lifestyle
Superfood Moringa Powder: Know Its Health Benefits, Side Effects
Moringa, also known as drumstick tree is a plant native to India, Africa, and other countries. People use it for centuries because of its medicinal properties and health benefits. Maybe you have the question: Is Moringa power the new superfood? Yes, recently it has gained the reputation of being a superfood having amazing health benefits. Stay with us to explore the benefits and risks of moringa powder.
Health Benefits of Moringa Powder Consumption
Nutrient-rich plants
You eat many healthy foods but most of them have only one or two nutrients. On the contrary, Moringa is:
-25% plant protein including all 9 essential amino acids
-24% fiber
-A rich source of iron, vitamin K & E, vitamin C, A, B6, and riboflavin
-A source of calcium, potassium, magnesium
-High in antioxidants
Because of these nutrients, it is highly bioavailable. So our bodies can absorb the benefits easily. It has a delicious spinachy green flavor and you can use it in curries, stews, casseroles, soups, salads, and green smoothies.
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Protect the liver
The liver is the detoxifier of your body which filters the blood, detoxifies chemicals, and metabolizes fat. The amazing thing is that moringa may help the Liver work better. Moringa contains huge amounts of polyphenols to alter oxidation in the liver. Moreover, research has shown regular consumption of moringa help to reduce liver fibrosis and protect against liver damage.
Improves bone health
Moringa leaves are packed with calcium and phosphorus and these elements are really good for good bone health. Moringa leaves have an anti-inflammatory nature that fights arthritis and may even heal damaged bones. Moreover, Moringa fights against osteoporosis and that naturally makes bone and teeth strong.
Nervous system
Moringa leaves work positively for many nervous disorders. They amazingly support brain health by working as neuro-enhancers. It contains vitamins E and C that fight neural degeneration and helps improve brain function. If you suffer from a migraine or recurring headaches, you must eat moringa leaves regularly.
Read Intermittent Fasting: Health Benefits and Risks
Reduce inflammation
After turmeric, moringa is a new inflammation-fighter for you. Moringa notably lower inflammation in cells. It contains inflammation-lowering polyphenols and isothiocyanates that reduce inflammation by suppressing inflammatory enzymes and proteins in the body. Eventually, work on the case of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
Balance blood sugar
Spit in insulin and blood sugar levels cause mood swings and sugar yearnings and that ultimately leads to the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The moringa leaf powder is really effective to reduce lipid and glucose levels and regulating oxidative stress in lab studies.
One clinical study has shown that regular taking moringa supplements can improve therapeutic antioxidant properties and lower fasting glucose levels in postmenopausal women. Besides, if you put moringa in the diet, it could help reduce weight gain and insulin resistance.
Read Health Benefits of Different Types of Nuts
Improve digestion
Moringa leaf powder contains about 30% fiber that helps digestion as well as reduces your risk of disease. Above all, moringa is a natural antibiotic and antibacterial which help hinder the growth of various pathogens that can cause digestive upset. Moringa has anti-inflammatory properties that help with digestive disorders and may improve gut bacteria.
Support brain health
A study has shown that every one in eight people over the age of 65 have Alzheimer's disease. For them, moringa leaf powder is great by contains vitamins C and E, which combat the oxidative stress related to Alzheimer's. Moreover, moringa increases dopamine and serotonin-happy hormones that eventually could be used to help treat depression in the future.
Read Oolong Tea: Health Benefits, Nutrients and Risks
Skin-friendly
Maringa is full of skin-loving vitamins:
-Vitamin A: 18.9% of NRV: essential for healthy and radiant skin
-Vitamin E: 16.9% of NRV: protects cells from oxidative stress and ultimately helps fight the signs of aging.
Promotes Immunity
Moringa is well known for its super immune-boosting powers. You need to maintain a healthy immune system to help your body stave off infections and illnesses. Moringa contains:
-Iron: 32.2% of NRV
-Vitamin A: 18.9% of NRV
Both Iron and Vitamin A are essential for the normal function of the immune system. Besides, many studies have shown that moringa works as an anti-cancer agent. Moringa leaves can fight against both breast and colon cancer cells and research is ongoing.
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How to create Moringa Powder
If you want to prepare your moringa powder, just follow the given steps below:
Step 1: Cut your moringa tree or one branch
Step 2: Collect the moringa leaves
Step 3: Prepare for drying the leaves
Step 4: Collect the dried moringa leaves
Step 5: Blend the dried moringa leaves
Step 6: Strain well and refine
Step 7: Once prepare you can store it to eat or drink. You can also share it with the nearest one or sell it.
However, if you don’t like hazardous work like preparing moringa power by yourself, you can buy it from the grocery store. Besides, it is available online also to buy anytime, anyplace.
Read Panta Bhat: The Amazing Health Benefits of Water Rice
How to use moringa powder
You have already prepared moringa powder from dried and ground moringa leaves. So, it is ready to use. You will love the powder as it has a mild flavor with a slightly earthy taste. You can use it with many different recipes.
If you are trying to lose some extra pounds, then don’t forget to add it to your morning green smoothie. This superfood will improve your digestion power.
You can also use it in hummus, guacamole, soups, salads, avocado toast, or sweet potato toast for lunches or other meals.
Besides, it would be very good if you can use it in your favorite energy balls.
Most importantly, you can use it as a caffeine-free coffee substitute by whisking it into hot water.
Read Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish Oil: Natural Sources, Benefits, Risks
Side Effects of Moringa Powder
If you want to consume moringa powder on a regular basis, talk to your doctor or dietitian.
