#but ill also eat a lemon like an orange

[playingplayer2]

I am a menace to society. A vampire for fruits if you would. A fruitherbivore even.

Important question. What are your top 3 fruits

[whattimeisitfic]

So I was fucking around with an incorrect quote generator and these are some of the funny prompts I got for Luci and his brothers. Most of them are just Raphael and Gabriel having the pettiest sibling rivalry in existence.

—

Pre-Fall days. Lucifer is still getting the hang of proper utility usage…

Gabriel: Hi could I ask how exactly does one accidentally set a lemon on fire?

Lucifer: Microwave for 40 minutes

Michael: WHY WERE YOU MICROWAVING A LEMON?!

Lucifer: I read boiling lemons helps cover up bad smells and I wanted to cover up the scent of burnt oranges, but I didn’t on any pots…

Raphael: Did you burn an orange too? HOW?!

Lucifer: Microwave for 40 minutes.

—

Gabriel addressing the Council. Probably on some really memorable, meaningful event for him or something.

Gabriel: I just wanted to say that over the years, I have come to regard you as… people I met.

—

Does this need context? Could happen literally any time.

Gabriel: You look mentally ill.

Lucifer: I am. Let’s go.

—

Once again, could realistically happen any time, though more likely in their younger years.

Gabriel: Bet you can’t eat 15 crayons

Raphael: Bet you I can!

Michael: *sips coffee, checks to make sure 911 is still on speed dial and goes back to reading the paper*

—

These two I stg—

Raphael: Can I have some water?

Gabriel: *starts chugging their water bottle*

Gabriel: *chokes from drinking too fast*

Gabriel: *spills water all over themselves*

Gabriel, coughing: I don’t have any water.

—

My man is absolutely clueless in the most adorable way possible. We love him for it tho. Was probably Rals texting him.

Lucifer: Gabriel, what does IDK, ILY, and TTYL mean?

Gabriel: I don’t know, I love you, talk to you later.

Lucifer: Alright, I love you too, I’ll ask Michael

Gabriel: Wait, Lucifer, no—

—

You can’t tell me Lucifer wasn’t a chaotic little shit pre-Fall.

Raphael: I have a question.

Michael: Shoot.

Raphael: Is the S or C in scent silent?

Gabriel: Fuck you, I’m going to be thinking about this all day.

Michael: Okay well, cent is pronounced the same way as scent so I’m gonna say the S is silent

Raphael: Okay, but sent is also spelled the same way

Gabriel: Google says that the C was added in the late seventeenth century, so I guess the S is silent.

Lucifer: Plot twist, both the S and the C are silent and the E actually makes the sss sound

Gabriel: Lucifer is not allowed to talk anymore

—

Once again, plausible any time at present.

Michael: You’e ignoring all your problems.

Lucifer: I know.

Michael: You also know it’s an unhealthy coping mechanism?

Lucifer: I’m ignoring that fact as well

Michael:

—

Lucifer can do no wrong.

Michael: WHOEVER CAUSED THIS MESS IS GOING TO-

Lucifer: it was me

Michael: …Is going to be forgiven because very one deserves a second chance.

—

He lasted all of five seconds, and the he had to sass.

Raphael: Oh, hey, I didn’t see you come in! You should have come by and said hello!

Gabriel: Oh! Yeah, I uh…

Gabriel: Didn’t want to bother you.

Gabriel: Or talk to or listen to or be around you.

—

Back when Lucifer wasn’t recovering from near death, and actually didn’t sleep.

Raphael: Truth or dare?

Lucifer: Truth.

Raphael: How many hours have you slept this week?

Lucifer:

Lucifer: Dare.

Raphael: Go to sleep.

Lucifer: I don’t like this game

—

They had an argument. Typical occurrence.

Michael: You have to apologize to Gabriel!

Raphael: Fine!

Raphael: Unfuck you or whatever!

—

I think this about sums it up.

Raphael: Are you alright?

Lucifer: Short answer or long answer?

Raphael: Short?

Lucifer: No.

Raphael: Long?

Lucifer: Nooooooo

—

I’ll say it again: these two—

Raphael: Guys, I have a question.

Gabriel: kys <3

Raphael: I love you too.

Michael: Ah. Yes. Siblings.

—

If Lucifer ever went out drinking w/ his siblings (u know, to the places that actually serve shit to get him wasted)

Lucifer, clearly drunk: Gabriel, hit me another drink… wooOO HOOoo…

Gabriel: I think you need a therapist and not a bottle

Lucifer: I think yooOOoouu need to shuUT YOUR MOUTH!

—

Last one. You can’t tell me Raphael doesn’t get weird obsessions w/ shows like this and convinces himself he’s gonna somehow end up in a similar situation. Michael is concerned

Raphael: When I get murdered, can you make sure I become an unsolved case?

Michael: wHat?

Raphael: I want to be on Buzzfeed Unsolved

Michael: Can we go back to the part when you said “when I get murdered”?

—

Alright that’s all I got for now ducklings! I just thought it was kind of funny.

If you’re reading this with no context but are interested, consider checking out my Hazbin Hotel Lucifer-centric fic on AO3 What Time Is It. I try to update daily and do my best to answer all comments ;)

[cookinguptales]

time to shill for Big Salt!!!

Okay, so like I said in my last post, I recently became a ~Vitassium Ambassador~, which is a fancy way of saying that I shilled for this company for free for so long that now they're paying me to do it.

In salt. Much like a deer.

Anyway.

Vitassium is SaltStick's line of products specifically for POTS, EDS, Cystic Fibrosis, Vasovagal Syncope, and other forms of autonomic dysfunction. Essentially speaking, SaltStick has been making electrolyte products for years, and when they realized that a lot of their patients buying them were doing it for medical reasons, they started doing research into creating products specifically for that purpose. And that's how the Vitassium line was born.

Vitassium generally has more salt and less magnesium/calcium/potassium than SaltStick's other electrolyte products, which is good if you need a lot of salt and you don't want to take too high a dose of the rest. Personally, I tend to use a mixture of both of their lines so I can get a little calcium/magnesium boost sometimes but more salt other times. (The amount of potassium is fairly similar in both lines, with a little more in the SaltStick line.)

Either way, it has a lot less sugar than Liquid IV, which I get sick off of due to sugar sensitivities. Like... *googles* 11g of sugar in Liquid IV vs. 2g of sugar in Vitassium, with the same amount of salt in each serving. I have to be pretty careful about my sugar intake, and I suppose I can't speak for everyone, but my stomach handles Vitassium a lot better than most of the other alternatives on the market.

So I've been using it for several years now and I'm really happy with their products! Like -- I may now officially be a shill for Big Salt, but I don't plan on lying or exaggerating anything here. I use their products every day, and sometimes that's the only way I can manage to take a shower.

(My fellow POTS/EDS-sufferers know, the shower struggle is real. lmao)

Anyway, they just sent me one of everything in their Vitassium line. They didn't actually ask me to show it off, but I'm doing it anyway because this is my blog and I cannot be stopped.

From left to right, we have a bottle of their electrolyte capsules (these are sugar-free extended-release salt pills with a bit of potassium added), both flavors of their electrolyte fastchews (chewable electrolyte candies that provide quick relief... think salty sweettarts), a cute bottle full of packets of their electrolyte drink mix, sample packs of the fastchews, and some stickers.

