MAKHANA (LOTUS SEEDS / FOX NUTS)

Phool makhana is the name given to popped lotus seeds used in Indian cooking. The puffed lotus seed has the bitter centre core and the outer membrane are removed, and is puffed, just as popcorn is puffed. It is a very popular food during the fasting. ‘Makhane ki kheer’ is the most popular kheer during fasting.

Makhana is superior to dry fruits such as almonds, walnut, coconut and cashewnut in term of sugar, protein, ascorbic acid and phenol content.

It is a highly nutritious, fully organic non-cereal food, which is extensively grown in the stagnant water of wetlands, tanks, ponds lakes and ditches.

Nutritive value of Makhana

100 gm makhana contains:

350kcal energy

9.7gm easily digestible protein

77gm carbohydrate

12.8gm moisture

0.1gm fat

90mg phosphorus

1.4mg iron.

Health benefits

• Makhana helps in Cardiac Protection.
• It helps in building action in dysentery, frequent urination.
• Makhana is anti-oxidant.
• It is digestive for all age groups.  Due to its astringent property, it is relieves one from diarrhea and helps improve appetite.
• 25 gram makhana a day means a healthy food/diet for the whole family.
• Lotus seeds benefit the spleen, kidney, and heart. 
• The seed also has calming properties that alleviate restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia.
• It is also rich in calcium.
• Makhana regulates blood pressure, relieves numbness and aching near waist and knees.
• It is suitable for arthritis, impotence and premature ageing.
• They are sweet to neutral in nature. They help to detoxify the spleen, reinforce the kidneys and nourish the blood. 
• It can also treat insomnia, palpitations and irritability.
• It is also recommended for the women during pregnancy and post natal weakness .It is a good galactogogue- very good for strengthening lower back muscles. 

SOME FOOD PREPARATION

The seeds (Makhana/Fox nut) can be eaten raw, cooked roasted or fried.

Makhana can be consumed as dry fruit snacks by roasting. The popped seeds of Makhana can be roasted & sprinkled with spices on it which proves a tastier, hygienic and digestive health snacks.

Homemade roasted makhana can help kids get rid of the junk chips

Makhana Kheer - made of makhana is a tasty n healthy. It can be used in Pudding and other milk based sweets etc.

Dal Makhani & vegetable curries prove delicious when makhana is spread for taste and thickening object.

Makhana raita is very tastier and it is digestive in nature.

Makhana pulav can also be tried.

Benefits of Juicing

There are three main reasons why you will want to consider incorporating vegetable juicing into your optimal health program:

Juicing helps you absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables

This is important because most of us have impaired digestion as a result of making less-than-optimal food choices over many years. This limits your body's ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables. Juicing will help to "pre-digest" them for you, so you will receive most of the nutrition, rather than having it go down the toilet.

Juicing allows you to consume an optimal amount of vegetables in an efficient manner

If you are a carb type, you should eat one pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight per day. Some people may find eating that many vegetables difficult, but it can be easily accomplished with a quick glass of vegetable juice.

You can add a wider variety of vegetables in your diet

Many people eat the same vegetable salads every day. This violates the principle of regular food rotation and increases your chance of developing an allergy to a certain food. But with juicing, you can juice a wide variety of vegetables that you may not normally enjoy eating whole.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF OLIVES

Here are some interesting olive health facts

 - Olives eliminate excess cholesterol in the blood. 

 - Olives control blood pressure. 

 - Olives are a source of dietary fibre as an alternative to fruits and vegetables. 

 - Olives are a great source of Vitamin E

 - Olives act as an antioxidant, protecting cells

 - Olives protect cell membranes against diseases like cancer 

 - Olives are a great protection against anaemia 

 - Olives enhances fertility and reproductive system 

 - Olives play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system, especially during oxidative stress and chronic viral diseases

 - Olives are nutritious and rich in mineral content as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine

 - Olives provide essential vitamins and amino acids.

 - Olives contain oleic acid, which has beneficial properties to protect the heart. 

 - Olives contain polyphenols, a natural chemical that reduce oxidative stress in the brain. So by eating a daily serving of olives helps improve your memory by up to 25%. 

 Just one cup of olives is a great source of iron – 4.4mg.

