Eating salads hampers most people's digestion- but here's a trick to overcome it !

When it comes to eating healthy, salads are at the top of every expert's recommendation. Whether it's a simple bowl of salad with lots of veggies or a tantalising fruit chaat, there are plenty of salad options out there. You can even make your salad high protein by adding boiled sprouts, lentils, or paneer. But did you know salads could actually hurt your digestion process?

A New York-based health expert, Dr. Lily Choi explained how salads could hurt your digestion in some cases. For instance, if you use too much dressing or if all the components in the salad are raw, salads could actually do more harm than good.

The reason behind this is that cold food actually expends more energy in being digested by our body. "When we ingest food that's lower in temperature than we are, our body uses Qi [energy] to bring it up to temperature before it's able to be digested, therefore, more Qi [energy] is expended on cold foods," explained Dr. Choi in the caption.

So, what is the trick to eating salads without hampering digestion? She explained that she avoids eating raw salads and instead cooks them before consumption. "I usually eat a cooked salad or grill the vegetables and toss," she wrote.

How simple and effective right? This simple trick to make salads is something we're definitely going to try. I too should give it a try, as I stopped eating salads due to stomach issues, may be this way, it may be easy on my digestion.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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8 Natural Ways to Increase Your Oxytocin Levels

Are you familiar with oxytocin? If so, you’ve likely heard of it in the context of motherhood or intimate relationships, but the role of this hormone goes far beyond those two areas of life. While it’s certainly true that oxytocin is an important part of forming a connection with a romantic partner or a child, this so-called love hormone or cuddle hormone is actually capable of enhancing any positive social experience, be it the fun you have when you’re talking to your friends and even happy feelings you get when you’re cuddling with your pet. Learn more about the importance of oxytocin to our wellbeing and 7 natural ways to increase your oxytocin levels.

How does oxytocin work? 

Oxytocin is something scientists call a neurotransmitter, which is essentially a chemical that travels through our brain and body and unlocks different functions by binding to specific receptors. Both women and men produce oxytocin. In fact, it’s a hormone we share with all mammals. 

 

Oxytocin is produced in the hypothalamus - a tiny region located deep at the base of the brain - and then released into the body by the nearby pituitary gland. Together with two other hormones - serotonin and dopamine - oxytocin makes up the triad of “happy hormones”.

 

Oxytocin is responsible for some of humanity’s most admirable traits, such as love, empathy, loyalty, trust, and courage. This is because it promotes social bonding, be it between a couple, parent, and child, between friends or colleagues. In one study, for example, participants who inhaled oxytocin were 80% more generous and more altruistic when they were asked to split money with strangers. 

 

Interestingly, oxytocin is also observed to be able to boost social memories. According to one study, for example, oxytocin amplified men's early fond memories of their mothers. All in all, oxytocin is all about strengthening bonds with others and making social activities more pleasurable and meaningful.

In terms of its effects on the human body, oxytocin has the ability to decrease stress, anxiety, and promote overall psychological stability. In a previous article, we’ve even discussed the hormone’s potential for promoting weight loss. Oxytocin is traditionally used as a drug during and after labor, but studies suggest that it may also be beneficial for treating developmental and psychiatric conditions that affect one’s social interactions, such as autism. 

 

In recent years, it was even experimentally used to treat alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and phobias. Finally, oxytocin can also promote sleep, according to a 2003 study, but only under stress-free conditions. Given all the benefits, you may be asking yourself. Is there a way you could boost your oxytocin levels? Yes, there are, and most of the ways are quite fun, too! 

 

1. Oxytocin and Parenting

One of the first ways in which scientists have learned of oxytocin is through observing mothers and babies. Doctors now know that oxytocin is released in especially high amounts in women during childbirth and breastfeeding. According to studies, mothers with more oxytocin touch, sing, and speak to their babies more. They also groom and check on their babies more than mothers with lower oxytocin levels. 

 

But the mothers aren’t the only ones experiencing the surge of oxytocin. The fathers and the babies themselves also produce more of the hormone. Interestingly, not only biological parents but also adoptive parents have higher oxytocin levels while caring for their adopted children. 

 

Hence, spending time with children and grandchildren will help keep those oxytocin levels high. Hugging, kissing, and playing with kids are known to increase oxytocin levels, but even when this isn’t possible, sharing your feelings with your family, offering to help, or simply listening to them is a great way to increase oxytocin levels.

2. Oxytocin and Romantic Love

Another situation in which oxytocin levels spike dramatically is the beginning of a romantic relationship. A 2012 study found, for example, that couples in the first stages of a relationship have higher levels of oxytocin than single people. But young love isn’t the only time lovers experience the effects of the love hormone. 

 

Oxytocin is also released during sexual activity and is known to enhance the pleasure both partners experience during intercourse. Those partners who have high oxytocin levels also experience more trust, compassion, communicate more, and feel more connected to their partners overall. 

 

Engaging in pleasurable activities with your partner, be it a romantic dinner date, a massage, or just cuddling up in front of the TV will all boost your oxytocin levels, as does any physical touch and the sexual activity itself. 

 

3. Spending Time With Friends

As we already discussed, oxytocin is involved in any pleasant social interaction. This includes spending time with your pals. It doesn’t matter if you’re making specific plans, having a heart-to-heart conversation, or just hanging out. Simply being around people you like and trust will help you feel less stressed and more confident - it’s all oxytocin at work.

4. Listening to Music

Do you enjoy listening to music? Even though people’s musical tastes may wildly differ, most of us do enjoy listening to music. There are several studies that show how music can boost one’s oxytocin levels and make you feel more energized and relaxed. 

