Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. I like weight training because it tones my muscles, causes my body to burn calories even while I’m sleeping, makes me stronger, improves my posture and my overall health. A complete weight training workout can be performed with just a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a set of weight disks.

Anyway, here are 25 tips picked up from years of weight training. May they be of assistance to you.

Overload the muscles.



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You’ve just bench pressed a weight 8 times and you cannot do even one more full rep. Instead of lowering down the barbell and take a breather, lower it halfway. Then raise it back to the full extended position. These partial reps are called burns. It allows you to go beyond what you’d normally do and a normal person can squeeze out at least 2 additional half reps. Bear in mind that burns should be done at the end of the set as it wears out your muscle. It may be half a rep but that extra bit builds a hefty amount of strength.

Build Popeye forearms.



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Turn those toothpick looking forearms into arms that are toned and powerful. If your local gym doesn’t have a wrist roller, build one yourself easily. Find a 10 inches long stick and drill a hole in the center. Rope 1 arm’s length worth of rope through the hole and tie the end to the stick. Tie a weight plate to the other end and you’re set. All you need to do is roll the stick till the rope wraps around it and unroll it back to where it started. Doing this exercise 3-4 times, adding weight each time it becomes easier, completes your forearm workout. Benefits other than growing Popeye forearms include a firmer handshake and an advantage in sports involving carrying or hitting a ball.

The time saving pyramid system.



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Do this only when you’re pressed for time. In a continuous fashion, you warm up your muscles, exercise them and cool them down. Let’s take the dumbbells at the rack as an example. Pick up the lightest and curl them for 5 times. Pause for 10 seconds. Pick up the next heaviest and curl them for 5 times. Progress until it is too heavy to curl 5 times. Then you work your way down until the lightest dumbbell. You’ll know you’re on the right track when you look a little funny trying to lift the lighter ones.

The eccentric is as important as the concentric.



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There are two parts to every exercise: lifting the weight and lowering it. When a muscle shortens during weight lifting it is called concentric, or positive phase of contraction. When it lengthens during lowering, it is called the eccentric, or negative phase. It makes sense to assume that the lifting phase contributes more to muscle building as it is harder but research shows that the lowering phase is as, if not more, important. Concentrate on slower and more controlled lowering movements. Eg: take 2 seconds to lift and 4 seconds to lower.

Calculate your 1 rep max.



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Take the weight that you can do 10 complete repetitions with and add 33% to it. If you can do 100 pounds consistently, then your 1 rep max is about 133 pounds.

ALWAYS use perfect form.



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Select weights that your body can handle without having to cheat or force the weight up. It also happens often when the exercise becomes difficult towards the end of a set and the temptation to cheat rises. What happens is you shift the effort to other muscles, weaker ones, that weren’t meant to handle the weight. This includes using momentum to swing the weight up or rounding your back. One overstresses the muscles and joints while the latter leads to serious lower back injuries. Successful weight trainings are performed correctly. Let’s take pull ups for example. If your arms are not strong enough and all you can do is 3 reps with proper form, do it 5 times and you get 15. If you can do 4 reps, do it 4 times. 5 reps, 3 times. As you grow stronger, you can do more reps but the difference is you’re doing it right at every single rep.

The importance of a spotter.



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They support your weight when can no longer support it yourself. They encourage you and as a result you are able to lift 5% to 8% more weight. They are able to see and assess you when lifting and are therefore qualified to point out what you did wrong and what you can improve on.

Strength training, a habit, a lifestyle.



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The closer you move to the half-century mark, the more your focus should shift toward strength training. If you don’t do any resistance exercise, you’ll lose about 10 percent of your muscle mass between ages 25 and 50. Between 50 and 80, you lose another 35 percent. Everyone should be lifting weights by midlife. Include cardiovascular exercises as well. It helps ward off heart disease.

The big 3.



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These are the squat, the deadlift and the bench press. Squats are excellent for the butt, hips, thighs and calves. The deadlift is a compound movement that works grip strength, the deep muscle around the spine, the lower back, the thigh and the calf. The bench press strengthens the triceps, both deltoids, pectoralis major and minor, grip strength. Even the rotator cuff and biceps are slightly strengthened as they stabilize the shoulders while bench pressing. All big 3 builds strength, condition and bulk and should always be included in one form or another.

Exercise order.



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It is standard practice to set up a resistance-training routine to work large muscle groups before smaller ones. The reason is that a small muscle group that fatigues first will be the weakest link in the chain and prevent large muscle groups from working to full capacity. For example, if you isolate and fatigue your bicep muscles with curls and then do pull ups (which use biceps, shoulders and back), you won’t be able to do as much work for your shoulders and back because your biceps will already be fatigued. Also equally work the muscles in opposing pairs. For example, hamstrings at the back of the thigh are worth as much attention as the quadriceps at the front.

Train 3 times each week.



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At least. Only at 3 do you create a muscle-building stimulus. Remember, exercising contributes to only about 25% of muscle building and weight loss. Rest well as muscle building occurs during resting days. Anyway, the rest of the 75% comes from dieting.

Choose only 1 type.



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Either train like you’re going for a marathon OR a bodybulding competition. Of course, you can mix cardio and weights. Sure, it makes a great fitness combo but at the extremes, the training physiology and biochemistry are contradictory and you will not maximize your results unless you concentrate on one or the other.

Eat sufficient protein.



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Milk is one of the best.

Even if you train hard, the maximum amount of protein you need for muscle building is about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day. Protein supplements are not necessary if you eat enough lean protein day-to-day. If you decide to use a supplement drink, whey, soy or even skim milk is suitable. Amino acid supplements are not necessary. Pesonally, I’d suggest guzzling some chocolate milk post workout. In a study at James Madison University, soccer players who downed a glass after an intense workout suffered less muscle damage from training than players who had a sports drink. What’s milk’s advantage? Protein. The perfect amount of the nutrient is essential in any post-workout recovery meal. Moreover, milk is cheaper.

Measure body fat consistently.



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Don’t be discouraged if your weight does not change much when you train with weights. You may be losing fat and increasing muscle. This is not easy to do at the same time, yet net weight loss or gain is not a good measure of muscle or fat movement.

Set reasonable goals.



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Monitor your progress and be patient. Keep track of your BMI and WHR, the latter being more accurate. Objectively monitor muscle mass gains every month. The best bodies are the result of hundreds of hours of effort. Start slowly, stay motivated and be realistic. And if muscle gains are not observed over time, exercise and dietary changes can be made in a timely manner. Remember, the fitness and health you attain become assets that will stay with you for as long as you keep training.

Muscle gain equals effort.



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To pack on muscles like a spartan, you have to work out like a spartan. It requires commitment and discipline. Push hard. And don’t let that 1 minute rest in between sets slip to 5 minutes. Most importantly, much much more important than training hard, is to eat well.

Free weights are better.



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Free weight training may recruit more muscles than a machine because you have to stabilize your body when you lift a dumbbell, whereas the weight machine supports you. For example, a biceps curl is going to feel more natural and use more muscles in your torso to support the weight than if you did a seated biceps curl in a machine where it does some of the work when you lean against it for leverage. You can also do more types of exercises with free weights than with machines. Lunges, step ups, clean and jerks and Romanian deadlifts are just a few of the many exercises that can be done with free weights. In any gym, there is ONLY 1 machine worthy of your time. That machine is called cables.

Shoes, gloves, waist belt.



It is important to protect your feet and ankles from harm. Since you are lifting very heavy weights during this extreme athletic activity, there is always the chance that you will drop the weight and cause it to land on your foot or ankle. Make sure it has good traction too. Gloves and grips are also important as they make sure the weights are secures in your hands as weights are often slippery with sweat and oils from the hands. ALWAYS wear a belt when you are lifting heavy. Once injured, your back will never be the same again.

Breathe in, breathe out.



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Holding your breath causes your blood pressure to spike. This is dangerous as your muscles need a constant supply of oxygenated blood and by denying them that you risk broken blood vessels or even a hernia. Constantly remind yourself to keep breathing.

Focus the muscle, not the motion.



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The next time you shout ‘COME ON! 2 MORE!’, make sure it’s for your biceps instead of for more power the next time you perform any workout. You are making your encouraging the right muscles to do the lifting instead of cheating and shifting the effort to other muscles. Focusing also helps keep you in proper form during each rep.

Weaker 1st, stronger second.



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When performing unilateral exercises, begin with the weaker side first. Then complete only as many repetitions on the stronger side as performed on the weaker side.

Range Of Motion.



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During a warm-up set with a light weight, take note of the angle or height the moving body segment or the position of the apparatus at full range. All subsequent workout repetitions should reach this benchmark without accelerating the weight through this harder portion of the exercise. Shrugs, jumps and throws are some of the examples that has a peak tension curve.

Returning from a long hiatus.



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Increase the amount and intensity systematically. Start off light during the first workout. Keep it fairly easy. This is to ensure that your muscles aren’t too sore for subsequent workouts. The body adapts more efficiently to change with less chance of injury.

Suggested weight lifting repetition range.




Population	Rep Range
Healthy participants under age 50-60	8-12
Pubescent children
Pre-pubescent children	8-15
Individuals older than age 50-60 or frail persons	10-15
Individuals primarily interested in muscular endurance
Cardiac patients with physician’s approval	10-12 comfortably
Pregnant women without contraindications who have previously participated in weight training	12-15

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Use variety.



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The body is very adaptive. Performing the same routine over and over is not only boring, but your body will get used to the routine and quit responding. Change your exercises, the order in which you do them, the number or sets and reps, or change the weights. In one workout you may use dumbbells, another you may use barbells, in another, cables, in another, body weight. Find an excellent weight lifting program that suits you. There are so many free ones out there. Just google it. I, for example, train using Men’s Health’s Power Training Program. I’d recommend you to give it a try.

It’s also important to tell the difference between a fitness myth and a fitness fact. Clear your doubts by reading this.

Original : Vinegar is a liquid produced from the fermentation of ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient, acetic acid. Ninety percent of American Households buy vinegar. The 4 major uses are for salads, as cooking ingredients, pickling and home canning.

Anyways, I just thought that everyone should know about the usefulness of vinegar other than for the 4 things mentioned above. I’ve put together 61 other things with pictures about everything else that you can do with vinegar. I’d personally suggest using high quality white and apple cider vinegar like Heinz’s when trying the below methods. (Example : A cup of Heinz Apple Cider has 34 calories, no fat, 1.4mg of iron, and 240mg of potassium) The difference between white and apple cider vinegar is that white vinegar is made from acetous fermentation of alcohol and apple cider vinegar is made from cider or apple must.

2009.06.02 : It’s now 72 uses thanks to you!! Also, for people thinking to ingest or use apple cider vinegar internally or externally on your body, get the organic one with the ‘mother’. Skip the normal everyday distilled vinegar. The organic apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ is unpasteurized and contains all the good bacteria your body needs. The BRAGG bottle below is an example.

Some of odyb.net blog readers’ reported successes :

• Mike - Stripped the varnish off his old hardwood floors.
• Floorman - Healed the candita yeast he lived with for years.
• Jenn - sprayed undiluted white vinegar onto the grout in my shower and scrubbed. The orange pre-mold and black mold came right off.
• Brent - Tried over 30 uses mentioned below.

For Machines & Appliances

1. Clear mineral deposits from a steam iron.



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Fill the water tank with white vinegar. Turn the iron to the steam setting and steam-iron a soft utility rag to clean the steam ports. Repeat the process with water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron.

2. Clean lime deposits and calcium sludge from an automatic drip coffee maker.



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Once a month fill the reservoir with white vinegar and run through the brew cycle. Rinse thoroughly with two cycles of cold water.

3. Clean the hoses and unclog soap scum from a washing machine.



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Once a month pour one cup of white vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine through a normal cycle, without clothes.

4. Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots.



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Soak the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted white vinegar overnight.

5. Keep a garbage disposal clean and smelling fresh.



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Mix one cup of vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray, freeze the mixture, grind the cubes through the disposal, and flush with cold water.

For The Kitchen

6. Remove stubborn coffee stained cups and pots.



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Fill the cup with vinegar overnight, then rinse with hot soapy water.

7. Prevents misty spots on glassware.



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Place a cup of white vinegar on the bottom rack of the dishwasher, run for five minutes, then run though the full cycle. A cup of white vinegar run through the entire cycle once a month will also reduce soap scum on the inner workings.