Moringa may contain anti-fertility qualities. Therefore, Moringa Powder is not recommended for pregnant mothers.
You need to read the label while using purchased Moringa powder and follow instructions.
When you are on medication related to Thyroid, Diabetic, Hyper-tension or any other disease do not consume moringa powder without a doctor’s approval. Otherwise, it can pose serious risks to your health.
Bottom Line
Mother nature is full of wonder, blessings, and natural remedies, and Moringa is one of those. Our above-mentioned health benefits and side effects of Moringa Powder will help you always to detect whether you should consume moringa regularly. If your doctor allows, try moringa today following our preparation steps. Hope this superfood will help you stay away from many diseases.
Read Dark Chocolate: Health Benefits, Nutrition, Side Effects
Best Free Online Educational Game Sites for Children
Different research has shown that using games in teaching can help increase student participation, promote social and emotional learning, and stimulate students to take risks. Now there are huge educational online games and other free online learning resources for kids to help them learn. These online educational games are fun and free and are helpful for learning. Check out some such free online educational games sites for kids.
10 Free Educational Online Games Sites for Kids
Funbrain
It is basically an educational browser game website for children and adults. This site was first published before being turned into a successful book series and movie franchise. Poptropica Worldwide- a division of Family Education Network founded this website in May 1992. The present publisher is Jess Brallier.
You will find almost hundreds of free online games here. This site is also excellent for kids to view comics, and videos that will develop skills in math, reading, problem-solving, and literacy. Some of the titles the kids will find there include Amelia Writes Again, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and Brewster Rockit among many others.
Address: https://www.funbrain.com/
Type of content: Mainly Mathematics
Language: English
Read Best Educational YouTube Channels for Children
Home Base by Scholastic
Scholastic HomeBase is a safe, free, and 3D game site that offers favorite stories through book-based games, live author events, and a large community of readers. It is totally free. Don’t need any download free, subscriptions, or in-app purchases. Besides, it is a role-playing game where kids take part in a lively adventure that brings popular books and characters to the digital world. Moreover, the Kid will enjoy the love of reading.
Address: https://kids.scholastic.com/kid/homebase/
Type of content: Reading
Language: English
Read Child Proof Kitchen: How to Keep Your Kitchen Safe for Kids
PBS Kids
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States airs PBS Kids which is the brand for most children's programming. The target audience is children between 2 and 8.
PBS Kids is great for having a lot of free games in most of the general categories. Many of the games are on fun cartoon characters. So kids will love to play with their favorite characters.
Address: https://pbskids.org/
Type of content: literacy, math, and social-emotional skills of young children ages 3 to 9
Language: English & Spanish
Read Stranger Danger: How to teach children safety rules for unknown, unsafe people
Sheppard Software
You will love this free online educational game site which is a boom of activities. Here you will find lots of brightly colored options and tons of options up front. There are so many learning games here that you will love to add to your homeschool routine or for free play time on devices.
Address: https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/
Types of Content: geography, math, animals, science, language arts
Language: English
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ABCya
It is an excellent site that provides educational games and activities for school-aged children. You will find here grade levels from pre-kindergarten to Sixth grades. A public school teacher named Alan Tortolani found it in 2004. ABCya offers free educational online games through a free account. Kids can enjoy all of their online videos and games totally free on desktop computers.
However, as a free member, you will get access only to 6 mobile games per week. The great thing is that this site offers around 400 educational and fun games and the topics cover typing, multiplication, pattern recognition, parts of speech, and more.
Address: https://www.abcya.com/
Types Of Content: language arts and math
Language: English
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Mr. Nussbaum
This free educational site offers lots of learning games categorized by grade level and content type. The motto of the site is to enhance the teaching of significant concepts, ideas, themes, and fact sets. Besides, it is a reliable internet platform for teachers to use in the class or computer lab to cover various topics they’re teaching in class.
Moreover, there are available interactive games that are designed to facilitate learning and information gathering. Kids in grades K-8 enjoy these games and can enhance skill-building and achievement. Most importantly this site features over 10000 online and printable activities including over 400 games, tutorials, simulations, and videos.
Address: https://mrnussbaum.com/
Types of Topic: Math, Reading, Writing, Science, History, and so on.
Language: English
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Poptropica
Poptropica is an online role-playing game and Pearson Education's Family Education Network developed it in 2007. Its targeted children are 6 to 15. Initially, Jeff Kinney, the author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series created it.
The game mainly focuses on problem-solving through game quest scenarios, called "islands". It is a virtual world for kids to travel and play games. Kids can complete head-to-head completion and communicate safely. Children can take it on quests and adventures in a fun island world by creating characters. Besides, this site grows problem-solving skills in children.
Address: https://www.poptropica.com/
Types of Content: Reading, Comics, Problem Solving Stories, and Robust Quests.
Language: English
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National Geographic Kids
The National Geographic Kids website is a great educational resource that offers some fun and interactive online games and quizzes for kids that kids will enjoy besides learning. It features videos and free online educational games for kids among other activities. These games are mostly about the natural world and animals.
However, the interesting thing is that kids can also tour different countries virtually here. Kids can learn some fun facts, can answer quizzes, post comments, or submit photos.
It offers huge quality and interactive games like the Underground Railroad: Journey to Freedom, or Zeus The Mighty among many others.
Address: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Types of Content: science, animals
Language: English
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Primary Games
A teacher named Susan Beasley founded this online game site. Kids with over 1,000 games in math, science, language arts, and social studies. They can play these games on the browser so there is no downloading.
