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Meera Sodha's vegan recipe for Assam tea malt oaf | The new vegan

A cheap, rich and sticky treat to eat with your favourite cuppa

Usually in a recipe, I like to contrast ingredients and watch them battle it out. But sometimes, when you want to go large on one flavour, it’s worth adding a few ingredients with similar profiles to cover all bases. Today’s loaf is a case in point: I wanted layers of malt on malt on malt – flavours of toast, coffee, toffee and rye bread – which comes from using malt extract and muscovado sugar together with my favourite tea, the robust, full-bodied Assam tea, AKA the thinking woman’s English breakfast.

Prep 10 min
Cook 50-60 min
Serves 8-10

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Public health directors in England are asked to take charge of Covid-19 testing

Care minister’s request is admission that centralised programmes have fallen short

  • Coronavirus – latest updates
  • See all our coronavirus coverage
  • Ministers have asked local directors of public health to take charge of Covid-19 testing in English care homes in what will be seen as a tacit admission that centralised attempts to run the programme have fallen short.

    In a letter to sector leaders, seen by the Guardian, the care minister, Helen Whately, acknowledged that testing of care home residents and staff needs to be “more joined up”. She describes the new arrangements as “a significant change”.

    Continue reading...




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    Healthy And Sizable Wholesome Animal Collection (44 Pics)

    Let's bask in the warm sunshine that is wholesome and silly animal photos.

    Let the images soak into your skin and heart, and just let that warmth spread to every inch of you. 

    It's what you need. It's what we all need. And if for some reason this measurable dump of wholesomeness doesn't satisfy you, there's always more wholesomeness to be found. 




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    Tyrannical Landlord Scams Tenants, Gets Dealt Justice

    We love nothing more than when a shady, greedy, all around bad landlord gets dealt the justice that was coming their way. It's a welcomed moment to see the tenant come out victorious over the landlord's stupid antics.




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    The past can help us deal with the pandemic’s mental health fallout

    Lessons learned from natural disasters and the military can help guide our responses to help people's mental health during the covid-19 pandemic




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    We must act quickly to avoid a pandemic-related mental health crisis

    We are already seeing the pandemic's effects on mental health, and we need to act urgently to avoid a full-blown crisis, says Sam Howells  




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    Most people’s mental health conditions morph into others over time

    As many as 86 per cent of people meet the criteria for a psychiatric diagnosis by middle age – and in many cases, a different diagnosis at some other time




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    'Amazingly good news': New York healthcare workers not testing positive for coronavirus at higher rate than general public

    New York has released more details into who has tested positive for the coronavirus in the state, and Governor Andrew Cuomo said the per cent of healthcare workers with Covid-19 is not higher than the general public.“That is amazingly good news,” Mr Cuomo said during his press briefing on Thursday.





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    Russia is fast becoming a coronavirus epicenter, with health workers still reporting PPE shortages. Putin is already thinking about reopening.

    On Thursday, the country reported its largest one-day increase in new cases of 11,231 — yet President Putin already has his eyes on reopening.





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    'I feel fresher and healthier' - Hamilton enjoying parts of F1 break

    Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton says he feels certain benefits from his enforced time away from Formula 1.




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    Coronavirus: Thanking healthcare workers worldwide

    Some of the ways that people have expressed thanks to workers on the frontline against Covid-19.




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    Iran finish third after penalty shootout win

    Iran’s remarkable journey at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Colombia 2016 ended on a high note, as they claimed third place after a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Portugal following a 2-2 draw in Cali on Saturday.




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    Iranian players celebrate after Mahdi Javid scores the winning penalty

    CALI, COLOMBIA - OCTOBER 01: Iranian players celebrate after Mahdi Javid scores the winning penalty during the FIFA Futsal World Cup Third Place play off match between Iran and Portugal at the Coliseo el Pueblo Stadium on on October 1, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Ian MacNicol - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Iran players celebrate victory after a penalty shoot out

    Iran players celebrate victory after a penalty shoot out during the FIFA Futsal World Cup third place play off match between Iran and Portugal at Coliseo el Pueblo on October 1, 2016 in Cali, Colombia. (Photo by Jan Kruger - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Andrade: There’ll be no split loyalties when I face Brazil




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    Portugal beat Japan on penalties to set up Italy final




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    14 DAYS TO GO! Italy and Spain’s penalty drama

    It took 14 penalties to determine the winner of the semi-final clash between Spain and Italy in Fortaleza at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil. The wait to see who would face the hosts in the final dragged on until Leonardo Bonucci sent his strike over the bar, while Spain’s Jesus Navas made no mistake from the spot.