8. Eliminate unpleasant cooking odors in the kitchen.



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Boil one tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of water.

9. Eliminate odors from used jars.



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Rinse peanut butter and mayonnaise jars with white vinegar.

10. Turn a chicken bone into rubber.



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Soak a chicken bone in a glass of vinegar for three days. It will bend like rubber.

11. Deodorize a stale lunch box.



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Soak a paper napkin in vinegar and leave it inside the closed lunch box overnight.

12. Kill bacteria in meat.



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Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate overnight, then cook without draining or rinsing the meat. Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired.

13. Cheese storage.



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Cheese will last longer if you store it in a vinegar soaked cloth.

14. Prevent cracked hard boiled eggs.



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Add two tablespoons of white vinegar per quart of water before boiling to prevent the eggs from cracking. The egg shells will also peel off faster and easier.

15. Clean food-stained pots and pans.



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Fill the pots and pans with white vinegar and let stand for thirty minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy water.

16. Wipe out caked food in the microwave.



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Thanks Abi

Fill a small bowl with equal parts hot water, place it in the microwave and set the power to high for 5 minutes. The steam built up inside makes it easier to clean.

17. Remove chewing gum.



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Thanks bloo

Freeze it out and scrape off as much as you can first. Then saturate the area that has the gum on it with vinegar. The rest of the gum will actually dissolve. If the vinegar is heated first the process will work faster.

For Diseases And Infections

18. Relief Jellyfish stings.



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Dot the irritation with vinegar to relieve itching.

19. Relieve a sore throat.



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Put two teaspoons of vinegar in your humidifier. Check out these other natural remedies for recovering from a sore throat.

20. Soothe sunburn pain.



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Apply undiluted vinegar to the burn.

21. Cure an upset stomach.



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Drink two teaspoons apple cider vinegar in one cup water to soothe an upset stomach.

22. Relieve itching.



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Use a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with vinegar straight from the bottle.

23. Helps eliminate lice.



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Thanks Amy.

Dissolves whatever glue the little buggers use to lay eggs on the hair shaft. Comb your hair and rinse it with equal parts water and vinegar.

24. Ear Infections



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Thanks anna.

Dip a cotton bud into pure vinegar and dab onto affected areas.

25. Acid Reflux



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Thanks El.

2 tablespoons in a full glass of water, sipped, usually first thing in the morning and 1 tablespoon before meals to control acid reflux/hiatal hernia.

26. Athlete’s foot (and all other fungal infections).



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Thanks Laura.

Dab directly onto the affected areas.

27. Dissolve warts.



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Mix one part apple cider vinegar to one part glycerin into a lotion and apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

28. Remove corns.



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Make a poultice of one crumbled piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup vinegar. Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for several consecutive nights.

29. Relieve a cold.



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Mix one-quarter cup apple cider vinegar with one-quarter cup honey. Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.

30. Relieve arthritis.



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Before each meal, drink a glass of water containing two teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Give this folk remedy at least three weeks to start working.

31. Relieve a cough.



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Mix one-half cup apple cider vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons honey. Take one tablespoon when cough acts up. Take another tablespoon at bedtime.

32. Dandruff treatment.



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Simply pour a few tablespoons of vinegar on your hair and massage into your scalp. Wait a few minutes, then rinse and wash hair like normal. Try this for a few days until you see results. It restores chemical balance to the skin.

33. Acne remedy.



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Remedy for acne skin conditions when diluted 50:50 with water and used as a toner. Careful around the eyes.

For Maintaining Health

34. Flake off old skin cells.



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Thanks Raffaella.

If you can take it, put a cotton bud or cotton square with appe cider vinegar and dab all over your face. It’s safer and so much cheaper than any store-bought ‘alpha hydroxy’ products.

35. Neutralizing hot spice.



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Thanks amanda.

When you eat something too spicy hot (habenero, jalepeno, wasabi) you can quickly get rid of the burn by dabbing your tounge with vinegar.

36. Take care of body odors.



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Thanks Dale.

Use vinegar when soap won’t knock down the body odor in your arm pits. And any other area you feel requires attention.

37. Dry skin repair & Skin Softener.



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Add one-half cup of vinegar or so to warm bath water when bathing and get double benefits; softer skin and a cleaner bathtub with less work. Smooth a little vinegar on cracked, dried skin to help it heal.

38. Clean dentures.



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Soak dentures overnight in vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

39. Weight loss.



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Thanks barefoot golightly.

One thing that science has shown is that apple cider vinegar might help to balance blood sugar. Insulin responses have been shown to create excess belly fat. Therefore, if insulin and blood sugar are controlled, a person might lose weight. Fat might in fact be as much a matter of hormones (insulin) than lack of activity. Of course, more than likely they go hand in hand.

40. Cure the hiccups.



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Mix one teaspoon apple cider vinegar in one cup of warm water, and drink.

41. Prevent yeast infections.



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Apple cider vinegar is a natural remedy for yeast infections, when diluted with water and used as a douche. For example, douche with one tablespoon white vinegar to one quart warm water to adjust the pH balance in the vajayjay.

42. Condition dry hair.



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Shampoo, then rinse hair with a mixture of one cup apple cider vinegar and two cups water. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes soap film and sebum oil.

43. Clean eyeglasses.



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Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

For Fabric

44. Longer-lasting pantyhose.



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Add one tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing, and your pantyhose will last longer.

45. Prevent lint from clinging to clothes.



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Add one cup vinegar to each wash load.

46. Deodorize a wool sweater.



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Wash sweater, then rinse in equal parts vinegar and water to remove odor.

47. Remove perspiration stains from clothes.



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Apply one part white vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.

48. Prevent bright colored clothes from fading.



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Before putting the article in the washing machine, soak it in white vinegar for ten minutes.

49. Remove stubborn stains from furniture upholstery and clothes.



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Apply white vinegar directly to the stain, then wash as directed by the manufacturer’s instructions.

50. Remove light scorch marks from fabrics.



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Rub lightly with white vinegar, then wipe with a clean cloth.

51. Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet.



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Blot up urine, flush several times with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse, and let dry.

For The Garden

52. Grow beautiful azaleas.



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Occasionally water plants with a mixture of two tablespoons white vinegar to one quart water. Azaleas love acidic soil.

53. Kill unwanted grass like weeds.



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Pour white vinegar in crevices and between bricks.

For The Toilet

54. Kill germs on bathroom fixtures.



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Use one part vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray the bathroom fixtures and floor, then wipe clean.

55. Clean soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub, tile, and shower curtains.



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Simply wipe the surface with white vinegar and rinse with water.

56. Clean a toilet bowl.



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Pour in one cup of white vinegar, let it stand for five minutes, and flush.

57. Unclog a shower head.



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Unscrew the shower head, remove the rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with equal parts vinegar and water, bring to a boil, then simmer for five minutes.

For Inside The House

58. Awesome solution for mopping the floor with.



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Thanks Ginji.

Fill the bucket with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water and mop. Extremely efficient and many times cheaper than commercial products.

59. Clean grout haze.



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Thanks Dave.

Cleaning grout haze or bricks of excess mortar is much easier with vinegar mixed in water than water alone.

60. Retard patching plaster from drying.



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Add one tablespoon white vinegar to the water when mixing plaster to slow the drying time.

61. Wash walls.



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Wipe down your walls with a vinegar water mixture, which helps absorb odors and clean surfaces.

62. Remove wallpaper.



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Mix equal parts vinegar and hot water. Use a paint roller to wet the paper thoroughly with the mixture. Repeat. Paper should peal off in sheets.

63. Clean windows.



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Use undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry with a soft cloth.

64. Prolong the life of flowers in a vase.



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Add two tablespoons of white vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water. Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

65. Deodorize the air.



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Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

66. Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or paint fumes.



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Place a small bowl of white vinegar in the room.

67. Repel ants.



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Use a spray bottle or mister filled with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water around door jambs, window sills, water pipes, and foundation cracks.

68. Fish bowl cleaner.



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Eliminate that ugly deposit in the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.

69. Clean paintbrushes.



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Simmer paint brushes in pure vinegar, then wash in hot soapy water.

For Outside The House

70. Keep drains open.



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Pour one-half box of old baking soda down the drain followed by one cup white vinegar. When the bubbling stops, run the hot water.

71. Prolong and brighten propane lanterns.



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Soak new wicks for several hours in white vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel.

72. Cleaning and deodorizing cages and litter pans for small animals



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Thanks BunGirl

Soak a cloth in equal parts vinegar and water. Spray clean the cages and litter pans before wiping it.

For The Car

73. Remove decals or bumper stickers or price tag.



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Soak a cloth in vinegar and cover the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily.

74. Prevent ice from forming on a car windshield overnight.



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Coat the window with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.

Developed late in the nineteenth century, the feminine icon has since been views as a symbol of a girl’s coming of age. The bra does not only covers, supports and elevates the breasts, but also shapes the wearer’s figure. The degree of which the bra frames the breasts varies between style, functionality, fashion and fabric. Most of the bras today fall into more than 1 category mentioned below.

It is important to know the types of bras available so that you can pick the right one for the right time so as to protect the general health of your breasts.

Adhesive Bra



A bra which adheres to the breasts. It has no straps or bands of any sort and provide little support to the breasts. This type of bra is intended for backless and strapless fashions. There are two types. There is the disposable paper ones that use a strong adhesive and the reusable ones that use silicone that can be washed and reused.

Bandeau Bra



A simple band of cloth worn across the breasts, providing little support or shaping.

Belly Dance Bra



It is commonly assumed that a belly dancing bra size is the same as normal bra size. This is not necessarily so. For instance if you normally use a size 32C you may well find that a 34B will fit quite comfortably with a few minor adjustments to latch settings since most belly dancing bras are designed to cover very well.

Bridal Bra/Corset



A bridal bra/corset mold and shape the upper body into a desired shape to fit the wedding dress. In addition to that, it promotes good posture and can be more comfortable as the weight of the breasts is carried by the whole corset rather than the brassiere’s shoulder straps.

Built-in Bra



Supportive brassiere-like structures on the inside of another garment, such as a swimsuit or tank top, which provide support for the bust without the need for a separate bra. In most such garments, these built-ins consist of a horizontal elastic strip, although some do have cups and underwires as with other bra types. In some cases these may easily be removed, if desired.

Convertible Bra



It has straps which may be detached and rearranged in different ways depending on the outfit. Alternatives to regular straps for strapless bras are beaded bra straps or clear plastic bra straps that provide support and style.

Cupless Bra



Consists of a brassiere frame with no support cups. They expose the nipples with notched or contoured support cups. Usually worn as erotic lingerie, a cupless bra can cause the shape of the nipples to be prominently visible on an outer garment.

Demi Bra



A half-cup bra style with wide-set straps and a horizontal bust line. Often seamed or boned, they give great cleavage and a frame-like effect. These offer less support, but enable low cut garments to be worn without the bra being seen. Demi bras may be designed to provide lift as do push-up bras.

Front Closure Bra



Bras that have closures, usually hooks and eyes, on the front rather than at the back. These bras lie completely flat at the back under clothing. Some feature a racerback style back which is great for wear with tank tops and for lending a no-slip effect to the straps.

Full Support Bra



A type of bra designed to offer good support for the whole of the breasts and, as such, are a typical, practical bra for everyday wear.

Hand Bra



A modeling technique where a topless woman conceals her nipples by covering both breasts with her hands or fingers.

Mastectomy Bra



Designed so that a prosthesis may be held in place and are intended for individuals who have lost one or both breasts in mastectomy treatment for breast cancer.

Male Bra



Bras worn by men with Gynecomastia, usually to flatten and conceal rather than lift and support.

Maternity Bra



Designed such that they can be expanded to adjust as the breasts increase in size over the course of a pregnancy.

Minimizer Bra



Designed to play down the bust, in particular for women with cups of 34C and above. Minimizers, by compressing and shaping the breasts, help to create the illusion of being a cup size or two smaller, and are often more comfortable.

Novelty Bra



Designed more for show and sensuality than for function. They may include unusual materials, such as leather, coconuts or be unusual in design.