Address: https://www.primarygames.com/
Types of Content: Maths, Science, Social Studies, Reading
Language: English
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Child Proof Kitchen: How to Keep Your Kitchen Safe for Kids
Although we never compromise on a child’s safety, research has shown that around 3.5 million children have to go to the emergency room and 2,200 die from injuries that generally occur in the kitchen every year because of the hot appliances and sharp utensils available in the kitchen. If you have a young kid, you need to make sure of a child proof kitchen. Continue scrolling to know about how you to make your kitchen safe for children.
How Kitchen Can Be Dangerous for children
Safety Door Locks
Make sure you install safety door locks in your cabinets, drawers, refrigerator, and oven. If you use safety door locks, you can prevent your lovely little ones from opening things they’re not supposed to, such as a fridge filled with food or a hot oven. Then you can use latches or hooks depending on the configuration of your cabinet doors and handles that connect the handles together and do not require being physically installed.
However, if you want to give access to one or two cabinets to your child, make sure you put there safe and frequently washed containers so that your toddler can enjoy playing with them.
Read Habit of Saving: How to teach your child good saving habit
Use Upper Cupboards
As soon as your toddler grows, it will soon be able to open drawers and reach inside. Make sure these kitchen appliances remain out of your child’s reach.
To prevent any accident, you should take preventative action by relocating any knives or other sharp instruments to a higher cupboard rather than storing them in a drawer that is waist height. Besides, it is necessary to place knife blocks in an upper cabinet that is unreachable to your child.
Use an Elevated Platform for Burner
When the burner or oven is in use, there is the possibility of any accident to your child from touching it and being burned. Therefore, you can place an elevated platform on your kitchen counter. This arrangement will keep the oven or cooker out of your child's reach and minimize the risks of any accident.
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Put Medicine, Doods in Safe Places
Medicine containers are always risky for children as they are toxic to them. Make sure you keep any types of medicine containers in higher cabinets that children won’t be able to reach.
Besides, you need to ensure the lids are properly secured. In the case of food also you need to maintain safety measures as young children put everything in their mouths. Food isn’t a dangerous thing in general but it is for a young child still learning how to chew and swallow.
Clean Kitchen Floor
Naturally, kids spend most of their time playing on the floor. As the kitchen floor is the main place where harmful bacteria can grow, ensure regularly sweep and mop the area. Whenever a piece of food drops, immediately pick it up so that your child doesn’t eat it.
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Besides, foods lying on the floor invite insects like ants that are dangerous for children as they bite. Moreover, don’t forget to place non-slip rugs over the tile to avoid slipping and falling.
Keep Electrical Cables out of Reach
It is a natural instinct of a child to pull a dangling cable. Maybe that cable is connected to a toaster on the counter above. So, whenever the kid pulls that cable, it can fall and injure the child. For this reason, it is fundamental to keep all cables safely out of reach of children to avoid any danger.
Moreover, don’t forget to put appliances away when they’re not in use. Moreover, make use of inserting plastic socket covers to inaccessible outlets for your child so that you can prevent your child from inserting a fork, finger, or tongue into the outlet.
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Align Panhandles on Backwards
If you use a handle pointed outward over the edge of the stove, your child can try to reach up and pull it down. This will surely cause the pan and things to fall on your child which ultimately will cause injury and burns. You can easily prevent this from happening by aligning the handles towards the back of the stove. Then the child cannot reach up and grab them.
Use Smoke Detector
Install a smoke detector in your kitchen. If you have a smoke detector in your kitchen, it will send alarm if any fire incident occurs.
In addition to that you need to check your smoke detector every 6 months to make sure it’s properly working. With a busy child at home, it’s natural to always be careful.
Read Creative Toys for Children to Foster Creativity Staying Away from Electronics
Communicate with Kids
As soon as possible teach your children about safety. If you feel they can’t understand the concept then, it’ll be good practice for you to use every moment around your child as a learning opportunity.
You can do so by using simple words such as “hot,” “burn,” “ouch,” “no,” and “mommy and daddy only.” First, your child might look at you with a confused expression but ultimately they learn you want to keep him away from those things.
Tight Lid on Trash
The lid on the trash can avoid any danger by keeping your child from touching and putting in their mouth anything unsafe from them from the trash. Therefore, use a trash bin with a tight lid so that kids can’t open the lid easily. In addition to this, keep the trash bin in a suitable place where the children usually don’t go.
Read Best Educational YouTube Channels for Children
Cooktop with Child Safety Button
Nowadays, many advanced cooktops and burners are available on the market. Some of these cookers come with child safety mechanisms. For instance, induction cookers have a child safety button. When you press the button the controls of the cooker will become inactive. Therefore, your naughty kid can't turn the cooker 'ON' even if it is left unattended in the kitchen.
Others Ways
If possible use a gate or barricade across the entrance to the kitchen. It will be useful to keep your child restricted to the adjoining room.
While you are working in the kitchen, always keep your child under someone's supervision. If you don’t have anyone to supervise the child, let your kid play with some toys to make him or her preoccupied.
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Bottom Line
Children are naturally curious and they love to explore the unknown without fear or hesitation. You love your little one’s brave nature, but it can lead to something vicious the moment you turn to look away.
Although accidents aren’t always preventable, the kitchen is the place where you need to take full precautions to ensure your child’s safety because it is full of dangerous things for children. So practice our above-mentioned 10 safety ways for creating a kid-friendly kitchen to keep your little one safe.
