The Privilege of Living with Diabetes

Dear Beautiful Person (who happens to have diabetes),

Today, you are here. Is there a purpose to your being here? A universal, master purpose? Many claim to have the answer to this, but the honest response is that no one knows. The question is, in fact, irrelevant. You are here. That is a fact. Everything else is just speculation.

It matters not if its an illusion, a grand plan, a godly design, or a happenchance. You are here.

And while you are here, think upon the magnitude of your existence: The last science knew, the universe was 13.8 billion years old. During much of that time, Earth was a big, hot mess. Life only began to evolve 3.5 billion years ago. Modern man, alone, has only existed for about 200,000 years...  and only in the last 30 years or so, have we seen vast improvements in industry, technology, education, science... and medicine.

Medicine.

If you would have been diagnosed with diabetes (of almost any type) back in the 1800s, it was most certainly a death sentence -- if not, a very challenging life.

Insulin wasnt discovered as a treatment for diabetes until the 1920s, thanks to Banting and Best, when many children were literally dying of malnutrition and emaciation. Banting had the heart to insist on not patenting their new-found medicine, so that it could reach as many as needed it.

Metformin was invented in the 1920s as well, and has been used in other countries since the 40s, and 50s. It was not, however, approved in the United States for use with type 2 diabetes until 1994! Yes, that is not a typo. 1994.

Back in the pre-insulin days, starvation was all people knew to do to control diabetes. To eat basically no carbohydrates, or really anything much -- as proteins and fats can also raise glucose (though, admittedly, to a lesser degree). Many simply died because it was so stressful -- or they just couldnt resist pinching food, while no one was watching.

It wasnt until the 1980s when a person with diabetes was able to monitor their levels, independently, and the first glucose monitors appeared. If they had insulin -- that was a good tool -- but if they didnt, all they knew to do was avoid eating sweets. Diabetes has always been with us, at least in the archaeological records, since Egyptian times, and weve known its a disease about high glucose, but aside from that, there wasnt much monitoring of glucose levels until well into the 80s. Ask anyone who was diagnosed many years ago, and they will tell you stories of urine testing (sometimes, once a month, at a doctors office), and sharpening and boiling their own needles, for sterility.

In fact... we really didnt know that diabetes was not a disease caused by eating excess sugar and sweets, until at least the early 90s. The other day, I saw a very old VHS tape for an old Vitamix blender I have acquired, and in it, they recommended diabetics substituting honey, in place of sugar. I guess in their minds, anything that was natural sugar, was not really sugar.

And here we are now... 2013. With a variety of different types of insulin, mimicking both basal and bolus outputs from our pancreas, insulin pumps and CGMs to allow us to eat with more freedom and catch hypoglycemic events, the knowledge of counting carbohydrates and the freedom to eat cake, diabetes alert dogs, and glucose meters small, sleek, or indistinguishable from an iPod, small, and painless needles... and on the thresholds of smart insulin, biohub and artificial pancreas options, and noninvasive glucose testing.

. . .

Yes. Diabetes is still hard. But we are blessed to live in 2013, and not 1913. We can see ourselves as the victims of fate, or as the blessed recipients of a grand universal lottery. Think about the kind of life you have the chance to pursue, right now... that you would have never had a chance to pursue back then. Let it sink in -- let its blessings humble you. 

Yes... diabetes can be embarrassing. But all disease is humbling. 

Even if you never had diabetes, life is much of an embarrassing process, as well... At birth, and near death... someone has to wipe our behinds. We get old, and lose our good looks... we may get cancer, and lose our breasts, we may get alopecia, and lose our hair... We may be like Farrah Fawcett, and get colon cancer -- colon cancer. 

Illness is humbling -- for we have to accept that we are frail, that we get sick, that we get old, and yes, sometimes... that we havent always done the best to take care of ourselves. But, can you think of anyone who has been perfect -- all of their lives? Always perfect? I know one or two who claim they were -- and you know what -- I honestly dont like them very much. For one, they are liars. They may have read the manual on living, but they havent actually lived very much. No one learns to ride a bike from reading a book -- and thus it is with living. Some of us just have to fall a few more times, than others... and it is our beautiful, gnarly scars, which make us who we are.

I never thought of Farrah Fawcett as much of a hero -- until her war with colon cancer. And I never thought much at all, about Ryan ONeal, until his passionate devotion to the woman he sought to wed on her deathbed. 

Dont be angry at your loved ones, beautiful person (who happens to have diabetes). It is not a matter of blame. It is not a matter of fault. Dont leave this world, and lose hope... for these massive amount of events I have listed had to have gone through... and for you to be here, in this point in time. Your loved one, well... your loved one simply LOVES you. They are in deep fear because they do not want to be without you -- at least -- not sooner than life will will. Can we blame them? 

I was angry once... at my father for (in my own warped perception) not trying harder, at life and circumstance, and God, and you name it. I was once that angry loved one... living in FEAR. Sheer fear. But, you see... for whatever reason, you are here -- in this very moment in time, and a time when you happened to meet your loved one. This is a very precious moment in time... In fact, to quote Lawrence Krauss -- a renowned Theoretical Physicist: 

“Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life - weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode . . . The stars died so that you could be here today.”

Is diabetes embarrassing? Well, sometimes... But I am in fact honored to be so privileged to be alive, today... right now... Experiencing this universe, the love of friends, and family... The patter of rain on my window pains, the loving purr of my cat, and the imperfect love and friendship of that idiot that still lives here which I call my husband.

Yes, I am honored... to be living here, and living with diabetes.

Whole Wheat Scones with Corn Tomato and Basil

Today on Serious Eats: Mexican Potato Soup. This soup is so fast, easy, and out-of-this-world delicious, it’ll make you believe in time travel, Nostradamus, and Yeti.