Nursing Bra



Designed to help make breastfeeding simpler by allowing the baby easy access to the nipple. Traditionally, the cups of nursing bras are covered with flaps of fabric that can be unclasped at the top and pulled down to expose the breast.

Padded Bra



Bras with padding inside the lining. They are designed to provide a fuller shape for small breasts and are an alternative to bra stuffing, a practice among teenage girls in which ‘falsies’ like tissues, sugar packets, cotton balls, or socks are placed inside a bra to simulate larger breasts. Unlike push-up bras, however, most padded bras support the breasts but do not significantly lift them.

Peephole Bras



The type of bra that has cups loosely covering the breasts, which also includes holes around the nipples.

Push-up Bra



Structured so that the breasts are lifted and placed closer together to enhance the cleavage. The best known brand of push-up bra is the Wonderbra. Many push-up bras contain padding, typically made of foam or rubber, but some contain gel-filled pads. The main distinction between padded bras and push-up bras that incorporate padding is whether the padding is centred under each breast to simply lift them, or is centred outside the centre of each breast such that the padding pushes the breasts inwards.

Racerback Bra



Has shoulder straps that come over the shouder in a V pattern very close to the neck. This design is sometimes worn under strapless dresses or tops where traditional straps would be very obviously exposed. Many Sport bras use the racerback.

Shelf Bra



Essentially a rigid band, usually underwires, along the inframammary line that pushes up while covering none, or only a narrow strip, of the breast.

Softcup Bra



Has no underwire support in the cups. Rather they rely on the strength of the underband to provide support to the bust.

Sport Bra



Provides firm support for the breasts, and are meant to prevent discomfort or embarrassment during vigorous exercise.

Strapless Bra



With no shoulder straps, they are designed for wearing with clothes that reveal the shoulders, such as halterneck tops.

T-shirt Bra



Designed without raised seams, so that a tight t-shirt may be worn without the bra being visible. These often have padded cups to conceal nipples and to provide a smooth line under t-shirts.

Trainer Bra



Designed for young girls who have begun to develop breasts but have yet to be considered ‘developed’ enough to allow for a standard-sized bra to fit properly. They are of simple construction and offer very little support.

U-plunge Bra



Allows you to wear clothes that have a deep plunging neckline.

Underwire Bra



Designed to give extra support and endurance. They have a wire, metal or plastic, running under each cup to provide rigid support to the bust.

Vintage Bra



A type of full support bra with cups in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution with its axis perpendicular to the breast. Invented in the late 1940s, they were still being sold well into the 1960s.

Water Bra



Bras which have water or silicon gel-filled cups to make your breasts look larger.

Whether we like it or not, we experience stress every now and then. As long as it involves money or work, it hits us. By the way, did you know that 33% of Americans are living with extreme stress? And almost 50% of Americans believe that their stress levels have increased over the past five years!

Whatever the statistics say, doesn’t matter. What matters is that we stop digging immediately the second we realize that we’re in a hole. And focus on what we’ve gotta do to move towards the light. Below are 8 simple habits that can be easily formed by anyone from any part of the world, whether you are from Bangkok or Washington DC.

Exercise.



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This is by far the most effective natural way of improving your mood naturally. Nope, neither typing nor mouse clicking counts as exercising involves sweat. A workout at the gym or a brisk walk around the park nearest to your housing area helps you calm down. It stimulates various brain chemicals, which leaves you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you broke sweat. Other related mood improving benefits of exercise include managing your weight (as it boosts HDL cholesterol, lowers LDL-cholesterol, burns calories) and strengthening your entire cardiovascular system. The ‘happiest’ type of exercise is team participation sports like rugby, soccer, tennis doubles, basketball, hockey, etc. Personally, I enjoy regular badminton with friends every week.

Listen To Music.



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Ever heard of music therapy? It’s a type of health care that helps you maintain your physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic and spiritual health. Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brainwaves to resonate in sync with the beat, with faster beats bringing sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promoting a calm, meditative state. It keeps your mind positive and creative which will both lead to many other positively creative benefits. You know, you may also stumble upon an inspirational lyric that may be about what you are going through =)

Here’s a whole list of happy, groovy songs to fill your iPod with.

Socialize.



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Sharing multiplies the joys and divides the sorrows. As we age, friends and family truly can be lifesavers. The friend who brings the chicken soup makes as much difference in feeling better faster as the soup itself. With technology like video conferencing and social networks, people between thousands of miles of each other can continue staying in touch and even make new friends. Good friends can help each other feel good by providing support, involvement and encouragement. Sorting things out together take bits of strain off from you. Human beings are social beings. Satisfying the need to feel ‘connected’ feels good.

Sleep Right.



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Sleep is a natural restorative cycle that allows the body to rest and properly rejuvenate, restore and regenerate itself, so that it can continue to function appropriately. It is so important that if a human being is totally deprived of sleep for an extended period of time, he/she will actually die. A good night’s sleep lowers blood pressure and the elevated levels of stress hormones, both of which are natural results of today’s fast paced lifestyle. Too much stress causes excess ‘wear and tear’ on the body, and increases the aging and degeneration of organs, cells and other body parts. So get your sleep right, reverse the negative effects and encourage a mental state of relaxation.

Eat Right.



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Throw away that Prozac. Eating right, besides exercising, is one of the 2 keys to a long disease free life. It is important to eat a healthy diet that has lots of fruits, leafy greens and fatty fish(tuna, salmon, etc) in it. Leafy greens especially, are abundant in folic acid, a type of vitamin that low mood people seem to lack. If possible, eat home cooked. It’s better than eating out. It usually contains more fruits, vegetables, and dairy products along with additional nutrients such as fiber, calcium, vitamins A, vitamin C and folate. Home cooked meals are usually not highly salted, plus soda and sweetened beverage consumption is lower at the dinner table. Saves money too.

Have Sex.



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It certainly does improve your mood but the length of the improvement depends on the depth of the connection and intimacy you have with your partner. Oxytocin, a neurotransmitter for the brain secreted from the pituitary gland, affects social recognition, bonding, anxiety and trust behaviours. Oxytocin and endorphins are two major hormones released through orgasm and their effects normally last minutes or hours. If there is a connection and love with the partner, the afterglow of the sexual connection and mood lift can last a long time. Along the way, you will reap the benefit of having your blood oxygenated and body relaxed by the deep breathing.

Shopping (Mindfully).



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It’s actually good for your mental and physical health. It releases mood-lifting endorphins, boosts your immune system, keeps your brain nimble, and even fulfills basic social needs. The experience is linked to a heightened sense of happiness. It may not be as tiring as exercising or as provocative and interesting as sex, but as long as you love it, it gives you the same kind of high by releasing a flood of endorphins. Dopamine, increased during pleasurable moments during sex, rises sharply even when you’re merely window shopping. Shopping makes you become more mentally engaged, psychically active and socially involved, all of which keeps your brain sharp into your olden days. Whatever the case, be mindful so as to keep your bank account healthy at the same time.

Participate In Arty, Crafty, Endeavors.



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Activities of the creative nature has a substantial value in improving moods, relaxing oneself and raising energy levels as well. Whether it is photography, knitting, blogging, playing music or dancing, the effect is definitely positive. Some even have a social aspect to it. For some creative ones, going too long without blogging or taking/editing photographs has a negative impact on their habitual lives.

Global warming is real. The rise of sea levels, retreat of glaciers and shrinking of the arctic are some of the most obvious effects. However, more is to come. Many scientists around the world have included extreme weather, alteration of the timing of seasons and radical economic repercussions as some of their predictions. An Inconvenient Truth explains it best.

Humans themselves suffer most. They will be the hardest hit, health wise. Summarized below are 5 major consequences of global warming on human health.

Overworking the cardiovascular system

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Hotter temperatures will lead to an increase of heart and respiratory problems. Existing people with heart problems are most vulnerable as it puts on additional strain to the cardiovascular system to keep the body cool.

Ozone is harmless, only when above the atmosphere.

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Higher air temperature increases ozone at ground level. Ozone, although helps to keep us safe from the sun’s UV rays, is a harmful pollutant. When ozone is mixed with dust, smoke and chemical fumes over urban areas, you’ll get smog. Defined as ‘fog having a high pollution content’. It damages lung tissues and affects those with lung diseases such as asthma.

Heat waves

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Rising temperature means rising heat related deaths. Heatwaves, a period of time which consists of more than three days of maximum temperatures at or above 32ºC, will be more frequent and intense. The European heatwave of 2003 was already bad enough. It led to a health crises in several countries that saw 35,000 people dead as a result of the heat wave. When compared to cold, heat is more severe. Based on the Environment Protection Agency of America, people who die from heat outnumber those who die from cold by about 2x.

Spread of disease

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Global warming might extend the region for insects that carry infectious diseases such as mosquitoes, ticks and sandflies. Cases of malaria, dengue fever, lyme disease, encephalitis and visceral leishmaniasis may increase to a significant level in countries that previously had no reason to be concerned with. A recent report by ABC Australia showed an increase of malaria disease in the highland areas of Papua New Guinea, where it has always been too cold for disease spreading mosquitoes.

Rising sea levels

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You can evacuate people, but you cannot evacuate infrastructure. 13 of the 20 largest cities in the world is at sea level. Tokyo (most populated city in the world), Mumbai (3rd largest) and Shanghai (6th) are pretty good examples. It simply means that the risk of flood not only affects people but also hospitals and water treatment plants. A very good example of the impact on health care is New Orleans, where the health effects of losing those facilities continue long after the water has receded. The cause = melting polar ice caps.

Usually, the only part of your body that gets workout are your fingers. Specifically, the thumbs. Well, thanks to WII, getting fit virtually is now a reality. Below are 3 of the healthiest Wii video games you can ever find.

Wii Fit



Thanks to Shigeru Miyamoto, the man who brought us world famous games like Mario, Donkey Kong and Legend of Zelda, you can now transform your living room into a fitness center. The specially made, unique Wii Fit balance board can measure a user’s weight and their center of gravity, and calculate their body mass index when told the user’s height. The ability to compare other player’s fitness levels is good in way that it motivates you.

Some of the games include :

• A ball-rolling mini-game, where the player uses the Wii Balance Board to roll a ball on a platform into a certain hole.
• A Boxing minigame.
• Hula hooping.
• Jogging.
• Sit ups.
• Push ups.
• Ski jumping, whereby the player squats as low as possible, while maintaining their balance, and then quickly stands as fast as possible in order to gain a good jump.
• Snowboarding.
• Heading on-coming soccer balls and avoiding other objects by leaning forward and back.
• Step aerobics, including a game in which the player must step on and off the Wii Balance Board in rhythm to the background music.
• Tightrope walking, where the player must maintain the balance of a Mii walking on a tightrope from one building to to another.
• Yoga exercises.

20 minutes each of quick cardio, ski jumping and yoga will burn you around 436 calories in an hour! Which is also equivalent to cycling at an average speed of 11mph for an hour.

Wii Sports



It consists of 5 separate sports games.

1. Tennis
2. Baseball
3. Bowling
4. Golf
5. Boxing

The Wiimote provides you with realistic motion control and an ease of play. Bowling seems to be a common favourite among gamers as they enjoyed the experience. Golf on the other hand has the best content and is the most good looking among the other 5. Tennis seems to be the most fun, accessible and easiest to play. You can play more and more doubles and the opponents get better as you go along. It’s pretty addictive. Boxing provides you with the best workout as it burns more than 500 calories in an hour.

Adding in variety by spending 12 minutes each on tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing burns you 433 calories! It’s almost like hiking cross country for an hour. The only difference is you have a swinging fun time burning calories in your living room.

It has won many awards since it’s launch. They include :

• Best Sports Game of 2006 by Game Critics Awards
• Best Sports Game of 2006 by IGN
• No.1 Game of 2006 for Time magazine
• Won 6 out of 13 categories in BAFTA 2007

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party



Basically, you step on the mat, pick a song and dance by hitting the correct direction arrows as they rise to the top of the screen. In this game, the upper body movements are also taken advantage of by the Wiimote and Nunchuk. Fun parts of the game include beating the venue master, clearing 3 songs, etc. As you progress along, you’ll unlock new songs and clothes for your character.

There’s also a workout mode that keeps track of all calories burned based on your weight and height. In an hour, you will easily sear more than 400 calories!