Personally, I mostly use the fastchews. I've tried salt capsules in the past and had some stomach upset, but now that they sent these to me for free, I guess I'll try them out again. The fastchews are basically sour candy full of salt lmao. (They also have about 2g of sugar per serving, just like the drink mix.) They really are effective, though, so I tend to take them as needed throughout the day.

I usually just keep a bottle of them in my purse, but the sample size bags are resealable and fit well in pockets, bags, etc. I'm happy that they sent me some little sample bags because now I can refill them, haha.

I used to just buy the normal SaltStick fastchews, and my go-to flavors in that line are orange, wild berry, and lemon-lime! I haven't tried the mango because I'm allergic, the peach is okay if very sour, the coconut pineapple is a nice piña colada taste but a little sweet for me, and I really hate the watermelon ones!

(Look, I promised to be honest with you. lmao)

The Vitassium fastchews are newer, and they only come in two flavors so far. I always buy the fruit punch because I despise artificial grape flavor. They just gave me a bunch of grape ones, so I tried them. Good for what they are, but I still hate grape.

(Do any of my chronically ill followers want these? lmk)

The drink mix is the newest Vitassium product! I like it quite a bit; the relief is quicker when you drink it vs. eat it, and speaking as someone who generally hates drink mixes, the flavor is pretty good.

I've tried both the fruit punch and the pink lemonade, and I think I prefer the pink lemonade. The flavor suits the salt a little better, imo, and I think weirdly it mixes a little better?

I usually buy the drink mix in the canisters because it's cheaper that way and produces less waste (the canister pictured there is one I already had) but the packets are very handy to keep in your bag. They're easy to tear open and even when you tear off the whole top, the opening is small enough that it pours smoothly into small-necked bottles. I like to put some ice in mine and shake it up.

(Side note: Vitassium has specifically designed all their packaging to be as easy to open and use as possible because they know that so many of their customers have arthritis, EDS, and other connective tissue disorders. Which, as someone with EDS, I truly appreciate.)

Finally, one thing I genuinely like about Vitassium is that they try to make their products as accessible as possible for their customers who use them for medical reasons. They have something called the Vitassium Club, which allows registered users who have a medical condition to get 25% off all their electrolyte products. You don't have to get a doctor's note or anything like that, just send in a quick online form and wait for them to change the status of your account.

That brings the cost of the product down considerably for the people who need it most, which is good because honestly? Electrolyte boosters add up fast when you need to consume that much salt every day.

Uhhhh, I think that's everything for now! If you have any questions, lmk! I'm fairly passionate about this kind of thing because when I was first diagnosed with POTS/EDS like... god, 15 years ago now, they didn't have anything like this. I remember struggling to develop a diet that worked for me with no one to teach me and honestly? That fucking sucked. I don't want anyone to be in that position.

So now here in 2023, I'm happy to pass on any chronic illness-related tips I have. Like drink Vitassium! And add salt while you're cooking, not at the end! The flavor will be less strong that way! And a packet of sugar-free hot cocoa mix will often have as much sodium in it as a bag of chips!

Stay salty, friends. 🧂💜😎

[dumplingsfordays]

eyes are the windows of the soul

++++

ok so hihi, first time writing stuff for a fandom...

this one's kinda self indulgent because (cough cough) dainsleif (cough cough) anyways

i don't think i mentioned any female anatomy but reader's pronouns are she/her and she works at a coffee shop! so yeah

also lots and lots of pining from reader because dainsleif is absolutely perfect

(but you can apply this to any other blonde, blue-eyed reserved man if you want to bc his name isn't mentioned)

umm yeah so not proofread!!, might be mistakes / errors so feel free to correct! english is not my first language so i'm sorry if i make any mistakes. also written in third person.

art found on pinterest through @cartavaya_vorona, i couldn't find the original artist (sorry!)

++++

The more (y/n) fell in love with him, the more her desire to truly understand him grew.

He was mysterious, reserved. They hadn't even talked, but (y/n)'s gaze always lingered on his long, dark blue cloak when he would pass by the counter while the customer in front of her ordered their coffee. She would fumble with the trays of freshly-baked lemon tarts when his image came into her mind - gorgeous blonde hair, deep cerulean eyes which she could never make eye contact with, but he was always expressionless. His smile, by far, was the most puzzling thing about him, and (y/n) was determined to uncover that mystery, whatever it took. She'd always make sure his order was right, make little jokes when she'd bring his coffee and food to the small table in the corner where he always sat, but none of those things seemed to work. He just always thanked her, politely but quietly, still with that neutral expression on his face, and resumed reading whatever book he was holding, to her dismay.

This happened routinely for around two months now. He would come in, usually between six to seven in the afternoon, and order a medium cappuccino with no sugar and a quiche. He'd sit down and eat, and when the café closed at eight, he would thank (y/n) with a simple nod before exiting.

But on one calm, late September evening, when the sun painted the sky in brilliant shades of red and orange and purple that poured through the windows like molten gold, when (y/n) stood behind the counter, washing the used coffee cups in the sink, when the man that she'd been thinking of at that moment entered the café, he came up to her and waited silently until she would see him.

(y/n) sensed his presence, and swiveled her head around to meet his gaze. However, this time, she couldn't look away. Her (e/c) eyes widened.

She felt so heavy, and yet so light at the same time, like she was drifting along a cold river, and staring upwards at the sky. It was littered in multicolored stars, with the bright full moon hanging to the left of her vision, and when she felt a particularly cold current sweep past her, she felt a twinge of pain, of etherealness, of tainted purity, and her heart began to throb in a sort of sweet bitterness. She blinked, and was back in this world, in her cafe.

“Oh, hello,” she said, cringing inwardly as she looked away, at the wooden surface of the counter. She was probably staring before. “Would you like your usual?”

“No, actually.” (y/n) spotted him twiddling his thumbs in her peripheral vision. “I would like to try something new today. What is your favorite item on the menu?”

She paused. She didn’t expect this, not in a million years.

“Um… I'm actually not sure. I think I like all of them, but if I had to choose… I do really enjoy the éclairs.”

“I’ll have one of those then, please. And a cappuccino.”

“You sure love your coffee, huh?” (y/n) chuckled.

“I do.” The man nodded, and went to the seating area (which was surprisingly fairly empty), taking a seat at a table closer to the counter. At first, (y/n) didn't notice - she wanted to select the best éclair for him so he wouldn't think ill of her recommendation, and after she brewed the coffee and put everything on a thin wooden tray, she strode over to his usual seat by the window in the corner, but then noticed he wasn't there. She blinked in confusion a couple of times, before finally finding him sitting at a table that was still adjacent to the wall, but was one column closer to the counter. Trying to hide the fact that her face was light pink from embarrassment, she walked to his table and set everything down. She met his eyes again, but this time more shyly.

“Let me know if anything tastes bad.” She hated how her voice squeaked against her will just now.

“I will. Thank you,” he replied, and (y/n) could swear that she saw just the faintest glint of gentleness in his deep azure eyes. Giddly, and with a gigantic smile on her face, she smiled, and rushed off back to the counter with her head turned away. Jesus Christ, could she be any more obvious?

She speed-walked into the kitchen, sat down on a low stool across from one oven, and covered her (probably very) red face with her hands. Never before had the man shown any emotion, with the exception of mild frustration, and seeing his eyes slightly crinkle at the ends and sparkle with this sort of softness sent pleasant shivers down (y/n)'s spine. 

Eyes are truly the windows of the soul, she thought. 

