Use Aromatherapy to Add Some Flavor To Your Meals
When it comes to cooking, if you think of yourself as a veteran, you likely implement some of the aromatherapy principles within the items you cook. Some ingredients such as flavored butters or infused oils tempt your smell receptors along with adding a great deal of delightful flavors to your foods.
Many people do not really consider eating to be more than using the taste buds, generally because we are often pressed for time. We never really take the time to enjoy and appreciate the meals we eat. Unfortunate as it is, it is a true fact that many families today are so busy, that when we do cook, we simply gulp it down, never truly allowing the brain the ability to savor and enjoy the experience of eating. If many people slowed down and did not simply eat to eat, they would find that along with the taste buds, our smell is enticed as well.
You may not even realize it, but our sense of smell dictates more of what we eat and taste than our taste buds. If this were not true, we would simply rely on what the tongue tells us, such as sourness, sweetness, bitterness, or saltiness. When we walk into a home, restaurant, or kitchen, when any meal is being cooked, the first thing that happens is that we smell the food. We do not even have to see it, when we smell it, often times we are able to differentiate the aromas and define them, making us hungry and yearning for that food.
If you are looking to implement aromatherapy with your cooking, take not of the following tips.
Be crafty and incorporate experimentation into your cooking. You should add different edible flowers, spices, and herbs into your meals. These things can call make boring foods exciting, such as vegetables that no one really wants to eat.
If you are trying to lose weight, you can use aromatherapy as a diet plan. Fat foods such as butter, gravy, cream, and cheese, while tasting good, really packs on the calories. Therefore, opting to incorporate proteins, vegetables, and fruits into the foods you cook, then giving them some flavor with oils and herbs can provide you with all the necessary nutrients and vitamins. You will be surprised at how good you feel physically and mentally.
Of course, before adding these flavors and aromas to your food, they must be extracted from their plant. A good way of doing so would be to use heat. However, be careful, because too much heat can cause damage, which will spoil the meals you cool. Low and slow heating will provide you with the best results.
Which products can you use for aromatherapy cooking?
Infusions work wonderfully with aromatherapy cooking. They are easy to make and add a great variety of flavors to your foods. Steeped water or oil infusion are perfect with flowers and herbs.
Herbed butter, when used with caution can provide your foods with savory aroma and delightful flavors. These are also extremely easy to make within your kitchen.
Fresh herbs are recommended when cooking, because in general, more flavors are extracted when fresh.
If you love pasta, you may generally eat them with meats and cheeses. However, opt for infused oil sauteed veggies instead, for healthier eating.
For seafood, vegetables, and poultry, brush them with herbed butter. Then take aluminum foil, wrap them tightly, and throw them on the grill. The steam from the grill, allows the flavor of the butter to soak into the foods.
Randy Zakowski
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/use-aromatherapy-to-add-some-flavor-to-your-meals-55187.html
The Luxurious Side Of Cancun
Cancun is certainly the most luxurious destination in the Mexican Caribbean. Offering all of the finer things in life, the Hotel Zone and downtown areas of Cancun are brimming with top notch entertainment and relaxation opportunities. With everything from couture shopping to gourmet dining and exquisite spa treatments, Cancun is the place to indulge and treat yourself like royalty.
With the splendor of the Mexican Caribbean in the background, Cancun spas and resorts blend traditional Mayan techniques with innovative technology. Therapeutic treatments, such as thalassotherapy – the use of seawater to relax and rejuvenate – and traditional hot stone massage, offer guests the opportunity to decompress at the beginning or end of a Cancun vacation. Many spas also utilize a stunning assortment of sea greens, herbs and minerals indigenous to the region in their treatments. Furthermore, despite the top-tier quality of these spas and resorts, spa visits in Cancun are generally much less expensive than comparable trips to destination spas in the United States.
Cancun also boasts the largest spa in all of Latin America, the three-level, 35,000 square foot paradise at JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa. Additionally, the JW Marriott Resort and Spa was recently rated as a top 5 Latin American spa by Travel and Leisure Magazine. Offering a full range of Mayan-inspired treatments, incorporating materials such as crystal, stone, mud, exotic fruit and milk, the JW Marriott Cancun Resort and Spa is certainly unlike anything you’ll experience at home.
