health wise – Page 55 – Take off with Natarajan

29 வருடங்களாக சம்பளம் வாங்காமல் சேவை செய்த சென்னை டாக்டர் டி.வி.தேவராஜன்…

October 31, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

டாக்டர் டி.வி.தேவராஜன் MBBS, MD, FRCP(G), D.Sc.,

நாட்டின் உயர்ந்த விருதான பத்மஸ்ரீ விருது பெற்றவர்
அப்துல்கலாம் கையால் பிசிராய் விருது வாங்கியவர்.

சமீபத்தில் கூட எப்ஐசிபி எனப்படும் மருத்துவர்களுக்கு தரப்படும் மிக உயர்ந்த விருதை பெற்றவர்.
சென்னையில் உள்ள அப்பல்லோ மருத்துவகுழுமத்தில் அட்வான்ஸ் பீவர் கிளினிக் பிரிவின் தலைவராக இருப்பவர்.

பத்திற்கும் அதிகமான மருத்துவ புத்தகங்கள் எழுதியவர் இவர் எழுதிய புத்தகங்கள் ஆங்கிலத்தில் மட்டுமின்றி தமிழ் கன்னடம் தெலுங்கு ஆகிய மொழிகளிலும் அதிகம் விற்பனையாகிக்கொண்டு இருக்கிறது.
இவர் நாற்பது வருடமாக சம்பளம் வாங்காமல் மருத்துவக்கல்லுாரி பேராசிரியராக வேலை பார்த்தார் என்று ஒரு தகவல் கிடைத்தது.

இந்த தகவலை உறுதிப்படுத்திக்கொள்ளவதற்காக எங்கெங்கோ தேடி அவரது மொபைல் எண்ணைக்கண்டு பிடித்தேன். அவரிடம் இதுவரை அறிமுகம் இல்லை என்பதால் நான் உங்களிடம் பேசவேண்டும் என குறுஞ்செய்தி(sms) கொடுத்தேன்.சிறிது நேரத்தில் அவரே போன் செய்தார்.மிகவும் அன்புடனும் நட்புடனும் தனக்கான தகவலை பகிர்ந்து கொண்டார்.
நாற்பது வருடம் என்பது தவறு, சரியாக சொல்வதானால் 29 வருடம் நான் சம்பளம் வாங்காமல் பணியாற்றினேன்.சம்பளம் வாங்காமல் பணியாற்றியதால் நான் பணக்காரனோ என எண்ணிவிடவேண்டாம் நடுத்தர குடும்பத்தில் பிறந்து சிரமப்பட்டு படித்தவன்தான்.

வெறுமனே எம்பிபிஎஸ் மட்டும் படிக்காமல் எவ்வளவு படிக்க முடியுமோ அவ்வளவு படித்துவிடுவது என படித்தேன் அதனால்தான் என் பெயருக்கு பின்னால் அத்தனை ஆங்கில எழுத்துக்கள்.
படித்த படிப்புக்கு உடனடியாக சென்னை மருத்துவக்கல்லுாரியில் உதவி பேராசிரியர் வேலை கிடைத்தது.காலையில் பேராசிரியர் மாலையில் சொந்த கிளினிக்கில் மருத்துவம்.

மாணவர்களுக்கு பாடம் சொல்லிக்கொடுப்பது எனக்கு பிடித்துப்போனது எந்த வகுப்பை மிஸ் பண்ணினாலும் என்னுடைய வகுப்பை மிஸ் பண்ணமாட்டார்கள் நானும் எதை வேண்டுமானாலும் விட்டுவிடுவேன் ஆனால் கல்லுாரிக்கு சென்று பாடம் நடத்துவதை விடமாட்டேன்.
சென்னை மருத்துவக்கல்லுாரியும் அதன் மாணவர்களும் எனக்கு மிகவும் பிடித்துப்போன காலகட்டத்தில்தான் ஒரு சிக்கல் எழுந்தது.சம்பளம் வாங்கக்கூடிய உதவி பேராசிரியர்களுக்கு இடமாற்றம் உண்டு, சம்பளம் வேண்டாம் கவுரவ பேராசிரியராக இருந்து கொள்கிறேன் என்றால் இடமாற்றம் கிடையாது என்று ஒரு விதி இருந்தது, எனக்கு கிளினிக் வருமானமே போதுமானதாக இருந்ததது என்பதைவிட என் மாணவர்களைவிட்டு வேறு இடத்திற்கு செல்ல விருப்பம் இல்லை என்பதுதான் உண்மை என்பதால் சம்பளம் வேண்டாம் என்று எழுதிக்கொடுத்துவிட்டேன்.
நான் எழுதிக்கொடுக்கும் போதே பல ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் சம்பளம் அதன்பிறகு 29 வருடங்களில் எத்தனை எத்தனை ஆயிரமோ உயர்ந்தது அதை எல்லாம் கணக்கு பார்த்தால் பல லட்சம் இருக்கும் ஆனால் அதை எப்போதுமே நினைத்ததும் இல்லை வருத்தப்பட்டதும் இல்லை. நான் எடுத்த முடிவும் எடுத்துக்கொண்ட காரியமும் சரியானதே என்பதை இப்போதும் என் மனதும் சொல்கிறது. என்னிடம் படித்ததை பெருமையாக என் மாணவர்களும் சொல்கிறார்கள் எனக்கு அது போதும். இன்று பல மருத்துவர்கள் என் பெயரை சொல்லி என் ஆசிரியர் என்று சொல்லும்போது எனக்கு மிகவும் சந்தோசமாக இருக்கிறது.

