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Pre-Birth Sex Determination - Should You, Shouldn't You?
Boy or girl? If you're an expecting mom, you may be curious. But in a country where pre-birth sex determination has such severely negative connotations, it is wiser to wait! With the International Day of the Girl Child coming soon on October 11, why not say a strict no to discrimination against the girl child? After all, girl or boy, your baby will be adorable!
There is an undeniable curiosity to find out whether your baby is a boy or a girl, especially if it's your first pregnancy. But sometimes, there can be a negative effect of sex determination. Not only has it led to girl child abortions and female infanticides, but it is also a punishable offence in India. Here's why you should experience one of life's greatest surprise and not be a planner ahead of time!
Why Gender Determination May Not Be A Great Idea
1. You'll Miss Out On The Fun Stories during Pregnancy
Trust us, you would not want to miss this! There are umpteen myths related to the baby's gender and some amazing old wives' tales. Carrying low or high? Holding your engagement rings over your bump or below? You have a sweet tooth or sour? All this can be far more fun than the scientific way!
2. You are Saved From Gender Disappointment
What if you are hoping for a boy or a girl, and find out the other way? Just disappointment! Pre-natal sex determination will only increase the risk of suffering from gender disappointment. Whereas, even if you're hoping for a girl, but get blessed with a lovely boy, you will be caught up in the joy of the moment.
3. Let It be a Surprise
Determination of sex of the baby will eliminate all the surprises. It will never be more exciting, happier, and a cooler surprise than to find out in your arms whether it's a son or a daughter. It's magical to watch a new life enter the world, than to find it out at the ultrasound.
4. Sex Determination Isn't Really the True Purpose of the Ultrasound
The ultrasound is to ensure your baby's health and its position. It is to let you know the baby is developing well. The 20 week scan is not for you to find out the sex of the baby and forgetting the actual purpose. Plus, have you not heard that ultrasounds are not 100% correct?
5. You Need Something to Get Motivated in the Delivery Room!
Would-be-moms, you need to push like a warrior! For this you need a lot of motivation. When you don't know the gender, you can really gear up for that final tough push.
6. You Can Avoid Being a Stereotype
You hate stereotypes, but aren't you being one of them by choosing to find out what's in your pouch? Once you check on the sex and announce it, everything around you becomes gender specific. Starting from wardrobe filled with the blues or pinks, to the gender stereotypical parties.
Your baby is a surprise you are guaranteed to love. Today, with the social stigma attached to the birth of a girl child, many nations are getting strict about sex determination. Even the United Nations has marked 11th October as International Day For Girl Child 2015. This is to eliminate gender inequalities and promote girls' human rights. Do your bit and wait it out. You'll love the surprise either way! Read more
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Smart and Great Ideas to Ripen Bananas Quickly
Like many other fruits, bananas are aged after they are exposed to a gas called ethylene that helps process sugars in the fruit to soften and color the banana. In a grocery or marketplace, they ripen over time. However, to prevent buying overripe bananas, we often buy some that may still be slightly raw. If you have ever done that and it has backfired because of the bananas not ripening when you want them to ripen quickly, follow these few tips that will help you do that.
How do Bananas Ripen?
In many fruits and vegetables, ethylene is found. Exposure to the gas can trigger mitigation in constant amounts in bananas. They can ripen slowly over a week, depending on how they are stored. A ripe banana is bright and yellow. It's suitable for a salad. After that, brown speckles begin to appear on the peel of the banana, which you can use for smoothies and oatmeal or on top of the pancakes.
Easy Ways to Ripen Bananas Naturally
There are many natural ways in which you can ripen unripe bananas. Some of them are:
1. Using Paper Bags
Paper bags are fantastic at not letting food get spoiled in the fridge. But they are also excellent for ripening bananas fast!
Simply insert the number of bananas you want to ripen in a brown paper bag and roll it shut.
The paper bag creates an incubator effect around the banana, trapping the naturally emitted ethylene gases as it ripens, speeding up the process.
