Tag: people

Posted in Daily, Food

Beyond the “C”

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

What connects Camellia sinensis, Coffea seeds, Kola nuts as well as the yaupon holly leaves, Amazonian holly guayusa leaves. The common factor is a simple but bitter, white crystalline purine, a methylxanthine alkaloid compound popularly consumed globally as “Caffeine”. The growing role of “caffeine” related beverages is evidenced by the celebration of March as the National Caffeine Awareness Month” by foodimentarians globally.

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Like the two sides of a coin, caffeine has its’ own merits and demerits. Primarily playing its’ role as a central nervous stimulant as well as inhibitor of two major enzymes, phophodiesterase and adenosine; caffeine of coffee, tea as well as the medically available pure form has its’ indicated uses and merits.

From treating to preventing major diseases in neonates (like bronchopulmonary dysplasia, apnea of prematurity) as well aiding asthmatics in reducing their exacerbation; caffeine aids in reducing fatigue, drowsiness and improving coordination and reaction time. Imagine the endless night shifts, cramming before exams, pulling all nighters before the term exams in university and aiding to stay awake during classes after late night events; caffeine was always a life saver. In moderation, caffeine aids in reducing depressive symptoms as well as suicide idealizations.

“It was a pleasant cafe, warm and clean and friendly, and I hung up my old water-proof on the coat rack to dry and put my worn and weathered felt hat on the rack above the bench and ordered a cafe au lait. The waiter brought it and I took out a notebook from the pocket of the coat and a pencil and started to write.” Ernest Hemingway

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Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Not just students or night shift workers, for the gym goers, caffeine helps in improving their endurance, aids weight loss as well as increase the training or exercise volume. Moderate consumption of caffeine reduces dementia and Alzheimer’s risk, neuroprotective for Parkinson’s patients, reduces liver fibrosis and cirrhosis as well decreases risk of throat, mouth, colon and skin cancer.

On the other hand, more than 400 milligrams of caffeine intake has been associated with health risks ( Health Canada limitations) while toxic doses are in the range of ten grams or more of caffeine (50 -100 coffee cups with 80-175 mgs of caffeine per cup). Adverse effects of caffeine have a physical as well as psychological manifestation. In the former group would include raised blood pressure, headaches, increase gastrointestinal motility, increase bone loss in postmenopausal women, stained teeth, increased eye pressure in glaucoma patients, loss of essential minerals like iron and calcium as well as decreasing collagen synthesis i.e. more wrinkles.

“As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?” Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

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Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

From a psychological viewpoint, increase caffeine can lead to addiction, mood swings, dependency, anxiety disorders, tremors as well as irritability and sleep less nights. For the pregnant women, balancing the daily intake to two or less cups of coffee ( less than 200mg ) helps to reduce the caffeine induced pregnancy complications.

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Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Caffeine consumption, highly depends on the way and reason we take it. From a simple homemade coffee to the “calorie laden coke” (laced with additional compounds) or the simple morning and evening ritual of tea, caffeine intake can be regulated. The more carefully we regulate the caffeine intake, the longer we can enjoy the merits than be affected by their demerits.

“Adventure in life is good; consistency in coffee even better.” Justina Chen, North of Beautiful

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Posted in Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Work

Hearts That Support

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” Khalil Gibran

We all have our own crosses as well as ups and downs in life to bear. Despite the dark moments, we still manage to revive a bit of ourselves and get our footing back on track. In the process of getting up, unknowingly or known to us, we rely on select few who give us their support, strength and the courage to start again.

“I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.” Leonardo da Vinci

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Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

They give excuses for us, when we don’t explain ourselves. They accept our shortcomings and acknowledge the apologies that we give or turn a blind eye when we neglect to ask for pardon. At our worst, they lift us up, even if that means putting our priorities first by setting theirs aside. They don’t try to flag down when they fall or ask for attention on our busy or light days. They accept us for who we are. Yet what we often fail to realize is that, these hearts are few in number and tend to fail when untended for long.

When we rise up to stand, it would do well to remember these noble hearts for they are helped us to regain ground. For in the due course of time, when these good hearts give up on us; our skies will fail to clear up and darkness will linger on. A heart doesn’t turn need much to stay warm, just a little bit of love and kindness once in a while.