For travelers looking for an exclusively native spa experience, Temazcal is an indigenous Aztec steam bath treatment said to renew the body, mind and spirit. Performed on hot stones with aromatic herbs, the Temazcal treatments are performed in cloth huts on the beach at sunset. As a traditional form of therapy, Temazcal could be likened to certain aspects of the Turkish bath, Finnish sauna or Arabian hammam. Having been practiced for centuries by tribes throughout North and Latin America, the term “Temazcal” is derived from the Nahuatl (Aztec) terms, “temaz” (bath) and “calli” (house). Several beach resorts also offer more traditionally romantic moonlit massages in outdoor cabanas or secluded terraces, allowing guests to enjoy luxurious relaxation in a gorgeous environment with spectacular ocean ambience and vistas.
As you are in Cancun, you will probably want to indulge in some adventurous Mexican cuisine. Many internationally-trained chefs employed in Cancun are well-versed in both local cuisine and cutting edge techniques. Within the Hotel Zone, you will find the most adventurous dishes, with many chefs offering Mayan flavors with a unique European flourish. Most restaurants within the Hotel Zone and downtown Cancun will have menus in English, so there is no need to worry about a culinary language barrier. There are plenty of adventurous cafés both downtown and within the Hotel Zone, but fresh steak and seafood are always available as luxury staples. Take a stroll down the Avenida Tulum if you are looking for a sidewalk café to enjoy some sun and people watching.
Furthermore, with over 1,200 restaurants in Cancun, there is certainly a lot to savor.
The shopping options in Cancun are almost as limitless. With a number of shopping centers containing all of the world’s finest retailers, you will find everything you have seen in the magazines at prices below similar stores in the U.S. The Plaza Caracol – the largest of these shopping centers – houses over 200 boutiques and galleries with everything from unique local arts and crafts to European couture. After browsing the racks at Ralph Lauren and Gucci, settle down in one of the complex’s many elegant cafes for lunch or a quick snack.
The most luxurious shopping center in Cancun is probably the 500,000 square-foot Plaza Kukulkán. In addition to all types of great local products, all the best stores like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Rolex are located within this sprawling mall. When you are ready to unwind after an exciting day of shopping, there are also plenty of great restaurants and bars in this area of the city.
Justin Burch
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-luxurious-side-of-cancun-103368.html
Chocolate, Cowbells & Cable Cars Swizerland and Italy
Planes, trains, motorcoaches, boats, cable cars, gondolas, lake steamer, funicular, cog wheel train and ferry were our modes of transport. We were 60 singles with 124 bags who came, who saw, who conquered Switzerland & Italy. Aside from the traffic delays of high holiday season, it went without a hitch. No lost passports and no one lost. It was a whirlwind vacation but my theory has always been carpe diem per dollar, that is to squeeze in all experiences possible enroute of any journey. After all, travel is intensified living as we attempt to absorb the maximum thrills per minute. (When I compare this to my Suzy’s Taste of Europe trip 11 years ago, this was easy. We then did 6 countries in 7 days, like The Amazing Race.)
In charming Lucerne, we were led on a walking tour of Old Town followed by a welcome dinner of Swiss fondue. There was a folklore show which provided us the opportunity to blow an alpine horn. At the end of the evening was a yodeling contest where the bold wailed out like dying cows into the mic. We enjoyed a real alpine adventure up to and over the 7000 ft. Mt. Pilatus which legend says is infested with dragons. From here we boarded a paddle steamer and sailed across a crystal lake to meet our motorcoach in Fluelen.
Our driver, Peter was super-human as he transported us 7 days over narrow mountain roads in our Super-Size-It double-decker bus with a luggage trailer hitched in tow! At times local farmers would peer out chalet windows in awe of such a feat. We stopped to visit the Merlot Del Ticino Winery set in cliff-side vineyards. So simple, so pure. The family owners stated we were their largest group ever. As we imbibed on 3 fine vintages, Peter spends a half hour trying to turn the coach around with help from dozen locals. Finally we arrive in Lugano. Is it Switzerland or Italy? You Google it. We unpack for 3 glorious nights at Hotel De La Paix.