Read Stranger Danger: How to teach children safety rules for unknown, unsafe people
Ways to Purify Water during Flood, Disaster, Emergency Situations
Samuel Taylor Coleridge's famous line 'water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink' becomes ironically true during the flood situations. Every year flood occurs in different regions of Bangladesh during the monsoon seasons. Besides this, shortages of pure drinking water can occur during earthquakes or other emergency conditions. One of the crucial aspects of being ready for an emergency is ensuring that you have a way to get clean water. Let’s discuss some water purification methods during floods, emergencies, or disaster situations.
Water Purification Methods during Flood, Disaster, Emergency Situations
If a natural calamity happens all of a sudden, and you no longer have access to uncontaminated water, then what will you drink? How would you make sure that you and your family can get enough pure water to survive? Here are a few ways:
Boiling
When it comes to preparing water for consumption, this is almost certainly the approach that is the most widely used and reliable. The majority of germs may be eliminated by the use of boiling, which is also a simple method. The water should be boiled for at least one minute before being allowed to cool in a covered or sheltered setting. Drinking water that is excessively hot might cause you to lose even more moisture from your body.
Read Fight the Flood: Safety measures to take before, during, after floods in Bangladesh
Filtration
It may come as a surprise, but one of the simplest methods to purify water is to take advantage of the sand and silt that make up the surface of the Earth all around us. It is a well-established fact that water that is extracted from the ground using a pump is often devoid of pollutants. This is due to the fact that the water has been naturally filtered via the pores of sands and silts.
You will need the following things in order to construct a fundamental bio-sand filter: 1) a lengthy container, 2) a hose or drain tube, and 3) a number of different types of clean sands, silts, and gravels. To begin, make a hole in the side of the container so that the hose may be attached to the bottom of the container. The next step is to begin by filling the container with a few inches' worths of gravel, followed by a few more inches' worths of sand.
Next, using very fine sand and silt mixture, fill two-thirds of the remaining space in the container. Last but not least, the remaining space in the container should be stuffed with normal sand and gravel. In addition, a layer of charcoal may be found on the interior of some bio-sand filters. In the event that you have any available, it would be best to incorporate them into the design of your filter.
Read Sylhet: Flood-hit city dwellers suffer crisis of gas, power, and safe drinking water
Pour the contaminated water into the container that comes with your new bio-sand filter, and then let the water gently filter through the container and into the hose so that you may start using it.
Solar Distillation
You can also erect a solar still in order to harness the power of the sun and produce water that is free of any harmful bacteria or pathogens. To get a useful quantity of water using this approach needs a significant investment of both time and daylight. The water that is produced using this approach will not include any minerals and will not have any taste. This is another disadvantage of using this method. In order to assist with this matter, the water that has been cleansed might be salted and aerated.
SODIS
The SODIS technique is one of the most straightforward approaches to purifying water that you can take. As a matter of fact, it is so simple that a large number of organizations are trying to educate those who are at risk of contracting water-borne diseases on how to use this approach. The sun, a clear PET plastic container, and around six hours of your time are all you really need to purify your water using this approach.
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Chemical Treatments
Although the phrase "chemical" water treatment might be a little misleading, the aforementioned procedures are among the most typical ways that polluted water is cleaned up.
For instance, you may purchase water treatment pills or drops to put into unclean water in order to eliminate germs, parasites, and viruses. These items can be found in most pharmacies.
The fact that there are only so many pills available is the most significant drawback associated with water treatment tablets. One tablet is often only capable of treating one litre of water, in contrast to certain water filters that may be used for hundreds of gallons of water.
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Charcoal Filtering
Charcoal is an excellent cleansing ingredient due to its exceptional capacity to absorb sediments as well as pollutants, and it also has the added benefit of boosting flavor. Charcoal may also be easily acquired since it is produced naturally anytime wood is burned.
The method of filtering water with charcoal is one that may easily be accomplished by anybody. You need just need charcoal, something heavy to smash it with, and a container to retain your water and filter it into. That is all you will need.
Using Chlorine
Raw water may be made more suitable for human consumption by adding about 8 drops of unscented chlorine bleach to each gallon of untreated water. In order to properly prepare the water, you will need to use a varied quantity of bleach if the chlorine content of the bleach varies from product to product. Use about 40 drops per gallon of water for a bleach solution that is 1 percent concentrated.
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Use about four drops per gallon of bleach that has an 8 percent concentration. After the bleach has been added, give the mixture a good stir, and then set the container aside for at least half an hour. Bleach will destroy some of the germs that cause illnesses, but it will not eliminate all of them. It is possible that you will need to aerate the water in order to get rid of the strong chlorine smell that will remain once the process is complete.
Conclusion
During or after the flood situations, it is possible that floodwater and the debris that was left behind are tainted with sewage. It is important to minimize contact with floodwater in order to reduce the risk of sickness. At least until three days have passed after the last significant rainfall, you should refrain from swimming in rivers, lagoons, and estuaries.
There are many water filtration systems, and numerous water disinfection products are available on the market. Not all of them would be suitable for you. So far we have discussed some simple methods to disinfect water in inexpensive ways. In the event of an emergency, these measures to purify water will help you. Considering your current circumstances and dangers adopt the most suited water purifying process.
Read Solution to pollution: Sprinkling water on Dhaka's roads & construction sites?
Stranger Danger: How to teach children safety rules for unknown, unsafe people
Child safety means an area concerned with minimizing children’s vulnerability to hazards and diminishing their risk of getting harmed. Children are generally vulnerable to accidents, sexual abuse, and other dangerous issues. As a kid can hardly save itself, the parents and caregivers should be careful about its safety. So, it is important to teach young children about the dangers that can happen to them from strangers. Let them understand that a person they do not know can be dangerous even if they are female or look ‘nice’. This article is about stranger danger so continue reading to teach children stranger safety rules.