 

In a fascinating 2009 study, the researchers compared open-heart surgery patients on bed rest. Those who listened to music had higher oxytocin levels and felt more relaxed than those who didn’t. Playing music also has an oxytocin-boosting effect. According to studies, singers experience a boost of oxytocin after a singing lesson. Jazz players, on the other hand, have higher oxytocin levels while improvising, which is not coincidental, since improvisation requires more cooperation and communication between players.

5. Meditation and Yoga

We all know by now that meditation and yoga are good for our physical and mental well-being. But research suggests that these two practices are also able to increase oxytocin production. There’s even a specific kind of meditation called compassion meditation (or loving-kindness meditation) that is directed towards garnering love, compassion, and care. 

 

When engaging in this meditation, one focuses on sending thoughts of compassion, peace, and wellness toward a specific person or a group of people. That said, any type of yoga or meditation will help you achieve similar results. 

 

6. Cook and eat together

Do you love going to the restaurant together with your friends and loved ones? Or maybe, you enjoy cooking with or for your partner? If so, know that this is not a coincidence. As a matter of fact, cooking and eating together as a means of social bonding is just the way humans are wired. And not only humans, too. 

 

There’s some interesting research in chimpanzees suggesting that sharing food with others boosts oxytocin. The same process also happens in humans, which is why we instinctively feel closer to a person with whom we shared a meal. So, as an exercise of connecting and garnering trust and a way to boost your oxytocin levels, try preparing or simply sharing meals with others.

7. Cuddle up with a pet

Given the unusual circumstances of 2020 and 2021, meeting others has become a luxury for many. But you know who never left your side and is always happy to give you an oxytocin boost? Your pets, of course! Research points out that petting a dog gives both you and the dog an oxytocin boost. Although there’s no research to support those claims with other pets, we’re sure that the calm, warm, and cozy feeling you get when you’re cuddling with a cat or even stroking a horse is not very different. 

 

8. Watch an emotional movie

Do you necessarily need another person or animal around you to experience the benefits of oxytocin? Well, not quite, as the very feeling of empathy towards others can actually increase your oxytocin levels as well. One scientific article mentioned, for example, that watching emotional videos can raise one’s oxytocin levels. The researchers suggest that the very experience of putting ourselves in other people’s shoes can increase the levels of oxytocin.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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Cleanliness Is So Important Right Now—Here's How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables Properly

As the world battles the COVID-19 global pandemic, practicing proper food safety and handling protocol is vital. Though the FDA says that there is no evidence of food or its packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19, approximately 48 million (one in six) people are sickened by contaminated food each year. Although it's common knowledge that one must thoroughly wash hands and surfaces after handling poultry or meat, most don’t realize that washing produce is equally important to avoid cross-contamination and foodborne illnesses.

Learn how to keep your family safe with these simple steps to ensure your fruits and vegetables are as clean as possible before you consume them during this time of extra caution and cleanliness.


1. Practice the Four Key Steps of Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.

You should always practice these four easy food safety steps to ensure your food is as safe for consumption as possible.

    When preparing food, it is extremely important to always wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before AND after handling fresh produce.
    Make sure to sanitize your workstation, knives, tools, and cutting board before you begin cooking. Additionally, separate produce, poultry, meat, seafood, and eggs while you cook to avoid cross-contamination.
    In order to kill viruses and bacteria, cook food to the appropriate internal temperature and make sure to keep food out of the temperature danger zone (40° - 140°F) for long periods of time.
    Refrigerate and freeze food properly within two hours to prevent potentially harmful pathogen growth.

2. Inspect Your Produce for Damage.

Inspect your fruits and veggies at the store and purchase items that are not visibly bruised or damaged. If you notice physical dents and dings once home, simply cut away any bruised or torn areas. Additionally, it is important to remove and discard the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage to reduce contamination risk. Lastly, make sure to throw away and never consume any produce that looks rotten.

3. Rinse Produce Before You Start Chopping.
Make sure to wash your produce thoroughly under cool running water BEFORE eating or preparing. It is important to rinse before (even if you don’t plan on eating the skin) to avoid transferring dirt or bacteria onto your knife, the flesh of the produce or your work surface. The FDA does not recommend washing your fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent nor commercial produce wash, as it may leave additional residue. However, you may want to use a clean produce brush to scrub firm crops like melons and cucumbers.

4. Follow Marion Nestle's Expert Advice.

Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health, emerita, at New York University and author of Food Politics, suggests that to be “100 percent safe while eating fresh produce” during the COVID-19 epidemic, “follow the P rules and only eat foods that are: piping hot, peeled, purified, and packaged.”

This means that you should consume food that is heated at sufficiently hot temperatures to help destroy microorganisms and other viruses, opt for peelable fruits and vegetables (as long as you wash your hands before and after), ensure that your cooked food is not recontaminated and remains purified before consumption, and purchase packaged foods (packed, frozen, or dried) whenever possible to avoid contamination.

“If you have fresh produce, wash it," Nestle warns. "When in doubt, cook it to be on the safe side.” She believes that “washing well in water” is key but urges to err on the side of extreme caution.

5 .Dry Your Produce With Clean Towels.

After washing, avoid recontaminating your food and dry with a clean cloth towel or disposable paper towel to further reduce the risk of bacterial or viral transmission from a dirty surface onto your ready-to-eat fruit or veggie. 

6. Store Your Clean Produce in a Safe Place.

Now that you’ve successfully cleaned your produce, make sure to store or refrigerate pre-cut items at 40°F or below if you’re not going to eat them right away, and same goes for fruits and veggies that require refrigeration (find them here). Lastly, make sure your clean produce is not at risk for recontamination and wash again if you suspect it has been re-exposed to harmful pathogens before eating.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement