Tonight's taste test - Curried carrot and red lentil soup

Tonight is cool and wet so it's time to start winter cooking. I decided to make an experiment tonight and it worked!! A delicious fragrant and spicy soup, this one is vegetarian and vegan friendly, cheap and easy to make and very filling with lots of fibre and low GI carbohydrates from the lentils (which are from the legume family). 

Legumes are foods like peas, beans and lentils and they are nutritional powerhouses with fantastic nutrient qualities, a great source of plant based protein, low GI carbohydrates and resistant starch. The coconut cream in my recipe does add more kilojoules and fat, but it is not too much across this big pot of soup. If you are closely watching your saturated fat intake you could consider using yoghurt or evaporated milk instead. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 brown onion diced
• 1 bunch coriander
• 4 large carrots diced
• 1.5 cups dried red lentils
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2  can reduced fat coconut cream
• 2 TBSP Thai red curry paste
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP minced garlic (or 2 cloves fresh garlic chopped)
• 1 tsp minced ginger 
• 1 TBSP dried ground cumin
• 1 TBSP dried chilli flakes (omit if you don't like it spicy!)

METHOD:

• Dice brown onion, chop stems of coriander just aboove the roots, set leaves aside for later. 

• Toss onion and coriander steams in a heavy based pot with olive oil, garlic, ginger, cumin and chilli flakes and saute until onion is transparent

• Add red curry paste and stir for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

• Add diced carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened then add lentils and stock.

• Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat until carrots and lentils are very soft.

• If you like your soup lumpy, leave it as is. I whizzed mine with a stick blender until thick and no large pieces remain.

• Add reduced fat coconut cream to taste (I used a bit less than 1/2 can) and stir through chopped coriander leaves in last 5 minutes to serve.

We each had a small bowl to taste test it and then I filled five containers for the freezer so this recipe could easily serve 6-8 people.

Bon appetit!

Aggressive Sports Therapy

Physical therapy methods have been used for decades to treat several physical conditions. And with the advancement of technology, physical therapy has become even better, especially for sportsmen and women.

What is Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is the treatment of injury, dysfunction, disease or disability using physical and mechanical methods such as massage, heat, light, electricity and regulated exercise. Physical therapy aims to facilitate and restore normal functioning of the body.

Physical therapists such as the Aggressive Sports Therapy are professionals at improving your motion and mobility because pain-free movement is vital to the quality of your daily life.

Benefits of Physical Therapy

Physical therapy has been proven to provide several benefits to an individual.

Improved Motion and Mobility

Physical movement helps to prevent obesity that is responsible for at least 18 percent of adult deaths in the Unites States. Research shows that prolonged sitting is unhealthy and that walking for a reasonable distance each day reduces your risk of stroke and heart attack.
Movement is also vital in maintaining proper physical balance. Studies show that falls account for a significant number of injuries that are costly to the victim.

Helps to Avoid Prescription Drugs and Surgery

Many people have been referred to physical therapists to rehabilitate from surgeries and major medical traumas. Research shows that treatment by physical therapists is an equally effective and cheaper alternative to prescription drugs and surgery to several conditions that range from knee osteoarthritis and meniscal tears to back pain and degenerative disk disease.

Increased Muscle Strength and Range of Motion

Research shows that massage therapy can help individuals with spinal injuries. It serves to increase the muscle strength and range of motion for joints, and it improves extension and flexing abilities of muscles.

In addition, physical therapy is beneficial because it:

� Improves body posture and alignment
� Decreases joint and muscular inflammation
� Relieves stiffness in the joints
� Releases joint strains (tight muscles and tendons)
� Releases restrictions of connected tissues (fascia)
� Relieves stiffness, soreness and tension in the muscles
� Improves blood circulation in the body
� Improves overall muscle tone
� Improves nutrients flow to the muscles and joints
� Shortens the time taken for recovery from injuries and fatigue
� Reduces scar tissues
� Breaks down and prevents knots (adhesion)
� Relieves cramps and muscular spasms
� Increases physical confidence
� Eliminates swelling and pain in the joints and muscles

If you are a sportsman or woman, or you are recovering from an injury or accident, physical therapy can help you to regain your fitness and to improve your current condition. You can also benefit from it if you are suffering from any physical conditions.

