Ice creams from Japan

Ice cream is probably the most favored desert throughout the world. It is said that the recipe for ice creams was brought over from china to Europe, and there began the fame of this desert, where it was prepared and served to the rich and the famous. According to the history, ice cream came to America in the 1700s, George Washington served it to his guests and the first ice cream parlor was opened in New York in 1776. Ice cream has come a long way since then. Today ice cream is popular the world over, with countless number of flavors being invented every year.

Today there are probably hundreds of ice cream flavors being manufactured over the world, but some of them always remain the all time favorites. But there have also been some frightening additions to the list of flavors. Japan, after having conquered the electronics and the automobiles department, thought of trying its hand in the ice cream inventions department. And the results, well... I would leave that up to you to decide.

Japan is famous for its exquisite sea food, and so it is natural that they would think of using its abundant ingredients and incorporate them with ice creams. And so some of the ice creams they have come up with are Fish ice cream, octopus ice cream, squid ice cream, crab ice cream, shrimp, and eel ice cream. And the delicacies in this category would be whale ice cream, the shark fin noodle ice cream, oyster ice cream, sea weed ice cream. There’s even a deep sea water ice cream that uses sea water to make the ice creams, but somehow the salty doesn’t really go well here.

Moving on from the sea food section, there are enough whacky concoctions even for the vegetarians out there. Try the garlic ice cream, sweet potato, fried eggplant, corn, koshihikari rice ice cream (koshihikari is the Japanese favorite local rice), wasabi (a horseradish paste which gives a punch to sushi), Nagoya noodle ice cream, Miso (bean paste) ice cream, spinach, lettuce and potato, wheat, curdled bean (fermented beans, smell repulsive and taste horrible) ice cream, No better way to make your kids eat their vegetables, isn’t it?

And for all you meat lovers out there, there is something for you too. Try the famous Japanese ox tongue ice cream, chicken wing ice cream, raw horseflesh and goat ice cream. If you like your daily drinks, you could try mixing them up with your pint of ice cream the next time like the ones they sell in Japanese supermarkets, stout (black beer) ice cream, red wine ice cream and potato liquor ice cream.

And for those with an adventure streak try the pit viper ice cream made from one of the most poisonous snakes or the charcoal ice cream. And don’t miss the Indian curry ice cream, but just remember not to go on a date after eating it!

I have always thought of the Japanese as the most unconventional thinkers, and I think I was right about that. I’m not sure anyone else could come up with so many new inventions, each flavor wackier than the last one!

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

Holistic Nutrition: Diet That Heals the Mind and Body

Holistic nutrition is a special diet formulated by the holistic medical practitioners for treating a patient in a ‘wholistic’ manner. The goal of holistic medicine is to treat the body and the mind of the patients simultaneously. It is the mind and the body which makes a ‘whole’ individual and since this treatment emphasizes on both the organic and functional relations between the mind and the body parts, it is called ‘wholistic’ or holistic medicine.

Holistic nutrition is just a part of holistic therapy or treatment. Holistic practitioners believe diet is a crucial factor in the well being of a person and a proper diet makes a big difference in a person’s lifestyle. Food can indirectly impact the mental and physical balance of a person, negatively or positively. So, holistic nutrition forms an integral part of this branch of medicine which tries to cure a person from various ailments though effective nutrition.

Holistic nutritionists say everybody requires a particular amount of all the nutrients, for the mind and body to be in harmony with each other and with the surroundings. Holistic nutrition can create that perfect balance of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and all the other components to take the body to the maximum heights of energy. When one gains the maximum energy levels, the overall psychological and physical health starts taking a positive turn.

However, each body has its own unique requirements and thus this balance of nutrients can vary from one individual to another. This is where the holistic nutritionists play a significant role. They device diet charts according to the specific nutritional requirement of the individuals and their health status. Though, this is quite a new form of healing, but people who have trusted this form of medication, have got rid of diseases and disorders like diabetes, cancer, heart problems and obesity.

Holistic nutrition discourages the consumption of stale or cold foods and beverages. The mantra of holistic nutrition is to consume freshly cooked food made from all farm fresh or organic ingredients. This is because fresh foods have the power to provide the right energy or ‘chi’ which heal the mind and the body and improve the overall well being of a person. Holistic nutrition is not only for people suffering from ailments. It is also for normal people. This kind of nutrition also addresses adequacy as well as digestion patterns of an individual to moderate the body-mind balance. This in turn optimizes the spiritual health of a person too.

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

What Are Heartworm- It’s Important for Dog Owners to Know

Dog heartworm is one of the commonest diseases found in dogs and cats throughout the United States. As the name very well suggests the disease involves the heart of the dog. The parasites called “heart worms” cripple the heart of the dog until it ceases functioning. And one day the dog may simply die without any warning. This disease can literally worsen to such an extent.

The most disturbing aspect of this disease is that the dog does not show much of the symptoms until it reaches the last stages. This means that it is possible that your dog might be suffering severely from this disease without you knowing anything about it. So the best way to find it out is to take your dog for all the scheduled monthly checkups. The vet can easily check about the presence of heartworms by performing some simple blood tests.

