Beautiful Women

Lemon Yoghurt Cheesecake

2022-05-07T05:06:00.000-07:00

Cook Time

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ready in: 50 min

Yields: Serves 8 people

Ingredients for sponge base and filling

· 1 large egg, separated for sponge base

· 30 g castor sugar, for sponge base

· 30 g self-rising flour, for sponge base

· Pinch salt, for sponge base

· 1 teaspoon butter, combined with 1 tablespoon water for sponge base

· 500 g cream cheese, at room temperature for filling

· 2 eggs, for filling

· 125 g castor sugar, for filling

· 1 cup thick yoghurt, for filling

· 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, for filling

· 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind, for filling

· 1½ teaspoons vanilla essence, for filling

· 1 tablespoon sherry or pineapple juice, for filling

· 1 tablespoon gelatin, for filling

· ½ cup hot water, for filling

Instructions for sponge base and filling

1. Whisk egg white until stiff. Gradually beat in sugar and then egg yolk. Fold in flour and salt. Stir in water and butter and mix well. (sponge base)

2. Pour batter into a 20 cm spring form cake pan lined with greased greaseproof paper. Bake in preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Peel off paper lining. (sponge base)

3. Grease and line pan again and place cake in tin. (sponge base)

4. Beat cream cheese until smooth. (filling)

5. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend with softened cream cheese. Beat in yoghurt, lemon juice and rind, vanilla and sherry or fruit juice. (filling)

6. Sprinkle gelatin over hot water and stir until dissolved. Cool a little, then add to cream cheese mixture and mix well. (filling)

7. To assemble cake, pour filling on top of sponge layer and refrigerate overnight. If desired, drizzle melted chocolate on top.

ENJOY!!

HendrikDB

Why Dogs are Our Best Friends

2022-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

The story of humanity is a long one. Over time, as we progressed and domesticated horses and cows, and farmed sheep, goats and pigs, dogs found their place. Not as food, but as protectors and finders of food. This is not incidental but specifically because of their infinite versatility. Their keen smell, sharp hearing, agility, and mobility gave them the edge above any other domesticated animal or pet and enabled the dog to fulfil any role required from them.

Later on there came a shift in purpose with the emphasis on protecting the household, or warning the owner of danger. However, as humankind progressed through the ages, another shift in purpose developed, namely to be companions or friends taking on a social responsibility which also include assisting humans to deal with disabilities.

The best example here is the guide dogs for the blind, making them the best service animals. They have also been functioning as ears for the hearing impaired and even as arms and legs for the physically disabled. However, these dogs function as far more than replacements or limbs or senses. May be more important, they provide tremendous psychological support to their companions, who often find social and emotional barriers far more difficult to overcome than physical ones.

Guide dogs not only offer their human friends greater mobility, but also give them an increased capability to cope with their blindness. But, most importantly, a guide dog gives the blind owner a new lease on life. There is a positive acceptance of the disability, of life and risk taking, expression of feelings, assertiveness, personal achievement, and orientation to the present, relaxation, improved body image, security, self-control, self-awareness, and opportunities for social growth and interaction.

Hearing dogs assist deaf and hearing-impaired persons by responding to the telephone, the fire alarm, and other specialized needs such as the timer on a microwave oven or a crying baby. The greatest benefit however, is that the owners of such dogs experience a decreased dependency on hearing people and a new found freedom that may allow them to live alone or free from anxiety when the hearing spouse or partner has to leave the impaired person to go to work, etc.

More specialized than the ordinary hearing dogs, are the so-called signal dogs, which act as the ears of the deaf. A signal dog is trained to respond to the slightest sound, for example, after a deaf young woman received a signal dog she became confident enough to start a family. The woman’s husband had normal hearing but worked a late shift, and she feared she would be unable to hear her baby’s cries in the night. With the signal dog, she could put her mind at ease. Another signal dog, whose owner has a dental laboratory, alerted his master to all the timers and sounds of the electronic equipment, he worked on.

A companion dog is one who is trained to support their recipient in home environments. These dogs are not necessarily only for the disabled, but also for those in need of assistance in and around the house, for instance the elderly, the lonely, or the isolated persons in life. These dogs are there to assist with picking up dropped items, opening and closing doors, wardrobes, and drawers, removing items of clothing like socks, emergency bark if their owner is in danger, offer emotional support, including love and friendship and most importantly, assists in breaking down barriers and reducing social isolation.

The bond between dog and humankind that began centuries ago still exists today. Over all these centuries, dogs made extraordinary impact on many aspects of the human life. They certainly deserve the title ‘a human being’s best friend’!

This can better be described with this joke: ‘to see who your best friend is, lock both your dog and your so-called best human friend in the trunk of your car and open them after an hour and see who is coming out wagging his tail and licking your hand!’

HendrikDB

How to Make Beer Roasted Pork

2022-05-02T11:49:00.002-07:00

Pork is one of the leanest of all meats. Sometimes people wrongly assume that all pork is high in fat and thus incompatible with healthy eating. However, it is a fact that lean pork is lower in fat than beef or lamb and is not much fattier than skinless chicken – a 100 g serving of lean roast leg of pork contains 7 per cent fat. Pork is an excellent source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B 12. It is also a good source of zinc and it contains iron.

Pork is a very versatile meat and the leg, whole or deboned, is suitable for either oven- or pot-roasted. Leg of pork generally has a bland taste, which can be enhanced by various ingredients added during cooking, of which beer is one of it. Pork which is roasted in beer, and served with applesauce makes a mouth-watering dinner dish.

Beer Roasted Leg of Pork

Ingredients

2 kg pork leg

25 ml (1 Tbsp.) olive oil

38 ml (2 Tbsp.) sunflower oil

1 onion stuck with 2 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

5 ml freshly ground black pepper

2 ml salt

7 ml thyme

250 ml (1 cup) flat beer

6 carrots cut into 5 cm lengths

12 small white onions, peeled

2 small turnips, quartered

Preparation

1. Rub the pork leg with olive oil. Heat the sunflower oil in a heavy-based saucepan (with lid and oven-proof) large enough to hold the roast. When hot, sear all sides of the roast.

2. When well- coloured, add the onion, bay leaf, pepper, salt, thyme and the beer. Bring to the boil and simmer covered on top of the stove or in a 150⁰C oven for 2 hours.

3. Test the meat, and if it is becoming tender, add the remaining vegetables. Cook for about 1 hour more, until the vegetables are tender. Remove meat to a carving board and keep it warm.

4. Skim off the fat from the sauce and taste for seasoning. Carve meat into thin slices and serve.

Here is a bonus – serve the pork with an apple sauce

Ingredients

2 large cooking apples

A knob of butter

Castor sugar to sweeten

Preparation

1. Wash the apples and cut them into small pieces without removing the skin or core.

2. Cook it in just enough water to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

3. Sieve the apple and sweeten it with the castor sugar.

4. Stir in the butter and serve the applesauce in a small sauceboat.

Enjoy with rice, baked potatoes, and a tossed salad. Do not forget the wine!

HendrikDB

My People!