Keep checking them daily, and when the bananas are firm and bright yellow with no trace of green, they're ready to eat.
When brown spots appear, you can use them for baking.
2. Place in Warm Places
Warm places are an excellent trigger to initiate the ripening action.
Placing the unripe bananas in a warm place will help them ripen faster. Putting them on a windowsill in the sunshine would be ideal.
You can use other warm sources, such as the top of the refrigerator or near a heater, which is usually heated. This will speed up the plantain ripening; however, keep an eye on the fruits from time to time.
You can also place the bananas under the cot or on the warm storage shelf in the kitchen. The warm temperature will help ripen bananas quickly.
It depends on how hard and green your bananas were when you bought them; it can take anywhere from one day to four or five days for them to reach your preferred ripeness.
3. The Oven Method
Ovens are great for making dehydrated bananas and for ripening them in emergencies. To ripen bananas in oven, follow these steps:
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the bananas on the plate towel or plate. Because the warm air needs to circulate freely, place not more than three bananas at a time
Bake the raw bananas for 15 to 30 minutes, or until they turn black. Every 15 minutes, check to see if they're soft enough.
When the banana peels turn black, this indicates that they have softened and ripened. This way, they will be too mushy to eat raw but excellent for baking.
Before removing them from the oven, see to it that the bananas are cooled down completely.
4. In the Microwave
Microwaves may very well be one of the easiest and quickest methods of ripening your unripe bananas!
Using a fork or a sharp knife, pierce the skin of the peel on all sides a couple of times.
Microwave the banana for 30 seconds on high.
Allow cooling slightly before checking to see if the desired softness is achieved.
If not, microwave for another 30 seconds. Continue this process until the desired level of ripeness is reached.
How Should You Store Ripened Bananas?
Ripened bananas are much more delicate than freshly ripe bananas and they need to be handled with care so as not to squash them.
If you've hit your limit with bananas for breakfast, or the bananas you bought are past their prime, just peel them and store them in a zip-lock bag in the freezer section for later.
If you plan to eat ripe bananas within a few days, then keep them at room temperature. One of the best ways to store ripe bananas is to hang the bunch on the banana tree. If you don't have one, free-standing banana trees can be placed on your countertop or banana hangers that you can mount on the wall. Banana trees and hangers allow air to circulate, which helps to prevent pressing down on the fruit.
If your bananas are already quite ripe, you can keep them fresh and yellow for longer by separating each banana from the bunch. This will keep each banana fresher for long.
After they are fully ripe, put the bananas in your refrigerator's drawer. Cooling considerably slows down but does not stop the maturing process. The skin will still be brown, but for 1 to 2 weeks, the fruit will remain fresh and firm. It is believed that storing ripe bananas in the refrigerator will preserve their taste, even though their peels turn black.
Freezing Overripe Bananas
Bananas are best frozen when they are ripe and the peel is starting to brown. Bananas are at their sweetest at this time of year. If you're going to use your bananas in smoothies or bread, freezing them whole is a good idea.
Peel each banana.
Put them in a zip-lock freezer bag or container.
Make a note of the date and contents of the container.
If you're making smoothies, add frozen bananas to the blender. Allow them to thaw completely before adding them to the other ingredients in your recipe if you're making bread, muffins, or other baked goods.
What to do With Ripe Bananas
If the bananas are ripe and yellow, you can snack on them. You can also use them to make smoothies or just slice them and top them on pancakes. If the bananas are further ripened, and brown spots have started appearing, you can mash them and use them in several recipes. Banana bread is one of the best recipes using overripe and almost blackened bananas, along with delectable banana and coconut fritters. Some other recipe ideas using banana bread include:
Banana Teff Bread
Banana Muffins with One Banana and One Bowl
Muffins with Chocolate and Banana
Cream Cheese Frosting on a Small Banana Cake
Frozen Banana Treat with Chocolate
Banana - Oat Chocolate Chip Pancakes
These simple and quick ways to ripen bananas come in handy if you need to cook something special or you want to snack on it once it turns yellow. So, get some bananas!
