Kill Your Microwave — How and Why I Got Rid of Mine

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Admission: I really wanted to call this post Kill Your Microwave … Before It Kills You! But I didn’t. Because that’s not why I killed my microwave. I don’t think microwaves are dangerous, nor do really believe that microwaving your food necessarily destroys the nutrition therein. Living without a microwave is weird, yes. Inconvenient, sure. But somehow, I love it. Think microwave-freedom might be for you? Here’s everything you need to know.

Why Give Up the Convenience?
For thirty years, I never lived in a home without a microwave.
Like just about every kid who grew up in the 80′s, I have fond memories of Hot Pockets, TV dinners, Toaster Strudels, and personal pizzas coming out of that magic (if constantly dirty) black box after a minute and thirty seconds or so. Even the two fires I started in the microwave (one when I forgot to add water to my Top Ramen, the other when my sister and I tried to reheat a bagel the first time we stayed home alone, and had to evacuate to the neighbor’s house) make for good stories.
I’m not on an anti-microwave crusade. If it’s unhealthy, that remains to be seen — emissions may or may not be any worse than what our cell phones and laptops throw off, and even the “common knowledge” that microwaves destroy more enzymes and nutrients than other cooking methods has been largely refuted.

So why get rid of it?
In my case, a few reasons:
Just like an artist often does better work by limiting herself to only a few tools, without a microwave I make far better food choices.
Lots of foods reheat better by other means, and don’t get rubbery five minutes after reheating.
I have been on a bit of clutter-reducing crusade, and I like our kitchen counter better without the big, unsightly, always-dirty box.
Embracing other mild inconveniences — like not having a smartphone, eliminating paper towels, hand-grinding coffee, and running without GPS or a watch — has often made me happier, even if only as a periodic exercise for a few weeks or months.

How We Ditched the ‘Wave
Just as I used to think, “I’d really like to be vegan, but I could never make it work,” I figured microwave-free living would be impossible, or at least unbearable. That is, until I stayed with Doug a few years ago for a DC Vegfest and saw that he and his fiance made it work, as if it was no big deal at all — exactly the way I had begun to feel about being vegan.
But how to actually cut loose? Should wean ourselves off of the microwave and its glorious convenience? Or just make the leap, and rip off the bandage?
Getting rid of our microwave was actually very easy. We employed a little trick that I borrowed from my minimalist friends, who use a “Maybe” Box to store items they’d like to live without, but that they’re scared to let go of completely: put the stuff you’re not sure about in a box, seal it shut and write the date on it. If you decide you really want something you stuck in there, you can always go get it. If three or six months pass and the item never crosses your mind, get rid of it.
So that’s what we did: put the microwave in the basement.
There were a few times (popcorn) that we wanted to use it. But to lug it up stairs seemed a lot of effort, so we never did. (I think once when my dad was visiting, he actually plugged it in down there and used it.)

A few months later, someone needed a microwave, so we gave it away, and we haven’t wanted one since.
Not unlike finally deciding to give up cheese to go from vegetarian to vegan, living without a microwave seems a lot harder until you just go ahead and do it.

Give it a Try
If you’re intrigued, I say go for it. Stick the microwave in the garage, the basement, or your car — it’s just inconvenient enough to move a microwave (or cook your food out in your garage) that this will nicely do the job of the Maybe box.
If your microwave is mounted in your kitchen and thus unmovable, try committing to a 10-day or 30-day challenge: they avoid the “I’ll never be able to eat/cook/reheat/enjoy [whatever you’re getting rid of] again” problem, in the same way the Maybe box does. Go 10 days without using it, and if you like it, commit to 30.
Do either of these trials, and you’ll quickly discover if living without a microwave is for you. If it’s not, no shame in going back — but even if that’s the result, I believe that self-experiments like this make you better, for what you learn by trying.
– See more at: No Meat Athlete

Coconuts can improve brain function, boost cardiovascular health and more.

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This is a great well explained truth and list of the benefits of coconut oil. Our favorite brand is:

Dr. Bronners – Magic Fresh-pressed Virgin Coconut Oil Whole Kernel Unrefined – 14 Oz.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 by: Michael Ravensthorpe

Few tropical fruits are as versatile as coconuts. These unique, round drupes, whose name likely derives from the 16th-century Spanish word for “head” or “skull,” are processed around the world to make coconut milk, flour, sugar and butter, countless soap and cosmetic products, and, of course, coconut oil — one of the greatest superfoods on Earth. In fact, coconut products have become so popular in the West that we often overlook the fruit in its natural state. However, according to the Coconut Research Center, a huge proportion of the world’s population depends on fresh coconuts for nourishment — nourishment that they provide in abundance.