ஒய்வு பெற்ற பிறகு பல பல்கலைக்கழகங்களுக்கு கெளரவப் பேராசிரியராக இருந்துள்ளார். இதே போல் பல கல்லூரிகளுக்கு எக்சாமினராக சென்று வந்துள்ளார். இந்திய மருத்துவரில் சிறந்தவர் யார் என்ற பிஎம்ஜே விருதுக் குழுவில் ஒரு நீதிபதியாகவும் இருந்துள்ளார்.

இப்போது 71 வயதாகிறது கொஞ்சமும் சுறுசுறுப்பு குறையாமல் ஒரு பக்கம் மருத்துவத்தையும், இன்னோரு பக்கம் ‘டெக்ஸ்ட் புக் ஆப் மெடிசின்’ என்ற தலைப்பில் ஒரு புத்தகமும் எழுதி முடித்துள்ளார். நவீன மருத்துவத்தினை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்ட இந்த புத்தகம் மருத்துவம் படிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு மகத்தான பொக்கிஷமாக விளங்கப்போகிறது.

இது ஒரு பிரம்மாண்டமான புத்தகம்தான் இருந்தாலும் இதில் இருந்து ஒரு பைசா கூட தனக்கு வேண்டாம் என்று சொல்லிவிட்டு முழுக்க முழுக்க அதன் பலன் அனைத்தும் வாங்கும் மாணவர்களுக்கு போய் சேரட்டும் என்றும் சொல்லியிருக்கிறார்.

சந்தேகம் இல்லாம் டாக்டர் டி.வி.தேவராஜன் மகத்தான மருத்துவர்தான்.

இவரது மெயில் முகவரி:drtvd1944@gmail.com

Source….
—எல்.முருகராஜ்
murugaraj@dinamalar.in

Message For the Day…” How to Remove the Barrier of ‘ego’ From our Mind …” ?

October 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The means of getting Divine grace are: Bhakti (devotion),Prapathi (surrender), Niyama (ethical discipline), Vicharana(enquiry) and Deeksha (determination). When you succeed in these tests, you will experience the grace of the Divine. Devotion should manifest itself in every action. Everything done out of love for God and as an offering to God becomes devotion. The devotee is filled with love and shares the love with all the others. The nine different forms of worship are only means to cultivate devotion. But the goal of all of them is to experience oneness with the Divine.Prapathi means total surrender – offering everything to the Divine. The sense of ego separates the individual from the Divine. When the individual offers everything to God, the barrier of ego is removed. Of all diseases to which man is prone, the disease arising from ahamkara (ego) is the most deadly. The only panacea for this disease is surrender to the Will of the Divine.

Sathya Sai Baba

Image for the Day… Spacewalk Selfie …!!!

October 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Expedition 45 Commander Scott Kelly took this photograph during a spacewalk on Oct. 28, 2015. Sharing the image on social media, Kelly wrote, “#SpaceWalkSelfie Back on the grid! Great first spacewalk yesterday. Now on to the next one next week. #YearInSpace”

This was the first spacewalk for both Kelly and Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren; the two will venture outside the International Space Station for the second time on Friday, Nov. 6. The two spacewalks were scheduled around milestones in space. Today, Oct. 29, Kelly becomes the U.S. astronaut who has lived in space the longest during a single U.S. spaceflight, and on Monday, Nov. 2, the crew celebrates the 15th year of a continuous human presence in space aboard the station.

