What are Important Health Benefit of Asparagus?

Easy way to cook asparagus

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is a plant with perennial flower where its young shoots are eaten as vegetable.

In nature, Asparagus is harvested around April – June (spring to early summer). But, as long as I remember that Asparagus available in all seasons, no interruptions of supply in groceries in America.

It is because that in addition to own production, America imports Asparagus mainly from Mexico and Peru, also from other countries include Canada, New Zealand, Ecuador and Argentina.

A bunch of Asparagus cost about US$ 2.95 with sizes of 15 to 20 cm in length, and 3 cm in diameter (thickness). 

Fresh Asparagus from farming to marketing

There are many ways to cook Asparagus, some of them are:

- Grill

- Roast

- Saute (fry quickly)

- Blanch (brief boiling).

Young shooting Asparagus can be eaten raw as well. It contains no fat, low calories and low sodium. It has higher vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin K and fiber.

The vegetable has plenty of health benefits, few of them are:

1. May useful to fight cancer, where glutathione in Asparagus able to break cancer cells development.

2. Improve brain performance. Its is because vitamin B9 together with vitamin B12 could boost brain, and prevent cognitive declining.

3. Make body slim. Why? The answer that Asparagus has no fat, but higher fibers (soluble and insoluble fibers). Fibers prompt “satiated,” thus you will stop eating.

I believed that all of us ever consumed Asparagus. How do you cook it?

Why do Retirees Love New Mexico, Florida and Arizona?

Retirees enjoy live, Credit to Nerdwallet

Many my American fellows live in different cities or states during their whole life time: born, growing, going to college, finding jobs, married, taking care of their children and so on.

As of my previous post with title: “What are Factors Make People Move Out of the State?” I mentioned that Americans move from one place to others is around 11.7 times.

Even at their golden ages, Americans try to find the best states. The preferences are changed from year to year.

Hawaii was top choice for retirement several years ago, but not anymore due to it living cost increasing and other safety factors recently.

Current best states for retirement are following:

- New Mexico

- Arizona

- Florida

Then, a question is: Why do Retiree Love New Mexico, Florida and Arizona? The answer and main reasons are:

- Reasonable cost of living

- Lower medical cost

- Low income tax

Such a beautiful place (credit to Google)

In addition to above reasons, each state has own advantages:

1) New Mexico

The state has lower population, 2 million only. A lot of places for recreations. The states also advantages in term of safety, rich of history and culture and temperate climate

2) Arizona

Advantages of this state are plenty of attractions and varied climate conditions.

3) Florida

The most reason to retire in Florida is sunshine. Yes, Florida has advantages almost similar to New Mexico and Arizona, but be careful: insurance for property is higher in Florida.

I myself have no planning where to retire yet. How about you?

Are Women Happier Without Husband and Children?

Illustration of happy women in Asia

My long long time belief that married, then have kids, make a man and a woman happier live.

The belief opposites to a new finding by a behavior scientist that a woman is happiest when she has no husband and no kids.

A man “probably” happier when he has wife, because he may “take advantage” of his wife.

In reality, working wife tend to have good mental health, thus made husband happier. In this case, both are happy, indeed.

A boy and a girl meet in the park

Other surprisings revealed from researches are:

- A married woman will say her married is happier if her husband in the room. Absent of husband in the room, she will say that her married “like in the hell.”

- A woman live longer and healthier without husband and kids.

- In-married women with a little bit income will be happier than having husband and kids.

- In-married women are not happy if they face with a question: when do you get married?

- Rush married due to old age tend to have a wrong guy, then ending with misery married. 

Is it called as “cultural shock?” Women are increasingly dependent, event against society norm.

They can live alone not only without a husband and kids, but also real dependent to support their daily needs to make their happy. 

Actually, I have no idea with this research findings. How about you? Do you have an opinion?

What are Equipment to Cut the Trees Down in Neighborhood?

Heavy equipment

I have previous post about cutting tree: When is the Proper Time to Cut Trees Down?, but I did not mention about equipment.

In the neighborhood, cutting tree down at least has two heavy equipment, they are:

- Tree cutting machine (feller buncher)

- Wood and branches chipper

Feller buncher is vehicle with attachments to cut and gather the falling trees. The trees are cut into pieces, together with branches are gather or pile up.

A Trunk of tree is cutting into pieces

Another equipment is called as a tree or wood chipper. The machine would make chopped trunks, limbs and branches to be smaller chips.

This tree chipper is a portable machine, easy for towing either by a van or a small truck.

