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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Why Religious Groups Wear What They Wear

Why These 6 Religious Groups Wear What They Wear
It's more than a piece of cloth.
Antonia Blumberg -  08/18/2015 

Clothing worn by religious leaders and people of devout faith often is much more than a fashion statement. A simple robe can make a Buddhist monk feel closer to Buddha, while a modest sweater can help a Mormon missionary project a professional image as she proselytizes.

Below are dress guidelines of six religious groups and why they wear what they wear:


Buddhist monks and nuns

Sri Lankan Buddhist monks walk in line as they seek offerings of food in Colombo on July 25, 2015. 

The robes worn by Buddhist monks are said to date back to the Buddha’s time. There are commonly three components to the robe: an inner garment or waistcloth, an upper robe, and an outer robe. Buddhist nuns typically wear a vest and a bathing cloth. In the Buddha’s time, monastic robes were patched together with scraps of cloth to reflect the simple life monks had vowed to live. According to some Buddhist clergy, the robes create a “uniformity of intention” visible at first glance. Though the colors of these robes vary by region, the earlier garments worn by Buddhist monks were likely a yellow-orange color from being dyed using vegetable matter and spices like turmeric or saffron. 


Catholic priests
Catholic priests gather outside of the Cathedral of Brasilia while celebrating the holiday of Corpus Christi on June 4, 2015 in Brasilia, Brazil.

According to the Directory for the Ministry and Life of Priests, prepared by the Congregation for the Clergy and approved by Pope John Paul II in 1994, clergy must dress in a way that distinguishes them from the laity. “It is particularly important that the community be able to recognize the priest, man of God and dispenser of his mysteries, by his attire,” the document states. Catholic priests have traditionally worn a cassock, or long robe, though modern clergy often wear simple black suits and a Roman collar outside of liturgical functions. Many priests also wear a clerical collar, a narrow, often white band that attaches to the clergy shirt. This can be worn with a tab-collar shirt (revealing just a small square of the collar at the front of the throat) or a neckband shirt (revealing the entire collar.) Though this style of dress is common for Catholic priests, it likely originated in the Protestant tradition, circa the mid-19th century.


Orthodox Jews
<span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 29.536003112793px; background-color: #efefef;">Members of the Jewish Orthodox community talk on a street in a Brooklyn neighborhood on June 14, 2012 in New York City.</span></span>
 Members of the Jewish Orthodox community talk on a street in a Brooklyn neighborhood on June 14, 2012 in New York City.

Orthodox Jewish women are encouraged to cover their hair and wear skirts below their knees as a sign of modesty. Orthodox men typically wear long black garments to indicate a “lack of concern for color and other dictates of fashion, and thus helps keep priorities straight,” according to Chabad guidelines. Orthodox men also wear a kippah, tallit, or shawl, and tzitzit, which are strings tied in a particular pattern that fall from the four corners of the tallit. Clothing styles vary somewhat from sect to sect. For instance, Haredi men typically grow long beards and wear wide-brim black hats. Some Orthodox men also wear payot, or sidecurls, in reference to a Torah passage that prohibits men from “rounding off the corners” of the head.



Jain monks and nuns

Jain Sadhvijis (Jain Nuns) attend the 'Vadi Diksha' of Indian millionaire-turned-Jain-monk, Bhanwarlal Doshi.

Jain monks and nuns are encouraged to live austere lives. Many show this by wearing plain, white robes. In the Digambara sect, however, monks reject all forms of worldy possessions, including clothes. Acharya Kundkund, a revered, 1st century Digambara monk, reportedly wrote that monks must do more than remain naked in dress. “Oh monk!” he wrote. “What is the purpose of remaining naked (or clad) if you indulge in malicious behaviour, laughter, jealousy, delusion and untamed desires. Being full of blemish, you deserve disgrace.”



Sikhs (traditional)
<span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 29.536003112793px; background-color: #efefef;">Sikh pilgrims offer prayers at a Sikh shrine in Lahore on June 29, 2013.</span></span>
 Sikh pilgrims offer prayers at a Sikh shrine in Lahore on June 29, 2013.
 