2022-05-02T11:25:00.000-07:00

Foods You Should Avoid if You Suffer From High Blood Pressure

2022-05-01T10:33:00.001-07:00

A considerable number of people today are suffering from a condition known as high blood pressure or hypertension. It is the condition where the speed of the blood inside the blood vessels increases to an alarming level. This weakens the walls of the vessels and also causes the heart to pump at a faster pace. This fast pumping of the heart results in the over-exertion of the heart, and that can cause many heart diseases. However, this condition can be lessened by eating a specific food. It can also be aggravated and made worse by the use of certain foodstuff.

1. Salt

Salt is the prime culprit when it comes to high blood pressure. When the sodium content in our diet is increased, it disturbs the delicate ionic balance of the human body. This results in the kidneys being unable to filter the blood properly as the blood has a high level of sodium content. When the kidneys do not produce proper urine, the water content of blood increases which increases blood pressure. According to nutritionists, the daily intake of sodium for a healthy individual, so that he/she does not suffer from hypertension, should not exceed 1500 milligrams.

2. Canned Soups

Canned soups may look extremely nutritious when you are looking at their advertisements in which they promote the use of healthy veggies that provide nutrition. However, in reality, canned soups are a major aggravator of hypertension. These canned goods are loaded with a sodium content that increases the speed of the flow of blood. Therefore, while selecting a canned soup, a person should make sure he goes for a can with a “low sodium” label on it.

3. Processed Meats

Processed meats have been made to last longer and to stay unspoiled. They are used to make quick sandwiches and are considered nutritious. However, these meats contain a large amount of sodium content.

4. Chinese Take-Outs

Chinese take-outs are a favourite for people these days. When living in a fast-paced society, places that offer these budget-friendly and quick food items are considered saviours. However, this is not the case. Chinese take-out places use oils that are sodium content rich. That is why sautéed veggies in a Chinese place look so shiny. Also, Chinese take-out contains a large quantity of canned sauces as well as other sodium-rich ingredients that cause hypertension.

5. Frozen Pizzas

Frozen pizzas are considered to be a quick fix when lunch isn’t cooked or when you feel too lazy to get something to eat. Pop them in the oven and wait till the cheese starts the melt and the dough turns crispy and golden. However, to conserve the frozen pizzas, a large amount of salt is used. This high sodium concentration aggravates blood pressure and causes various heart diseases.

6. Pickles

Pickles are salted and preserved vegetables that are dipped in oil or vinegar for fermentation and flavour. These pickles are eaten as a side as well as put in various sandwiches and burgers all around the world. The extremely high sodium content in these aggravates blood pressure and can turn even a simple cucumber into a sodium bomb.

7. Baked Cookies

Baked cookies may look healthy because of the brilliant smells and the amazing taste of it. Plus, the idea of something being freshly baked sounds very healthy and nutritious. However, baked cookies are rich in sugar content, and this sugar also causes a spike in blood pressure. Furthermore, in slices of bread, pastries, and croissants – salt is added. This salt increases blood pressure levels due to an increased level of sodium in the bloodstream.

8. Bacon

Bacon is a calorie bomb. They are sticks of fats that are fried in cholesterol pools. The worst thing is that people eat this for breakfast and breakfast is the most important and vital meal of the day. Therefore, eating something this unhealthy, this early in the morning has even more adverse effects than eating it at another time would. Due to the fat content of bacon, the blood pressure rises, and this results in overexertion of the heart.

9. Red Meat

Every doctor’s first advice to a person suffering from high blood pressure is to avoid or altogether boycott red meat. Red meat is a major source of haem iron to the body. This haem iron is directly related to the blood pressure levels of the human body. The red meat also contains more sodium content than white meat and sea-food; therefore, the use of red meat should be lessened to control blood pressure and avoid hypertension.

10. Donuts

Donuts are every age group’s favourite snack. However, these little snacks are incredibly unhealthy. They destroy the oral health of a person by acid deposition inside the mouth. They cause obesity which directly co-relates with hypertension and exertion of the heart. Consumption of donuts also spikes sugar level which causes a further aggravation of the blood pressure levels.

In conclusion, the list is not final. There are many food types that may not be good should you from suffer high blood pressure. Please consult your medical doctor or a dietician.

HendrikDB

Source: https://lovemyfamilymag.com/

How to Counter Insomnia

2022-04-29T07:09:00.001-07:00

Insomnia is everyone’s worse nightmare – that is if you can fall asleep indeed! But as they say; it is no use to have sleepless nights over insomnia!

Insomnia can be cured or prevented without expensive medication or medical bills. Just follow 5 basic tips on how:

1. Stay within your routine of eating supper: This means that should you eat a late-night snack or you go over your normal supper time, for instance attending a late function dinner, it will have an impact on your metabolism and that will have an impact on your sleeping pattern. The rule should be two hours between eat and sleep!

2. A healthy body houses a healthy mind; a healthy mind allows healthy sleeping patterns. An exercise routine should help regulate your sleep cycles and make you feel sleepier in the late evening. But, on the flipside, do not overdo it as too much exercise close to sleeping time can cause too much adrenaline flow and then it is back to tossing and turning. And beware of taking a too hot bath or shower after exercising.

3. Don't use your bed as a place for activities other than sleep and intimacy. Get into bed when you are ready to sleep and leave it when you wake up – on this topic of waking up; try not to linger in bed after waking up. Get up immediately. It is a fallacy that reading in bed just before sleeping time will make you drowsy and thus let you sleep better.

4. One of the major causes of insomnia is too much sleeping! Remember taking naps during the day or sleeping late in the mornings could overdo your need for sleep and thus when it is your normal sleeping time you toss and turn and blames it on insomnia! And get into a sleeping time routine; meaning that it will help to get a set time you will go to bed every night.

5. It is a fallacy that alcohol consumption will allow you to fall asleep easier. It only makes you feel dizzy temporary but try to hit the bed with too much alcohol consumption prior to sleeping time and see how you sleep! Therefore, avoid it.

There you are. Try these tips and if these won’t help, then the only other option is counting sheep!

HendrikDB

Cannabis Helps Reduce Severity Of Migraines And Headaches

2022-04-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

According to a study, self-reported headache severity was reduced by 47.3% and migraine severity was reduced by 49.6% with cannabis that was inhaled. This is the first study to make use of a large amount of data from migraine and headache patients making use of cannabis in real time.^[1] Prior research has used data from the recollection of patients’ past cannabis use. There has been one clinical trial which indicated that cannabis was superior to ibuprofen for alleviating headache, but a synthetic cannabinoid drug called nabilone was used. Although a substantial number of people report using cannabis for migraine and headache, surprisingly little research has addressed the topic.

Archived data from the Strainprint app was analysed, an app which allows the tracking of symptoms before and after patients have used medical cannabis. Over 1,300 patients submitted information who had made use of the app more than 12,200 times for tracking headache changes from before to after using cannabis, as well as another 653 patients who had made use of the app more than 7,400 times for tracking changes of the severity of migraine.

