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Healthy green gram idli
Today we are presenting another green gram recipe ” green gram idli”. Green gram supply good amount of protein and idli prepared using green gram tastes good! It is also recommended for breakfast or could be a lunch item. Try healthy green gramidli with coconut chutney combination today!
Green gram idli recipe
Ingredients:
Green gram – 1cup
Urad dal/split black gram – ¾ cup
Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
Salt as per your taste
Chopped cilantro – 2 Tbsp
Asafetida – pinch
Grated carrot – 1 Tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – chopped few
Ginger – small cut 1.5 tsp
Green chilli – small cut 1 or 2
Preparation:
Wash green gram soak in 2 cups of warm water for about 5 to 6 hours.
Wash and soak urad dal in 2 cups of water.
After soaking, rinse and grind the soaked green gram first by adding little by little water. Let it be a coarse grinding and it should not be too much paste texture.
Grind Urad dal to a smooth batter.
Mix both green gram and urad dal batter. Add salt and mix well. Consistency of the batter should be not too thin or thick. It should be like rice idli batter consistency.
Ferment the batter overnight
Next day, prepare seasoning using mustard, curry leaves and add to batter. Add finely cut ginger, green chilli, coriander leaves and grated carrot to the fermented batter and mix well.
Grease idli plates using oil and pour seasoned, fermented batter.
Steam cook ildlis for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, wait for few minutes. Using a spoon remove idlis from idli plates, transfer to a hot box or serve immediately with coconut chutneyand sambar.
Fabric sheets or dryer sheets can be handy and help to clean stuffs around the house. Try these 12 fabric sheets hacks to clean regular items at home!
Cleaning electronic items
Use fabric sheet / dryer sheet to clean TV and computer screens without damaging or scratching the screen. Wipe dust off from screen of electronic items including your smart phones.
Clean vessels
Keep a fabric sheet in dirty vessel and fill it with water. If the vessel is very dirty, then let it sit in the sink for few hours. Remove fabric sheet after few hours and you will see all that gunk comes outwithout much fight.
Pet hair removal
To remove pet hair vacuum cleaner is helpful. However pet hair can clog vacuum. Wipe fabric sheet on furniture, bed and other areas where pet hair is present. Fabric sheet attracts pet hair makes it easy to clean.
Dry spills
If any dry materials such as face powder, flour, baking soda etc. falls on floor and counter top use a fabric sheet to wipe. Dry particles stick to fabric sheet easily, making it easy to clean further.
Air freshener
Use scented fabric sheets as air freshener in your car and home. Tape fabric sheets near air vents and fresh scent pleasant odor circulates in the house and vehicle.
Remove soap scum
Using damped dryer sheets to remove soap scum in the sink by scrubbing it on the scum. You can use it for shower door, tile, sink and shower curtain. You will be surprised to see the result!
Get rid of water stains
Just use dryer sheet and scrub the water stain in vessels or areas where there is water stain. It works good on bathroom mirror too!
Clean iron
Remove any gunk sitting on iron plate. Just run the iron over the dry sheet with low heat setting. Plates clean well.
Glass door cleaner
To clean glass door windows, sliding doors, storm doors use fabric sheet. Dampen the fabric sheet and scrub the glass door to remove scum, oil or hard water stains.
10. Clean scissors blade
If scissors blade not working properly, run dryer sheet over both blades. It acts lubricant and scissor turns sharp.
11.Remove deodorant mark
Some deodorants can leave mark on your shirts. Use dryer sheet and rub on deodorant mark.
12. Place in stinky shoes
Remove bad odor from stinky shoes by inserting scented dryer sheet . It absorbs the bad odor by deodorizing action.
Have you noticed anxiety and tension in your system when you see things are cluttered in your house? People who thrive on cluttered environment experience lot of anxiety study says. Clutter is nothing but collection of things and things laying around in a disorganized manner. You can call it untidy mess. It can happen at your work station too. Papers, pens, coffee mugs and other objects scattered all over on your desk and things sitting on your counter tops in kitchen, clothes on sofa and floor – all these are best examples of clutters.
