Maybe cats also produce Coffee in the end- Wake Up Already!!

Grown in places all over the world, the coffee 'bean' is actually the pit of a coffee 'cherry'. In normal circumstances the cherries are picked at the peak of ripeness and once the outer fruit is removed the coffee bean is ready for roasting, grinding and transporting to your local caf�.

However, there are three small islands in the Indonesian Archipelago called Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi where this process takes a bizarre twist. You see coffee is coveted by not only by us humans but a local creature called a Palm Civet. The Palm Civet is a tree dwelling marsupial with a particular fondness for the local variety of coffee cherries.

Of course, these cat-sized coffee aficionados don't have the time to peal the cherries and eat just the fruit, so they swallow them whole. Well guess what comes out the other end? Yes that's right, a non-digested, semi-fermented coffee bean :) :)

Now this coffee bean is marketed as a "Kopi luwak" and is one of the most expensive coffee bean that you can buy in the market. Kopi is the Indonesian word for coffee and luwak is their name for the coffee eating Civet.
The greeeat coffeeee producer...... :)

Kopi luwak sells for a whopping $75 a pound and it is estimated that the worldwide annual production is only about 500 pounds. Japan is the largest importer of this specialty coffee and it is now available in the United States and many other countries as well.

The flavor of the coffee is described as complex and very rich. This special flavor is attributed to the natural fermentation process that occurs as the beans travel the length of the Civet's digestive tract.

Source: Jon Symons is a coffee lover and writes about specialty coffee for http://specialty-coffee.oftheday.ca.

Green Tea Vs White Tea!

Green tea is already so popular among so many even non tea drinkers. Then there is another Tea drink emerging hot in the market, White Tea.. So what about White Tea? Being the specialty of the Chinese province Fujian the leaves  come from varieties of tea cultivars among those popular ones are Da Bai (Large White), Xiao Bai (Small White), Narcissus and Chaicha bushes.

A study at Pace University in 2004 showed white tea had more anti-viral and anti-bacterial qualities than green tea.The reason is that White tea contains even higher catechin levels (that super antioxidant found in green tea), because it is processed even less. Catechin concentration is greatest in fresh, unbroken and unfermented tea leaves.Furthermore, one study examining the composition of brewed green and white teas found that white tea contained more gallic acid and theobromine.^[6]

White Tea helps to relax and enhance the mood. It has almost the same Caffeine content as green tea thus is able to lift the spirit. White tea is also known to be a body detox agent and is capable of expelling toxins from the body through excretion. The factors that determine the grade of the white tea shall be determined upon the variety of tea, the cut and length of the leaf, and the method of steeping.


So choose to drink white tea or green tea? Maybe both as Green tea has a better taste compared to White tea which has a mild acidic taste.

Green Tea - 4000 Years Old Worth of Healing Power!

Maybe there isn't any drink that could be better than Green Tea. It helps in almost anything from, preventing tooth decay, to healing headaches, depression, aids slimming,whitens the skin complexion, boosts immune system, prevents cardiovascular disease, fights rheumatoid arthritis, prevents cancer, lowers LDL cholesterol levels, inhibits thrombosis and kills bacteria even! Gee.. that list really is something.. Simply improves your overall health count..

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.

In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol (this one comes from red wines), which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers. Drink Green Tea !!!!!!

Darling Sweet Almonds! You are too Good!

Christmas is around the corner!! When we visit friends and family, often we can find Freeee nuts .. and just to be a little bit choosy over others, so that the host knows what win hearts most, check out the health benefits of ALMONDS

Almonds: Sweet and Loved by hamsters, guinea pigs, and humans (:p) mostly contains no carbohydrates.. Hmm Does that mean its good for diabetics? Yes right! and is Gluten Free ?? Really !! Yes Right! That is why it is so Hot and popular in place of wheat flour when it comes to baking using Almond meal. If you have dear ones that suffers from wheat allergies or coeliac diseas, try baking with Almond! and let them know that piece of cake is gonna be Special!

                                                                             "Did you know Almond Flowers are such a beauty!"

A standard serving of almond flour, 1 cup, contains 20 grams of carbohydrates, of which 10 g is dietary fibre, for a net of 10 g of carbohydrate per cup. This makes almond flour very desirable for use in cake and bread recipes by people on carbohydrate-restricted diets.

Almonds are a rich source of Vitamin E -- Ladies take this down, means good for the skin and complexion! Also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two "good" fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol. Aids digestion, eases constipation and prevents CANCER! Wow!

A controlled trial showed that 73g of almonds in the daily diet reduced LDL cholesterol by as much as 9.4%, reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 12.0%, and increased HDL-cholesterol (i.e., the good cholesterol) by 4.6%.[20]

Speaking of Nuts, why gee Vitamin B's of course --- So good for the BRAINS and Central Nervous System! No more Stress maybe!