Summer is winding down, and a fall nip is in the air. It’s still warm enough to find ripe, juicy tomatoes and sweet corn at the market and cool enough to turn on the oven. There is no better time to whip up a batch of savory scones.

Scones are my Charming Boyfriend’s favorite breakfast bread, and turns out, they’re incredibly easy to make. CB pers the classic raisin version, but I like something a little more savory. I’ve been tweaking and fine-tuning this scone recipe, from Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, for a few months now.

We’ve had such a gorgeous bounty of corn and tomatoes this season, I couldn’t resist stuffing a batch of scones with gold and red, inspired by the chewy, speckled corn breads I grew up with.

To stand up to the filling, I subbed in whole wheat flour and went with a nonhydrogenated shortening instead of oil to give the scones a flakier texture. I compensated with a little extra almond milk to make up for the moisture loss.

Another little trick of this recipe is to combine the almond (or soy or rice) milk with vinegar: the classic vegan method for substituting buttermilk. The vinegar curdles the nondairy milk, giving it a similar sour flavor to buttermilk. The real deal would work fine in place of the vegan version.

The fragrance of basil will fill your kitchen (or whole apartment) when these come out of the oven. Moist and flaky, a touch sweet from the corn, and tangy with tomatoes, these scones are the perfect complement to a weekend brunch. And with the more substantial whole wheat flour and veggies, they make an ideal grab-and-go breakfast bread.

Give these scones a try while the fruits and veggies of summer are still with us. But hurry! The corn is going fast. (Oh Eve Arden, that made me so sad.) Maybe scones will become your favorite breakfast bread too.

~~~

If you dug this recipe, point your divining rod to
Vegan Bran Muffins
Zucchini Bread
Tofu Veggie Scramble

~~~

Whole Wheat Scones with Corn and Tomatoes

Adapted from Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Makes 16 scones

3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1 1/2 cup almond milk + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (vegan buttermilk!)
1 cup cooked corn (fresh from the cob or frozen)
1 cup tomatoes, fresh diced
2 tbsp basil, fresh chopped

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a cookie sheet.

2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and into a large mixing bowl.

3. With a fork, cut shortening into flour mixture. Leaving pea-sized bits of shortening will make a flakier scone.

4. In a measuring cup, combine 1 1/2 cup almond milk and 2 tsp apple cider vinegar. Stir until milk coagulates. Fold in milk-vinegar combo, corn, tomatoes, and basil. Mix until just combined, taking care not to overwork the dough.

5. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and shape into a circular mound, about 12” in diameter.

6. With a sharp knife, cut the mound in half, then the halves into quarters, and so on, pizza-style, until you have 16 pieces.

7. Transfer dough to cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Enjoy with a fabulous breakfast or as a midnight snack.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
127.25 calories, 4.2g fat, 3.15g fiber, 3.15g protein, $0.24

Calculations
3 cups whole wheat flour: 1221 calories, 6g fat, 48g fiber, 48g protein, $1.08
2 tbsp baking powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.04
1 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.02
2 tbsp sugar: 52 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
1/3 cup nonhydrogenated shortening: 500 calories, 55g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.60
1 1/2 cup almond milk:: 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g fiber, 1.5g protein, $0.75
2 tsp apple cider vinegar: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
1 cup cooked corn: 177 calories, 2g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.75
1 cup tomatoes: 22 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $0.50
2 tbsp basil: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
Totals: 2036 calories, 67.5g fat, 50.5g fiber, 50.5g protein, $3.87
Per serving (Totals/16): 127.25 calories, 4.2g fat, 3.15g fiber, 3.15g protein, $0.24

Medicaid Disease Management No Impact on Emergency Room Utilization or Inpatient Costs for Enrollees with Diabetes

Regular readers of the Disease Management Care Blog know that Medicaid is coming. While many of the nations Governors have declined President Obamas invitation to run Medicaid the Affordable Care Act way, others have agreed to use the ACAs generous funding to enroll millions of their indigent citizens into this vastly expanded public insurance program.

"No problem!" says the disease management vendors.  For years, theyve been offering their services to state Medicaid programs and would be happy to expand their contracts.

Unfortunately, an article by Matthew Conti that was just published in the journal Health Services Research suggests that that may not be a good idea.  The articles title is Effect of Medicaid Disease Management Programs on Emergency Admissions and Inpatient Costs.  The only thing thats missing are the words "The Lack of Any" at the front of that sentence.
   
The article studied the impact of diabetes "opt-out" disease management on diabetic patients emergency room utilization and admissions in three states Medicaid programs: Washington (started in 2002), Texas (started in 2004), and Georgia (started in 2005).

These states with were compared to states without diabetes disease management.  These control states were selected on the basis of baseline Medicaid enrollment trends that were similar to the three study states. These control states were Hawaii, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, Nebraska, South Carolina and Tennessee.

To perform the comparison, Dr. Conti used the Agency for Health Care Research and Qualitys (AHRQ) National InPatient Sample (NIS) from the Health Care Cost and Utilization Project ("HCUP"). These databases contain patient-level and longitudinal hospital information on inpatient stays, including cost, payer, admission type (e.g., emergency, urgent and elective), age, gender, primary payer, and total charges. The span of data that was used went from 2000 through 2008.

A complicated pre-post "difference in differences" model was used to compare baseline vs. follow-up:

1) total inpatient charges/Medicaid enrollment (which averaged $430 per diabetic enrollee, with a 95% confidence interval of $265 to $700) and

2) emergency admissions/inpatient admissions (a ratio of 0.37 per admission with a standard deviation of plus or minus 0.12)  All Medicaid enrollees with diabetes were included in the analysis, whether or not they had been enrolled or opted out.  The author used this approach figuring that if a statewide disease management program enrolled up to a third of eligible persons with diabetes (that was the case in Texas), there should have been an observable impact on the entire population. Thats the approach favored by the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium.
 