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    Walter Sandoval of CD Guadalajara celebrates with Angel Zaldivar after scoring his team's first goal

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Walter Sandoval of CD Guadalajara celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with Angel Zaldivar of CD Guadalajara during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Walter Sandoval of Guadalajara celebrates with Angel Zaldivar after scoring his team's first goal

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Walter Sandoval of CD Guadalajara celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with Angel Zaldivar of CD Guadalajara during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)




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    Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis celebrates after scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis celebrates after scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis scores his team's first goal from the penalty spot 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis scores his team's first goal from the penalty spot during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    General view inside the stadium of the big screen showing a VAR Penalty review which was given and led to ES Tunis scoring their first goal

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: General view inside the stadium of the big screen showing a VAR Penalty review which was given and lead to ES Tunis scoring their first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis takes and misses a penalty during the penalty shoot out

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Mohammed Belaili of ES Tunis takes and misses a penalty during the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Jesus Godinez of CD Guadalajara scores his team's second penalty

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Jesus Godinez of CD Guadalajara scores his team's second penalty during a penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Angel Zaldivar of CD Guadalajara scores his team's first penalty

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Angel Zaldivar of CD Guadalajara scores his team's first penalty during the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Ali Machani of ES Tunis scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Ali Machani of ES Tunis scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Josecarlos Van Rankin of CD Guadalajara takes and misses a penalty 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Josecarlos Van Rankin of CD Guadalajara takes and misses a penalty during the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Rami Jeridi of ES Tunis saves the penalty kick taken by Josecarlos Van Rankin of Guadalajara

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Rami Jeridi of ES Tunis saves the penalty kick taken by Josecarlos Van Rankin of CD Guadalajara (not pictured) during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Chamseddine Dhaouadi of ES Tunis scores his team's sixth goal from the penalty spot

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Chamseddine Dhaouadi of ES Tunis scores his team's sixth goal from the penalty spot during the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Ali Machani of ES Tunis celebrates winning the penalty shoot-out 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Ali Machani of ES Tunis celebrates winning the penalty shoot out following the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Chamseddine Dhaouadi of ES Tunis celebrates after scoring the winning penalty

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Chamseddine Dhaouadi of ES Tunis celebrates after scoring the winning penalty during the penalty shoot out following the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Taha Khenissi of ES Tunis celebrates victory following the penalty shoot-out win

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Taha Khenissi of ES Tunis celebrates victory following the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 5th Place Match between ES Tunis and CD Guadalajara at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)




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    Gonzalo Martinez of River Plate takes and misses from the penalty spot

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Gonzalo Martinez of River Plate takes and misses from the penalty spot during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Khalid Eisa of Al Ain reacts to Gonzalo Martinez's penalty miss

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Khalid Eisa of Al Ain reacts after saving a penalty taken by Gonzalo Martinez of River Plate (not pictured) during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Caio of Al Ain scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot-out 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Caio of Al Ain scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Ignacio Scocco of River Plate scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Ignacio Scocco of River Plate scores his team's first penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Enzo Perez of River Plate misses his team's fifth penalty

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Enzo Perez of River Plate misses his team's fifth penalty in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by David Ramos - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Khalid Eisa of Al Ain saves the fifth penalty from Enzo Perez of River Plate 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Khalid Eisa of Al Ain saves the fifth penalty from Enzo Perez of River Plate in the penalty shoot out during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 Semi Final Match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Players of Al Ain celebrate their penalty shoot-out win over River Plate 

    AL AIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - DECEMBER 18: Players of Al Ain celebrate their win during the FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2018 match between River Plate and Al Ain at Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on December 18, 2018 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates (Photo by Tom Dulat - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)




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    Fight COVID-19 and celebrate health workers on Hand Hygiene Day




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    Arjun Rampal extends helping hand to provide PPE kits to BMC healthcare workers

    Actor Arjun Rampal along with his family have extended a helping hand in providing PPE kits to the hospitals, doctors and nurses to help them in the fight against coronavirus. He also urged people to donate 1 uniform for these corona warriors to keep them safe and healthy.

