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Avocado - the winter fruit



Lately this wonderful fruit native to Mexico is gaining ground among consumers worldwide. It is a fruit with a buttery consistency, green in the shape of a pear, and is consumed for thousands of years.When used correctly, avocado is a fruit that brings immense nutritional value to our diet. That does not mean that any menu that contains avocado is a healthy menu automatically. Besides avocados we eat is extremely important.
Although avocados are high in fat, is a great source of potassium, omega-3 and lutein. It contains also a good amount of soluble and insoluble fiber. If you are looking for reasons to increase consumption of avocados, here you will find some.

Where  does Avocado help:
- Lowering cholesterol and triglyceride: the fruit contains a substance called beta-sitosterol which lowers cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood - a fruit per day is recommended for several weeks

-To protect the eyes - due to vitamin A and lutein contained, avocados eaten raw (ie uncooked unripe not) help improve and protect eyes

- Diabetes - healthy fats contained due to decreases insulin resistance and regulates blood sugar levels.

- Pregnancy - is a fruit rich in vitamins, healthy fats and folic acid, so it is extremely useful for pregnant women. It Eat lunch or dinner to not aggravate the symptoms of nausea specific task.

- Implantation - avocado is a rich source of vitamin E is beneficial for a healthy endometrium. It was observed that in case of fertilization in vitro, the chances of women who ate avocados were almost triple!

- Improving the quality of sperm - all because of good fats contained, avocado helps improve sperm quality in men

- Due to the contained lutein and vitamins, avocado has cancer prevention role, particularly of the breast, ovarian, cervical.

- Avocado  facilitates Body assimilation of minerals and vitamins.

- It is a basic fruit which help alleviate symptoms of gastric acid.

- It is indicated in the diet of children with poor growth, but only after discussion with your pediatrician

- Maintains skin hydration in cold seasone

But above all we need to know to choose a good and ripe avocado and how to peel it:))

How to choose avocado

A good avocado must have the peel intact, glossy, with no areas too soft or "jelly".When you press an avocado (light) with a finger tip, this press must leave behind a slight dent. Then the avocado is ripe. If it's too soft, may be too ripe.If the avocado is hard, still unripe, you can keep it a few days at home (preferably in a paper bag / baking paper / A4 / etc - paper. If you hold the Avocado cold in the refrigerator, riping process will be interrupted.

How to peel an avocado

I remember the first time I tried to clean it as a potato ... total fiasco. The correct method is relatively simple:
- Cut the avocado lengthwise with a knife, all around- hold the two halves in both hands and twist in opposite direction to each other - the result: half an avocado with the stone and half without
- With a short and firm motion to thrust the knife (lengthwise, not the tip) in nut / stone and repeat the movement from before, turn the avocado in one sense and the knife (with the Stone attached) in reverse. Well, now you have two avocado halves.
- Take a spoon and put it gently between pulp and the Avocado peel, if the Avocado is ripe it will be extremely easy to go along with a spoon to remove the peel:)
- Repeat the spoon part for the second half.

In closing I will give a few options to prepare avocado:
- Cut into slices and sprinkle with olive oil and lemon juice - that is how I usually eat it, with Caprese salad, near or next to a chicken grill, or near a fish
- Guacamole: i like the guacamole recipe that is not like a pasta: cut the Avocado in small / medium pieces. Cut 1-2 tomatoes diced,  a small onion chopped, the juice of ½ lemon (or more, or less, depends on how you liek it), a tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, a Hand of fresh parsley  chopped, possibly a bit of chili and garlic (if you can eat - I can not). If you wish, you can experiment with other spices: oregano, cloves (dust), etc.
- The normal guacamole version: all the above ingredients  - put it in a blender and make a paste out of it.
- In a salad you can use a passed avocado (with fork, blender) as mayonnaise or you can cut it to pieces and toss it in any salad.
- A recipe by Jamie Oliver: mashed potatoes with peas and avocado:• 250g potatoes - boil as for mashed potatoes, mash them with 1-2 tablespoons milk• 100g peas - fresh or frozen, boil until soft then remove it in a bowl to cool• 1 large avocado peel then cut into cubes• A handful of mint  finely chop• Mix potatoes with peas and avocado, season with salt, sprinkle  the chopped mint over and serve.