The results?  No state with disease management had lower emergency room utilization or inpatient costs for their Medicaid enrollees with diabetes. The DMCB couldnt find a table with numbers, but the figures (which cant be reproduced without permission) show little impact over time.

What can readers conclude?  Assuming that, during the period of study, the three states Medicaid programs suffered from the programs endemic issues of underpayment to providers with a relative lack of access to primary care:

1. "Blanket" call-everyone telephonic disease management cannot make up for fee-for-service Medicaids shortfalls.  It remains to be seen if the ACAs revitalization of Medicaid will make up for this and increase the parallel impact of disease management. 

2) This also means that Medicaids experience with disease management cant be generalized to other types of insurance with better provider payment rates and patient access to care.

That being said, the DMCB has two concerns:

1. If the DMCB is reading this right, it appears all persons of any age with diabetes were included in the study, including Type 1 diabetics.  If thats correct, that could have also blunted the impact of any disease management program, since children are over-represented in Medicaid and the impact of remote telephonic coaching in Type 1 is widely viewed (even among the disease management vendors) to be ineffective.  Insulin-requiring kids need lots of face-to-face hands-on care.

2. The DMCB is unfamiliar with the three study states disease management programs, but if they were set up the "old fashioned way" to contact all persons with diabetes without the modern regard to future risk and "impactibility," then its little wonder that the programs failed.  State-of-the-art population health management tailors its programs by focusing on subsets of persons with chronic conditions that are most likely to benefit.  Any impact on emergency room use or inpatient charges for these patients would be lost in the data "noise" of everyone elses utilization.

Should Medicaid programs that are facing huge jumps in enrollment abandon Medicaid as a result of this study?  Based on this study, the DMCB doesnt think so.  The findings are interesting, but more research is needed.

Rice with prawns and squid

Ingredients (4 person):
240gr . Rice pump
12 fresh prawns
2 medium squid
1 head of rape
1 red pepper, 2 onions , 6 tomatoes 1 celery
1 leek , 1 carrot , 4 green asparagus,
1 artichoke, 1 bay leaf
1 small glass of white wine
Sugar, paprika, olive oil and salt

Preparation:
For the sauce , a fine mince the onions and add to a pan with a dash of oil. When browned , add three tomatoes ( previously blanched , peeled , and cut into small pieces without seeds) . Take a pinch of salt , one of sugar and bay leaf. Fry everything and adds the two pieces of squid cut into small dice. Add the chopped pepper . Monkfish boil with water and salt , when boiling broth keep a while, adds two peeled and chopped tomatoes , a pinch of paprika and a little white wine.
In a skillet brown the second onion , leek , celery and carrot. Reserve. Then . do the same with the asparagus and artichoke . Once fried , add the rice and stir slightly. Add a little stock ( go adding that as the former is absorbed ) and sofrito .

To make the garnish: brand oil in a pan with the heads and tails of the previously peeled prawns.

Nutritional information ( per person):
Kcal : 550
Proteins: 38gr .
Carbohydrates: 71gr .
Fat: 12gr .

I hope you find it helpful, comment and suggest . And do not forget to share !

Calorie Restriction With Optimal Nutrition CRON Life Extension

It has been know for nearly 80 years that restricting calorie intake leads to an extension of life among most animal species. Many have speculated that the same principles may apply to humans as well, although it is a difficult theory to prove scientifically due to the extreme time frame required to conduct the experiment (in excess of 120 years!) Nevertheless, it is an intriguing theory which could provide many additional, healthy years to ones lifespan.

Calorie Restriction requires that 20% - 30% less calories are consumed below the normal level eaten. For example if 2500 calories are required to maintain a healthy weight, then around 1800 calories would constitute a restricted dietary lifestyle. The other component is to ensure that sufficient required vitamins and mineral nutrients are also included in the daily diet. Naturally this requires the elimination of all junk food in favor of healthful vegetables (mostly raw), minimal lean protein sources, nuts, seeds and oils.

To begin this type of diet, one must proceed slowly. Although weight loss is not the goal here, typically the pounds will come off... be sure to limit to no more than 1 - 2 pounds per week. This is because the body releases stored toxins in the body fat as it is reduced, and losing too rapidly can provide a toxic overload to the body. Once you have followed a health eating pattern for a minimum of two weeks, you will no longer crave the sugars, fried foods and fast foods which make up the typical Standard American Diet (SAD). The most important part of this eating style are the biochemical alterations which immediately occur in the body. Lipid profiles alter toward lower cholesterol ratios (HDL-C to Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides to HDL-C), which are the real indicators of cardiovascular health.

Blood pressure will decline to normal levels and your basal body temperature will typically fall to a level 1 - 2.5 degrees below the normal of 98.6. It is of note that the normal temperature reading is an average established over many years which is an example of the inflammation levels of the average person. Excess inflammation in the body results in higher body temperature. After several weeks of restriction, you will find your morning basal body temperature drop. This is a good indicator that you have already reduced your core temperature and that restriction is having a positive effect.

It is essential to monitor everything that you eat. You cannot follow this lifestyle without knowing the calorie and nutritional content of every item you consume. The best tool to use for monitoring is the free CRON-O-METER (spaz.ca/cronometer/). Enter all foods (and it is important to weigh the foods at first) in this handy tool as you eat. It will provide you with the calorie content as well as the nutritional breakdown. Mix your food choices to get the proper mix of nutrients. You will quickly find that there is no room for any food types which provide little or no nutritional value.

As colorectal cancer gets more aggressive treatment with grape seed extract is even more effective

When the going gets tough, grape seed extract gets going: A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the journal Cancer Letters shows that the more advanced are colorectal cancer cells, the more GSE inhibits their growth and survival. On the other end of the disease spectrum, GSE leaves healthy cells alone entirely.

