Lactose intolerance

Many people suffer from lactose intolerance that is the inability or difficulty digesting milk sugar. Generally this is due to the lack of production or to the insufficient production of the enzyme lactase, found in the intestinal juices of mammals, and able to hydrolyze lactose into glucose and galactose.

Image by: Khaki

There are several grades of intolerance, since the quantity of lactase produced by the body varies from person to person. The most common symptoms are abdominal cramping, diarrhea, flatulence, nausea, etc. following the consumption of dairy products.

Specific diagnostic tests can indicate the lactose intolerance. Although there is no cure for such dysfunction, it is possible to minimize or prevent its symptoms by avoiding the ingestion of milk and its byproducts. Today there are many low-lactose products in the market that can satisfactorily replace the common ones.

Another possibility is to make use of lactase pills, a nutritional supplement, that must be ingested whenever products with lactose are ingested, and which can be taken on a daily basis without restrictions.

It is important to observe that the abolition of the use of dairy products may lead to a severe lack of calcium, considering that approximately 70% of the calcium obtained through nourishment comes from milk and its byproducts.

If you are experiencing these symptoms, look for medical assistance, to certify that it is actually a problem of lactose intolerance and to get a professional orientation adequate to your case.

The fact to present this digestive disorder, however, must not be a hindrance to taste the delicious dishes made of milk, like rice pudding, green corn gruel, cakes, puddings, stroganoff, souffles, etc.

A very efficient alternative is to replace the common milk, the condensed milk, the milk cream by the low-lactose milk, the soy milk, the soy condensed milk and the soy milk cream. The common chocolate powders enriched with milk by the organic milk free cocoa powders. These products are available in the majority of supermarkets, maybe a little more expensive it is true, but to get rid of the undesirable symptoms unleashed by the ingestion of lactose, it is certainly worthwhile!

It is not difficult to make the substitution of the ingredients, since the quantities are the same as those of the common products. Some difference in the consistency of the condensed milk and milk cream maybe noticed, but with the customary use good results can be attained.

If you wish to get some lactose free recipes of sweet and savory dishes, leave a comment and I will be glad to answer.

Research: www.iffgd.org

Sustainability II

by: Angelyne

(cont.)

To apply sustainability principles at home it is necessary to change the daily habits, learning to control the consumption of water and energy and reorganizing the waste destination.

Water

Image by: khaki

When washing dishes or brushing the teeth, keep the tap off to avoid unnecessary water consumption. Reduce bath time, keeping shower off while soaping. A tip that can help to decrease the consumption is not to let the water valve wide open, thus controlling the water flow. Another useful clue is to install collectors for rainwater, channeling it to a closed tank and retaining it to use for cleaning external areas and flushing toilets.

Image by: homero chapa

Light

It is necessary to get used to turn off the lights whenever leaving a room. The use of electric light should be avoided when there is still daylight. Incandescent bulbs should be replaced by fluorescent ones. Keep the TV, video and radio turned off when not in use. Gather all the laundry to iron at the same time, because turning on the electric iron at all times increases a lot the consumption of energy.

Waste

Image by: fabio grande

The choice for a healthy diet, rich in legumes, vegetables and fruits and a low ingestion of industrialized and frozen food also favors the sustainability, since the deriving residues, in majority organic, can be turned into compost for the garden, vases or kitchen garden of the house. The solid residues like plastic, tins, papers, boards, etc. can be cleaned and directed to selective waste collection. There are supermarkets and other places that make available the collection of recyclable materials.

Sustainability not only benefits the planet as a whole, but it also reverts in economy for those who practice it. 

Apple – the unforbidden fruit!

by: Angelyne

The apple is the fruit of the apple tree which belongs to the “Rosaceae” family, gender “Malus”.