[whatthefishh]

Since I’m sick and dying

TF boys and sickness

Whose got the worst case of the man flu

Who refuses to admit anything is wrong until they have a 104 fever

You’re not DYING you’re just ill ❤️ hoping you feel better soon my darling

Will takes being sick super seriously. He calls off work, he makes his own tea, takes his steam showers, Vicks is by his side, has a line up of vitamins and meds he’s popping. He has it down to a science. He might let you help but mostly he’s pretty independent and sleeps it off.

Benny is annoying about it and texts the group chat ALL DAY since he’s bed ridden and basically has nothing to do, so everyone is subject to his thoughts all the time. Also has a marathon of movies running, eats all the wrong foods but chugs cartons of orange juice like his life depends on it. You have to remind him to take the medicine he needs.

Frankie is a soft little baby about it, he looks at you with his puppy dog eyes and you just want to take care of him, especially because he gets so sweet when you do. He showers you with praise as you hand him a warm cup of tea, staring up at you when you take his temperature and leans into your touch. He’s a baby lol.

And then there’s Santiago.

Santi likes to whine a lot. He calls of whatever plans he has, telling them he doesn’t know how long he’ll be sick for. To be fair, his knees also like to act up whenever he falls ill and he does go through it but it doesn’t excuse his bratty behaviour. He’s complaining all day about his nose, his head, the light, the sound, being hungry, wanting real food not whatever soup you give him, not liking the flavour of the lemon teas and insisting he needs to add sugar but you don’t let him. Eventually, you pass him some cough syrup so he knocks out but the guy somehow needs more than the regular person and wakes up sooner than he should’ve. He’s burying his face in your tummy, asking for head scratches like a persistent cat, and tossing the blanket over his head when you get up to close the curtains. He’s a mess. When he’s all better he makes sure to thank you the way he knows best 💖

[rat-rosemary]

"you can put down the pitchforks" i am raising them higher actually. why does quackity have a room in the manipulative grooming racist's house.

Hey did you know that Brasil is actually well-known for cloning? It's kind of funny because we have a few things that we're really good at but people don't really know. I think Brasil is the best place to get an organ transplant, or at least it was when I learned about it

Also even with some of it's flaws, our voting system is one of the best in the world, I mean do you remember the hell that was on the last US election? Also I really like the laws around the voting day and how it works and I think they're actually really smart. It's kind of sad that there's still some bad and unlawful practices even with them in place

《 Anyhow, first of all, check your sources. Dream didn't groom anyone, the girl who accused him disproved her own accusations with her own posts. Second of all, he has a room because he's best friends with Dream and Sapnap and George. He's one of their closest friends, enough that they don't just want to have a extra room where he can stay in their house, they want him to have a room that is his

Also im answering like this because im a huge pussy and i dont like conflict

And this is a trap so now you need to read about cloning》

Do you know how cloning works? It's actually really cool. So when you're forming you're made of these special cells right? Now I don't know their name because I'm not a native English speaker, but these cells can turn into different cells and thats how a living being forms. But when you're older you still have some of those cells, so you can take those cells and use them to create a copy of the being you took them from by injecting them into (the egg thing? I forgot the name for it) and then injecting that into someone/something that can host that being

(Human cloning is illegal in all countries, if you're worried about that) but the big problem is that those cells that were used to create the new being are old, and on a cell level, that thing is as old as the original

That means that the new being can have diseases and complications that only older things of that species can have. The first clone actually died because of that! You know that sheep that got cloned? Yeah the clone died young of a illness only old sheep could have

In a human that could mean that if you made a clone of yourself in your 50s for example, when that clone was 20 they could have dementia because their cells are 70 years old.

But in plants its very different. For example, all bananas are clones, because bananas do not have seeds (no the black thing inside of a banana are not seeds). Its actually a huge issue because if a banana tree (idk the english name for it) has an illness, like a fungus, it can spread very very fast trough all of the farm because it's just the same tree over and over and it could spread to even other farms and cause a massive extinction

There a type of banana that actually disappeared because of that and it's the banana we used to make banana flavoring in candy, so when you eat a banana flavored candy you're tasting an extinct banana

Also that does mean that all fruits that you can buy with no seeds, grapes, watermelon, whatever, are made with cloning

To clone a tree you just need to cut a branch off and plant it again (there are specific ways to do that with some plants but you can probably find a video on yt explaining how to cut the plant you want)

There's this really cool thing where you can reattach a branch (of for example, a lemon tree) to another tree (for example, a orange tree) with some moss and eventually it will become part of the tree and you'll have a orange tree with one branch that gives lemons

《 Anyway, please don't ever be mean to me I will cry and if anyone tries to make me feel bad for being weak I will trauma dump all over you

Go enjoy your silly block men 》

[rabbitcruiser]

National Hydration Day

With summer starting, it's crucial to be extra conscious about  hydration. Although everyone must stay hydrated, National Hydration Day  is particularly geared towards athletes, who must put in additional  effort to maintain hydration while training. Athletes must be hydrated  before a workout, drink fluids during it, and continue hydrating  following it. Water is the essential hydrating drink, but athletes may  benefit from sports drinks with electrolytes like magnesium, potassium,  sodium, and calcium, that replenish those lost during perspiration.

National Hydration Day was founded by the SafeTGuard Corporation, the  makers of FuelGard™ Mouthguard and Electrolyte Tablets. This mouthguard  not only protects athletes but provides them with electrolytes to help  them maintain hydration during training. The day was founded in honor of  Coach Victor Hawkins, the creator of this mouthguard,  who passed away on June 23, 2012. It honors Hawkins' "contributions to  athlete health, safety, and success" and "increase[s] awareness of the  importance of proper hydration to athletes everywhere."

Hydration assists in regulating body temperature, revitalizing skin,  lubricating and cushioning joints, protecting the spinal cord and other  tissues, and removing waste by helping with perspiration, urination, and  bowel movements. Dehydration can lead to kidney stones, fatigue,  overheating, unclear thinking, and mood changes. In extreme  circumstances, it can cause heatstroke and death.

Monitoring hydration is particularly important when in a hot climate,  when being more physically active, and when experiencing fever,  diarrhea, or vomiting. Older people, infants, and young children, and  those with chronic illnesses that cause them to urinate or sweat more,  or who take medicines that cause them to do the same, are at a higher  risk of dehydration. Water and other fluids like milk, kombucha, and  smoothies are beneficial for hydrating, while sweetened drinks, alcohol,  and highly caffeinated drinks are not. Salad greens and other fresh  vegetables are full of water, as are fruits, and are also helpful for  maintaining hydration.

How to Observe National Hydration Day

Athletes  and non-athletes alike should stay hydrated today and on the hot summer  days to come. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids as part of your daily  routine. Remind others to do the same by sharing #NationalHydrationDay  on social media.

Indicators that you may be dehydrated:

Thirst.

Dry mouth.

Tiredness.

Dizziness.

Urinating and sweating less than usual.

Dark-colored urine.

More severe dehydration symptoms like rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and fainting require immediate medical attention.

Tips to stay hydrated:

Carry a reusable water bottle with you.

Drink water before, during, and after workouts.

Drink water with meals at home and at restaurants.

Infuse water with lemons, limes, oranges, berries, cucumbers, or mint.

Drink seltzer water, milk, kombucha, smoothies, and 100% fruit or vegetable juices.

If drinking sports drinks, make sure they don't have a lot of added  sugar or other sweeteners. Avoid sweetened drinks like soda and energy  drinks in general, as well as alcohol and drinks high in calories and  caffeine.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.