Research into coconuts:

Weight management — Coconuts are rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of dietary fat that is known to trigger weight loss due to the speed with which our bodies metabolize them. One study published in the June 2006 issue of the Ceylon Medical Journal, for instance, showed that MCTs convert into free medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides during digestion — two substance that our bodies use immediately rather than store as fat. Moreover, MCTs are known to curb hunger more effectively than long-chain triglycerides (found in rich foods like meat and cheese), preventing us from overeating and reducing our calorie intake over time.

Boost cardiovascular health — The high amounts of MCTs in coconuts have also been linked to improved cardiovascular health. According to Dr. Marie Pierre St-Onge, lead researcher of a study published in the October 2008 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, volunteers who were fed MCTs as part of a four-month weight-loss plan experienced a noticeable reduction in total cholesterol and harmful LDL cholesterol concentrations. Therefore, if you suffer from high cholesterol, adding more coconuts to your diet could help stabilize it.

Excellent source of fiber — According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one cup of coconut meat contains 7 grams of dietary fiber. Though most people know that fiber sweeps the intestinal tract and can help treat constipation, an article published in the April 2009 edition of Nutrition Reviews shows that fiber-rich diets also reduce our blood sugar, guard us from diabetes, boost our immunity and — as with MCTs — lower the levels of LDL cholesterol in our bloodstreams. In fact, coconuts are one of the best foods that we can eat for maintaining blood health.

Improve brain function — One serving of fresh coconut meat provides us with 17 percent of our recommended daily intake (RDI) of copper, an essential trace mineral that activates enzymes responsible for the production of neurotransmitters — chemicals that our brains use to transfer information from one cell to another. For this reason, copper-rich foods like coconut can help shield us from age-related cognitive decline. Moreover, an October 2013 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease shows that the oil in coconut meat can help guard nerve cells from protein plaques, which contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Mineral content — Since coconuts are mostly comprised of fat, their mineral profiles fall short of other tropical fruits. That said, coconuts do contain respectable levels of potassium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and the important antioxidant selenium. Additionally, one serving of coconut meat also supplies us with 60 percent of our RDI of magnesium, a mineral that facilitates numerous chemical reactions in our bodies and in which a huge number of us are unknowingly deficient.

 

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

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The sweet and spicy flavor of cinnamon has been used by many different cultures for its medicinal properties for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

One of the most talked about benefits of cinnamon relates to type 2 diabetes. A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels among this group.

Cinnamon’s other benefits include:

Supports digestive function
Constricts and tones tissues
Relieves congestion
Relieves pain and stiffness of muscles and joints
Relieves menstrual discomfort
Blood-thinning compounds that stimulate circulation
Anti-inflammatory compounds that may relieve arthritis
Helps prevent urinary tract infections, tooth decay and gum disease
It’s a powerful anti-microbial agent that can kill E. coli and other bacteriaWhile you’d probably be more likely to eat half a teaspoon of cinnamon rather than an ounce in one sitting, the above profile serves as an estimate of the nutritional benefits derived from even the smaller amount. And that, of course, is a bonus to what we think of as the main benefit of this fragrant culinary spice.

What does manganese do for you? A lot, actually. Manganese is a trace mineral that helps the body form strong bones, connective tissues, and sex hormones, and coagulates the blood properly. It helps metabolize fat and carbohydrates, regulate blood sugar, absorb calcium, and is essential for optimal brain and nerve function. As if that’s not enough, it’s also a component of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase, which helps neutralize free radicals that can damage cell membranes and DNA. Proper levels of manganese have been linked to the prevention of diabetes, arthritis, epilepsy, and even PMS.

Touching on a few more benefits, the oils in cinnamon give it three distinct health benefits: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol. Platelets help blood coagulate to keep blood from flowing too freely when an injury occurs, but cinnamaldehyde helps prevent it from coagulating too much.

Another advantage is its antimicrobial activity. When researchers tested the effects of just a few drops of cinnamon oil on three ounces of refrigerated carrot broth, the growth of the foodborne pathogenic Bacillus cereus was inhibited for 60 days. But the B. cereus flourished in the same amount of carrot broth without the cinnamon, despite refrigeration. This antimicrobial effect was known to the ancient Egyptians, who used cinnamon in their mummification processes.

Just smelling cinnamon or chewing cinnamon gum is enough to boost brain activity, according to another study. In fact, test scores were higher, and memory, visual recognition, and motor speed were greatly enhanced in individuals who took a whiff of cinnamon, compared with individuals who smelled jasmine, peppermint, or no fragrance at all.

