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/*
Tip of the day script
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var today_obj=new Date()
var today_date=today_obj.getDate()

var tips=new Array()
//Configure the below variable to contain the "header" of the tip
var tiptitle='<b><font color="#CA0000">TheSmartTime Tip of the day</b></font><br />'

//Configure the below array to hold the 31 possible tips of the month
tips[1]='Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day!'
tips[2]='Limit your eating cycle - hand to mouth operations to 18 per sitting  and extend your eating time to minimum 20 minutes!'
tips[3]='Drink minimum 2 1/2 liters of water and for better effects you can increase up to 5 liters per day! Water does not mean plain water alone, of course you can take fresh juices and soups'
tips[4]='Slowly change yourself to vegetarianism - you are created only to eat veggie - shed your weight automatically!'
tips[5]='Start with at least one salad with every meal and end with one fresh juice!'
tips[6]='Can other drinks such as diet sodas and herbal tea count towards my 8 glasses of water for the day?

A 	The latest recommendations from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science, Dietary Reference Intake for Electrolytes and Water say:

"The fluids consumed do not have to be only water. Individuals can obtain their fluids from a variety of beverages and foods. Contrary to popular opinion, consumers do not need to consume 'eight glasses of water a day' to meet their fluid needs."

However my own personal opinion, particularly for people trying to lose weight, is to encourage additional water intake whenever possible. I feel it helps to cleanse the body when weight loss and fat breakdown is occurring. I also know that it helps to keep the hands and mouth busy, so snacking is less. This is a form of behavior modification. I personally know that many people feel better when at least 4-6 glasses of plain old H2O is consumed to help meet total fluid needs.

Written by Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian'
tips[7]='A tomato a day - Bring grape or cheery tomatoes to work and add them to your sandwich or lunch for a fresh veggie boost.'
tips[8]='Indian foods are usually savory and spicy and those who have a taste for it enjoy even small meals of Indian food thoroughly. There are a number of healthy food options when choosing an Indian menu and even small portions can greatly satisfy the taste buds of an individual with a taste for Indian food. However, one thing to bear in mind is the number of calories packed in sauces and gravies as these are made with copious amounts of clarified butter or oil and fat. If you are seeking to shed weight and are calorie conscious, then opt for such foods that include rice in the meals as that way, the need to order for an additional dish is eliminated. Roasted papads make a great way to start a meal better than deep fried potato dumplings or samosas. Roasted papads without oil can be topped with a savory mix of chopped tomato with onion or can also be had with a yoghurt dip and chopped cucumbers. refrain from oily pickles or sweet chutneys if you are calorie conscious as these have a high density of oil and salt.'
tips[9]='Choose vegetable, seafood or chicken gravies rather than red meat gravies as the latter can have a greater amount of saturated fat in them.

Gravies made from creamy sauces or thick rich curries are usually the worst culprit as these have large quantities of cream or ground almonds and cashews as the gravy base to thicken the sauce. Tandoori foods are the best choices when selecting Indian food as these are often without a sauce and do not have gravies that come with it. Tikkas and bhuna dishes are also pleasant to the palate and healthier than thick curries. When choosing ice, select plain boiled rice over pulaos and biryanis and the latter dishes have large amounts of fat added to them while cooking.'
tips[10]='Become a vegetarian, Its Good for Health

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure....

eat healthy fruits, Vegetables for good health"Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet and for good reason. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.'
tips[11]='Fact About Apple

    * Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows.
    * 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.
    * 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.
    * States apples are eaten as fresh fruit. 39 percent of apples are processed into apple products; 21 percent of this is for juice and cider.
    * The top apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania and Virginia, which produced over 83 percent of the nation’s 2001-crop apple supply.
    * Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.
    * A medium apples is about 80 calories.
    * Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin.
    * One apple has five grams of fiber.
    * Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
    * In Europe, France, Italy and Germany are the leading apple producing countries.
    * Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage.
    * It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
    * Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.
    * In colonial time apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.
    * Newton Pippin apples were the first apples exported from America in 1768, some were sent to Benjamin Franklin in London.
    * In 1730 the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York.
    * Some apple trees will grown over forty feet high and live over a hundred years.
    * Apples have five seed pockets or carpels. Each pocket contains seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the vigor and health of the plant. Different varieties of apples will have different number of seeds.
    * China is the leading producer of apples with over 1.2 billion bushels grown in 2001. Worlds top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy.'
tips[12]='FACTS About ORANGE

More than any other fruit, the orange is associated with and valued for its vitamin C content. It is, in fact, the primary source of vitamin C for the majority of Americans. But oranges have more to offer nutritionally than just this one nutrient. A small orange (about five ounces) contains generous levels of folate (folic acid), potassium, and thiamin, as well as some calcium and magnesium. And compared to other citrus fruits, oranges have a broader range of uses: They can be added to various cooked or cold dishes, eaten as snacks, or squeezed for their delicious juice.