I wish you good appetite!

Ginger - the root of life


In Ayurveda, the   oldest still in use medical practice, ginger is the most recommended natural medicine. As such, ginger is mentioned as vishwa bheshaj-meaning "universal medicine" -after Ayurvedic doctors. An accumulation of studies and chemical analysis in 2000 determined that ginger has at least 477 active constituents. Each of these constituents can stimulate a slightly different physiological mechanism in the body. This is also one of the secrets of traditional plants. Their components buff and balance each other. In China, ginger is used for over 2,500 years as a tea (most often) against colds, immunity, balancing gastrointestinal activity and many other problems.
Many of the active constituents of ginger, have anti-inflammatory and / or pain reduction. Research has shown that ginger inhibits COX and LOX enzymes in a balanced way. This allows a gradual reduction of inflammation and pain without adverse gastrointestinal side as if NSAIDs (medications).

Ginger stimulates circulation, inhibits various infections and strengthens the liver. Therefore ginger has been used as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory diseases, fever, nausea, colds, flu, hepatitis, liver disease, headaches and digestive diseases. Homeopaths classify ginger as an analgesic, tonic, expectorant, carminative, anti-emetic, stimulant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Previous studies have shown that ginger is an effective remedy to reduce pain associated with arthritis. However, unlike anti-inflammatory drugs, ginger does not come with side effects typical of the gastrointestinal-type heartburn and ulcers. In fact, ginger, it proved clinically reduce nausea, stomach pain, ulcers and many other gastrointestinal problems.
There are countless medical studies that reinforce scientifically everything that is known about the healing power of ginger - A study in 2013 showed that ginger into the skin reduces inflammation and pain caused by arthritis and knee pain.- Two studies (one American and one Indian) have shown that even a small amount (1-2g) of powdered ginger a day help patients undergoing chemotherapy significantly reducing nausea caused by the treatment.- Two studies (Taiwan and Iran) have shown that fresh ginger reduces respiratory problems in case of viral diseases of the lungs- A US study has shown that both fresh ginger and ginger powder helps reduce muscle pain athletes.- A study in India has shown that ginger inhibits the effects of several bacteria including E-coli.- Reduce menstrual pain for women- Iran has conducted a study which demonstrated that ginger significantly reduces blood insulin levels and insulin resistance- Helps digestion and weight loss- Help in case of strong headaches

How to take ginger?

I bring you some ways that I use ginger

1. Ginger tea


Nothing more simple: take a few cm ginger root, wash it well (if you want you can peel, I leave the peel on) and then you have several options:- Grate the ginger and pour boiling water over - carefully! The tea will be very spicey- Cut the ginger in slices and pour boiling water - still spicey but not as extreme.
I drink tea in case of episodes of nausea (I have a digestive activity at least strange sometimes ), in case of headaches or colds.In case of a cold, i add Lemon cubes (with the peel) and make ginger tea combined with lemon. I usually sweeten with honey (but carefully when you use honey, the tea should not be hotter than 40 degrees Celsius) or agave syrup. Sugar is also good and if you consume sugar (I'm not a fan, I try to avoid as much as possible everything is super-mega-processed).
2. smoothie

When I make a smoothie each (of any kind) - and throw a piece of ginger root in him, so, how about three quarters of the thumb of the hand. I give here two extremely healthy smoothie ideas that I like :

- Smoothie green - a handful of spinach leaves (if baby spinach out better, but go and ala most "old"), a banana, a handful of raspberries, a piece of ginger and a bit of plain water (or milk or cow's milk, or one of the variants of vegetable you like: soy, rice, coconut, almonds, etc)
- Sweet Smoothie - 200ml coconut milk, a banana, a quarter of a pineapple, a piece of root ginger, a handful of strawberries or raspberries or both.