During the 7-hour and 16-minute spacewalk, Kelly and Lindgren applied a thermal cover on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer; applied grease to a number of components in one of the latching ends of the Canadarm2 robotic arm; and began work to rig power and data system cables for the future installation of a docking port to the station that will be used for the arrival of the Boeing Starliner CST-100 and SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Image Credit: NASA

Source…..www.nasa.gov

natarajan

A RED-BELLIED WOOPECKER’S TONGUE IS ALMOST THREE TIMES THE LENGTH OF ITS BEAK AND WRAPS AROUND ITS SKULL WHEN RETRACTED….

October 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Today I found out that the tongue on a Red-Bellied woodpecker, along with some other species of woodpecker, is so long that it can extend at least three times the bill length and, when retracted, wraps around its skull.

According to a study conducted by the Dalian University of Technology in China, Grey-Faced woodpeckers have a tongue that measures around 171mm (6.73 inches), which is about 2.8 times the length of their beaks (~60mm or 2.36 inches) and typically even longer than their body length (~165mm or 6.5 inches, measured from the mouth tip to the buttock).

In this species of woodpecker, and some others, the tongue is so long that it forks in the throat, goes below the base of the jaw and wraps behind and over the top of the head, where the forked section rejoins and inserts in the bird’s right nostril or around the eye socket.

This bizarre tongue structure is possible because of a linear series of tiny bones sheathed in muscles and soft tissue known as “hyoid apparatus” that extends the entire length of the woodpecker’s tongue. This cartilage-bone like skeleton of its tongue is sheathed in muscle and soft tissue and the ultra-thin hyoid bones fold up like an accordion when not outstretched. Contraction of the muscles pulls the tips of the hyoid bone around the back of the head and back down toward the mouth, and in doing so, pushes the tongue out the mouth.

So what does our small feathered friend do with the talented tongue? After he has slammed his head against a piece of dead wood, or tree at the rate of around 15 miles per hour, repeatedly and several times over, (see bonus factoids as to why the little guy doesn’t get brain damage), he shoves his elongated tongue deep into the hole, searching for small bugs or insects. He’ll feel around the insects thin tunnels, and, when he finds one, he pierces it with his tongue , which is covered in sharp barbs like a spear, and then pulls it back in for eating. The woodpecker’s tongue also contains paired longitudinal muscles that allow it to move side to side as the bird probes for food. A woodpecker’s tongue is especially sensitive to touch, an adaptation that aids in detecting unseen insects within dead wood.

Not all species of woodpeckers have barbed tongues or feeding behaviors like that of the Red-bellied woodpecker. Take for example the Yellow-bellied Woodpecker {A.K.A. Sapsucker}. It burrows 1/4 inch holes and uses it’s tongue to lap up the sap, not unlike a hummingbirds tongue (except a hummingbird’s tongue is split and rolls into a shallow spoon like shape). Oddly enough though, a baby woodpecker’s tongue is actually quite short, making it much easier for a parent bird to stick food items into their hungry little mouths.

Bonus Facts:

A woodpeckers brain is protected by a spongy elastic material between their bill and their skull that holds their brain so tight that it can’t move around, which is what keeps it from getting injured while they bang away at at tree, which produced incredible G-forces.
Woodpeckers have small feathers over their nostrils that help keep wood particles from being inhaled.
A pair of stiff, centrally placed tail feathers allow the woodpecker to “tripod” itself on trees. This allows them to peck away at a tree, or whatever surface, for long periods of time without getting tired from holding themselves on the side of the tree. These particular tail feathers are not molted until their replacement feathers have already grown in.
Downy woodpeckers are the most common backyard woodpecker. Pileated woodpeckers are almost as big as American crows, making them the largest member of the woodpecker family.

Source….www.today i found out .com

Natarajan

The world’s most polluted city is a ‘toxic pollutant punchbowl with myriad ingredients’….Delhi…

October 30, 2015October 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Delhi is the world’s most polluted city because it is a “toxic pollutant punchbowl” with a wide variety of factors giving it its notorious title, a study has found.

By assessing the megacity’s landscape, weather, growing population and energy consumption, scientists were able to work out how and why Delhi is so polluted.

The team, from the University of Surrey, found a combination of factors combined to cause elevated levels of air pollutants – leading to the death of thousands of people every year.

A man carries goods in New Delhi, India.