 - Eating olives can improve the appearance of wrinkles by 20% since they contain oleic acid, which keeps skin soft and healthy.

 - By eating just 10 olives before a meal, you can reduce your appetite by up to 20%. This is because the monounsaturated fatty acids contained in olives slow down the digestion process and stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin, a hormone that sends messages of fullness to the brain. 

* They are nutritious and rich in mineral content as sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine.

Boost Your Brain....

Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. Most of us are anxious about our physical appearance and therefore concentrate on exercise to tone the body and home remedies to take care of our skin and hair.

But the brain is one of the most important organs of the body that governs memory, attention, vision, speech and decision but we hardly seem to take any care about it. There are selected foods that can help in nourishing the brain and protect it from free radical damage, while brain exercises can help in enhancing brain power in an effective manner.

Choose Whole Grains

Replace simple carbohydrates like white rice and white flour with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains that have a low glycemic index which take time to break down thus, providing a constant controlled release of glucose into the bloodstream that keeps the brain alert and enhances concentration and memory. Opt for whole wheat breads, wheat bran, brown pasta and brown rice.

Eat oily fish

Good sources include linseed (flaxseed) oil, soya bean oil, pumpkin seeds, walnut oil and soya beans.  Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers.

Avocadoes

Avocadoes are equally effective to improve brain health as blueberries. The benefits of avocadoes for health are well known and it is also helpful in boosting brain functions by improving blood flow to the brain, and better blood flow means and healthier brain with improved cognitive abilities.

Eat more tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

Get a blackcurrant boost

Vitamin C has long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility. One of the best sources of this vital vitamin is blackcurrants.

Bet on broccoli

Broccoli is a great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower.

Peas and Beans

Beans and peas are yet another source of complex carbohydrates that is economical and easily available and helps in promoting a healthy brain. Being rich in soluble and insoluble fibers, the beans take time to break down and be digested, thus providing a steady slow supply of glucose in the blood stream that is carried to the brain for its optimum functions. In addition, beans are a rich source of folate, a B vitamin integral to brain functions and improving memory.

Green Tea

The health benefits of green tea need no new emphasis. A few cups of this nourishing brew supplies load of antioxidants, especially catechines to the body that protects the cells against the harm caused by free radicals and oxidative stress and also promotes blood flow throughout the body. So, include 3 to 4 cups of green tea to your daily diet, replace soda and flavored drinks with delicious and refreshing iced tea for a healthy and fit body in the long run.

Go nuts

Good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elders. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice and whole grains.

Apart from food…..

Before looking into the foods that help in improving brain power, here are a few easy tips that can do a lot to enhance memory and concentration.

Daily exercise is the best way to expand brain health because it increases blood supply to the brain and promotes healthy neurons.

Getting 7 to 8 hours of soothing sleep also helps in enhancing brain functions because it helps in regenerating the brain and its functions.

Improving digestive health by including more prebiotics and probiotics in the diet also has a positive effect on brain health because the gut is closely related to the brain.

Challenging the mind with brain exercise such as playing chess, solving cross words or puzzles helps improve the capacity of complex reasoning and decision making.

Understanding stroke

Brain stroke or acute brain attack, as neurologists would like stroke to be understood by the public at large is an important cause of death and disability worldwide. It is the third most important cause of death and the most common cause of acquired disability.

Broadly speaking, two types of stroke exist. Nearly 80% of strokes are on account of impaired blood supply to the brain, resulting in the death of nerve cells in the affected area. The remaining 20% of strokes are due to bleeding into the brain which damages the brain by releasing toxic substances and by compression and pressure effects on the brain.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain stroke range from weakness in one-half of the body, blurred vision, speech impairment and incontinence to loss of balance and difficulties with memory and higher mental function. It is critical that we are aware of the early warning signs and symptoms of stroke and seek treatment at a hospital which is equipped with facilities such as CT scan and MRI, ICU as well as neurological and neurosurgical expertise round the clock. The reason to act fast when a stroke is suspected is because for every second that a brain stroke is untreated, 1.4 million neurons are irreversibly lost, for every hour that passes without treatment, the brain ages 3 years; and a very efficacious clot buster treatment which dissolves the clot that has cut off blood supply to the brain is safe and effective only within the first 4.5 hours after onset of symptoms. The earlier the treatment is started after symptom onset, the more effective and safe it is for the patient.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF DANDELION

Dandelion is a very rich source of beta-carotene This flowering plant is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc,

and phosphorus. Dandelion contains protein too, more than spinach. It has been eaten for thousands of years and used to treat anemia, scurvy, skin problems, blood disorders, and depression.

