Cheese Facts

Cheese Fact Sheet

No matter how far archaeological finds go, there is evidence that cheese came into being in prehistoric times. Cheese can not really be said to have been "invented". This delicious food must have resulted from the simple observation that milk left in a container ends up by coagulating, even more if it is hot. People living in areas where the climate changed seasonally would also have noticed the effect of temperature on this process: in warmer weather the milk would curdle faster than in the cold. This might be considered the first technological cheesemaking discovery.

There are hundreds of different types of cheese that can be differentiated both by the type of milk - raw, skimmed or pasteurised, and by the animal - cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, horse or camel.

Serving and Storage Tips

• Unpasteurised cheese with a range of flavours should not be sliced until purchase otherwise it will start to lose its subtlety and aroma.
• Keep the cheese in conditions in which it matures. Hard, semi-hard and semi-soft cheeses are stored in the temperatures from around 8 - 13 C.
• Keep the cheese wrapped in the waxed paper and place it in a loose-fitting food-bag not to lose humidity and maintain the circulation of air.
• Wrap blue cheeses all over as mould spores spread readily not only to other cheeses but also to everything near.
• Chilled cheeses should be taken out of the refrigerator one and a half or two hours before serving.
• Cheeses contain living organisms that must not be cut off from air, yet it is important not to let a cheese dry out.
• Do not store cheese with other strong-smelling foods. As a cheese breathes it will absorb other aromas and may spoil.
• Wrap soft cheeses loosely. Use waxed or greaseproof paper rather than cling film.
• Let cold cheese warm up for about half an hour before eating to allow the flavour and aroma to develop.

Almonds - Benefits

Almonds had been considered too fatty to be a healthy snack, but research has shown that the nuts actually lower blood cholesterol levels. 90 percent of the fats in almonds are unsaturated, and the nuts are high in protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. Almonds help prevent osteoporosis and they regulate blood pressure.

Original source:
http://www.kntimes.com/articles/fullstory0305-insight-health+care-status-11-newsID-21144.html

Details

• Almonds are among the earliest cultivated foods in history.
• Almonds are thought to have originated in China and Central Asia.
• Explorers brought almonds back with them, and before long almond trees flourished.
• Almonds, like most nuts, were thought to have too much fat to be a healthy snack.
• But research has debunked that belief as an old myth.
• One study showed that three ounces of almonds a day actually lowered a person's cholesterol by 14 percent.
• Munching on almonds helps people feel satisfied and less inclined to overeat at dinner!
• Ninety percent of the fat in almonds is unsaturated fat, and frequent consumption, as a result, could help lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Of course, since almonds are a plant based food, they contain no cholesterol.
• Almonds are loaded with protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E and other antioxidants and phytochemicals.
• Almonds have been shown to promote good health, especially when they are part of a healthful diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, and low fat whole grain products.
• According to one study, almonds are a well balanced food.
• They contain the right kind of fats-monounsaturated and some polyunsaturated, so they help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol, while not touching the high-density, or good cholesterol levels.
• The folic acid in almonds is believed to help lower levels of homocystein, the amino acid that is thought to contribute to the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries.
• And studies have shown links between nut (especially almond) consumption and lower risk of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and other chronic illnesses.
• In a nutshell, almonds are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, riboflavin, niacin and iron.
• Almonds are the most nutritious of all nuts.

Mesothelioma

T scan of a patient with mesothelioma, coronal section (the section follows the plane the divides the body in a front and a back half). The mesothelioma is indicated by yellow arrows, the central pleural effusion (fluid collection) is marked with a yellow star. Red numbers: (1) right lung, (2) spine, (3) left lung, (4) ribs, (5) descending part of the aorta, (6) spleen, (7) left kidney, (8) right kidney, (9) liver.

Benefits of Avocado

1. Avocado has been used traditionally to help people with sexual problems.

2. Great antioxidant and can be used for skin disorders

3. Avocado will aid healing for people suffering from digestive and circulatory problems

4. Another benefit of avocado for the skin where avocado paste can be applied to rashes and rough skin to make it smoother.

5. The brighter the fruit, the more beta-carotene (the substance that helps to prevent cancer) your avocado contains.

The use :

1. The flesh of a ripe avocado soothes sunburnt skin. Just cut the fruit in half and rub it gently over the affected areas.

2. Eat an avocado everyday if you’re recuperating from sickness and are trying to regain your strength.

Tips :

1. Select heavy, unblemished fruit. Most market will sell unripe and hard avocados. So after you bought one, allow it to ripe between 3 to 6 days.

2. If avocado yield slightly to gentle pressure, it’s ready to be eaten

3. If you need to speed up the ripening process, place avocados in a paper bag with apple or banana. Never put avocado in a fridge since it will make the ripening process significantly slower.

