Guava: Tasteful Health

Guava, a tasty tropical fruit. It is very nutritious and is a ready to eat fruit because of its edible skin and seeds. And with easy availability of guavas all round the year, its a refreshing addition to salads and other recipes. A Vitamin C loaded fruit, it provides far more than the daily requirement. 

Looking at the nutrient list shows that, one cup of Guava (165 gm) is an excellent source of many nutrients, as it provides a whopping 628% of the daily intake of Vitamin C, 21% of daily intake of Vitamin A, 20% of daily intake of Folate, 20% of daily intake of Potassium, 19% of daily intake of Copper and has 112 calories. And it is also a good source of Niacin (9%), Vitamin B6 (9%), Manganese (12%) and Magnesium (9%). Thats a long list of nutrients, making it a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

It also provides 36% of the daily intake of Dietary Fiber, which has many health benefits like lowering cholesterol and the risk of diabetes and heart diseases. Given all these advantages, Guava must be made a part of healthy diet plans.

It is mostly eaten raw or with some sprinkling of salt or sauces. And it makes a good snack option and a perfect ingredient for fruit salads. Guavas - Tasteful Health everyday. 

Link:

For Nutrition Facts: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1927/2

Avocado: Flavored with Nutrients

Avocado, also known as butter Pear, is an excellent source of many nutrients. It is cultivated mostly in the tropical countries like Mexico, Caribbean. It is rich in many vitamins and minerals and is a complete food in itself. One can easily say- Avocado is a nutrient-rich flavorful fruit.

Looking at the nutrient list shows that, one cup of Avocado, Cubes (150 gm) provides 25% of the daily intake of Vitamin C, 39% of daily intake of Vitamin K, 16% of daily intake of Vitamin E, 30% of daily intake of Folate, 19% of daily intake of Vitamin B6 , 21% of daily intake of Potassium, 21% of daily intake of Pantothenic Acid and has 240 calories. And it is also a good source of Riboflavin (11%), Niacin (13%), Magnesium (11%), Copper (14%) and Manganese (11%). Thats a long list of nutrients, although the calories are on the higher side, it is still a complete source of  vitamins and minerals.

Not just the nutrients, it is also an excellent source of fiber, which has many health benefits. Avocado oil is used in cosmetics too. And avocados are also the famous 'Baby Foods'. The MUFAs (Mono-unsaturated Fatty acids), in avocados helps in reduction of Cholesterol. Avocados should be included in healthy diet plans as it has far-reaching positive effects on health.

Avocados go really well with apples, onions or can be combined with many other available fruits and vegetables as part of salads.

It provides balance to the recipes, gives it a healthy kick and provides the nutritional advantage. An All-Rounder by all means.

Link:
For Nutrition facts:  http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1843/2

Papaya: Recipe for a Healthy Body

Papaya, is one of the healthiest fruits available. It is rich in vitamins and is also used as a remedy for many health problems. And is eaten both raw and cooked. Papaya is like another blessing, with essential vitamins and very less calories, its a perfect fruit option for calorie conscious people and also for those who have digestive troubles. 

Looking at the nutrient list shows that, one cup of Papaya (140 gm) provides 31% of the daily intake of Vitamin A, 144% of the daily intake of Vitamin C, 5% of daily intake of Vitamin E, 13% of daily intake of Folate, 5% of daily intake of Vitamin K, 10% of daily intake of Potassium and has 55 calories - this list surely makes it a very nutritious fruit option. Papaya gives you the many required vitamins for the body without the use of supplements. 

With the medicinal properties, papaya has added advantages of being a perfect fruit. It should be included in regular diet plan and it also gives a healthy twist to any salad. It goes well with most of the fruits and makes a delicious snack for the guilt-free evenings. The sumptuous fruit salad recipe, which I have been using since long is the Walnut-Papaya salad. For that you need:

1 cup Papaya - seeded, peeled and cut in small pieces

1/2 cup Banana - peeled and diced

2 tablespoons Pomegranate - whole seeds

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Walnuts (chopped)

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. And put it in the refrigerator for an hour and serve cold. This fresh and healthy salad can be eaten any time of the day. And mashed papaya works great as a face pack for all skin types. 

All in one - Papaya is the right recipe for a healthy body.

Link:
For Nutrition Facts: http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1985/2

Cantaloupe: Vitamin Rich Melon

Cantaloupe, also known as muskmelon; is a famous variety of melons. It is full of essential vitamins and has minimal calories and these two reasons make it one of the best fruits to have whether you are watching your weight or just want to eat something refreshing. It makes a great guilt-free fruit salad and has a sweet aroma too. 