In Ayurveda, an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent, almond has been known to induce high intellectual level and longevity. Almond oil is called Roghan Badam in both Ayurveda and Tibb Yunani طب يوناني (the Greco-Persian System of Medicine). It is extracted by cold process and is considered a nutritive aphrodisiac-(enhance libido!) both for massage and internal consumption. Recent studies have shown that the constituents of almond have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.


Information Taken: Wikipedia

Fat Burning Cardiovascular Exercises - by: Joe Kozma

The treadmill is probably the most popular form of cardio being done at gyms and fitness centers today. If one walks on the treadmill on a flat grade the risk to injury is minimal but in most cases the rewards are also minimal.
There are two ways to increase the efficacy of working on a treadmill, one is by increasing the speed of which the exercise is done at. Start jogging or running at will and then slowly increase the speed. Jogging and running are very potent exercises when it comes to calorie burning but both of them put a great deal stress on the knees and lower back .So mind those who have problems with their joints and other structural weak points.

Secondly, treadmill work can be increased in intensity by increasing the degree of grade that is walked at, this becomes the equivalent of walking hills or mountains outside. Incline treadmill walking is an effective calorie and fat burning strategy.

Stationary cycling is another very common form of cardio being done at gyms today. Stationary cycling has the same pros and cons as riding the bike outside. I believe cycling is most definitely superior to jogging and running because you can burn a lot of calories without the extreme pounding to the knees and back that the body receives from jogging and running. To a lesser degree however a lot of stress to the knees and back can be generated by intense cycling also.

I favor the elliptical machine due it's non-impact nature and large range of motion. you can vary the ramp, resistance and speed to target the largest lower body muscles without straining the spine or joints. It is possible to really turn up the intensity level of your training with minimal risk of injury. In short there is a superior form of cardio and that form is elliptical training.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is an ancient healing technique that makes use of energy or chakra to heal and regain balance with the body, mind and spirit. It was rediscovered by Mikao Usui in the beginning decades of the 20th century adding and adopting dozens of Reiki variations to better suit particular belief systems. 

The philosophy or underlying approach to understand Reiki is on listening to the body for warnings or signals. Through the holistic medical approach, practitioners see the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of a person as part of a whole. In this way, when one part of the body isn�t working properly, it tends to affect other parts of a person�s life as well. Thus, chronic back pain may increase pressure on the hips or shoulder as the individual tries to compensate for the pain. He or she might also suffer mentally and emotionally as activities they used to love have to be put aside or when money becomes tight because the injury results in job loss. All of these issues need to be addressed.

To do so, the root cause of the problem has to be located. Fortunately, the body leaves a bread crumb trail of symptoms that leads the way. We all know that our bodies are built to survive. If we are in danger from a bully or a wild animal, our brain automatically sends out the message to fight or flee (or tend and befriend for women) as appropriate. What we don�t often realize is that our body also sends out other little warning signs. If we are stressing ourselves beyond what it can handle, we might feel tired, overwhelmed, or moody. If we don�t pay attention to these signals, we may eventually get a cold, have chest pains, or even suffer a heart attack.

Reiki practitioners follow these clues. Then, use Reiki energy to release or heal that issue. Finally, once that symptom has been cleared, practitioners encourage the individual to make changes that will assure balance and health in the system as a whole. In this way, the problem won�t simply return or reappear after a time.

 

Source From: About Reiki

Difference between Perfume and Eau de Toillete!

A lot of us do not bother about knowing the actual differences between many things. However, it is time to be a little more conscious about everything in life by knowing the definitions of certain things. This helps to avoid a lot of embarrassing moments when you go out to face the world. So what is perfume and what is Eau de toillete?

Perfumes as luxurious and sophisticated as its title consumes is made out of natural materials such as essential oils from plants combined with synthetic products to enhance its lasting power and unique smell. Hence, the most important factor to determine what is considered perfume or eau de parfum or eau de toillete or cologne relies on the ratio between the alcohol against the scented concentrates.

• Perfume, also called extract or extrait perfume, can include 15-40% perfume concentrates. This is the purest form of scented product and is the most expensive as a result.

• Eau de parfum contains about 7-15% perfume concentrates. This is the most popular and common form of perfume. It provides a long-lasting fragrance and generally doesn't cost as much as extract perfume.

• Eau de toilette has around 1-6% perfume concentrates. This makes for a light scent that doesn't linger as long as the more intense versions. It was originally intended to be a refreshing body splash to help people wake up in the morning.

• Eau de cologne is sometimes used interchangeably with the term eau de toilette. However, the concoction began as the name of a light, fresh fragrance mixed with citrus oils and was made popular by Napoleon. Some perfumers today have a version of this called eau fraiche.

While these are the main classes of perfume, other products are frequently scented with perfume concentrates too. Lotions, creams, powders, body splashes, aftershaves, soaps, and other cosmetic products may contain variable (though usually small) amounts of fragrance. Source Picked Up From: Ask Yahoo

The benefits of mineral Make Up!