10 ways to teach children about personal safety from Strangers
It is really important to teach kids specific lessons and language about personal safety so that they can deal with potentially unsafe situations. Children don’t know about safety, they don’t know where they are vulnerable. As a parent or guardian, it is your responsibility to save your children from any danger and so make sure you teach your children personal safety. Here go some effective ways to make your kids smart while interacting with strangers and unsafe people.
Define strangers
Let your kids define the safer and more dangerous stranger. Generally, a safer stranger will be wearing a uniform like Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers, traffic wardens, check-out assistants, and others. Tell them that they can easily recognize them because of their uniforms. Besides, tell them about safer buildings. They could be banks, post offices, libraries, medical centers, shops, supermarkets, leisure centers, and others.
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Explain to your kids to take help from a safer stranger in case they fall in any danger or they can go to the safer building and talk with the people there. If you want to make your kids aware of strangers, let them recognize the phrase safer strangers, safer buildings as part of their growing understanding of stranger awareness.
Stay close
To prevent your children from getting lost, make sure you talk with them about the possibility and what to do if the situation does arise. Tell them to stay close to you in shops and to hold onto your hand or the trolley.
You can use reins or wristbands on young children in busy places. Don’t leave children individually in play areas. Besides, teach them to remember their parents or guardians' names, addresses, and telephone numbers so that they can use them in the case of getting lost.
Read Effects of Domestic Violence on Children
When alone at home
It is one of the serious issues. Most of the time, it happens that children need to stay home alone, especially in the case of working parents. Tell them not to open the door when anybody knocks.
First, check and then open if they know the person standing at the door. If unsure, they, of course, call the parents. Moreover, they shouldn’t also answer the phone if they don’t know the person. If they need to receive the call, they just listen but do not answer or give any information about their situation.
‘Weaving Art of the Hills’: Beauty of Rangamati gets reimagined at group exhibition of ethnic artists
Showcasing the scenic beauty of the hills and mountain regions of Rangamati and various means of subsistence of the locals and their customs, an exclusive group exhibition titled ‘Weaving Art of the Hills’ is currently being held at the Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts in the capital.
Organized by the Abinta Gallery alongside Ethnic Artists Forum, a platform for indigenious artists to express their views and thoughts towards art and culture, the exhibition was inaugurated on May 21.
Joined by Secretary (West) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury, renowned artist and art-maestro Professor Mustafa Monwar, Turkish Ambassador in Dhaka Mustafa Osman Turan and Managing Director at Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd Rupali Chowdhury as the guest of honor, the exhibition was presided by the Chairperson of Abinta Gallery of Fine Arts Nilu Rowshon Murshed.
Also read: Bashir Ahmed Sujan's solo panoramic photography exhibition begins at AFD
Monsoon Tourism: Best Places to Visit During the Rainy Season in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the monsoon has already arrived. On some Days it rains heavily, while on other days incessant mizzles continue for several hours. Though a rainy day might be cumbersome for many, some people adore rain as a blessing of mother nature. Not to mention, rain allows for an escape from the hot and humid weather of the summer. During the monsoon, nature looks greener, more pure and utterly peaceful in Bangladesh. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, utilise this majestic misty weather to rediscover the natural beauty of the country. Here are some of the most amazing places in Bangladesh to travel during the monsoon season.
Top Places to Visit in Bangladesh During Monsoon Season
Ratargul Swamp Forest
The Ratargul swamp forest is among the handful of freshwater swamp forests in the world. It is a protected natural area under the Department of Forestry of Bangladesh.
The Ratargul swamp forest is situated 26 km away from downtown Sylhet in the Gowain River. During the monsoon season, the water from Assam floods the river which creates an intricate maze of micro rivers through the forest. Crisscrossing through the forest in a boat provides an ethereal experience with hundreds of local flora and fauna making the experience even more magical. Tourists can also go to the two adjoining haors – the Neoa Bil Haor and the Shimul Bil Haor which are an attraction of their own.
Read Romantic Beach Honeymoon Destinations in Asia
Coxs Bazar
In recent years, Cox’s Bazar has become a tourist hub for all seasons. However, most of the tourists flock there in the winter season making it a packed tourist spot. The same isn’t true for the monsoon season though. Since the monsoon is practically off-season for Cox’s Bazar tourism, tourists can expect great deals and discounts on their stay.
The experience of the seaside is out of this world during the rainy season. The misty clouds catch the water on the horizon. The roaring waves and winds make for an absolutely swiveling experience. This is definitely something one should experience at least once in their lifetime.
Read Sky Dining Cox's Bazar: A New Frontier in Bangladesh's Food Industry
Bichanakandi
The list will not be complete if we don't mention Bichanakandi. This low-lying stream of water coming from the Seven Sisters of Meghalaya offers some of the most scintillating views of nature. The rocky pathway on both sides simply alleviates the overall ethereal feel of the place.
7 Delicious Lychee Recipes for Snacks, Drinks, Desserts
Lychee (Litchi) is enriched with a good amount of Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex, and phytonutrient flavonoids. It contains the excellent nutrient that is required for the production of blood. For the formation of RBC, we need manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, and folate and lychee is a great source of these. Lychee increases the metabolism of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. We are here with easy-to-prepare Lichi recipes for homemade drinks, snacks, and desserts with highly valued food items.