Sikh spiritual clothing, or bana, includes a turban, modest attire and the five articles of faith. The turban, or dastar, acts as a symbol of piety and dedication, according to the Sikh Coalition. Sikhs often wear their hair unshorn as the founders of the Sikh faith did and in keeping with religious requirements. The five articles of faith include: the kachhera, or loose undergarment; the kanga, or wooden comb; a kara, or iron bangle; kes, or unshorn hair; and a kirpan, or ceremonial sword. Guru Gobind Singh introduced the five articles in 1699 as a way of identifying members of the faith and binding them together.


Mormon missionaries
 <span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.870588); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 29.536003112793px; background-color: #efefef;">In this Jan. 8, 2013, file photo, Mormon missionaries walk through the halls at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. </span></span>
Mormon missionaries walk through the halls at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.

Full-time Mormon missionaries, called elders and sisters, are required to wear modest clothing and plain hairstyles. Women must wear either blouses with skirts, or dresses that cover to the knee. Men must wear business suits. Sweatshirts, backpacks, tattoos and body piercings, other than ears, are not allowed. The clothing guidelines are meant to ensure that missionaries look “professional” and “attractive,” according to the website of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The church recently announced that elders in countries with hot climates were no longer required to wear suit coats while proselytizing.




http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhistworld/robe_txt.htm

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Foods That Help You Sleep Better

6 Foods That Help You
Sleep Better
By Ashley Neglia

Posted: 01/08/2015

Nearly 60 million Americans – more than the population of Italy – wake up tired and irritable every morning due to lack of sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Aside from feeling cranky and lethargic, not getting enough sleep can cause serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive impairment, diabetes, and even weight gain.

The good news is that small changes in your lifestyle and diet can have a tremendous effect on the quality of sleep you get each night. So we rounded up some of the top foods that can help you catch those Zzz’s. Just remember, if you experience chronic sleepless nights that impair your mood or ability to function in any way, you should make an appointment to see your primary care physician.

Oatmeal with milk and honey

When To Eat: 90 minutes before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 cup milk, 1 teaspoon honey

Heart-healthy oatmeal may already be your breakfast of choice, but it might be time to flip flop your routine. Oats are one of the few foods that contain melatonin, a.k.a. the “Dracula of hormones,” which helps you fall asleep each night by relaxing the body after the sun sets. Melatonin production decreases as we age, which is why more seniors suffer from insomnia and why it’s important to combat sleeplessness by eating melatonin-rich foods.

Add some warm milk, which contains melatonin and tryptophan – the amino acid found in turkey that makes us sleepy – and stir in a teaspoon of honey, which is a natural relaxant – and you’ve got a perfectly healthful bedtime treat to help lull you off to dreamland.





Banana with almonds
When To Eat: 90 minutes before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 medium banana and 23 almonds (approx. 1 ounce)

Chock full of potassium, which stimulates slow-wave sleep (a.k.a. deep sleep) according to new research, and sleep-inducing magnesium, bananas are the veritable superstars of sleep! Couple them with almonds also loaded with magnesium and tryptophan, and you’ve got a delicious snack that will help you get to sleep and stay asleep.



Tart cherry juice
When To Drink: One glass in the morning and one glass two hours before bed
How Much: 8 ounces
Similar to oats, sour cherries contain the highest amount of naturally-occurring melatonin compared to any other food. In fact, research from the Journal of Medicinal Food shows that drinking a glass of tart cherry juice before bed can combat age-related insomnia by helping your body drift off to sleep.




Rice and beans
When To Eat: With dinner or at least 4 hours before bedtime
How Much: 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1/2 cup cooked beans

Legumes, like cow peas and lentils, are rich in magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and B vitamins, all of which help regulate your circadian rhythm. Adding a high glycemic carbohydrate, like Jasmine rice, will help you fall asleep faster thanks to a sugar spike and subsequent fall. In other words, the rice will help you hit the hay, and the legumes will keep you asleep throughout the night




Cheese and crackers

When To Eat: At least 30 minutes before bedtime
How Much: 2/3 ounce cheese and 2-3 small crackers

If you’re looking for a light snack, a few bites of cheese coupled with whole-grain crackers can help manage sleep cycles by boosting serotonin and melatonin levels. Even though they’re in the same family, cheese doesn’t induce shut-eye quite like warm milk, but its high calcium and tryptophan content help the body de-stress and relax while stimulating melatonin production.