“We’ve known for quite a while that the bioactive compounds in grape seed extract selectively target many types of cancer cells. This study shows that many of the same mutations that allow colorectal cancer cells to metastasize and survive traditional therapies make them especially sensitive to treatment with GSE,” says Molly Derry, doctoral candidate in the lab of Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, investigator at the CU Cancer Center and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Derry notes this is an especially important finding in light of increasing colorectal cancer rates (due in part to increasingly high-fat diets and sedentary lifestyles) and a low screening rate; that means 60 percent of patients diagnosed have already reached the advanced stage of the disease.

“Finding a way to selectively target advanced colorectal cancer cells could have major clinical importance,” Derry says.

The group performed their experiments on colorectal cancer cell lines representing various stages of the disease. Whereas it generally takes much more chemotherapy to kill a stage IV cancer cell than a stage II cancer cell, Derry saw that the reverse was true with grape seed extract.

“It required less than half the concentration of GSE to suppress cell growth and kill 50 percent of stage IV cells than it did to achieve similar results in the stage II cells,” Derry says.

The group also discovered a likely mechanism of GSE’s perential targeting of advanced colorectal cancer cells: when cancer cells were treated with antioxidants the GSE induced cell death was reversed and so Derry and colleagues consider it likely that GSE targets colorectal cancer through inducing oxidative stress that leads to the programmed cell death known as apoptosis.

“A colorectal cancer cell can have upwards of 11,000 genetic mutations – differences from the DNA in healthy cells. Traditional chemotherapies may only target a specific mutation and as cancer progresses more mutations occur. These changes can result in cancer that is resistance to chemotherapy. In contrast, the many bioactive compounds of GSE are able to target multiple mutations. The more mutations a cancer presents, the more effective GSE is in targeting them,” Derry says.

Fruit and vegetable intake is associated with lower risk of ER breast cancer

There is no association between total fruit and vegetable intake and risk of overall breast cancer, but vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) breast cancer, according to a study published January 24 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The intake of fruits and vegetables has been hypothesized to lower breast cancer risk, however the existing evidence is inconclusive. There are many subtypes of breast cancer including ER- and ER positive (ER+) tumors and each may have distinct etiologies. Since ER- tumors, which have lower survival rates and are less dependent on estrogen levels than ER+ tumors, account for only 15-20% of breast cancers, large pooled analyses are needed to determine the suspected link to lower ER- breast cancer risk and the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

In order to determine if there is a link between the lowered risk of ER- breast cancers and the intake of fruits and vegetables, Seungyoun Jung, Sc.D., formerly from the Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, and currently at the Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Womens Hospital, and colleagues analyzed data from 20 cohort studies of women who were followed for a maximum of 11-20 years. They investigated the association of high compared to low intake of fruit and vegetables and risk of developing breast cancer in each study and then combined the study-specific estimates to generate summary estimates for all studies combined.

The researchers found that total fruit and vegetable intake was statistically significantly linked to a lower risk of ER- breast cancer, but not with risk of overall breast cancer or risk of ER+ breast tumors. The results showed that the lower risk was mostly associated with higher vegetable consumption. "These findings support the value of examining etiologic factors in relation to breast cancer characterized by hormone receptor status in large pooled analyses because modest associations with less common breast cancer subtypes may have been missed in smaller studies," the authors write.

In an accompanying editorial, Cynthia A. Thomson, Ph.D., and Patricia A. Thompson, Ph.D., both of the University of Arizona Cancer Center, write that the findings of the study support the emphasis on greater intake for vegetables (and to a lesser extent fruit) to lower the risk of ER- breast cancer. However, they also write that, "interpretation of these findings may also be challenged by the known effects of other potential confounders, including the aggregation of health behaviors."

Rendez Vous With A Foodie Sangeetha of Spicy Treats

My readers and followers will definitely know about the monthly event happening twice here. Rendez vous with a foodie, this event is specially for newbie bloggers who started their blog recently. Do you want to showcase your blog to this immense virtual bloggy world, then join me and send me your guest post. This event is going successfully since ever i started and a bunch of my co bloggers showered me with their love by joining their hands with me. Nothing is impossible with all your constant supports and encouraging words.Every 7th and 20th of the month, a guest aka a newbie blogger will post her dish in my space along with their replies for few questions ill be asking for. So that we can know a bit about them and get to know about them through this event. Do you want to join, then leave me your mail address or else join us in Facebook group.

Life is not full of roses,but sometimes we can make changes in our life if you have good and humble friends besides us.Trust me, my life have changed a lot since few years, that too in this virtual world. I have few friends who are my soul mates, blog mates, my chat mates etc etc. One among my chat mate aka soul mate is Sangeetha of Spicy Treats, actually we have the same wavelength obviously we became friends easily. Since we have the same passion for foods, we are very close to each other now. Earlier we used to talk through Facebook, then one fine day i got her number and called her. From that day onwards, we came so closer and we talk for hours and hours through fone.We know each other very well, if i feel down or if am happy, ill immediately share with couple of my close friends aka bloggers. When i lost my father, Sangeetha was one among those friends who didnt hesitate a second to call me while am crossing a difficult and very painful moment of my life.

Sangee, i can speak for hours about her,no no for a whole day oh no may be month, yes she have that much of qualities to say. Actually am lost with words now, i seriously want to find a new definition for the friendship that i share with Sangeetha, its a sister-friend relation which i treasure a lot.Sangeetha is a wonderful friend, very honest friend, a down to earth person who speaks always from her heart and a darling if you get to know more about her. She is busy mom of two cute and charming boys, eventhough they keep her busy Sangee never failed to take care of her blog baby. She feeds her blog baby very regularly by her fabulous clicks with stepwise pictures.Couple of her recipes are my favourites and i can provide a huge list of my favourites from her space. Am honoured that finally Sangee is my guest host today and happy that she made this guest post specially for me. Thanks again Sangee.