Seven Yummy and Nutritious Lychee Recipes to try at home
Mango Litchi Desserts
You can try mango Litchi Desserts which is a refreshing cold dessert with two favorite tropical fruits. You will definitely enjoy it during hot summer days. Just need 10 to 15 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
500 GM Curd, 1 cup Fresh Cream, 2 tbsp sugar powder, 2 cups Frozen Mango Pieces, 1.2 cup sugar, 1.2 cup water, 1.4 cup litchi crush, 2 tbsp dry fruit crush, 1 cup mango pieces
Instructions
First, make sure to dispatch the water completely from the curd and then rest for 5 hours. After that add the fresh cream, and the sugar powder and beat to make a creamy texture. Blend the frozen mango pieces along with ½ cup sugar and some water to make a smooth texture.
Put the mixture in the bowl and keep it aside. Mix the whipped cream mixture with the litchi crush and pour the litchi cream mixture into a glass and add the mango puree. For decoration, you can add mango pieces and dry fruit crust. Finally, it is ready to serve.
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Lychee Blueberry Cupcakes
If you are a fan of cupcakes, don’t miss the Lychee cupcakes. It would be a great delight for the kids also.
Ingredients
12 fresh lychees, peeled & seeded, 125g unsalted butter, 3/4 cup caster sugar, 2 eggs, lightly beaten, ⅓ cup milk, 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted, ¼ cup blueberries
Instructions
First, preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a cupcake tin with 12 cases. Cut the fresh lychees into small pieces. Set aside. Then cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes to make them light, and fluffy.
After that, add the eggs to beat for a further minute. Add the flour and the milk and mix well. Finally, add the blueberries and chopped lychees. Pour cupcake batter into the prepared cases until ⅔ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
You can use a toothpick to test whether it is okay or not. If the toothpick remains dry, your cupcakes are ready to serve.
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Lychees in Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients
1 cup of caster sugar, 2 cups of cold water, 50 fresh lychees, peeled and deseeded, vanilla bean
Instructions
First, heat 1 cup caster sugar and 2 cups water. Stir continuously so that sugar dissolves. When sugar mixes well make sure you increase the heat. Then and vanilla bean. Cook for 8-10 minutes until it becomes thickened. Add the lychees. Cook for another few minutes. Finally, let it cool and detach the vanilla bean before serving.
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Lychee Frozen Cheesecake
Who doesn’t love cheesecake? The nutrition, flavour, taste and texture of your regular cheesecakes can be enhanced by adding Lychees.
Ingredients
250g packet gingernut cookies, 60g unsalted butter, 250g pack fat cream cheese, 250g low-fat ricotta, 2/3 cup caster sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon rind, 250mls cream, 15 fresh lychees, extra lychees to serve, lemon zest, to serve
Instructions
First, prepare the base with the cookies and the melted butter. Then make a thick and smooth mixture with cream cheese, ricotta, sugar, and lemon rind, blending them for a couple of minutes. Pour the mixture into the tin over the biscuit base and smooth the surface. Cover and freeze for 2 hours. Finally, remove the tin from the freezer 15 minutes ahead of serving.
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Lychee with Coconut Wafers
Kids are always crazy for crunchy snacks like wafers. If you try Lychee with coconut wafers, it will win the souls of the adult members of your family too.
Ingredients
2 cups shredded coconut, 2 egg whites, 1/3 cup plain flour, 1/3 cup caster sugar, 300g sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence, 2 teaspoons icing sugar, sifted, 450g lychees, peeled.
Instructions
First, don’t forget to preheat the oven to 190C. Then mix the coconut, egg whites, flour, and caster sugar in a large bowl. Take baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper. Put spoonfuls of the mixture and make 8 thin discs 12 cm in diameter. Bake for 15-18 minutes to make them golden and crisp. Remove and let them cool.
In the meantime, mix together the sour cream, vanilla, and icing sugar in a small bowl. To decorate, place a coconut wafer on each plate, top with some sour cream mix, then some lychees. Repeat the layers and serve dusted with extra icing sugar.
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Lychee Asian style fruit salad
Ingredients
20 fresh lychees, 1 Nashi pear, 4 slices of fresh pineapple, ½ small papaya, 1/4 honeydew melon, 2 firm-ripe mangoes
Syrup
250 ml water, 75g caster sugar, 3 thin slices of ginger, peeled, ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds, Juice, and zest of 1 lime
Instructions
First, for preparing the syrup, heat the water and sugar in a small pan and cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the ginger and cardamom seeds and cook for 10 minutes. Let it cool and then add lime juice and zest. Put aside the syrup and in the meantime cut all fruits along with lychees into small pieces and mix them together. Drizzle over the cold syrup and serve.
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Thai Banana-Lychee Dessert in Coconut Milk
Don’t miss this easy banana and lychee dessert that needs only ten minutes to make. Its taste is wonderfully sweet and complex. Asian people call it a "dessert soup". You can serve it warm or cold, depending on the weather and your mood.
Ingredients
2 small ripe bananas, 1 can coconut milk, 1/4 to 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 pinch salt, 8 to 10 lychees
Instructions
First, peel the bananas and slice them into 2 inches long. Heat the coconut milk over medium-high heat. Then add the other ingredients except for lychees and banana and mix well. After that, add the bananas and lychees to the mixture. Make sure to continue stirring so that the bananas and lychees are warmed through. It may take 1 to 2 minutes. Serve warm or cold to your taste and mood.
Bottom Line
Litchi is a nutritious tropical fruit. It has a mouthwatering sweet and sour taste. People of any age love eating ripe Litchis. You can also preserve Litchis in the refrigerator to eat in other seasons. So far we have discussed 7 delectable Litchi recipes to prepare desserts, snacks and drinks. Following these recipes you can get the taste and nutrition of the heavenly fruit Litchi with your adorable family.