There are people who want everything in pristine condition that helps them to go through daily activities without any tension. They don’t like things sitting around or laying around. The moment they see something is not in its place and find it elsewhere it bothers them. These people always manage time, organize their stuffs and get through the day easily. Whereas there is second group of people who work in clutter and take time to find things, not organized. This can ultimately cause tension, anxiety and stress in the system – this is the new finding from Neuroscience Institute of Princeton University.
What happens when things are cluttered around us?
Holding onto things that we don’t want and keep accumulating stuffs in disorganized manner only can harm us. When we are surrounded by clutter or mess – our mind feels overwhelming response. One might not be able to realize it. This overwhelming takes away the focus from the important work that might needed attention, it can disturb productivity, creativity and things won’t get done or very little will get accomplished. Next what happens is, it becomes difficult to relax until the person fulfilled the responsibility or commitment.
Clutter also triggers mind to feel guilty and frustrated. If there is something need to be done, unless cleaning the mess around work cannot be completed – it puts mind to unrest, uneasy, frustrated followed by guilty of not doing anything about it.
Clutter also brings shadow on our thinking. Means, mind won’t be clear and we cannot ever remember or locate items, notes or stuffs that we are looking for.
According to psychology professor Sabine Kastner, visual clutter competes with our brain’s ability to pay attention and tires out our cognitive functions over time.
Decluttering helps
Decluttering is organizing things in a proper manner that helps us to complete work. Decluttering gives us ample of time to be creative, productive and happy. Letting go off stuffs that we don’t need and keeping things in order will not just clear your desk, home or room – it clears mind too. Decluttering brings down anxiety and stress level because you can focus on things that need your attention and mind clears to be creative once again.
To declutter
Take time and go through your stuffs – keep stuffs that you really need, separate the ones which you have not used in past 6 months to 2 years. Take those stuffs which you have not used (unless it is highly valuable), have a yard sale or give it away to charity.
Papers organized: Instead of piling up papers, go paperless and get your bills and other information delivered to inbox. If you get papers by post, organize the papers on priority basis or in other ways which makes it easy to find.
Designate space: For those items that you use often, designated certain place to easily find them. Do not mix beauty products with kitchen stuffs or office stuffs with your home papers.
Children toy: Buy couple of boxes and put children toy in boxes. Teach children to put toys back in place after their playtime.
Keep area clean after decluttering. Keep beautiful plants in your home and work desk or decorate the place with your favorite items. These arrangements will help you to focus on your work and life won’t be dull.
Decluttering means it is helping oneself to increase focus, feel satisfied and to be tension free. It improves mental health and removes anxiety.
Image credit: Photo by Sander from Pexels (Free for commercial use)
Also known as mung bean, green gram is one of the top nutritious food that is good for all seasons. It not only good for cholesterol and heart conditions, it is known to lower blood pressure. It clears body system and removes toxic substances. Green gram cutlet is packed with nutrients and khichadi is another dish prepared using green gram for people who suffer from fever and in the road of recovery. Traditionally green gram dishes are favorite of those who fast on regular basis or onfestival occasion like Shivarathri. Green gram sundal is a delicious dish with simple ingredients and very easy to prepare.
Green gram sundal
Ingredients
Whole Green Gram : 1.5 cups*
Green chilly: 2-3
Asafetida: a pinch
Curry leaves : few
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Grated fresh coconut: 2 tbsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Chopped coriander -1/2 cup
Cooking oil: 2 tbsp
Preparation:
Soak green gram in hot water for 1 to 2 hours.
Pressure cook green gram. Do not overcook ( to avoid it turning to paste)
Place frying pan on medium heat, add mustard, green chilli, asafetida and curry leaves.
Add cooked green gram and salt. Mix well and turn the heat to low for few more minutes.
Turn off the heat and to cooked green gram add fresh grated coconut, chopped coriander and lemon juice. Mix well.
Serve hot green gram sundal with coffee or tea – your choice!