Research conducted by the British Cheese Board even found that eating cheese may induce vivid dreams. What’s more, the type of cheese you eat may determine what kind of dream you have. For example, cheddar lovers’ more likely dream of celebrities, while smelly Stilton fans experience more bizarre and wacky dreams.


Sweet potato with dark, leafy greens
When To Eat: At least 90 minutes before bed
How Much: 1 medium sweet potato and 1/2 cup cooked greens

When sweet potatoes and dark, leafy greens – like Swiss chard and spinach – combine, they create a potassium powerhouse that will help your body get that super restorative deep sleep it needs to stay active during the day.




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10 Reasons Why You Should Eat Avocado Several Times Each Week

10 Reasons
Why You Should Eat Avocado
Several Times Each Week


61 10 Reasons You Should Eat Avocado Several Times Each Week
Fruits constitute a part of a healthy diet, it provides our body with benefits in ways more than one. In fact, it is believed that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables will enhance the defense of the body against an amalgam of health problems. Among others, one that will prove to be best would be avocado. In the rest of this article, you will gain insights on why this fruit is recommended to be eaten at least several times within a week.

Promoting Heart Health
All over the world, coronary heart disease is considered to be one of the most serious health problems and a leading cause of death. For this reason, you should consider eating avocado more as it has been linked into improving heart health. One of the things that make avocado friendly for the heart is that it contains mono-saturated oleic acid, which will reduce cholesterol for improved cardiovascular health.



Promoting Eye Health
Eye problems are also common for many people, especially for the aged. This should be given priority, especially given the fact that it can be actually avoided, provided that you have a healthy diet. In this case, avocado should be considered as part of your diet. It is rich in carotenoid lutein, which is the one that is responsible for the reduction of the likelihood of having macular degeneration and cataract.



Prevents Cancer
You should also consider avocado if you would like to lessen the likelihood of having cancer. The high fiber content of this fruit is known as being good for being able to avoid colorectal cancer. It also contains oleic acid, which is known for being able to fight the cells that can cause breast cancer. Certain studies in the past have also proven its effectiveness against prostate cancer.



Weight Management
Struggling to lose weight? Do not worry as you are not alone. There are many other people who are finding it hard to do so. Fortunately, avocados can help. Even in spite of the fact that it is high in fat and calories, it is undeniably one of the best food for weight loss. Its mono-saturated fatty acids will provide you with energy that will be burned slowly.


Prevents Diabetes
The oleic acid that is found in avocado is the one that is responsible for making it a good fruit for those who have diabetes. While it is able to lower the bad cholesterol in the body, it is able to raise the good cholesterol. More so, since it is high in mono-saturated fats, it holds the benefit of the reduction of triglyceride and improvement of the level of blood glucose.


Promotes Healthier Skin
Through eating avocado, you will enjoy having glowing and youthful skin, which can be also attributed as a function of mono-saturated fats. It also contains Omega-9 fats, which will reduce irritation and redness on the surface as a possible outcome of having damaged skin cells. To add, it also has Vitamins C and E, which can help to promote the firmness and elasticity of the skin.


Prevention of Arthritis
Having arthritis can lead into excruciating pain, which is caused by the inflammation of the joints. Avocado should be a part of your diet because of its anti-inflammatory compounds. The phytosterols that are found in avocado makes it able to prevent inflammation.


Cures Bad Breath
Having bad breath is surely something that you would not want as it is very humiliating. To prevent this, you can also consider eating avocado as it can make your breath fresher naturally. This does not work on the surface of the tongue directly, but it cleans the intestine, which is the actual reason on why some people suffer from bad breath.


Prevents Stroke
If you would like to reduce the likelihood of having stroke, you have another good reason to eat avocado. Foods that will prevent stroke are those that are rich in folate, which is exactly the reason why avocado is highly recommended.


Improves Nutrient Absorption
Adding avocado to your salad is also a good thing because it will help you to increase the likelihood of absorbing the other nutrients better. In fact, according to several studies in the past, carotenoids are absorbed five times more by those who often eat avocados.