The researchers made use of an ecologically valid approach by looking at actual patients medicating in their own environments making use of whole plant cannabis. Because of the large amount of data, the researchers could more accurately and appropriately generalize to the greater population of patients making use of cannabis for managing these conditions.

No evidence was seen of cannabis causing “overuse headache,” a side effect of conventional treatments that can make headaches worse over time. Patients did however use larger doses of cannabis over time, which indicates they could be developing a tolerance to the cannabis.

A small but significant gender difference was found with men reporting 90.0% more sessions that involved headache reduction compared to 89.1% reported by women. It was also noted that making use of cannabis concentrates, such as cannabis oil, resulted in a larger reduction in the severity rating of headaches than making use of cannabis flower.

No significant difference in the reduction of pain was found between strains of cannabis that were lower or higher in cannabidiol (CBD) levels and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels, the two most commonly researched cannabis chemical constituents, also known as cannabinoids. Because cannabis consists of more than 100 cannabinoids, the result suggests that different cannabinoids or other constituents like terpenes could be playing a central role in the relief of migraine and headache.

The limitations of the Strainprint study were that it relied on a self-selected group of individuals who may have already anticipated that cannabis will alleviate symptoms, and it wasn’t possible to implement a placebo control group.

Acknowledgement: https://www.shape-able.com/

Image via: ShapeAble

Baking Soda Might Be a Safe and Cheap Way to Fight Autoimmune Disease

2022-04-27T08:08:00.002-07:00

A dose of baking soda every day might be able to help reduce the harmful inflammation of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers reveal some of the first evidence of how the cheap, over-the-counter antacid can encourage the spleen to promote an anti-inflammatory environment instead, which can be therapeutic in the face of inflammatory disease.¹

The researchers have demonstrated that when rats or healthy individuals consume a solution of baking soda, it becomes a trigger for the stomach to produce more acid to digest the next meal and for mesothelial cells sitting on the spleen to tell the organ that there’s no need to launch a protective immune response.

Mesothelial cells line cavities of the body, such as the cavity containing the digestive tract, and they also cover the outside of the organs to quite literally stop them from rubbing together. Mesothelial cells have little fingers called microvilli, which also offer another level of protection. The microvilli sense the environment and warn the organs they are covering when there's an invader and an immune response is required.

The spleen is part of the immune system, which functions as a big blood filter and is where some white blood cells, like macrophages, are stored. The researchers believe that drinking baking soda informs the spleen to go easy on the immune response.

After consuming water with baking soda for 2 weeks, the population of immune cells known as macrophages in the spleen, as well as the blood and kidneys, shifted from primarily those that promote inflammation (M1) to those that reduce it (M2). Macrophages, perhaps most commonly known for their capacity to consume waste in the body such as debris from dead or injured cells, are early arrivers to a call for an immune response.

One of the numerous functions of the kidneys is balancing crucial compounds such as acid, potassium, and sodium. With kidney disease, there's impaired kidney function and one of the resulting problems can be that the blood becomes too acidic. Significant consequences can include an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Studies have revealed that a daily dose of baking soda can not only reduce acidity but slow kidney disease progression, and it's now a therapy provided to kidney disease patients.

Acknowledgement: https://www.ahealthblog.com/

Image via: AHealthBlog

How to have quality family time

2022-04-25T06:51:00.002-07:00

How to have fun

In modern times with all the entertainment opportunities and as the modern living intensifies, less time is spent with the family. No wonder that families are no longer have quality time together nor do they have time for communication. Even communication is breaking up. Mom is at a book club or other clubs, Dad is working late and the children are visiting friends. The end result is that families are actually breaking up.

The irony is that families are the last outposts of unity where we must actually support each other and try to alleviate the different levels of stress each family members may have. Even the small school going children have their stress. Families should re-invent quality time together. There are many ways to do it and one interesting activity is to have at least once a week a home movie night. The focus is to be at home with either a pre-determined movie on one of the television channels or a movie rental from one of the video or DVD stores.

The secret of the fun lies there in that this should be a family decision and once decided on it no one should pull out of it. Set a movie start time and stick to it. Turn all cell phones off and order some take-outs or all family members can join together to make an informal movie dinner.

If there are still small children in the house you could make it more interesting for them. Ask them to make tickets and sell them from a self-made “box office”. They can even usher parents and older siblings to their seats with a small flashlight as in the old days.

A darkened room and plenty of comfy seats are a must. Beanbag chairs and large pillows on the floor are great movie chairs. Do not forget the popcorn. The microwave variety is fine, even better is stove-popped corn in a variety of flavors. Soft drinks are also a good idea. Give family members a chance to take a loo break or hit the fridge.

Remember, you as parents are responsible to keep the family together and once you embark on this movie night venture, please keep it together – do not allow anybody, the boss, the book club members, etc. sabotage this bonding evenings.

This would be the ideal opportunity to show the kids you are prepared to make sacrifices to ensure that you could spend quality time together.

HendrikDB

Walnuts can assist with lowering cholesterol levels

2022-04-22T10:58:00.000-07:00

It is official – walnuts are not only for recreational eating and cooking! Research has shown that walnuts also have medicinal value in the sense that it has recognized cholesterol lowering properties. Many studies performed by various research institutions all over the world, have at last discovered the benefits of walnuts. Not only has the consumption of walnuts proven beneficial in lowering cholesterol levels, they have also been noted to reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation.

There are three types of fat in foods – saturated, mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fat. Replacing sources of saturated fat with mono- and poly-unsaturated fat can help improve cholesterol levels, and improving cholesterol levels can reduce risk of heart disease. Although most nuts are rich in mono-unsaturated fat, the benefit is that walnuts are poly-unsaturated.

But this is not where the nutritional value of walnuts ends. Another reason why they are heart healthy is because of the presence of high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly alpha linoleic acid, and phytosterols. Omega-3-fatty acids reduce triglycerides levels and also reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaque on arteries by increasing HDL levels (the so-called good cholesterol). On the other hand in turn it reduces LDL levels (or the so-called bad cholesterol). In addition to heart healthy ingredients, walnuts also contain a wealth of other nutrients, including vitamin E, the B vitamins, fiber, and several minerals.

A qualified dietician would be able to compile a balance cholesterol lowering diet in which 20 percent of the calories can come from walnuts. In such a case LDL cholesterol can be reduced by as much as 12 percent. For a 1,200-calorie per day diet, a little less than 1/3 of a cup of walnuts is about 240 calories, or 20 percent of the total calories for the day.

In conclusion, as with any food, good or bad, eating too much can cause weight gain and being overweight places you at higher risk of heart disease. To avoid gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, luncheon meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.

Danie de Villiers

Biltong, a South African Delicacy

2022-04-21T05:49:00.000-07:00

Biltong, a traditional South African delicacy, is the name given to strips of meat, carefully seasoned, spiced and air-dried to create a preserved, chewy meat snack.

When the early European settlers in South Africa ventured into the interior of the land 300 odd years ago, this dried meat was invented as a substitute for fresh meat during their journey.