Lets hear from Sangeetha of Spicy Treats..

Was Waiting for this special day that one of my recipe is featuring here in Priyas Vast Versatile Space. I am honored and so proud to be featured as a guest here. When i asked Priya why you did not come up with such ideas 2 years before itself since as a newbie I struggled lot to get an exposure and recognition. Immediately she said its not so late sangee, you can still be a part of her Novel Event, Rendez Vous With A Foodie. So Thanks a ton Priya for this wonderful opportunity. I know Priya for the past two years and she is a Gem of a Woman, so kind, lovable, caring and down to earth person whom i met through this virtual world. I know more about her personally, we talked over phone for hours and hours and also chatted for hours together. Such a jovial person and she never fails to bring a smile on my face while chatting. Whenever i am down or tensed she is the first person whom i ping and she always there to console me with her humble and positive words. I am blessed to be her friendly sister and wish to be so forever.

She is one of my Inspiration in blogging and cooking, a versatile blogger who can complete any challenge quickly and make everyone "Wow" with her perfectly made recipes. I simply admire her baking skills and the way she uses each and every ingredient in an unique and versatile way. Some of her recent recipes Saffron Cabbage Halwa, Rajma Murukku, Almond Karasev, Soyabean Dosa and the list goes on. You will never imagine that such ingredients can be cooked in such a delicious and interesting way. Hats off to your innovation, enthu and passion towards cooking and blogging. Priya never fails to support any new blogger and and this Rendezvous Event is one best example.

Now coming to the recipe, I wanted to share a baking recipe and also i know she loves Bundt pans and yearning to get one beautiful pan. Since i cannot gift her desired pan right now i decided to bake a Pound cake in my Bundt pan ;) This is a rich, moist and delicious Whipping Cream Pound Cake flavored with Orange and chocolate chips. Hope Priya and her readers like this it and now off to the recipe...

1)Tell us about your blog and you?
I am Sangeetha and i write at Spicy Treats which is 2 yrs and 10 months old. My blog mainly features South Indian day-to-day cooking recipes and also you could find my most favorite North Indian recipes, Regional recipes, Continental and a handful of Baked goodies. I am a homemaker and we are in USA for past 6.5 years. I have two toddler boys who always kept me busy.

2)Before and after blogging, tell us what blogging changed your life?
Before Blogging i dont know anything other than cooking but Blogging changed me and in my routine life a lot and also it shaped me so well and i gained more knowledge in blogging,cooking,baking,photography and writings skills in these 2.5 yrs.

3)When and what motivated you to blog about food?
I started writing a blog without any basic knowledge. Since i am biology base i did not know much about computer, coding, designing website this and that. Even My Hubby did not helped me in these things, i myself learned on seeing other blogs and with the help of Google Master.

I did not even know how to present a dish, i put it in an available plate or bowl clicked like that...never bother about lighting, flash and so on. I do more blog hop, i check each and everything in that blog - design, layout, tab bars, fonts, writing, recipes and of course the pictures and presentation of a dish. Then slowly changed mine too, changed my layouts, added Recipe Index, started taking pictures in natural light source. And after getting DSLR my interest on Photography increased and still learning on food photography but am so happy that at least 3-5 people appreciate my pictures and presentation of my each post which means a lot. And the most important thing that i gained after blogging - tons of friends, lovely sisters who always support and encourage me.

4)There are a tonsof blogs/pages on food these days, what accordingto you is the speciality of your blog and the food you cook?

As i said earlier, my blog features simple and day -to-day cooking recipes, And also i share step by step pictures which helps anyone to cook.

5) When it comes to cooking, who is your inspiration?

Definitely My Mom, She cooks very tasty and delicious foods. She was a working woman, she cooks variety of recipes in short time without compromise in taste and flavor. She will not spend more than a hour in kitchen to cook a complete South Indian meal or a Non-Vegetarian Feast. All my relatives wonder how she cooks so many dishes in very short time, i completely lack that talent and i spend more than a hour in kitchen to cook simple sambar & poriyal.

6)Every newbie blogger faces tons of challenges when its comes to blogging, tell me about one of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome it?

Yes.,i faced lots of issues.,i did not know even the complete meaning of blogging. I even hesitate to comment on other blogs. I did not even get sleep until i solve a issue. I refer google for all my questions and doubts and the answers on other websites were really helpful. 

7)What is your best recipe and your favourite recipes you have blogged till now?

My Best Recipe - Broccoli Snack Roll and my favourite recipes are Aloo Kurma, Ennai Kathrikkai Kuzhambu, Italian Garlic Knots, Buttery Croissants and Vermicelli Paal Payasam.

8)Few tips about food photography?

I would like to share the simple tips which follow - Use natural light source/Day light - Try to take pictures near the window/Patio. Use white board/cloth/Foil Paper as Reflectors. 

To diffuse the harsh lighting i use Wax Paper as diffusor. Never use flash. 

Try to take pictures in different angles and take more pictures( at least 30-40 and select best out of it).

And post process you pictures using free & easy software like - picasa, picmonkey etc.,

9)What is your budget for the props,do you have any or else do you manage with your household stuffs?

Initially i did not spend anything for props but later started spending more for props. My budget will not be more than $20 per month or not more than $8 for a single prop. But have spent even $22 for my Kadai, Bucket Indian style props. Whenever i go shopping i buy something for my blog may be a bowl, mat, flowers, chart anything.

10)How do you plan your blog posts? Do you post rarely,regularly or once a week?

I am trying to post 3-4 recipes a week but some week i post only 1 or 2 and sometimes i push myself to post on all 5 days/weekdays. I used to cook weekly once or twice a week and i make 3 or 4 dishes on the same day and click it and use it for the coming week.

11)Do you have any other passions apart from food blogging or blogs you own?

