Foods to reduce anxiety

Vitamin B3 or Niacin is known to reduce anxiety and Depression

Let us enumerate foods that are rich in vitamin B3 or Niacin

Pumpkin seeds

Swiss chard

Mushrooms

Avocados

Broccoli

Tomatoes

Dates

Carrots

Sweet potatoes

Almonds

Spinach

Asparagus

Niacin also helps reduce cholesterol

Cucumber kimchi

These days the gut microbiome has become very popular and eating fermented vegetables is one more reason to have healthy gut bacteria.

But please do not overdo on these.

I wanted to share an easy recipe to make cucumber kimchi that I wanted to share.the ingredients needed ,

Cucumbers.  2 small

Salt   Itsf

Garlic 2 cloves finely chopped

Scallions. Two scallions white part finely chopped

Ginger.  1/4 inch piece finely grated

Rice vinegar.  2 tablespoonful

Korean chile powder

Sugar 2 tsf

Cut cucumber lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1/8 inch thick pieces.

Put them in a bowl and mix with salt and let it sit 30 minutes?

Next in a stainless steel bowl,combine garlic,scallions,ginger vinegar,chile powder,sugar.

Next, drain the cucumbers.stir cucumber into vinegar mixture.cover and refrigerate for 12 to. 24 hours.

Other good herbs

Thyme

Fresh or dried thyme is powerful herb.

Use it in soups or stews

(Thymus vulgaris)

Sage

Common culinary herb 

It is used for drying sinuses.

You can make a sage tea and and gargle throat or sip on sage tea.

(Salvia officinalis)

Licorice

It is very popular herb,even as a candy.

Watch for low potassium it can cause if used repeatedly or excessively in any form. 

DGL or deglcyrrhizinated form does not cause problems with potassium.

Other herbs are slippery elm.Yin Chiao,elder flower.

Slippery elm is ulmus rubra.

My favorite Ginger Tea

Ginger is versatile.

It can be used as fresh ginger root,dried ginger root,candied ginger root that I mix it my trail mix,

Powdered dry ginger,ginger ale,ginger beer,ginger candy,ginger lemonade and so on.

I prefer fresh ginger root.

Take 1 inch or 2 inch ginger root and wash thoroughly ans scrape skin off gently.

Take a small I quart pot and 2 to 3 cups of water,shred the piece of ginger completely.

Add half of a lime or lemon juice and 1 to 2 tsf of honey.

Local honey is good.I like Manuka honey with 15+ .

Let this boil for minute and strain and sip on it.

You can never overdo on ginger teas.

Freshly grated ginger added to lemonade with a pinch of salt and black pepper makes tasty lemonade.

A mix of dry ginger and Amla( highest in a Vitamin C ) is available for pele with allergies,recurrent fought and colds.

We were traveling and during my travels came across a mix of orange juice,pineapple juice, crushed ginger,cantaloupe or honeydew melon.They blended it to make a smoothie and seved it as immune shots.

Winter wellness

Now,for those who eat non vegetarians,

Oysters are high in protein,calcium,iron and Zinc.

Grains,fortified cereals,cashews,beans,crabs are high in Zinc.

Now, what about HERBS that help immune function in Winter.

These herbs can be taken as tinctures or as herbal teas.

My favorite is Ginger tea,recipe follows

Echinacea ( echinacea purpurea)

Elderberry, we carry elderberry syrups in office which is good for fighting coughs and colds.

(Sambucus nigra)

Astragalus has been used in Chinese medicine for a long tome.

(Astragalus membranaceus)

Eucalyptus

Adding leaves to warm water and inhaling vapors reduces congestion.

Do not drink the water or the eucalyptus oil.

Eucalyptus comes as an essential oil that can be added to water and then inhaled.

(Eucalyptus globules)

Eleuthero also known as Siberian ginseng.

It is available in tincture form.

Tea can be made with using a pinch of Eulethero,cardamom,ginger,cinnamon.simmer for 15 to 20 minutes,strain and sip on it.