Any smoothie can be sweetend as you like, I drink it as it is (depends on how sweet the fruits are). What I find great about smoothies is that you can do everything that you can think, experience to exhaustion :)))

3. In food / salad fresh root ginger

Just in case of any Memory losses, I bought myself ginger powder, in case i have no fresh ginger in the refrigerator. In my house there is almost no food cooking without ginger, maybe polenta, ha ha ha. Otherwise i use ginger in any soups and in any sauce. Not much, about half a teaspoon to a 5-liter pot of soup and a pinch in sauces. It gives the Food a wonderful aroma... it's wonderful and healthy! This option is great for those who can not get used to the taste of ginger, the Food will cover it. However, if you belong to those who like the taste, you can "throw" a few slices of ginger or a spoon of it in a salad. Similarly, for those who can eat raw ginger, a good way to take is to dip two or three thin slices of ginger in a lemon juice with salt and eat them before a main meal. Another way is to eat ginger: grate it and and fry it in a tablespoon of butter and add to warm milk  (and sweetener if desired) or desserts or other dishes.
4. Beverages with ginger- Ginger-ale the simple version: 2cm of fresh ginger root grate, add the juice of ½ lemon, maple syrup (agave, honey) to taste, 500 ml of water and give it all in the blender. Strain and let it cool several hours, during which time it will turn into a miraculous slightly fizzy drink-  Ayurvedic ginger Elixir: is a digestive drink: a cup of water, 5 cm of grated ginger root fresh juice from ½ lemon / lime, 1 teaspoon maple syrup just a quarter teaspoon ground black pepper and a pinch of Himalayan salt (as take between two fingers). Apply all in blender. If it seems too "strong" taste of ginger can sneak beverage (ginger pulp eliminate such

Tea tree oil


I kept thinking about what to write today and in the morning, looking in the mirror, I got the idea to share personal success in "cleaning" face.Although I am almost 36 years old I am still regularly confronted with pimples on the face. Not many, but red, swollen and if i "Play" with it (which usually happens) - it infects worse.
Not to say that the biggest scars persist for months, so, like red spots to annoy me ... I will tell you my recipe with tea tree oil (aka., ti tree or melaleuca oil.) 
Contrary to its Name tea tree oil has no connection with tea or tea tree. Melaleuca alternifolia is a small tree from Australia and tea tree oil is made from the leaves and has even antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.
Do not eat drink or tea tree oil for internal use that is toxic. It is also toxic to pets and we do not give any to dogs or cats!
It is used with tremendous success in treating acne, so I present the recipe I tried:Step 1
If you can, as a first step I would recommend seeing a dermatologist that can prescribe a face maintenance cream (nutritious) for your skin type. If not, I highly recommend investing in a good face cream for sensitive skin or mixed. I personally use Idealia from Vichy, I can not put another on my face. If you already have a nourishing cream that your face bears, you should not Change it.Step 2Washing - Keeping skin clean is perhaps the most important step in having a young and beautiful skin. It is highly advisable to wash your face with chamomile tea morning and night at least, if not several times In the course of the day.Cleansing - morning and evening - mandatory! You can use a Commercial cleanser (though not recommended), you can prepare yourself one or you can "improve" a Commercial one.
The simplest way to prepare a cleanser is to put in a bottle (preferably glass, but plastic works also) distilled water (beware! Distilled - no peroxide), coconut oil (about equal part with the water) and a few drops of tea tree oil (ti tree - is found to herbalists). Melt the coconut oil  in a bain-marie until it becomes liquid, add distilled water and the tea tree oil.
My method: I have a thermal water tonic Vichy Purete Thermale (I saw in Romania costs about 51 lei - 200ml). Without alcohol, parabens, it is for sensitive skin. In this I put 8 to 10 drops of tea tree oil, I stirr it well and live it for a few hours. I use it twice a day, mornings and evenings, on a cleansing pad - clean the entire face. Be careful around the eyes, stings a Little but it's highly effective.
Step 3After cleansing let your face rest about 15 minutes, then apply a moisturizer (that you chose in step 1).IMPORTANT:If you suddenly get a "crocodile" on your face, red and swollen, put on a cotton earstick 2-3 drops of tea tree oil and apply directly on it. Tea tree oil helps disinfection, the swelling and dries the skin. In other situations should not apply tea tree oil directly on the skin because it is extremely powerful.