Perceived believes on food are common around the world. But if most of the time, if you hear yourself saying, ‘is it true?’, it probably isn’t. Below is an interesting, comprehensive list of food myths.

Never swim on a full stomach, or you’ll get a cramp and drown.

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You’d be a bit heavier due to the food but it won’t drown you. If you’re swimming for fun, you’ll be fine. If you’re competing, you’re taking a risk. Which may lead to nothing more than cramps, accroding to Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist at the New York University School of Medicine. However, drinking does. Back in 1990, a study of hundreds of drowning deaths among adults in California found that 41 percent were alcohol related.

Eating it raw is healthier than heated food.

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Right and wrong at the same time. It’s a fact that raw fruits and vegetables contain more nutrition that heated ones. However, not all is safe to consume raw. For one, beans in their mature state contain Prussic/Hydrocyanic Acid or Cyanogenic Aminoglycoside in quantity. Eggplants for another, contain toxic solanaceous alkaloids. Before jumping on a raw food marathon, I’d suggest checking out this list of poisonous plants first.

Carrots contain Vitamin A, the vitamin that improves your eyes.

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Wrong. Carrots contain beta carotene and Vitamin A is a conversion of beta carotene. Eating a lot of carrots does not improve the eyesight significantly. An average human body will rarely face a lack of vitamin A as it is easily replenishable by the blarge amounts of beta carotene found in the liver. Beta carotene is easily obtainable as it is found plenty in bright orange, yellowish or dark green fruits and vegetables.

Whole milk contains more nutrition than skimmed milk.

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Skimmed milk is the best type of milk. Skimmed milk’s fat content is <0.5% while whole milk is >3.25%. It has all the nutritional values of whole milk like protein, except for a significant drop in quantities of Vitamin A. Drinking skimmed milk is most beneficial to weight watchers.

Milk with a long shelf life contains strong preservatives.

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Milk is heated for around 1-2 seconds, at a temperature exceeding 135°C (275°F) to kill spores in milk. There is no preservatives added. The very short time reduces the spoiling of nutrients. Generally, an average box of UHT milk has a minimum shelf life of 180 days until opened.

Healthy food is too expensive to sustain.

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cost = time + process effort

No, definitely not price. Fruits and vegetables are definitely cheap. Anways, here are some other ideas. Buy long shelf life grains like oats, lentils, chickpeas, and brown rice which are also cheap. For meat, don’t buy lean cuts. Buy the whole chicken. I bet you they are much cheaper. Just remove the skin and bones yourself. Same goes to beef. Buy the whole cut that comes with all the fat. Just trim it, portion and freeze. You’re basically exchanging your own time and workload for cost, instead of paying for the readily prepared, conveniently, cut into sizes meat.

Products described as ‘low fat’ or ‘reduced fat’ is always the better choice.

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Energy = Calories

Fat stored in our bodies is a result of unused energy. This energy comes from carbs, protein and of course, fat. Having ‘low fat’ does not necessarily mean low energy. As energy of fat is replaceable by other elements, the product may end up having the same or even higher energy content.

Going all out for vegetarian dishes is better.

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Not necessarily. French fries, refried beans, pasta with processed cheese, sugar, sodas, salt, processed cold cereals rich in sugar are low in nutrients. Processed foods are surely less healthy. So if you want a hot dog, hamburger or chicken dish, it is better to have the real thing than buying imitations. Moreover, if you eat the same food all the time, you are not having a balanced meal.

Red meat is low fat when it’s lean. The same goes to skinless chicken or fish, when cooked without chicken without the skin, and fish, if they’ve been cooked without too much oil. But still, eating lots of vegetables and fruits is as important in ensuring a daily healthy balanced diet.

Margarine vs Butter

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Missing breakfast is harmless.

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Breakfast is usually the most skipped meal of the day. Gail Frank of the American Dietetic Association says that ‘break’ ‘fast’ after a good night’s sleep helps to curb hunger and prevent binge eating. More often than not, breakfast contain significant amounts of vitamin C, D, calcium, iron and fiber. The fuel provided will be used by our body to think, walk, talk properly throughout the day. Skipping breakfast is like a signal to the brain that nothing is coming in. As a result, our stomach stops producing acid needed for digestion and starts taking energy from other parts of the body. Anything coming in will not be digested properly. Which means that skipping breakfast doesn’t help to lose weight. It leads to over eating and distorted satiety signals.

Food coloring is harmful to the body.

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A color additive is any dye, pigment or substance that can impart color when added or applied to a food. Color additives are used in foods for many reasons, including off–setting color loss due to storage or processing of foods and to accommodate variations in natural food color. Numerous studies decades ago have proven that food coloring is safe.

Additives and preservatives is unhealthy.

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Additives help keep food safe, stable and greatly slow down spoilage to prevent foodborne illness. Food like cheese and wine is preserved by using benign bacteria, yeasts or bacteria. Ham and bacon is only safe to eat in the presence of preservatives. Ice cream’s smooth and creamy taste comes from emulsifiers. Thanks to additives, many types of food looks more pleasent, tastes better, costs cheaper and stays on longer.

Eating after 7pm makes you fat.

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It’s more of what you eat not so much of when, as long as it’s 2-3 hours before bedtime. I’d suggest regular mealtimes while watching the calories that go into the body. Having a fixed time for meals better prepares the body for digestion. Having a regular sleep time also minimizes impulsive snacking. Both habits should help maintain a regular total caloric intake.

MSG is an unnatural food additive.

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Monosodium glutamate. MSG. It consists of only water, sodium and glutamate. Glutamate, one of the 3 components, is a type of amino acid and is found in abundance. Our body produces and uses it for metabolism and brain function. Commonly it is found in food like cheese, milk, mushrooms, meat, fish and vegetables. Know that the body does not distinguish between glutamate added to food and glutamate found naturally in food. The key lies in moderation.

Eating fully 3 times a day is almost the same as breaking it into small, frequent meals.

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Nope. It is not. We should not eat only when the clock says so. We should eat whenever our tummy says so and stop when the need is met. Small frequent meals will ensure that our body is well energized throughout the day and put a stop to overeating when ‘meal times’ come around. Consider also that the less frequently we eat, the more calories we will probably consume at any one sitting. Eating is like filling a cup up with water. Everything in excess runs off and goes to fat storage.

Sugar is the main culprit behind diabetes.

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Wrong. During digestion, carbs like sugar in food are converted to glucose, which is required in the blood at all times. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps this blood glucose enter our cells, and keep our blood glucose at a healthy level. Diabetes is a state of insulin resistance or insulin insufficiency caused by these 9 factors.

• Hereditary or Inherited Traits (Risk is higher if both parents have diabetes)
• Age (80% of cases occur after 50 year)
• Poor Diet (Malnutrition)
• Obesity (Being overweight means increased insulin resistance)
• Sedentary Lifestyle (Idly, inactive or lazy way of life)
• Stress (Very often blamed as the initial cause)
• Drug Induced (Clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine and ziprasidone)
• Infection (Infection in pancreas)
• Sex (Females with multiple pregnancy or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)
• Hypertension (Direct relation with high systolic pressure)
• Serum lipids and lipoproteins (High cholesterol levels)

Oysters are an aphrodisiac.

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False. There is no such thing as erotic food. Our sex drive starts and ends with the mind. If you think oysters work, chances are they will.

Organic food is the healthiest choice.

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There is no logical or factual basis for the above statement. Organic food believers will claim that the difference lie in the residue of chemical pesticides. Since organic pesticides are less efficient than modern synthetic pesticides, up to 7 times of it must be used. Rotenone, a component of organic pesticide, causes symptoms of Parkinson’s and is a natural poison used by native tribe hunters. Pyrethrum is carcinogenic. Fermented urine, period.

A very good example is the 2006 North American E. coli outbreak which resulted in deaths and illnesses, that was finally traced to organically grown spinach and letuce. Remember, natural does not mean that a product is healthy.

Chocolate causes acne.

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No. But a diet high in saturated fats, bad oils and sugars may wreck havoc on an your skin. Just as these unsavory additions to your diet can cause other issues seen in your body, what you eat directly affects the quality of your skin. Eating a lot of chocolate will make you fat, but it will not cause acne.

Boiling vegetables eliminates all vitamins and minerals.

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According to USDA Table of Retention Factors, boiling has only a minor effect on the nutrients. Take a brocolli spear for example. The Vitamin C goes from 48% of the daily recommended value to 46% and Folate from 6% to 5%. Steaming is recommended as it reduces less than boiling.

Let’s go for a journey around the world.

I love food. Delicious mouth watering ones. The city where I come from is very well known in the country for it’s food. Staying in shape is a challenge. Because of my origins, I have been taste-trained to appreciate good food.

Below is a list of food that are very well known throughout the land of its origin. It can be found almost everywhere in the country where it originated from. Some of it, you may not have heard of. Some of it, you may not have seen before. Ask anyone from that place, surely they will know. Here goes.

Argentina

• Asado

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Cuts of meat cooked on a grill (parrilla) or open fire.

• Empanada

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Pastry usually stuffed primarily of beef (cubed or ground depending on the region), perhaps spiced with cumin and paprika, and filled with onion, green olive, boiled egg, and even raisins.

• Milanesa

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meat slice dipped into beaten eggs, seasoned with salt, and other condiments.

• Dulce de leche

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A milk based syrup prepared by slowly heating sweetened milk to create a product similar in taste to caramel.

Armenia

• Lavash

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A soft, thin flatbread made with flour, water, and salt.

Australia

• Meat pie

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A savoury pie that covers a filling of meat and other savoury ingredients.

• Fish and chips

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Deep-fried fish in batter or breadcrumbs with deep-fried potatoes.

• Vegemite on toast

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A dark brown, savoury food paste made from yeast extract, used mainly as a spread on sandwiches, toast and cracker biscuits.

• Pavlova

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A meringue dessert that is crispy on the outside but light and fluffy inside.

Austria

• Sachertorte

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A chocolate cake consisting of two layers of dense, not overly sweet chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle and dark chocolate icing with shreds of chocolate on the top and sides.

• Wiener schnitzel

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Consists of a thin slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

• Apfelstrudel

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Consists of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with a filling of chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and bread crumbs.

Bahrain

• Machboos

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Made up of meat or fish served with rice.

• Muhammar

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Sweet rice served with dates or sugar.

Bangladesh

• Biryani

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Made from a mixture of spices, basmati rice, meat, vegetables and yogurt.

Barbados

• Cou-Cou and Flying fish

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Consists mainly of corn meal and ochro with fried or steamed flying fish.

Belgium

• Pommes frites

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Pieces of potato that have been cut into batons and deep-fried.

• Moules bruxelles

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Cooked mussels with french fries.

Bhutan

• Ema datsi

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Made from homemade cheese and hot peppers.

Brazil

• Feijoada

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A stew of beans with various beef and pork products.

• Rice and beans

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Consists of white rice accompanied by brown, red or black, dry beans seasoned in various ways.

• Churrasco

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Contains a variety of meats which may be cooked on a purpose-built ‘churrasqueira’, a grill or barbecue, often with supports for spits or skewers.

• Brigadeiro

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A simple Brazilian chocolate fudge candy created in the 1920s and its shape is reminiscent of that of some varieties of chocolate truffles.

Cambodia

• Amok trey

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It is fish coated in a thick coconut milk with curry.

Canada

• Back Bacon

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Traditionally prepared from brined, center cut boneless pork loin sold as peameal bacon in central parts of Canada. Although it was originally rolled in ground dried yellow peas, it is now almost exclusively rolled in more readily available cornmeal.

Thanks Karen for mentioning it.

• Beaver Tails

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Fried dough pastries which are individually hand stretched to resemble a beaver’s tail.

Thanks Karen for mentioning it.

• Butter Tarts

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Butter tarts are unique to Canada and consist of flaky pastry shells that are filled with a sweet mixture of butter, brown sugar and eggs.

Thanks lindsay for mentioning it.

• Kraft Dinner

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A pasta dish of macaroni and cheese that is produced by the Kraft company.

• Montreal Smoked Meat

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Has been popular in Montreal since the nineteenth century, and has taken such strong root in that city that many Montrealers, and even many non-Montrealers, identify it as emblematic of the city’s cuisine.

Thanks Karen for mentioning it.