Americans consume most of their oranges in the form of juice, which provides 140% of the current suggested daily intake of vitamin C. However, if you choose to eat a whole orange instead of drinking a glass of juice, you will get about the same amount of vitamin C with the added benefit of more than 3 grams of dietary fiber.

Orange trees are semitropical non-deciduous trees and, like other citrus fruits, they probably originated in Southeast Asia. We take oranges for granted now (they are the third most popular fruit in the U.S., right behind bananas and apples), but at one time they were expensive and only rarely available in cooler climates. Columbus brought orange seeds and seedlings with him to the New World, and by the 1820s, when Florida became a U.S. territory, there were thriving orange groves in St. Augustine. By 1910, Florida was on its way to its current status as the number-one citrus-growing state.

In the Forties, scientists developed frozen orange-juice concentrate which led to oranges becoming the main fruit crop in the United States. Today, Florida produces about 70% of the countrys oranges, and about 90% of the crop is processed into juice. California and Arizona are the other two states where oranges are extensively cultivated. Their oranges, however, have thicker skins than Florida fruits, a characteristic that helps to protect them against the drier climates of the West. They are also more prized as eating oranges.

Varieties : There are two types of oranges, sweet and sour. Only sweet oranges are grown commercially in the United States, and those you are most likely to find include:

Hamlin: One of the earliest maturing oranges, Hamlins are grown primarily in Florida. Although they are practically seedless, their flesh is rather pulpy so they are better for juicing than for eating. Small in size, Hamlins have a very thin skin. Season: October through December'
tips[13]='Benefit of BANANA

The banana constitutes almost a complete balanced diet in combination with milk.

Banana is known for promoting healthy digestion.

The banana is used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and blandness. It is the only raw fruit which can be eaten without distress in chronic ulcer cases. It neutralizes the over-acidity of the gastric juices and reduces the irritation of the ulcer by coating the lining of the stomach.

Bananas are of great value both in constipation and diarrhea as they normalize colon functions in the large intestine to absorb large amounts of water for proper bowel moments. Their usefulness in constipation is due to their richness in pectin, which is water-absorbent and this gives them a bulk producing ability. They also possess the ability to change the bacteria in the intestines from the harmful type of bacilli to the beneficial acidophyllus bacilli.

Bananas are useful in the treatment of arthritis and gout.

Being high in iron content, bananas are beneficial in the treatment of anemia. They stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood

A diet consisting of bananas and skimmed milk is considered an effective remedy for weight reduction. In prescribed course of diet treatment, the daily diet is restricted to six bananas and four glasses of skimmed milk or buttermilk made from skimmed milk for a period of 10 to 15 days. Thereafter green vegetables may be introduced gradually, reducing the intake of bananas from six to four. This regimen or prescribed course of diet treatment can be continued till the desired results are achieved. Bananas are suitable for overweight people as they contain practically no sodium.

Cooked banana flower eaten with curd is considered an effective medicine for menstrual disorders like painful menstruation and excessive bleeding.' 
tips[14]='Grape Juice Slows Down Heart Disease & Protects from Cancers

A new small study shows people with heart disease may be able to slow down its progression by drinking purple grape juice.

Several studies have linked consumption of grape juice and wine to a reduction in heart disease risk. Now, researchers at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison have found that purple grape juice slowed the oxidation process of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL cholesterol, known as the "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries.

Blood samples were taken from 14 people with heart disease. After two weeks in which people drank 12 to 14 ounces of grape juice a day, researchers found delayed LDL oxidation. Purple grape juice is being studied because it has more flavonoid compounds than white grape juice.

Full or powerful antioxidants, including astringent tannins, flavones and anthocyanins, grapes help to prevent ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and blood from clothing, and so protect the heart and the circulatory system. High in both water and fibre, grapes are also a great aid for detoxifying the gut and the liver.

