Discover The Indian Dosa -A Nutritious Breakfast Idea

By : Mary Anne Durkee


The Dosa, the South Indian delicacy is an integral part of the Indian cuisine. The Dosa is a delicious pancake made with rice and pulses and in some cases has a tasty stuffing too.



With the several variations that are possible, the dosa is a power packed healthy breakfast or snack idea for all ages. Starting the day right, meaning, with the right nutrition is very important, the dosa lets you do just this. A great way to taste and health, the delicious dosa.

The dosa is light on the stomach and is great for a good nutritious breakfast, a snack or even dinner. It is a rich source of proteins and carbohydrates. The plain dosa is made with rice and white lentil or the urad dal as it is known in the Indian cuisine. The rice and lentils are soaked for approximately 12 hours and then washed thoroughly. The ingredients are then made into a fine paste using water in the grinder.

Some of the traditional South Indian homes where dosa is part of the everyday menu use grinders specifically meant for the purpose. They then grind the batter in a large quantity to meet the entire week's requirements. Today there are even modern manageable versions of the huge grinders available. These table top grinders are both lighter and more easily manageable as compared to their heavyweight counterparts.

Coming back to preparing the dosa batter, the ingredients are made into a fine paste and adding salt left to ferment. Once fermented you can enjoy delicious dosa that are crisp, yummy and also healthy. You could also make dosas without fermenting the batter, they turn out delicious too.

There are several variations possible with the dosa. With a tasty potato stuffing you can turn the plain dosa into a masala dosa. Then there are the rava dosa, the healthy raagi dosa, adai ( which combines a variety of lentils with rice, a highly nutritious dosa full of proteins) and you can have a hundred more with a little creativity and experimenting with the stuffing.

The dosa is served with a variety of accompaniments like the chutney and sambar. Today most supermarkets and food stores stock readymade dosa and idli batter and so for a working couple or with anyone with very little time on hand too, making a dosa is possible with ease.

The dosa is a nutritious breakfast. You need to start your day right. A good breakfast that is both filling and nutritious can do you a lot of good. Seeing you through the day with ease. A good breakfast ensures that you are active and alert both mentally and physically.
Author Resource:- Mary-Anne is a featured member and regular contributor at ifood.tv, a global food network, featuring recipes from all over the world. Other popular healthy recipes videos on ifood.tv include
etwork/leftover_chicken/recipes">Leftover" target="_blank">http://www.ifood.tv
etwork/leftover_chicken/recipes">Leftover chicken Recipes, Pasta Salad recipes and
etwork/tilapia/recipes">Tilapia" target="_blank">http://www.ifood.tv
etwork/tilapia/recipes">Tilapia Recipes


Article From Article Health And Fitness

How Much Sleep is Enough and How Can You Sleep Better?

Nowadays, I really have to make sure I sleep enough on the day I have done my workout. Moreover, with a new job which comes with hectic schedules, I tend to stay up late. However, I know that muscles need time to recover and to grow. While people like me always complain of having not enough sleep, some people have too much sleep. Many people eat and drink well beyond their biological need. Same with sleeping too. We tend to sleep more, given a chance to do so, like on Saturdays or Sundays.

So, How Much Sleep Do We Need?

Some experts said it should be about 8 hours. Some people seem to feel refreshed after 6.5 hours of sleep, whereas others need 9 hours. But, the more important question is: Do you wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy or not? In other words, quality is as important as the quantity, if not more important.

When we get older, we will need less sleep. If you find that your sleep demand increases, then you are probably compensating for a decreased quality of sleep. Again, it is important to think not just about the amount of sleep, but the quality as well.

Why Teenagers Tend To Sleep Late and Wake Up Late?
Studies show that during the teen years, the body’s circadian rhythm (sort of like an internal biological clock) is reset, telling a person to fall asleep later and wake up later. This change in the circadian rhythm seems to be due to the fact that melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleeping and waking patterns, is produced later at night for teenagers. This can make it harder for teens to fall asleep early. (That is why you see so many teenagers still hanging out outside at 2 AM.)

For adult, an hour or 2 of missed sleep a night may not seem like a big deal, but it can create a noticeable sleep deficit over time.

How Do you Know If You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep?

For me, the first thing that happens if I do not get enough sleep is headache. Also, I will have problems with my sentences too. Usually there are word-finding difficulties or the grammar will mess up. Something like…”David has postponed the meeting. She will call us evening tomorrow evening.”

Here are some of the signs that you may need more sleep:

1. Difficulty waking up in the morning
2. Not able to concentrate
3. Falling asleep during classes or work
4. Feelings of moodiness and even depression

However, there is a difference between being sleepy and tired. If I got up and did a hundred push up or sit up, I might feel tired, but I would not feel sleepy. Sleepiness is a feeling of lack of sleep, obviously, and tiredness is a feeling of physical fatigue.

How Can You Sleep Better?

Here are some things that may help you to sleep better (compiled from different sources):

• Set a regular bedtime. Going to bed at the same time each night will send signal to your body that it is time to sleep. Waking up at the same time every day can also help establish sleep patterns. Avoid “debts” that you will make up on the weekend. So try to stick to your sleep schedule even on weekends. Do not go to sleep more than an hour later or wake up more than 2 to 3 hours later than you do during week days.
• Exercise regularly. However, do not exercise right before bed. It can raise your body temperature and wake you up.
• Avoid beverages with caffeine, such as Coke and coffee.
• Nicotine is also a stimulant, so quitting smoking may help you sleep better.

• Drinking alcohol in the evening can also cause a person to be restless and wake up during the night.
• Relax your mind. Avoid violent, scary, or action movies (or porn movie) right before bed - anything that might set your mind and heart racing. Reading books with involved or active plots may also keep you from falling or staying asleep.
• Unwind by keeping the lights low. Light always tell the brain that it is time to wake up. Before you sleep, stay away from bright lights, including computer screens, as well as meditating or listening to soothing music, can help your body relax. Some people find that using sleep masks are helpful in “sleeping in dark”.

• Do not nap too much. Naps of more than 30 minutes during the day may keep you from falling asleep later.
• Create the right sleeping environment. I sleep best in a dark room that is slightly on the cool side. Close your blinds or curtains. Lots of noise can be a sleep turnoff too.
• Wake up with bright light. Bright light in the morning signals to your body that it is time to get going.
• Nutritionists recommend calcium-rich foods before bedtime. Warm glass of milk really works for some people. But, do not drink too much, otherwise, you may have to wake up middle of night to go to toilet. Also, do not eat a heavy meal before bedtime.

Hopefully, the above few tips will be helpful in getting you to sleep better. Do you have any experience to share? Leave it down here at the comment section.


credit to munfitnessblog

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers—the systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). The measurement is written one above or before the other, with the systolic number on top and the diastolic number on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure measurement of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed verbally as "120 over 80."

Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic.

Portable Fitness Equipment

Fitness Training Basics : How to Keep a Flat Stomach

THIS IS FITNESS TRAINING GUIDE

Healthy eating habits are the first step to toned abdominal muscles and flat stomachs. Find out other ways to keep a flat stomach with tips from a certified physical fitness trainer in this free workout video. keep your body fit.

Fitness Training Basics : How to Tone Up in a Week

FITNESS TRAINING.

Want to tone up in a week? Combining cardio workouts with strength fitness training exercises will tone up muscles. Get more tips for toning up in a week from a certified physical fitness trainer in this free workout video.

Workout Video: Best Ab Exercise

This video shows you how to get flat, toned abs with a new free fitness and workout video that will burn fat and calories. Get your body ready for bikini season today!