Study author Prashant Kumar said: “Whilst it might be easy to blame this on increased use of vehicles, industrial production or a growing population, the truth is that Delhi is a toxic pollutant punchbowl with myriad ingredients, all which need addressing in the round.”

“Air pollution has been placed in the top ten health risks faced by human beings globally. Delhi has the dubious accolade of being regularly cited as the most polluted city in the world, with air pollution causing thousands of excess deaths in a year in this growing megacity.”

In the study, which has been accepted for publication in the journal Atmospheric Environment, the researchers note that Delhi has a population of around 25.8 million – a figure that is continuing to grow. Energy consumption in the city rose by 57% between 2001 and 2011.

Vendors selling drinks stand beside vehicles near the India Gate war memorial on a smoggy day in New Delhi

The growing population is expected to bring with it an increase in road vehicles – experts are predicting it will rise from 4.7 million seen in 2010 to 26 million in the next 15 years.

But it is not just cars that is causing the rise. Chennai has 10-times more cars, but pollution rates are 10-times lower. Other factors at play cause the extreme pollution, the authors say.

Because the city is landlocked, there are few ways to get rid of polluted air. For example, coastal cities like Mumbai are refreshed by sea breezes. But Delhi’s surrounding industrial regions are often more polluted by the city itself.

Its densely packed architecture, varying building heights and weather conditions also affect its ability to get fresh air – decreasing temperatures draws outside polluted air into the city, while hot windy and dusty summer conditions worsen the problem. Add to this the use of low-quality fuels like raw wood, diesel generators and cow dung, air pollution becomes inevitable.

“The picture of Delhi’s pollution problem is complicated and is aggravated by some factors that are out of human control,” Kumar said. “However, in this growing city it is important that the population is protected in whatever ways they can be from health-endangering pollutants.”

He said putting artificial or natural grass on unpaved roadsides might help to limit the course of dust particles during windy seasons, while investment in wetlands and trees would also go some way to limiting pollution.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has made a number of commitments to tackle air pollution in the country. In April he launched the country’s first air quality index and environment minister Prakash Javadekar said the move “may prove to be a major impetus to improving air quality in urban areas, as it will improve public awareness in cities to take steps for air pollution mitigation”.

Kumar said the cultural context is vital to reduce air pollution: “Even the best science and technology will not succeed in reducing emissions and improving air quality if it is not considered in a broader framework of economic development of the country, rising awareness of public health risks and a change in attitudes and regulation towards poor quality fuels.

It is a complicated, pick-and-mix of problems that will prove difficult to combat without innovative, encompassing and quick action.”

Source…..

Hannah Osborne, IB Times UK………www.business insider.com.au

Natarajan

Message for the Day…Woman ‘Lakshmi of the Home ‘ often Lead Men on the Godward Path and the Practice of Holy Virtues …”

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Sathya Sai Baba

Heaping respect and honour upon a person who does not followAtmic dharma (righteousness driven by the Self) is like heaping decorations on a body that has no life in it. The soul that left the body cannot enjoy the respect shown to the corpse. So too is the case with the person who is unaware of the Reality and the purpose of life but is crowned with fame and glory. A modest woman will not care for such meaningless trash and tinsel. This characteristic is what confers on her the title ‘The Lakshmi of the home’. The woman is the prop of the home as well as of the practice of religion. She plants and fosters religious faith. Women have natural aptitude for faith and spiritual endeavour. Women with devotion, faith, and humility often lead men on the Godward path and the practice of holy virtues.

Thought for the Day….Bright Side of Our Life….

October 29, 2015Natarajan1 Comment

We all know that life is too short to squander on negativity. And yet, most of us find the time for it anyway! Sure, life is challenging and often unfair, but it makes up for it in a thousand myriad little ways, you just have to notice them…

Source…..www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

The story behind this picture of a lion getting a CAT scan….!!!

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Samson the lion.

Earlier this year, I came across a striking image of a lion undergoing a Computerised Axial Tomography scan (or CAT scan).

I tweeted out the image, and it got over 2,000 retweets.

People were intrigued, and so was I, so I dug into the back-story of how the lion ended up there.

The photo, taken in 2005, depicts a then-2-year-old baby Barbary lion named Samson.

Barbary lions, also referred to as Atlas lions, are the largest lion subspecies known to populate large portions of North Africa.

Zoo keepers noticed that Samson, who lived in the Hai-Kef zoo near Tel Aviv with his sister Delilah, had suddenly stopped being able to walk.