If it is Tuesday, must be Italy. We set out to tour the lush Lake District which sprawls dreamlike as a watercolor painting. This is the Rio of the Old Continent. In Tremezzo we view the famous Villa Carlotta Gardens and water taxi over to elegant Bellagio. The town has fallen asleep for its 3 hour siesta. Nothing to do but manga so I amble up the cobbled streets for my third pistachio gelato of the day. A shopping stop is scheduled in Como. Some women do not even glance at the mirrored lake lined with palm trees. As if on steroids, they march forward armed with Euros, Swiss francs and a MasterCard. Their motto on this 2 hour marathon is if the shoe fits, charge it. Our day ends with a visit to Alprose Chocolate Factory. The tour is disappointing, but offers good buys on sweets.
Our evenings are totally free and we disperse in mini-groups to discover the best local cafes. Seafood is ultra fresh here but on my budget in this land of a weak dollar, I settle each night for Pizza Margarita, paper thin with slabs of buffalo mozzarella. On Wednesday, half the group defects to explore the region on their own. Some do nature trails, boating, Mt. Bre, the fishing villages and even Milan in a day. A few others lounge poolside at our hotel sunning like lizards. We are graced with perfect weather up to departure. The other half of the group joined me with our wonderful guide Isabelle. (She has an obsession with George Clooney whose villa faces Lake Como.) We begin at the Ponte Tressa market where Europeans flock for bargains, but depart early as it resembles a giant garage sale. We ferry from Lavino along with our monster bus across Lake Maggiore to Intra and then drive to Stressa. Now heres a place I would like to linger for its Mediterranean feel. From here, some visit the Borromean Islands.
Time to check out and head to Switzerland on one of the worlds most diverse rail journeys. The Bernina Express corkscrews its way up and over the Alps with a Kodak moment at every turn. We pass 3 glaciers and Lake Bianco named for its glacial milk. In 3 hours we arrive at top of the world to glitzy St. Moritz. Our hotel was upgraded to the 5 star Hotel Kempenski Grand, according to our driver the finest hotel in Switzerland. We quietly enter the chandeliered lobby in T-shirts and denim shorts as if we too are part of the rich and famous. This is as elegant as it gets. I do not want to leave my suite with its marbled tub and feathered duvet. The designer boutiques in town are closed now. We scatter on nature trails towards the lake. For dinner, some splurge at the hotels world class restaurant on fresh lamb enveloped in herbed crepes and deserts of spun sugar. Twenty of us enjoy an outdoor BBQ of organic local products. Later I take advantage of the complimentary spa with a swim and 4 treatment rooms.
I have always said that if I was forced to trade my passport with another country, I would choose Switzerland. Even the cows with their bells are happy here. It is the purest air and purest food. It is the efficiency. Like the Boy Scouts, Swiss count neatness, punctuality, cleanliness and hard work as virtues. It is the serenity in the verdant hills where one feels safe. And it is the beauty in the rugged geography of rocks, bubbling brooks, clean lakes and snow capped mountains.
The highlight for me was our morning excursion by 2 gondolas ascending to a lone restaurant 9000 ft high. Here we are greeted with a private champagne toast on a sun drenched terrace. Some of us hiked down through the Ice Palace, a grotto-like cave in sheer ice. The majesty of this mountain humbled me.
Peter must drive us to Zurich over a seemingly insurmountable mountain pass before reaching the highway. In 27 years, he is driven tour buses over 3 million kilometers and tells me he hates driving this road. We pass cows mating and villages with populations of 12. After a lunch stop in Heidiland, we arrive safely in Zurich. It is raining now as if Mother Nature mimics the sadness of our departure. I overnight here with a solid 9 hours sleep and reminisce of another journey well done.
Susan Davis
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/chocolate-cowbells-cable-cars-swizerland-and-italy-102487.html
You can have online casino fun at home
With gas prices through the roof it’s a wonder you can afford to get to work much less anywhere else. Need a night out without having to get in the car? Fire up the old pc and visit an online casino for a little gambling fun right in your own home. Convenient, safe and fun, what more could you ask for?
This is a sponsored post. The opinions expressed are those of the author.
Is Lobster A Healthy Or Unhealthy Food?
In our modern day, it seems that nearly everything we eat carries the risk of being unhealthy. Eating fish has known health benefits, yet some species of fish may contain unsafe levels of mercury and PCB’s. Eating fresh fruit is known to be healthy, yet many fruits are sprayed with chemical pesticides the residues of which are of questionable risk. The same can be said of vegetables.