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Nazrul’s 123rd birth anniversary Wednesday
The 123rd birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam will be celebrated in the country on Wednesday in a befitting manner.
Known and regarded as the ‘rebel poet’ for his iconoclastic and majestic literary creations, Kazi Nazrul Islam was born at Churulia village of Burdwan in the Indian state of West Bengal in 1899.
Nazrul through his fiery poems had inspired people to fight against injustice and repression of the colonial rule.
Aiming to observe the glorious day amid festivities without the fear of COVID-19 for the first time in two years, the maximum number of government and non-government organizations and different cultural platforms chalked out separate programmes with cultural performances and discussions on the life and works of the rebel poet.
This year, the government has announced the theme of the birth anniversary celebration of the national poet as the “Rebel’s Centenary.”
According to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, the events observing the 123rd birth anniversary of the national poet will begin with placing floral wreaths at the grave of the poet at Dhaka University at 6:30 am.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid and Secretary Abul Mansur will be present on the occasion alongside other officials of the Ministry and its associated wings and departments.
The main event marking the national poet's 123rd birth anniversary will take place at Cumilla Birchandra Public Library and City Auditorium premises (Town Hall) at 11 am.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud will be present at the opening ceremony as the chief guest, which will also be joined by Nazrul’s granddaughter Khilkhil Kazi as a special guest.
Country’s leading cultural institution Chhayanaut is set to organize a two-day "Nazrul Uthsab '' from May 25 at the Chhayanaut Sangskriti Bhaban, Dhanmondi in the capital.
This year, the event is welcoming in-person attendance for the first time in the last two years, and the festival will be featuring performances inspired by Nazrul's literature and songs at Chhayanaut's auditorium at 7 pm. The festival will also be aired on Chhayanaut's official Facebook page and YouTube channel.
On Tuesday, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University (JKKNIU) in Trishal, Mymensingh, inaugurated a three-day celebration programme, featuring discussion, awards ceremony, photography exhibition and cultural programmes.
Also read:Nazrul’s ‘Bidrohi’ recited by hundred people in a chorus in Chuadanga
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar was present as the chief guest at JKKNIU’s Gahi Sammyer Gaan Mancha on the first day’s event at 11 am. Vice-Chancellor Prof.Soumitra Shekhar chaired the event, which was also joined by Poet Muhammad Nurul Huda, Director General of Bangla Academy as the special guest.
On the occasion, eminent Nazrul sangeet exponent Sujit Mostafa was awarded with the Nazrul Padak.
The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) organized a solo music show of renowned Nazrul exponent Khairul Anam Shakil on Tuesday. The event, titled “Nazrul Sangeet Sandhya” was held at the National Art Gallery of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 6:30 pm.
Many other organizations and institutions including Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Kazi Nazrul Institute and more will be organizing special events, marking the 123rd birth anniversary of the poet.
Several television channels, radio stations and online platforms are organizing special programmes, marking the occasion.
Newspapers will publish special supplements on the occasion.
According to the Nazrul Institute, Kazi Nazrul wrote 2,600 songs, 600 poetry, three novels, and 43 articles in a career spanning 21 years before losing his speech.
After the death of his father, Kazi Nazrul obtained a job as a caregiver and also worked as a muezzin at a mosque to support his family. At the age of nine, he had to drop out of school to join a Churulia-based professional ‘leto' company.
He was introduced to Bangali and Sanskrit literature while working for the group. He returned to school a year later and enrolled at Matharun English School, but dropped out again in Class VI due to poverty.
After a while, police officer Kazi Rafizullah took him in at his home in Trishal, Mymensingh, and enrolled him in Class VII at Darirampur School.
Serving the British Army in 1917 as a soldier, Kazi Nazrul started his literary career within a few years. His cult-classic poem ‘Bidrohi’ (The Rebel) was published in 1921. A year later, he started a fortnightly magazine named ‘Dhumketu’ (The Comet).
His nationalist participation in the Indian Independence Movement landed him in the hands of colonial British authorities on several occasions.
While in prison, Kazi Nazrul authored the 'Rajbandir Jabanbandi' (Deposition of a Political Prisoner), and his creations later encouraged Bangladesh Liberation War.
Freedom, humanity, love and revolution are the constant themes in Kazi Nazrul's majestic literary creations. He was against all sorts of religious, caste-based, and gender-based discrimination and extremism.
He wrote short stories, novels and essays, but his songs and poems are his most critically acclaimed literary creations. He popularised Bengali ghazal melodies, and is noted for his liberal usage of Arabic and Persian terms in his writings.
Kazi Nazrul created a new genre in music called ‘Nazrul Geeti’, a collection of 4,000 songs that he wrote and created the music for, many of which were recorded on HMV.
In 1942, Kazi Nazrul began to lose his voice and memory due to an unexplained ailment. Later, a medical team in Vienna identified his illness as Pick's disease, a rare and incurable neurodegenerative disease.
His family travelled to Bangladesh at the invitation of then Bangladeshi government and settled down in Dhaka in 1972. For his iconic contribution to Bangla literature and culture, Dhaka University awarded him an honorary post-doctoral degree in 1974. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 1976.
Kazi Nazrul breathed his last in Dhaka on August 29, 1976.
Also read: Remembering Nazrul, a poet par excellence!
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages highlighting the colourful life of the poet and his contributions to Bangla language and literature.
