A south Indian housewife has written:



>There are different varieties of rice

>available...boiled rice, raw rice, brown rice

>(unpolished without removing the bran), basmati rice.

>Which type of rice is better. Why do they make pulao

>or biryani with basmati rice. Some people say raw rice

>cause heat in the body. So they prefer boiled rice.

>Some people say brown rice is good for weight losss.

>Kindly enlighten on this subject.



>the tamil brahmins and any other south indian here end

>their meal with curd rice. Mostly during lunch,

>sometimes during dinner also. Curd rice is their

>favourite. Even when somebody is not well, or fever

>they have curd rice (mashed well). Mostly kids too

>love it. What are the benefits of curd rice? Is it

>advisable to have curd rice? Which is better curd or

>butter milk.



The weak  correlation  between rice and diabetes/obesity was already

discussed by the author at:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/message/5288



There you may also find the reasons why brown rice is better than

wheat for weight loss. Raw rice is difficult to digest and it becomes

easier to digest after storing 6 months. Its vipaka changes. Basmati

rice is used for pulao and biryani because of its aroma. Boiled rice,

being partially cooked while boiling ferments more to offer more

fluffy idlis and crisp dosas. Curd rice is loved at the end of meal,

as curd compensates for probiotics loss by other hot or warming

components of meal. The curd helps the gut culture to eliminate fatty

components earlier to save you from building fat, as explained next.



Excess weight is a symptom of liver *dysfunction* and not solely due

to the number of calories you consume, as explained in the message



http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/message/8205



Modern science is attacking the obesity symptoms with fad diets,

high impact aerobics, stomach stapling GBS, and toxic drugs,

such as appetite suppressants, laxatives and diuretics.



We have failed to consider the underlying cause of liver clogging,

ignoring the hardest-working organ in the body. The liver is the

major fat burning organ in the body and regulates

fat metabolism by a complicated set of biochemical pathways. The

liver can also pump excessive fat out of the body through the bile

into the small intestines. If the diet is high in fibre this unwanted

fat will be carried out of the body via the bowel actions.



The liver is a remarkable machine for keeping weight under

control being both a fat burning organ and a fat generating organ. If

the diet is low in fibre, some of the fats (especially

cholesterol) and toxins that have been pumped by the liver into the

gut through the bile will recirculate back to the liver via the

entero-hepatic circulation.



The liver recirculates bile acids back into the small

intestines and the entire bile pool recycles through the entero-

hepatic circulation six to eight times a day. If this recirculated

fluid is high in fat and/or toxins, this will contribute to excessive

weight.





A high fibre diet will reduce the recirculation of fat and toxins

from the gut back to the liver. This is vitally important for those

with excessive weight, toxicity problems and high cholesterol.



The inclusion of plenty of organic raw fruits and vegetables as well

as

ground-up raw seeds *cereals"  will increase both soluble and

insoluble fibre in the gut, and reduce recirculation of unwanted fat

and toxins.



Some people find that rice or wheat bran, psyllium husks sprouted

legumes can boost fibre efficiently. Moong bean is a sopecial bean

containing fiber as well as healthy fats.



If the liver filter is damaged by toxins or clogged up (blocked) with

excessive waste material it will be less able to remove small fat

globules (chylomicrons) circulating in the blood stream.



This will cause excessive fat to *build up* in the blood vessel walls.



This fat may then gradually build up in many other parts of the

body, including other organs, and in fatty deposits under the skin in

adipose cells. Thus you may develop cellulite in the buttocks,

thighs, arms and abdominal wall. Such liver will not manufacture

adequate amounts of the good cholesterol (HDL), which travels out of

the liver to scavenge the unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) from the blood

vessel walls. Healthy unclogged liver allows dietary cholesterol to be

shunted into the liver for metabolism or excretion through the bile

making statin drugs unnecessary. Poor liver function may increase

your chances of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, high

blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.



If the liver does not regulate fat metabolism efficiently, weight

gain tends to occur around the abdominal area and a protuberant

abdomen (potbelly) will develop. This is severly restricts oxygen

drawn by lungs due to reduced breathing! This is the secret why Kapal

bhatti and deep breathing exercises are helping CAD.



The  roll of fat around the upper abdomen, gives rise to liver roll,

indicating a sign of a fatty liver. It can be almost impossible to

lose this abdominal fat until the liver is detoxed. After the detox,

liver will start burning fat efficiently again and the weight comes

off gradually and without too much effort from you. It is not

necessary to make yourself miserable by following a low fat, low

calorie diet.





What is effective in the long term is to eat the correct foods and

nutrients for the liver to improve its fat burning function. Author

suggest a simple healthy tea for this:



Take ½ tsp dry ginger powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and put them in 1

cup water. Boil till water evaporates 50%. Drink this tea twice or

thrice a day. The juice of half a lemon may be added to enhance the

benefits. ½ tsp fenugreek seeds soaked overnight in a cup of water

and only water drunk next morning empty stomach will take care of

Insulin resistance, reducing the load on the liver and bloating after

food.



One observation is in order. The obesity incidence is higher in north

as compared to south India. The distinct difference between the two

communities is eating rice and especially curd rice. The addition of

ginger, fenugreek seeds, green chilli, Curry leaves, coriander to

curd rice acts like a medicine.  Healthy gut culture matters for

tackling obesity. Rapid transit of the fatty food through bowels

allows less re-circulation of fats through entero-hepatic

circulation. And it is notable that curd rice is generally taken with

lemon pickle or Bijora pickle (CITRUS MEDICA). Both these are known

for their anti-microbial or deworming activities. Any wonder why even

kids are given curd rice?



Regarding curd and buttermilk, you are requested to see message 6784.