4 Ways to Reduce the Attacks of Mosquitos and Ticks this Summer

Although mosquitos and ticks are relatively small, they can still cause a great deal of damage to yourself and the family. Very few people are resistant to mosquito bites, but the diseases these insects carry are very dangerous to human health. Ticks are often attributed to lyme disease and other complications as well. Luckily, there are ways to protect your family from these small creatures.

Insect Repellent Sprays

Repellents can go a long way to stopping bugs from biting you or the children. However, these sprays are flammable and can leave a very nasty aftertaste in your mouth. Now, this doesn't mean that you need to treat your tongue and teeth with the spray, but it does affect eating barbecue chicken with your hands. Many of these sprays are also short-lived and require several applications throughout the day.

Foods

Various types of foods can repel insects of all kinds. Planting things such as garlic and lavender repels ticks and can prevent them from coming into the yard. In fact, garlic can repel a large portion of insects including mosquitoes. You shouldn't rub yourself down with a slice of pizza, but garlic plants and lotions can be effective in reducing your appeal to these carnivores.

Citronella

An oil derived from the cymbopogon plant, citronella has been an effective deterrent against various insects for more than seven decades. However, the downside to the product is that the range is limited and lotions need to be applied every hour. If you use several candles around the area where you and the family are outdoors, it could be enough to stave off mosquitoes and ticks.

Professional Natural Sprays

Some companies will use natural and non-toxic sprays to rid an area of ticks and mosquitoes. This means that you don't have to worry about your children and pets when these insect experts come to your door. Natural sprays and compounds also help your local environment as the water table doesn't absorb toxic compounds.

It only takes one tick or mosquito to infect you or your family with deadly illnesses. With the long list of insect-related ailments, you don't want to take the chance of having to make an emergency room visit after a bite. Visiting websites such as mosquitosquad.com can help you get in touch with professionals and devices that can protect the household from these kinds of bugs. Do what needs to be done to enjoy your summer without being swarmed by mosquitoes or the occasional tick.

Paying for Dental Care

Dental care is something that most people will need at one point or another unless they take perfect care of their teeth at all times. Even then, bacteria can grow and cause conditions that need a dental expert�s care. One of the factors that stop people from visiting a dentist regularly is the cost. Many patients wonder how they will pay dentists in Park Slope for procedures such as fillings, root canals, cleanings and the like. The following are some ways that a patient can afford dental care:

CareCredit Financing

CareCredit is a third-party financial institution that specializes in providing people with funds to receive dental care. The company does not require a perfect credit score for such assistance, but the applicant should at least have a fair credit score.

Credit and Debit Cards

Most dentists will accept credit and debit cards. Any credit or debit card that has the Visa or MasterCard logo is acceptable at dental establishments.

In-House Financing

Some dental offices offer incentives to people who want to receive help. For example, a compassionate dental office may offer a small discount for patients who make advance payments.

Dental Insurance and Discount Dental Plans

Dental insurance plans can cover up to 80 percent of dental treatment. Dental discount plans can provide a person with a defined discount on a certain procedure. Consumers can search for reliable plans by performing an online search.

Dental patients have access to various payment assistance methods. No one should fear visiting the dentist due to a lack of funds.

25 maps that explain the English language

Libby Nelson offers us a great work about the origin and the evolution of the English language  from the Vikings to the 21st century explained in 25 maps
Published by Vox, it's a clear and easy way to understand the evolution of the language from the indo european languages to modern dialects spoken all over the world

Click here to go to "25 maps to explain the English language"

Reconnect to Yourself through Meditation and Reiki Practices in Canberra

Do you find yourself completely exhausted at the end of your day? Do you go to bed and realise that you haven't had a moment to yourself in a long time? Most of us go about the daily demands of work and home life packing our minds full with tasks that take up all of our attention. Some of these things are a choice, such as choosing to be distracted with phone calls, emails, social media, etc., and it is in these moments that you can choose to relax your mind and connect to your inner self through meditation and Reiki training in Canberra.

