Nutrition and Weight Loss Ideas

Today let’s talk about one of the most popular vegetables of the spring season — Asparagus. I don’t know how many of you enjoy this great veggie — but, if it’s freshly cut, young and tender, it’s one of my favorites.

Asparagus — Great Seasonal Food

And, it’s healthy — it’s one of nature’s perfect foods for this time of year.

As nearly as I can ascertain, asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) has been cultivated for thousands of years. I read somewhere that it was first domesticated by the Macedonians about 200 B.C. It is native to Eurasia and people theorize that it grew wild in seaside dunes along the Mediterranean Sea and the British Isles. My speculation is that the crop was brought to North America by English colonists, since the English are particularly fond of it. Anyone who has been to Monticello knows that Jefferson cultivated it in his gardens.

Asparagus is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced vegetables in existence. It leads nearly all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies in significant amounts for a healthy diet.

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today’s health-conscious consumer.

Local, freshly cut asparagus is a rarity in an age of year-round produce that is normally shipped thousands of miles from grower to you. Personally, I like my food fresh — and that’s more than vital when you’re talking about asparagus. I’m also one who cares about environmental issues, and trucking food all over the world to get to our tables is just not good environmental practice.

A friend of mine from the UK has told me about a book that is available now on the topic of asparagus, written by Chris Sheehan.

This book, A Passion For Asparagus,
will dispel many of the myths surrounding this distinctive vegetable while helping you to enjoy the cooking of it. It also provides a fascinating insight into those who have grown and cared for asparagus over the years in the beautiful Vale of Evesham in England.

The book contains sections on:

* The history and cultivation of asparagus
* Asparagus’ many properties including as an aphrodisiac
* Folklore and myths
* Advice on selecting, preparing and enjoying asparagus
* Specially selected recipes from around the world

To eat asparagus the way they do it in Chris Sheehan’s neighborhood, where they really know about this fine vegetable is that you should add a sprig of mint to the water where you’re going to cook it, serve it with a bit of melted butter (not too much!) just enough to dip the tips. Savor it with a little buttered whole wheat bread.

A Passion For Asparagus

If you decided you’d like to get this book (it isn’t expensive!) you’ll see the order form is in British Pounds. For those of my readers who use other currencies, your method of payment should make the conversion for you. Enjoy the book right along with your asparagus.
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Bring meditation into your daily life. It’s vital to your good health and your peace of mind. It’s the greatest way to learn how to be in the present and how to become friends with what is — because what is is all there truly is. Learn to be friends with the present moment and your life of stress will fade away.

For more information about meditation, please see my other blog at: http://www.theleaderinside.com where I have been writing an entire series on the topic of meditation. When you get to that site, just click on the category titled, “Meditation” to get all the articles I’ve written so far. This series will continue in the coming weeks. The video meditations that I included with the earlier articles may no longer function. I’m sorry about that , but those are out of my control. Hopefully, they’ll all still be working.

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I don’t know if any of you, my fine readers of this blog, have an interest in starting a blog of your own, but if you do, I have something I’d like to pass along to you.

Over the past few days I’ve been reading a new ebook written by Kevin Brown. Now, I know that a lot of people don’t want to start a blog of their own because they think it’s too complicated. Well, after you read this ebook, your fears will be gone for good!

Kevin is something of a WordPress expert and has recently released a new ebook that goes into great detail of how to install and set up WordPress blogs. This blog you’re reading is written using WordPress, and I also use it for my other blog. Kevin’s book, BlogStorm Blueprint, is the most up-to-date book I’ve ever seen about WordPress with screenshots from the very latest version.

I highly recommend it — especially since it’s being sold at a giveaway price of under ten dollars. It’s really a bargain when you realize that you’ll be getting 106 pages of clear, well-written details.

I’ve been using WordPress for a long time and I think I know quite a bit about how to work with it. I can say that after reading Kevin’s book, I discovered that I don’t know everything. Even though some of the information was basic for me, I still learned loads from the book and heartily
recommend it to you.

It’s the BlogStorm Blueprint — and you can get it here:

Click Here —>http://tinyurl.com/4a5ncq

P.S. Oh, and just so you know, WordPress is free! Learn how to use it with Kevins book …

Click Here —->http://tinyurl.com/4a5ncq
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Got questions?