At the time, Samson was suffering from what would later be diagnosed as a rare and life-threatening problem.

After the zoo had veterinary neurological specialist Dr. Merav Shamir from Israel’s Koret School of Veterinary Medicine examine Samson, Shamir observed that the lion “stood on his legs with difficulty.”

“When he tried to walk, he fell after a few steps,” noted Shamir. “He also had no appetite and appeared generally to be in poor condition.”

So Shamir decided to do a neurological exam, which included a thorough study of Samson’s nervous system. It was then that she diagnosed the lion as suffering from “damage to the posterior portion of his skull, which applied pressure on his cerebellum and the upper sector of the spinal cord.”

In other words, the cause of Samson’s trouble was in his skull. It had grown abnormally, putting unnecessary stress on the part of his brain which is vital to carrying out motor functions.

The images below, from a study Shamir coauthored, show a healthy lion skull (A) and an abnormal lion skull (B). The abnormal skull shows a malformation that’s very similar to the one Samson had. As you can see, the foramen magnum — the hole in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord passes — is unobstructed in image A. Image B shows an abnormal bone growth (identified with an asterisk) protruding down from the roof of the foramen magnum.

Comparative Skull Analysis Suggests Species-Specific Captivity-Related Malformation in Lions

After a CAT scan confirmed Samson’s diagnosis, Shamir’s team prepared for surgery.

“We decided to carry out this operation that had never before been performed anywhere,” Shamir told Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The six-hour operation began after Samson was temporarily put to sleep with an anaesthetic.

According to The Telegraph, Shamir’s team shaved part of Samson’s mane and then used a drill to “remove part of the thickened skull tissue, some of which had become deeply embedded in the animal’s brain.”

The Koret School of Veterinary Medicine Samson undergoing a scan

“We were working in the dark really,” Shamir told The Telegraph. “It is difficult when you are not really sure of the anatomy and in this case the anatomy was abnormal.”
The impressive operation was successful. Within 10 days, Samson was reunited with his sister Delilah at the zoo and was walking without stumbling. Shamir thinks malformations like the one that caused Samson’s symptoms could be caused by a poor diet or other factors from captivity.

“Samson is walking around as a fully healthy lion, and our final worry is that the impressive mane which covered his head before the operation will return and cover any traces of our surgical work,” Shamir said.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Samson and his haircut.

Business Insider reached out to Dr. Merav Shamir and her colleague Dr. Rona Nadler Valency and will update this story if and when we hear back.

Source….AMANDA MACIAS….. http://www.businessinsider.com.au

Natarajan

Image of the Day… ” Dooms Day Vault…”

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

View larger. | Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Researchers have been adding seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault – or Doomsday Vault – since 2008. Now, for the first time, they’ve taken seeds out.

Earlier this month (October 19, 2015), seeds deposited in 2012 from war-torn Syria became the Svalbard Global Seed Vault’s first-ever withdrawal. The seed vault – located in Norway, sometimes called the Doomsday Vault – was built in 2008. Since then, researchers there have been storing containers of seeds from all parts of the globe in the vault, and this is the first time they’ve removed seeds.

According to the seed vault’s website, all seed samples in the vault remain the property of the gene banks that deposit them. A nonprofit organization in Syria had originally stored the seeds in the Arctic vault. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas – which promotes agriculture in developing countries – ran a major seed bank near Aleppo, Syria until 2012, when rebel forces took over that area.

Before the nonprofit shut down its Aleppo operation, researchers there were able to transfer thousands of seed samples from Syria. Some were stored in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

Now, researchers have taken 38,000 seeds back out of the vault. On October 19, the seeds were delivered to Lebanon and Morocco, where the nonprofit will continue the research started in Syria.

This was the first of what they say will be “several shipments” over the next few years.

PBSNewsHour reported on October 19, 2015:

The 138 black boxes stacked on trolley carts and transported out of the vault contained a precious resource — seeds, that researchers hope will restore some of the genetic diversity lost during the Syrian conflict.

Visit the website of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.

By the way, earlier this year, a new documentary film about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in theaters. It tracks the history and mission of the vault and its founder Cary Fowler. It’s available on iTunes and Netflix

Bottom line: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault – sometimes called the Doomsday Vault – opened in 2008 for the purpose of storing seeds. Researchers have been adding seeds to the vault since then, but this month – October, 2015 – for the first time, they withdrew seeds from Syria that had been placed there in 2012.

