Ah, Brain Freeze!!!!

The excruciating moment after taking a sip of your favorite cold soft drink or a bite on an ice cream, that kind of half-blissful, half torturous headache which makes you shut your eyes and reach for your temples. That is Brain Freeze. The pain usually last up to 30 seconds, but for some people it could last up to five minutes. Though symptoms are short-lived, they are harsh enough to prevent a repeat..

Understanding Brain freeze

Brain Freeze is also known as an ice cream headache and medically as Spheno Palatine Gangleoneuralgia (pronouncing this can give a headache as well). It seems strange that what starts in the mouth should make the head hurt, but that’s due to a little nerve confusion. 

   Brain freeze normally happens when the weather is very hot and the individual consumes something very cold too fast. It is caused by a dramatic and sudden increase in blood flow through the brain's anterior cerebral artery. As soon as the artery constricted, the brain-freeze pain sensation wore off. When a cold food or beverage touches the roof of the mouth, the blood vessels constrict — or shrink. Almost immediately, the tiny vessels begin to dilate (expand) again, allowing blood to rush back in an attempt to warm up your mouth — akin to when your cheeks turn a rosy hue after spending a prolonged amount of time outside in the winter. The “headache” that follows is triggered when the pain receptors in your mouth signal your brain using the nerves in your face. The result: pain in your forehead, or as most proclaim, “Ahh, brain freeze!” Previous studies have found that migraine sufferers are actually more likely to get brain freeze than people who don't get migraines. The good news is that it sounds quite scary, but a brain freeze does not actually freeze your brain and it causes no damage to your brain whatsoever. 

How to prevent Brain freeze

The only way to prevent brain freeze is to eat cold things slowly, letting our mouths get used to the temperature instead of shoveling it in. Of course, most of us are more likely to do the latter when it’s hot and we want to cool off. Luckily, the pain passes quickly, with most ice cream headaches lasting thirty seconds to a minute at most, though they can go on as long as five minutes. 

If your head throbbing is too intense to stand, there are a few methods to raise the temperature in your mouth and get rid of the ache. Try putting your tongue against the roof of your mouth to quiet the nerve activity there. Drinking a warm beverage like tea or hot water will have the same effect, perhaps even a bit faster. Anything you can do to make the mouth a hotter environment will stop the headache from progressing. But since they’re momentary events for most of us, it might be best just to wait it out. 

Tips: Try not swallowing too much cold food at once. Savor it and breathe-in between each mouthful.

                  

Giraffe Talk

We all know that giraffes are tall and have purple tongues. They are mammals and leaves are their favorite food. Kids learn this stuff in elementary school. How about some interesting facts and trivias about giraffes?

Giraffes (giraffa camelopardalis) are the world’s tallest mammals that exist, thanks to their towering legs and long neck. It stands 16-20 ft. tall and has an average weight of 1,600 kg. for males, and about 830 kg. for females. The word Giraffe comes from the Arabic word – zerafa, meaning “charming” or “lovely one”. Its scientific name refers to camel-like face and the patches of its color on fur, as well as a mix of camel and leopard. It has an oversized heart (about two feet long and twenty five pounds) that pumps blood all the way to its head. As a result, giraffes have the highest blood pressure of any animal: 280/180. Not surprisingly, because of their high blood pressure, they are prone to heart attacks.

Find out more about their habitat and fun giraffe facts:

o   Giraffes are ruminants, meaning they have more than one stomach. In fact, giraffes have four stomach, the extra stomachs are assisting in digesting foods.

o   Giraffes are able to clean their ears through their tongue

o   Giraffes have bluish-purple tongues which are tough enough and covered with briskly hair to help them in eating thorny Acacia leaves.

o   Giraffes can drink more than 12 gallons in one setting and they can last longer without water than camels

o   Drinking is the most dangerous thing that giraffes do. While drinking, they can’t keep a look out for predators and are vulnerable for attack.