One can soak green gram a day before, sprout it and use for sundal.
Nutmeg is a spice used in small quantities in various dishes and cuisines. Nutmeg is the only spice that has two distinct spicesin it – nutmeg and nutmace! It has sweet aroma and hence the Botanical name Myristica fragrans. It is cultivated in the Caribbean, South India and Malaysia.
Nutmace is the orange reddish lacy structured that covers nutmeg seed. It gives a slight orange color to dishes. Both nutmeg and nutmace have many health benefits and are part of traditional remedies. Nutmeg is a moderate size tree and bark and leaves are also used in medicine preparation. In cuisines grounded nutmeg used in pinches while preparing curry powder, desserts and many non-vegetarian dishes. It gives a strong flavor to food. It is added in masala mixes.
Nutmeg contains myristicin, eugenol, safrole type of volatile oils and is rich in minerals such as magnesium, manganese and copper. It has other nutrients in abundant too -Beta carotein, dietary fiber, folic acid, Vitamin A, B, C, niacin and macelignan.
Adding nutmeg in food can help in several conditions.
Do you know? “Both nutmeg and mace contain antioxidants and disease-preventing phytochemicals”
It is aphrodisiac: Nutmeg stimulates nerves and is considered one of the best brain tonic. It reduces stress and anxiety. Essential oil of nutmeg is aphrodisiac and improves moods, reduces depression, fatigue and stress.
To get good sleep: Boil milk and add a pinch of nutmeg powder. Drink before going to bed. It reduces insomnia and helps to get good sleep. Nutmace powder has same effect as nutmeg powder. It reduces nerve tension and stimulate release of serotonin. While drinking with milk you can little turmeric or saffron with nutmeg powder.
For easy digestion: Adding nutmeg powder or sprinkling little nutmeg powder in curry, soups helps to improve digestion and it reduces constipation and bloating. It improves bowel movement and removes gas. Add pinch nutmeg powder in one glass amla juice and drink daily for a week to improve digestion.
For skin health: For centuries nutmeg is an important ingredient of skin care products. The natural antimicrobial property of nutmeg helps in removal of blackheads, pimples and clogged pores. To use at home mix little nutmeg powder in honey and milk cream. Prepare paste and apply on affected areas. Live it for few minutes and wash face. Another remedy is – mix nutmeg and turmeric powder with yogurt, prepare a paste and apply on face. Avoid eye area. Leave it for few minutes and wash using warm water.
Relieves pain: Volatile oils present in nutmeg helps in reducing muscle pain. Anti-inflammatory properties of volatile oil is good for treating muscle and joint pain. Warm few drops of nutmeg oil and apply on affected area to get relief from pain, swelling and body soreness.
For bad breath: Improper digestive system, diet and unhealthy food consumption can lead to bad breath. Nutmeg and mace helps in detoxifying the body and removes unnecessary toxins accumulation in the system. It is a common ingredient in Ayurvedic toothpastes and gum medicines. Eugenol is an essential that is present in clove is also present in nutmeg. It helps in reducing bad breath and improves gum health.
Cold and cough reducer: Mace spice often used in treating both cough and cold. Traditional cough medicines contains mace as one of the ingredient and cold rubs contain mace spice too. It is a good remedy for asthma and helps in breathing.
Blood circulation: Add pinch of nutmeg powder into smoothies, fruit juices and while preparing curry. Mineral contents present in nutmeg helps in improving blood circulation and brings balance in blood pressure.
Kidney health: Nutmeg is a diuretic and promotes urination. Studies show that adding or consuming pinch of nutmeg along with food helps in reducing kidney stone problem.
Apart from above medicinal properties both nutmeg and mace spices are used in preparation of dessert and soups. One can add these two spices in puddings, muffins, cakes, bread, sweets,masala tea, pickles, curries and soups.
Some people are allergic to different types of nuts. If you develop allergic reactions after consuming nutmeg spices, stop using them. If you would like to use this spice first make sure that you are not allergic to nutmeg or mace.