( Euletherococcus senticosus)

Mullein ( mulethi sticks, as I knew it.

Make a tea with mullein leaves or dry sticks,add honey and lemon to curb bitterness.

(Verbascum Thapsus)

TULSI I have lot of experience,personal using some of these herbs.

Now tulsi tea bags are available and can be obtained from my office.

(Ocimum sanctum )

Ginger

Ginger is versatile,my favorite

Ginger is good gor coughs,colds,stomach problems,nausea,and as antiinflammatory .

(Zingibar officinale)

Wellness in Winter

Remembering the days we were growing up in cold winters of Delhi,and how my Mom would give us special foods to eat specially we would be doing camp fires in our backyard and eat peanuts, dates, pop corn,almonds.We would bake psweet potatoes.Eating cooked Mustard greens mixed with other greens and butter and garlic was favorite.Even ,these days all restaurants serve cooked mustard,popularly called( Sarso ka Saag).It is traditionally served with  tortillas or Roti made with maize flour( Makki ki Roti).

So,now in USA, I researched and found some vegetarian and other not so vegetarian foods which would give you more bang for your buck.

NUTS

Almonds,peanuts,wheat germ,sunflower seeds,hazelnuts.

Brazil Nuts are very very high in Selenium about 95 micro gms in in one nut.Vitamin E from sunflower seeds and selenium from Brazil nuts helps produce T cells that fight infection.

Brazil nuts may have a role to play in the gut microbiome.

As good as they sound do not overdo on nuts.

Sweet Potatoes

It is very high in Betacarotene which is then converted to vitamin A.

Carrots,spinach,Kale,Brussel sprouts,pumpkins,Apricots,papaya,Mango also provide Beta carotene.

SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Chinese have used mushrooms as food and medicine for long time.They boost immunity because of Beta glucans,a carbohydrate.

These beta Glucans boost body's immune response.They make your immune system work like a harmful substance is present and let immune system get all geared up to fight.

Well, what other foods give us these Beta glucans?

These are, Maitake Mushrooms,Barley,Oat Bran,nutritional yeast.

Vitamin C

Oranges ,papaya,Leafy greens,cantaloupe,Peppers,Broccoli,Strawberries,other citrus.

Vitamin C is damaged by heat and Water so eat raw or barely steamed.

Garlic

Garlic and onion both have health benefits.

However In INDIA,the Jains And SWAMINARAYAN followers do not eat for various reasons.Allicin in garlic blocks enzymes that spread viruses.

Wellness menu in Airlines

Vow!

In our recent travels on Turkish Airline,the menu had Wellness Tea selections.

1. A combination of Melissa,camomile,sour cherry ,lavender tea used for stress relief,sleep promoting,

And anti jet lag.Date syrup can be added to make it a cold tea.

2.fennel,Anise,caraway promoting healthy digestion.

3.Mate,sage,Ginger which is refreshing.

4.Green Tea,cherry stalk,corn stalk,clove which resolves oedema,reduces swelling.

5. Linden,ginger,echinacea,clove,cinnamon which supports immune system,good for coughs and colds and flu.

6.a homemade cold tea with mint,fennel,lemon,date syrup for stomach relief.

The above was prepared under guidance from ENDER SARAC who is a famous Turkish Doctor for his works on anti aging and healthy living.

Pl do not consume more than two cups of the tea in a day.

Dry skin care ( herbal alternatives)

EXFOLIATE WELL

Exfoliate once a week with aface scrub.

Mix a pinch of poppy seeds with 1 tsf of honey.Massage your face with a mixture for two minutes and wash off to reveal smooth skin.

ANTISEPTIC  PACK

Add few leaves of Neem and Basil to one cup of water and boil it for 10 to 15 minutes.allow it to cool down and strain it .Add some Aloe Vera gel and honey to serum and apply to face using cotton pads.

SILK and SHINE

For  flaky brows apply a few drops of baby oil or olive oil on area of arcs before going to bed every nite.