Nutritional information: composed of 85.5% water, 0.5% proteins, 14% carbohydrates, contains the vitamins B1, B2 and Niacin, besides mineral salts, rich in quercetin, a promising substance that helps to prevent the formation of blood clots which can cause stroke. The apple is also a source of vitamin C that reinforces the immunologic system, aiding in healing and in the combat to aging. Purifies the organism as a whole.

Image by: khaki

Additional information: the apple is a natural cleanser and detoxicator. It is especially indicated to diabetes, obesity, stomach acidity, diarrhea, convalescence and favors the secretions of digestive system. It has beneficial effects to the heart due to its high percentage of potassium and by the presence of pectin, which avoids the deposition of fat in the arterial wall, preventing the arteriosclerosis. It can be used as a natural laxative since it helps in the elimination of feces. During digestion it absorbs the water, and the high percentage of potassium contained in its pulp releases the exceeding sodium, eliminating the excess of water retained in the body, preventing the feces from becoming dried and causing constipation. Its consumption helps to prevent and maintain the cholesterol rates within acceptable levels, being recommended a daily ingestion of one unit with its peel, because that effect is due to the high level of pectin contained in the peel. The apple is a good helper in the process of weight reduction since the pectin hampers the absorption of fat and glucose, and eliminates the cholesterol. It eliminates the toxins and dissolves the uric acid, preventing digestive cancer, avoiding allergies, dissolving kidneys and gallbladder stones. It combats arthritis, gout, rheumatism and sciatica. Being a natural tranquilizer it procures a relaxing sleep. Its dried peel is used in teas to purify the blood and as a diuretic. The apple also has the property of cleaning the teeth, invigorating the gums and its acids help on the digestion of fat food. When you are not able to brush your teeth after a meal, eat an apple!

For a better profit from its vitamins, the ideal is to consume it in natura without peeling, because it is in its peel that the majority of the vitamins and mineral salts are located.

 

Recipe: Apples with honey, almonds and Brazil nuts*

Ingredients:

3 apples

Honey to taste

Almonds, toasted and chopped

Brazil nuts, chopped

3 cinnamon sticks

Directions: Wash well the apples and get rid of cores with the help of a knife. Put them in a baking dish. Place a cinnamon stick inside the resulting hole and add the honey, almonds and Brazil nuts to taste. Pour more honey over them and take to pre-heated oven at 180ºC. Let bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the peel cracks. During the baking, add a small cup of water and then irrigate the apples with the resulting syrup. When the apples caramelize, remove from oven, let dry and serve cold.

They can also be served with vanilla ice cream.

* If Brazil nuts are not available on your end you can replace them by walnuts.

Reincarnation: to believe in it is an option

by: Angelyne

Image by: Creativity103

We do not know for sure where do we come from and where we are going to.

The fear of the unknown incites the idealization of justifications that enable its acceptance. From such idealization beliefs, deities, sects and religions come about. Thus, since his origin the man attributes to deities the phenomena to which he has not any logical explanation.

Each religion has its own interpretation for the phenomena of life and death. Some believe that life is a gift from God and that the death is the end of everything. Others believe that the death is a transition to a happy eternal life or to the eternal expiation of all sins. Yet others believe that the death leads to an intermediate state while the soul waits for a new life: a reincarnation. On one point all religions come together: what determine man's subsequent fate are his own life choices. If he acted righteously he will be rewarded, if he acted against the precepts he will be punished.

No matter what the explanations are, what really counts is that they must be capable to subside the anxiety generated by doubts.

How to decide which of those beliefs inspires more security and less anxiety?

Let us consider: a belief is a choice that we do intending to dissolve our doubts and therefore having our anxiety under control. If we opt to believe in death as being the end of everything, or in the eternal expiation of our sins, we will be accepting a cruel and partial fate that does not allow us any opportunity to correct our errors.

Why do some people lead a calm and happy life whereas others undergo terrible diseases and deprivations? Why do some people are so good and charitable while others are so cruel and malevolent? Is it fair that such deep differences start and end just here within this short life?