Looking at the nutrient list shows that, one cup of cantaloupe provides 103.2% of the daily intake of Vitamin A, 112.5% of the daily intake of Vitamin C, 5% of daily intake of Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), 6% of daily intake of Niacin, 6% of daily intake of Vitamin B6, 14% of daily intake of Potassium and 53 calories - this list surely makes it a very nutritious fruit option. So cantaloupes make it possible to get your recommended amounts of vitamins needed to lead a healthy life.

It definitely tastes the best when eaten raw, but there are also some very interesting ways to have your favorite fruit. One easy recipe from my mom's kitchen is always a hit with both children and adults and it is cantaloupe pieces soaked in milk. For this, you need :

1 Cup Cantaloupe - peeled, seeded and diced
1 Cup skim Milk
2 spoons of sugar - to taste (optional, if the cantaloupe is not sweet enough)
Nuts (sliced), (optional)

Just put all ingredients together in a bowl and put it in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Serve cold and another way is to put all these ingredients in a blender with ice and serve it as a smoothie.  Am sure everyone will enjoy these delightful and tasty recipes; especially, in summers.

Without doubt, Cantaloupes are a must for any healthy diet plan. A nutritious and tasty option for all.

Link:
For Nutrition Facts: http://www.peertrainer.com/DFcaloriecounterB.aspx?id=2134

New York: The Top 10 Attractions

I have been in New York for a while now, and have been exploring this beautiful city widely. With the help of regular weekend trips, I have complied my list of Top 10 attractions in NY.

1. Times Square - This is the place I visited the very first day I landed here. And trust me this place will make you feel like you are in the midst of a party, a part of the most happening place. With huge billboards, frenzy of crowds, people dressed in strange costumes, the happy vibes, loud music and of-course loads of food to eat; anyone can fall in love with this place. It just makes you feel happy, no matter in what mood you are - this place will cheer you up in no time. And the famous 'Red Steps' feel like the most comfortable place to sit and watch the crowds go mad. 

2. Grand Central Terminal - Grand Central Station at 42nd street, is sure to make you feel grand. The grandest not just in word but in all other ways too - and it is also the largest train station in the world, in terms of number of platforms. Not just that, it looks royal with chandeliers and beautiful over-looking balconies and some pretty famous restaurants and lounges are a part of it too. A must visit for everyone.

3. Central Park - The best place to be on a sunny day as well as on a snowy day. In winters, it is completely covered in white blanket, the lakes are also covered with a sheet of ice and it makes a beautiful sight. During summers, its the ideal place to take a walk or sit lazily on a bench. There are many things to see also like the Belvedere Castle - a miniature castle built in 1869 provides the best views of central park; Romeo and Juliet and Alice in Wonderland sculptures, Central park zoo, Obelisk from Egypt, Jackie Kennedy Reservoir, turtle pond and many more. A great place to spend a complete day with family and friends.

4. Coney Island and NY Aquarium - Coney Isalnd is in the southern part of  Brooklyn, NY and offers a scenic view of the Atlantic ocean from its shores. Not just the sandy shores, there are many more avenues to explore like New York Aquarium, which is situated near the coast and has a wide variety of sea creatures; making it a day long affair. With animals such as Walrus, sea otter, sharks, turtles, jellyfishes and the all time favorite sea lion show, its a famous attraction for families.

5. Rockefeller Center - During Christmas time, this place really 'rocks'. The famous Christmas tree at the Rockefeller and the ice skating rink make it the most visited attraction during winters. Even in summers, its a crowd puller, as theres the ever-loved views from the top of the rock and the skating rink is converted to a place where you can sit and relax and enjoy great food.

6. Bronx Zoo - Another place, which is a delight to everyone's heart. Both children and grown-ups can have their share of fun in this 265 acres of natural habitat for animals. The ride on the wild Asia monorail through the forest and over the Bronx river takes 20 minutes and is one of the best parts of the visit. There are animals from around the world such as Tigers, baboons, snakes, frogs, lion, snow leopard, red panda and lot more, the list is never-ending.

7. Empire State Building - A visit to the Empire State Building figures in everyone's list. The observatory i.e. the 86th floor of the building gives you a chance to look at New York city from the top. And the view from the top is breath-taking from any standards and no trip is complete without a visit to this observatory.

