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Food for the Soul: Exploring the Healing Power of Afghan Comfort Food

Introduction: Afghan Comfort Food

Food has always been an essential part of Afghan culture. Whether it is a family gathering, a celebration, or a simple meal, food plays a crucial role in bringing people together. In times of joy and sorrow, Afghan comfort food has been the go-to source of solace and sustenance. The rich and flavorful cuisine of Afghanistan is a testament to its ancient history and cultural diversity.

The Origin and History of Afghan Cuisine

Afghan cuisine is a fusion of various cultures and regions, including Persia, India, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The country’s rugged terrain and harsh climate have influenced its culinary traditions. Afghan cuisine is known for its bold flavors, aromatic spices, and hearty dishes. The cuisine’s history dates back to the ancient Silk Road, where traders and travelers brought new ingredients and cooking techniques to the region. Over the years, Afghan cuisine has evolved and adapted to various influences, making it a unique culinary experience.

Culturally Significant Ingredients in Afghan Cooking

Afghan cuisine features a variety of ingredients that are considered culturally significant. These include saffron, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Lamb and chicken are the most commonly used meats in Afghan cooking. Rice is a staple ingredient, and it is often flavored with aromatic spices. Vegetables like eggplant, spinach, and pumpkin are also prevalent in Afghan cuisine. Yogurt, a staple in Afghan households, is used in a variety of dishes, including dips and sauces.

Exploring the Health Benefits of Afghan Comfort Food

Afghan comfort food not only nourishes the soul but also has numerous health benefits. Many of the ingredients used in Afghan cuisine, such as turmeric and cardamom, have anti-inflammatory properties. The use of fresh herbs and vegetables makes Afghan cuisine a healthy and nutritious choice. Lamb, a staple meat in Afghan cooking, is an excellent source of protein and iron. Afghan comfort food is also known for its digestive benefits, as many dishes include yogurt and lentils.

The Role of Afghan Food in Mental Health

Afghan comfort food and mental health are closely linked. In times of stress or sadness, Afghan food provides comfort and a sense of familiarity. Sharing a meal with loved ones can be a powerful way to alleviate stress and promote mental well-being. In Afghan culture, hospitality and generosity are essential values, and food plays a crucial role in expressing these values.

Traditional Afghan Recipes: Preparing Comfort Food at Home

Preparing Afghan comfort food at home is a great way to experience the cuisine’s richness and flavors. Some popular Afghan dishes include Kabuli Pulao, Qabili Palaw, and Mantu. These dishes are often time-consuming, but the end result is worth it. Afghan cuisine also features a variety of vegetarian dishes, such as Borani Banjan, which is a flavorful eggplant dish.

Sharing Comfort Food: The Importance of Community

In Afghan culture, sharing a meal with others is a way of bringing people together. Food is often used to celebrate life’s milestones, whether it is a wedding, a birth, or a graduation. In times of hardship, people come together to share a meal and provide support. The act of sharing food is a powerful way of connecting with others and building community.

Conclusion: Nourishing the Soul with Afghan Comfort Food

Afghan comfort food is not just about satisfying hunger; it is about nourishing the soul. The rich flavors and aromas of Afghan cuisine evoke memories and create a sense of comfort and familiarity. Afghan cuisine’s health benefits and cultural significance make it a unique and valuable part of the culinary world. Whether it is preparing Afghan comfort food at home or sharing a meal with loved ones, Afghan cuisine is a powerful way to connect with others and nourish the soul.

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Lifestyle

Power Failure: What to do if Electricity and Gas are Suddenly Gone?

Total energy failure due to a catastrophe: suddenly the heating stays cold or the apartment is dark. The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance reveals how you can proceed in a guide.

Total power failure: The Federal Office for Civil Protection gives tips

If you suddenly run out of energy, there are a few ways to compensate. If the heating fails in the cold season, this quickly leads to unpleasant situations that can also be dangerous. The BKK recommends wrapping yourself in warm clothing. If you have a stove or fireplace at home, you should definitely use it to warm yourself. It is particularly helpful if you have a sufficient supply of firewood, charcoal and briquettes available.

Total power failure: basic information

The BKK gives basic tips that will help you to act correctly in an emergency. You can also make preparations to protect yourself in the event of a crisis. This is how you should make sure that all the batteries of your important technical devices are always charged. This includes, for example, your smartphone, laptop or computer or even telephones.

A battery-powered radio* should also be available so that you can be informed in the event of a disaster. An alternative to this are practical crank radios*, which you can drive yourself – without an additional energy source. It’s also important to keep enough cash around the house at all times, since a power outage can also affect ATMs and other systems.

