Fig

Fig is native to the Middle East and western Asia. Botanically, it belongs to the mulberry family. Fig is a very tasty and pulpy fruit, filled with tiny seeds. It is heart shaped and slightly violet in color when ripe some of the great health benefits of figs are as follows.

1. Figs help people lose weight. A great source of dietary fiber, figs can work wonders for those who want to lose weight. Figs with their high fiber content can help in weight management.
2.  Figs are also great for post-menopausal women and for those who have breast cancer. Research has shown that women, who consume fiber-rich fruits regularly, reduce their own chances of getting cancer
3.  Figs are good for those with diabetes
4.  Fig is very rich in high quality dietary fiber. It is therefore very beneficial for your digestive system. Not only does it improve metabolism but also it keeps stomach related ailments such as constipation and indigestion at bay. This is one of the most important fig benefits. Daily intake of figs is also very beneficial in curing piles.
5. Figs are also rich in potassium. Therefore, regular use of figs in your daily diet helps in controlling your blood pressure and keeps you away from hypertension and heart diseases.
6. Figs are also rich in an enzyme known as pectin. Eating one or two figs a day helps in reducing cholesterol in your blood due to the presence of pectin.
7. Calcium intake is very essential for your bones; and figs are very rich in calcium. If you are allergic to milk or other dairy products, regular intake of figs makes up the deficiency of calcium in your body.
8. Figs also posses excellent aphrodisiac properties. They are widely used for the treatment of problems related with the male reproductive system.
9. Figs benefits include boosting your memory as well. In fact, certain constituents of figs are very helpful in curing sleeplessness and insomnia.
10. Figs also contain a rich quantity of iron. If you experience deficiency of iron and anemia, you must include figs in your daily diet. It will help alleviate the iron deficiency.
11. One of the more important fig benefits is what it does for your heart. Daily intake will help prevent coronary heart disease.
12.  Figs are replete with antioxidants. Therefore, regular consumption of figs in your diet will help you in keeping yourself younger for much longer.
13. If you experience acne or pimples on your face, mash two figs and apply the paste on your face. Let it dry and rinse with normal cold water. Doing this twice a week will help cure the problem.
14.  These are some of the more common fig benefits. While there are no known fig side effects, excessive intake may result in diarrhea.

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Kerala’s education channel to go online

IT@School ViCTERS, Kerala’s educational channel for schoolchildren, will be available live on the Internet from New Year’s day. It will allow students, teachers and general public watch the channel live at http://www.victers.itschool.gov.in/ from any part of the world, an official said here yesterday.The entire programme telecast on the channel from 6am to 11pm would be available online, benefiting millions of schoolchildren, including those in the Gulf countries and Lakshadweep islands where schools follow the Kerala curriculum. The advanced video streaming technology enables viewing through an Internet connection with a minimum data transfer speed of 150 Kbps.Since most of the broadband Internet connections that are available possess higher data transfer rates, the streaming of the channel would deliver real-time watching without any disruptions. Students need not subscribe to any cable or DTH services to watch ViCTERS. All the schools in the state are currently equipped with broadband Internet connectivity and the students could watch the programmes in their classrooms or computer labs with the aid of their teachers. The programme schedules would be available a week in advance.ViCTERS (Virtual Classroom Technology on Edusat for Rural Schools) is the only channel in the State to air specific curriculum-based programmes, international programmes on science and technology prepared by Deutsche Welle, the German broadcaster, the BBC as well as classic Indian films produced by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Initially, the channel was available to students and public through receive-only terminals but it is now available through almost all local cable and direct-to-home (DTH) networks in Kerala.It also airs popular programmes like Haritha Vidyalayam, an educational reality show and the state school festival, the biggest youth festival in Asia. This year’s festival will be held January from 17-23, 2011 and it will be telecast live on ViCTERS.“Students would also be able to select their specific choice of programmes through facilities like ‘Video on Demand’ which is proposed to be implemented this year,” said K Anvar Sadath, the executive director of IT@School project and the ViCTERS. “We are also getting requests from other states as well for sharing content that can be dubbed into the respective regional languages.”

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Kuwait Airways grounds its Airbus A300 fleet

Kuwait Airways has grounded its fleet of five Airbus A300 to conduct an inspection of the jets, the state-owned carrier said yesterday. The carrier did not specify what prompted the suspension, other than that Airbus had asked the airline to conduct a check-up on its A300 planes after Kuwait Airways “submitted notes” to the manufacturer. “The procedure has resulted in delaying some flights until the check-up is done and this type is back to flying,” Adel Broslay, Kuwait Airways’ director of public relations and media, said in a statement. Broslay said Kuwait Airways could lease aircraft if the maintenance works were delayed.

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EGG curry

INGREDIENTS:

Eggs - 4.
Cinnamon - a half inch piece.
Cloves - 4.
Pepper - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Small Onions (chopped) - 10.
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp.
Chilli powder - 1 dsp.
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp.
Tomatoes chopped - 2.
Oil - 2 dsp.
Salt - to taste


Method
1. Whisk the whites and yolks of the eggs together and make thin half cooked omelettes.
2. Cut them into small strips.
3. Roast the spices and pepper and grind.
4. Add onions , ginger, garlic paste one by one and saute.
5. Mix the coriander, chilli and turmeric powders in little water.
6. Add this to the above ingredients. Saute all these together.
7. Add the ground spices and pepper.
8. Add the tomato pieces.
9. Add one cup water with salt to taste and let it boil.
10. Add the egg strips and simmer for a few minutes.
11. Serve hot.

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Remedies for acidity

Tips to overcome acidity:

- Skip the aerated drinks as well as the caffeine. Opt for herbal tea instead.
- Have a glass of lukewarm water everyday.
- Include banana, watermelon and cucumber in your daily diet. Watermelon juice is great for curing acidity.
- coconut water is known to soothe the system if you suffer from acidity.
- Drink a glass of milk - everyday.
- Have your last meal at least two to three hours before you hit the sack.
- Keeping long intervals between meals is another cause for acidity. Have small but regular meals.
- Try to avoid pickles, spicy chutneys, vinegar, etc.
- Boil some mint leaves in water and have a glass of this after meals.
- Sucking on a piece of clove is another effective remedy.
- Jaggery, lemon, banana, almonds and yogurt are all known to give you instant relief from acidity.
- Excessive smoking and drinking will increase acidity, so cut down.
- Try chewing gum. The saliva generated helps move food through the esophagus, easing symptoms of heartburn.
- Ginger aids in digestion. Either buy powdered ginger in capsule forms or add the herb to your recipes.
- A simple preparation of lemon water with sugar can be sipped on an hour before lunch to reduce uneasiness.
- Have vegetables like drumsticks, beans, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot and spring onions.

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