FACT About GRAPES

There are several hundred widely different cultivars of grapes grown in the United States. The cultivars are grouped into four types: (1) European (Vitis vinifera), (2) American (Vitis labrusca and its derivatives), (3) Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia) and (4) French hybrids, crosses of V. vinifera cultivars with disease-resistant wild American species.

The European grape has been difficult to grow in West Virginia because it is very susceptible to cold injury and requires long, warm summers for proper fruit maturation. Disease and insect susceptibility are also serious problems with V. vinifera types. With proper site selection and training systems to allow recovery from winter damage, European grapes can be grown in some areas of West Virginia. Wineries prefer vinefera grapes for wine production and will often pay a premium price for them.

The American grape typified by the cultivar Concord is winter hardy and disease resistant. American grapes are the most commonly grown grapes east of the Rocky Mountians. Many new cultivars of excellent seedless table grapes, very different from Concord, have been developed.

Muscadine grapes are most commonly grown in the south because they are only hardy where temperatures rarely fall below 10 oF (-12 oC). Few places in West Virginia meet this requirement. The fruit and culture of Muscadine grapes is different from other grapes and will not be covered in this paper.

French hybrids are usually superior to American types for wine and are more cold hardy and disease resistant than European types. Several of these cultivars have been tested in West Virginia for their adaptability to eastern climatic conditions (see section on cultivars).'
tips[15]='Mango Pulp
To make pulp the Indian Ratnagiri Alphonso and Paayri or Raspuri are the best varieties.

Method

    * Choose fully ripe, very healthy mangoes, and wash and clean fruit very well.
    * Place thumb over the base and hold mango firmly between thumb and finger from base to tip.
    * Now soften the fruit with the other hand by rotating the mango and applying pressure at the same time.
    * When fully softened, snip off base with hand.
      Push out and empty contents (stone and all) into a deep dish.
    * Discard skin.
    * Put some water in a smaller dish. Place squeezed off stones in this.
    * When all mangoes are done with, rinse out stones in water in which they are soaking.
    * Add to the remaining pulp.
    * Run a handmixie through the mixture to get either a smooth or grainy texture as desired.

	

Mangoes

DESCRIPTION

Size is medium to large and its shape is oval to oblong with a round tip. Yellow-Orange in colour with a red blush.

The size is medium to large and its shape is a plump oval. Yellow in colour with crimson blush.

PREPARATION TIPS AND USAGE

Keep unripe mangoes at room temperature to ripen, which may take up to 1 week. Mangoes can be served fresh in salads and are excellent when used in a stir-fry or other meat dishes. Can also be cooked in breads and muffins. Mangoes can be frozen and used in jams. Mangoes are usually available from November until

STORAGE

A paper bag might help them ripen sooner, but they will not ripen at temperatures below 55 degrees F. Ripe mangoes can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or they can frozen, dried, cooked in syrup or puréed.'
tips[16]='Studies show that a high fibre diet promoted weight loss in a number of ways.

Foods with high dietary fibre content produce a feeling of fullness or satiety for longer than highly processed foods and so we can say that high fibre foods are relatively low in calories.

Dietary fibre also helps to maintain good digestion.

According to Aprajita Mahendiratta, Nutrition expert, Fibre is a healthy way to lose weight and at the same time, maintain a good digestion.

Another great way to reduce your total intake and improve your metabolism is to have 6 small meals instead of 3 big ones. This improves your metabolism and increases the chances of achieving a healthy weight loss.'
tips[17]='The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to make a life-long change in the way you eat, the way you exercise, and the way you approach your relationship with food….'
tips[18]='Summer Cool Drinks -

Coconut water

Coconut water is the best summer cooler available at any roadside corner.

It contains lots of vitamins and minerals particularly potassium which helps lower blood pressure.

Ginger lime drink

Instead of having plain lime juice or lime juice with soda, try adding a teaspoon of ginger juice (grind ginger with water and strain) per glass for a refreshing ginger-lime beverage.

More summer drinks

Lassi, buttermilk (chhaas), jaljeera and commercially available herbal sherbets such as Rooh Afza should be preferred to aerated soft drinks, which only offers empty calories. Jaljeera works as a very good digestive. '
tips[19]='Diet mantras

~ Avoid spicy, oily dishes and fried foods. Excessive amounts of chilli, pepper and garam masala are irritating to the digestive system. Instead, season foods with small amounts of jeera, fresh coriander and mint (pudina) as these are milder and also act as digestives. 

