too much in order to lift someone back up

Do not let yourself stress out too much, do not take such a massive toll on yourself.

I wrote something after such a long time, I hope this was somewhat helpful. Stay healthy and don't stop loving yourself <3

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind