Thursday, September 29, 2011

Balanced diet: Quran vs Science

Quran says???
The Qur’ân has not restricted itself in merely mentioning the permissible and impermissible foods but goes to the extent of giving useful tips regarding a balanced diet, a diet which contains most if not all the useful ingredients required for the growth, strengthening and repairing of the human body. These ingredients include animal protein, fat, calcium, iron, salts, etc. The most balanced diets consist of meat, fish, fresh milk, cheese and fruit. Both direct and indirect references have been made regarding the afore mentioned.
The reference regarding the importance of meat protein in the human diet is given in the following verse:
“And the cattle, He has created them for you, in them there is warmth (clothing) and numerous benefits, and of them you eat.”
(16:5)
In this verse special reference has been given to the importance of eating despite having said, “…numerous benefits…”. Reference regarding other types of meat has also been given such as the meat of fowls in the following verse:
“And the flesh of fowls that they desire.”
(56:21)
Fish has always been considered as a food of very high protein and is very important for human consumption. Allah says:
“And from them both (fresh and salt water) you eat fresh tender meat (fish).”
(35:12)
The usefulness of fresh milk is stressed in these words:
“And verily in the cattle there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretion and blood, pure milk, palatable to the drinkers.”
(16:66)
The benefits of fruits as good nourishment can be understood from this verse:
“And from the fruits of date palms and grapes, you desire strong drink and a goodly provision.”
(16:67)
Similarly there are verses which cover the whole range of fruits, salads, and vegetables which also play an important role in a nutritious, balanced diet:
“It is He who sends down rain from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds, and out of it We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date palm and its spate come clusters of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when then begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof.”
(6:99)
Islam, being a complete religion, also teaches and advises the believer as to what the best method of eating is. The believers are advised to be moderate in every aspect of life. Direct reference has been made in the Noble Qur’ân regarding moderation in eating and drinking.
“And eat and drink, but waste not in extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not those who waste in extravagance.”
(7:31)

Islam strictly forbids indulgence in intoxicants such as alcohol and drugs for good reason. The limited pleasure of such vices causes immense long-term damage to both mind, body and the social fabric of society. Particular schools of thought include smoking within the list of prohibitions because of its harmful affects on the body. It seems that if Muslims adhere to the teachings of Islam, they would automatically lead a healthier lifestyle. God says in the Quran:

Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer, will ye not then abstain? (5:90)
Science says???
  • No fruits or vegetables have cholesterol, and most are naturally low in fat and calories.
  • Vegetables are a great source for potassium, dietary fiber, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
  • Fruits are a great source for nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and folic acid.
  • Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure.
  • Dietary fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
  • Folic acid (folate) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folic acid, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

MGUS : Living with a time bomb


What ?

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a COMMON but typically HARMLESS blood disorder that occurs when there is overgrowth of identical plasma cells in bone marrow. Since it is the job of any given plasma cell to make a single (monoclonal) immunoglobulin protein, an increased population of identical bone marrow plasma cells may be detected by discovery of a monoclonal protein (M protein) in the blood stream. 
MGUS becomes more prevalent with age. About 3 percent of people 50 and older and 5 percent of those 70 and older have M protein in their blood. The highest incidence is among adults age 85 and older. And MGUS is more common in men than in women.
Sign & symptoms?


MGUS is usually found by chance during a blood test carried out for some other reason. The test, called a serum protein electrophoresis, can reveal abnormal proteins and unusual amounts of normal proteins.It doesn't usually cause any symptoms.

Occasionally people with MGUS have numbness or tingling in their hands and feet or problems with their balance. This may be due to damage to nerves caused by the paraprotein in the blood.
If these symptoms are troublesome or get worse you may be referred to a neurologist, who is a specialist in the nervous system.
Developing Myeloma??

Monday, September 12, 2011

The 3 Veggies with the Least Nutritional Value





1.    Celery: Sure, you can nosh on 8 inches of celery for only 6 calories, but are you really getting any nutrients in return? The answer: Yes, but you'd have to go beyond an 8-inch stalk, which provides a mere 1.6 percent of our daily requirement for calcium and 2 percent of our daily requirement for vitamin C. It does, however, boast a decent amount of fiber and vitamin K. A better alternative: Carrots, which are loaded with eye-protecting beta carotene. Toss them into salads for a low-calorie crunch; braise them as a sweet summer side dish or slice them thin and add them to your favorite stir-fry.




2.    Cucumbers: The cucumber is another low-calorie veggie. One cup of sliced cucumber weighs in at only 16 calories. But it's slim on nutrients, too. In fact, cucumbers contain 5 percent or less of our daily requirement for potassium, manganese, magnesium and vitamin C. On the plus side, cucumber extracts (not the whole cucumber) do have a number of disease-fighting antioxidant compounds, like tannins and flavonoids, says Registered Dietitian and Chef Consultant Michelle Dudash. A better alternative: Purslane, a peppery herb that's high in heart-healthy alpha linolenic acid (a type of omega-3). It's also higher in beta carotene than spinach. Toss it in salads, fold it into omelets or use it as a crunchy green on sandwiches.




3.    Iceberg Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables in the U.S., along with

Monday, September 5, 2011

Embryology + Human creation: QURAN and SCIENCE


"Religion without science is blind and science without religion is lame," Albert Einstein.
Islam and science are not different; the in fact they are one and the same. You can not have one without the other. Without science there is no Islam, and without Islam there is no science. This is the way Allah created it. Science goes to prove Islam, and therefore it is not in conflict with the laws of Islam. To prove Muhammad(pbuh) was a true Prophet, God revealed things to him to but into the Qur'an, hundreds of years before science would know about it. There are many examples of this throughout the Qur'an, every thing from: germs, mold, earth science, to the process of birth, and so much more. In fact the entire birth process was revealed by Muhammad(pbuh) 1100 years before science knew about it. People look at the Qur'an as a religious text only, when it is so much more.


"Do they not carefully consider (investigate) the Qur'an or are there locks upon their hearts." Qur'an 47:24

Dr. Moore was a former President of the Canadian Association of Anatomists, and of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists. He was honored by the Canadian Association of Anatomists with the prestigious J.C.B. Grant Award and in 1994 he received the Honored Member Award of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists "for outstanding contributions to the field of clinical anatomy."
He is or at least was a Christian when this book was written.
"O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much). And (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth in pairs." Qur'an Al-Hajj verse 5
If you read the descriptions of birth, it is exactly as it happens. When the birth process starts, the embryo look like a blood clot, then a leech and feeds like a leech. It then goes on to say t it looks like a morsel of flesh what this means is; then the embryo looks like a piece of chewed meat. Actually it looks exactly as such, the best comparison in modern time is: a piece of chewed gum with teeth marks in it.
“But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give!” Qur'an As-Sajda verse 9
Once again knowing the birthing process, you would know that in the beginning the human child in the womb is not proportioned well, until it is time for birth.
“Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)? Then did he become a clinging clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion.” Qur'an Al-Qiyama verse 37-38