Salikah: The Hikma of Hakim Archuletta

A good summary of Hakim Archuletta's talks last weekend posted by Salikah Bajee. Alhamdaulillah it was the first time I saw Sidi Hakim and it was definately worth listening to his words and also to reflect on them. May Allah give us tawfiq to act on his words.

Read details of the Sidi Hakim's wisdom filled words on Salikah bajee's blog:

Sidi Hakim began by saying "Alhamdulillah, Shukrulillah" -- and he said it with his entire being and mentioned that we cannot begin, but with those words of gratitude to the One without whose permission we could not have gathered together. READ ON

Din reads: Nutrition Action Newsletter

I recently heard Sh Nuh recommend this newsletter ( called Nutrition Action) in one of his talks. Having browsed though their website, I found many useful articles. You can access the site here. The selective archives are at this link.

The articles I have really liked to date are:

• You Are What You Drink-Editorial by Michael Jacobson
• Lost in Translation --Special Feature ( eating real vegetables/fruits instead of juices, etc.)
  
• Ten best and worst foods

You can subscribe to the magazine through this link

Organically Halal in Mississauga

A local brother ( BlossomPure) sells halal organic meat in Mississauga. He actually has contacts with local farms where one of his workers goes and slaughters the animals himself.

I bought the meat couple of months ago and found the brother to be very helpful. The meat quality/cutting and packaging were also well done. The taste of pure organic meat is memorbale and delicious. I highly reccomend the shop and it's products. Some articles on Organic/Halal food:

10 Reasons to go Organic - by Ysanne Spevack.

Excerpts from the Islamic Teachings on Animal Welfare - a PDF file written by Al Hafiz B. A. Masri.

Fatwa on Stunning Animals - a range of fatwa from scholars on the topic of stunning animals before slaughter.

Five Reasons to Buy Organic Food - by Stephen White.

Hamza Yusuf: Consumption of Meat - quotes from Sheikh Hamza's talk "The Science of Shariah".

Organic Food - by Marius Bezuidenhout.

Stunning Animals: Halal or Haram? - a logical and legal enquiry into the issue of stunning animals.

The Conditions and Actions of Halal Slaughter - what makes meat halal?

The Demand for Organic Milk - by Kiran Patil.

The Forgotten Sunnah: Compassion to Animals - hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) on showing kindness to animals.

The Increase in Online Organic Food Services - by Mark Marris.

Why is Organic so Expensive? - understanding the time and effort that goes into quality animals.

Why I Stopped Eating Halal Meat - by Muhammad Ridha Payne

Why go Organic? - the health benefits of eating organic meat, fruit and vegetables.

Consider an Organic Lifestyle - what is involved in an organic lifestyle?

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For the South Asian food eaters

The Toronto Star has an interesting series on "south asian" (aka desi) food. It talks about the nuritional value and so on. I think nutrition-wise our south asian communities ( muslims and non muslims) are very uneducated:

Paresh Patel never thought about the food he was eating until he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes this summer.

Since then, Patel (not his real name) and his family have made big changes in their diet - cutting back on sweets, eating less rice, choosing whole-grain options - while still enjoying their favourite desi food.

"South Asians are very fond of sweets and fried foods," says Patel, 42, whose name has been changed because his family wants to protect their privacy over his diagnosis. (READ ON]

Some more articles in the Toronto Star as well:

Strategies to cut diabetes risk

Revising the classics

Advice to take to heart

Northern Food Guide (PDF)

Southern Food Guide (PDF)

Web MD: Food that curb hunger

Pehraps these foods are good while fasting as well...

Anyone who has ever been on a diet is familiar with the gnawing feeling of hunger that occurs when you cut way back on calories. And after a few days of feeling deprived, most dieters throw in the towel. But what if you could cut calories, yet still eat plenty of food, and not be plagued with constant hunger? Experts say that if you choose foods that help curb hunger, as well as become more mindful of your eating behaviors, you can actually eat more and still lose weight.READ ON

Tips on dealing with heat ( and is Gatorade good for you?)

Web MD has some good tips here...

Dos and Don'ts for Extreme Heat

Do:
Drink a lot of fluids, even if you aren't thirsty.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or sugared sodas because they can make fluid leave your body faster.
Stay indoors if at all possible.
Go to a mall, movie, or friend's or relative's home if your air-conditioning goes
out. See if there are heat-relief shelters nearby for the night.
Buy a fan to move air around, even if it's air-conditioned air. But remember, air-conditioning is best above 90 degrees.
Wear light-colored, loose clothing. Don't overwrap babies; put a shade over them instead.
If you go out, do it early or after dark.
Cut down on exercise. Bonanno has shortened his workouts considerably. "It's not even really cool enough in the morning," he says.
Stay in the shade.
Move slowly.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Check on elderly neighbors or relatives. ......READ MORE

Also I learnt that Gatorade is a poor substituie fro water in most cases..

