Kitchen Design

Contemporary Asymmetrically Curved Kitchen Cabinets Design

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What’s for Lunch?

Home-cooked Thai Lunch

The Menu

Rice Paper Roll with Shrimp and Vegetables

Oyster Crepe

Rice with Stir-fried Chicken and Basil

Moderate Exercise Not Only Treats, But Prevents Depression

Physical activity is being increasingly recognized as an effective tool to treat depression. PhD candidate George Mammen’s review published in the October issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine has taken the connection one step further, finding that moderate exercise can actually prevent episodes of depression in the long term.

This is the first longitudinal review to focus exclusively on the role that exercise plays in maintaining good mental health and preventing the onset of depression later in life.

Mammen—who is supervised by Professor Guy Faulkner, a co-author of the review— analyzed over 26 years’ worth of research findings to discover that even low levels of physical activity (walking and gardening for 20-30 minutes a day) can ward off depression in people of all age groups.

Mammen’s findings come at a time when mental health experts want to expand their approach beyond treating depression with costly prescription medication. “We need a prevention strategy now more than ever,” he says. “Our health system is taxed. We need to shift focus and look for ways to fend off depression from the start.”

Mammen acknowledges that other factors influence a person’s likelihood of experiencing depression, including their genetic makeup. But he says that the scope of research he assessed demonstrates that regardless of individual predispositions, there’s a clear take-away for everyone. “It’s definitely worth taking note that if you’re currently active, you should sustain it. If you’re not physically active, you should initiate the habit. This review shows promising evidence that the impact of being active goes far beyond the physical.”

Source: University of Toronto

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 cup crushed graham wafers
3 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1½ tsp ginger
4 cups cream cheese, softened
1½ cups sugar
5 eggs
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1 can 14 oz pumpkin
2 tbsp dark rum

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Combine graham wafer crumbs, butter, cinnamon, ginger and brown sugar. Press into base of a lightly greased 9″ springform cake pan. Pat firmly and chill.
3. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Slowly beat in sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour, spices, pumpkin and rum.
4. Pour batter over crust. Bake in oven for 1½ hour or until filling is set. Cool cheesecake in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for several hours. Remove from pan, top with almonds and serve.

Source: Ciao!

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Today’s Comic

Cool Fruit Bowl Design