The name biltong is thought to stem from the Dutch words bill, meaning buttock of an animal, and tong, meaning tongue, but in this context referring rather to a piece of meat cut into a strip than to the actual tongue of an animal - therefore biltong = dried buttock meat, cut into strips looking like a tongue.

Recipes for biltong (dried meat) are numerous. Only prime cuts of meat, usually the hindquarter of the animal are used, cut into the strips looking like a tongue and sprinkled with vinegar and rock salt to tenderize, flavor and preserve it after which it is seasoned with a combination of spices like pepper and coriander.

The meat is then hung to air-dry in a warm breezy place, out of the direct sunlight and in a place protected from dust, flies and other insects. The secret of success is to quick dry it to prevent mildew forming. Fortunately, special ‘biltong-makers’ (dehydrators/meat curing boxes) are available to speed up the process. But many eager biltong fans, like me, use a portable washing rack in an unused room with a huge fan directly on the meat!

Usually, biltong is made from beef, game and ostrich - but the real experts even make chicken and shark biltong! And then there is also bacon biltong!

Using Biltong

At first early settlers soaked the dried meat in water before slicing and using it in cooking meals. It is believed that later they ate it in its raw, dried form. Today, apart from being eaten on its own as a snack, biltong can also be grated to flavour cheese sauces, savoury biscuits, and exotic dishes and even in soup.

A High Protein Snack

Biltong is regarded as a reasonably healthy snack as it is high in protein, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium, thiamine and vitamin B12. Ostrich and game biltong are excellent to use to lower your fat and kilojoules intake.

Ingredients

· 25 kg (55 lb.) beef, tender cuts such as loin, rump, fillet, and silver side or topside

· 1.25 kg (2.7 lb.) rock salt

· 1 cup brown sugar

· 2 tablespoons black pepper

· 100 g (3.5 oz.) coriander seeds, coarsely ground

· 500 ml (16 fl oz.) brown vinegar

· 1 cup Worcestershire sauce

How to Make Biltong

1. Cut the meat into strips 5 - 7 cm (2 - 3 inch) wide and 2 - 4 cm (¾ - 1½ inch) thick. (The strips will look just like an animal tongue!)

2. Rub all the strips thoroughly with the rock salt, place in a container and allow standing for 2 hours.

3. Take the strips out and scrape off the salt with a broad blade knife.

4. Place the strips in a glass dish, big enough to accommodate all the strips without laying on each other. Mix the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and pour over the meat strips. Cover and allow standing for one hour, then turn over and allow standing another hour.

5. Strip off excessive vinegar mixture with the hand and mix the brown sugar, black pepper and ground coriander. Rub this mixture thoroughly into each strip of meat.

6. At one end of each strip, hook through an S-shaped wire or plastic hook.

7. Hang these strips in a dehydrator or meat curing box and leave to dry - it will be reasonably dry after 4 - 5 days.

Once it is dried, eat it as a snack as it is, using a sharp knife to slice it, or use a meat slicer for this purpose. Alternatively, use the sliced pieces on a sandwich or use the slices to substitute the normal meat in any soup.

HendrikHDB

Gourmet Recipe: South African Bobotie

2022-04-20T08:59:00.001-07:00

This is a traditional South African recipe and date back to the 1600’s. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company of Holland established a refreshment station for its many ships sailing past the most southern tip of Africa, Table Bay to and from India. The seafarers had been awestruck by the magnificence of the mountains of the Cape Peninsula and for nearly two centuries Table Bay was used as a refreshment and repair stop by passing European ships.

In 1657, the Dutch East India Company brought slaves from the Far East to work in the vegetable gardens. Slaves from Malaysia brought with them their culinary knowledge and expertise, as well as their spices. And so started a tradition of Cape Malay dishes, born in South Africa. One of their specialties was Bobotie.

Bobotie is a Malay improvement on shepherd's pie, with a good deal of the spice cupboard mixed with the mince - cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, even chutney, almonds and sultanas as well as garlic and peppercorns - plus a masala that includes dried chillies, peppercorns, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods, with a savoury custard instead of mashed potatoes on top.

I grew up with this dish and my grandmother and mother were experts in making this dish. Today, this is a permanent fixture on the menu in my house. I gladly share this recipe with you.

It is quick and easy to make and can be served with rice, coconut, chutney and a mixed salad.

Ingredients

· * 3 tablespoons butter

· * 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

· *2 medium sized onions, coarsely cut

· * 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

· *2 tablespoons curry powder

· * 1 teaspoon turmeric

· *2 oz. (1/2 cup) almonds, shredded

· *4 oz. (2/3 cup) sultanas or raisins

· *1 teaspoon mixed herbs

· * 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

· *1 teaspoon salt

· * 1 tablespoon brown sugar

· *1 tablespoon wine vinegar

· *2 lb. lean mincemeat, lightly browned beforehand

· * 3 thick slices white bread

· * 10 fl. Oz. (1 1/4 cup) milk

· * 2 eggs, lightly beaten

· * 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ⁰F (180 ⁰C). Grease a deep pie dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter.

2. In a small frying pan, melt the remaining butter and add the oil. When the foam subsides, add the onions and garlic and fry, over moderate heat, for about 5 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.

3. Remove the onions and garlic from the pan and place them in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the curry powder and turmeric over the mixture and add the almonds, sultanas (raisins), mixed herbs, lemon juice, salt, sugar, vinegar, pepper and meat. Mix well with a wooden spoon.

4. Soak the bread in the milk. Squeeze the milk from the bread and mash the bread into the meat mixture together with one beaten egg. Turn the mixture into the buttered pie dish and press it down with the back of a spoon.

5. If necessary, add a little milk to the milk squeezed from the bread to make up 6 fluid ounces (3/4 cup).

6. Beat the remaining egg into the milk with a whisk. Pour the milk-and-egg mixture over the meat in the pie dish. Stand the pie dish in a pan of water and bake for about 1 hour, or until the top of the Bobotie is light golden brown and firm to the touch.

ENJOY!!!

Danie de Villiers

What Is Sexual Harassment and How to Handle or Avoid It

2022-04-19T07:52:00.001-07:00

Sexual harassment only came out of the closet about 20 years ago. Before that it was all hush-hush and swept back into the closet!

Fortunately it has become an issue that addresses unwanted behavior in no uncertain terms.

In short, sexual harassment means any actions, advances or remarks by someone which are offensive to the receiving party or even just perceived as offensive and unacceptable. Normally, sexual harassment occurs in the working environment but other spheres of society are not excluded.

Although it is not an exhausted list, harassment could include:

· * Threats of any kind

· *Bribery

· *Dirty jokes

· *Sexual advances

·* Unwanted/inappropriate touching

· *Showing of pornographic or indecent material

· *Any form of victimization or bullying

Here are some tips how to handle or avoid harassment:

1. Try to avoid being alone with a person who is by nature unpleasant and which you fear or believe to be a person who is inclined to victimize you or to make unwanted advances towards you.

2. Although it is your right to dress how you like, try not to dress or behave in a provocative manner and by doing so draw unnecessary attention to yourself.