    The 47-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a post in which he announced that the Rampal family has extended their support to MEDIQ LIFESCIENCES for providing PPE kits (made in India) in collaboration with Dr Oarsman Doshi to the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) hospital doctors and nurses.

    The 'Aankhein' actor also urged others to contribute towards helping the frontline warriors. He captioned the post as, "I request all of you to help here. The real hero's out there, (the doctors and nurses), the PPE. their health is in jeopardy daily, looking after ours, As unfortunately they are not equipped with the armour they need, making them sick by the coronavirus. If each one of you can donate just 1 uniform for these brave hearts, it will keep your soldiers safe and healthy. Please please be generous, they need this and we will get it to them. It's Rs 1200 for the best suits for them."

    India's count of positive coronavirus cases reached 18,985 after 1,329 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday. Out of the total cases, 15,122 are active cases, 3,259 have been cured and discharged and one has migrated. With 44 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the toll stands at 603.

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    Juhi Chawla shares home-made mask tutorial, asks people to leave N95 masks for healthcare professionals

    Actor Juhi Chawla on Tuesday shared a tutorial to make masks at home and encouraged people to leave the surgical and N95 masks for the healthcare professionals who need it the most during coronavirus outbreak.

    The 52-year-old actor took to Twitter and shared a video where she said, "Friends, I hope you all are safe, healthy and happy in your homes. If you happen to leave your house for essential work then you should wear a mask while leaving, this is a rule now."

    The 'Yes Boss' star continued, "Our Prime Minister has also said to create masks at home and wear them while leaving your house. This is because we should save the surgical and N95 masks for doctors, nurses and other health officials, and because they need them the most."

    Chawla said that "we should make the masks at our homes. You can easily make a mask by using a saree, handkerchief, or dupatta. She then demonstrated creating a protective mask using a piece of cloth. She folded the square cloth in a triangle and then wrapped in rounds to make a mask"

    Juhi then showed the viewers by wearing the home-made mask, and said, "Apna Desh Apna Mask."

    The 'Gulaab Gang' star captioned the post as, "Make your own mask! Go creative, maybe write a message or try your hand at painting...let us aim to leave the surgical & N95 masks for our healthcare professionals who need it the most. Don't forget. Leave the house only when it's necessary #ApnaDeshApnaMask @ApnaMask"

    Earlier, demonstrated how people can convert their T-shirts into a mask at home to be safe from COVID-19.

    The total number of positive coronavirus cases across the country is 18,601, including 14,759 active cases. So far, 3,251 patients have been cured and discharged while 590 deaths have been recorded, as per data provided by the Ministry of Health.

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    Arjun Kapoor lauds healthcare workers fighting COVID-19: Not all heroes wear capes

    Sharing a doodle that said 'not all heroes wear capes,' actor Arjun Kapoor on Monday applauded the healthcare workers of the country who are fighting to combat COVID-19.

    The 'Panipat' actor took to Twitter to share the doodle that featured a doctor, a nurse, and a medical staff taking care of an elderly person.

    The doodle was titled 'not all heroes wear capes' and an additional text on it read, 'Front-line health workers are working round the clock to keep us safe & healthy. True Heroes.'

    Kapoor also urged others to stand up and applaud the healthcare workers for their unwavering determination.

    "Bowing down to health workers today for their tremendous efforts to #FightCovid19! They work 24/7, through the year to deliver critical services like immunization across the country," he tweeted.

    "Let's stand #Together4Health and applaud their unwavering grit and determination!" his tweet further read.

    The '2 States' actor has been posting on social media to raise awareness about different issues related to the coronavirus ever since the crisis began in the country.

    Kapoor has several times posted on social media asking people to not abandon their pets due to coronavirus and has also urged people to take all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

    Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps.