Image credit: https://www.needpix.com/photo/1123475/nutmeg-hand-sri-lanka-spices-free-pictures-free-photos-free-images-royalty-free-free-illustrations (Free for commercial use)
When you are in gym or fitness center you might see some people with heavy muscles and getting trained, working hard to build muscles. Bigger is better is what these people think, and they are commonly called “bodybuilders”. For some it is a profession and they participate in competition throughout the year. Their goal is to win the championship and become a figure model! Figure modelsare competitive body builders. It takes unnatural level of self-discipline to get into that shape.
At some point bodybuilding goes too far and leads to a psychiatric disorder called muscle dysmorphia also known as bigorexia or reverse anorexia. This condition is gaining attention for all wrong reasons. Nearly 2 percent of people who are into body building in US alone are suffering from this disorder. The number might look small, but it is one in 50 Americans who struggle to keep their constant bodybuilding with different methods. According to a study this symptom affected over 10 percent of existing bodybuilders who even used steroids for body building.
Who develops bigorexia?
Bigorexia is most commonly seen in men and can occur in both genders. Exercise addiction can result in development of bigorexia. Work environments where image, weight and appearance are important factors of their job such as modeling, acting, dancing, body building, ice skating etc. are at the risk of developing bigorexia. If a person has a history of being bullied for appearance in childhood and watching domestic violence (mental trauma) are other reasons for bigorexia.
What are symptoms of bigorexia?
People especially men who have muscle dysmorphia or bigorexia are generally preoccupied with body image and wish to look very muscular.
They be afraid of losing muscle and weight, a feeling of withering away.
They go for excessive exercise and aim at bulking up by building muscles.
Often their focus is on themselves in terms of body building and neglect their life activities. Most of the time they spend their life in training, fitness centers.
If the goal is to become a figure model that person’s life will be dedicated to the fitness center more than ever. They workout 2 to 3 hours in the day and their eating habit will change considerably. Every day, every minute of their gym life their goal is to be bigger and better than last time.
Often, they say “no pain, no gain” which means hardcore workout to develop body.
Using steroids and/or other body building products
Ignoring family time, skipping work and spending more time in gym
Working out even in fever, pain or in injury
Depending on excessive amounts of food supplements
What is the risk of muscle dysmorphia?
According to Stuart Murray a clinical psychologist and co-director of National Association for males with Eating disorders patients with MD often display “disordered eating, rigid rules of protein consumption, having to eat every X number of hours, having to eat X number of grams of protein per body weight, and distress if one deviates from those. And we see pretty compulsive exercise practices usually oriented to the development of muscularity”
Muscle dysmorphia is a psychiatric condition that is hitting every gym almost in every part of the world and for some it can be a threat to health. According Maik Wiedenbach, Olympic class athlete, it is normal in body building wanting to get bigger and better. A person can do it and stay healthy. But people who develop bigorexia does not think anything else. All they want is to get bigger and better and that ruins their lives.
Body building is not pathological. Healthy body building in terms of sports and balancing other priorities in life is possible. However, people will take it in a negative manner and that increases the risk factors. Those who suffer from muscle dysmorphia often display misperception about their body. They believe they are undefined and small. They feel fear of losing weight and getting smaller in their social circle. In the name of building musculature, they even keep family life away.
Potential risks of bigorexia are: damaged muscles, joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments due to heavy weight lifting regiments and not allowing muscles to rest or recover from irritations or injury.
Those who have the symptoms and hitting gym daily to build muscles should consider treatment in order to avoid the dangerous side effects. It is possible to overcome the disorder with proper treatment. During treatment doctors will help in addressing underlying issues, help in coping methods and suggest how to deal with body image stress. This will bring back a person to healthy lifestyle.
On Mahashivaratri day it is very auspicious to honor Lord Shiva the first yogi of Yoga culture. Derived from the Sanskrit word yuj, Yoga means union of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit. Yoga is a 5000 year old Indian body of knowledge. Though many think of yoga only as a physical exercise where people twist, turn, stretch, and breathe in the most complex ways, these are actually only the most superficial aspect of this profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human mind and soul. Mahashivratri is a festival that was chosen to honour Shiva, the Adi Guru, from whom yoga originated. On this night the planetary positions in the northern hemisphere are such that there is a natural upsurge of energies.