Source

[truevegie-foods]

TOP 10 BENEFITS OF FRUITS FOR OUR BODY

A healthy diet that includes fruits is essential if we want to live long lives free from sickness. They are packed with essential nutrients and minerals, which provide a host of health benefits.

Eating fruit can help with deficiencies and balance the body's physiological processes.

Read on to learn about the 10 advantages of eating fruits.

#1. Excellent supply of minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients: They are a great source of important vitamins. Consuming a fruit salad comprising different fruits can significantly boost the body's vitality and health aspect.

#2. Rich in dietary fiber: Fruits' high dietary fiber content helps lower blood cholesterol and lower an individual's risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Fruits high in fiber, like strawberries, apples, bananas, and mangoes, also have anti-carcinogenic qualities.

#3. A great source of nourishment for pregnant mothers: fruits are high in folate, or folic acid, which aids in the production of red blood cells in the body. It is recommended that expectant mothers supplement their bodies with folic acid and eat fruits (grapefruit and oranges) in moderation. It aids in lowering the fetus's chance of mental and physical abnormalities.

#4. Controls blood pressure: Fruits high in potassium, such as avocado, bananas, and oranges, can assist you in keeping your blood pressure in check. They naturally prove to be healthier than any other food substitute because they are likewise low in fat and carbohydrates.

#5. Maintains healthy body weight: Vitamin C-rich fruits are helpful in maintaining healthy body weight. Furthermore, fruits don't contain any cholesterol or saturated fats that are bad for heart health.

#6. Digestion aid: Fruits high in fiber maintain their laxative qualities and facilitate the body's natural digestive process. Furthermore, kidney stone formation is avoided by doing this.

#7. Nurturing the skin and hair: They contain a lot of antioxidants, which support the skin's ability to keep its luster and brightness. Fruits that fight a variety of dermatological problems include papaya and coconut. Vitamin A-rich fruits give hair a glossy appearance.

#8. Hydrates the body: Fruits are a convenient and fast way to stay hydrated because most of them contain a high percentage of water. Intake in the summer and winter are equally significant.

#9. Boosts immunity: Fruits are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and even important vitamins like K and E. These can strengthen our defenses against infections and illnesses and treat a range of chronic illnesses.

#10. You can experience a wide variety of tastes and textures.

Plant-based foods allow you to be creative in the kitchen because of their diverse and intriguing tastes. You can experiment with more subdued flavors like maize and mushrooms or more robust ones like onions, peppers and olives. Fruits like pineapple, grapes, or plums are excellent for sweet flavors; lemons and grapefruits, on the other hand, are more acidic.

Conclusion: A Flavorful Journey to Wellness

In summary, the path to a healthier lifestyle begins with the choices we make. By choosing our farm-fresh fruits and vegetables in Moshi, Pune, you not only priorities your health but also indulge in a symphony of flavours that only nature can provide. Truevegie is now assisting you in purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables online in Moshi, Pune.

Eat fresh, be healthy, and savour the goodness of life. Order from us today, and let the journey to a healthier you begin!

Download Now! Truevegie App

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: Xenia (Kingdom of Ichor)

Age- 9 (immortal)

Location- Hearthwood neighborhood, New Olympus

Personality- She's a sweet, friendly, generous young girl who has a natural talent for making people feel welcome. She shows great respect towards everyone- especially her elders.

She has the standard abilities of a goddess except shapeshifting. As the goddess of hospitality her other powers/abilities include cornucopia generation (is able to conjure one up filled with a being's favorite foods), drink generation (is able to fill a cup with any drink except alcohol), limited truth sense, ambrosia manipulation, limited vitakinesis (healing), cooperation manipulation, and trust manipulation.

Xenia is the third oldest child of Pathos (god of emotion), another mortal to be elevated to godhood by way of apotheosis. At her young age she's considered a "godling."

A notable physical feature is her long curly dark golden blonde hair.

For as long as she can remember, Xenia was raised by her paternal grandparents named Agariste & Lycurgus. She grew up being aware of her biological father (having seen photos of him) who was committed to a mental hospital. She knows nothing of her biological mother. Xenia fondly remembers the days where her Nana would make chicken noodle soup and moussaka for dinner or when her Papa's deep soothing voice would put her to sleep when he'd read a book of legends. What happened soon shook Xenia to her core. Before she knew it, both of her grandparents were in the hospital with terminal illnesses, then they were gone. Other family members couldn't be located, so Xenia was placed in the custody of the department of children & family services.

She now lives with her new family- her adoptive father and siblings Philautia (goddess of self love), Philia (goddess of friendship), & her baby brother Storge at their home in the Hearthwood neighborhood of New Olympus.

Xenia's bedroom is every girly girl's dream with gold butterfly patterned wallpaper, soft white mink carpeting, a canopy bed topped with lace and silk dust ruffles, as well as a grand custom made dollhouse for her glamour dolls. There's also a growing collection of rag and porcelain dolls.

She has a couple of pets- two blanc de hotot rabbits named Evie & Lucy.

There's a white gold heart shaped locket that has a photo of her grandparents which she always wears.

Xenia loves when her dad buys a freshly baked koulouri from The Bread Box for her for breakfast. She spreads tzatziki cream cheese on it- eating it along with soft boiled eggs and yogurt topped with sliced strawberries, honey, & walnuts. She also loves the Golly Grains vanilla spice cereal.

A go-to drink for her is lemonade. She also likes iced tea, sparkling water, peach juice, lemon-lime soda, orange juice, hot tea, ginger ale, green tea, and the vanilla milkshakes from The Frozen Spoon.

Xenia exclusively writes in cursive.

Even though she loves her home & family, there are still times when she feels sad when her grandparents come to mind.

She loves snacking on tzatziki flavored potato chips.

Xenia is taking "junior miss" classes at Kyría Aristeía, a charm school in the Queenstown neighborhood. She loves partaking in the tea sandwiches afterwards! She's also taking ballet lessons taught by Terpischore (muse of dance).

Her all time favorite dessert is the honey cake from Hollyhock's Bakery.

Xenia adores her father Pathos. She thinks he does the most perfect ballet bun ever. He's a great listener and she looks forward to their daddy/daughter dates- tea & macarons at the Grand Eaglepoint Hotel and lunch at The Ocean Roll (she loves the spicy tuna rolls) before ending the day at the Silver Owl bookstore. Xenia LOVED her most recent Christmas gift from him- a Diamond Ave. jeweled rabbit clutch!

A guilty pleasure for her is an olympian burger with a lamb gyro and small fries from Olympic Chef.

The adjustment with having siblings took a while to get used to, but she can't imagine life without her brother and sisters. Xenia appreciates the makeup tips she gets from Philautia (she tried out light lip gloss & glitter eyeshadow), doing the latest popular dance craze on social media with Philia, or playing with Storge and his toys. She takes pride in the fact that he loves her crustless peanut butter & pomegranate jam sandwiches.

Pomegranates, strawberries, figs, & apples are her favorite fruits.

There's this beachside hotel in Mykonos Xenia loves going to when her and her family are there if they're not staying at the vacation house. She loves the hotel's indoor saltwater pool as well as the piña colada slushies. Xenia and Philia got matching island themed t-shirts and palm tree plushies at the hotel's gift shop.

In addition to almost being fluent in Old Greek, she's also learning Latin & French.

Her favorite frozen treat is vanilla honey ice cream.