• Nanaimo Bars

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A type of chocolate no-bake square that consists of a wafer crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light custard or vanilla butter icing, which is covered in chocolate made from melted chocolate squares.

Thanks lindsay for mentioning it.

• Poutine

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A dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients.

Thanks lvleph, lindsay for mentioning it.

• Saskatoon Berry Pie

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Pies made with saskatoon berries, a kind of shrub native to western Canada.

Thanks Karen for mentioning it.

• Steak

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A slice from a larger piece of meat, typically beef, or fish.

• Timbits

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The brand name of bite-sized doughnut balls sold at the Canadian Tim Hortons restaurant chain.

• Tourtiere

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A meat pie originating from Quebec, usually made with ground pork and/or veal, or beef.

Thanks Karen for mentioning it.

Chile

• Sea bass

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Sea bass with a creamy white sauce topped with a variety of side dishes.

• Palta (Avocado)

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Used as a puree in chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs, and in slices for celery or lettuce salads. The Chilean version of caesar salad contains large slices of mature avocado.

China

• Mantou

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A kind of steamed bun originating from China.

• Bing

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A type of Chinese flatbread.

• Wheat noodles

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The dough for noodles made from wheat flour is typically made from wheat flour, salt, and water, with the addition of eggs or lye depending on the desired texture and taste of the noodles.

• Peking duck

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The dish is prized for the thin, crispy skin with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook.

• Hot pot

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It consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table.

• Char siu

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The meat, typically a shoulder cut, is seasoned with a mixture of honey, five-spice powder, fermented tofu, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red food colouring and sherry or rice wine.

• century egg

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A Chinese cuisine ingredient made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing.

• Xiaolongbao

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Xiaolongbao are traditionally filled with soup and meat, but variations include seafood and vegetarian fillings.

• Mapo doufu

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A combination of tofu and minced meat, usually beef, in a spicy bean-based sauce.

• Kung pao chicken

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Diced chicken is typically mixed with a pre-prepared marinade. The wok is seasoned and then the chilies and Sichuan peppercorns are flash fried to add fragrance to the oil. Then the chicken is stir fried and vegetables, along with peanuts, are added.

• Twice Cooked Pork

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The process of cooking Twice Cooked Pork involves boiling pork rib steak chunks in hot water with slices of ginger and salt first, then after being cut into thin slices, the pork is returned to a wok and shallow fried in hot oil.

Colombia

• Bandeja paisa

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Typically, bandeja paisa includes grilled steak, chicharrón, red beans, rice, chorizo, a fried egg, and an arepa.

• Sancocho

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A fairly rustic dish which ingredients usually include chicken, fish, plantains, yuca, cilantro , yams, corn, and potatoes.

• Ajiaco

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Contains pieces of chicken on the bone, large chunks of corn on the cob, two or three kinds of native potatoes, and guasca, a weedy, aromatic herb common in all America that lends the dish part of its distinctive flavour.

Costa Rica

• Gallo Pinto

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Comprises of pre-cooked rice and beans fried together with spices such as cilantro, onion and peppers.

• Casados

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A one-plate meal, that at least includes black beans, rice, a meat and one or more side dishes.

Cyprus

• Halloumi

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Cheese made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk.

• Sheftalia

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A type of sausage without skin, that uses caul fat, or omentum, the membrane that surrounds the stomach of pig or lamb, to wrap the ingredients rather than sausage casing.

• Afelia

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Pork marinated and cooked in red wine with coarsly crushed coriander seed served with pourgouri pilafi and yogurt.

Czech

• Bramboraky

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Fried pancakes made of rough-grated or fine-grated raw potatoes, flour, milk and sometimes sliced sausages or sauerkraut. They are spiced with marjoram, salt, pepper, and garlic and usually sized to fit the cooking dish.

• Roast pork with dumplings and cabbage

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The most popular Czech dish.

• Smazeny syr

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A slice of cheese, usually Edam and about 1.5 cm in thickness, is successively coated in flour with egg and breadcrumbs and fried either in a pan or in a deep fryer. It is often served with a side salad or red cabbage, potatoes and typically with tartar sauce.

• Svickova

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Roast beef, usually larded, with a thick sauce of carrot, parsley root, root celery, and cream. Often served with Knedliky, a cream topping, a teaspoon of cranberry compote, and a slice of lemon.

Denmark

• Pork Roast

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Roasted pork.

• Frikadeller

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Made of ground pork, veal or beef, chopped onions, eggs, milk, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, formed into balls and flattened somewhat.

• Smorrebrod

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Open faced sandwich made with dark rye bread, and topped with the most diverse variety of things: meats, fish, eggs, vegetables.

Egypt

• Ful medames

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Consists of fava beans slow-cooked in a copper pot that have been partially or completely mashed.

• Kushari

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Consists of a base of rice, black lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, and a topping of Egyptian garlic and vinegar and spicy tomato sauce.

England

• Cheddar Cheese

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Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, pale-yellow to off-white, and sometimes sharp-tasting cheese originating in the English village of Cheddar, in Somerset. It is the most popular cheese in the United Kingdom, accounting for 51% of the country’s £1.9 billion annual cheese market.

Thanks to MatG.

• Chicken tikka masala

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Baked chicken chunks (chicken tikka) cooked in curry.

• English breakfast

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Cooked breakfast, comprising at its heart bacon and egg.

• Fish and chips

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Consists of deep-fried fish in batter or breadcrumbs with deep-fried potatoes.

• Jellied Eels

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The dish consists of chopped eels boiled in a spiced stock that is allowed to cool and set, forming a jelly. It can be eaten hot or cold.

Thanks to MatG.

• Kippers

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A kipper is a whole herring that has been split from tail to head, gutted, salted, and cold smoked. Kippers along with other preserved fish such as the bloater and buckling, were also once commonly enjoyed as a high tea or supper treat.

Thanks to MatG.

• Lancashire Hotpot

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Lancashire hotpot is a culinary dish consisting essentially of lamb or mutton, onion and potatoes left to bake in the oven all day in a heavy pot and on a low heat.

Thanks to MatG.

• Pork Pie

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Pork pies are a type of meat pie and are traditional British food. They consist of roughly chopped pork and pork jelly sealed in a hot water crust pastry, and are normally eaten cold.

Thanks to MatG.

• Sunday roast beef

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Consists of roasted meat together with accompaniments.

Ethiopia

• Doro wat

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Stew prepared with chicken, a variety of vegetables, and spice mixtures such as berbere and niter kibbeh, a seasoned clarified butter.

• Injera

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A pancake-like bread made out of teff flour.

Finland

• Karelian pasties

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Made from a thin rye crust with a filling of rice, the hot pasties are spread with butter, often mixed with boiled egg, before eating.

• Mämmi

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A malt porridge which is baked in an oven.

• Hernekeitto

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Yellow pea soup.

France

• Pot-au-feu

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A pot-au-feu will contain beef cuts, cartilaginous meat such as oxtail and/or bone with marrow, carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, onions, spices like bouquet garni, salt, black pepper and cloves.

• Baguette

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A variety of bread distinguishable by its much greater length than width, and noted for its very crispy crust.

• Cassoulet

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A rich, slow-cooked bean stew or casserole containing meat, pork skin and white haricot beans.

• Truffles

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A group of confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate or cocoa powder, usually in a spherical, conical or curved shape.

• Foie gras

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‘The liver of a duck or a goose that has been specially fattened by gavage.’

• Sauerkraut

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Finely sliced cabbage fermented by various lactic acid bacteria including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus.

• Tarte flambee

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Composed of is a thin bread dough rolled out in a circle or a rectangle as crust, which is covered by crème fraîche, onions, and bacon.

• Crepes

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A type of very thin cooked pancake usually made from wheat flour.

• Coq au vin

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A French fricassee of rooster cooked with wine, lardons, mushrooms, and optionally garlic.

• Beef bourguignon

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A type of beef stew prepared with cubed beef stewed in red wine, generally flavoured with garlic, onions, carrots, lardons, and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions and mushrooms.

• Camembert

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A soft, creamy French cheese.

• Bouillabaisse

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A fish stock containing different kinds of cooked fish and shellfish.

• Salade nicoise

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A type of French salad composed of raw vegetables, hard boiled eggs, anchovies and tuna, and olive oil.

• Ratatouille

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The original Ratatouille Niçoise used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers, onion, and garlic.

Georgia

• Khachapuri

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The bread is leavened and allowed to rise, and is shaped in various ways filled with cheese (fresh or aged), eggs and other ingredients.

Germany

• Sauerbraten

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Sour roast meat.

• Sauerkraut

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Finely sliced cabbage fermented by various lactic acid bacteria.

• Wurst

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Also known as German sausages, they are extra long and extra thick, usually consisting of ground meat, animal fat, salt, and spices, and sometimes other ingredients such as herbs, sometimes packed in a casing.

Greece

• Moussaka

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The bottom layer consists of eggplant slices sautéed in olive oil; The middle layer is ground lamb precooked with onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, herbs (bay leaf, oregano, thyme), and spices (cinnamon, allspice and black pepper); The top layer is a cheese-flavoured béchamel sauce or egg custard.

• Fasolada

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Soup of dry white beans, olive oil, and vegetables.

• Greek salad

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Made of sliced or chopped tomatoes with cucumber, and red onion, seasoned with salt, black pepper, and oregano and dressed with olive oil.

Guyana

• Pepperpot

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Pepperpot is typically a stewed meat dish, strongly flavored with cinnamon, hot peppers, and Cassareep - a special sauce made from the Cassava root. Beef, mutton, and pork are the most popular meats used, though some have been known to use chicken. Pepperpot is popularly served with dense bread and butter, though it is equally as good with rice or roti

Thanks, Anon.

Hong Kong

• Egg tart

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Consists of a flaky outer crust, with a middle filled with egg custard, which is then baked. *a personal favourite*

• Dim sum

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Involves a wide range of light dishes served alongside Chinese tea. It can include dishes based on meat, seafood, vegetables, as well as desserts and fruit.

• BBQ pork with rice

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Served with slices of char siu, cucumbers, white rice and drenched in sweet gravy or drizzled with dark soy sauce.

• Wonton noodle soup

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Served in hot soup, garnished with leafy vegetables, and wonton.

• Pineapple bun

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The top of the pineapple bun is crunchy and is quite sweet compared to the bread underneath.

Hungary

• Goulash

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Made of beef, onions, red peppers, and paprika powder.

Iceland

• Þorramatur (including hakarl)

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þorramatur is an Icelandic food consisting of 11 different dishes consumed during the ancient Nordic month of þorri.

India

• Curries

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A general variety of spicy dishes.

• Basmati rice

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A variety of long grain rice, famous for its fragrance and delicate flavour.

• Samosas

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Consists of a fried triangular shaped pastry shell with a savory potato, onion, fresh coriander, cottage cheese and pea stuffing, but other stuffings like minced meat and fish are often used but not traditional.

• Naan

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A round flatbread made of white flour.

• Chapati

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A type of roti or Indian bread eaten in South Asia and East Africa.

• Chutney

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A term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments.

• Dal

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A preparation of pulses which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split.

• Tandoori chicken

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Chicken marinated in a yogurt seasoned with tandoori masala.

Indonesia

• Satay

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A dish consisting of chunks or slices of dice-sized meat (chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, etc.) on bamboo skewers.

• Gado-gado

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Comprises a vegetable salad served with a peanut sauce dressing.

• Nasi goreng

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Fried rice often accompanied by additional items such as a fried egg, fried chicken, satay, or krupuk.

Iran

• Chelow kabab

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Consisting of steamed, saffroned basmati or Persian rice (chelow) and kabab, of which there are several distinct Persian varieties.

Ireland

• Irish Stew

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Stew made from lamb or mutton as well as potatoes, onions, and parsley.

• Colcannon

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Made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt, and pepper.

• Stout and raw oysters

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Dark beers made using roasted malts or roast barley with raw oysters.

• Smoked Salmon on pumpernickel bread

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Smoked salmon on bread made of rye flour and whole rye berries.

Isle of Man

• Kipper

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A whole fish, usually herring, that has been split from tail to head, gutted, salted, and cold smoked, served with potatoes and buttered bread.

Israel

• Felafel

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Fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas served as a sandwich wrapped in pita bread.