Whether the above mentioned food items are healthy or unhealthy is beyond the scope of this article. It does point out, though, that the debate continues on which foods contribute to good health, and which foods pose a health risk. This article will present information for the reader to determine which camp lobster belongs in: healthy or unhealthy.
Let’s start with the few arguments that put forth the case that lobster is unhealthy. There are not many. We’ve read that one doctor advises against eating lobster because it may contain parasites and viruses. Nothing like pointing out the obvious. Every living creature on Earth may contain parasites and viruses, which is why any animal-based food product should be cooked before being eaten. Cooking eliminates this risk. One risk that cooking will not eliminate is excess levels of mercury. No matter how much you cook any fish or seafood item, it will not remove mercury.
How much mercury does lobster have? Before we answer that question, we need to look a little at mercury and the reasons it is in seafood to begin with. The FDA states in their report “What you need to know about mercury in fish and shellfish” that “nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury” and that “Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans.”
What can be gleaned from this report are two facts. One, that all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Two, Mercury occurs naturally as well. If mercury occurs naturally, it is probably safe to assume that all fish and shellfish have always contained traces of mercury. Which begs the question: are mercury levels in fish and shellfish any higher now than they were 50 or 100 years ago? The answer is that scientists do no know for sure, as tests for mercury in fish were not done back then. Regardless, the FDA lists four fish varieties that have higher level of mercury than all others: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. They also list five that are very low in mercury: shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish. Lobster is closer to the 5 on the low end than the 4 on the high end.
Even the 4 fish varieties that have higher levels of mercury are safe to eat in moderation for all people other than pregnant mothers, and mothers nursing infant children. It is only these 4 varieties that should be avoided in the two circumstances just mentioned. Lobster is not included in the list of fish to avoid when pregnant.
The final argument against lobster that we have heard is not based on science at all. The argument is that lobsters are bottom feeders and eat decaying and rotting fish that sink to the bottom. The logic of the argument is that since lobsters are eating these things that aren’t healthy for people, people shouldn’t be eating lobsters. The problem with this argument is that it is not based on facts. The fact is that lobsters eat mainly live food. Their primary diet consists of live fish, clams, crabs, mussels and sea urchins. Lobsters do eat dead bait in traps, but humans eat dead fish too! Ask any lobsterman, and they will tell you: the fresher the bait, the better it will “fish.” This is trade language which, when translated, means that if you put fresh bait in your traps it will attract more lobsters. Old bait does not attract many lobsters at all.
When fish gets old and borderline saleable at a seafood market, it begins to emit an ammonia smell. At that point, which can be about 5 to 7 days after being caught, it is no longer appealing to humans. It is the same for lobsters. They prefer live, fresh food, but will eat dead bait in traps if it is fresh and not old.
This last argument against lobster as a healthy food is the weakest and not based upon fact at all, but rather on fallacy: lobsters eat primarily live food, not decaying, rotting dead fish.
Now we’ll look at the factors in favor of lobster being a healthy food.
There are several health reasons that lobster should be eaten. The first comes from the American Heart Associations Page on Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids which recommends eating fish at least 2 times per week. A quote from the American Heart Association is worth sharing here, “Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do.”
Lobster is indeed an excellent source of lean protein. 100 grams of lobster meat contains 98 calories, 21 grams of protein, and only 0.6 grams of fat. Contrast that to 100 grams of white, skinless chicken meat which has 168 calories, 31 grams of protein, and 3.6 grams of fat. Gram for gram, even skinless chicken contains in excess of 500% more fat than lobster. Lean beef contains more than 10 times as much fat as lobster. Obviously, lobster is an excellent source of lean protein.
Lobster is more than just a lean source of protein. Lobster also contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with good heart health. There are several valuable benefits from a diet which regularly contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Again quoting from the American Heart Association, “The ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD (cardio-vascular disease) risk are still being studied. However, research has shown that they decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death, decrease triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower blood pressure (slightly).” The report further states, “Large-scale epidemiologic studies suggest that people at risk for coronary heart disease benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty acids from plants and marine sources.”
Lobster does not contain as much Omega-3 fatty acids as salmon, which has the highest content, but is a good source nonetheless.
In summary, lobster is high in protein, extremely low in fat, is a beneficial source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are healthy for the heart and reduce the growth rate of plaque. Lobsters feed primarily on live food: fish, crabs, clams and mussels. Lobster have a very healthy diet which would be beneficial to humans, not harmful to them.