Conclusion: failure of electricity, gas and oil – you can do that

A catastrophe can lead to a longer outage of electricity, gas and oil – the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance reveals in a guide how best to proceed.

It is always advisable to have a sufficient supply of flashlights, candles, matches and spare batteries in case of a power failure. Solar and crank-powered lights and flashlights are also helpful. If the heating fails, the only thing that helps is to wrap up in warm clothing – if you have a stove or fireplace and enough fuel at home, you have an advantage.

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Lifestyle

In The Event of a Power Failure: How You Can Still Cook in an Emergency

A power failure due to natural events, crises or technical faults is also possible with us at any time. We will show you how you can cook without electricity and what you need to do it.

In the event of a power failure: cook like in the old days

We can no longer imagine everyday life without electricity. But our ancestors lived like this and cooked with fire. You can still do that today: find a spot outdoors with sufficient distance from combustibles and the forest.

Pay attention to a suitable, non-combustible surface, preferably earth or sand. Dig a small hollow for the fireplace or place a ring of stones. Alternatively, use a fire bowl. You can place a grill grate over the embers and put a pot on top. Put out every fire again, for example with sand.

However, making a campfire requires wood and a little practice. Because of the risk of fire, open fire is also prohibited in many places, especially during dry periods. It is generally not possible in residential areas. Maybe you have a charcoal grill at home, the modern version of the campfire. Not only can you roast vegetables, meat or fish on the grill, you can also heat your kettle or soup.

camping stove

The easiest way to cook without electricity is with a camping stove. Various models are commercially available: one-flame cartridge cooker, two and three-flame larger devices. There are also various accessories such as stands for pots and pans and even attachments that you can use to bake. As a rule, these stoves burn with gas cartridges, which you can get at any hardware store. Gasoline stoves are also occasionally offered. There are also special Esbit pocket stoves with solid fuel tablets. These mini stoves are particularly light and therefore suitable for outdoor tours. Because of their size, they are more likely to be emergency cookers, but they are useful for a cup of coffee or a ready-made soup.

You can cook a real meal with the classic one-flame gas cartridge cooker. We recommend dishes that you can prepare in just one pot, such as soups and stews. Gas stoves hardly smell and do not smoke or soot. Nevertheless, the manufacturers recommend using them only outdoors for safety reasons. You should make sure that the stove is stable and cannot tip over. Always turn off the gas immediately after use.

Cooking with solar energy is also an alternative. You can buy solar cookers, portable folding grills, or solar ovens. They are equipped with a reflective material that catches the sun’s rays, focuses them and thus generates heat. Solar ovens are particularly environmentally friendly and you don’t have to buy any fuel. However, they only work outdoors and in sunshine. The cooking time is longer than other ovens. You must therefore plan your time well in order to have enough sun.

indoor solutions

Fire bowl, grill and gas cooker are suitable for cooking outside. And inside? You can also prepare your food with a fondue set or table grill. This works wonderfully in the apartment. You can use fuel paste as a heat source. It consists of denatured alcohol (ethanol) and a thickener. In gastronomy, it is often used to keep food warm. It gets very hot and is also suitable for cooking.

If you don’t have a fondue set, you can build your own construction: place the grill grate from your oven over some bricks. You can also use flower pots, tin cans or preserving jars (no plastic!) as a substructure. Put your pot on it. Place the container with the fuel paste underneath on a fireproof, heat-resistant surface, such as a porcelain plate. Your construction must be stable and must never be left unattended.

If you don’t have fuel paste, you can also heat it up with tea lights if necessary. You can boil water, but it takes a long time and you need a lot of tea lights. The best ones with a longer burn time. Proper cooking with tea lights is tedious.

Prepare accessories, food and fire extinguisher

Cooking without electricity is not that difficult. Stock up on the necessary accessories and suitable food. Also don’t forget that you will always need matches or a lighter (except for the solar oven). Almost all methods presented here cook with flame. So pay attention to your safety and fire protection. Don’t leave your cooking area unattended. You should always have an extinguishing option (fire extinguisher, extinguishing spray, fire blanket…) at hand.

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Lifestyle

Power Failure at Home: What You Can do Now – and What You Should Better Leave Alone

A power failure in the house is always annoying. A quick look into the fuse box helps to find a solution. Did the fuse just blow or is the problem somewhere else?

Power failure can have many reasons

There can be many reasons for a power failure in the house. It is best to try to find out the causes step by step after the process of elimination. In the event of a severe storm, for example, a lightning strike, e.g. in a substation, can be responsible for leaving several households without electricity. So if you look out the window and everything is dark (in the evening), you probably won’t be alone with the power failure.

What is an RCD?