Hindu God Lord Shiva (Eshwara) is considered to be the Guru (teacher). In the yogic culture, Shiva is known as the first Guru or the Adi Guru. He is the Adi Yogi.. Out of his realisation, he became ecstatic and danced all over the mountains or sat absolutely still.. All the gods who saw him, saw something was happening to him that they themselves did not know.
Suddenly heaven felt like a bad place, because Shiva seems to be having lots of fun! They felt, “We are missing out on something.” When they finally got him to teach the method, Shiva expounded various types of yogas depending upon the level of preparedness of the person who was sitting in front of him.
The first part of Shiva’s teaching was to Parvati, his wife. In great detail, and in very gentle ways, Shiva expounded the ways of yoga to Devi. The yoga sutras of Shiva are such that almost in every sutra, he refers to her as the resplendent one, the gracious one, the beautiful one.
The second set of yogic teaching was expounded to the Sapta Rishis, or the first seven sages. For every being on the planet, there is a certain way that is the advantage of yoga. This teaching happened on the banks of Kanti Sarovar, near Kedarnath. This is when the world’s first yoga programme happened. There are as many postures as there are living creatures; and Maheśvara (the great Lord) knows their distinguishing features. Siḍḍha, bhaḍra, simha and paḍma are the four (chief) postures.
Legendary guru B.K.S. Iyengar confirms this in his book, Light on Yoga, where he says that yoga positions “are also called after gods of the Hindu pantheon and some recall the Avataras, or incarnation of Divine Power.”
See more Yoga poses of Lord Shiva
Lord Yoga poses
Marichasana : Twist pose of Lord Shiva The Yoga Lord:Sit on the floor and stretch the legs forward. Bend the left knee and heel should touch the back of the thigh. It should be perpendicular to the ground. Move the shoulder and stretch the arms back and hold the hands. Turn slowly to the left and take a few breaths.
Marichasana
Parivratta Natarajasana: Lord shiva’s tandavanritya is Natarajasana : This is a balance asana that strengthens the legs. It also is a full body stretch, which engages the shoulders, chest and abdomen, strengthens the thigh and calf muscles, knees and ankles, hips and spine, and develops concentration and grace.
Dhyana mudra
Lord Shiva in Dhyana mudra : The Dhyāna mudrā (“meditation mudra”) is the gesture of meditation and the concentration of the good. The two hands are placed on the lap, right hand on left with fingers fully stretched (four fingers resting on each other and the thumbs facing upwards towards one another diagonally), palms facing upwards; in this manner, the hands and fingers form the shape of a triangle, which is symbolic of the spiritual fire or the Triratna (the three jewels)
Vrikshasana
Vrikshasana of Lord Shiva & Parvathi: The asana is pronounced as VRIK-shAH-sana.This posture replicates the graceful, steady stance of a tree. Unlike most yoga poses, the Tree Pose requires keeping our eyes open in order to maintain body balance.
Chin mudra of Lord Shiva
Chin mudra of Lord Shiva:Form a circle by joining your thumb and your forefinger, Place the nail of your index finger against the soft pad of the thumb, Extend the last three fingers of your hands, the palm-side facing upwards, It is important that the palm-side of your hands should face upwards in the receiving pose. If the palm-side faces downward, the gesture becomes the jnana mudra. When you are meditating, form the Chin Mudra and place your hands on your knees to stimulate the “Nadi”.
Half lotus tree pose of Lord Dakshinamurthy
Half lotus tree pose of Lord Dakshinamurthy :Here Lord Shiva is exhibiting vyakhyanamudra in left hand and Gnyana mudra in right hand both representing knowledge and removing evil through knowledge. In this pose one has to concentrate the mind and breathe while slowly inhaling and exhaling.