Collection of branches and leaves

The process to cut a tree is easy and quick. Need short period of time only, no more than two hours.

Gathering the branches, leaves and cutting trunk also as quick as cutting tree down.

To make smaller chips, together with cleaning the ground are little bit longer. However, the process is often whole day, around 8 hours to 10 hours.

Have you or your neighborhood experienced with cutting tree down?

Why do Banana Ripen Faster than We Expected?

Ripen banana hanged on the hanger by street vendor

in the tropical country

Banana is the most popular fruit in the world (some resource said tomato is the most popular, but I consider tomatoes as vegetables), thus not surprising that almost all of us consume banana frequently.

Some of people even eat banana in form of fresh and processed bananas every day. We ourselves often eat fry banana in addition to fresh ones.

I believe that many of us can’t eat all bananas we bought every day, every other days or every week, it is because some are too ripen to be eaten in the following days.

Then why do banana ripen faster? The answer that banana is one of fruits that has higher Ethylene (C2H4) content, a kind of hormone in banana or fruit.

If we put other fruits in the same bag of banana, then bananas emit Ethylene in form of gas, the Ethylene circulates in the bag to stimulate other fruits ripen faster.

Over ripen banana

In addition to banana, the following fruit content higher Ethylene, thus could ripen quickly than other fruits:

- Melon

- Avocado

- Apples

- Pears

- Peaches

- Cantaloupe

- Mangoes

- Papayas

- Apricots

Simple ways to prevent bananas ripen quickly are:

- Store individually, not in bunch of bananas

- Separate the brown and green

- Do not wrap in the plastic bags

- Hang banana in the banana hangers.

Have you experienced with bananas ripen quickly than you expect?

How Much Cash in the Ultra Rich Wallet?

US Dollar bills

As far as I remember that I never bring cash in the last two or three years, because I use credit or debit cards.

Interestingly, some billionaires still bring cash in their wallets.

Warren Buffet who has net worth US$ 84 billion and rank third as the richest man in the world carries US$ 400 in his wallet.

Yes, he has credit card, but only one and almost not use it. Then, we might have at least two questions:

why he carry cash? Two answers:

- First, Warren Buffet limit his breakfast US$ 3 only, thus he need cash to pay it.

- Second, it is easy to use, especially for small amount payment

Why he carry very little amount money compare to what his wealth? The simple answer is that he is a frugal billionaire. My opinion that Warren Buffet thinks twice before spending his money.

How about with Bill Gates? Before I answer this question that Bill Gate has net worth of US$ 90 billion and ranked as second richest man in the world.

The mansion of a super-rich person (credit to Google)

The answer almost similar to Warren Buffet. Bill Gate often does not bring wallet, thus not carry both cash and credit or debit cards.

In case, rarely occasion that Bill Gate bring a wallet with him. How much cash in his wallet? The answer might surprise you. US$ 100 only in his wallet.

The different between Bill Gates and Warren Buffet that Bill Gates always accompanied with his assistants, thus, payments and even tips are managed by his assistants either by cash, credit or debit cards.

How about with you? How much cash in your wallet?

Fragrance and Attractive Flower of Gardenia

A Gardenia bud is ready to bloom

We have Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) flowers grow so well in our backyard. We love the flowers due to their fragrance and attractive color, bright white.

Flowers are native of tropical regions include Asia, Pacific Islands and Africa. We easily find Gardenia in the countries such as Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and India.

Luckily, flowers grow well and blooming in the USA and other Northern hemisphere areas too.

It is said that flowers are blooming from April to probably August each year. Unfortunately, our own Gardenia blooming just in short period, from April to Middle of May.

Flowers start to bloom

There are two types of Gardenia, indoor and outdoor. Indoor type also called as tender Gardenia, while outdoor called as hardly Gardenia.

Based on my readings, Gardenia may bloom in November to December in the areas of Northern America.

However, some people found that their Gardenia doesn’t bloom or buds dropping. It is caused by several factors, some of them are:

- Moisture

- Soil acididity

- Humidity

- Extreme temperature

One big flower

Because of its bright white color and sweet fragrance, Gardenia is a symbol of “purity,  love and refinement.” Thus, many people in many places use Gardenia for wedding ceremony.

In addition, Gardenia also have some medical benefits:

- Contain substance to manage blood sugar for diabetic patients

- Contain extract to lower cholesterol and blood fat

- Improve liver function

- Prevent microbial (bacteria and virus) infections

Do you have Gardenia? When the flower start to bloom?