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    This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever




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    CrossFit can help you beat type 2 diabetes and keep your heart healthy

    Turns out, the high-intensity workout program, CrossFit, can do a lot besides just keeping people fit and fine. According to a study conducted by The Physiological Society, a six-week CrossFit exercise programme can lead to improved control of blood sugar levels and decreased risk of heart disease in people with Type II diabetes.

    Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. Type II diabetes is the most common form, which is where the body doesn't produce enough of the hormone that controls sugar levels, called insulin. People with Type II diabetes are at significantly higher risk of heart disease. A primary focus for managing diabetes is exercise, as it has been shown to improve the body's ability to control sugar levels by making the body more sensitive to the insulin produced.

    However, adherence to exercise advice is particularly low amongst those with Type II diabetes, who are mostly overweight or obese, with lack of time being cited as one of the greatest barriers to regular exercise. This new research suggested that a high-intensity exercise programme such as CrossFit improves the ability of the body to control blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of insulin required.

    Importantly, these improvements appear to be similar to the sort of change we would expect from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than health guidelines recommend. CrossFit, therefore, offered a time-effective exercise approach for people with Type II diabetes who struggle to maintain daily exercise.

    CrossFit is a high-intensity training intervention incorporating both endurance and strength training. Sessions range from 8-20 minutes in duration and represent a far more time-effective form of exercise than traditional exercise interventions. CrossFit has been growing in popularity over the past decade, although until now it was not clear whether such forms of exercise would improve the ability of individuals with Type II diabetes to control their sugar levels.

    For this research, thirteen overweight/obese patients with Type II diabetes were recruited to participate in a 6-week CrossFit exercise programme. Participants' blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity (an individual's ability to reduce high blood sugar levels effectively) were assessed both before and after the exercise programme, in addition to their blood chemistries and blood pressure, which were tested to predict heart disease risk.

    The post-exercise intervention test results showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and heart disease risk factors. Importantly, these improvements appeared to be similar to the sort of changes expected from more traditional exercise interventions, despite participants spending considerably less time exercising than such guidelines recommend. The study appears in the journal Experimental Physiology.

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    World Hypertension Day: Why and how you should reduce your salt intake


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    According to WHO, about 9.8 million people die every year due to hypertension-related complications. Hypertension is considered a silent killer producing heart disease, kidney failure and strokes. About 35 percent of world population above the age of 25 suffers from hypertension. One of the important strategies to lower hypertension in the population and its complications is reducing salt intake. Developed countries like Finland, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada have been actively campaigning for the reduction of salt intake in the population. In these countries, there has been a close association between government and NGO’s for this purpose. Finland was the first country to show an enormous health benefit by reducing salt in the diet. Not only the population’s health improves, there is also a great benefit in saving health expenditure related to heart revascularization and dialysis.

    How does eating salt lead to or cause hypertension?

    Eating salt increases the amount of salt in your blood, which ruins the balance of electrolytes and other vitamins and minerals in your body. This imbalance reduces your kidney's ability to filter out toxins from your body. It also reduces your kidney's ability to get rid of excess fluid from your body. This results in high blood pressure due to excess fluid in your body that exerts pressure on the blood vessels leading to the kidneys. 

    How much is too much?

    Dr Umesh Khanna, Senior Nephrologist and Secretary of Amar Gandhi Foundation said, “The WHO’s recommendation of salt intake from all sources is less than 5 grams per day. Salt or sodium is present in natural food, it is added while cooking and also used as a preservative for processed food. Considering the rapid economic growth that is happening in our country with urbanization and increased demand for processed food, it is imperative that we act at the earliest to control the salt intake of the Indian population.”

    What happens when you reduce your salt intake?
    “Salt or Sodium in various forms has been used as a preservative for several thousand years. It enhances the taste, prevents the growth of harmful microorganisms and can improve the texture of food, Taste is often a habit and high salt intake can saturate the taste buds. If you lower salt intake for 2 weeks you can start appreciating low salt intake and other tastes,” says Dr Umesh Khanna

    What are the most common hidden sources of salt one should keep an eye out for?