Digestive Aid – Dandelion acts as a mild laxative that promotes digestion, stimulates appetite, and balances the natural and beneficial bacteria in the intestines.

Kidney – This weed-like superfood is a diuretic that helps the kidneys clear out waste, salt, and excess water. This inhibits microbial growth in the urinary system too.

Liver – Dandelion has been shown to improve liver function by removing toxins and reestablishing hydration and electrolyte balance.

Antioxidants – Every part of the dandelion plant is rich in antioxidants that prevent free-radical damage to cells and DNA.

Cancer – Dandelion acts against cancer to slow its growth and prevent its spread. The leaves are especially rich in the antioxidants and phytonutrients that combat cancer.

Diabetes –Dandelion helps regulate blood sugar and insulin levels.

High Blood Pressure –Dandelion increases urination which then lowers blood pressure. The fiber and potassium in dandelion also regulate blood pressure.

Cholesterol –Dandelion lowers and control cholesterol levels.

Gallbladder – Dandelion increases bile production and reduces inflammation to help with gallbladder problems and blockages.

Inflammation – Dandelion contains essential fatty acids and phytonutrients that reduce inflammation throughout the body. This can relieve pain and swelling.

Immune System –Dandelion boosts immune function and fights off microbes and fungi.

HERBS FOR INCREASING MILK PRODUCTION

1.Fenugreek

Fenugreek is considered a good remedy for stimulating the milk-producing glands. Fenugreek contains phytoestrogens that help increase breast milk production.

Soak one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds in one cup of water overnight. In the morning, boil this water along with the fenugreek seeds for several minutes. Strain the solution, and drink this tea every morning until you get positive results.

Note: Diabetic and asthmatic women must not use fenugreek remedies.

2. Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds also help increase breast milk production. This herb acts as a galactogogue, a substance that helps the body produce more breast milk. Plus, fennel seeds aid digestion and help prevent colic pain in small babies.

·         Add one tablespoon of fennel seeds to one cup of hot water. Cover the cup, let it steep for 30 minutes, and then strain the solution. Drink the tea twice daily for a month.

·         Alternatively, mix together one-half cup each of fennel seeds, cumin seeds and rock candy (misri) in a bowl. Grind the ingredients to make a fine powder. Have one teaspoon of it with one cup of milk three times a day for one or two weeks.

·         Also try to include fennel seeds in your cooking.

3. Cumin Seeds

Cumin seeds are also believed to stimulate milk production. Plus, cumin seeds improve digestion and provide relief from constipation, acidity and bloating. They are also a source of iron that provides strength to new mothers after childbirth.

·         Mix one teaspoon of cumin power with one teaspoon of sugar. Have this mixture with a glass of warm milk daily before going to bed for a few weeks.

·         Alternatively, add two teaspoons of cumin seeds to one-half cup of water and boil it. Strain the solution and add one-half cup of milk and one teaspoon of honey. Mix well and drink once daily for several weeks.

4. Cinnamon

According to Ayurveda, cinnamon will also help to increase secretion of breast milk. When nursing mothers eat cinnamon, it helps improve the flavor of breast milk that many babies seem to like. Plus, it helps delay the occurrence of menstruation after childbirth and prevents early conception.

1.      Mix a pinch of cinnamon powder and one-half teaspoon of honey.

2.      Have it along with a cup of warm milk.

3.      Repeat daily before going to bed for one or two months.

5. Garlic

Being an excellent galactagogue, garlic stimulates lactation. It has been found that nursing mothers who eat garlic tend to feed for a longer time, and babies even like the flavor of the milk.

1.      Finely grate three garlic cloves.

2.      Boil the grated garlic in one cup of water until the quantity is reduced to about one quarter.

3.      Add a cup of milk to the mixture and bring it to a boil again.

4.      Remove from heat, mix in one-half teaspoon of honey and strain it.

5.      Drink it once daily, in the morning, during the breastfeeding period.