Every time I feel obligated to specific - do not wait extraordinary results from day one, you will be disappointed. Honestly, can you claim from your skin to become Batman and regenerate in a few hours? Give him time and especially great care and love. It's yours and must be cared for and protected.Step 4Diet - no, you don't have to keep diet to get rid of pimples but you can reduce fat, sugar, fried foods, red meat. Eat vegetables, fruits and foods rich in vitamin. A, vit. B, Zinc:Vit A and B: spinach, milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, grains bold, tuna, salmon, raspberries, avocado, beans, potatoes (cooked in the shell)Zinc: pumpkin seeds (100g = 68% of the RDA), sesame seeds (idem and pumpkin), oysters, lamb or beef (100g of beef or lamb we 12.3mg zinc, ie 82 % of the RDA), yogurt, lentils, beans.Hoping that my advice will be useful, thanks for reading and I wish you a wonderful day!


Gingivitis / Paradontosis - treatment and prevention




Because I recently went through an unpleasant experience with gingivitis, I write today what I did  to get rid of it.
First, what is gingivitis? It is a painful inflammation of the gums. And I tell you from experience ... it really is painful ... why is it happening? Well most often due to improper oral hygiene. Bacteria gather on the teeth, plaque forms of bacteria, food debris, saliva, etc and this sinful plaque lead to bacterial infections that can go crazy and leave us without teeth. Infections not only affects the gums and teeth, but may also affect jaw bone / jaw and then already becoming extremely serious problem.So why wait ? Let's see what we can do to prevent and treat gingivitis naturally.
I must say from the beginning that I will not recommend oral care Commercial products, not even mouthwash. In my humble opinion there are many natural alternatives to oral hygiene, mostly better than a bought toothpaste or a mouthwash . What i do highly recommend are those little interdental toothbrushes, and floss.
Below the steps that I followed myself:Step 1
Teeth brushing

 Pay attention while brushing your teeth and, more importantly  brush your teeth CORRECTLY! Toothbrush is to be inclined at 45 degrees, so that part of it will clean teeth and part the gums. If you want, you can invest in an electric toothbrush (though I personally am not a fan my whole brain vibrates when I brush my teeth with it).Brush your teeth and gums vigorously but do not overdo it. Allow minimum 3 minutes brushing.Do not forget to brush the tongue! I know it's bad ... but what do you gain if you wash the bacteria off your  teeth if you let it on the tongue ... Personally I recommend cleaning the tongue with a sterile gauze. Do not press very hard.
Step 2Toothpaste

 I made my only toothpaste as follows:- 2 tbsp coconut oil- 1 tablespoon of baking soda- Some (4-5) drops of echinacea extract (you can also use mint extract if you like it better)I mixed everything really well and put in a jar with lid in the bathroom. Coconut oil is up to 25-26 degrees in solid so I currently do not need to keep it cold. Take the toothbrush and wash as you normally would.