8. Ripley's Believe it or Not - 'Stranger than fiction', this can be easily said for Ripley's Odditorium any-day. A huge array of exhibits are on display from Mr. Ripley's collection. There is an albino giraffe, world's tallest man's shoes, world's famous midget, shrunken heads of real human beings, a meteorite, picture of three-legged man, the heaviest man, the torture room exhibits and dinosaur skull. A must on the travel itinerary.

9. Madame Tussaud's Museum - Everyone likes to get a picture with the celebrities and this place gives an opportunity to get to know your favorite stars up-close and personal. Wax figures of Stars like Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Lopez, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, the Osbournes and famous political leaders like George Bush, Napoleon, Barack Obama, Princess Diana, Bill Clinton and many more adorn the museum. And a 10 minute 4D movie is also included in the visit, which is so much fun.

10. Time Warner Center - It is situated at the Columbus circle near the trump towers and is a great place for shopping and eating. The stunning star show during the Christmas season is a big attraction and ofcourse with lounges and awesome eateries, its a wonderful place to relax any time of the year.

Unbelievable: Ripley's Believe it or not - 4

The following exhibit had some pictures of Siamese twins and some objects which came out of people's stomachs. Next one was a real 3.179 pound meteorite, found in China in 1958 and believed to fallen on earth in 1592. And there was also a computer-generated picture depicting the view of New York, if the meteorite had fallen there and the crater looked like a complete city could fit into it. 

                                                       Picture of meteor hit New York city

There was also the original american flag taken to moon and a piece of rock from moon (wow!). The next was a life-size exhibit of Shark with its jaws wide open and they had even shown all the strange things inside its stomach which also consisted of two swimsuits (that's funny!).

A dinosaur skull and bones were also on display and then came the exciting part - a room with laser beams falling across and one had to make his way through the beams and go to the other end of the room without touching any laser beam. This was so much fun, as first my husband went in and we could see him in a t.v. outside, it looked just like movies and he was pretty good and touched only 4 beams. After him, it was my turn now, i did pretty well too- only 3 beams, yipee!!.

                                                                                  Dinosaur skeleton

Another interesting twist, we saw there was, there were two doors - one was for coward hearted and the other one a path through a rotating ball leading to the next exhibit. We took the one through the ball, and it was spinning all around and I felt like I was falling on one side. But we made it not just once but five times, it was so much fun.

From the ball, we were led into the the famous room with shrunken heads from Ecuador. This practice of shrinking heads was common amongst the Jivaro Indians of Ecuador, South America. So when an enemy was killed, his head was cut off, skin peeled away from the skull and hot stones,sand were poured into the cavity, then the head was sewn and boiled in herbs till it shrunk to the size of a fist. Then it was smoked over a fire to darken and harden it with feasts and ceremonies going on (Most outrageous of all!).

This visit was definitely the most unbelievable as the things we saw, we could have never imagined. It was a different experience all together. 

Unbelievable: Ripley's Believe it or not - 3

The Torture room, also had a 'Vampire Killing Kit', which was used to kill a suspected vampire. It contained garlic, a mirror, a pistol, an ivory cross, a bible, a mallet and wooden stake. And the funniest part of the exhibit was the pickled heads, there were two empty jars open in the back, so one could put their head inside the jar and look like a pickled face.

                                                       The Vampire killing Kit
The next was the room of Egyptian mummies, where a woman's hand which was mummified with a ring still on it, was on display. There was also a 200-year old mask which was found inside a coffin covering the face of a mummified body and a canopic jar which was used to keep the organs of the mummy, as all the organs of the body were removed before the body was mummified. And the famous mask worn by Pharaohs was also on exhibit. This exhibit was truly fascinating.

Abrahan Lincoln exhibit, followed the Egyptian exhibit. There were pictures of the president, the gun which was used to shoot him and even the piece of the curtain, from the balcony of the theater where he was sitting with his wife when he was killed. And a lock of his hair preserved and the pictures of convicts who were hanged for the assassination. Even more surprising was to see locks of hair of Napoleon Bonaparte and many other presidents of United States. A dress made of egg whiskers, blanket made of brand tags and a jacket made of flags of different countries, were extraordinary.