One of the side effects of all the distractions that we deal with from moment to moment is that we lose our ability to focus. How long does it take for your mind to wander when you are listening to a friend�s story or when your child is telling you about his or her day? Many people's minds trail off to other thoughts within 15-30 seconds. Wouldn't you like to be in the here and now with the people in your life and be in control of your mind? In Canberra, you can alleviate this problem by training in meditation and Reiki.

Stress is one of the leading causes of mental and physical health problems. Stress causes depression, weight gain, heart problems, and a myriad of other health problems. There is a natural way to deal all the stress in your life and that is through meditation and Reiki practices in Canberra. When you are trained to still your mind and let go of most of the stress that you encounter, then your health will improve tremendously. Meditation is not a miracle cure, but when used correctly and consistently, you will notice right away that your mind and body feel more relaxed and that you have more energy, focus and patience.

Too many of us speed through our day going from one task to another and never taking a few moments to find peace with our thoughts. When you learn the art of meditation, you can reconnect to your inner self and become healthier, happier and more productive. See and feel the benefits of being present in the moment and being able to focus. Learn more about meditation and Reiki training in Canberra by visiting The Inside Out Effect at http://theinsideouteffect.com.au/.

Choosing The Right Surgeon

There comes a time in the lives of most people when they require the assistance of a surgeon. It might be for a cosmetic procedure like breast implants, or it might be for an operation to fix a potentially life-threatening ailment. Whatever the case may be, choosing the right surgeon could literally be the difference between living and dying. Therefore, a large amount of research must be done before such a decision can be made. Here are some of the most important things for you to consider during your search for a surgeon.

Experience

As far as the procedure you are going to have is concerned, how many of these has the surgeon performed? You need to find a surgeon who has performed the identical procedure on many people. Even if the surgeon has performed it many times before, you need to find out his or her track record for those procedures. Were there any mishaps? If so, what went wrong? Remember, you are literally putting your life in the hands of this surgeon and his staff, so you should not be embarrassed to ask questions in order to reassure yourself about the surgeon's experience.

Education
Where did the surgeon go to medical school? If you find out the doctor learned how to perform surgery in a third world country, you would be wise to look for a different surgeon. If the surgeon went to a school you never heard of in the United States or Canada, learn more about the reputation of their medical school.

What You Should Tell Your Kids about Drug Abuse

Most people were told from an early age to avoid using drugs because they are bad. However, the full scope of drug abuse is often not explained to impressionable people who are at risk of using. If you have children who are at an age when they could begin to be exposed to drugs at school and at parties, it is important that you clearly explain to them about all of the negative ways drugs can impact their life. While Ohio drug and alcohol rehab has been very successful in helping people to kick their habit, the goal is to prevent your child from attending drug rehab in the first place. Here are a few of the things you should mention to your child.

1. Internal damage

When a person uses drugs, especially over an extended period of time, it is very likely that severe damage will be done to many of their vital internal organs. Your stomach, lungs, liver, throat and brain are all possible victims of drug abuse. In many cases, you will not even notice the damage when it begins to happen. It generally occurs slowly over a period of time. By the time that you realize something is seriously wrong and you go to see a doctor, it will be too late and the damage will be irreversible.

2. Violence

It is common for people who abuse drugs to be prone to violent tendencies, often endangering themselves and the people around them. There are certain drugs that promote this type of behavior more than others. Not only can a violent outburst hurt people, it could also put you in a situation where you commit an assault and are arrested.