She loves getting a pound of vanilla flavored saltwater taffy from Confection Carousel.

Xenia is a fourth grader at school. Other godly students include the third graders Myrízei (god of smell & gases), Aceso (goddess of healing), Mneme (goddess of remembrance), Physis (goddess of nature), Hebe (goddess of youth), Prophasis (goddess of excuses), Caerus (god of opportunity & luck), and Paidia (goddess of play & amusement) while the fifth graders are Aidos (goddess of shame, modesty, humility, & respect), Melete (goddess of thought & meditation), Calleis (goddess of allurement), Ersa (goddess of morning dew), and Eulabeia (goddess of caution). She's friendly with most of them.

Her own friend group in her grade consists of mortals named Chloé, Alexandra, & Thesselie (nicknamed Leslie), a satyr named Faunas, and a centaur named Aelorin.

Her favorite subjects/classes are literature, art, & history. Xenia is also part of the school's theater club.

She's also friends with E.B and Krysothemis (Kristy), kids of her father's best friend Karmanor (demi-god of the harvest). They're sixth graders and attend the same middle school as Philia. Xenia has a secret growing crush on E.B.

When school resumes, she's looking forward to the class trip to the Melpomenus Theater to see the musical Astrikó!

In the pantheon Xenia likes Morá (goddess of babies & children). She's often her babysitter if Philautia isn't free to babysit. She also admires Hestia (goddess of the hearth), Clio (muse of history), Eikono (goddess of iconography & literature), Calliope (muse of epic poetry), Pistis (goddess of trust, reliability, & good faith), and Melpomene (muse of tragedy).

It's said that Xenia's official mentor will be Peitharchia (goddess of obedience & discipline).

She's been getting into cooking & baking a lot more, learning from her dad. Successful attempts have been tostones and baklava.

In her free time Xenia enjoys reading, football (soccer), jump rope, roller skating, writing, playing with her dolls, sewing, watching TV, listening to music, & bike riding.

Her favorite meal is moussaka.

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

[grimiorething]

Magical Orange Dressing

Oh, we're in it now, huh? Another kitchen witchcraft post. As normal, I place a disclaimer: these are based on my own correspondances so if you personally do not like one ingredient or another with the intention (or flavor) don't add it.

So, you want a refreshing salad that will compliment any deep savory dishes or rich flavors you're serving/eating, while also providing a kick of protection and joy? Look no further than... an orange. Sorry, yeah, this salad has one ingredient and it relies on the dressing. You may ask, why oranges?

Oranges are most often associated with protection, luck, love, creativity, and joy. You may be familiar with a pomme d'ambre (pomander) which was a perfumed orange hung to ward against illness and the like. Cullinarily, it's because oranges are refreshing and can cut savory or dense flavors you may be serving the salad with, but it's tasty enough to be eaten alone.

The dressing itself actually is slightly savory - only slightly. It's meant to be a satisfying mix. I'll provide a list of the ingredients and the properties being used in this dish specifically.

You will need:

Orange Juice (Joy, Prosperity, Protection)

Honey (Prosperity, Sweetness)

Dijon Mustard (Protection)

Lemon Juice (Protection)

Parsley (Protection, Purification, Luck)

Paprika (Energy, Intensity, Protection)

Salt (Protection, Cleansing)

Rosemary (Protection, Love)

Optional: Rice Vinegar (Cleansing, Prosperity)

Instructions:

Set aside one orange to crush for its juice. Take whatever remaining oranges you have for your desired serving size, peel them, then cut them in half, creating multiple discs. That's the desired shape but as you can see in my example image I cut them different that day. The circles may resemble the sun - partially intentional.

Zest the orange you set aside earlier. Save the zest as a garnish, then squeeze the orange for its juice into a bowl. I use my hands, but you can use a proper lemon juicer. Imagine pushing a loving, joyful, happy energy into the bowl. Once the entire orange is squeezed, compost the rest.

Mix the honey, lemon juice, and dijon mustard into the orange juice until the desired ratio is acquired. This is to your taste. When you mix, focus on the properties you are putting into this dressing ("When I eat this dish it will fill my chest with light, happiness, and protect me from daily frustrations" etc. It is so personal to you.) This is also where you would add some vinegar.

Now, add the salt, paprika, parsley, and rosemary. The salt helps balance the flavor and bring out the sweetness even further. Continue the act of keeping each items activated properties in mind, not necessary, it just helps. Stir this thing well to help it mix properly.

Soak your orange slices in the dressing for a few minutes, then remove and plate. I reccomend placing sprigs of rosemary on the plate or into the center of each orange slice. You can drizzle more dressing on top, or make a sugar and salt mix and gently sprinkle some of that over the oranges. The flavor is unique, but very satisfying.

Share and enjoy!

[anamedblog]

Turkish Delights, Macun, and more Sweet Treats…

Beate Böhlendorf-Arslan, ANAMED Senior Fellow (2022–2023)

Fig. 1. Photo by author.

Turkish cuisine is versatile, and Turkish desserts are especially versatile. What is commonly known as “Anatolian sweets” in Europe, and called “Turkish honey” or “Turkish nougat,” is only one of the sugary offshoots of the delicious dessert in Turkey.

Almost every foreign visitor to Istanbul tries baklava, the delicacy made of thin layers of dough, nuts or pistachios, and sugar syrup, which comes in various shapes. By the way, fresh baklava with pistachios is especially delicious if served with a portion of damla sakız dondurma (mastic ice cream). On a particularly hot summer day, I recommend having it with a slice of kesme dondurma (“sliced ice cream”), an ice cream so firm that it must be eaten with a knife and fork.

Dessert lovers should also try other pastry specialties that come in a variety of shapes and flavors. The numerous and sometimes very old shops on Istiklal Caddesi sell specialties with flowery names such as bülbül yuvası (nightingale's nest), hanım göbeği (lady's belly), sütlü nuriye (nuriye—a woman's given name—with milk), vezir parmaği (vizier's finger) or kadayif. Commonly known and loved as a typical souvenir is Turkish delight (Fig. 1), lokum, made with nuts or fruit juice, or rose water. As delicious as these sweet treats are, Anatolian cuisine has much more to offer.

If you are looking for a more exotic souvenir, try the macun from Manisa, a soft candy that is a bit sticky on the palate but tastes very aromatic (Figs. 2 and 3). Manisa mesir paste is made out of spices mixed with various herbs such as cinnamon, black pepper, pimento, black cumin, mustard seed, aniseed, coriander, ginger, turmeric, coconut, fennel, cubeb, cassis, fructus, myroba, vanilla, piper longum, cardamon, galingale, fructus cassiae fistule, saffron, cumin, rose hip, myrrh, licorice, rhizoa zeoariae, lemon peel, orange peel, thistle seed, linseed, locust, opium poppy, stinging nettle, white pepper, grape seed, chaste berry seed, dried rosemary, erica leaf, melissa, fructus myrobalani nigri, and hibiscus. The consumption of these candies is said to have a healing effect. According to legend, the wife of the Ottoman sultan Yavuz Selim, Hafsa Sultan, fell ill during her stay in Manisa. As there was no cure, Merkez Effendi, the head of the madrasa of the Sultan's mosque, prepared a paste of herbs and spices. After eating this paste, Hafsa Sultan recovered. Following her recovery, she ordered this paste to be spread from the minarets of the sultan's mosque. This tradition has been maintained in Manisa since 1539.

Fig. 2- 3 Photo by author.