“Life is made up, not of great sacrifices or duties, but of little things, in which smiles and kindness, and small obligations given habitually, are what preserve the heart and secure comfort.” Humphry Davy

Source: https://vk.com/monahos
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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Quotes, Reflections

Over Time

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

With the advent of technology and innovations, the old adage that “old is gold” doesn’t hold true in every scenario. For instance, the Internet Era and the World Wide Web have brought a hoard of information and data to our fingertips with its’ own share of pros and cons. The “gadget era” has revolutionized the art of cooking, communication and even decor.

Yet as we grow older, we discover certain things are like wine and cheese, antiques and fine art. The longer we treasure, maintain and nurture them, the more priceless they become. Human behaviour as well as relationships often fall into this category.

“If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.” Maria Edgeworth

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Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

Over time as we grow older, we begin to better understand silence, read between the lines and peek into the souls of people. It comes with experience to those who are open to life and learn from the lessons as well as situations that we encounter. Slowly we learn to appreciate time, memories and moments. We begin to approach life cautiously, slowly and with respect learning to speak soft, touch gently and embrace warmer. We learn to thaw the frozen hearts person with the warmth of our experiences. We would have learnt from the bitterness of loss and the joy of gaining, thereby helping us to understand the inner silence of others has we encounter.

“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time because when you give your time, you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.” Anonymous

Over time we learn to treasure and respect relationships. Turning aside flamboyance, superficiality and grandiosity and instead focusing on nurturing the kindness, respect, love and sincerity which become the main measures by which we choose our close circle. Over time as we become wiser, we discover the beauty of life to make our own niche into the world we were born into.

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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Work

Penning the Gratitude

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“Develop an attitude of gratitude and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” -Brian Tracy

The other day when I had received a “thank you” note, numerous emotions and thoughts had surfaced in my mind. One of the lost arts of modern living is the art of saying “thank you”. To be very honest, the frequency of my gratitude for favours, gifts and time spent with dear ones has been slowly dwindling. To an extent, we are all caught by the crazy melee of the daily hustle that life throws us in. Yet when we scrutinize and retrospect, we realize that time can be actually made when we really want something to be done.

“Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it all into words is all that is necessary.” -Margaret Cousins

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Source: https://vk.com/public75290000
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It doesn’t take much to frequently write, text or forward a few lines to dear people that you love them. When there is time, the power of spoken words can balm the soul when tired, weak, drained or listless. We are all masters of our own time. To refer to the fact that we do not have time shows the misplacement of our priorities. It doesn’t take much time, just a few seconds to pen down a few words to our loved ones. It takes few seconds to jot down a few words of gratitude and hope to those who have brightened our day. Take time and write. It will not only please us but also spread the warmth around us as well within us. In these busy times, there are few dear people in our life that we can comfortably lean on and they need to be cherished. Even though we may start off late, infrequently and small, a few worded thoughts of kindness, love and gratitude a day can do wonders to all and can soon turn into a pleasant habit.

“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life and you’ll find that you have more of it.” -Ralph Marston

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Posted in Daily, Family and Society, Life, Personal Musings, Quotes, Work

The Hurry of Today

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

God made time, but man made haste. ~Irish Proverb

“Take it slowly.” These are the words often heard by those of us who have used crutches or a walker at some point of time in our lives, may be after a fall, fracture, surgery or the like. One of the after-effects of walking with support either crutches or a walker is that we walk slower with every step being a necessary one. If we try to hurry we tend to fall, have sudden pain due to excessive strain or increase our duration with the supports. The hardest part is when we feel we will left behind because of the supports we use to walk. Yet when we introspect we realize that those who support and love us, would make their steps slow, small and easier so that we can keep up with them. This brings to mind what Bruce Failer quoted, “The simplest consequence of walking on crutches is that you walk slower. Every step must be a necessary one. When you hurry, you get where you’re going, but you get there alone. When you go slow, you get where you’re going, but you get there with a community you’ve built along the way.”

Being always in a hurry to get somewhere or do something, we forget how to enjoy the life that the Lord has given us. In the constant pursuit and wait for something new to happen or do, different from what we have today; the question then arises, “When will we be happy today? When will we enjoy the things of today?”

“Just be patient. Let the game come to you. Don’t rush. Be quick, but don’t hurry.” Earl Monroe

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Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts

In the haste of hunting, we neglect the fact that what’s here and now, in our hands can disappear so quickly. Time flies to its’ own tune. The present will elude us with we living in a different time frame; between the past and the future, ignoring the present. This habit stems from the fear that we mayn’t be able to achieve anything if we don’t hasten. Contrary to that thought, the beauty of life and our surroundings don’t believe in haste but using time for their own. As Lao Tzu said, ” Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

Learning to live in this hour, not constantly dwelling on tomorrow or the day after or about what will happen in a month will make us more fruitful and happy in the day. True we need to envision what the future may entail, but if we look forward with constant anxiety and foreboding, we will forget to live for today. Constantly waiting for something and thinking about the future make us sick, lifeless, worried and dull, besides losing the ability to rejoice and cherish moments of the present.