In his message, the President said, “Nazrul’s write-ups inspired us in all democratic movements including the anti-British movement, the Language Movement, the Mass Uprising in 1969, and the Liberation War.”
“I firmly believe that the new generation will be able to enrich themselves through the practice of Nazrul and will play a role in building a happy and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ with patriotism and honesty.”
In her message, the Prime Minister said, “I believe Nazrul's write-ups will play a role in building a non-communal, peaceful, happy, prosperous and modern Bangladesh.”
She also wished success of all programmes marking the day.
New Monkeypox Outbreak: What We Know So Far
The world is yet to move on from the coronavirus pandemic and another virus that has raised concerns in the past week, which may turn into another pandemic. The name is Monkeypox. As of May 21, 2022, it has spread to 92 people in 12 countries, including the United Kingdom and the USA. The first monkeypox case was detected in London, the United Kingdom on May 7. Then, patients are also found in Spain, Germany, Portugal, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden.
So what is going to happen? Is the virus originating in Central and West Africa a cause for concern right now? Or is everyone overwhelmed about just going through an epidemic?
We have tried to find answers to these questions in different authentic news and journals. Here is what we need to know about the Monkeypox outbreak.
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What is Monkeypox?
There is a lot to know about MonkeyPox now. However, the natural carrier of the virus is wildlife, and rats are more likely than monkeys. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Monkeypox is like regular smallpox but is relatively less severe and does not spread the infection much.
It is caused by the monkeypox virus belonging to the orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. Two clades of monkeypox virus are identified, the West African and Congo Basin (Central African) clades. Monkeypox was named after the first discovery of the virus in Denmark in 1958.
Although the virus was first detected in monkeys in 1958, rats are now suspected to be the main contributors to the spread.
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Symptoms of Monkeypox
The primary symptoms of this disease are fever, headache, pain in the joints and muscles, and fatigue in the body.
After the onset of fever, smallpox appears in the body. Usually, these poxes appear in the face at the beginning. Later it spreads on hands, feet, and all over the body. The body becomes itchy for this pox. Later wounds appeared from the pox. Like a regular pox, the patient recovers completely, but these scars remain on the body. The patient recovers within 14 to 21 days of the start of the disease.
How Does Monkeypox Virus Spread?
The Monkeypox virus is spread via close contact with an infected person. It also spreads from an infected person's clothes and bed. It enters the human body through inhalation, nose, eyes, mouth, and skin lesions.
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According to the experts say the Monkeypox can be transmitted from monkeys, squirrels, rats, or even through the bed bugs used by monkeypox patients. The disease can be spread through sexual contact too. Although this has not been said before, it is now thought that the virus can be transmitted through direct contact during sexual intercourse.
Treatment of Monkeypox
So far, there is no proven treatment for the monkeypox virus. However, according to the World Health Organization, the smallpox vaccine and antiviral drugs can help prevent the symptoms of Monkeypox. As with any virus outbreak, its rate can be prevented by taking appropriate measures.
Since the virus is not fatal, experts say there is little reason to worry about it. The United Kingdom has begun vaccinating small-scale healthcare workers who are most at risk of contracting the virus while serving patients.
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How Deadly is Monkeypox?
Congo clade has been seen in different parts of Africa. The death rate in the region is around 10% for the Congo clade. And children are more likely to die. On the other hand, the intensity of Central African Monkeypox is relatively low. The mortality rate of the infected in this species is about 1%.
The actual type of Monkeypox, which has been identified in 12 countries around the world, is not immediately known. However, Central African species have been identified in the UK, according to the health authorities.
Epidemiologists say monkeypox infections are usually "extremely rare." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expressed concern about the rise in monkeypox infections and warned that the virus could spread to the United Kingdom as well as Portugal and Spain.
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Is the Monkeypox Virus Airborne?
Although there is no evidence that Monkeypox is airborne, CDC instructed to take precautions as an airborne disease as it has a theoretical risk of airborne transmission. However, citing a study published in the journal Virological Methods in 2012, Harvard epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding said that Monkeypox might be like particles of airborne liquids or solids (aerosols).
So What's Going To Happen?
According to BBC, this outbreak is different, but the actual reason is not known yet. There are two things that can happen: either the virus has changed, or the same old virus has chosen the right place at the right time to become strong. Monkeypox is a DNA virus. So it does not have a quick mutation or mutation like Covid or Flu. Experts see it as a cause of relief.
A recent genetic analysis shows that the current infections are closely related to the structure of the virus in 2018 and 2019. It needs to be confirmed very soon, but so far, there is no evidence of a new strain or mutation in the virus. There is no need to transform the virus to take advantage of an opportunity that has been seen in the unexpectedly large outbreaks of Ebola and Zika viruses in the last decade.
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It is thought that the increase in human travel due to the lifting of the Covid pandemic restriction has contributed to the spread of the Monkeypox infection. Jimmy Whitworth, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, told Reuters, "My working theory would be that there's a lot of it about in west and central Africa, travel has resumed, and that's why we are seeing more cases."
How to Prevent Monkeypox?
According to WHO, travelers and residents of monkeypox-endemic countries should stay away from contacting sick mammals such as marsupials, rodents, and non-human primates (dead or alive). People also refrain from handling or eating wild games (bushmeat).
Final Words
Experts have not yet mentioned any specific vaccine for Monkeypox. However, the BBC says some countries have already begun preserving against smallpox. Researchers believe that the smallpox vaccine might be 85% effective because of the similarity of Monkeypox to smallpox. So far we have discussed the basic facts about Monkeypox including symptoms, treatment, and ways of prevention. Hope our discussion will help you to stay safe from this virus.
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