Apart from blogging i love Fabric Painting but i did not did anything in the past few years. Since my boys kept me always busy and now-a-days i did not even get time to Blog/Blog hop. 

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

Preparation Time : 15 min
Baking Time: 60-70 minutes
Makes about  one 9.5" bundt cake or two 9" loaf cakes.

Ingredients

1. Butter, softened    1 cup
2. Eggs     6 no.s
3. All Purpose Flour    3 cups
4. Sugar    2 and 1/2 cups
5. Baking Powder    1/2 tbsp
6. Salt     1/4 tsp
7. Whipping Cream   1 pint
8. Vanilla Extract   1 tsp
9. Almond Extract   1 tsp
10. Fresh Orange Juice    1/4 cup(optional)
11. Semi sweet Chocolate Chips   1/4 cup or more.

Method

• In a medium sized bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the extract.  

• Add flour mixture alternately with whipping cream, beating just until combined. Finally stir in orange juice and chocolate chips.
• Pour into two greased and floured pan. Bake at 325° for 80-85 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Serve with fruit if desired.

Notes:

Adding orange juice is optional, you can also add 1 tsp lemon extract instead.

Likewise you can also add some chopped nuts or bake it as plain Pound cake and top it with some glaze.

This pound cake tastes great the next day.
The oven should not be pre heated, turn on the oven only after placing the pan in the oven.
This cake takes an hour to bake completely, for me it took 67 minutes...oven temperatures may vary so keep an eye.

Thank You so much Priya for this wonderful opportunity and i really enjoyed doing this post for you and your readers. Hope you all like it. 

Hope you all enjoyed Sangeethas incredible bake, stay tuned for an another guest post by an another foodie blogger on 20th of this month.

Achari Baingan Eggplant with Pickled Spices

Pickled veggies are always my favourite, serve with rice or rotis, ill just open my mouth to eat.. I do variety of pickles at home and whenever there is some leftover pickles, ill mix it with rice and enjoy them with some papads. My pantry will always have lemon pickle eventhough they are not prepared as traditionally as we do in India, ill make them quite often through pressure cooking and cook with usual spices. However i will always make my pickles at home with variety of veggies.

Its been a while i wanted to give a try to this famous Achari baingan, this curry came out extremely well and an incredible side dish to enjoy with some puffy pooris. Yea i served this achari baingan with pooris for our lunch few days back. I used the medium large sized purple eggplants in this curry,you can use very well our Indian brinjals or Thai eggplants for making this curry.Sending to Srivallis Side dish Mela.

2nos Eggplants (sliced lengthwise)
1no Onion (chopped)
1no Tomato (chopped)
3nos Garlic cloves
1tsp Ginger garlic paste
1tsp Garam masala powder
1/2tsp Amchur powder
1/2tsp Red chilly powder
2tsp Coriander powder
Oil
1tbsp Lemon juice
Few chopped coriander leaves

For Tempering:
1no Dry red chilli
1no Bay leaf
1/2tsp Fennel seeds
1/4tsp Mustard seeds
1/4tsp Cumin seeds
1/4tsp Ajwain seeds
1/4tsp Fenugreek seeds
6nos Nigella seeds
A pinch Asafoetida powder

Heat enough oil, add all the ingredients given for tempering and fry until everything turns brown.

Add the chopped onions,chopped tomatoes,chopped garlic cloves sauté for few minutes.

Add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw smells goes on. now add the sliced eggplant pieces sauté for few seconds.

Now add all the spice powder, cook it well until the eggplants gets well coated with masala.

Finally add the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves put off the stove..

Enjoy with rotis or any sort of rice..

Overcome Oily Skin With Natural

Oily skin makes less than maximum performance. There are many beauty care products on offer, but you could also make a natural mask.

Natural beauty recipes you must try. In addition to cost-effective, natural ingredients makes your face is not contaminated with preservatives. Lets peek tips to make natural recipes for skin care oily.

Strawberry and Lemon mask

required:

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons honey

2 egg whites

4 drops of jojoba oil

1 cup mashed strawberries

Combine all above ingredients and apply on your face for 10 minutes. Make sure all the ingredients are there still fresh.

Plain Yogurt

Plain yogurt is very beneficial for oily skin. These natural materials can be used for moisturizers, cleansers and face masks. The way is also quite easy, apply plain yogurt to your face. Let stand for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Do this mask every day for maximum results.

Tea Tree oil and sea salt

For this natural recipe, you need only some coarse sea salt and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Its easy, mix both ingredients, then spread to the face in a circular motion. Sea salt to exfoliate dry skin and tea tree oil to cleanse the skin and dry out oily areas.

25 Million Indonesian Infected with Hepatitis

25 Million Indonesian Infected with Hepatitis

At least 25 million people in Indonesia is estimated to have contracted hepatitis B and hepatitis C. However, the danger of transmission of the disease is often not realized due to a very slow course of the disease and no symptoms.

Director of Direct Transmitted Disease Control Ministry of Health Mohammad Subuh confirmed, Indonesia, including countries with high prevalence of hepatitis B, above 8 percent. "The number of infected with hepatitis B is higher than hepatitis C," he said in Jakarta, Friday (20/7), welcomed the World Hepatitis Day.

Many people infected with hepatitis B and C do not realize they have contracted. The Absence of symptoms make people does not consult to doctor.

Subuh added, from 25 million people are believed to have contracted hepatitis B, approximately 12.5 million of whom are prone to chronic liver disease, 10 percent of the risk of hardening of the liver disease progression, and about 1.25 million people at risk of developing liver cancer.

So far, the prevention of hepatitis pursued by the hepatitis B vaccine in newborns since 1997, breaking the chain of transmission from mother to infant, as well as screening of blood donors from hepatitis B and C. No less important is the promotion of healthy behavior, such as hand washing using soap that can prevent transmission of hepatitis A and E or prevent transmission of hepatitis B and C by not sharing razors.