3. Do not be shy or afraid: Inform a person who is overstepping any boundaries in this regard in no uncertain terms that you find his or her behavior unacceptable – try to do it in the presence of a witness.

4. Never allow anyone to threaten you.

Remember, report sexual harassment to your employer or to any person who may be in a position to assist and address the matter.

Danie de Villiers

Why is HDL Cholesterol Good?

2022-04-18T05:19:00.001-07:00

Cholesterol is needed by the body

Cholesterol is a waxy, fatty substance in the blood that plays an important role in the body’s cells and hormones. Make no mistake; cholesterol is of the utmost importance to the body. The liver produces all the cholesterol the body needs. As it is, unfortunately the liver is also enticed to produce more cholesterol than is actually necessary for the body. This process is triggered by the fat in the food we eat - saturated fat in meat and dairy products.

High cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. The reason is because excess amounts of cholesterol are deposited on the inside of arteries. If the blood cholesterol level continues to be high, more fatty material is deposited, narrowing the arteries even more, resulting restricted blood flow to the heart and other areas of the body. The restricted blood flow encourages formation of a blood clot, which may cause the final blockage. If the blood flow is blocked off completely, it can result in a heart attack or stroke.

The good news is that cholesterol in a way also carries “cleaners” as part of its composition. These “cleaners” are actually HDL cholesterol - HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. Lipoproteins, which are combinations of fats and proteins, are the form in which fat are transported in the blood. The high-density lipoproteins transport cholesterol from the tissues of the body to the liver where it is passed from the body. HDL cholesterol is therefore considered the "good" cholesterol. The higher the HDL cholesterol level, the lower the risk of coronary artery disease.

Even small increases in HDL cholesterol reduce the frequency of heart attacks. On the flip side of the coin, the lower the HDL level, the higher the risk for heart disease. Any person’s priority should therefore be to ensure their HDL cholesterol levels are constantly high to ensure maximum protection. The first step is to modify one’s lifestyle. Regular exercise, loss of excess weight and quitting of smoking will increase HDL cholesterol levels. Moderate alcohol consumption (such as one drink a day) also raises HDL cholesterol. When life style modifications are insufficient, medications are used. Medications that are effective in increasing HDL cholesterol include nicotinic acid (niacin), gemfibrozil, estrogen, and to a lesser extent, the Statin drugs.

So remember who the good guys in your blood are and look after them – they are looking after you and your heart!

Danie de Villiers

How to Improve Your Brainpower

2022-04-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

The brain is the most powerful and magnificent organ in the human body. Its memory capacity is awesome but in the same breath, unfortunately maintaining its health and keeping its sharpness in peak condition, is not always the main priority it seems.

It is also significant that to maintain its health and memory capacity is very cost-effective. There is no need for expensive gyms or other supplements. To strengthen the brain’s memory, power, and increase its creativity is easy, cost-effective and can be done during our daily chores and whereabouts. The crux of the matter is that the human mind, like the rest of the human body, needs exercise in order to function well.

Here are practical hints for accomplishing these goals:

Regular brain exercise

· To keep the mind sharp, do word puzzles or play games like bridge and chess.

· Loose the calculator once in a while – do the daily adding, subtracting and multiplying without any electronic aids, which include the calculating functions of the cell phones!

· Take 5 minutes at work, on the road or even in the garden to memorize something – a short poem, a joke, the registration number of the car passing in front of the house, etc. Before retiring to bed the evening, repeat these memorized items.

Change from a passive to a creative state of mind

· Learn to think creatively and do brainstorming to let new ideas come forth.

· Learn to think like a child again. Children are full of the wonder, curiosity, and playfulness that lead to creativity. Unlock the playfulness, the curiosity, and creativeness typical of children.

· Make a habit of carrying a small pocket-note-book and pen wherever one go, even to the ball game. Jot down any ideas or ‘bright moments’ immediately.

· Adopt the saying of ‘it is human to err’. Everybody makes mistakes but the crux of the matter is how one deal with mistakes. Evaluate mistakes made and find out why it didn’t work and try again.

Implement memory tricks

· It is human nature to forget or discard things that is not of interest to a person. Therefore, convincing one-self of the importance of even the most trivial facts or occurrences, will sharpen the memory.

· Talking to one-self might sound silly, but it is a good memory aid. Say aloud where the car keys were put, where the purse is or what the birthday of the wife is. Repeat any instructions or directions, which are received.

· To keep in mind upcoming events, discuss them with friends of family members.

· Tension can interfere with memory. Learning to relax will help one to think clearly and recall things more easily.

· Study new subjects or languages before bedtime. New skills seem to be stored in the brain during sleep.

· Physical exercise is good for the brain. And the brain is the most powerful and magnificent organ in the human body. Its memory capacity is awesome but in the same breath, unfortunately maintaining its health and keeping its sharpness in peak condition, is not always the main priority it seems.

· It is also significant that to maintain its health and memory capacity is very cost-effective. There is no need for expensive gyms or other supplements. To strengthen the brain’s memory, power, and increase its creativity is easy, cost-effective and can be done during our daily chores and whereabouts. The crux of the matter is that the human mind, like the rest of the human body, needs exercise in order to function well.

Here are practical hints for accomplishing these goals:

Regular brain exercise

· To keep the mind sharp, do word puzzles or play games like bridge and chess.

· Loose the calculator once in a while – do the daily adding, subtracting and multiplying without any electronic aids, which include the calculating functions of the cell phones!

Change from a passive to a creative state of mind

· Learn to think creatively and do brainstorming to let new ideas come forth.

· Learn to think like a child again. Children are full of the wonder, curiosity, and playfulness that lead to creativity. Unlock the playfulness, the curiosity, and creativeness typical of children.

· Make a habit of carrying a small pocket-note-book and pen wherever one go, even to the ball game. Jot down any ideas or ‘bright moments’ immediately.

Implement memory tricks

· To keep in mind upcoming events, discuss them with friends of family members.

· Tension can interfere with memory. Learning to relax will help one to think clearly and recall things more easily.

· Study new subjects or languages before bedtime. New skills seem to be stored in the brain during sleep.

· Physical exercise is good for the brain. An aerobic fitness programme seems to help preserve memory.

· There is no solid evidence that specific “brain foods” exist. However, good nutrition, which benefits the whole body, is needed as it also provides nutrients needed by the brain for better functioning.

· Be careful of alcohol or the excessive use thereof as it can impair memory.

· Have a set place to put keys, gloves, and anything else one might easily misplace.

· The saying ‘a healthy body houses a healthy mind [brain]’ was never truer. Look after the brain and the brain will look after the body and the body will look after you!

· It seems to help preserve memory.

· Be careful of alcohol or the excessive use thereof as it can impair memory.

· Have a set place to put keys, gloves, and anything else one might easily misplace.

The saying ‘a healthy body houses a healthy mind [brain]’ was never truer. Look after the brain and the brain will look after the body and the body will look after you!