The traditional lollipops that can be bought fresh in the streets of Istanbul, but also in villages like Behram/Assos and many other places in Turkey, are prepared in a similar way. However, they do not contain a variety of herbs and spices but only fruit juices or tree resin (damla sakiz or mastic) and a lot of sugar (Fig. 4). The seller dips a wooden stick into the sugar mass and turns the stick several times so that the gluey mass wraps around the stick. Now the lollipop is ready!

Fig. 4. Assos excavation archive, Aykan Özener.

Other than these sweet souvenirs and shelf-stable desserts, Turkish cuisine has equally tasty creamy desserts to offer that you should not miss out on.

Milk dishes are especially delicious. Even something as common as rice pudding (sütlaç) has a special Turkish twist to it. It is prepared with regular rice, not the round-grain rice used in other countries. Turkish rice pudding is not firm but rather creamy. Most importantly, it is placed in the oven in a second step after cooking, causing the top layer of milk to caramelize (Fig. 5). Tasting it is highly recommended!

Fig. 5. Photo by author.

The more adventurous Istanbul travelers should definitely try tavuk göğüsü (a dessert literally called “chicken breast”). Tavuk göğüsü consists of finely pureed chicken breast cooked in sweetened milk and rice flour as a starch to thicken the milk (Fig. 6). The dessert is usually served with cinnamon. Sometimes it is grilled in the oven, resulting in a caramelized top and tasting almost more delicious than the unbaked version (Fig. 7). This preparation is called kazandibi (“bottom of the pot”). I often had the pleasure of treating foreign visitors who were not vegetarians or vegans to a tavuk göğüsü and then having them guess what the dessert was after the meal. Nobody had any idea that there was meat in the dessert!

Fig. 6-7 wikimedia

Regarding possible historic roots, tavuk göğüsü bears no resemblance to the pullus tractogalatus (chicken in milk porridge) described by the Roman cook Apicius in the 3rd or 4th century CE. In this dish, the chicken (or fish) was first cooked in white wine and olive oil, boned, and then the mouthfuls of chopped meat were doused in a porridge made from chicken broth, milk, honey, and grape juice. It is possible that Europeans brought the white meat and milk dish back to Europe during the Crusades, having learned it from the Arabs. A similar dish to tavuk göğüsü, blanc mange, was eaten by nobles and wealthy people in the European Middle Ages. In the oldest German cookbook from around 1350, the Buoch von guoter spise, there is a recipe that calls for rice ground into flour, milk, and a chicken breast to be cooked together. Other recipes used fish instead of chicken. For the nobility, however, blanc mange was not a dessert but a main dish.

Another famous dessert, aşure, has different roots. According to the legend, when Noah saw the land again with his ark, he cooked a pudding from the remaining supplies, namely cereals and dried fruits. In the ancient Greek pantheon, wheat symbolized the earth goddess Demeter, pomegranates represented her daughter Persephone, queen of the underworld, almonds were sacred to Aphrodite, and raisins were sacred to the god Dionysus. Interestingly, the eastern Romans, as inhabitants of Byzantium, also knew of such a pudding, which they called kollyba (or kolivia). It is said that kollyba was the food that the Virgin Mary was fed as a child in the temple by angels from heaven, as depicted on a wall mosaic in the Chora Church in Istanbul (fig. 8). There are different recipes to prepare kollyba, whose main ingredient is boiled wheat mixed with various dried fruits. It is served as a common Lenten food and was therefore commonly eaten in monasteries. Kollyba was also prepared as a dish for the commemoration of the dead. For the Greeks, aşure is also known as barvara (Βαρβάρα), named after the feast of Saint Barbara that is celebrated on the 4th of December. During this festival, it is cooked and shared with neighbors.

Fig. 8. Photo by author.

The ingredients for aşure (but also for varvara or kollyba) are wheat grains, white beans, and chickpeas, and sometimes also rice and barley, that are cooked until soft. After draining, the aşure is sweetened with honey or sugar. In addition, aşure also contains some or all of the following: sesame seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, cinnamon, sugar, pekmez, pomegranate seeds, raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, figs, dates, grated orange or lemon peel, cardamom, cloves, black cumin, mastic, rose water, or even anise (Fig. 9). Every family in Turkey (as well as in Greece, the Balkans, and the Middle East) has its own recipe, but the one thing they have in common is that they always make a big pot to share with others. So, if you have a chance to try a homemade aşure, do not miss out on it. Otherwise, try my favorite Anatolian sweet at one of the many muhallebecisi (pudding maker) in Istanbul!

Fig. 9. wikimedia

Afiyet olsun!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Further readings/bibliography:

Apicius, De re coquiniaria

Anagnostiakis, Ilias, ed. Flavours and Delights. Tastes and Pleasures of Ancient and Byzantine Cuisine. Athens: Armos, 2013.

Baş, Nejla. Mutfağımızdaki Tehlike. Istanbul: Ser Kitap, 2019.

Papanikola-Bakirtzi, Dimitri, ed. Byzantinōn diatrophē kai mageireiai/Food and Cooking in Byzantium. Athens: Museum of Byzntine Culture, 2005.

Waksman, Sylvie Y., ed. Multidisciplinary Approaches to Food and Foodways in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean. Lyon: MOM Editions, 2020.

www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/genel/neyenir

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelsulz

[anotherdayforchaosfay]

After you reach 100% Vitamin C, you urinate the rest out. The idea behind vitamin-c curing Illness stems from sailors and scurvy. A lack of vitamin-c resulted in scurvy. To prevent it, they brought oranges with them (and if memory serves, that's how naval oranges got their name). Because it cured/prevented scurvy, some folks took to believing it can cure virtually every illness.

This is something a couple doctors and nutritionists explained to me.

Stop wasting money on supplements with massive amounts of vitamin-c in them.

Plus, drinking a bunch of orange juice will result in heartburn and a lot of other problems due to how acidic it is.

For nausea, ginger is perfect. Lemon and/or honey will make it taste better and go down more smoothly. Consuming a lot of peppermint can result in heartburn.

Licorice root in tea eases a sore throat, but make sure you don't drink too much of it. It's a medicine, and too much can and will fuck you up in unpleasant ways.

Zinc plays a major role in your immune system. Consuming 100% of your daily need will help boost your immune system, but speak to a doctor about rhis before you start binging on it. Too much zinc can have adverse effects.

Eating unripe bananas will fix diarrhea better than virtually any other medicine or remedy. Diarrhea leads to dehydration, and dehydration will kill you. The average human can survive 10 days without food, but no one can go more than three days without water. The "ripped" loom that's gotten so popular in films is caused by three days of dehydration. Those actors are weak as newborn kittens and on the verge of collapse and death. Staying hydrated while sick is vital to your recovery.

Many people sweat a lot while sick. Increase your salt intake. Don't overdo it! Chicken broth contains a lot of things your body needs when recovery from illness, and salt is one of the ingredients. Soups containing chicken broth are often recommended for this reason.

Eating gentle foods makes a big difference too. When nauseated, eat simple and bland foods, like crackers or rice. You'll be burning a shitload of calories fighting illness and need to replenish them to continue recovering. To do this, you must eat.

You also burn through a lot of electrolytes. This is why Gatorade and similar drinks are recommended while sick. Choose a flavor you don't like because you're gonna be drinking a lot of it, andvery likely associate that flavor with being sick. Don't spoil your love for your favorite flavor.