Treating rheumatic with red chili

Treating rheumatic with red chili | Chili very spicy, often making us sick stomach because it felt. proved to have incredible health benefits. One is able to treat rheumatic pain, aching or pain in the joints.


Red chilies can be used for the treatment of rheumatism, ulcers, toothache, influenza, and can even increase your appetite.

The sap of young leaves of red pepper can be used to facilitate childbirth.

Treating arthritis with red chili

Then how do I use?

For drugs taken, boiled or dried 0.5 to 1 gram of fruit, then blend to a powder.

For outdoor use, boiled 0.5 to 1 gram of fruit and boiled water is used as water for compress.

Examples of the use of red chilli to treat arthritis

Pour 10 grams of powder of red chilies in half a glass of hot water. Stir until smooth, and set aside a few minutes. The results of it brew smeared on the body of the sick.

Prevent Stroke with Olive Oil

Prevent Stroke with Olive Oil - Elderly people that consume the Olive Oil have a lower stroke then they whom consume the Olive Oil, Said by the expert in the research that published, Wednesday 15-06-11.

Some scientists from the National Institutes of Health and Medical Research in Bordeaux, France, monitor the development of 7625 French people aged 65 years in three major cities, ie Bordeaux, Dijon, and Montpellier, for five years.

"Our research shows the need for a new set of dietary recommendations for preventing stroke for those aged 65 years and over,"

said study author, Cecilia Samieri, as quoted by AFP.

Meanwhile, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, who wrote an editorial published with the study, emphasized that the study was "observational".

The studies found the relation between olive oil user by people and the stroke risk that they get it, said scarmeas. But, this factor not need to translate to causality.

"People who eat olive oil may be very different from people who do not use it,"

said Scarmeas.

Users olive oil, for example, may have a higher income, better overall eating or exercising more frequently than those who never consume olive oil.

Health Care with Cod Liver Oil

 

Cod liver oil or cod liver oil has many health benefits for the human body. The content of Vit A, D, Omega 3, EPA, and DHA in cod liver oil is very good for health. Dpat what benefits obtained from the cod liver oil? and how to use them?

The following article health benefits and the use of cod liver oil.

1. Rheumatism, consumption of 1-2 teaspoons per day of fish oil helps prevent arthritis and good for the pain of arthritis.

2. Muscle aches and bone pain.

pain in the muscles and bones is an indication of lack of vitamin D. 1-2 teaspoons of cod liver oil every day can increase vitamin D in the body and helps to improve muscle strength and reduce pain.

3. Prevent heart disease

Consumption of 1-2 teaspoons of cod liver oil every day helps improve heart function and prevent heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids alter and repair the artery lining. Vit A and D facilitates the absorption of minerals, improving muscle function and vascular elastitas.

4. cholesterol

Consumption 1-2 teaspoons of cod liver oil every day, fatty acids in fish oil help lower the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.

5. Reduce the risk of diabetes in children

pregnant women who consume 1 teaspoon of fish oil every day have a lower risk of having children with type 1 diabetes. But for pregnant women should consult a physician first pregnancy, before the consumption of cod liver oil.

Cod liver oil is safe for consumption and undiscovered side effects. However, if you are pregnant or taking medication as well as consulting with your doctor first.

Better with small business health insurance

When there was a survey of 1000 people regarding waiting times for the NHS it was pretty evident that the British public under estimate the waiting times for operations on the NHS, The poll revealed that the majority would expect a 5 months wait for most operations when it is actually closer to 11 months per op.

Although there is surprise at these health care waiting times there was even more surprise that these waiting times are getting better from previous NHS generations and thanks to government initiatives to reduce times they are getting better overall.

With the highly competitive private health insurance industry now being more affordable and accessible to the public - it would always be recommendable to join one of these companys and we are finding more and more people are opting to do so.

When a separate survey was done we also discovered that more and more companys are offering Small Business health insurance to there employees to the delight of everyone involved in health care as it gives there workers better and more affordable treatment and also takes the wait off the NHS so it can continue to get better treatment to our countys disadvantaged patients.

Beauty Skin Care with Kiwi Fruit

One of the wonders of kiwifruit is to have many benefits for the skin beauty. Degerasi human skin experiencing from time to time and it is a natural thing. Exposure to sunlight, air pollution conditions and aging of the skin because they age can affect the skin degerasi process.

With the benefits of kiwi fruit as skin care, make biah kiwi to be one right choice. The following article is beauty skin beauty benefits of kiwi fruit.

1. One of the wonders of kiwi fruit is the ability to protect the DNA structure. DNA health means healthy and beautiful skin.
2. Kiwi fruit effectively moisturize the skin and make it brighter and smoother. This is because the kiwi fruit contains Vitamin D which can improve skin health.
3. Kiwi fruit is rich in antioxidants that are beneficial for skin beauty and health of your body.
4. Vit C and E content in kiwifruit effectively lighten skin tone, tighten pores and make the skin look younger.
5. Kiwi fruit contains L-arginine which is beneficial to skin degeneration and makes your skin look younger.

Never underestimate the benefits derived from natural materials, such as kiwi fruit. because the benefits of kiwi fruit is very valuable for skin beauty. Start taking care of your skin early on to get beautiful skin beauty.

Healthy diet with Juice Drink

There are many health benefits that can be obtained from juice drinks. Beverages derived from fruits or vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals are good for health even for diet. Juice to the diet? yes, many of us were not aware that the juice can be used as a way to a healthy diet.

There are many types of fruit or vegetable that you can use to your healthy diet, here are some tips Healthy Diet with Juices.

Beet juice
Contains many bits, iron, potassium, vitamin C and magnesium are good for red blood cells and good for the diet.

Orange juice
Oranges are rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants and function to improve digestive function is best used for those who are dieting.