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Posted in Life, Personal Musings, poetry, Quotes

From the Heart

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

“It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much. … The life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Over the centuries as the standards of living have drastically improved and man has progressed in the spheres of science, art and literature; the only commodity that hasn’t been yet controlled is “time”. The fascination with gaining control over time is depicted in the attempts at inventing the time machine, fictional stories of time travel and the scientific conceptualization of time. Yet this is the one thing that man often squanders away, thinking it will be there again and again.

“They lose the day in expectation of the night, and the night in fear of the dawn.” Seneca

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000

During the time we have here, doing what we want from the heart really matters. What the world thinks about doesn’t really come into play as long as we don’t step on someone’s toes, do no harm and live by honest principles. There is no absolute grade to measure the right and the wrong, as it all eventually boils down to perspective. Taking control of our allotted to do one’s heart’s content is what matters to our existence.

Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet. Sarah Louise Delany

If you can warm someone, so warm up.
If you are able to forgive someone, so forgive.
Remember, life consists entirely of people,
Whose planet Earth is in a handful.

If you want to go home, come back.
If you have something to say, so take it and say it.
Look, even the snow just falling down,
Decorates with itself all the backyards of the soul.

If you have someone to stay with, stay forever.
And be true to yourself, as the last of days.
If there is at least one person next to you,
Give in to him everything, you will be stronger in this.

And when there is no strength from bad news,
And when it beats intermittently in the chest …
If you can warm someone, so warm,
If you can forgive someone, so forgive.

V. Yakimov

Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Source:https://vk.com/public75290000
Posted in Daily, Life, Personal Musings, poetry, Quotes

Predictions in Advance

Posted on by Sugar and Spice..... Among Other Things

One of the main features on the daily newspapers are the section titled “Horoscopes”, “Zodiac” or “Star Signs” and the like. As far as archaeological evidence has shown, this practice has been there since the ancient times, from era of the Egyptians and the Greeks. This astrological chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, astrological aspects and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person’s birth has been studied in great detail in order for man to gain a foothold into the course of events yet to happen. Derived from the Greek words of hõra and scopos meaning “time” and “observer”, other commonly used names for the horoscope include natal chart, astrological chart, celestial map, sky-map, star-chart, cosmogram, vitasphere, radical chart, radix or chart wheel.

From studies of divination to horoscope traditions of astrology, celestial maps or natal charts have been in frequent use even today. Yet the thought lingers on how much can we really know in advance or whether all this really helps. Do these predictions take us away from our faith or bring us closer to the truth.

“Failure and success seem to have been allotted to men by their stars. But they retain the power of wriggling, of fighting with their star or against it, and in the whole universe the only really interesting movement is this wriggle.” E.M. Forester

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Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source:https://vk.com/slideshowarts

No one knows in advance
Who and with whom fate will bring:
Who will be a friend, who will be the enemy,
And who will be familiar, just like that,

Who will make happy, who will betray,
Who will take away, who will give everything,
Who will pity deeds and words,
And who will separate bread and shelter.

With whom you can do everything,
to the simplicity,
And with whom you will not risk it on “you will open your heart to someone,
and you will close the door before someone.

You believe in someone, as in yourself,
you endure someone without loving
With one in sorrow at least where,
With the other, and in the joy of trouble

No one knows in advance,
what we have in this world is waiting for:
Who brilliant success,
whom shame for a grave sin.

All my life luck – one,
pain and suffering – the other.
one – for the truth is an eternal battle,
Others – and a lie by itself.

So we live on earth
Now in virtue, now in evil.
We sin on youth, sometimes,
On circumstances and order.

We’re leading another’s mistakes
And we don’t recognize ours alone,
we’re trying to hurt our friends,
And we’re unforgivable.

We are silent, when it is time to shout,
We shout, where it is necessary to be silent,
we do not value shrines.
And before the gray shiver.

We cherish our own “I”,
Then accusing, then cursing,
We proceed in the eternal vanity,
You look … and we are not the same.

No one knows in advance
What all this will lead to.
And life goes, meanwhile,
Partially or … for good.
– Rus Svyataya

Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts
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Source: https://vk.com/slideshowarts