Contact me at: http://www.ronrink.com

My email and phone number are at that site. Feel free to contact me. I’m here to help you with your health, nutrition and fitness goals.

Have a healthy and nutritious day!

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

Ron
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The Eastern cultures have successfully used meditation techniques for stress reduction for centuries. The reason I choose meditation in my own life is to become more capable in quieting the incessant chatter in my mind and increasing my ability to relax my body. Even though I’ve been recommending meditation to you in these articles, in today’s article I’m going to devote the entire article to this topic.

Also, since this is a blog about health, we’ll talk more about the way meditation effects your body. It certainly will have an effect on your mind as well. If you read my other blog (see above) you can learn about that aspect of meditation there.

Meditation can reduce stress hormone levels, lift mood, reduce blood pressure, and reduce adrenaline levels and skin temperature. It is recommended that you meditate early in the morning and again before the evening meal for at least twenty minutes each session. Some will say that you shouldn’t meditate right at bedtime. I don’t agree with that. I think that meditating before sleep is good for you and will promote a more sound sleep.

It can be difficult for those who are beginning a meditation routine to quiet their mind. Don’t be discouraged if you are unsuccessful in reaching that quiet state at the beginning. There are certain methods you can use to allow meditation to flow naturally from the mind and body.

One method of meditation is a practice that focuses on breathing. This is called mindfulness meditation. It is one of the basic forms of meditation even though it is used with many other forms as well.

Sit with your spine straight either on the floor or in a firm chair. If you’re in a chair, place both feet on the ground without crossing your legs or ankles. Either look at an object in front of you, or close your eyes. You want to be able to focus on your breathing. Feel each breath as you breathe out and breathe in. If your mind starts to stray, bring your focus back to the breath. Feel your abdomen as it rises and falls with each breath. Just see the thoughts as they come in as clouds in the sky. The watch as they float away again. As you do this, bring the focus of your mind back to the breathing.

A second method of meditation is called transcendental meditation. TM uses a chanting or mantra word allowing all thoughts to flow out of the mind. Some people will use the “Om” sound as their chant. Others will use a word or phrase that has meaning to them. I will often use words like “Peace”, or “Love” and silently say them to myself with each breath. BY saying the word or the chant it leaves no room for the thoughts to interfere. This method has been proven to raise the mood of those who practice TM.

You may feel you don’t have the time to devote to a meditation program. The last meditation practice we will look at is the mini-meditation. This method will give you an increased awareness of your surroundings and can be done while performing a routine activity. If you are doing dishes, allow the mind to focus on the senses. Feel the water slipping through your fingers; hear the sounds outside your window. Look at the bright colors in your kitchen, and any smells that may be coming from your stove. Light a candle and focus on the aroma as you continue to look at the colors of your kitchen, dishes, and the view outside. You may need to redirect your mind if it starts filling with worries, or any other distractions.

This process of redirecting your mind to your senses will interrupt the stress response and helps in relaxation. It also gives you a sense of pleasure for the many beautiful, simple pleasures we have in our life.

Bring meditation into your daily life. It’s vital to your good health and your peace of mind. It’s the greatest way to learn how to be in the present and how to become friends with what is — because what is is all there truly is. Learn to be friends with the present moment and your life of stress will fade away.

Contact me at: http://www.ronrink.com

My email and phone number are at that site. Feel free to contact me. I’m here to help you with your health, nutrition and fitness goals.

Have a healthy and nutritious day!

Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)

Ron
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In my meditation I often use what I believe is a powerful aide to deep meditation. It’s the The Holosync Solution. I knew that meditation was a vital element to nurturing my soul — to opening myself to the universe — and this tool has allowed me to achieve and receive the benefits of deep, long-term meditation — and to achieve it much more quickly. If you’re having trouble “getting meditation to work for you” - then the The Holosync Solution is what you’re looking for.

Regular, daily meditation can give you …

(1) Increased intelligence and creativity.
(2) Lower stress levels — and with that — increased ability to handle whatever the world tosses your way.
(3) New levels of self-awareness and inner peace.
(4) The healing of emotional issues at the deepest levels.
(5) It is the proven path to finding the peace, love and compassion within all of us –

— it’s definitely worth taking the time for this powerful practice every day.

With a One-Year 100% Iron-Clad Guarantee, you can now do so with no risk whatsoever — just click any of the links that say … The Holosync Solution

— The Holosync Solution

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