Danie de Villiers

Seven eye exercises of Dr. William Bates

2022-04-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

It was about 30 years ago that I first tested my eyes as I started to experience difficulty to read. The result was that I received prescription reading glasses as my one eye muscle was stronger than the other. But in addition to the reading glasses the optometrist suggested an eye exercise that would strengthen the eye-muscles and with time, doing the exercises regularly, my eye muscles would adjust.

He suggested that I had to hold a match in each hand in front of my eyes – the one about 6 inches away and the other one about 18 inches away. Then I had to focus on the one in front for a while and then shift the focus to the one at the back, repeating this shifting from one distance to the other for about 10 minutes each day.

Over the years my eye muscles adjusted indeed and there was no deterioration of my eyesight, although I still have to use glasses – but now due to the age factor.

Recently I stumbled upon an article (1) about a doctor Bates (1860 – 1931) who invented a series of eye exercises to strengthen or keep the quality of the eyes in check. It was only then that I realized that over a period of more than 30 years I was a follower of one of his exercises.

Here is the story of Dr. William Bates who was the father of the Bates eye exercises. He was a New York ophthalmologist and specialist in children’s’ eye problems. In 1900, at the end of a very tiresome day he was aware how much his own eyes ached. It reminded him of how often his patients complained of eyestrain and headaches after prolonged reading or writing. In his darkened office, he rested his elbows on his desk and cupped his palms over his eyes. After ten minutes his eyes stopped aching and he felt mentally refreshed.

With his eyes back in focus, he found that objects in his room seemed much clearer and brighter. This lead to his invention of eyesight training, which is described in a book he wrote back in 1919 – ‘Better eyesight Without Glasses’.

His revolutionary eye-sight exercises took the world by storm and he gained many followers who tested these theories of him and swore by it.

Later on it became the ‘Seven Bates eye exercises’ and here it is:

1. Remembering

Place the palm of your hands over your eyes and try without straining to recall an object or experience in great detail and bright colors. According to Dr. Bates at least one patient found his eyesight was improved by visualizing a beautiful yellow buttercup. The principle he applied with this exercise was that remembering things in the mind’s eye helps people to see them more clearly in reality.

2. Shifting the eyes

Over many years of practice, he observed that people wearing glasses have the notion to stare fixedly at an object. This exercise is in the form of advice – never stare fixedly at an object. Instead, move your gaze constantly from one point of interest to another. As your eyes become more relaxed, so the movement becomes smaller, helping your sight to become clearer.

3. Blinking the eyes

Get into the habit of blinking your eyes regularly, once or twice every ten seconds, to clean and lubricate the eyes; especially if you wear glasses or contact lenses.

4. Palming the eyes

Sit comfortably and relaxed at a table. Close your eyes and rest your elbows on a cushion on the table – your back and neck should be kept straight and your head level. Then cover your eyes-without touching them with your palms. Think of something pleasant, such as a favorite holiday spot, or listen to a radio talk show or story. Do this exercise for about ten minutes, at the very least twice each day or whenever your eyes feel tired. (This may seem as the same exercise as the first one but there is a difference.)

5. Near and far focusing of the eyes

Hold two pencils in front of your face - one about 75 mm away, the other at arm’s length. Focus on one with both eyes, then blink and focus on the other. Repeat several times whenever an opportunity arises. (This is the exercise a good doctor gave me 30 years ago and it helped me!)

6. Splashing the eyes

First thing every morning, splash your closed eyes 20 times with warm water and then 20 times with cold water to stimulate circulation. Reverse the process last thing at night.

7. Swinging your body

Stand with your feet apart and sway gently from side to side, letting your eyes swing along with your body’s movement. Be aware of the visual movement as this relaxes your eyes and helps them to become more flexible. Repeat whenever an opportunity arises.

Since I stumbled upon this article on Dr. Bates I started with the other 6 exercises too and I must admit my eyes feel better and healthier. It is especially the ‘splashing’ exercise that is very good. But, please take note; the purpose of the eye exercises was never to replace regular eye check-ups as these exercises were never intended to cure eye diseases or ailments. I still go for an eye test and check-up every two years. Expert medical check-ups and advice are still a necessity.

(1) Natural Medicine: Reader’s Digest: 1992

The Health Benefits of Prunes

2022-04-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

A study has found that consuming prunes every day helps to preserve the hip’s bone mineral density and protect against a greater risk of fracture in postmenopausal women.

Bone mineral density is known to rapidly decrease following menopause and women older than 50 have a greater risk of experiencing fractures of the hip, which commonly results in hospitalization, loss of independence, a diminished quality of life, and a shortened life span.

This study shows that prune consumption has a favorable effect on the hip’s bone mineral density and suggests prune consumption as a therapeutic option for protecting the health of bones. This large randomized controlled trial involving postmenopausal women revealed that the consumption of 5 – 6 prunes every day protected from bone loss at the hip.

The study results support the consumption of prunes for protecting against post-menopause bone loss of the hips. The results may be particularly valuable for postmenopausal women who can’t make use of pharmaceuticals for bone loss and who require an alternative approach.

Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects that consuming prunes every day can have on bone loss prevention in postmenopausal women. This current study was a large clinical trial that included 235 postmenopausal women.

The results revealed that women consuming 50 grams of prunes every day for 1 year maintained hip bone mineral density in comparison to those not consuming prunes who lost significant bone mass at the hip. Also, the risk of hip fractures increased in the control group in comparison to the group consuming prunes who were protected from any increase in the risk of hip fractures.

Just a few prunes every day can be easily included in anyone’s lifestyle. Prunes pair with so many textures and flavors and can be adapted to individualized nutrition plans. The sweet flavor of prunes makes them a versatile ingredient as well as a convenient snack and can be mixed into smoothies, trail mixes, savory dishes, salads, etc.

Image via: AHealthBlog

Acknowledgement: www.ahealthblog.com

High Blood Pressure and Foods to Eat

2022-04-12T12:47:00.000-07:00

High blood pressure is a common problem in today’s societies, especially where people are living a fast life, eating fast food and are always on the go. High blood pressure can be prevented with regular exercising and healthy eating, but if you already have a little bit higher level, it’s important to pay attention to your everyday habits and keep your health from declining.

1. Yoghurt

A box of yoghurt contains the suggested daily amount of calcium and also a lot of magnesium. It’s a good idea to start your day with a yoghurt, maybe eat some fruits with it.

2. Spinach

Green leafy vegetables, for example spinach has a high amount of kalium, which is essential for keeping the balance of blood pressure.

3. Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3-fatty acids, which helps to normalize blood pressure and also has a role in controlling the normal heart rate.

4. Honey

Paying attention to your blood pressure is hard if you also have problems with your blood sugar. Try eating honey instead of sugar, but be careful, it’s better, but still sugary and leads to obesity if you eat too much.

5. White Beans

A plate of white beans contains enough magnesium, calcium and kalium for a day for an adult person. You can eat them in a soup, as a side dish or in salads also.

6. Blueberries

Almost every kind of berries are good for your blood pressure because of the flavonoids they contain. Flavonoids can reduce high blood pressure, so don’t be afraid to eat them as snacks also.

7. Raspberries

Almost the same as blueberries but it’s also good for blood vessels because of the antioxidants it contains. Researchers have proved that eating red berries regularly can reduce high blood pressure.