If uncertain about any of this, talk to a doctor. They'll provide you with necessary information and help you figure out what is safe for you, especially if you have chronic conditions and/or taking medications.some insurance companies have a nurse line you can call, and the person you speak to can provide you with this information.

These are things my doctors (I have chronic conditions and take lots of meds) explained to me. Cocktail OTC cold medicines, like Nyquil, can seriously harm you. I learned this the hard way when I had pneumonia several years ago. It landed me in the ER because of the reaction it had with my seizure medication. The doctors in the ER gave a long lecture on the dangers of those drugs. Don't use them without speaking to a professional, like a pharmacist, who can look up info about drug interactions and risk levels with any medical conditions you have.

[appmonk]

MOON in the Hips

Moon in Sagittarius Waxing Crescent

 Liver, sacrum, thigh bone, tail bone, hip muscles, hip joint, lumbar vertebra, lumbar muscle.

Health Habits : Physical activity is a must; they will stagnate and become ill if they don't get enough exercise. Although usually lean and slender in their early years, they have a tendency to put on weight as they get older. In Sagittarian women the weight unfortunately seems to settle on the hips and thighs.

They often have chronic aches in the hips and thighs and may be vulnerable to sciatica, gout, hip disease, and sometimes lameness.

Sagittarius's ruling planet Jupiter governs the liver. Jupiter's influence has also been noted on the pituitary gland. Sagittarians tend to have an active, sensitive liver that instantly suffers from overuse of alcohol. They are also susceptible to hepatitis

Sagittarius's cell salt is silica, which strengthens the nervous system, keeps the connective brain tissue healthy, and prevents numbness in fingers, legs and feet.

Eat : Lack of silica may result in lank hair, dull skin, and sores and receding of the gums. Best sources for the silica that Sagittarians need are the skin of fruits and vegetables, raw salads, green peppers, figs, strawberries, pears, apples, potatoes, oats, the husks of grains, whole-grain cereals, egg yolk.Sagittarians should eat a high protein diet, with lots of broiled poultry and fish, fresh vegetables and fruit such as beets, tomatoes, plums, cherries, oranges, and lemons , eggs, skim milk, yogurt, brown rice, and whole wheat. They should drink lots of pure water, eat four mini-meals a day rather than three large ones.

Don't Eat : Foods that particularly do not agree with Sagittarius are fats, gravies, cream, butter, candy, and chocolate. They should go very easy on alcoholic beverages, not only to avoid damage to the liver but to the skin, which coarsens and ages under the effects of liquor.

SAGITTARIUS IS A FIRE SIGN

Fire rules the function of internal combustion or digestion−the burning up or absorption of food. Fire also purifies the system by burning off toxins, viruses, bacteria and fungus. Fire signs easily fight disease. Their constitution naturally tends toward high temperatures.

Excess Fire

Fire signs, when unbalanced to excess or overstimulation, are prone to burning themselves out. Excess fire can be impatient and angry, or internalizes it into hypertension, heart problems, ulcers or inflammations. Excess fire is brought back into balance by foods that are cold, moist and heavy, or slow-burning foods that ground energy.

Take

Grains, root vegetables

Avoid

Spicy food, red meat

Remedy

herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, skull cap and valerian.

Low Fire

When your fire is low, it may be hard to burn off or fight disease. Digestion and absorption of food are inadequate. Eat foods that are hot, light, dry and aromatic. Avoid cold foods.

Take

lemon, yoghurt, bitter greens like kale, mustard.

Avoid

dairy products, meat

Remedy

digestive stimulants like cayenne, mustard, cloves, cinnamon,garlic, ginger.

Note:The health information given above is not meant as a substitute for care from a qualified physician. The information is given for educational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or prescribe.

[medtreatref]

🌟 Effective Ways to Boost Your Immune System 🌟

Looking for natural ways to strengthen your immune system and maintain better health? Here are some tips you can start applying today to naturally boost your immunity! 💪💚

1. Eat Foods Rich in Vitamins

Include fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C, such as oranges, lemons, and red bell peppers, to boost your white blood cell production, which helps fight infections.

Also, make sure to eat zinc-rich foods like nuts and seeds, which play a key role in strengthening your immune system.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Quality sleep is essential for maintaining overall body functions, including the immune system. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to support a healthy immune response.

3. Exercise Regularly

Light exercises like walking or yoga improve blood circulation, which is important for immune function. Regular physical activity helps eliminate toxins and keeps your body strong.

4. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is key to maintaining a healthy immune system. Drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to keep your body functioning properly and fight off infections.

5. Take Dietary Supplements

Supplements like Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and zinc can help enhance your immune system, especially if you're lacking in these nutrients. Consult with your doctor before starting any supplements.

6. Reduce Stress Levels

Chronic stress can weaken your immune system. Practice techniques like meditation and deep breathing to lower stress and boost immunity.

7. Follow a Balanced Diet

Ensure you're eating balanced meals that include proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to support your body's energy and keep your immune system strong.

✨ Boosting your immune system is all about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Start applying these simple tips today to improve your health and fight off illness naturally!

📩 Want more health tips and advice? Subscribe now and never miss out on updates! 📩

[imtiazsupermarketcom]

Fresh Fruits

Fresh fruits are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that play a crucial role in maintaining good health. They are naturally low in calories and high in nutrients, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their overall well-being. Here are some of the key reasons why you should include fresh fruits in your daily diet:

1. Rich in Essential Nutrients

Fruits are a natural source of essential vitamins and minerals. For example:

Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, this vitamin is vital for a healthy immune system and skin.

Potassium: Bananas, oranges, and melons are rich in potassium, which is important for heart health and maintaining normal blood pressure.

Fiber: Apples, pears, and berries are high in dietary fiber, which aids digestion and helps prevent constipation.

2. Boosts Immunity

Eating fresh fruits daily can strengthen the immune system, helping the body fend off infections and diseases. Fruits like oranges, strawberries, and kiwis are high in vitamin C, a nutrient known for its immune-boosting properties. Regular consumption of these fruits can help reduce the risk of common illnesses like the flu and cold.

3. Improves Digestive Health

Fiber is an essential component of a healthy diet, and fruits are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Fruits like apples, pears, and bananas promote digestive health by regulating bowel movements and preventing constipation. The fiber in fruits also helps maintain a healthy gut by feeding beneficial bacteria.

4. Supports Heart Health

Fruits like berries, apples, and citrus fruits contain antioxidants and nutrients that support heart health. They help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and decrease cholesterol levels, all of which are vital for a healthy heart. Including a variety of fresh fruits in your diet can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

5. Aids in Weight Management

Fruits are low in calories but high in water and fiber, which can help you feel full and satisfied without consuming too many calories. This makes them an excellent choice for those looking to manage their weight. Replacing high-calorie snacks with fruits can be an effective way to reduce overall calorie intake while still enjoying a delicious treat.

Daily Fresh Fruits in Karachi

Living in a bustling city like Karachi offers a unique advantage when it comes to accessing fresh fruits. The city has a diverse range of local markets, street vendors, and supermarkets that provide an abundance of fresh produce. Here are some benefits of eating daily fresh fruits in Karachi:

1. Access to a Variety of Seasonal Fruits

Karachi is home to a diverse range of fruits, especially during the peak seasons. From sweet mangoes in the summer to juicy oranges in the winter, you can find a variety of seasonal fruits that are freshly harvested and available at local markets. Consuming seasonal fruits is not only more affordable but also ensures that you get the freshest produce.