Visit the documentary’s website to learn more. …….http://www.seedsoftimemovie.com/

Source….www.earthsky.org

Natarajan

Benefits of Beetroot: In the Pink of Health….

October 29, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Deep, earthy flavour and a whole lot of crunch, but what I love most about beetroot is the incredible colour that can transform anything shocking pink. The overpoweringly vibrant hue makes it one of the most bossy vegetables that can completely take over your dish. It comes from pigment called betanin which is often extracted to create natural food colouring and dyes. Interestingly, beets were also used to add colour to wines back in the day.

Originally from Europe, beetroot was first cultivated by the Romans. By the 19th century, it was discovered that it contains one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable and was then used commercially to extract sucrose from the beet plant. For years, it’s been restricted to the corner of the plate as a forgetful side or mostly dumped in salads. But with its sweet and rustic charm, this root vegetable is enjoying a well-deserved comeback thanks to its health credentials.

It’s difficult to resist the ruby red juiciness especially when you know just how good they are for you.

1. Helps in detoxification: Beetroot is reckoned to be a great purifier. It detoxifies your body by pulling the toxins into the colon from where they can be evacuated. Some studies suggest that beetroot juice might also stimulate red blood cell production and build stamina.

2. Low in fat and calories: Although it has a high sugar content, it is low in calories and almost fat free. Since it is loaded with fiber it makes you full on lower calories. This makes it a nutritious option for those looking to keep their weight down.

3. Heart health: Studies have shown that the high content of nitrates in beetroot produces a gas called nitric oxide. This gas helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels which improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure.

4. Rich in antioxidants: Betanin, the pigment which gives beetroot its colour, is a potent antioxidant. Along with another class of antioxidants called polyphenols, these are getting more attention in the scientific community. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, antioxidants reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol, protect the artery walls and guard against heart disease and stroke.

5. Folate, Fiber, Vitamin C and other minerals: “Most people think that diabetics should avoid beetroot since its sweet. It is sadly misunderstood. Beetroot is a great source of fiber and minerals like iron, potassium and manganese which are essential for good health and in combination with other foods it can deliver a lot,” says Dr. Rupali Datta, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at Fortis-Escort Hospital. Vitamin C boosts immunity, folate is essential for normal tissue growth and fiber helps in smooth digestive functions. It is particularly high in protein and iron than most other roots and tubers.

6. Hair care: Beetroot is actually one of the best home remedies to fight the flakes and an itchy scalp. You can boil some beets in water and use the concentrated liquid to massage on the scalp. Alternatively, you can mix some beetroot juice, vinegar and ginger juice and apply to the scalp. Keep this for 20 minutes and rinse.

The power of raw

The nutrients in beetroots are heat sensitive. With the rise in cooking time and temperature, the antioxidant content decreases. Beetroot is rich in Vitamin C which is a water soluble vitamin that can be destroyed on cooking. Not only this, it also loses more than 25 percent of its folate when cooked. It is best to mildly steam or bake it at lower temperatures. Fresh beets are as happy in a soup as they are when pureed in a dip. If the jelly flesh has kept you away from beetroots, you can marinate it with some olive oil and herbs and roast it that’ll add some nice nuttiness. Grilling, on the other hand, draws out the sweetness and gives it smoky flavour. I also like to throw some beetroot shreds in a bowl of rice with some mustard seeds, makes for a quick meal.

Save the greens

The next time you bring home a bunch of beets don’t toss the tops away. These dark, leafy greens that are often overlooked are rich in iron, calcium, Vitamin A, K and C. They’re loaded with vitamin K that plays a major role in blood clotting. An average male requires 120 micrograms of vitamin K while female adults require 90 micrograms – one cup of beet greens provides a whopping 152 micrograms of this vitamin. So, the next time you bring home a bunch of beets don’t throw the tops away. These can be cooked just like spinach. They are slightly bitter as compared to the sweet bulb.

To juice or not to juice?
Beet juice is a more concentrated source of betalains, but cooked beets will contain much more fiber. Traditionally, beet juice was used as a blood purifier and to cleanse the liver. It is also considered as a natural remedy for anaemia or iron deficiency. Beetroot, all juiced up, is a healthy way to get all nutrients that may be lost on cooking. It is also easier to digest and absorb nutrients in liquid form. Runners and athletes are often advised to drink beetroot juice that allows their muscles to use oxygen more effectively and boosts stamina.

Source….Shivangana Vasudeva ,…..www.ndtv.com

Natarajan