 Women wants to be beautiful and to do that, the most important thing is to look as natural as possible yet with an inner glow that shines health and vitality from inside out. However, with age, our skin becomes less elastic, eye bags start to become more visible and pores become enlarged. All of these factors make our complexion less appealing. Hence, comes the rescue of wearing make ups to cover up almost any flaws to restore that youthful look.

However, a lot of these make ups tend to do damage to the skin by blocking pores. It is useless even with very good make up removers because, as time goes by, the pores becomes more and more clogged hence causing the base skin to take up even more damage. The solution? Why choose better make up of course, use Mineral Makeup which is hypo-allergenic and non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic means that it will not block pores and is applicable on all types of skin including sensitive skin. Some of the brands I heard were Jane Iredale's.

Another good reason to choose mineral makeup is because it is longer lasting and rarely needs touch-ups throughout the day.This way you would not have to rush to the restrooms every hour while dining with that hot date.

You must have known to wear sun screen on a daily basis, and yet with mineral make up, you will be instantly protected against UVA and UVB because it already bears a minimal SPF 20. Mineral makeup forms a breathable barrier that actually protects the skin from environmental pollutants that can cause free radical damage (this is what causes skin aging). And experts say, you can sleep in it without worries! WooHoo
Read About : Jane Irdale Mineral Makeup

Some of the best Cosmetics and Perfume

Ever wonder how to keep your facial clean and clear without pimples or breakouts that happens occassionally during each monthly cycle? Try using Kose' Junkisui which targets the range of sensitive skin to help prevent early breakouts. Once you apply it, sleep and then find the next morning, miraculously the reds are all out..

Going out without make up base or a base lip color simply wont get you through the day very much. Try out some of the coolest lip color you can find from Dior's Addict range. These provides mild shades that glows naturally with your skin tone. It is also gentle most to the lips, that even the most sensitive pair will not complain . As for perfume, try Versace's which smells like fresh garden bath.

Have we forgotten Garlic?

There is a fairy tale about how one of the angels stole the Garlic from the heavens and was punished to fly down to earth. The garlic was considered sacred and rare and whomever touches it must be punished without ends. And that is the fairy tale, nowadays, we are free to buy and make a meal with garlic to complement the cooking in bringing out the taste. For example, certain vegetables stir-fried without bits of garlic will be tasteless even as with the strong taste of garlic' shall  highlight the dish in an instant.

In fact, garlic has some significant health benefits to offer such as being able to control over acne, bad cholesterols, blood pressure, wind and is not surprisingly one of the natural antibiotics around.However, there are people who hates garlic and is allergic to them..

Sweet Potato Anytime in China - "Wui Fan Shu"

If you walk the streets of China, usually you will find people trying to make a living out of so many different ways. And one of the easiest ways is to sell food. As the knowledge on producing some goods in the family is imparted down to their children, soon enough they will grow up to to start earning to make ends meet.

One of the most popular street foods in China is known as the "Wui Fan Shu" or "Roasted Sweet Potato".  Nothing is  added, no sugar , no nothing but it tastes so good with all the natural sweetness of the potato itself. They sell at a low and humble price and is able to fill the stomach rather quickly. The Chinese does appreciate the potato because of the way they could keep longer, is affordable, tasty and filling. During the times of war, people thought of savoring their potatoes and bringing them together into their hideouts to stay until peace returns. Hence, for many what kept them alive was the potatoes.

How to Forget WeekDay Stress and Replace with some Weekend Paradiso?

CHEETOS!.. Definitely if you have not tasted this snack during the weekends.. you gotta be living in a nutshell. The supermarket is so fruitful with products coming from everywhere in the globe and Cheetos is definitely one super snack that melt hearts and distresses away. If you are experiencing weekday blues, try to wait until the weekends for the ultimate snack food experience with Cheetos!! It will make up your top-ten weekend paradiso list of fanciful must haves, :) :) ..

If you party, get ready Cheetos with you and you are on the way to earning free charm and have people swarming your way for that pack in your hands.. how wicked.. :)  Try to be super duper hot then go with Cheetos Jalapeno which is mexican green pepper flavored?.. Its a world of  Cheetos..

Asian Home Favorite Instant Noodles - Mee Goreng

In most Asian countries, one of our home tradition is for little children to cook something for themselves whenever they are hungry using very simple steps like putting a water to boil. The elderly watched, became influenced and wants to do the same. Or it could be the other way round in fact, small children watched how adults cook packs of delicious instant noodles and hence got their way with it themselves, opening up kitchen racks whenever at leisure.
A lot of these instant noodles are family favorites despite their low counts in nutrition. Basically, they belong to the fun food category, yet to add nutrition, people add other complements such as vegetables, sausages and chicken to make their bowls or dishes complete.

One absolute home favorite which tastes so good is the "mee goreng". The name implies fried noodles because "goreng" means fry. But really, the noodles are simmered and with little packs of tri-condiments (special sauce, chilli oil & dried vegetables) to mix with after the noodles are drained after 3 minutes, it becomes something ready to eat and looks like fried noodles.

I could still remember that first mouthful remains fresg in memory 20 years ago.