You may have heard the term “RCD” before. Colloquially, it is the designation for the residual current circuit breaker, which has been mandatory since February 1, 2009. Retrofitting does not necessarily have to be carried out in old buildings if the installation complied with the safety regulations of the time. However, if you significantly change or modernize such older electrical installations in an old building, retrofitting with residual current circuit breakers becomes a must. RCDs can therefore be found in newer houses or apartments in every electrical box. The “F” stands for error and the “I” corresponds to the formula symbol for current.

The FI switch breaks the circuit in the entire house as soon as an irregularity occurs in the mains. In a fraction of a second, the FI switch then switches off the current flow in the entire area. In order to be able to detect the irregularity, the current flowing in and out of the switch is continuously measured. Without a difference, the measured value is zero. However, if either more current flowing away or more current flowing in is measured, a difference arises, the RCD is triggered and the current flow is stopped.

If you can’t just turn the RCD that jumped out back on and it jumps right back, you should work through the cause of the error step-by-step.

How to deal with a power outage

First, turn off all fuses. They protect the power lines from overloading, for example, and switch off to prevent damage. If the electrician did a good job, you should be able to find a list on the inside of the electrical box door that shows the fuse assignments. Now try turning the RCD back on. If it flies out again immediately, you have to unplug all devices in the entire house or apartment from the power supply. If you still can’t turn the GFCI back on after this, you probably have a more complicated issue. Then it is advisable to call in an electrician you trust.

However, if the RCD turns on again after you’ve turned off all the fuses, you can just turn them on again one at a time. As soon as the FI switch flies out again, you have initially found the faulty circuit. In the kitchen, for example, this could be the fuses for the stove, refrigerator, dishwasher and sockets.

The next thing you have to do is find the device that is causing the fuse to turn off. Disconnect the devices in the faulty area (e.g. in the kitchen) from the circuit by simply pulling out all the plugs. Switch the RCD on again and gradually reconnect the devices to the mains. As soon as the FI switch switches off again, you have found the source of the power failure. If in doubt, the device or the socket is defective and must either be repaired or replaced.

When does the insurance pay?

A power failure can cause major damage in the house or apartment. Food can spoil, electrical devices such as televisions, PCs or laptops can break. Who is responsible for the damage in such a case? Basically, the polluter pays principle applies. The network operator is liable for damage caused by mains overvoltages in the event of a power failure. That’s what the Federal Court of Justice decided. In order to receive compensation, you must:
prove the direct connection between power failure and damage,
inform the network operator immediately (he is liable, not your electricity provider!),
document the damage with photos and, if necessary, name witnesses.
However, if the power failure was caused by force majeure, such as a lightning strike, the network operator is not liable. Whether your household contents insurance covers damage caused by a power failure, for example caused by defective appliances or sockets, depends on the contract. In the basic protection, a power failure does not usually represent an insured risk. However, this can be included in the insurance cover for a surcharge with many insurance companies.

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Food

The Power of the Grape and Grape Seed Extracts

The OPC, which is obtained from grape seed extracts, is a well-known and powerful antioxidant that is currently available to humans. It is still assumed today that grape juice itself was not only known in primeval times as an alcoholic drink at meals and at festivals but also to promote the formation of red blood cells.

People who have been shown to have low red blood cell production are still often advised to drink red wine. Grape seed extracts are becoming increasingly popular these days – especially in natural medicine and natural dietary supplements.

French paradox

The French showed us how to do it a long time ago. They are known for enjoying their local products. From bread to fish, meat, fruit, and wine. The latter, however, prompts scientists to investigate why the French, who smoke on average much more than all other Europeans and also like to eat high-fat foods and do not generally do more physical activity, would have better blood and circulatory values. Of all European countries, France has the lowest risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease in the average population.

This is attributed to the varied diet. Because the French not only know what tastes good, they also celebrate eating and drinking to the fullest. Fresh fruit and vegetables are also on the daily menu, as well as a glass of red wine with the meal. The latter should not be missing from almost any French meal. The health-promoting effect is unlikely to come from alcohol. It is assumed that the healthy power lies solely in the power of the grape juice.

The grape seed extract and its strengths

Even more power and strength are attributed to the core of the grapes. Because the core of the grape goes through a completely natural cycle in order to protect itself and to guarantee reproduction via the cores. During this natural process, the plant builds up flavonols for effective protection. However, these valuable secondary plant active ingredients have almost completely disappeared from our food chain due to our mechanized food processing. After extensive research into the extraction methods of a wide variety of foods, grape seed extract proved to be an almost perfect supplier of all important messenger substances and carriers of the elementary components for a healthy human body.

In order to be able to achieve sufficient saturation with the important components of grapes and seeds, wine does not have to be drunk in huge quantities. Based on the process technology used to extract the substances, OPC (grape seed extract) can now be administered and dosed in very simple applications.

