Drink Your Tea
Thich Nhat Hahn
Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
as if it is the axis
on which the world earth revolves
– slowly, evenly, without
rushing toward the future;
Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.
Month: December 2023
Need Help Choosing Between Raw and Roasted Nuts?
The nutritional differences between raw unroasted nuts and roasted nuts are relatively minor, but there are some key points to consider:
- Fat Content and Quality: Roasting nuts can potentially affect their fat quality. Raw nuts contain natural oils that are healthy, but the process of roasting, especially at high temperatures or with added oils, can lead to the breakdown of these oils. This can sometimes result in the formation of harmful compounds, although the effect is generally minimal.
- Nutrient Loss: Some nutrients, especially heat-sensitive vitamins like Vitamin E, can be slightly reduced during the roasting process. However, this loss is usually not significant enough to make a major difference in your overall diet.
- Phytic Acid: Raw nuts contain phytic acid, which can bind to minerals and reduce their absorption. Roasting nuts can reduce their phytic acid content, potentially increasing the bioavailability of minerals like iron, zinc, and calcium.
- Flavor and Digestibility: Roasting can enhance the flavor of nuts and may make them more digestible for some people. The process of roasting can break down some complex compounds, which might make nuts easier to digest.
- Caloric Density: Roasted nuts, especially if they are oil-roasted, might be slightly higher in calories compared to raw nuts due to the addition of oil and the reduction of water content. However, dry-roasted nuts without additional oil would have a similar caloric content to raw nuts.
- Antioxidants: Roasting can sometimes increase the levels of certain antioxidants in nuts. The Maillard reaction, which occurs during roasting, can produce new antioxidants but can also reduce others.
- Salt and Other Additives: Often, roasted nuts come salted or with other flavor additives, which can increase sodium intake and possibly other additives depending on the product.
In summary, both raw and roasted nuts are nutritious options. The choice between them might depend on personal preference, specific dietary goals, and any concerns about added ingredients in commercially roasted nuts. For a predominantly plant-based diet, as you mentioned, both forms of nuts can be a valuable source of healthy fats, protein, and various micronutrients.
Source: ChatGPT
Today’s Joke: Joe’s Office Went Paperless, Oh, Oh
Joe: “My office went paperless.”
Pete: “How’s it working out?”
Joe: “Great, except when I go to the bathroom.”
Thinking Out Loud: There’s Something Good in Your Relationship
Learning to Appreciate. A look at appreciative inquiry. Excerpts are taken from, Appreciative Inquiry Handbook (2003) by David Cooperrider, Diana Whitney, and Jacqueline Stravros.
Appreciative inquiry is driven by two basic questions:
1. What in this particular setting and context gives life to this system (think of a system such as your family, work group, team, anyplace where a group of people gather in a common purpose) when it is most alive, healthy, and symbolically related to its various communities?
2. What are the possibilities expressed and latent that provide opportunities for more effective forms of organizing. 4
Note: think about your current family setting or relationship setting and let’s put appreciative inquiry to work. Imagine you and your partner or significant other go out to Starbucks to have a coffee and conversation about your relationship. You sit down and talk about your relationship. Instead of talking about what’s wrong with your relationship you change the direction of the conversation. Together you brainstorm what gives life to your relationship when it is most alive, healthy, and expresses the kind of values the both of you share. To discover the moments in your relationship that are most alive and healthy think of specific experiences you shared where your relationship was most alive and healthy. What was it about these experiences that made it special? You’ll quickly discover that you have a history of experiences where you experienced joy, overcoming challenges, and supporting each other.
Today’s Inspiring Photo: The Night is Dark But You Shine Bright
Don’t give up. Don’t let the news get you down. Good things are going to happen and continue to happen. Good Will triumph over evil.
It’s Time to Exercise Your Brain – Take the Anagram Challenge
Today’s mind sharpening anagram is a two or three word phrase. Can you unscramble the anagram to discover the two or three word phrase? It’s time to exercise your brain!
Today’s Anagram:
Today’s Quote: When Opportunity Knocks, Open the Door!
When good luck knocks at the door, let him in and keep him there.
Miguel de Cervantes
Peace – A Poem by George Herbert
Peace by George Herbert
Sweet Peace, where dost thou dwell? I humbly crave,
Let me once know.
I sought thee in a secret cave,
And ask’d, if Peace were there,
A hollow wind did seem to answer, No:
Go seek elsewhere.
I did; and going did a rainbow note:
Surely, thought I,
This is the lace of Peace’s coat:
I will search out the matter.
But while I looked the clouds immediately
Did break and scatter.
Then went I to a garden and did spy
A gallant flower,
The crown-imperial: Sure, said I,
Peace at the root must dwell.
But when I digged, I saw a worm devour
What showed so well.
At length I met a rev’rend good old man;
Whom when for Peace
I did demand, he thus began:
There was a Prince of old
At Salem dwelt, who lived with good increase
Of flock and fold.
He sweetly lived; yet sweetness did not save
His life from foes.
But after death out of his grave
There sprang twelve stalks of wheat;
Which many wond’ring at, got some of those
To plant and set.
It prospered strangely, and did soon disperse
Through all the earth:
For they that taste it do rehearse
That virtue lies therein;
A secret virtue, bringing peace and mirth
By flight of sin.
Take of this grain, which in my garden grows,
And grows for you;
Make bread of it: and that repose
And peace, which ev’ry where
With so much earnestness you do pursue,
Is only there.
Does the Time You Eat Affect Your Sleep & Metabolish
You Bet It Does – Want to Sleep Better and Burn More Calories? Read On!
For promoting healthy sleep and a high metabolism, it’s generally recommended to finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. This guideline allows your digestive system time to process the food and helps prevent issues like heartburn or indigestion, which can interfere with sleep quality.
Eating too close to bedtime can also negatively impact metabolism. When you eat, your body has to work to digest and metabolize the food, which can be disruptive if done too close to when your body is trying to wind down for sleep. Giving yourself a buffer before bed helps ensure that these processes don’t interfere with your body’s natural sleep rhythms.
However, these recommendations can vary based on individual health conditions, lifestyle, and dietary needs. It’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet and regular exercise routine, as you’re already doing, are key factors in supporting both healthy sleep and metabolism.
Source: ChatGPT
Today’s Joke: Joe Wants to Leave Work Early
Joe: “I asked my boss if I could leave work early and he said yes if I made up the time.”
Pete: “What did you say?”
Joe: “I said, “Eleventy past seventeen.”
