Varkala: If things go as planned, a huge aquarium will soon come up here in Varkala, offering a visual treat of colours. The four-storey spiral building is coming up in the compound of a shrimp hatchery in Odayam. Work is progressing in such a way that the facility can be opened during Onam.

It will give visitors to the coast of Varkala a visual treat of rare fish and other creatures, both local and foreign, which live in fresh water and the sea. A central pool, which will welcome visitors, will be the main attraction of the aquarium. It will be possible to touch big fish in this pool.

From there, visitors circling up the stairs will be able to see fish and other aquatic creatures in large glass containers. Another attraction will be a tall cylindrical aquarium. A 3D theatre is also being built to introduce the sea to children. The top floor will have a restaurant. The total cost of construction is 3.5 crore rupees, said hatchery manager E. Najeeb.

The aquarium, coming up under the aegis of the Agency for Development of Aquaculture, Kerala (ADAK), will initially have cone fish, butterfly, sergeant, flat, jelly, damsel, eel, etc.

People connected to the aquarium say it will have a bigger collection than the aquarium run by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Vizhinjam. It will have about 80 tanks that are 4-8 feet in size. The aquarium, which is coming up alongside the hatchery that started operations in 2006, is built by Costford.

The hatchery has earned profits for the fifth year in a row.Once the aquarium is ready, it will give a big boost to ADAK. A meeting, chaired by Varkala Kahar MLA, reviewed the progress of the project the other day.

Source: @ manoramaonline.com 

It is good to have a coffee when you wake up daily as it provides you with full of energy that would be helpful for the rest of the day.  For few, a cup of coffee along with the news paper is a must. People around the world are hooked to coffee — whether it is the first thing that they have in the morning or the last thing that they do before going to bed.

There are some health benefits if you love coffee. Few are mentioned below..

For healthy skin, coffee helps. It prevents skin cancer and melanoma-related diseases. Aprt, it has antioxidant ingredients that can help reduce the occurrence of skin problems and diseases in general. Coffee gets rid of free radicals in the skin thereby reducing onset of skin-related problems such as acne and eczema.

Coffee made with organic beans contains several health benefits. Besides working as a stimulant, coffee can be used to control diseases such as asthma. It has also been proved that coffee reduces the risk of colon cancer. Organic coffee is said to contain large amounts of antioxidants as well.

According to Unnamali Thiyagarajan, an expert on organic coffee, using organic coffee beans is better than using the normal ones because they are healthier and do not contain any harmful chemicals. They also taste great, since they are high on flavour.

Studies have proved that consuming small amounts of dark chocolate, in particular – antioxidant-rich dark chocolate – has health benefits. It has various health benefits.

Both cocoa and dark chocolate reduces blood pressure and cholesterol. Both have been observed to aid your arteries in relaxing, thus widening and maintaining their flexibility, helping lower blood pressure.

Cocoa, being rich with serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine, fights depression. It help in keeping depression at bay and are associated with the feel good factor. Cocoa also helps improve our mood because it allows serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer and have a longer effect on our senses.

Cocoa is full of antioxidants Polyphenols and Falvanols, and it is rich in B, A and E Vitamins, so that it will help in antiaging. The vitamins included in this provide benefits to the skin. It has properties that improve the flow of blood through our blood vessels and especially to our skin.

Dark chocolates stimulate the production of endorphins in the body, which give a feel good transmission to our brain and aids in elevating our mood. It makes you feel happy.

The biggest meal of the day is absolutely breakfast. There is a saying that eat Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.

Why you should have a hearty breakfast?

Carbohydrates for energy: Breakfast must give you enough energy for the whole day. It is the one meal where you can skip counting the calories and focus more on enjoying your meal. That’s a luxury and therefore take it seriously, you must.

Nutrition: If you consume dishes like dosa and paratha, though they are rich in carbohydrates, will not give you enough nutrition. For that, include fruits in your diet specially strawberries, apples, pears, papayas, that give you energy and a variety of antioxidants.

Protein: Proteins in the form of eggs or grilled chicken in the morning is a great idea. Like carbs can be burnt easily through out the day, so can calories from protein sources.

Fats – Fat is must for good health, but it should not be exceeded. Egg yolk provides good fat content. Other that that you can include bacon into your meals now and then.

Turmeric is especially known for its benefits to digestion, immune function, liver health and even possible protection from cancer. It may stop the action of a liver enzyme that activates environmental toxins into carcinogenic forms, and may be especially useful in deactivating the carcinogens in cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco. Turmeric in the diet increases the production of enzymes that digest fats and sugars, and stop cholesterol from forming gallstones.It prevents the release of histamine in the stomach, quelling nervous stomach and counteracting food allergies and it fights gum inflammation by halting the action of a gene that creates irritant chemicals. Without the irritation, bacteria cannot find a place to grow, and the absence of bacteria reduces both bad breath and gingivitis.

Turmeric milk or Golden Milk is a great way to get the benefits of Turmeric daily. Make it a habit to have this before bed as it aids relaxation and helps boost the immune system while sleeping.

Here gives the recepie of Turmeric milk

Take an inch-long stick of turmeric. Remember that turmeric powder is never as effective as crushed turmeric sticks, because the chances of contamination in the powder are high, plus its efficacy is also bound to reduce during the heat-generating grinding process. So, take a stick of turmeric (the variety used in cooking; varali manjal in Thamizh) and crush it coarsely using a mortar and pestle.

2. Crush a few peppercorns too. The white variety is better.

3. Mix a cup of water with a cup of milk, add the crushed turmeric and pepper and bring to a boil.

4. Simmer for 20 minutes. By this time, the milk will reduce to a cup.
5. Remove from the stove, filter, add a spoonful of honey or palm sugar, and enjoy the drink warm.

6. If you are taking this to relieve a sore throat, add 1/2 teaspoon of ghee to the hot turmeric milk before drinking it. The ghee will melt and coat your throat, relieving you of cough as well.

Note: The most important part is to sit and relax with this cuppa for a few minutes, relishing its soothing flavour and rustic aroma! This will enhance the feel-good factor.Also, Since this tea contains Turmeric, consult with a doctor or midwife before consuming this if you are pregnant, nursing or have a medical condition.