2. Supports Local Farmers

Buying fresh fruits from local markets in Karachi helps support local farmers and contributes to the local economy. Many vendors in Karachi source their produce directly from local farms, ensuring that you get high-quality fruits while also supporting sustainable farming practices.

3. Freshness Guaranteed

Local vendors in Karachi pride themselves on selling fresh produce, often stocking up on fruits that have been harvested just a day before. By purchasing fruits from local markets, you can be confident that you’re getting the freshest produce, which is essential for maximizing the health benefits of fruits.

4. Convenience and Accessibility

Karachi is filled with fruit markets and street vendors that make it easy to access fresh fruits daily. From bustling markets like Empress Market to neighborhood vendors, you have a plethora of options to choose from, making it convenient to incorporate fresh fruits into your daily routine.

Popular Markets to Buy Fresh Fruits in Karachi

If you’re in Karachi and looking for places to buy fresh fruits, here are some of the most popular markets:

1. Empress Market

Empress Market is one of Karachi’s oldest and most famous markets, known for its variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Here, you can find a wide selection of seasonal fruits, from locally grown mangoes to exotic imported fruits. The market is bustling with vendors who offer competitive prices, making it a great place to shop for fresh produce.

2. Saddar Fruit Market

Located in the heart of Karachi, Saddar Fruit Market is a go-to destination for many residents looking for fresh fruits. The market is known for its vast selection of fruits, including both local and imported varieties. The vendors here are friendly and knowledgeable, often offering advice on the best fruits to buy based on the season.

3. Clifton Fruit Market

For those living in the Clifton area, Clifton Fruit Market is a convenient option for buying fresh fruits. The market offers a range of fruits that are carefully selected and displayed by the vendors. It’s a popular choice for those who prefer quality over quantity, as the market tends to stock premium fruits.

4. Online Fruit Delivery Services

In recent years, several online platforms have emerged, offering fresh fruit delivery services in Karachi. These services provide a convenient way to buy fresh fruits without leaving the comfort of your home. Some popular online platforms include FruitInbox, Fresh Fruits Karachi, and Greengrocer.pk, which offer a variety of fruits that are handpicked and delivered to your doorstep.

Tips for Buying and Storing Fresh Fruits

To ensure you get the most out of your fresh fruits, here are some tips on how to buy and store them properly:

1. Choose Seasonal Fruits

Seasonal fruits are usually fresher, more flavorful, and more affordable than non-seasonal varieties. In Karachi, mangoes, oranges, and guavas are popular seasonal fruits that are readily available during their peak season.

2. Check for Ripeness

When buying fresh fruits, make sure to check for ripeness. Look for fruits that are firm but slightly yielding to the touch. Avoid fruits with blemishes, bruises, or mold, as these are signs of spoilage.

3. Store Fruits Properly

Proper storage is essential for preserving the freshness of fruits. Most fruits, such as apples, oranges, and berries, can be stored in the refrigerator to prolong their shelf life. Bananas, however, should be stored at room temperature as they tend to ripen quickly when refrigerated.

4. Wash Fruits Thoroughly

Before consuming any fruit, make sure to wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt, pesticides, or bacteria. For fruits with thicker skins, such as apples and oranges, consider using a fruit wash or a mixture of water and vinegar for a deeper clean.

5. Consider Freezing Fruits

If you buy fruits in bulk, consider freezing them to extend their shelf life. Many fruits, such as berries and mangoes, freeze well and can be used later in smoothies, desserts, or as a healthy snack.

How to Incorporate Fresh Fruits into Your Daily Diet

Incorporating fresh fruits into your daily diet is easier than you might think. Here are some simple ways to enjoy the benefits of fresh fruits every day:

1. Start Your Day with a Fruit Smoothie

A fruit smoothie is a delicious and nutritious way to start your day. Simply blend your favorite fruits with yogurt or milk for a quick and easy breakfast.

2. Add Fruits to Your Salads

Fresh fruits can add a burst of flavor and color to your salads. Try adding sliced apples, berries, or oranges to your favorite salad for a refreshing twist.

3. Snack on Fruits Between Meals

Instead of reaching for unhealthy snacks, try snacking on fresh fruits like apples, bananas, or grapes between meals. They’re easy to carry and provide a quick energy boost.

4. Make Fruit-Based Desserts

For a healthier dessert option, consider making fruit-based desserts like fruit salad, yogurt parfait, or baked apples. These desserts are satisfying and guilt-free, making them a perfect way to end a meal.

5. Enjoy Fresh Fruit Juice

Fresh fruit juice is a refreshing and nutritious drink that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Look for freshly squeezed juices at local juice bars or make your own at home for a healthier alternative to store-bought options.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Hydration Day

With summer starting, it's crucial to be extra conscious about  hydration. Although everyone must stay hydrated, National Hydration Day  is particularly geared towards athletes, who must put in additional  effort to maintain hydration while training. Athletes must be hydrated  before a workout, drink fluids during it, and continue hydrating  following it. Water is the essential hydrating drink, but athletes may  benefit from sports drinks with electrolytes like magnesium, potassium,  sodium, and calcium, that replenish those lost during perspiration.

National Hydration Day was founded by the SafeTGuard Corporation, the  makers of FuelGard™ Mouthguard and Electrolyte Tablets. This mouthguard  not only protects athletes but provides them with electrolytes to help  them maintain hydration during training. The day was founded in honor of  Coach Victor Hawkins, the creator of this mouthguard,  who passed away on June 23, 2012. It honors Hawkins' "contributions to  athlete health, safety, and success" and "increase[s] awareness of the  importance of proper hydration to athletes everywhere."

Hydration assists in regulating body temperature, revitalizing skin,  lubricating and cushioning joints, protecting the spinal cord and other  tissues, and removing waste by helping with perspiration, urination, and  bowel movements. Dehydration can lead to kidney stones, fatigue,  overheating, unclear thinking, and mood changes. In extreme  circumstances, it can cause heatstroke and death.

Monitoring hydration is particularly important when in a hot climate,  when being more physically active, and when experiencing fever,  diarrhea, or vomiting. Older people, infants, and young children, and  those with chronic illnesses that cause them to urinate or sweat more,  or who take medicines that cause them to do the same, are at a higher  risk of dehydration. Water and other fluids like milk, kombucha, and  smoothies are beneficial for hydrating, while sweetened drinks, alcohol,  and highly caffeinated drinks are not. Salad greens and other fresh  vegetables are full of water, as are fruits, and are also helpful for  maintaining hydration.

How to Observe National Hydration Day

Athletes  and non-athletes alike should stay hydrated today and on the hot summer  days to come. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids as part of your daily  routine. Remind others to do the same by sharing #NationalHydrationDay  on social media.

Indicators that you may be dehydrated:

Thirst.

Dry mouth.

Tiredness.

Dizziness.

Urinating and sweating less than usual.

Dark-colored urine.

More severe dehydration symptoms like rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, and fainting require immediate medical attention.

Tips to stay hydrated:

Carry a reusable water bottle with you.

Drink water before, during, and after workouts.

Drink water with meals at home and at restaurants.

Infuse water with lemons, limes, oranges, berries, cucumbers, or mint.

Drink seltzer water, milk, kombucha, smoothies, and 100% fruit or vegetable juices.

If drinking sports drinks, make sure they don't have a lot of added  sugar or other sweeteners. Avoid sweetened drinks like soda and energy  drinks in general, as well as alcohol and drinks high in calories and  caffeine.

Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit.

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