8. Potatoes

It might be surprising but potato is also good to reduce high blood pressure. We have discussed how important is the magnesium and kalium to keep a balanced blood pressure, and this vegetable happens to contain both.

9. Kale

Kale, just like spinach is a green leafy vegetable, therefore contains a lot of kalium, which is essential for our body to keep itself balanced.

10. Kiwi Fruit

Speaking about kalium, magnesium and calcium may became boring now but they are still the best things to eat if you want to keep your blood pressure in balance.

11. Bananas

Banana contains the biggest amount of kalium, therefore it’s really good to reduce high blood pressure. Perfect for a quick breakfast if you don’t have time to prepare complicated meals.

12. Dark Chocolate

You are sweet-toothed? No problem. Have you ever thought that dark chocolate is healthy? Of course, don’t eat too much because it will cause constipation, but it can reduce high blood pressure and it’s great against cardiovascular diseases.

13. Beetroot

Beetroot is quite divisive amongst everyone. You love it or you hate it. It contains nitrate which becomes nitrite and then nitrogen-oxid and it widens the blood vessels, therefore reduces blood pressure. Try eating it with some roasted meat, or as a side dish.

14. Garlic

Garlic is good for a lot of things, since it has antibacterial effect but it also contains allicin which can prevent high blood pressure. It doesn’t matter how you eat it; raw or prepared. Either way it’s healthy.

15. Avocado

Avocado is the ultimate superfood nowadays, and not only because it’s popular. It contains a lot of good kind of fatty acids and a lot of vitamins also, and the best thing: magnesium, kalium and antioxidants. Perfect for your blood pressure.

Very Important: Please note, in spite of the fact that the 15 foods mentioned above definitely assist you to control your high blood pressure, you still have to use any prescribed high blood pressure medications as prescribed by your medical practitioner.

Source: Beauty and Body Care

A Study Has Found a Plant Based Diet Helps Relieve Arthritis Pain

2022-04-11T06:48:00.001-07:00

According to a study, a low-fat vegan diet with no restriction on calorie intake improves joint pain in individuals who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease that usually causes swelling and joint pain, and ultimately permanent damage to the joints. Cholesterol levels also improved for the individuals participating in the study and they experienced weight loss.1

According to the researchers, a plant-based diet may help reduce joint pain for countless rheumatoid arthritis sufferers with only beneficial side effects, which include reduced cholesterol and weight loss.

Individuals were instructed to make use of a visual analog scale at the start of the study to rate joint pain severity in the 2 preceding weeks, from “no pain” to “extreme pain.” The Disease Activity Score-28 of each participant was also calculated according to C-reactive protein values, swollen joints, and tender joints, which are all inflammation indicators. Disease Activity Score-28 increases with the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.

For the study, 44 individuals with a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis were allocated to 1 of 2 groups for 16 weeks. The 1st group adhered to a 4-week vegan diet, and 3 weeks of eliminating additional foods, followed by individually reintroducing the eliminated foods over 9 weeks. Meals were not provided, and with assistance from the researchers individuals handled their own food purchases and preparation. The 2nd group adhered to an unrestricted diet but was required to take a placebo capsule every day. The groups then changed diets for 16 weeks.

Disease Activity Score-28 decreased by 2 points on average in the study's vegan phase, which indicated a greater joint pain reduction, in comparison to a 0.3 point reduction in the placebo phase. In the vegan phase, the amount of swollen joints was reduced from 7.0 to 3.3 on average with that amount actually increasing in the placebo phase from 4.7 to 5. Visual analog scale ratings also significantly improved in the vegan phase for individuals who completed the study, in comparison to the placebo phase.

The vegan diet also resulted in greater reductions in Disease Activity Score-28 in a sub-analysis that excluded those who increased medication use while participating in the study and another sub-analysis limited to individuals who made no changes to medication use.

Apart from reductions in swelling and pain, body weight was reduced by approximately 14 lbs on average on the vegan diet, in comparison to a gain of about 2 lbs on the placebo diet. The vegan phase also produced greater total LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol reductions.

Image via: AHealthBlog

Quotations about beauty and being beautiful

2022-04-08T12:04:00.003-07:00

Beauty is but skin deep, ugly lies the bone;
Beauty dies and fades away, but ugly holds its own.
- - - Anonymous

Beauty is only skin deep, and the world is full of thin skinned people.
- - - Richard Armour

There are no ugly women; there are only women who do not know how to look pretty.
- - - Antoine P. Berryer

Beauty is a very handy thing to have, especially for a woman who ain't handsome.
- - - Josh Billings

Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades. A mode of conduct, a standard of courage, discipline, fortitude and integrity can do a great deal to make a woman beautiful.
- - - Jacqueline Bisset

Beautiful young people are accidents of nature. But beautiful old people are works of art.
- - - Marjorie Barstow Breenbie

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
- - - George Gordon, Lord Byron "She Walks in Beauty"

That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.
- - - Ninon de L'Enclos

Beauty is not caused, It is.
- - - Emily Dickinson

There's beauty in the silver singing river
There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky
But none of these and nothing else can match the beauty
That I remember in my true love's eyes
- - - Bob Dylan "Tomorrow is a Long Time"

Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.
- - - Oliver Wendell Holmes

Looks are so deceptive that people should be done up like food packages with the ingredients clearly labeled.
- - - Helen Hudson

Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.
- - - Franz Kafka

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.
- - - John Keats "Endymion"

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty,"- that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
- - - John Keats "Ode on a Grecian Urn"

I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?
- - - Jean Kerr "The Snake Has All the Lines"

You've got to get up every morning with a smile on your face
And show the world all the love in your heart
Then people gonna treat you better
You're gonna find, yes you will
That you're beautiful as you feel.
- - - Carole King "Beautiful"

Any girl can be glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.
- - - Hedy Lamarr

Beauty is a mystery. You can neither eat it nor make flannel out of it.
- - - David Herbert Lawrence

Beauty can pierce one like a pain.
- - - Thomas Mann

The reason the all-American boy prefers beauty over brains is that the all-American boy can see better than he can think.
- - - Farrah Fawcett Majors

Oh, thou art fairer than the evening air
Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars.
- - - Christopher Marlowe "Dr. Faustus"

Beauty is something wonderful and strange that the artist fashions out of the chaos of the world in the torment of his soul.
- - - William Somerset Maugham

Beauty is the first present nature gives to women and the first it takes away.
- - - Mere

Beauty never slumbers;
All is in her name;
But the rose remembers
The dust from which it came.
- - - Edna St. Vincent Millay

In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty.
- - - Christopher Morley

Beauty is only sin deep.
- - - H. H. Munro (''Saki'')

Beauty is but a flower
Which wrinkles will devour;
Brightness falls from the air;
Queens have died young and fair;
Dust hath closed Helen's eye.
- - - Thomas Nashe

With beauty before me, I walk
With beauty behind me, I walk
With beauty above and about me, I walk,
It is finished in beauty,
It is finished in beauty.
- - - Navajo chant