If we observe nature we will see that everything goes through successive transformations. If God allows this evolution to nature why would He deny it to man, who is part of it as well? Why not to believe that the man can equally go through transformations so as to attain to other evolutional stages?

If we believe in a perfect Creator God, Almighty, we cannot believe He is cruel and partial; He has to be sage, good and fair! So, to believe that He will give us the opportunity to redeem our sins, changing our behavior, correcting our faults seems to be the most sensible attitude. The one who was stricken with suffering and pain will be able to experience peace and well-being; the one who inflicted suffering and pain will be able to endure them himself and repent. The one who was good and charitable will be able to gain more advanced stages in the evolutional scale. 


This is what reincarnation is. To believe in it is an option, justified by the possibility that God might grant us to start over. The reincarnation could be the answer capable to clarify our doubts and appease our anxiety towards the unknown future.

Think about it!

Sustainability I

by: Angelyne

Image by: Jakub Krechowicz

Sustainability is the watchword now, but what is Sustainability? 
It is the word to designate a number of practices to enhance our relationship with nature aiming at its preservation.
It is an extensive subject matter which we will return to in future posts.

Introduction

During millennia the man unconcernedly explored the resources from Earth as if they were infinite. Multiplied and spread all over the planet like a plague. Cut down forests, decimated species, built metropolis, polluted the environment, channeled rivers, built dams, dug huge mines, modifying forever the geography of his surroundings.

With his immoderate growth and his unpaired voracity he went exhausting the riches of the planet, imperiling his own subsistence. Our planet is not indeed endangered, it will still be here for long after we had ceased to exist. We ourselves are actually who are in danger due to our attitudes.

The existence of the Earth elapses across millions of years while ours only within mere decades, but in so little time, we were capable of such a damage! Becoming aware of our destructive power we realize that we ought to try and revert this situation. But how?  

To put the principles of sustainability into practice there must be a collective endeavor so that concrete results can be achieved. Starting from home, each of us must do its part, saving energy and water, recycling whatever possible, caring properly of non-reusable waste.

In business, adopting practices that aim not only at profit, but also at the respect towards environmental and social factors.

The attitude of the government leaders should also be in tune with the sustainability practices, investing and stimulating the environmental protection.

(cont. next Wednesday)                                                                    

Living: Inedited Activity

(Instructions for use not included)

by: Angelyne

"Living itself is dying, because we don´t have a single day more in our lives that we don´t have, thereon, a day less in it."  Fernando Pessoa

Living is always an inedited activity, for no life is equal to another, no matter how similar.

We receive our lives without instructions for use, if not for the help of our bearers, we would not survive or would do it precariously. We receive from our parents, or bearers, the values that will guide our first steps. On the long run, we will add to such values those learnt from other people, and also acquired through our own experience. This baggage will consolidate as our life skills.

Our perception of the reality is influenced by the space, time and affective condition and will improve according to our interaction with others, which can take place by way of the coexistence, the reading, the cinema, the television, and so on, being absorbed through the filter of our imagination. Our life, therefore, does not enframe within exact parameters; it is at the same time real and unreal.

Divided into past, present and future, it can frequently be distorted due to deviations of the understanding of such phases. It is the case of the person who is stuck to the past, missing precious opportunities to experience the present; or that one who is so worried about the future that sacrifices the present preparing itself for the days to come.

How to learn to live in a full and satisfactory manner? Although there is no strict recipe to be followed, there is an effective indicator, which is the common sense. For a balanced life it is important to observe each new situation and act in a way to best solve the adversities, without deploring the losses, and take the maximum profit from the good opportunities, keeping in mind that both adversities and good opportunities are transient. 

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. Remember that life allows no sketch, nor trial: what is done is done! Have in mind that each day is one day less.

Do not to get stuck to the past, using it only as a reference not to make the same mistakes, and do not let yourself to be guided by grudges and repressions. Do not pay excessive attention to the future, most or our plans may not outcome as expected. 

As the saying goes: "A man proposes, but God disposes."