    Dr Umesh Khanna said, “Sodium in various forms is used as a flavouring, buffering, anticaking, leavening, thickening and stabilizing agent. The biggest culprit is in baked goods especially bread and instant noodles.”

    How can a person start to reduce their salt intake?

    Here are a few tips by Dr Umesh Khanna

    Get used to low salt to allow the taste buds to recover: Not only does reducing your salt intake affect your blood pressure and other health parameters, it also helps you taste foods better.

    Eat fresh food when possible: Since processed foods are packed with high levels of salt, switching to fresh and natural foods is the best way to reduce your daily salt intake.

    Add less salt in cooking: With high amounts of salt added to food, your taste buds become immune to the level of salt and you will eventually need more salt in your food to bring out the taste you are looking for. Gradually reducing this amount will help you give up the high salt habit one step at a time. And since your taste buds will eventually become more sensitive to salt content in food, dishes made with low salt will start to taste as delicious as one with high salt content.

    Do not add extra salt while at the table: A common practice in India is to provide a little bit of salt on the side of one’s plate while eating and to provide a salt shaker for one to spice up their soups. By stopping this practice, you can reduce your salt intake.

    Use herbs and spices as flavouring agents: Ditch the salt and use herbs and other natural flavouring agents to your dishes that will help enhance the flavour while reducing your salt intake.

    Dr Umesh Khanna, MD, DNB Nephrology, Lancelot Kidney & GI Center, Karuna Hospital & Asian Heart Institute. He is the Chairman, Mumbai Kidney Foundation, Trustee, Sapiens Health Foundation, Secretary, Mumbai Nephrology Group and the Secretary, Amar Gandhi Foundation

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    World Hypertension Day: Regulating salt intake is key to prevent hypertension



    Regulating salt consumption is key to prevent hypertension, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke and heart failure, say experts. According to World Health Organization (WHO), adults should reduce consumption of sodium to less than 2 grams a day, or the equivalent of about one teaspoon of table salt to reduce the risk of heart disease. 

    Hypertension is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Hypertension is also referred to as high or raised blood pressure. Hypertension can also affect fertility in both males and females, says Rajalaxmi Walavalkar of Cocoon Fertility. Hypertension not only affects fertility but also is also known to cause trouble sleeping. Trouble sleeping leads to signs of premature ageing, like fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity.

    "Hypertension can lead to cardiovascular diseases. The rise in blood pressure caused by eating too much salt may damage the arteries leading to the heart," Vijay D'Silva, Director at the Asian Heart Institute, said in statement.

    According to a recent study, published in the journal Hypertension, about half of adults living in Asia are suffering from the high blood pressure.

    While lifestyle factors, including diet and stress, are behind the high hypertension rates in Asia, one common problem is high salt intake, the study showed.

    Asians not only tend to have diets high in sodium, but they are genetically more sensitive to sodium, the researchers said.

    "Raised blood pressure due to high salt consumption is the biggest single contributing risk factor for non-communicable diseases and damage to your kidney," explained Bhupendra Gandhi of the NGO Amar Gandhi Foundation.

    Previously, it was believed that eating high amounts of fruit and vegetables might help counteract the effect of high salt on blood pressure.

    However, another study led by researchers from the Imperial College London and Northwestern University, showed that people eating higher amounts of salt had higher blood pressure -- no matter how healthy a person's overall diet.

    "Anyone with hypertension is at an increased risk of infertility. A high salt diet leading to high blood pressure can result in delayed puberty and even impact reproductive health," Walavalkar noted.

    Besides affecting the heart and fertility, hypertension can affect the skin too, the health experts said.

    "High blood pressure can harden your arteries, which decreases the flow of blood and oxygen. An impairment of the flow of oxygen, to an organ such as your face, can cause your skin to dry and wrinkles faster which can make one look less youthful," said Amit Karkhanis - Medical Cosmetologist and founder of Dr Tvacha clinic.

    Reducing salt consumption in everyday life, cutting down on fried foods and processed foods, can not only curb the problem of hypertension but also save multiple organs from damage and pave way for a healthy life.