Tips to Treat Ear Infection & Pain

If the last time you had an ear infection was back in the second grade, consider yourself lucky. While most of us do get our earaches out of the way in childhood, there are times when adults get them. One bad cold can trigger ear pain that can make even a grown-up cry. Ear pain comes in other forms besides earaches, such as swimmer's ear and "airplane ear." And sometimes what you think is ear pain can be traced to problems with your mouth, teeth, jaw, throat, or sinuses. Ear infections usually don't go away on their own. Here are some tips that you can consider to adopt to get relief.
1. Reach For Pain Relief
Take an analgesic such as Extra Strength Tylenol. An over-the-counter pain reliever can help you to feel more comfortable until you can see a doctor.
2. Go For The Garlic
When you have ear pain, eat a clove or two of garlic a day. Garlic has natural antiviral and antibiotic qualities that kill many of the germs that cause earaches. If you are not a fan of fresh garlic, try garlic supplements, available in most health food stores and many drugstores.
3. Apply A Warm Pack
Wing out a washcloth in warm water and place it over your ear. Apply the packs for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 hours. You might also place a cotton ball that has been soaked in warm water into the little crevice between the earlobe and ear opening.
4. Fight Bacteria Or Fungi With Vinegar
Using an eye dropper, drop 6 to 10 drops of an equal mix of distilled white vinegar and water into your ear. The ear canal is usually a little acidic. An infection causes the canal to lose some of that acidity and encourages bacteria to grow. The vinegar rinses help restore this acidity and can help prevent an ear infection from worsening. Avoid these rinses if you know that you have a perforated eardrum, see or feel drainage from your ear, or develop any loss of hearing.
5. Drop In Some Drops
Warm some mineral oil or baby oil and, using an eyedropper, gently drop the oil into your ear canal. Don't use drops if you see or feel drainage from your ear. Drainage is actually a good thing. It means that your eardrum has ruptured and the pus can drain. Seeing your ear drain can be a bit alarming, but the pain is relieved, and you will feel better quickly.
6. Keep Your Head High
Sit up rather than lie down. Reclining can make your ear pain worse.
7. Try Rubbing Alcohol
To help to prevent ear pain such as swimmer's ear, place a drop or two of rubbing alcohol into your ear within an hour after you swim. The alcohol will dry out your ear canal but may cause your ears to itch. Don't use alcohol if you have a perforated eardrum, see or feel drainage from your ear, or develop any loss of hearing.

Tips for Breathing

1. For breathing that is centering and sometimes energizing.
Supported by a small round pillow as above or a NADA Chair, Sit out near the edge of a fairly hard surfaced chair, stool or arm of a couch with feet flat on the floor, or stand. Both of these positions need an erect but not so stiff posture. Be "tallest" with your chin slightly above the horizon. If you stand, bend your knees slightly so as to unlock them.
Let your tongue lightly touch the roof or your mouth and your jaw relax.
Place your thumbs over your kidneys (below your back ribs and above your pelvis). Wrap your fingers around your sides. Squeeze gently as you nose breathe long slow deep breaths into your squeezed fingers and thumbs. Try and match the breathing cycle of the animated logo at the top of this page for a timing reference. In any event, make sure the exhale is twice as long as the inhale. It may work better for you to use silent number counting (one thousand one, one thousand two, etc.) to gauge that, again just make sure the exhale is twice as long or even more than twice as long as the inhale..
Now, using the animation or a number count or both, take 10 complete in and out breaths, making sure to squeeze and breathe simultaneously.
Did that feel good? Try bringing your shoulders back about two to three inches as you breathe in. Was it easier to breathe? Do it THAT way then.
Repeat 5 -10 10 second breathing cycles with a few seconds rest in between or for as long as it feels good.
There are better exercises for increasing energy but you may get real energized from this one. Dizziness, spaceyness or otherwise confusion means you should stop and continue your day or stop and recommence in a minute or two after the energy has subsided or integrated within you.
Repeat it several times daily as well.
If you felt even a little better from the above exercise you can feel a lot better with the following.

2. Don't hold your breath.
Primary O2 deficiency causes an O2 deficit in the cell wall cells of the venous capillary end, which then swell and thereby lead to a narrowing of the vessel with reduced blood flow.*
People with an unbalanced breathwave are oxygen and life-force starved; they are often nervous or anxiety prone and suffer from unnecessary worries; they have low energy, experience depression, confusion, chronic tension, powerlessness and physical ills.

3. Exhale into exertion.

4. For Strong Voices.
Your voice is often a reflection of your core level internal power and vitality. Ever notice how a lot of "old" people have weak crackly voices?
A strong voice is often a good sign of healthy breathing if combined with a good number count, long pauses and a below 10 count breath rate.
A strong voice with a LOW number count, high breath rate, fast pause rate and large chest has has been observed in emphysema victims.
The voice is "wind" passing membranes. It is possible to detect slight changes in the breathing by monitoring the sound and feelings/vibrations of the voice. Private session only. 