• Chicken schnitzel

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Consists of a thin slice of chicken coated in breadcrumbs and fried

Italy

• Pizza

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An oven-baked, flat, usually round bread covered with tomato sauce and often cheese, with other toppings left optional.

• Pasta

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A type of food made from a dough using flour, water and/or eggs.

• Minestrone

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A variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice.

• Ciabatta

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An Italian white bread made with wheat flour and yeast that is somewhat elongated, broad and flattish and, like a slipper, should be somewhat collapsed in the middle.

• Baccala

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Most baccalà dishes require that the fish be soaked numerous times to remove excess saltiness.

• Polenta

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Made with either coarsely, or finely ground dried yellow or white cornmeal (ground maize), depending on the region and the texture desired.

Jamaica

• Beef Patties

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A pastry that contains various fillings and spices baked inside a flaky shell.

• Saltfish and Ackee

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Salt cod is sautéed with ackee (boiled), onions, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and may be garnished with crisp bacon and fresh tomatoes.

Japan

• Sushi

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A food made of vinegared rice, usually topped with other ingredients including cooked or uncooked fish and vegetables.

• Sashimi

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Consists of very fresh raw seafoods, sliced into thin pieces about 1 inch wide by 1.5 inch long 0.25 inch thick, but dimensions vary depending on the type of item and chef, and served with only soy sauce with wasabi paste and thin-sliced ginger root or ponzu, and a simple garnish such as shiso and shredded daikon radish.

• Japanese noodles

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A type of noodle made from buckwheat flour served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup.

• Donburi

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Consists of fish, meat, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice.

• Japanese curry

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Commonly served in three main forms: curry rice, kar? udon (thick noodles) and kar?-pan (bread). It is usually thicker, sweeter and milder than its Indian equivalent.

Jersey

• Jersey Royal potatoes

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Jersey’s local variety of new potato.

Jordan

• Mansaf

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Made of lamb, rice, and a dried yoghurt-like product called jameed.

Kazakhstan

• Besh barmak

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Consists of boiled horse or mutton meat with small pieces of pastry boiled in broth and sprinkled with parsley and coriander.

Korea

• Kimchi

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A fermented dish made of some select vegetables with varied seasonings.

• Bulgogi

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Made from marinated thin slices of sirloin or other prime cut of beef.

• Kalbi

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Made from beef short ribs, though it can also be made with pork ribs.

• Bibimbap

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Served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables), beef, a fried egg, and gochujang (chile pepper paste).

• Naengmyeon

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Consists of several varieties of thin, hand-made noodles or buckwheat, and is served in a large bowl with a tangy iced broth, raw julienned vegetables, a slice of a Korean pear, and often a boiled egg and/or cold beef.

Kyrgyzstan

• Laghman

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A type of noodle dish.

Laos

• Larb

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Made with chicken, beef, duck, turkey, pork or even fish, flavored with fish sauce and lime.

Lebanon

• Kibbeh

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A dish of minced meat with bulgur and spices with many variants, both raw and cooked.

• Tabbouleh

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A salad dish, often used as part of a mezze.

Macau

• Galinha à Portuguesa

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Served as pieces of chicken, potato and sometimes boiled rice with a mild, coconut-based, curry-like sauce, baked till golden and with a distinctive aroma.

• Baked pork chop bun

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Extremely crispy outside and very soft inside, it is made of only a piece of pork chop and a bun.

Malaysia

• Nasi lemak

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Comes as a platter with cucumber slices, small dried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, stir fried water convolvulus (kangkong), hard boiled egg, pickled vegetables (achar) and hot spicy sauce (sambal).

• Roti canai

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A type of flatbread found in Malaysia.

• Char koay teow

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Made from flat rice noodles, approximately 1 cm or slightly narrower in width, fried over very high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chilli, prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and Chinese chives.

• Satay

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A dish consisting of chunks or slices of chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork or fish on bamboo skewers.

• Assam laksa

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Main ingredients for assam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung fish or mackerel, and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillis, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, “daun kesum” (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint) and pink bunga kantan (ginger buds) normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli).

Mexico

• Pozole

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Made from hominy, with pork (or other meat), chile, and other seasonings and garnish, such as cabbage, lettuce, oregano, cilantro, avocado, radish, lime juice, etc.

• Tacos

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Comprises of a rolled, folded, pliable maize tortilla filled with an edible substance.

• Mole poblano

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A popular sauce in Mexican cuisine and is the mole that most people in the U.S. think of when they think of mole.

• Guacamole

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Made by mashing the avocado with a molcajete (a type of mortar and pestle) and adding tomatoes and salt.

Mongolia

• Mutton

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Cooked mutton, often without any other ingredients.

Morocco

• Couscous

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Consists of spherical granules made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour.

• Tajine

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Dishes are slow cooked at low temperatures in a special pot, resulting in tender, falling-off-the-bone meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce.

• Pastilla

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A dish made usually of squab.

• Harira

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A type of stew made out of many, ingredients such as flour, tomatoes and tomato concentrate, lentils, chickpeas, onions, etc.

Myanmar

• Mohinga

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It is rice vermicelli in fish soup

Nepal

• Dahl baht

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Consists essentially of rice (bhat) and lentil soup (dal).

• Momo dumplings

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It is usually filled with minced chicken or pork, combined with any or all of the following: onions, shallots, garlic, and cilantro/coriander.

New Zealand

• Colonial Goose

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An effective preparation of roast leg of lamb.

• Whitebait fritters

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It is essentially an omelet containing whitebait.

• Pavlova

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Is a meringue dessert that is crispy on the outside but light and fluffy inside.

Netherlands

• Stamppot

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Made from a combination of potatoes mashed with one or several other vegetables.

• Hutspot

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A dish of boiled and mashed potatoes, carrots and onions.

Nicaragua

• Gallopinto

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Comprises of pre-cooked rice and beans fried together with spices such as cilantro, onion and peppers.

Nigeria

• Jollof rice

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Consists of rice, tomatoes and tomato paste, onion, salt, and chili pepper, to which optional ingredients can be added such as vegetables, meats, and other spices.

Norway

• Lutefisk

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A dish made from stockfish (air-dried whitefish) and soda lye (lut).

• Farikal

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Consisting of pieces of lamb’s meat with bone, cabbage, whole black pepper and a little wheat flour, cooked for several hours in a casserole, traditionally served with potatoes boiled in their jackets.

• Pizza grandiosa

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Frozen pizza.

Northern Ireland

• Ulster fry

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Consists of bacon, eggs, pork or beef sausages, the farl form of soda bread (the farl split in half crossways to expose the inner bread and then fried with the exposed side down), potato bread and tomatoes.

Pakistan

• Daal Chawal

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Rice with cooked lentil seeds,salad and yogurt.

• Pilaf

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A dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth.

Palestine

• Musakhan

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It is chicken baked with onions, sumac, allspice, saffron, and garnished with fried pine nuts.

Peru

• Ceviche

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Composes of chunks of raw fish, with lime or lemon juice though sometimes bitter orange (naranja agria), sliced onion, minced Peruvian ají limo, and sometimes Andean rocoto.

Philippines

• Adobo

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Made from pork or chicken or a combination of both, it is slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns, and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterwards to get the desirable crisped edges.

• Bangus

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Deboned milkfish.


• Lechon

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A whole roasted pig.

• Lumpia

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Lumpia are similar to spring rolls.

Thanks, Paul.

Poland

• Bigos

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Typical ingredients include fresh and fermented white cabbage (sauerkraut, kapusta kiszona in Polish), various cuts of meat and sausages, often whole or puréed tomatoes, honey and mushrooms.

• Barszcz

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Consists of red beetroot, onions, garlic, and other vegetables such as carrots and celery or parsley roots.

• Pierogi

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Pierogi are half circular dumplings of unleavened dough, stuffed with cheese, farmer’s cheese, mashed or other forms of potato, sauerkraut, cabbage, onion, meat, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, dry cottage cheese, or any combination thereof, or with a fruit filling such as blueberry.

Portugal

• Bacalhau

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Codfish, cookable in more than 365 ways.

• Caldo verde

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Made out of mashed potatoes, mashed onions and minced collard greens, savoy cabbage, or kale.

• Pastel de Nata

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A type of creamy egg tart.

Romania

• Mamaliga

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A dish made out of yellow maize.

• Mititei

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A kind of grilled minced-meat rolls made from beef (usually mixed with mutton and pork meat), which contain garlic, black pepper, savory and sometimes a touch of paprika.

• Cozonac

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A sweet bread, to which milk, sugar, eggs, butter and raisins are added.

• Fasole cu carnati

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Consists of baked beans and sausages.

Russia

• Bliny

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Traditional Russian bliny are made with yeasted batter, which is left to rise and then diluted with cold or boiling water or milk.

Thanks, Lida.

• Borscht

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It usually includes beets, meat, and cabbage and optionally potatoes.

• Poached salmon

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Poached salmon.

• Caviar with sour cream and vodka

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made with premium local espresso, chocolate and vodka, finished off with a sprig of mint, served on a blin to complete the effect. Usually served with sour cream and caviar.

Saint Lucia

• Green figs & saltfish

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Green figs and saltfish.

Scotland

• Haggis

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Consists of sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock traditionally boiled in the animal’s stomach for approximately three hours.

• Deep-fried Mars bar

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A Mars bar which has been coated with batter and deep-fried in oil or beef fat.

Serbia

• Pljeskavica

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Made from a mixture of lamb and beef, grilled along with onions and served hot on fresh somun with a thick pita bread.

Singapore

• Hainanese chicken rice

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Steamed / roasted chicken with rice.

• Curry laksa

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A coconut-based curry soup consisting of tofu puffs, fish sticks, shrimp and cockles.

• Chilli crab

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Made with hard-shell crabs, and cooked in a thick gravy with a tomato chili base.

Slovakia

• Bryndzové haluÅ¡ky

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Consists of Halušky dumplings and Bryndza (type of sheep cheese) covered by fried bits of bacon.

Slovenia

• Ajdovi žganci

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Made out of buckwheat flour, water, salt, cracklings, oil or grease.

• Poticza

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Yeast bread similar to a strudel, with one or more fillings.

Spain

• Paella

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Rice, saffron, and olive oil garnished with vegetables and meat or seafood.

• Cozido

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A rich stew made from shin of beef, pork, and, in some regions, chicken served with cabbage, carrots, turnips, Portuguese smoked sausages (morcela, farinheira and chouriço), rice, and potatoes.

• Tapas

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A wide variety of appetizers that may be cold, such as mixed olives and cheese, or warm, such as puntillitas, Andalusian battered, fried baby squid.

• Chocolate con churros

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Churro with a mug of thick hot chocolate to dip churros in.

Sweden

• Kottbullar

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A generally spherical mass of ground meat and other ingredients, such as bread or breadcrumbs, minced onion, various spices, and possibly eggs, cooked by frying, baking, steaming, or braising in sauce.

• Pea soup

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Pea soup followed by pancakes with jam and whipped cream is a common and traditional Thursday lunch.

• Smorgasbord

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Consists of both hot and cold dishes. It is customary to begin with the cold fish dishes which are generally various form of herring, salmon, eel and so forth. After eating the dishes, people usually continue with other cold dishes, and round off with hot dishes such as Swedish meatballs, köttbullar and another specialties like Janssons frestelse.

Switzerland

• Rosti

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Made with potatoes which are grated and depending on the frying technique, possibly mixed with some butter or fat, or fried in oil later.

• Fondue

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A cheese mix in the pot is kept warm as a semi-liquid sauce into which diners use forks to dip bits of food, most often bread.

• Raclette

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The Raclette cheese round is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners’ plates. Traditionally, it is accompanied by small firm potatoes (Bintje, Charlotte or Raclette varieties), gherkins, pickled onions, dried meat, such as prosciutto and viande des Grisons, sliced peppers, tomato, onion, mushrooms, pears, and dusted with paprika and fresh-ground black pepper.

Thanks, Swiss.

Taiwan

• Suncake

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Made of flaky pastry with sweet fillings.

• Stinky tofu

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A form of fermented tofu, which, as the name suggests, has a strong odor.

• Ba wan

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Consists of a 6-8 cm diameter disk-shaped translucent dough filled with a savory stuffing and served with a sweet and savory sauce.

• Beef noodle soup

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Composed of stewed beef, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles.