    Also read: Mumbai Health: These 7 Lifestyle Changes May Help Lower Heart Disease Risk

    (Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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    Summer health care tips: 7 ways to keep yourself cool with smart food habits



    Eating the right fruits, vegetables and spices can ensure you remain cool during the summer season, suggest experts. Chef Sudhir Nair, Executive Chef at Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield by Marriott, Bengaluru and Chef Kasiviswanathan, the Executive Chef for Radisson Blu Atria, Bengaluru share some easy and interesting tips that will help your body cope with the heat:

    1. Opt for a light breakfast: Eat and enjoy a light breakfast every morning comprising of fresh fruits and lots of liquids. Avoid citrus juices and instead opt for tender coconut or melon juice. Cucumber juice or salad would also be a great option. Try and cut down on a heavy breakfast to keep yourself cool and healthy during the summer months.

    2. Avoid high starch food: During summer, it is good to avoid high starch foods, especially rice or wheat. Lunch should be the heaviest meal of the day in summers. Keep low on yoghurt consumption. Instead, increase the intake of buttermilk. Keep your food low on spices and high on liquid.

    3. Keep yourself away from aerated drinks: Do not drink chilled water or aerated beverages. This is because chilled water or aerated beverages will disrupt the digestive process in the body. Keep a close watch on your sugar consumption. Ice creams though tempting in this time is rich in sugar and cream but an iced fruit lolly would be a legitimate indulgence.

    4. Avoid spicy food: Avoid using spices such as mustard, ginger, and chilli. Also, eat less of tomato, peppers and garlic during summer.

    5. Use herbs for cooking: Cook with cooling herbs such as fennel, dill, mint, and coriander. Allow use of spices like cumin, cinnamon, green cardamom in your food. Use vegetables such as white pumpkin, broccoli, snake gourds, drumstick and madras cucumber.

    6. Boil, steam, and stew: Milk, coconut, butter and ghee in small proportions is cooling for the body. Best methods of cooking these foods would by boiling, steaming and stewing. It is best to avoid fried foods during summer as they would give undue stress to the digestive tract.

    7. Enjoy small meals: Enjoying small meals throughout the day during summer is the smartest way to keep yourself cool during the season. Include fruits like ice apples, varieties of melons, sugarcane, and varieties of ripe mango, cashew apples and jackfruit in your diet. All of these are found in abundance in this season.

    (Edited by mid-day online desk, with inputs from IANS)

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    Beat the risk of frailty with healthy heart

    Improving heart health could prevent frailty in old age, finds a study.

    The largest study of its kind, led by the University of Exeter, found that even small reductions in risk factors helped to reduce frailty, as well as dementia, chronic pain, and other disabling conditions of old age.

    Many perceive frailty to be an inevitable consequence of ageing - but the study found that severe frailty was 85 percent less likely in those with near ideal cardiovascular risk factors.

    It also found that those with fewer heart disease risk factors were much less likely to have other conditions unrelated to the heart - including chronic pain, incontinence, falls, fractures, and dementia.

    Dr João Delgado, the joint lead author of the study, said: "This study indicates that frailty and other age-related diseases could be prevented and significantly reduced in older adults. Getting our heart risk factors under control could lead to much healthier old ages. Unfortunately, the current obesity epidemic is moving the older population in the wrong direction, however, our study underlines how even small reductions in risk are worthwhile."

    The study analysed data from more than 421,000 people aged 60-69.

    The researchers analysed six factors that could impact on heart health. They looked at uncontrolled high blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, plus being overweight, doing little physical activity and being a current smoker.

    "These findings are relevant to us all because they re-emphasise the importance of a healthy lifestyle for better quality of life in old age. These new results also show that age-related conditions may share common risk factors or mechanisms with cardiovascular diseases. We're living longer so it's crucial that we recognise this by taking care of our bodies and monitoring our risk for disease even earlier in life," said Dr Ivan Pavlov.

    The study has been published in the Journal of Gerontology.