A bit tired, we sat in the auditorium and saw some of the famous Ripleys videos. After a while, we went to see the other exhibit, there were statues of African gods of fertility and a huge spear carved out of single piece of wood. A corset on a dummy was on exhibit depicting the ill-effects of tightly worn corsets by women in earlier days, when a 13 inch waist was considered best as ordered by a queen. So women in those days used to squeeze into a corset to look acceptable, and they had even mentioned an incidence - where a women with the acceptable 13'' waist, was the center of attraction of a party and after two days she died because she starved herself to fit into the even tighter corset.

Two skulls kept in a glass tank, looked like their heads were molded, and was called as Peruvian Trepany Skull, 500 A.D. These skulls bear the signs of head-binding to beautify and shape the skull and this practice was followed in Peru in those days. The other display shows more cruelty, the Golden Lily Slippers from  19th century China, where the daughters of wealthy families from the age of 3 were made to wear these shoes by breaking their feet and bound so tightly that their toes touched their heels. And because of this, the women couldn't walk properly and standing for long was almost impossible (strange !!).

There were even more cruel ways of beautifying women like the Paudaung Neck Rings, which were worn by women in Burma from the age of 5 to 25, to elongate their necks which was a sign of wealth and status, but it actually deformed their rib cages and the other was the- the disks worn by Ubangi women of Chad, Africa- as these wooden disks were inserted into their mouths which extended their lips to huge proportions as a sign of beauty and status in the tribe.

                   Paudaung Neck Rings and disks worn by Ubangi women of Chad

Unbelievable: Ripley's Believe it or not - 2

The picture gallery led us into a library, with book shelves and a table of Mr. Ripley with globe, maps, old books, watch and a small movie was being played depicting his adventures. Then one of the bookshelves moved and we were led into another exhibit - African face masks. It had all kinds of weird face masks which people in Africa used during ceremonies and rituals many years ago.

There was also the famous two-headed calf, which looked pretty strange. Then there was solid lightning (yes, I mean it !), called fulgurites. 

                                                                        Solid Lightning

In this gallery there was one amazing genuine Allosaurus skull, and we clicked pictures with our hands inside its mouth. It must have been scary in real. And yes, we also got a picture clicked with a dummy dressed as a member of one of the African tribes. There was also on display the strange torture technique in China in early days, as the punishment for lying was to get roasted tied around a pole (outrageous!!). The drawings on Ostrich eggs were pretty impressive.

The Chinese beer jars and kettles were displayed in a huge showcase and on the ceiling one could get inspired by the huge collection of lighters from around the world. The clothes and shoes worn by the tallest woman in the world were on also on display. There was also a big collection of Matchstick Spanish armada fleet miniatures displayed beneath a glass flooring, it looked awesome.

                                  Collection of Matchstick Spanish armada fleet miniatures


There was also a tank full of cockroaches and a glass dome inside it, so one could put its head inside and see cockroaches crawling all over the place. And there were some exhibits from the Titanic too. It was so nice to see things brought up from the seabed of titanic like a thermo-col glass, which had shrunken to a half an inch glass due to the pressure of the water under the sea and a small piece of the ship too.

The next was the Berlin Wall, Ripley's very own piece of Berlin wall, after it was brought down and on the lower part of the wall it was clearly written 'Made in Germany'. The next exhibit was about skulls, masks and necklaces made of body parts. One of the necklace's had 6 human fingers tied with a thread, and this kind of necklace used to be worn by women of some African tribe. These were worn by them, after their husband's death and the fingers of their husbands were cut according to the number of children and made into a necklace. Most of this exhibit was about the rituals women had to carry out after their husbands expired.

This led us into the next exhibit - Torture Room, many ways of torture during the earlier ages were shown here. The first one was a small wooden box, and criminals were locked in those boxes and left to die with only a small window in the box to breathe. In the exhibit, they had even shown a skull hanging out the hole of the box. Then there was the method of electric shock which killed instantly. Another brutal way of torture was  hanging a criminal from a wall, with hands and legs ties with a rope and a heavy chain with weight was put around the stomach; this way the body got pulled from both sides and ripped apart.

The cow mask was another medieval century torture device, and Iron Maiden, a wood structure which had piercing sticks inside and the criminal was made to stand inside it and then it was closed slowly, killing the person immediately in the most gruesome way. As the pointed steel sticks inside were put exactly in the right places to pierce heart, eyes and other parts of the body. There was also a wooden box to hang people and the heavy piece of wood fitted to the ground, with holes for neck and hands was put on culprits to punish them severely. A real Human brain, which was cut out and was there on exhibit, this brain belonged to a criminal in earlier times and it was dissected to see the difference between a normal and a criminal mind. 