"There are three words to take note of here: intense, duration and hot. If you are doing light exercise or doing nothing at all (couch-warming) - then Gatorade is a big waste of money. In this situation (and arguably in any typical workout) water is perfectly adequate. Gatorade provides sodium and potassium. If you are sweating heavily you will lose these two minerals in your sweat. However - I believe you would need to be doing a serious amount of exercise (hours) before loss of these minerals will become a problem (this is a different story if diarrhea and vomiting are involved). If you drink a whole bottle of Gatorade you are consuming about 56 grams of sugar -- this is not required in a normal sedentary lifestyle -- and in this situation it could be considered "bad" for you." READ MORE

Web MD: Curry Spice May Counter Alzheimer's

Another benefit of eating curry/salan....(I like to have it with rotee...)

A chemical in the curry spice turmeric might inspire new Alzheimer's disease treatments, a new study shows.

In preliminary lab tests, the chemical helped rid the blood of a key ingredient in Alzheimer's brain plaque.

READ MORE

Naan?

You have all heard me talk about the importance of roti in my life ( and its relevance to my marriage). A cousin of roti is naan. Metroblog Islamabad talks about naan and its roots.:

Islamabad is truly a city with a thousand faces. Islamabad has a population that is characterised by ethnic identities from the far north to the southern most point of the countryand each of these people has brought some part of their own cultures with them and as time has gone by, that particular tradition has become identifiable with Islamabad's life style.

One of these traditions that has grown largely due to the population that was initially based in NWFP, specifically Peshawar City where even today, people rely mostly on the 'tandoor' to provide their daily intake of the 'roti', a flat leavened form of bread made from wholewheat flour. Islamabad has hundreds of small and large tandoors located in small markets and in nooks and cranies around the city which provide many forms of fresh, warm bread hot from the oven to residents of the posh areas to the laborers employed around the city. Some of these tandoors are attached to small hotels that also serve the not so well off when it's time for an afternoon or evening meal.

As time has gone by, tandoors have evolved the conventional 'roti' into many varied types, to suit different occasions and tastes. For example, a 'roghni naan' or a 'paratha' usually kneaded with ghee and/or milk usually signifies a special occasion; guests or lunch or even a simple leasurely meal on a holiday. During a convential week, it is the common 'naan' that usually graces the table. If you don't like what you have to eat at home, you can order a mince meat or vegetable naan that will fill your tank up quite well.

Be it a crisp, clear day or an evening, there is nothing more comforting than the warm scents of the naan and rotis wafting from the tandoor at the corner. It is guaranteed to make anyone feel hungry.

Bon Appetit!

Timming up the calories

If you are a Timmies fan like myself it is imperitive that you check out how many calories you eat there. Wow I did not know that each choclate tim bit had 70 calories in it.

Okay I will write more later. I might just go to Timmies right now :-)

healthy eating

A few tips from Psychology today on how to stay healthy...( yes we should eat whole wheat roti!)

1. Kidney beans: Fiber lowers cholesterol and fosters a steady energy supply to the brain. Folate lowers artery-damaging homocysteine and boosts neurotransmitters to improve alertness, memory and mood. Iron aids cognition by making enzymes essential for neurotransmitter function. Thiamin (vitamin B1) aids attention and memory by boosting the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin.
2. Whole Wheat Bread: Fiber. Thiamin (B1). Ferulic acid is an antioxidant that prevents cognitive decline. Glucose furnishes energy and neurotransmitter components. Iron contributes to enzymes essential for neurotransmitter function. Riboflavin (B2) contributes to acetylcholine. Vitamin E is a brain antioxidant.
3. Apples: Pectin fiber. Epigallocatechin is an antioxidant that may prevent cancer. Quercetin is an antioxidant that preserves brain function, prevents Alzheimer's disease and boosts oxygen supply by aiding lung function.
4. Oranges: Folate. Thiamine (B1). Carotenoid antioxidants preserve nerve-cell membranes and prevent vision degeneration. Hesperidin flavonoid preserves blood-vessel function, reduces cholesterol and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Vitamin C is a brain antioxidant and aids neurotransmitter production.
5. Red Grapes: Anthocyanin antioxidants preserve nerve cells and prevent cancer. Resveratrol antioxidant protects the heart and especially the brain.
6. Milk: Calcium influences neurotransmitter release. Carnitine prevents aging by boosting mitochondria. Choline is a precursor to acetylcholine. Cobalamin (B12) also contributes to acetylcholine and to nerve-cell insulation. Niacin (B3) supports nervous system function.
7. Fish: Choline. Cobalamin (B12). Niacin (B3). Omega-3 fatty acids protect the heart, lower cholesterol, preserve nerve-cell function, relieve depression and fight inflammation. Pyridoxine (B6) contributes to acetylcholine.
8. Red Pepper: Pectin fiber. Pyridoxine (B6). Vitamin C. Beta-carotene antioxidants preserve brain function. Beta-cryptoxanthin antioxidants protect against vascular disease. Hesperidin and rutin flavonoids preserve blood vessels, reduce cholesterol and act as anti-inflammatories. Luteolin antioxidants help prevent heart disease and stroke.