Step 3Gargling or rinsing the mouth, massage the gums

Here I have tried many variations, and i even combined them (I rinsed twice a day minimum):- Chamomile tea (1 cup ca. 200ml) with a teaspoon of baking soda- Water (ca.200 ml) with a teaspoon of baking soda- Olive oil: here we have two versions, (tried both): simply massage the gums with olive oil (extra virgin preferably) or take a mouthful of oil and walk it from left to right, attempt to " push " it through your teeth about 7-10 minutes.- Coconut - use just like the olive oil- Glycerine borax (bought from a pharmacy) - I gently massage gums several times a day but will honestly say that from glycerin did not feel any improvement. 

 If your gums hurt very much you can get from a pharmacy mouth cream that contains lidocaine . Apply local  where you hurt and it will get slightly numb.
Step 4
Diet

 During the time that you have gum problems try to adopt an alkaline diet. Avocado, boiled potatoes , vegetables, white meats, etc. Avoid sweets and fruits (possibly baked apples, pears but not oranges or other citrus).
Step 5
Discover the cause

 Inappropriate teethbrushing  is not necessarily  the cause or, better said, the only cause of gingivitis. A visit to the dentist can get rid of unwanted dental tartar, but there may be other causes.To me, for example, a cause (possible, not mandatory) is reflux gastritis, that "acid" that comes back to the esophagus. So besides alkaline diet I took other measures:- Half a glass of warm water in which I squeezed half a lemon every morning on an empty stomach ( With no sugar, lemon helps alkalifying stomach contents - brief explanation the Long one i leave to the specialists)- Eat half a teaspoon of coconut oil with ½ hour before meals (once or twice daily)- A "cure" of lactobacillus acidophilus - a milk bacteria. It is a probiotic, found in pharmacies, the pills with this bacteria helps restore intestinal flora. It has a pH of below 5.0 and is designed to convert sugars into lactic acid. They are found naturally in the human digestive tract. A treatment with antibiotics destroy the bacteria and can cause digestive tract run and beyond. This acidophilus is thus a good treatment against candida albicanis.

 Hoping that you will never need to put into practice these tips, I wish you a wonderful day and, why not, maybe fill me with tips and methods that have failed to you


Matcha green tea



My latest acquisition is the Matcha green tea, a tea powder extremely loved and consumed in Japan. Through the workplace I have contact with Japanese culture and their culinary wonders. First I decided to try the Matcha green tea.
This tea is extremely fine and healthy, but unfortunately quite expensive.Macchia oder Matcha is a powdered or finely ground tea, of a bright emerald green color. This is a natural green tea, organic, which was and is the heart of the famous Japanese tea ceremony for over 900 years. Buddhist monks honors matcha tea as the "elixir of health" for its potential to enhance concentration and increase metabolism.
Originally from China in the 9th century, matcha has been used as a medicine for treating various diseases. Only after Zen Buddhist monks in Japan have realized its true potential,in the late twelfth century, they have completed the process of cultivating matcha. Matcha is still hard to cultivate representing only 0.6% of total tea production.
Matcha is prepared from high quality leaf grown in the shade and known as Tencha. Tea bushes are protected, to avoid exposure to direct sunlight which reduces the rate of photosynthesis and the plant growth slows. This gives the leaves a darker shade of green and stimulates the production of chlorophyll and amino acids.
Matcha harvesting is done by hand to ensure the selection of the youngest and smallest leaves for the best quality of tea. Unlike other green tea, the leaves are steamed to protect them from oxidation and preserve flavor and nutritional content. This is followed by ultra-fine grinding of  Tencha leaves using granite stone mills. It results in a green, beautiful, powder , the raw material for matcha tea.
Matcha nutritional value

 Matcha tea is extremely rich in vitamin A, vitamin B complex, C, E, K and contains minerals. Matcha is rich in components with antioxidant activity including polyphenols, catechins and chlorophyll. The presence of amino acids such as L-theanine, and theophylline in tea matcha makes a drink full of nutrients.
Matcha tea benefits

1.     antioxidant


 Well, when we eat, our bodies need to convert food into energy. As a result, it generates free radicals in our body. These chemicals are quite sinful and can seriously affect our bodies through a process called oxidation. Free radicals are also theoretically primary drivers for aging.But we can combat the harmful effect of free radicals by consuming antioxidants, and a great way to do this is by drinking green tea.In clinical studies published by the American Society of Nutritional Sciences, scientists found that numerous studies have suggested that drinking tea can positively affect health.