Unbelievable: Ripley's Believe it or not

We visited the Ripley's Believe it or not 'Odditorium', NY yesterday. It was a sudden plan and we booked our tickets online right away. It was unbelievable, as we saw such strange and bizarre things; which can make anyone think, 'that its not possible'. 

I should start writing the blog, with something about Mr. Robert Ripley, who started it all. He began by selling a cartoon to the life magazine and after his believe it or not cartoon took off, he became a traveler looking for the oddest things. And odditorium is the place where all his collectibles are showcased to the public. The entrance to the museum is grand with a chinese dragon mega gate. 

A life size horse made of car bumpers greeted us at the museum entrance. On the other side of the entrance was the bearded lady, and then there was the skeleton of the largest crocodile ever coming out of the ceiling. It lived during the Jurassic age, a 40 feet long crocodile from Africa and used to eat dinosaurs (Strange!!). The next was the General Tom Thumb's pictures and shoes, he was the world's most famous midget and was only 3'4'' tall. His shoes looked like tiny doll shoes and in comparison to that there were shoes worn by the tallest man Robert Wadlow, 8' 11'' giant, and his statue looked massive. 

                                                                     Ripley's Believe it or not, NY


The next was the world's smallest car ever driven and a Mercedes made entirely of wood, which was actually not a car but a boat. There was also Johhny Eck, a versatile man born with no legs but could climb a ladder and was also an painter. We tried to measure our hand with the biggest hand possible, a 12.5'' hand of a texan born which is considered the biggest by far. There was also an exhibit of the ugliest woman in the world, with big falling out lips. And there were mirrors too, to see if we could roll our tongues, as it was written there, that 1 in 3 people can roll their tongues, but I was not one of three. And before taking the stairs, there was a giant albino giraffe, on the right, completely white that it didn't even look like the typical giraffes we see. 

From here, we went to the first floor, and there we saw the figure of the heaviest man, Walter Hudson from New York, who weighed 1400 lbs (635 kgs), with just the soda intake of 2 litres per meal (Humongous !!). There were paintings of people like a sadhu from India, women with a long beard and hair, a wolf faced man and the man with three legs, a man whose face looked exactly like Popeye (must be the source of inspiration) and a woman whose could write with both hands backwards and forward, upwards and downwards too (wow!!). More strange pictures adorned the walls, like the picture of a man who dressed differently on half side of his body and a man whose hands and feet were like crab, Siamese twins.

                                               Woman with beard and long hair

Stunning: Atlantic City

We planned a trip to Atlantic City during the Memorial day weekend. And we were there around 7 in the evening. This was our second trip to the casino city of the East and we were looking forward to having a great time again. We went to the beach, as it was just walking distance from 'Ceasers Casino'. The view was stunning- sun was going down, beautiful hues in the sky, sandy beach, kids playing with their little shovels, glittering casinos, loud music and everyone just splattering around in water. Nothing could be better.

                                                                Atlantic Ocean Shore

And it was time for us also to get in the water. We had a great time running on the shore and facing the waves. Clicked some beautiful pictures too. Then we went to the open air cafe and enjoyed the live music, but couldn't find a place to sit, as it was over-crowded. So, we went to the Trump Rain forest Cafe, with awe-inspiring decor, this place was best for dinner. After the cafe, we went for a walk on the famous 'Broadwalk', which was built in 1870 to keep the sand away from the beach-front hotels. It now offers the most breathtaking sights, with shops, casinos lined on one side and the ocean on the other.

From there, we went to the Pier Shops at Ceasers, with shops and oceanfront balconies; which provide the most perfect views of ocean beyond. We clicked some unforgettable pictures and enjoyed sitting in a beach chair with our feet in the sand on the second floor of the Pier and with the view of glittering Atlantic city.

Now was the time to head towards the Casino, Got our cards done and yes!! time for some slot machines. We tried our luck, it worked only some times but as always we ended up loosing more. Well, as they say, Better luck next time...!!

Around 1:30, we again came out for a walk and the broad walk was still buzzing with people, singing and dancing. We headed towards the Bally's cafe, and it took us almost an hour to get our order done. While enjoying the cool breeze, we finished the food and went back in. Tried some more luck but to no avail.

Finally it was time to head back to New York, and no doubt, this trip became one of the most memorable ones. Must say, Stunning Atlantic City !!!

                                                                         The Pier Shops, Ceasers