Cosmetics is a boon to every woman, but a girl's best beauty aid is still a near-sighted man.
- - - Yoko Ono

It's easy to be beautiful - just be born that way.
- - - Suzy Parker

Rarely do great beauty and great virtue dwell together.
- - - Petrarch [Francesco Petrarca]

The flowers anew, returning seasons bring,
But faded beauty has no second spring.
- - - Ambrose Phillips "Pastoral"

Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.
- - -C. Reade

Beauty in art is often nothing but ugliness subdued.
- - - Jean Rostand

Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless: peacocks and lilies, for instance.
- - - John Ruskin "The Stones of Venice"

Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower,
Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour;
And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost,
In spite of physic, painting, pain, and cost.
- - - William Shakespeare

Beauty is momentary in the mind
the fitful tracing of a portal;
But in the flesh it is immortal.
- - - Wallace Stevens

Death is the mother of Beauty; hence from her,
Alone, shall come fulfillment to our dreams
And our desires.
- - - Wallace Stevens "Sunday Morning" (1923)

To a toad, what is beauty? A female with two pop-eyes, a wide mouth, yellow belly and spotted back.
- - - Voltaire

It is better to be beautiful than to be good. But it is better to be good than to be ugly.
- - - Oscar Wilde "The Picture of Dorian Gray"

The beauty of the world which is soon to perish, has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.
- - - Virginia Woolf

Acknowledgement: www.corsinet.com - Brain Candy

Recipe: Apple Cider Chicken Marinade

2022-04-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2/3 cup white wine

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Whisk together the white wine, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, pepper, and salt in a bowl.

2. Marinate chicken in mixture 8 hours or overnight

Apple Cider Vinegar Part 2: WHAT IS SO GOOD ABOUT APPLE CIDER VINEGAR?

2022-04-06T07:32:00.004-07:00

Acetic acid is the main component of apple cider vinegar, as in all vinegars. It composes roughly 5 percent of the vinegar’s content, although this number can vary between 3 and 9 percent. Many of the therapeutic claims stem from the antibacterial and antifungal properties of acetic acid, which protect the body from invasion and infection by a multitude of microbes. The phenolic acids in apple cider vinegar contain these properties, too, and are also known antivirals, antioxidants, antihistamines, and astringents. Some, like Gallic acid, have even been shown to be cytotoxic and destroy cancer cells. Malic acid has many uses in enhancing the skin’s natural beauty, and it—like the other acids present in apple cider vinegar— protects against pathogens.

The healing properties of apple cider vinegar do not come from its abundant nutrients, as many claims argue. Minerals like potassium, calcium, and the soluble fibre pectin are touted as the source of many of apple cider vinegar’s therapeutic benefits. A few nutritional labels report between 11 milligrams and 15 milligrams of potassium in 1 tablespoon (the recommended dietary allowance of potassium is 4700 milligrams per day for adults), but most brands do not report any measurable levels. One study analyzed the mineral content of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and found trace amounts of some minerals but absolutely no potassium. The minerals present were in such small amounts that they were practically negligible in terms of nutritional or therapeutic value. The study also detected small amounts of carbohydrates, which could conceivably be pectin, but again, the amounts range from 0.022 grams to 0.103 grams per tablespoon. Doses in the range of 6 grams (7/10 tablespoon) to 30 grams (3 3/5 tablespoons) of powdered pectin a day are recommended to see the benefits on digestion and blood cholesterol. The standard nutritional analysis of organic, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar with naturally occurring Mother of vinegar shows that it has only 5 calories per tablespoon, making it wonderful as a low-calorie substitute for flavour. However, there are no measurable minerals, vitamins, or protein.

This does not support claims that the Mother is rich in enzymes and amino acids, which are proteins. Even in 100 grams of apple cider vinegar, no measurable amounts of minerals, vitamins, or protein were detected.

Another theory about the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar is that it works by changing the pH of the body. When apple cider vinegar is ingested, it creates an alkaline ash in the stomach as it is digested. Some believe that this alkaline ash shifts the pH of the body into a more alkaline state. This is desirable because an acidic state makes the body more open to infection and disease. It is interesting to note that there is also an opposing notion that apple cider vinegar shifts the body into a more acidic state. Foods can change the pH level of the urine; however, the pH level of the blood is strictly controlled by the kidneys and is always maintained at 7.385. Any variations can only happen with certain diseases and can be life threatening if not restored to pH 7.385. Foods cannot change the acidity or alkalinity of the body.

Acknowledgement: Susan Branson

The Health Benefits of Apple Cider

2022-03-30T11:47:00.000-07:00

What is Apple Cider?

Apple cider vinegar is a sour liquid made from apples. The process begins when fresh apples are crushed, releasing the juices. Yeast is added to begin the process of fermentation in which the sugars in the apples are converted to alcohol as they are consumed by the yeast for energy. Bacteria are then added to the alcohol solution to further oxidize the alcohol into acetic acid. Acetic acid is what gives apple cider vinegar its distinctive tart, biting odor and flavor. Fermentation usually takes place over weeks or months. Commercial vinegar is made in wooden barrels to boost the natural fermentation process. Glass jars are more practical for home use, however, and many have successfully made apple cider vinegar on their own. It’s best to use organic apples to avoid a heavy load of pesticide residue in the finished product.

Pasteurization is not required because the acidity of the vinegar—usually 5 percent in commercial brands—is enough to prevent any unhealthy microbes from developing. In fact, the raw, unfiltered form is recommended for therapeutic use. Cloudy strands can be seen at the bottom of the bottle which, when shaken, turn the vinegar murky. These strands are known as the Mother and are made up of protein, raw enzymes, and healthy bacteria. Much of the vinegar sold in the grocery stores looks clear and crisp. This has been pasteurized and filtered, and the Mother has been removed. But this vinegar is also very valuable and has many uses in beauty regimens and home products.

To be continued

Always be prepared, spiritually, mentally and physically!

2022-03-26T01:47:00.003-07:00

Years ago, there was a farmer who owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer.
"Are you a good farmhand?" The farmer asked him.
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows." Answered the little man.

Although puzzled by the answer, the farmer hired him as he was desperate for help. The little man worked well around the farm and was busy from dawn to dusk. The farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

One night, the wind howled loudly as a storm approaches from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed to the hired hand's sleeping quarters.

He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!"
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all the haystacks had already been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down and nothing could be blown away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant. He returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

Moral - When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally and physically, you have nothing to fear.

Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

The Music In My Heart

2022-03-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Many songs have passed my precious time
But none of them have touched this heart of mine
Except one that always plays in the wind
And put melody on my life

You are the music of my heart
The signal that sets my life to start
The melody that illuminate my day
And rhythm that colors my sky

I know this sweet sound wouldn’t last
And this moment will be put into past
Till the music be played with discord strings
Till there’s no more notes that sings
The love fades out and shrivels

Now in this corner I am crying
The sweet sound is still playing
As I listen to my heart singing
And I will always remember
That you are the reason why my heart’s hurting

Reciel Tanaid