3. Addiction

While you might start taking drugs as just a fun thing to do at a party or other social gathering, you will probably find that it is not easy to stop afterwards. Drugs such as cocaine, crack, heroin and ecstasy are known for being extremely addictive. Doing any of these drugs a single time could cause you to begin a downward spiral of addiction.

4. Relationships

People who are addicted to drugs will often alienate the people who love them the most. It is common for marriages to end because one of the people is abusing drugs. It can also negatively impact relationships with your friends or family. Eventually, most addicts end up alone with nobody to help them.

10 Eye makeup mistakes you probably are making

10 Eye makeup mistakes you probably are making

Unless you�re a professional makeup artist, you�ve probably made mistakes with your makeup. Practice tends to make perfect, but if you don�t know you�re doing something wrong, you won�t be able to start doing it right. It�s often ignorance that is the reason for making makeup mistakes, so here�s some useful information when it comes to your eyes:

1. Use makeup brushes

Most eyeshadows come with applicators that look easy to use and produce good results but you only think so because you haven�t tried a brush. Applicators, for example, don�t blend the colours very well and blending is a must when it comes to beautiful makeup (see below). So, invest in a brush or, better still, a few brushes.

2. Clean your brushes regularly

Clean the brushes you use to put eyeshadow regularly, either with a special brush cleaner or with a mild shampoo. If you can�t be bothered with cleaning, just replace them regularly. That will ensure that your makeup looks fresh and will help you avoid nasty side effects, such as eye irritation and redness. Yes, old, dirty brushes can do this.

3. Blend

You�ve chosen the right combination of colours, hopefully, and you�ve applied them but something looks very wrong. It�s the sharp line between shades. For a complete, gorgeous look, you need to blend these colours and the best way to do it is with that brush we talked about. Once you get that smooth look you�ll thank us.

4. Be bolder with the colours

No, this doesn�t mean combining bright pink with vanilla and cobalt blue for the company Christmas party. This means that too often we choose the eyeshadow to wear based on our eye colour. We often think that brown eyes go well with brown shades, green eyes go with green shades, etc. That�s actually not the best combination. The best one is using colours that are from a different color scale but complement the colour of your eyes. Green goes well with taupe, gray or purple shades, for example.

5. Don�t overdo it

Purple shadow from the base of your lashes to your eyebrows? Tons of sparkle to make your eyes stand out? Don�t do this. Eyeshadow should be applied within certain limits, especially, when it comes to some brighter shades. This goes double for sparkle � apply sparkly eyeshadow sparingly, lest you want to look like The Sparkle Monster. And, of course, only use it when it fits the occasion, not on an average work day, no matter how bold you feel.

6. Balance against the rest of your face

Accentuating one part of your face the most is always smarter, than piling up makeup everywhere. If you want smoky eyes, go easy on the blush and the lipstick. And vice versa, if you�re putting an intensely-coloured lipstick and a lot of blush, forget about smoky eyes, it would be too much. It�s a simple enough rule but many of us want to accentuate everything, especially, for a special occasion. Resist the temptation.

7. Be careful with the eyeliner

Eyeliner should be applied depending on the shape of your eyes and their position on your face. According to makeup pros, if your eyes are far apart, the thickest part of the eyeliner should be in the inner corner. Conversely, if you have closely set eyes, make the eyeliner thickest at the outer corner. Also, the thicker the overall line, the smaller your eyes will look, bear this in mind, if you don�t want to look ridiculous.

8. Curl first, put mascara second

Some of us first put the mascara on their eyelashes, then reach for the curler. This can only ruin your good look � it would clump your lashes and then you�ll need to clean the curler too. So, first things first: curl lashes, then put mascara. And, remember, both these should take place after you�ve put your eyeshadow, otherwise good colour blending will be impossible. The right order is: shadow, curler, mascara.

9. Don�t use it all up
The mascara, that is. Sometimes you find that once you start, you just can�t stop putting coat after coat after coat, to get a thick-lash look. What you�ll most probably end up with will be heavy, spiky eyelashes with clots of mascara here and there. Instead, settle for no more than three coats, and make that be the absolute maximum. If you want thicker, get some fake lashes.