Virabhadrasana
Virabhadrasana Warrior 1 Pose is an asana commemorating the exploits of a mythical warrior. Stand straight with your legs wide apart by a distance of at least 3-4 feet. Turn your right foot out by 90 degrees and left foot in by about 15 degrees. Stretch your both hand on opposite directions with palm facing down, When we practice one of the three versions of Virabhadrasana, Vernon notes, we cultivate the mind of the warrior, who must go into battle unattached to the fruits of his actions—one who has 360-degree vision and can see all things. “You look to all sides in the poses, but you try to hold to your center and not be pulled every which way,” she says. “Virabhadrasana teaches us to go into the field of life and stay in the center of our being.” If you can imagine yourself as a fearless warrior sent on a divine mission, you just might find renewed strength and vigor in the poses as well as the courage and determination to face life’s challenging moments.
Pain, cramp and weakness in legs can harm our day to day routine. Unable to walk shorter distance, climbing steps, not able to stand on feet for more than ten minutes, cramps in legs are symptoms of leg weakness and decreased strength in legs.
Many reasons can be attributed for weak legs – over activities, no exercise, arthritis, sitting or standing for longer period, weakness in muscles, damage in nerves, nutrients deficiency and poor blood circulation are common reasons for weakness in legs. Sedentary life style can have greater impact on flexibility of muscles and it causes severe leg pain. Sometimes leg injuries can be reason for weakness.
Common symptoms of leg weakness
Swelling in calves and feet
Muscle spasms day and night
Burning sensation in feet and entire leg
Tingling and twitching
Impaired balance
Back pain and knee pain
Unable to walk shorter distance
Strengthen weak legs and reduce leg pain, weakness and increase blood circulation and flexibility with these tips:
Massage: Massage legs regularly using warm sesame oil, coconut oil or olive oil for about 15 to 20 mins. Giving massage twice a day helps muscle to relax.
Keep hydrated: Consider eating more water-based vegetables and fruits. Take less salt and drink recommended amount of water to prevent dehydration of body. In between and after exercise consider drinking water. Avoid too much caffeinated drinks as they can cause dehydration.
Walking: Walking everyday for 20 to 30 mins helps blood circulation and builds muscle strength.
Exercises: There are many exercises are recommended for weak legs (see below images). Repeating each pose for 3 to 5 times helps muscles to be active and strong.
Leg strengthening exercises
Vitamin D: Deficiency of vitamin D results in weakness of muscles. Get checked for vitamin D deficiency and if it is low then consider taking supplements. Sitting in Sun helps to get vitamin. Eat vitamin D rich food – orange juice, fortified milk etc. in diet helps too.
Acupressure/acupuncture: Both these treatments helps to release the pain.
Protein: Include protein your diet. If you are vegetarian or vegan find out what are the protein rich sources. Lentil, nuts, yogurt, milk, soy products are few examples.
Other nutrients: Potassium, magnesium, Vitamin B are critical for leg strengthening. Include foods that contain these nutrients -oatmeal, yogurt, cheese, banana, spinach, almonds, tomato, pomegranate, sweet potato, prune in your daily diet. Figs are good sources of calcium and magnesium that are essential for bone strengthening. Vegetarians are often having low Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 supplements helps to reduce leg pain.
Avocados with omega-3, oranges supply vitamin C, grape juice rich in flavonoids, anti-inflammatory fruits like blueberries, anti-inflammatory root vegetables like ginger and turmeric, amino acids in watermelon are other good sources of foods that help to strengthen legs.
General do’s and don’ts for leg strengthening:
Avoid sitting or standing in same position for too ling. Take break when you feel that legs are getting heavy and tired. Walk for 10 mins.
Do not smoke, smoke has larger impact on blood circulation
Avoid too much salt in food as it causes edema
Reduce or avoid eating food high in saturated fats
Elevate your legs while sleeping. Rest legs on elevated foot rest while sitting.
If your legs are constantly hurting and pain is recurring contact your physician to understand the reason for your pain.
Image: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay (Free for commercial use) & www.werindia.com