~ Your diet should include plenty of fresh juicy seasonal fruits such as oranges, sweet limes, strawberries, grapes, guavas, watermelons, jamuns, banana, papaya, etc.

Sprouts, salads, raita, curd rice, solkadi rice (kokum curry rice is a Konkani speciality), sandwiches, etc, along with the fruits, provide all the nutrients needed by the body -- particularly Vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins that help build resistance against the colds and fever that are very common during this season. 

~ Mangoes and jackfruit, available in plenty during the summer, are rich sources of b-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A and stored by the body in the liver.

This is sufficient to meet your Vitamin A requirements for at least six months.

However they are heat-inducing and high in calories, so they should be eaten in moderation (two big or three small mangoes per day). Excessive consumption can lead to a weight gain, skin eruptions and diarrhoea.

Diabetics should be particularly cautious and not eat too many mangoes as it can cause the blood sugar levels to skyrocket.

Too much of jackfruit can lead to indigestion.

~ Curd is a great summer food as it is cooling, contains proteins in the predigested form and is richer in B-complex vitamins as compared to milk.

It also contains bio-available calcium, phosphorus and magnesium and a variety of probiotics or friendly bacteria that have many beneficial effects on health.

~ During summer, avoid porridges of nachni (ragi) as it increases the your heat level. Keep this in mind when weaning babies and cooking for small children. '
tips[20]='Detox Diet

The Detox Diet helps in removing toxic substances from the body. There are many health-conscious individuals in India who opt for the Detox Diets to get rid of unwanted and harmful elements from their body. In some of the cases, the Detox Diet could be counter-productive and lead to a lot of medical problems. So it is important to have thorough knowledge about the pros and cons before you decide to go on a Detox Diet.

What is it all about?

The Detox Diet removes toxic substances from the individual body. This is achieved by reducing the intake of food items which lead to formation of toxic substances within the human body.

Food Items

The list of food items that constitute the Detox Diet has been given below.

    * Fresh fruits
    * Nuts
    * High fibre food
    * Vegetables
    * Milk
    * Herbal tea
    * Lots of water

The following food items should be avoided.

    * Meat
    * Fish
    * Sugar
    * Salt
    * Caffeine
    * Processed food
    * Dairy products

Detox Diet Benefits

The Detox Diet offers several benefits, some of which have been highlighted below.

    * Glowing skin
    * Fewer headaches
    * Rise in energy levels
    * Weight loss

Disadvantages of the Detox Diet

The Detox Diet does have some adverse effects on the human body. You need to watch out for the following problems.

    * Nutritional deficiencies
    * Lower immunity
    * No long term benefits
    * Unnatural cravings for food leading to weight gain.
    * Tiredness

The disadvantages have not prevented Indians from opting for the Detox Diet. But it is advisable to consult a nutritionist or dietician in India before you decide to go on a Detox Diet.'
tips[21]='Two table spoon ful of honey and lime juice of half a lemon in luke warm water everyday morning in empty stomach reduces your weight'
tips[22]='Drink aloe water everyday for cool body and sensitive digestive system. Aloe vera cleanes your colon, blodd and suppliments your mineral deficiencies.'
tips[23]='Banana stem juice weekly one cup with lime and honey is a medicine to dissolve your kidney stones and purify your digestive system.'
tips[24]='Include at least one cooked green leafy veg everyday in your meal. Do not over cook the green leaves.'
tips[25]=' Follow the saying - An apple a day keeps the doctor away.'
tips[26]='Water is real curator for all our diseases - drinking plenty of water a day, reduces cholostrol, blood sugar, all toxic matter in your body. You may feel a light weight and soothing feel if you practive this water therapy.'
tips[27]='Monthly or weekly fasting on a regular basis, with the guidance of a dietician is a must for every one. '
tips[28]='While dyeing pale and critical shades, after   peroxide bleaching, proper peroxide killer should be used to remove all the residual peroxide from the fabric. All blues and turquoise blues are very sensitive and prone to get oxidized leaving behind colorless chromospheres'
tips[29]='Eat plenty of seasonal vegetables and fruits. These are God sent items to balance the metabolism of our body during that season.'
tips[30]='Papaya fruits are a blood purifier with rich iron, minerals and vitamins.'
tips[31]='Change your refined oils every month and dont stick on to a particular variety. This is to avoid formation and accumulation of a particular type of triglycerides and LDL choloestrol.'

document.write(tiptitle)
document.write(tips[today_date])

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