Tajikistan

• Palov

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Grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth.

Tanzania

• Ugali

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Made from maize flour (or ground maize) and water, and varies in consistency from porridge to a dough-like substance.

• Octopus curry

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Octopus cooked in curry.

Thailand

• Pad Thai

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A dish of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce (Thai ??????), tamarind juice, red chilli pepper, plus any combination of bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, garnished with crushed peanuts and coriander.

• Gaeng

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Based on coconut milk heated with red curry paste and fish sauce which include ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves or peel, Thai eggplant, bamboo shoots, thai basil, and some sort of meat such as chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, or more often duck.

• Jasmine rice

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A long-grain variety of rice that has a nutty aroma and a subtle and pandanus-leaf-like flavor, originally from Thailand.

• Tom yam

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Made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind, and crushed chili peppers.

• Tom kha gai

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A hot sweet soup made with coconut milk, lemon grass and chicken.

Tunisia

• Couscous

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Consists of spherical granules made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour.

Turkey

• Kebab

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Consists of lamb and beef, though particular styles of kebab have chicken or fish that are barbecued/grilled/broiled.

• Pita bread

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An often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.

• Kofta

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Koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat, usually beef or lamb, mixed with spices and onions.

• Dolma

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A family of stuffed vegetable dishes consisting of minced meat, rice or grain, onion, parsley, herbs and spices.

• Pilaf

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A dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth.

Ukraine

• Pierogi

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Semicircular stuffed dumplings of unleavened dough stuffed with cheese, farmer’s cheese, mashed or other forms of potato, sauerkraut, cabbage, onion, meat, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, dry cottage cheese, or any combination thereof, or with a fruit filling such as blueberry.

United States

• Apple pie

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An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples.

• Turkey and pumpkin pie

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An important part of Thanksgiving dinner.

• Hamburger

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A sandwich that consists of a cooked patty of ground meat that is fried, steamed, grilled, or broiled, and is generally served with various condiments and toppings inside a sliced bun, often baked specially for this purpose.

• Hot dog

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A type of fully-cooked, cured and/or smoked moist sausage of soft, even texture and flavor usually placed hot in a soft, sliced bun of approximately the same length as the sausage, and optionally garnished with condiments and toppings.

• Doughnut

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A sweet, deep-fried piece of dough or batter.

• Clam chowder

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Any of several chowders containing clams and broth.

• Spam

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A canned precooked meat product made by the Hormel Foods Corporation.

• Baked beans

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A dish consisting of beans baked in a sauce.

Uruguay

• Chivito

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Grilled meat of a young goat.

• Asado

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Cuts of meat, usually beef, which are cooked on a grill or open fire.

Uzbekistan

• Plov

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A grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is generally first browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth.

Venezuela

• Pabellón criollo

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A plate of rice, shredded beef and stewed black beans.

• Hallaca

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A mixture of beef, pork, capers, raisins, and olives wrapped in maize, bound with string within plantain leaves, and boiled or steamed afterwards.

Vietnam

• Bánh mì

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Baguette made with wheat and rice flour or a type of sandwich traditionally made with this type of baguette.

• Ph?

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A bowl of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef.

Wales

• Laverbread

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Bread made from the seaweed laver.

• Welsh rarebit

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A sauce made from a mixture of cheese and butter, poured over toasted bread which has been buttered.

• Cawl

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Stew consisting of lamb and leeks.

]]> http://odyb.net/food-cooking/national-food-of-the-world/feed/ http://odyb.net/food-cooking/national-food-of-the-world/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/odyb/~3/GAGGmhwbMLg/ http://odyb.net/fitness/myths-about-fitness-exercises-workouts/#comments Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:40:12 +0000 Chris http://odyb.net/fitness/myths-about-fitness-exercises-workouts/ ]]>

Myths are stories, legends or invented explanations that are retold so often that they are accepted as truth. They should not be that way, and they have no place in any individual’s fitness routine. Below are 14 of the most common myths on fitness, exercises and workouts that you and I should know about.

When you stop working out, muscles will turn into fat

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It’s the most typical workout myth in the world. Muscle has never and will never turn into fat and neither does fat turn into muscle. During weight training, more energy is required, hence a bigger appetite. When a person stops working out, the need for extra energy stops as well. But because the stomach size has increased due to a bigger appetite, the need to feel full has become a habit. Those extra calories that were once used as fuel while training is now stored as fat. It may seem like the bulk of muscle has turned into fat, but the truth is that the body became fatter due to eating more than previously needed.

Be it protein or carbohydrates, both turns into fat when not used. Cutting back on training requires you to cut back on food consumption as well.

Food eaten after 8 at night will turn into body fat

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Not entirely true. For people who workout during the later part of a day, it is important to eat accordingly. Whenever there is a need for the body to repair and rebuild, fuel is needed and the body most actively repairs during during sleep. However, it is more important to eat healthier foods during the later part of a day like lean meat, unsaturated fats, vegetables and fruits to avoid the risk of unwanted fat deposits. Give the body at least 2 hours to digest the food before going to bed.

Six pack abs equal six hundred sit ups and crunches daily

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Everyone has six pack abs. Abdominal exercises do not lead to clearly visible six pack abs but fat reduction does. The first place that fat goes to in the body, is the last place fat comes off. Tummy for men and hips, butt, thighs for women. Spot reduction of fat has never and will never work. Here are some of the lesser known facts about losing weight that people ought to know about.

A six pack abs is a definite want for any man working out for it is a social muscle. Ab exercises will definitely strengthen and tone the abs but does not rid the fat. A better use of time would be to spend it on interval cardio sessions and making sure that proper food is fed to the body.

I actually have a personal digital body fat analyzer that I use from time to time that gives me a rough idea of my body’s current state. Accuracy may not be as good as a DXA but it’s good enough for me. You can easily get one at less than $US 10 from online auction sites like ebay.

Stretching and warm up isn’t necessary

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I hit the gym everyday. And everyday I’ll take up 10 minutes to stretch and warm up my body from head to toe. It is necessary to avoid sprains and injuries. Even after a good day’s workout, I stretch. It greatly reduces the severity of DOMS, delayed onset muscle soreness, which will be pretty much appreciated the morning after. Here are 20 more solid reasons why warm up and stretching is important.

Supplements will boost muscle growth and strength in no time

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There are only 2 ways to make the most gains in mass and might.

• A good training program.
• A well planned out diet.

Time and energy should be focused on the 2 methods mentioned above rather than on supplements that claim to be able to bring out the Arnold in you. Some supplements may have serious and irreversible side effects if taken wrongly. For example, steroids taken wrongly may lead to a loss of appetite, constipation, intestinal irritation, vomiting, nose bleeding, headaches, increased aggression and even liver cancer. It’s way better to attain the results we want naturally. Think safe, think long term. Our body’s health should not be taken lightly.

Weight training will make women look beefy

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To look beefy, you’d need testosterone. Lots of it. Hundreds and hundreds of nanograms per deciliter of blood. The average testosterone levels for a human being are :

• Male : 300-1,000 ng/dl
• Female : 20-80 ng/dl

Women just do not have the testosterone levels necessary to look like The Rock in Scorpion King. As a matter of fact, weight training is the fastest and easiest way for women to look leaner, sculpted and toned. Light to moderate weights and many repetitions are the most effective for toning and strengthening and make you look like Megan Fox in Transformers.

Vegetarians will not make it in bodybuilding

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It’s so wrong. There is Bill Pearl who won Mr Universe twice, first in 1953 kicking Sean Connery’s ass (6th), and in 1971 before retiring. 1951 Mr America, Roy Hilligenn is another perfect example who still looks young as hell at 77 years old. You can see more of today’s vegetarian bodybuilders at veganbodybuilding.com.

Vegetarians get their protein from nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. B12 vitamin and iodin are 2 other essential nutrients available through seaweed.

Your body weakens with age

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It’s all in the mind. Think old and you’ll look old and act old. The fact is, body building doesn’t only improve your physique and rejuvenates your spirit, but also gives you a healthy perspective on people and the world around. Some of the older bodybuilders include :

• John Pasco, born 1928
• Bill Pearl, born 1930
• Steve Holt, born 1954

With regular exercise, weight training and a low-fat diet, you’ll gain increased energy levels, leaner body mass and an optimum body fat percentage. With the big 90 around the corner, people still do experience renewed strength, increased mobility, stronger bones and greater flexibility by exercising.

The longer time I spend at the gym, the fitter I become

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For me, it’s no longer than 60 minutes 3 times a week. The focus here is on efficiency and effectiveness like this super cool 15 minutes workout that works every muscle in your body. An average bodybuilder does not spend more than 1 hour working out. People who just don’t have the time to workout that much will lose interest and motivation to exercise, if the myth were true. The point is, any exercise, at all, done correctly is better than none.

If I don’t feel pain in the morning, I didn’t work out hard enough

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When we lift weights, our muscle fibers will tear a little. Muscle soreness is expected, but normally heals within a week. Anything more than a week is an indication of over working out. Committing to a fitness program will eventually lead the muscle into getting used to it. Changing a fitness program regularly will ensure that all muscles are worked on and experiencing growth.

However, what happens in the gym is only meant to PROMOTE muscle growth. The REAL process begins only when a person is RECOVERING. Pain should not be used as a measurement of a workout session’s effectiveness. Some soreness, yes, but not pain. Always remember to stretch before and after. Get enough rest and work on different muscle groups on different days. Rest a day if the muscles are still sore.

• shoulders
• upper back
• arms
• chest
• abs & lower back
• legs

Avoid drinking water when your body is over heated

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An average human body’s water content is 60% for men and 55% for women. In my body, 86 out of 143 pounds is water. If the body’s water content drops 5%, it’s already considered dehydration. An hour of vigorous exercise is enough to drain a quart (~1 liter). Drinking before, during and after is pretty important.

During exercise, muscles generate heat that will cause a rise in body temperature. This heat is doused by water when it is carried in the bloodstream and pushed to the surface as bullets of sweat. It continues to drain water from the body until it is replenished. Thirst is already a sign of dehydration. Drink a cup every 15 minutes. Keeps the muscles oiled and the body productive.

There is no need for doctors if I don’t plan on biting off more than I can chew

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If you have never done any resistance training before in your life and you’re above 40, it’s best to consult your doc. Go for a physical exam that examines the temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate. Things that concern your cardiovascular fitness, blood cholesterol levels and medical history should also be taken into account. Ask doc about the best exercise given your medical profile.

The prime time for exercising and working out is in the mornings

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Correction. The best time to exercise is the time that works with the individual’s body clock and fits their busy days. People working out in the morning are more likely to stick to their fitness plans as they are able to get it in before the various demands of life compete for their time.

Many, many people believe that the best way to lose fat is to start pushing your body right after waking up in the mornings, on an empty stomach. I say no. Exercise is meant for toning the muscle and burning fat. Inability to draw energy from the main source will only force the body to go to other sources of energy, which are your muscles and fat. More muscles are used up as fuel as their composition is much simpler compared to fat.

It is okay to cover a week’s worth of workout during the weekend

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It’s also much better spreading a workout all over the week instead of pounding the body during weekends. A weekend warrior will lose out on other health benefits. Blood pressure and glucose levels are temporarily lowered during each exercise, which are beneficial in the long run. Exercising regularly also keeps a person’s appetite consistent.

]]> http://odyb.net/fitness/myths-about-fitness-exercises-workouts/feed/ http://odyb.net/fitness/myths-about-fitness-exercises-workouts/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/odyb/~3/M0Rt_JB3EgI/ http://odyb.net/discoveries/27-medicinal-plants-worth-your-garden-space/#comments Fri, 26 Oct 2007 18:06:27 +0000 Chris http://odyb.net/discoveries/27-medicinal-plants-worth-your-garden-space/

Playful as kids are, accidents happen. And the accident that befallen me at 7 years old was the feeling of the hot exhaust pipe of a motorcycle kissing the skin of my leg. Grandma was around and saw it. Immediately, she took out a knife and slice the thick lower part of the aloe vera plant by the garden and rubbed the exposed end on the burn.

Looking back, I realized that it was important to have medicinal plants around the house cause you never know when you might need them. So here are a list of plants that have the highest medicinal value compared to the other million species around the world worth planting around the house.