The body cells should be protected in a natural way and in this way serve as a kind of rust protection for the human body from the inside and outside. Our body’s own antioxidants counteract the destruction of the molecule by cleverly giving up an excess electron and satisfying the hunger of the radicals. However, in order to enable the body to do this, sufficient daily coverage of enzymes, vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and, in particular, OPC, as it is said to have a high value of antioxidant effects, are also necessary.

However, since we usually eat less and less healthy and varied food, the supply of the important substances and messenger substances mentioned for our body falls by the wayside. Added to this is the significant increase in environmental pollution. After the OPC has been absorbed through the mucous membrane of the mouth and stomach, the active substance enters the blood and is completely absorbed. The OPC should reach its highest concentration after around 45 minutes and be effective for a period of around 72 hours.

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Effective Power Saving in Everyday Life

Saving money is by no means a dusty and stuffy affair that only parents and grandparents have made a virtue of. Saving money where it is particularly easy is clever because you can then afford many other, nicer things. A good and easy way to do this is to avoid unnecessary power consumption in the household. Quite a few people are annoyed that their electricity bill is very high. You can accept that, but you don’t have to. Because electricity is often unnecessarily consumed unknowingly and a lot of money is wasted.

For motivation to save electricity in the household

A few simple power-saving tips can help you save. There are simple behavior changes that can reduce power consumption. It is important to know, for example, that off does not mean off. All you have to do is unmask all the secret power guzzlers. A lot of electricity can also be saved by replacing old electrical devices with energy-efficient models and by replacing old light bulbs.

Perhaps knowing that it will have a direct impact on your account will increase your motivation to save electricity. Especially when the annual electricity bill flutters into the house. It is not uncommon for high additional payments to occur here. You can counteract this by taking a few things into account.

At the lighting

A simple and sensible option is to replace incandescent and halogen lamps with LEDs. Modern energy-saving fluorescent tubes are also highly recommended. Replacing old bulbs helps noticeably to save electricity. For example, LEDs consume even less energy than energy-saving lamps. You don’t need to replace energy-saving lamps immediately. You can wait for them to break down.

In general, however, you should not forget to switch off the light when you do not need it. If a floor or table lamp not only has a switch but is also operated with a power supply unit, then it is advisable to pull the plug or plug it into a power strip that can be switched off. This makes sense because lamps can use up electricity unnecessarily even when they are switched off.

Which devices use how much electricity?

If you are interested in this question, you can easily measure the power consumption with an ammeter. You can even borrow them free of charge, for example in an advice center at a consumer advice center. Comparing the measured power consumption with an energy-efficient, the new model can be very revealing. You can easily read the annual electricity consumption on the energy efficiency label of the new devices. It may turn out that replacing an old device will quickly pay off financially, despite the higher purchase price.

If you think that an electronic device is switched off, it can still turn out to be a secret power guzzler. The easiest way to find out is to feel if the power supply is warm. If so, this device is consuming power.

Save electricity with refrigerators and freezers

The refrigerator should be set so that the temperature in the upper compartment is around 7 degrees Celsius. That is perfectly sufficient. A drop of just 1 degree Celsius increases power consumption by around 6 percent. Food that perishes quickly, such as minced meat, should be stored at a refrigerator temperature of around 2 degrees Celsius. The ideal temperature for freezers is minus 18 degrees Celsius. The doors of all these devices should only be open for as short a time as possible. Warm food is best left to cool before putting it in the fridge.

Save electricity with the dishwasher

The dishwasher should be as full as possible so as not to use up water and energy unnecessarily. About 80 parts fit in a conventional machine. The pre-rinse cycle is usually not necessary and coarse leftovers can be removed with the cutlery. It is recommended to use the dishwasher’s automatic program or to select a low temperature (50 to 55 degrees Celsius). Also, note our simple tricks for saving in the household.

Save electricity on the stove and oven

When cooking (e.g. bringing water to a boil), always use a lid. This saves time and electricity. For vegetables, eggs and potatoes it is sufficient to use only 1 to 2 cm of water. In this way, the vitamins are more likely to be preserved. If you bake with convection, you can save about 15 percent energy (compared to the top and bottom heat).

Save electricity with the washing machine and tumble dryer

Here, too, the device should be sufficiently fully loaded. Washing should preferably be carried out at low temperatures (30 to 40 degrees Celsius). This is completely sufficient for normally soiled everyday laundry. You should also descale your washing machine regularly to reduce energy consumption. If you want to use the dryer, you should have selected a high spin cycle on the washing machine beforehand. You save time in the dryer because the laundry is less wet. It is even more energy-efficient to simply air-dry the laundry.

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