5. Ticklish?
If you are pressure ticklish (not the light touch type of ticklishness), in your rib/chest, belly crotch or pelvic area, it is tension. No tension, no ticklishness. Tension creates a restriction of easy deeper breathing.

6. Stress Management
At the first sign of stress, take an extended exhale to center yourself. Then make your inhales and exhales long and slow until you know you have contained your stress response as best as you can. With practice you will be able to think, breathe and feel centered at the same time. It works a lot like martial arts but without a foundation of offense or defense.
7. Observing the breath

This is a type of breathing meditation.Though this one may drive some into intense anxiety, it works well for many others. Choose one or more five minute sessions daily.
Pick a comfortable chair to sit in, and try to keep your back straight, though for some this actually makes the breathing go shallow.

Just follow your breathing. Breathing in and breathing out. Keep your tongue gently touching your upper palate right behind your teeth. The tongue position will complete an energy circuit that both Yogic and Taoist teachers say exists. This is supposed to conserve the breathing energy.

Try it while waiting in line, sitting at a stoplight, listening to a lecture. Whatever you are doing, look at breathing without trying to influence it.
It can be a good way to detach from daily pressures and putting your mind into a neutral place.

This breath following should be relaxing. Whether or not it is you may be interested in taking our breathing tests and seeing how to make this work for you or to expand your breathing beyond its present condition.

tips for how to live to 100

Get creative at work.
On average, a woman with a creative job has the cardiovascular fitness and other health attributes of someone six years younger, according to a recent study. What does “creative” mean? Acting, writing or painting are obvious picks, but any job can count as long as you find it interesting and it lets you develop new skills, experts say.
Make sure you cover the basics.
Eating five servings of fruits and veggies a day, being active, not smoking, and drinking in moderation could add 14 years to your life, according to new British research. Too tall an order? Tackle just the exercise part: A recent study by the National Cancer Institute found that older people who got at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week were less likely to die over the next seven years than those who didn't.
Do something fun.
Women who are feeling “happy, excited or content” have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6—two markers of inflammation linked to heart disease, a University College London study found. It may not take a Ph.D. to figure out that being happy is good for you, but this is one of the first studies to pinpoint a biological reason. So the next time you're feeling frazzled, make plans to do anything that'll get you smiling.

Tips for Good Sleep !

Tired of tossing and turning all night? Worried that your eyes are going to look like saucers again in the morning? Here are 10 tips for a good night sleep! You’ll be glad you took a look at these when you wake up tomorrow- refreshed and relaxed!

a. No afternoon siesta
You’re done with lunch. You’ve watched your favourite soap opera and now your bed beckons with open arms. Resist! Stay away from those long naps during the day. Let your body cry for sleep and then gift it a long night of rest.

b. No-no to these…
If you’re used to guzzling down pots of coffee after dinner then it’s time to stop. Also avoid drinking alcohol just before bedtime. It will affect your sleep patterns negatively. If you’re a smoker, then that could cause sleep trouble as Nicotine is a stimulant.

c. Exercise in the morning
Are you sending your body the right signals? Don’t confuse your body with a great workout just before you go to bed or your system will be begging you to stay up and party all night.

d. Turn off the lights
You may have a bright neon billboard opposite your window with blues and pinks streaking through your room. However, try and keep the room dark so external lights don’t distract you from falling asleep.

e. What’s your iron count?
An iron deficiency could cause sleep trouble. So get a check up and if there’s a problem, iron supplements can help balance out your system so it doesn’t affect your sleep.

f. Get comfortable
It helps to have a nice, warm and cosy bed with comfortable pillows. Get a mattress that suits your body well. Your room should be ventilated, quiet and not freezing cold! Keep the temperature just the way you like it.

g. Relax
Don’t get worked up about bedtime. Relax and listen to some music, take a warm bath, meditate, drink some herbal tea or just do some breathing exercise. Let your body wind down gradually.

h. Don’t be a pig…
….especially before you sleep. You don’t HAVE to eat all the leftovers. Just save it for tomorrow. Eat two hours before you head to bed. Let it all digest. Don’t drink your 8 glasses of water either, just before bedtime.

i. Some warm milk
This will soothe your nerves and prepare your body for rest. You can add some toast or a little cereal to your mini-meal. But don’t stay in the front of the fridge for too long! Peanuts are especially good as it encourages your brain to product serotonin.

j. Write down your worries
Sometimes worrying about tomorrow can keep you awake for hours. Write down your concerns or draw up a to-do list. It will help settle your mind.

Try out these 10 tips for a good night sleep. You’ll soon be snoozing away into dreamland! Sleep tight!