Aloe Vera

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The aloe vera grows only under the sun with well drained dry or moist soil. Although the plant tastes like turd, it’s still edible. The sap from aloe vera is extremely useful to speed up the healing and reducing the risk of infections for :

• wounds
• cuts
• burns
• eczema
• reducing inflammation

Apart from its external use on the skin, aloe vera is also taken internally in the treatment of :

• ulcerative colitis (drinking aloe vera juice)
• chronic constipation
• poor appetite
• digestive problems

Marsh Mallow

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The plant of which marshmallows are made of. The root is taken internally to treat :

• inflammations and irritations of the urinary and respiratory mucus membranes
• counter excess stomach acid
• peptic ulceration
• gastritis

Externally, the root is applied to :

• bruises
• sprains
• aching muscles
• insect bites
• skin inflammations
• splinters

The leaves are very edible, unlike the aloe vera. They can be added to salads, boiled, or fried. It is known to help out in the area of cystitis and frequent urination.

Great Burdock

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It requires moist soil and can grow shadeless. The great burdock is the pretty famous in the area of detoxification in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The root is is used to treat ‘toxic overload’ that result in throat infections and skin diseases like :

• boils
• rashes
• burns
• bruises
• herpes
• eczema
• acne
• impetigo
• ringworm
• bites

The leaves and seeds can be crushed to poultice it to bruises, burns, ulcers and sores.

Pot Marigold

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It grows in almost any type of soil condition. It has no problem with nutritionally poor, very acidic or very alkaline soils, just as long as it’s moist. Well known as a remedy for skin problems, the deep-orange flowered pot marigold variety is applied externally to :

• bites
• stings
• sprains
• wounds
• sore eyes
• varicose veins

Internally it is used to treat fevers and chronic infections.

The tea of the petals tones up circulation and, taken regularly, eases varicose veins.

Applying the crushed stems of the pot marigold to corns and warts will soon have them easily removable.

Gotu Kola

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The gotu kola acts on various phases of connective tissue development and stimulates healing of :

• ulcers
• skin injuries
• decreasing capillary fragility
• stimulation of the lipids and protein necessary for healthy skin

Leaves are thought to maintain youthfulness. Crushed leaves are poulticed to treat open sores. The gotu kola can also be used to :

• treat leprosy
• revitalize the brain and nervous system
• increase attention span and concentration
• treat venous insufficiency

Camomile

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With a sweet, crisp, fruity and herbaceous fragrance, has long been used medicinally as a remedy for problems regarding the digestive system. It has a soothing and calming effect in the area of aromatherapy, used to end stress and aid in sleep. The entire herb is used to treat common aches like toothache, earache, shoulder pain and neuralgia.

Globe Artichoke

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A bitter tasting plant that requires a lot of sun, the cardoon has become important as a medicinal herb in recent years following the discovery of cynarin. The cardoon leaves, best harvested before flowering, helps to :

• improve liver and gall bladder function
• stimulate the secretion of digestive juices
• lower blood cholesterol levels
• treat chronic liver and gall bladder diseases
• jaundice
• hepatitis
• asteriosclerosis
• early stages of late-onset diabetes

Chinese Yam

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A type of yam that can be eaten raw, the chinese yam can be easily grown, succeeding in fertile, well drained soil in a sunny position. It is sweet and soothing to the stomach, spleen and has a tonic effect on the lungs and kidneys. It is used internally to treat :

• tiredness
• weight loss
• loss of appetite
• poor digestion
• chronic diarrhea
• asthma
• dry coughs
• uncontrollable urination
• diabetes
• emotional instability

Externally, it is applied to :

• ulcers
• boils
• abscesses

The leaf, on the other hand, is used to treat snakebites and scorpion stings.

Echinacea

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One of the world’s most important medicinal herbs, the echinacea has the capacity to raise the body’s resistance to bacterial and viral infections by stimulating the immune system. It also has antibiotic properties that helps relieve allergies. Basically, the roots are beneficial in the treatment of sores, wounds and burns. It was once used by the red indians as an application for insect bites, stings and snakebites. The echinacea grows on any well drained soil, as long as it gets sunlight.

Siberian Ginseng

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The siberian ginseng has a wide range of health benefits, mostly as a powerful tonic herb that maintains good health. It’s medicinal properties are used for :

• menopausal problems
• geriatric debility
• physical and mental stress
• treat bone marrow suppression caused by chemotherapy or radiation
• angina
• hypercholesterolemia and neurasthenia with headache
• insomnia
• poor appetite
• increasing endurance
• memory improvement
• anti-inflammatory purposes
• immunogenic purposes
• chemoprotective purposes
• radiological protection

Great Yellow Gentian

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The great yellow gentian root is a bitter herb used to treat digestive disorders and states of exhaustion from chronic diseases. It stimulates the liver, gal bladder and digestive system, strengthening the overall human body. Internally, it is taken to treat :

• liver complaints
• indigestion
• gastric infections
• aneroxia

Sea Buckthorn

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The sea-buckthorn has been used throughout the centuries in China to relieve cough, aid digestion, invigorate blood circulation and alleviate pain. The branches and leaves are used in Mongolia to treat gastrointestinal distress in humans and animals.

The bark and leaves are used for treating diarrhea, gastrointestinal, dermatological disorders and topical compressions for rheumatoid arthritis. Even the flowers are used as skin softeners.

The berries on the other hand are used together with other medications for pulmonary, gastrointestinal, cardiac, blood and metabolic disorders. Fresh sea buckthorn berry juice is known to be taken in the event of :

• colds
• fever
• exhaustion
• stomach ulcers
• cancer
• metabolic disorders
• liver diseases
• inflammation
• peptic ulcer
• gastritis
• eczema
• canker sores
• general ulcerative disorders
• karatitis
• trachoma

Tea Tree

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Even the aborigines have been using the tea tree leaves for medicinal purposes, like chewing on young leaves to relieve headaches. The paperbark itself is extremely useful to them as it serves to line coolamons when used as cradles, as a bandage, as a sleeping mat, as material for building humpies, as an aluminum foil, as a disposable rain coat and for tamping holes in canoes.

The leaves and twigs, eventaully made into tea tree oil, is anti fungal, antibacterial, antiseptic and deserves a place in every household medicine box. Tea tree oil can be used to treat :

• cystitis
• glandular fever
• chronic fatigue syndrome
• thrush
• vaginal infections
• acne
• athlete’s foot
• verrucae
• warts
• insect bites
• cold sores
• nits
• minor burns

Lemon Balm

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The reason the plant is called lemon balm is because of the lemon minty scent of the leaves. The flowers, which appear during the summer, are full of nectar. The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as :

• mosquito repellent
• herpes
• sores
• gout
• insect bites

Infusion of the leaves with water are known to treat :

• colds
• fevers
• indigestion due to nervous tension
• digestive upsets in children
• hyperthyroidism
• depression
• mild insomnia
• headaches

Peppermint

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Peppermint is sometimes regarded as ‘the world’s oldest medicine’, with archaeological evidence placing its use at least as far back as ten thousand years ago. Pepeprmint are naturally high in manganese, vitamin A and vitamin C. Crushed leaves rubbed on the skin help soothe and relax the muscles. Infused peppermint leaves are used to :

• reduce irritable bower syndrome
• against upset stomachs
• inhibit bacterial growth
• treat fevers
• flatulence
• spastic colon

Evening Primrose

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The young roots can be eaten like a vegetable, or the shoots can be eaten as a salad. Poulticed roots of the evening primrose is applied to piles and bruises. Tea made from the roots have also been used in the treatment of obesity and bowel pains. However, the more valuable parts are the leaves and bark which are made into evening primrose oil, known to treat :

• multiple sclerosis
• premenstrual tension
• hyperactivity
• eczema
• acne
• brittle nails
• rheumatoid arthritis
• alcohol-related liver damage (alcoholics, this is for you)

Ginseng

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One of the most highly regarded medicines in the orient, the ginseng is reputable in it’s ability to promote health, general body vigor and prolong life. The roots are used to :

• stimulate and relax the nervous system
• encourage secretion of hormones
• improve stamina
• lower blood sugar levels
• lower cholesterol levels
• increase resistance to disease
• treat debility associated with old age
• treat lack of appetite
• treat insomnia

Turkey Rhubarb

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Known mainly for it’s positive and balancing effect upon the digestive system as a whole. Even children may use the turkey rhubarb as it is gentle enough. The roots act as an astringent tonic to the digestive system while larger doses are used as laxatives. Other than that, it is also known to treat :

• chronic constipation
• diarrhea
• liver and gall bladder complaints
• hemorrhoids
• menstrual problems
• skin eruptions due to accumulation of toxin

Sage

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Salvia, the Latin name for sage, means ‘to heal’. Internally, the sage is used for :

• indigestion
• flatulence
• liver complaints
• excessive lactation
• excessive perspiration
• excessive salivation
• anxiety
• depression
• female sterility
• menopausal problems

On the other hand, it is used externally for :

• insect bites
• skin infections
• throat infections
• mouth infections
• gum infections
• skin infections
• vaginal discharge

Wu Wei Zi

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Low doses of the fruit are said to stimulate the central nervous system whilst large doses depress it, while regulating the cardiovascular system. The seed is used in the treatment of cancer. Externally, it is used to treat irritating and allergic skin conditions while taken internally to treat :

• dry coughs
• asthma
• night sweats
• urinary disorders
• involuntary ejaculation
• chronic diarrhoea
• palpitations
• insomnia
• poor memory
• hyperacidity
• hepatitis
• diabetes

Milk Thistle

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It protects and improves the function of the liver (take note, alcoholics). Taken internally, milk thistle helps to treat :

• liver and gall bladder diseases
• jaundice
• hepatitis (liver inflammation)
• poisoning
• high cholesterol levels
• insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes who also have cirrhosis
• the growth of cancer cells in breast, cervical, and prostate cancers
• the effects of a hangover

Comfrey

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Comfrey contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. It is reputed to have teeth and bone building properties in children. Safer to use externally than internally, comfrey is used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from :

• bronchial problems
• broken bones
• sprains
• arthritis
• gastric and varicose ulcers
• severe burns
• acne
• cuts
• bruises
• sprains
• sores
• eczema
• varicose veins

Feverfew

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A tea made from the whole plant is used in the treatment of arthritis, colds, fevers etc. It is said to be sedative and to regulate menses. An infusion is used to bathe swollen feet. Applied externally as a tincture, the plant is used in the treatment of bruises. Chewing 1-4 leaves a day has proven to be effective in the treatment of some migraine headaches.

Fenugreek

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Fenugreek seeds are nourishing and taken to :

• encourage weight gain (take not, anorexics)
• inhibit cancer of the liver
• lower blood cholesterol levels
• treat inflammation and ulcers of the stomach and intestines
• drain off sweat ducts
• for body building
• for late onset diabetes
• poor digestion
• insufficient lactation
• painful menstruation
• labor pains
• freshen bad breath
• restore a dull sense of taste

Slippery Elm

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The inner bark of the slippery elm can be ground into nutrient-rich porridge-like soup that serves as an excellent remedy for sore throats. Other than that, it can be used to soothe the digestive tract. The bark of the slippery elm was used as an abortion tool, moistened with water and inserted into the cervix, before it was banned by certain countries like the UK.

Stinging Nettle

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Long known as a nutritious addition to the diet and as a herbal remedy, the stinging nettle leaves have been traditionally used to :

• cleanse the blood
• treat hay fever
• arthritis and anemia
• excessive menstruation
• hemorrhoids
• rheumatism
• skin problems like eczema
• nettle rash
• chicken pox
• bruises
• burns

Agnus Castus

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Beneficial to female hormonal system, the agnus castus seeds and fruits are used to rectify hormonal imbalances caused by an excess of estrogen and an insufficiency of progesterone. It acts upon the pituitary gland, reducing the production of certain hormones and increasing the production of others, shifting the balance in favor of the gestagens, hormones that ’secure’ pregnancy. Thus it has a wide application of uses in malfunctions of the feminine reproductive system and has been used with great effect in :

• restoring absent menstruation
• regulating heavy periods
• restoring fertility caused by hormonal imbalance
• relieving premenstrual tension
• easing the transition of menopause

Plants for a future
Edible, medicinal and useful plants for a healthier world

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