A curry a day keeps docter saab away

Article from ScienceDaily ( I wonder what the health benefits of roti are?)

The chemical that gives spicy food its kick could hold the key to the next generation of anti-cancer drugs that will kill tumours with few or no side effects for the patient, say academics at The University of Nottingham.

A study by the scientists, published online in the journal Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, has proven for the first time that the chemical compound capsaicin -- which is responsible for the burning sensation when we eat chillies -- can kill cells by directly targeting their energy source.

It could mean that patients could control or prevent the onset of cancer by eating a diet rich in capsaicin and that existing products to treat conditions such as psoriasis and muscle strain, which contain the compound and are already approved for medical use, could be adapted to tackle this more serious disease.

Large Steeped Tea double double with milk,

A lot of us go on trips and wonder where the nearest Tim Hortons is on our route. Well I just found out you can find all the Tim Hortons on your route at this link ( just enter your origin and destination and it will give you all the TIm Hortons along your route.

Large Steeped Tea double double with milk, here I come.

The Water Melon story

So here goes my water melon story.What happened was that I bought this water melon a couple of weeks ago and it looked lovely. ( I love to eat fruit dont you?). You know green and all. The skin was smooth no bumps at all. I was happy and giggling to myself as I love to do.

Anyways I got it home. My apartement being on the 3rd floor meant that I had to pick up the water melon from my car and walk it up to the third floor while gravity was working against me. I stumbled though the door and safely placed the precious water melon on my counter. While going towards my room to change I took a peek at it and yes the melon did look lovely. As lovely as a water melon looks in a kitchen.

Like all other water melons I have had, I left this one on the counter for a couple of days. On the Monday I came back home from work and as soon as I entered I smelt something awful. It was like stink bomb. I walked into the kitchen and OH MY GOSH!!!!! The floor was wet with some fluid. On the counter top was a water melon with a huge hole in it. All that was left was a shell with "ugly looking and smelling gue" in it. Anyways, the counter was a mess as well. When I threw the water melon away the shell felt very week and gue started falling from the bottom . The melon barely held together. However I skillfully got my water melon into my garbage bag and threw it away. The smell of the melon stayed for a week after and I cleaned it up and all. But it was one ugly incident.

It was really messy. I looked it it up online and found out that the water melon explosion was caused by fermentation inside the water melon and it exploded due to gas build up!!! Isnt that awful!!!!

Lesson learnt: Dont trust Water Melons!!! The picture is shown below:

Obesity: An Alternative Perspective

The same problem: Obesity. However till recently this was what was preferred in Mauratania:

NOUAKCHOTT, MAURITANIA – Big has long been considered beautiful in Mauritania. But now, a generation of women are abandoning an ancient practice to fatten up - and some are even redefining beauty to put their health first.

It's not a lifetime spent scoffing junk food and slurping fizzy drinks that's to blame for obesity here; rather, a tradition as old as the desert: gavage.

n the tree-lined boulevards of Paris, the French word describes the process of fattening up geese to produce foie gras. On the sand-blanketed streets of Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, it describes the process of forcibly funneling sweetened milk and millet porridge down the throats of young girls. In this vast nomadic nation, thin women are an admission of poverty. Voluptuous wives and daughters, by contrast, are displays of a man's wealth, and that's where force-feeding comes in. Read on

Yummy!!

A collection of awesome recipes ( click here) . I will definately try some of these once I graduate. Hopefully the smell isn't to bad and I pray that I dont cause any smoke alarms to go off.