o   Giraffes spread their legs far apart while drinking

o   You can identify the sex of the giraffe through the horns in their head.

o   Both male and females have horns but females are smaller and cover with hair at the top. Male giraffes may have up to three additional horns.

o   The giraffes life span is about 20-25 years

o   Female giraffes give birth while standing up. The calf drops approximately 6 feet tall to the ground, but it doesn’t hurt at all

o   Giraffes neck contains the same number of vertebrae at a human neck

o   A giraffes heart can pump 16 gallons of blood in one minute

o   Giraffes tail is ten times thicker than a human hair strand

o   Male giraffes are known as bulls and females as cows

o   Giraffes have the longest tail of any land mammal – up to 8 feet long

     

o   Male giraffes sometimes fight with their necks over female giraffes. It is called “necking”.

o   The age of giraffes can be identified through its spot – the darker the spots, the older the giraffe

o   Giraffes have the shortest sleep requirements of any mammal averaging 1.9 hours per day

o   Giraffes can reach a speed of up to 60 km/hr (37 mph)

o   Giraffes have 2 gaits, walking and scalloping

o   Giraffes saliva are antiseptic that can kill germs.

o   Giraffes do have walk patterns. They walk with both right legs, then both left legs, if they don’t they will tip over.

Orange and more

Small, juicy, spherical shaped with slim tough skin, that is, an Orange fruit. Whether sweet or sour, orange is still a favorite of many. It has been known not only for its great taste but also for its nutritional value.

Benefits you can get from Orange

·       It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, which is a powerful natural antioxidant that helps stop the progression of arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries) and protects cells from of harm by free radicals.

·       It is a good source of Vitamin A, for maintaining a healthy skin and clear vision. It also contains compounds that are known for its antioxidant properties.

·       Drinking of Orange juice daily decreases the risk of developing Kidney stones

·       It is low and calories and does not contain saturated facts or cholesterol but is rich in dietary fiber, pectin, which helps protects our mucous membrane of the colon by simply decreasing its exposure to toxic substances that causes cancer.

·       It contains a very good amount of Calcium of Potassium.

There are different varieties of Orange that many of us enjoy for their specific properties and characteristics.

                                              

                         Valencia Oranges

                           It is the most common type of an Orange that doesn’t have plenty of seeds

                               

                           Navel Oranges

It is usually seedless and commonly better to eat than juicing it, the Washington is perhaps the most popular.

                                                            

                        Seville Oranges

                                               It is known as the primary ingredient in marmalade

                                               

                             Blood Orange

Through the name itself, they are prized for their beautiful red-flesh as well as its mildly berry-infused flavor. Its intense color comes from anthocyanin, an antioxidants that provides many cancer-fighting benefits

                                                
                          Mandarin Oranges

It is smaller than any other varieties. Its sweet taste is commonly used in cooking recipes and also makes a delicious treat by eating it as is.

How to choose and buy the right Oranges

• Hold the orange and determine if it’s heavy, the heavier the orange, the juicier it is. Lighter orange tends to be dry inside.
• Try to find firm and smooth rinds. Thin peels mean there is more fruit within.
• Smell the orange. It must possess a sweet, faint fragrance at normal temperature.
• Fresh orange have bright color and smooth, avoid those have any wrinkles in the skin. Overly soften fruits with spots tend to perish early.

How to store Oranges

• Oranges can be kept at a room temperature for a week or so as well as in the fridge
• If you want on orange to be cold keep them in the fridge without wrapping.
• Avoid storing oranges in the plastic bags without perforation, keeping them will cause excessive moisture that could lead to mold growth early.

Trivia: Do you know that Orange is technically a type of berry? It is described as “hesperidum, a scientific term used to describe the fruit structure belonging to citrus group.

Warning: Use raw fruits instead of juice for the maximum benefit of antioxidants you can get.

Insecticide sprays are widely applied over orange crops. Therefore, it is recommended to wash fruits in cold running water before eating.