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    This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever





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    Beat the heat with these healthy thirst quenchers



    Summer brings along with the struggle to find the right thirst quencher, or rather the healthy thirst quenchers. You should not opt for aerated drinks for aerated drinks to quench your thirst, because drinking aerated drinks can add unnecessary body weight. Instead, try lassi, coconut water, and sugarcane juice, suggest experts. Culinary researcher Akanksha Dean lists some healthy thirst quenchers to opt for in this scorching summer:

    1. Coconut water: This is the most natural drink after regular water that helps you keep yourself hydrated during summers. It is naturally refreshing and boasts of a sweet nutty taste. Coconut water is the clear liquid that is extracted from a young green coconut, usually a harvest between 5-7 months. It rehydrates the body as it comprises of processed carbohydrates in the form of electrolytes and sugar, which in turn help balance the water levels in the body.

    2. Lemonade: Possibly the most popular beverage in the world, it helps energise your body as well as kill your thirst. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C and helps in improving digestion. The good part about this beverage is that it helps in cleansing your body and reduces the risk of experiencing heartburn or bloating.

    3. Lassi: The beverage is traditionally served in earthen clay pots, referred to as 'matkas', which aid in providing the instant coolness that is associated with the drink. This smoothie-like drink is made from yoghurt and boasts of a creamy texture. It is sweet in flavour, but can also be enjoyed in a savoury form. It is an excellent digestive and helps in energising the body as well.

    4. Sugarcane juice: This is the perfect drink to beat the heat during the summer months. Sugarcane juice also serves as an energy drink. A glass of cold sugarcane juice can help rebuild the depleting energy levels in your body. It is rich in antioxidants, acts as a diuretic and helps keep your liver strong.

    Dietician Jasleen Kaur, also the Founder of Just Diet, said: "It is loaded with abundant carbohydrates, proteins and minerals that our body needs. It is rich in antioxidants so it is great for dehydration. It has a surprising number of health benefits."

    She lists four major benefits of sugarcane juice:

    1. Immunity booster: Sugarcane juice is one of the best sources of instant energy. It is full of essential antioxidants that help our immune system. It reduces infections in the stomach, liver and respiratory zone. It fights against a number of diseases like cancer. It can help you to boost energy levels.

    2. Rich in antioxidants: Sugarcane juice helps in cleansing the harmful toxins and other bad components from our body. It helps in boosting the metabolism of the body. It contains natural sugar which helps us to manage our weight.

    3. Helps in proper digestion: Sugarcane juice acts as a good digestive tonic. It is very useful in treating the problem of constipation. It also helps maintain the acid base balance in our body.

    4. Removes mouth odour: If you have a problem of bad breath or mouth odour, you should consider sugarcane juice as a home remedy. It contains calcium that helps build our strength including bones and teeth.

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    Breakfast specialties for dinner at this Colaba restaurant

    Breakfast is the most important meal, which many of us tend to skip due to hectic schedules, leaving only Sundays to indulge in a lazy brekkie. Ours consists of pork sausages, creamy and cheesy scrambled eggs made in the sausage fat, and toast, with of course, coffee.

    Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular of Le 15 Cafe, has fond memories of waffles in the shape of Mickey Mouse, with a pair of sunny side ups, drizzled with sriracha and sesame oil sauce. And so, for this edition of the eatery's monthly Table 13 evening on Wednesday, they are serving breakfast for dinner so you can eat at leisure.


    Chef Pablo Naranjo Agular

    "Making breakfast was a family activity and a beautiful memory. My parents loved cycling, so they would go off on Sunday mornings for three hours, which gave me enough time to cook something for them, with my little sister. I loved how happy they were when they came back and we sat down to eat. We would listen to old Colombian salsa that my father would put on," chef Agular shares.


    Pablo's waffles 

    While he is currently struggling to narrow down his list of 48 breakfast items, you can expect pancakes, waffles, bacon, and of course, eggs, along with some Indian options, all with a signature twist. "The menu will be inspired by what the French eat, which is on the sweeter side, as well as the not-so-sweet Colombian flavours," he says. And the idea too germinated when he was eating his favourite breakfast — waffles topped with egg and bacon — and owner Pooja Dhingra walked in and tried it. Book ahead because seats are limited.


    Pooja Dhingra

    ON March 27, 8 pm
    AT Le 15 Cafe, shop number 18, Lansdowne House, MB Marg, Colaba
    CALL 9769341994

    LOG ON TO insider.in
    COST Rs 2,800

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