Pear juice
Pears are rich in calcium, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus is very good for the diet.

Pomegranate juice
The juice is good for your heart and contains antioxidants that are good for a variety of cancers, so its good to be consumed for diet drinks.

Cranberry juice
Contains high levels of vitamin C. Famous for its benefits that help many women to avoid infection in the bladder. Cranberry juice prevents E. coli bacteria that has been proven as a major cause of urinary tract infections. You can combine cranberries with banana as the perfect form of nutrition from vitamins and protein.

Blueberry juice
Blueberries have very low calorie content that is suitable for you who are a healthy diet, as well as the high content of vitamin C as an antioxidant that is able to cope with free radicals.

Carrot juice
Have high levels of calcium, potassium, and magnesium are very useful for the survival of bone and body keseuruhan. One of juice for weight loss also contains carotene which helps your body stay healthy. Apparently, this juice is not only great-Bearan contribute to eye health, but also rich in antioxidants that help fight cancer.

The existence of many benefits obtained from this health drink. Have you tried some juice list to support your healthy diet program.

Lose Weight After Birth With Healthy

Many women who want to get back to normal weight after childbirth, and many women who have difficulty in doing this health diet. Heavy exercise can be harmful to the health of women who just gave birth.

Postnatal diet may be more severe than normal women.
The following diet tips to lose weight after giving birth.

1. sport
Start light exercise such as stretching and gradually increase the weights and intensity. Better consult with your doctor about your exercise program.

2. healthy food
It usually takes a long time to restore the condition of the body, as long as the nutrition your body needs and you do not need to reduce the number of calories in your diet.

3. nurse
Breastfeeding helps you lose weight. In every day spent feeding 800 ml of milk and need 500 extra calories each per day. ASI is also necessary for healthy development of the baby.

4. exercise routine
After 2-3 months you can do regular exercise. But keep diingan no need to rush to lose weight, because it will drastically lose weight and is not good for health. Keep eating healthy foods and exercising regularly will give satisfactory results.

The most important thing in losing weight after giving birth should consult with your doctor or dietitian. This will help you in choosing the right foods and exercise.

Beautiful Skin with Guava Fruit

Beautiful Skin with Guava Fruit - Dont forget for consume vitamin c if you want to get and have a beautiful skin, healthy, sunny, lovely, ageless and more. Vitamin C is the prime ingredient that needed to form the collagen that really need by skin. and guava is the vitamin c source that easy and can we enjoy and eating it.

Based on studies that find out the eating patterns of 4,000 American women over the age range 40-74 years, found women who consumed large amounts of vitamin C have fewer wrinkles than those consumed in small amounts. Because production of collagen become better thanks to vitamin C.

Not only that, guava fruit also offer protection against food borne pathogens or dangerous pathogens that are transmitted from food, such as Listeria and Staphylococcus, according to a study conducted by experts from Bangladesh microbiology. Antioxidant content in guava also no less terrible to those found in blueberries and broccoli.

Enjoy your nice drink by mix the 1/2 banana fruit and 1/2 of guava, 1 handful strawberry, 1/2 cup of soybean, and Ice Cube, blender and enjoy it as your drink for delete your tired and fatigue. Good Luck :)

Diet Plans Are Easy With A Menu Planner

The very mention of a diet plan can make people give you a wry smile or maybe let out a sigh of exasperation meaning to say, “been there, done that”. Well, things arent all that bleak. Some help from a menu planner can provide you with a different perspective altogether and give you a surge of confidence while you take efforts to stay in shape by eating healthy.

Healthy eating does not mean being stringent about what to eat and what not to, by depriving yourself of your favorites. It is about having the right food at the right time in portions of the right size to make you feel great, stay energetic and remain healthy. A diet plan doesnt just monitor what you eat but makes sure that you eat smartly. Here are some points that will give you a clear idea of how to go about your diet plan and accomplish your mission with the help of a menu planner.

Set yourself an attainable target

When you set yourself a goal that is likely to be reached in a short time, say 3 months, the chances of you working towards it are high. Have realistic expectations and dont expect a miracle without putting in efforts to watch what you are eating. Remember that crash diets and binge eating are a strict no-no.

Calculate your calorie requirement

Each person has different calorie requirements based on their age, lifestyle, activity level and other factors. Finding out how many calories you should consume to maintain, reduce or increase your weight is a prerequisite to draft the ideal diet plan.

Plan your intake based on your lifestyle

Calorie consciousness, healthy eating and sufficient physical activity need to go hand in hand. The kind of lifestyle you lead, your level of activity and your work routine are the criteria that you need to consider while planning your intake.

Flexibility is the key to sustain

For a diet to be effective, it should be simple and incorporate a certain degree of flexibility. Even well-structured plans cant always be followed to the letter. There are sure to be occasions when you just cant resist an extra helping or dont feel all that hungry. Swapping plans now and then is acceptable.

Prioritize on nutrition

Plan for a variety of healthy and delicious recipes which have plenty of whole grains and the right amount of fresh fruit and low-fat dairy products that provide all the nutrition you need while you are on a diet. Prepare a list of quick and healthy alternatives that you can have on days when you just cant adhere to your plan.

Menu planner is a tool that will help you keep your diet plan on track. Its clearly formulated menus take care of your dietary requirements and save your time, money and effort. Menu plans can be conveniently repeated once you have used up all your menus. After getting started with your menu planning, you will see how beneficial it is in helping you stick to your diet.

Authors Resource Box

How Does She Do It offers you Menus for a Week and enjoy healthy diet. Free online menu planner is easy to use and is flexible enough to fit the needs of any family. SignUp for Family Meal Ideas http://www.howdoesshedoit.com/family_meal_ideas.php and save time and money.

Article Source: Diet Plans Are Easy With A Menu Planner

Author : JamesAndeson