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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

raw goji berries for health

raw goji berriesSimple Dinner Sets Go A Long Way

The time has come when Christmas is only just around the corner and you still have to go shopping to buy presents, decorations, food, Christmas tree etc. You begin to panic as you have realised that you have to buy a completely new range of dinner sets as your old sets have chipped, washed out or cracked. On the other hand, maybe this is your first Christmas dinner to cook for the family and friends, and you have no dishware to serve your dinner.

This year I have noticed a new trend in simple dinner sets and fine crockery for special occasions. People prefer to purchase simple earthenware designs that match well with plain shades of place mats, napkin with a simple napkin ring and long tinted glasses. Putting a simple spread out for Christmas can be more effective than spending huge amounts of money on expensive dishware and tablecloths that will only be used once or twice in a year.

Dinner sets are something that have been around for more than a century, but have not always been a fashion accessory at the dinner table. Having the right set for a special occasion appears to be an essential part of the preparation process for a big meal such as Christmas. It is not enough now to view dishware as just a tool to eat food from; the design of the plate plays an important part in displaying the appeal of the food and its presentation. It is more common now to serve food on plain white plates than it was during the 1980s whereby flower patterned plates were more popular.

History

Historically dinner sets were made from wood, metals, pewter and even animal skulls. Modern dishware is made from stoneware, earthenware, porcelain, glass and melamine resin. The Chinese had discovered the process of making porcelain around 600AD and had begun trading porcelain objects with the European during the 1300s. Owning porcelain made plates was a must-have for the Europeans. It was not until 1708 that a German potter in Meissen discovered the Chinese porcelain making process, beginning a new range of great European potteries.

Some of the most popular and best-known potters were also founded during this period. Famous brands such as Royal Saxon, Wedgewood, Royal Copenhagen and Spode. The practise of collecting souvenir plates was not popularised until 1800s by Patrick Palmer-Thomas, a Dutch-English nobleman who impressed Victorian audiences with his public displays of plates. The first collectible items 'Behind the Frozen Window', was credited to the Danish namely Bing and Grondahl. Christmas designed plates were then produced by many of the European countries particularly that of Royal Copenhagen and the Rosenthal series in 1910. It was not long before the European designs were introduced to the U.S with sales going up in souvenir shops, department stores and gift shops.

Plates are still used as a collectible item, mainly for older generations rather than the younger culture. Some popular collectibles are usually from abroad with intricate paintings of the countries national customs captured onto the dish. With different shapes and thickness available, dishwares are an important element in keeping up a good appearance of one's efforts on producing a good spread and the most popular designs are simple with a few small accessories to jazz it up.

Anna Stenning has a large collection of dinner sets and designer plates from around the globe. She purchases her finest sets from http://www.denby.co.uk

How to Strengthen the Immune System

Coughs, colds, and the flu can get in the way of our lives and cause us to miss work and miss out on fun. It is hard to feel attractive and motivated when our eyes are red, nose is running, and we are feeling under the whether.

Fortunately there are many things we can to to take control of our health and feel fabulous. Here are a few of the most beneficial ways to kick start out immune systems and prevent illness.

1. According to the world health organisation, the best immunization is a good diet. Pre-prepared, packaged foods that are filled with caffeine, sugar and preservatives fail to give the body any nutrients to defend with.

Furthermore, because the system has to defend against the toxins in these foods, they actually deplete the body of its resources. Fruits, vegetables, sprouts and superfoods give us the necessary weapons to fight our health battles. Freshly prepared foods from local sources have the highest nutritional content, especially if they are organic. It is best to eat a variety of different fruits and vegetable so that all of the necessary weapons are available for defence.

2. Zinc is an essential immune system booster. Foods high in zinc include spinach, oysters, lamb, dried pumpkin seeds, chicken, asparagus, and green peas.

3. Another mandatory ingredient for a solid fortress is vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and will play a key role in thwarting off any unwanted visitors. Some of the great vitamin C deliverers are red peppers, parsley, broccoli, strawberries, lemon, papaya, kiwi, and oranges.

4. Garlic, onions, shiitake and maitake mushrooms are fabulous health protectors, so using them in your cooking is a good idea.

5. Bee Pollen is one of the most popular superfoods, and well known for transforming the immune system into a transformer.

6. Staying active is another brilliant way to defend against illness. Thirty minutes of exercise that gets the heart rate up, such as swimming or cycling, has been proven to strengthen and increase the activity of the immune cells, which kill invading organisms.

7. Resting and relaxing keep the immune system strong. Getting plenty of sleep every night is insurance against ill health. Yoga, breath techniques, and taking hot baths are just some of the pleasurable ways to beat stress and improve sleep quality.

So get your immune systems energized and keep those bugs from taking hold of your health and your life. By making a few simple changes, we can begin to prevent illness.

DefyAgeNaturally with Super Foods

Sheryl Walters is an experienced nutritionist, life coach and holistic health expert.

Her website and blog provides the world's most up to date scientific research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, living longer, and enjoying vibrant emotional and physical health. When we have the right information and take some dedicated action, we can be in charge of our health and live life to the fullest.