One study noted that while cinnamon reduces blood glucose concentration and enhances insulin sensitivity in normal-weight adults, obese individuals experience insulin resistance, which results in increased fasting and postprandial (after-meal) blood glucose and insulin levels. To compare dips in postprandial glycemic response, 30 people of both types were given just under a cup of instant farina cereal, half of them with six grams of ground cinnamon added and the other half plain. Blood glucose levels were measured at several intervals, from 15 minutes to two hours.

The addition of cinnamon to the cereal resulted in a significant reduction in blood glucose levels in the first group, compared to the second. The researchers concluded that cinnamon may be effective in moderating postprandial glucose response in normal weight and obese adults

Scientists also reported that cinnamon could be used as a potent chemopreventive drug in cervical cancer – “chemoprevention” meaning the use of synthetic and/or natural agents to block the development of cancer – and an extremely promising strategy for cancer prevention. Cinnamon was noted as one of the most widely used herbal medicines that have diverse biological activities, such as inhibited tumor growth. The report concluded that cinnamon extract induced apoptosis (death) in cervical cancer cells.

Cinnamon Healthy Recipes: Cinnamon Flax Fruit

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons flax seeds
Sliced banana or apple*
Procedure:

Grind the flax seeds in a coffee grinder. Add cinnamon.
Top fruit with flax mix.
This recipe makes four servings.

*Use bananas and green apples that are not fully ripe and contain less sugar.
(From Healthy Recipes for Your Nutritional Type by Dr. Mercola)

Ghee: A butter rich in fats and vitamins

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Ghee is a type of clarified butter that originated in India and remains popular in South Asian cuisine. It is made by removing the milk proteins and water from raw, unsalted butter, resulting in a lactose-free, nutty flavored butterfat that is packed with nutrients.

According to the Ayurveda, ghee has essential healing properties that are distinctly lacking in other butters. These properties, which are slowly being validated by Western science, include:

Rich in high-quality fats

Being pure, clarified butter, ghee is extremely rich in good fats. One serving (56 grams) of ghee contains 46 grams of pure fat, of which 29 grams are saturated. Moreover, these fats contain 179 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids and 1,548 milligrams of omega-6 fatty acids, as well as butanoic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, which possess antibacterial and anticancer properties.

Though allopathic medicine has demonized saturated fats for decades, studies are starting to prove that they’re essential for optimum health. One three-year study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, for example, found that women who had eaten the highest amounts of saturated fats throughout their lives were less likely to suffer from arterial plaque, and more likely to enjoy a healthier balance of good and bad cholesterol, than women who avoided them. Studies have also shown that a moderate consumption of saturated fats increases the metabolism, leading to weight loss.

Good source of vitamins

One serving of ghee contains approximately 1,418 IU of vitamin A, which is 28 percent of our recommended daily intake. Vitamin A, which is lacking in other edible oils, is nicknamed the “medicine of the immune system,” since it helps to keep our mucous membrane and skin cells healthy, thereby guarding us from cell damage. Vitamin A also helps fight cancer by inhibiting DNA production in cancerous cells.

One serving of ghee also contains 1.3 milligrams of vitamin E (7 percent of our RDI), an essential cancer-fighting antioxidant, and 4 micrograms of vitamin K (5 percent of our RDI), which plays a key role in blood health, including helping the blood to clot.

Aids digestive health

Unlike many other oils and butters, which can make us feel sluggish and bloated, ghee actually improves the digestive process by stimulating the secretion of stomach acids. This helps increase the absorption of other nutrients, including the fat-soluble vitamins present in the ghee itself. Consequently, moderate, long-term consumption of ghee can help treat ulcers, acid reflux, constipation and other digestive issues.

Tolerates heat well

Ghee can tolerate high temperatures, which gives it an advantage over regular butter (which can scorch due to its milk proteins) and many other oils (notably olive oil, which becomes carcinogenic when heated). Ghee’s smoke point is between 325°F and 375°F, making it suitable for cooking, frying and sauteing. Moreover, ghee’s nutritional structure remains intact when subjected to heat, prompting nutritionist Paul Pitchford to declare ghee as one of the greatest cooking oils in his 2002 book, Healing with Whole Foods.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/043114_ghee_saturated_fats_essential_vitamins.html#ixzz2mYODk4Lo

Recourses:

http://ajcn.nutrition.org

http://nutritiondata.self.com

http://www.indiawest.com

http://completewellbeing.com