2. Increase immunity

As I mentioned, matcha contains polyphenols, antioxidants, L-theanine, etc that collectively contribute in boosting immunity.

3. Type 2 Diabetes
Matcha tea may prove valuable for maintaining a healthy metabolism in people with diabetes. Rich in antioxidants, matcha tea help to reduce levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and hepatic glucose content in people with diabetes. A research conducted on subjects with diabetes and to whom they gave matcha tea matcha exercises showed that the inhibitory action against kidney and liver problems by restricting the accumulation of substances in the kidneys glycosylation.

4. Heart Health
Through high content of catechins (EGCG), matcha tea helps to lower cholesterol and helps reduce the accumulation of lipids in the bloodstream.
5. Improve brain function / memory
We drink tea and get smarter! Sounds too good to be true?
Well, according to a study from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Basel Switzerland, green tea improves memory. Until last year, the effects of green tea on cognitive function were speculative, but along with improvements in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), Dr. Stefan Borgwardt could see how the increased connectivity in brain cortex after drinking green tea . Specifically, green tea drinkers showed increased connectivity in large parts of the brain associated with memory.
6. For relaxation and anti-anxiety
L-theanine contained in green matcha acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain that increase alpha waves. These alpha waves are considered to be an indicator of relaxation.
So you can consume green tea matcha to relax without falling asleep :)
7. Improving metabolism
Maybe I should have started with this part, us women always have a problem with metabolism :)
"Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation and not just because of the caffeine content". That's what Dr. Abdul G. said Dulloo, author of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
It is known that caffeine helps burn fat and increase metabolism, but green tea is much more than that. Just increasing the amount of caffeine is not good for your body. Green tea but far exceeds the effect of caffeine in terms of helping to burn fat.
8. Detoxification / antibacterial

 Chlorophyll present in matcha tea emphasizes the body's detoxification process efficiency. Chlorophyll is a great detoxifier that helps clean the blood. It helps maintain the alkalinity of the blood and tissues. Chlorophyll also helps to prevent  Toxins from "sticking" on the walls of the colon and helps their "evacuation".
It helps maintain our oral cavity, eliminate halitosis (bad breath from the mouth) and maintains healthy gums.
Due to the content of catechins, the matcha green tea helps the body to "fight" against viral infections, bacterial and fungal. Matcha green tea exerts inhibitory action even against influenza A virus, Hepatitis B; C, herpes, candida, and so forth aureus stphiloccocus It has been shown that consumption of tea matcha help maintain a healthy brain in patients suffering from HIV and help prevent cancer.
How to prepare matcha tea
For a correct preparation of matcha tea we need:
- Matcha powder of good quality- A bowl of ceramic / glass (called the Japanese chawan)- A special bamboo whisk (Chasen)- A special bamboo spoon for matcha (chashaku)
If you would like to make the entire Japanese tea ritual not need many things but I think we just about preparing and drinking this wonderful tea. But I must say that this Japanese tea ritual is a great relaxation exercise, patience, serenity and discipline. Worth trying, you can find explained on youtube and many other sources on the Internet.

 Let us return to our tea ...

 I will present simple version Preparation: water is heated to 70-75 degrees Celsius. It will use about 1.5g of matcha to 70 ml of water.
Put matcha powder in the bowl, pour water over and stir vigorously with a whisk of bamboo. Movements will be back and forth at the beginning, not recommended circular movements with whisk (do not ask me why, I have no idea). The tea is ready when it has formed a foam above.
If you add ice cubes in tea, get a refreshing drink for hot summer days.
Enjoy! :)