Some dogs despite of suffering severely from this disease do not exhibit any remarkable symptoms whereas other dogs may not be suffering severely but still exhibit some serious symptoms such as coughing, retching, wheezing and coughing while exercising, loss of consciousness, bloody sputum, heavy breathing and build-up of fluid in the abdomen.

Heartworms are basically capable of doing a lot of damage hence it becomes important for you to be aware of the dangers associated with heartworm infestation and to take all the necessary preventive measures.

Heartworms are medically known as “Dirofilaria immitis” and normally float around the blood vessels of the heart’s right ventricle. These parasites start their active life in the form of larva inside the mosquito. The mosquito is in fact both the host as well as the carrier of this parasite. The mosquito sucks the infected blood from a diseased dog and then injects the infected blood in your healthy dog. Once the larvae enter the body of your dog, they enter the blood vessels and reach to the heart’s right side with the help of blood movement. These worms anchor themselves in the heart and start growing and multiplying.

The treatment of this disease entirely depends on the present stage of your dog. Preventive medication of heartworm disease is widely available. It is a little expensive but as a responsible dog owner you must give it to your dog as per the veterinarian’s recommendation. Usually the dose is increased during the mosquito season. It is always better not to miss regular checkups in order to keep your dog safe and healthy.

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea has many health benefits. For many centuries, green tea has been a popular medicinal herb and even today, is used widely in Asian countries like China. This is the reason why green tea has attained so much popularity all around the globe.

Green tea helps in lowering the harmful cholesterol levels. It is power packed with antioxidants. And so green tea also has capacity to fight cancer cells. Many health ailments including blood pressure, cardiac problems etc. can be prevented with the regular consumption of green tea. People in France have high fat diet. But still they are not obese. They stay perfectly healthy because they consume green tea.

Green tea has an amazing capacity of fighting with bacteria. And so if you have any bacterial or viral infection, Green tea can be the best medicine. Green tea is also believed to enhance weight loss process. Many people, who want to lose weight, rely on green tea. Green tea has an effective ingredient called poly-phenol. This ingredient is quite effective and beneficial. There are many different kinds of tea but green tea is the best. This is so because green tea has more antioxidants. According to a research institute in Tokyo, the best way to prevent cancer is to consume green tea regularly. It has capacity to fight all types of cancer.

Green tea also stimulates oral health. If you rinse your mouth with green tea after every meal, your teeth can be protected from bacterial infections. Green tea also stimulates your metabolism. You will be blessed with a great immunity once you start consuming green tea on regular basis.

You can burn excessive calories and become slim and trim. People who are on weight loss diet must consume one cup of green tea everyday after meals. This can give great results.

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

God’s own country

Kerala, located in the South of India is known as God’s own country. One visit to this majestic place and you’ll know why it’s named so. Kerala is famous for its backwaters and a cruise on the backwaters on a houseboat is something that cannot be missed. On a recent visit to Kerala (my first visit, and definitely not the last) I got to have this experience first hand.
We rented a houseboat for a day and I was baffled when the guy told me that the boat would come to pick us up at our hotel at 10:30 in the morning, I understood this when I reached my hotel.

Apparently most of the hotels in the quaint little village of Kumarkom are facing the backwaters and they all have a jetty for this very purpose. Out of sheer excitement I was ready with my small bag and waiting near the jetty since 10 in the morning, but nothing could prepare me for the sight when the majestic looking boat slowly made its way towards the jetty. I stood motionless for a full minute with my jaw open, when they said a boat I wasn’t really expecting it to be this huge.

Anyways, once my husband and I boarded the boat I took off for a tour. There was an open living room and a dining space fully furnished with a large sofa and comfortable chairs and a dining table and equipped with a swanky flat screen TV and a DVD player. Inside there were two air conditioned bedrooms decorated in the typical hotel style with attached bathrooms that had a shower and toiletries for the guests. And at the other end of the boat was the kitchen. There was a crew of four, two chefs, one person to do the serving and one person that I would call the captain of the boat.

Once we settled down after the tour we were served fresh coconut water and I sprawled out on a chair with my drink feeling like a queen. We were still not quite far away from the village so we came across dozens of other boats like ours who had just picked up their passengers. It was only after half an hour or so that we were considerably away from civilization that I started admiring the beauty. It really was something I’d never seen before, the calm water that sometimes is covered in a carpet of green giving it an illusion of land is tranquilizing after a while. The further we went, the better it got. On both sides there were rice paddies and coconut trees, and every once in a while I saw men sitting at the edge with their ancient looking fishing rods and drinking what I presumed to be toddy(a local alcoholic drink). We cruised by small clusters of houses every now and then where we could see people washing their clothes or doing their everyday chores and waving every time a boat passes by.

At lunchtime the boat was anchored and we were served an amazing variety of local dishes on a banana leaf. The fish, marinated in spices and shallow fried was the best I’d ever had. After lunch however, we seemed to sail deeper into one of the numerous canals, and there was nothing around except for the water as far as the eye could see. On rare occasions we would come across a tiny cottage located in the middle of nowhere that could only be reached by a boat. How people lived here I cannot tell, even the simplest of things would be so hard for those people, for e.g., getting grocery or vegetables. I don’t know how many miles away they would have to go in their tiny boats to get groceries, and yet the people living there had the broadest smiles I’ve ever seen.