There you have the arguments for and against lobster as a healthy food source. The evidence suggests lobster is a very healthy food choice. Not only is it very healthy, it tastes absolutely extravagant. Enjoy your lobster!
Greg Roy
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/is-lobster-a-healthy-or-unhealthy-food-102536.html
Losing Weight – Easier Said Than Done
You finally decide to lose those excess pounds of body fat. You open your favorite search engine and start looking for the “best weight loss program” or some “magic” pill that will make things much easier for you. You find tons of ads that offer you fast and effortless weight loss in few weeks or even days, and you think, “Wow, that’s exactly what I am looking for.”
Unfortunately, the chances of finding something that really works are minimal. Why? Because 99% of the weight loss systems or drugs you will find are either potentially dangerous for your health or pure marketing hype. Everybody likes to hear that losing weight is fast and easy, and nobody wants to hear it is a gradual process that requires some effort and discipline. So the self-claimed weight loss “experts” are giving to you exactly what you are looking for – a fast and easy solution for your problem. Unfortunately the easy way is not the way that will lead you to healthy and long-term results. If you want to learn how to detect the hype and the gimmicks you have to understand the basics of weight loss first. So let’s start!
Weight loss vs. fat loss
First of all, let’s consider the differences between both things: There are many ways to lose weight -losing water weight, losing muscle and bone weight, and losing body fat. In fact, it is very easy to lose “weight.” Just start exercising and reduce your water intake and you will lose several pounds in the first few days. When exercising, your body loses a lot of water and because you have stopped drinking liquids, you easily become dehydrated and you will weigh several pounds less. But is this is a long-term and healthy weight loss? Of course not. You will gain back the weight as soon as you restore your normal water intake.
Here is another example: When you go on a diet and cut your calorie intake too much, your body detects the severe calorie deficit and slows down your metabolism. As a result, you stop losing fat (your reserve fuel), and start getting the energy you need from the muscle tissue. The result is decreased body weight, but unfortunately you have lost muscle instead of losing body fat.
As you see, to achieve long-term, natural weight loss you need to burn as much fat as possible with the minimum lean body mass loss.
How exactly fat is burned?
If you are a healthy person, to successfully lose fat you only need to burn more calories than you eat (or drink) while maintaining your metabolism fast. Isn’t it simple? In order to achieve this, your calories must come from the proper food sources, such as lean protein (chicken breast, egg whites, seafood, extra-lean red meat), complex carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, whole grains, vegetables, etc.) and “good” fats (olive oil, flaxseeds, fatty fish and cod liver oil). You should also add some kind of cardio exercise to your program, such as walking, jogging or cycling. Keep in mind that cardio is considered the best way to directly burn the fat.
Let’s look at an example:
If you burn 2500 kCal and eat about 2000 kCal every day, that is a deficit of 500 kCal. There are 3500 kCal in 1 pound of fat. This means you will be burning 1 pound per week of pure body fat. Surprised? Yes, only 1 pound per week. I know “10 pounds in two days!” sounds much better, but that is far from realistic goal.
Keep in mind that if you cut your calorie intake too much, you will slow down your metabolism, and this is not desirable if your goal is fat loss. This means that “Eat 500 kCal – Burn 2500 kCal – Lose 4 pounds per week” won’t work for you.
It’s definitely possible to burn fat at faster rates (with proper nutrition and exercise program), even without supplements, but keep in mind that the maximum rate that is considered healthy is 2 pounds per week (if you are extremely overweight, up to 3 pounds per week is fine). Achieving healthy long-term weight loss faster is practically impossible. If you find products or nutrition plans that promise fast weight loss, they probably base their claims on dehydration. You can lose water weight really fast but this is not a real fat loss and can lead to serious health conditions.
Summary
You don’t need a pill to lose weight. You don’t need to starve yourself, to restrict the intake of any macronutrient, or to buy any “miracle” product. You just need to consume fewer calories than you burn, and those should come from good natural food sources. The best way to increase the amount of calories you burn and to create such calorie deficit is to exercise. Mild calorie restriction plus 30 to 40 minutes of intensive cardio exercise every day is the “magic formula” you are looking for and that will make you lose fat like never before.
Elias Valentino
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/losing-weight-easier-said-than-done-107966.html