Also Read:
How to Ripen Mangoes at Home
Is It Safe to Eat Banana At Night
Health Benefits of Green(Raw) Banana Read more
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Spinach Khichdi for Babies
Spinach (Palak) Khichdi recipe for babies (one year or older)
Ingredients
Spinach (palak)- 1 cup
Potato- 1, chopped
Tomato- 1, chopped
Ghee- 1 tbsp.
Rice- 1 tbsp.
Red lentil (masoor dal)- 1 tbsp.
Yellow lentil (moong dal)- 1 tbsp.
Salt- to taste
Cumin seeds (jeera)- 1/2 tsp.
Garlic cloves- 2, minced
Onion- 1/2, chopped
Black pepper- to taste
Method
Mix the rice, red and yellow lentil in a bowl and wash this mixture thoroughly.
In a pressure cooker, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds start crackling, add the chopped onion and garlic and cook them on medium-high flame till they are light brown in colour.
Next, add the spinach and saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomato and potato and stir the ingredients for a few minutes.
Add the rice and dal mixture in the cooker along with salt and pepper.
Pour water as per your desired consistency and put the lid on the pressure cooker.
Keeping the flame on high heat wait for one whistle, then lower the heat and wait for two whistles.
Turn off the flame and wait for the steam to release on its own.
After ten minutes, open the pressure cooker and mash it a bit to make it smooth. Your spinach khichdi is ready to be served.
Parents often worry about cooking and feeding their young kids. Spinach is highly beneficial for kids and must be included in their diet. It contains vitamins, potassium, and calcium, which helps in the development of children. Here are some benefits of spinach.
Spinach is good for eyes and improves vision; therefore, it must be given to children.
Young kids drink less water than adults. Spinach helps in this case because of its high water content. It also helps prevent dehydration.
Spinach boosts the immunity in children and protects them against infections and diseases.
Spinach also strengthens bones and prevents bone-related problems. Hence, it is beneficial for kids.
Disclaimer: The views, opinions and positions (including content in any form) expressed within this post are those of the author alone. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The responsibility for intellectual property rights of this content rests with the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with him/her. Read more
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Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
10 hours ago
Q. #AskTheExpert hello dr.
baby planning kar rhi kuch tips btayiye conceive ho jaye
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
10 hours ago
A. it's a natural process ok. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
9 hours ago
Q. when baby is kick? I'm 13 weeks pregnant
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
9 hours ago
A. during first pregnancy you may feel the baby movements after 24 to 25 weeks of pregnancy and till then only mild flatters may be felt but which you may not be feeling if you are doing some work
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
8 hours ago
Q. I’m in my 31 week 1 day of pregnancy. What will be my delivery date??
As I have low lying placenta with grade 1 maturity.
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
8 hours ago
A. you had to correlate is ultrasound examination. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
8 hours ago
Q. My hemoglobin is 6.4 from 28 weeks of pregnancy. Now I’m 31 weeks pregnant. What should I do?
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
8 hours ago
A. Haven’t when you having some kind of iron supplement because they’re very good during the time of pregnancy if you are not having one you need to start with and whatever tabs you take you should just take it with any good juice specially pomegranate juice that’s going to help in doubling the impact of the medicine that you’re taking secondly try and include more of Iron which diet like spinach broccoli beetroot pomegranate black rice sweet potato these things are exceptionally healthy for you to consume
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
7 hours ago
Q. This is my cbc report
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
7 hours ago
A. No there is nothing visible on my wall so I can really really cannot help you can you please repose the question once again providing all the necessary details as once I’m certain what are you talking about what’s mentioned in the report according to that I can provide you proper help on your question
Dr Sameer awadhiya has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
6 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
now I'm 24 weeks. Sometimes I'm feeling pain in my thigh.
Dr Sameer awadhiya
Paediatrician
5 hours ago
A. For thegh query asked needs consultation with doctor for proper guidance so it is better that the doctor will guide you the correct way .
Onlfine consultation can also be taken and the expert will give you the proper answer .
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