The surroundings had an effect on me in an almost spiritual way I suppose. At that moment I believed that if ever god could be found, he would be found at a place like this. The peace was so immense that in that very moment I was ready to give up all that I ever had if I could come and stay at a place of such beauty forever.

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

Get real!

I have to confess that I watch way too much TV. In fact I always have, even as a kid I used to spend hours in front of the idiot box rather than going out and playing. And later, as a grown up, when I was working and staying alone in a sad little apartment, the glorious little box proved to be a valuable companion! What is so fascinating about it I can’t really say, but it does have a hypnotizing effect on me.

Apart from the normal cartoons, I enjoyed a lot of other shows as a kid like Doogie Howser, The wonder years, I dream of Genie, Different strokes, Three’s company and many more. Now I do have to say that there’s something nostalgically sweet about the shows of yesteryears. If I do find the re runs of any of those shows today I still watch them and it brings back the warmth and comfort of my parents’ home straightaway..

In recent times, however, I have been incurably hooked on to entertainment of another kind, the reality shows! I can boast of having watched all kinds of reality shows, American, British, Indian, some really entertaining, some unbearably dramatic. Some of the most bizarre ones were “A moment of Truth”, where contestants are strapped up with a lie detector and asked very embarrassing and personal questions in front of not only family and friends but of course on national television, all for the sole purpose of making money. Even though it was widely protested all over the media with reports of families breaking up after the show, there were always people eager to come on the show to dish out their dirty secrets in public!

Another interesting one was “Paris Hilton’s- My new BFF”, where Paris Hilton gets going for the search of her next BFF- best friend forever! I don’t really know how someone could get a best friend by putting together a group of weird characters and subjecting them to some equally weird tasks, but I would leave that to her. After the show, I never really heard about the poor girl who became her BFF! Then of course there was another one, “From G’s to Gents” where they put together a group of gangsters and try to make them into gentlemen. Now I have to say out of all the bizarre ones this was a favorite. Simply because it wasn’t too dramatic, it looked real, and it was for a good purpose.

Among the normal reality shows, I do enjoy shows like so you think you can dance, project runway, Top chef and Tim Gunn’s guide to style. Now let’s talk about Indian reality shows. Some time back Indian television was flooded with stand up comedy shows, apart from one or two the rest were painfully boring. Then there’s the usual dancing competition, singing competitions, talent hunts. And of recent, the approach of Indian reality shows is simple, pick up a reality show in English, copy the whole format, including the set design and background music and make it your own with a Hindi name! I guess the Indian television industry has just run out of ideas. However, I do have to hand it to them, they manage to turn any kind of reality show into a sob story with unreal drama, sad stories of contestants and it seems that every show I turn to the judges are always involved in a cat fight or otherwise someone’s always reduced to tears on the show.

It’s hard to say how long this recent trend is meant to last but in the meantime there’s no denying that it is entertaining for all!

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/

Endoscopy- A Medical Revolution

Endoscopy is an advanced medical technology for diagnosis and treatment. The meaning of it is looking into the body for medical reasons using an instrument endoscope. The term ‘Endo’ signifies the interior and ‘scope’, visualization. The beginning of the era of modern endoscopy was with the developments of telescopes incorporating a number of lenses towards the end of nineteenth century. By the middle of the 20th century the introduction of the optical fibers made this technology highly advanced and useful. Then endoscopy became a largely using technique to see the interior of the body and conduct many types of surgeries.

A diagnostic endoscope consists of an illuminating channel for projecting light in the inside by the way of light pipe which is a fiber optic bundle, and a suitable system for viewing and examining the interior from a diagnostic stand point. An auxiliary arrangement for supplying oxygen to the inside also is required. A surgical endoscope is different from this. It has arrangements for surgery too.

The endoscopes were earlier inserted to the human body through natural openings like mouth, nostrils, anus etc. But the advanced equipment allows it to go through small hole, slightly bigger than injection holes. So, endoscopic surgery can be done through small incisions and the pain will be very less, when compared with the normal surgeries. This will reduce the duration of the hospital stay and highly beneficial for the patient. Laparoscopic surgery which uses this technique, is nowadays very common, and is getting done in the abdomen and chest. The operations done in this way on joints are called arthroscopic surgery. Most endoscopic arrangements have attachments to take out the tissue or fluid samples for laboratory tests. Bronchoscope examines the large airways inside the lungs. The duration of the endoscopy procedure varies.

The endoscopic instruments offer a wide range of vision by rotating the eye piece, which is highly helpful in surgeries. In such surgeries more than one cavity will be required to insert all equipments and arrangements. But as the holes are so small, it will not give much pain. Certain examinations can be done without holes too by making use of the natural openings in the body. It allows ready recording of all the procedure too.

The invention and development of endoscopic instruments was a real revolution in the medical field.

Linus Orakles
http://www.authorclub.info/