10. Forget blue
Sorry to disappoint you but that�s what the makeup artists say. In fact, they say that unless you�re a model or are going to a retro party with a 60s or 70s theme, do not reach for blue eyeshadows. Any shade of blue. They are really insistent on this one, sorry. And no, it doesn�t matter what colour your eyes are. Remember what we said earlier: don�t choose your eyeshadow colours based on your eye colour. So, even if you have the bluest of blue eyes, no blue eyeshadow for you.

What are your favorite eye makeup tips?

Stay beautiful!

10 Lipstick commandments you need to know about

10 Lipstick commandments you need to know about

Do you struggle to get the perfect lips? Well, here are ten of the most basic rules of applying lipstick, the ten commandments of lipstick that you need to know:

1. Start with a clean canvas

Step one to perfect lips, is always to start with fresh, clean lips. Keep your lips clear of dead and dry skin by exfoliation them twice a week and keep them moisturised with lip balm.

2. Outline your lips with lip liner

Outline your lips with a lip liner pencil first, this will make it easier to apply the lipstick and it will stop the lipstick from running into any  fine lines that you may have, just below and above your lip.

3. Experiment with formulas

Different types of lipstick look better with different types of complexion, so experiment with formulas and different manufacturers. Test out some long lasting, creamy and matte lipsticks and see which ones suit you the best.

4. Not too much shimmer

Lipsticks with too much shimmer and glitter do not always work well. Lipsticks that naturally reflect the light through their creaminess are much better.

5. Not too dark

Don�t be tempted to try the Goth look; it will just make you look older. Black or blue lipsticks look completely unnatural and, apart from looking scary, it can also put years on you.

6. Start in the middle, and work outwards

To alive the thick, clown like lipstick look, always start in the middle of your lips and then work your way to the corners of your mouth by blending with your fingers.

7. Don�t overdo lipstick

Bold lipstick can look stunning, but if you want to lighten up a shade a bit and make it less dramatic, apply it to your bottom lip only, press your lips together and then blend with your fingers.

8. Nude is good too!

Lipstick doesn�t have to be red, nude looks great too. The best way to choose a nude lipstick is to look for a shade that is just slightly deeper or brighter than the natural colour of your lips and that will give you just enough contrast for it to look great.

9. Avoid bargain lipsticks
You can get some really cheap lipsticks, but they are best to be avoided. For one, they won�t last as long and secondly, they often contain some pretty horrible chemicals that you really don�t want to be putting on your lips.

10. Blot your lipstick

Apply one coat, blot and then apply a second swipe, and your lipstick will look much better and last for much longer. And, our last little tip is: to avoid lipstick getting on your teeth, pop your finger into your mouth and then pull it out with your lips closed.

Stay beautiful!

Four Ways to Promote Longevity

It is a natural desire to want to live a long and healthy life. While nothing is guaranteed, there are many things that you can do to help increase the likelihood of living longer and better so that you can experience more of the joy that life has to offer. Here are a few suggestions.

Exercise Regularly

You don't have to join a gym to get the benefits of exercise. You can start in your own home with a small regimen of push-up, sit-ups or other simple exercises each day. One of the easiest and most refreshing things you can do is spend half an hour every day walking briskly.

Eat Healthy Foods

You should try to incorporate as many fruits and vegetables into your diet as you can and pay attention to the proportions dictated by the Food Pyramid. Cut back on processed foods and sugary drinks or eliminate them entirely. Also be mindful of portion control; eating less generally promotes better health.

Take Some Pills

There are many companies out there that offer supplements and pills to lengthen lives. Do your research and consider taking pills such as Pure Natural Science's Prime Longevity.

Make More Friends

Good friends can boost the health tremendously because of the mind-body connection. Friends create a sense of happiness, and they also can make wonderful exercise companions and accountability partners.

Follow these tips, and you might be on your way to increased longevity. Here's to a longer life!