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Showing posts from December, 2020

Value Added Livestock

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Livestock industry is one of the industries which are having highest momentum in the world. Daily consumption of livestock products is increasing day by day. There are large number of products associated with livestock industry but within the Sri Lankan context, the use of diversified products is really low. Livestock products such as meat, fish, eggs and milk are consumed mainly within the Sri Lankan market. These are not the only products that can consume. There are huge number of products developing day by day within the country. Dairy industry is focusing on many products such as value-added ice-cream products, whey related products, different types of cheese and many other. Egg consumption at present mainly done as omelet or boiled form. There are different products such as egg rolls, pickled eggs and powdered eggs which can easily be introduced to the local market. Novel fish-based products such as Surimi, Fish sauce, Fish paste, fish protein concentrates are other products which

Amblyopia

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  What is Amblyopia? Amblyopia is the medical term used when the vision in one of the eyes is reduced because the eye and the brain are not working together properly. The eye itself looks normal, but it is not being used normally because the brain is favoring the other eye. The most common cause of permanent one-eye vision impairment among children and young and middle-aged adults. An estimated 2%–3% of the population suffer from amblyopia. Over time, the brain relies more and more on the other, stronger eye, while vision in the weaker eye gets worse. It’s called “lazy eye” because the stronger eye works better. Amblyopia starts in childhood, and it’s the most common cause of vision loss in kids. Up to 3 out of 100 children have it. The good news is that early treatment works well and usually prevents long-term vision problems. Can we identify it early? Symptoms of amblyopia can be hard to notice. Kids with amblyopia may have poor depth perception. Parents may also notice signs that th

HELPING A FARMER EQUALS HELPING OURSELVES

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Pulling up a chair in a hall with nothing but blank faces, seemingly empty yet closed minds, gluing our eyes on to a white screen and involuntarily by habit passing our hands over sheets of paper one after another… A normal day, on a weekday afternoon at university. Well, maybe I over exaggerated quite a bit. I personally do enjoy learning new things and so do my mates. But there are days where I wished there’d miraculously come a break in routine. Covid-19 had us locked in our own homes and what a break in routine that was huh? But when the situation toned down, we were asked to go out on a poultry and cattle farm training by the university administration. We looked up for farms around our residential areas, packed up and left not knowing what to expect. There we were, with heaps of theoretical what-not piled up on our heads waiting to take the spot light in a territory beyond the limits of our knowledge. It didn’t take us long to figure out that we were miles away from even the thoug

Powerful Ayurvedic Herbs and Spices

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  Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of medicine. It aims to preserve health and wellness by keeping the mind, body, and spirit in balance and preventing disease rather than treating it. To do so, it employs a holistic approach that combines diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Ayurvedic herbs and spices are also an important component of this approach. They’re thought to protect your body from disease and offer a variety of health benefits, including improved digestion and mental health. Here are 12 Ayurvedic herbs and spices with science-backed health benefits. 1. Ashwagandha Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a small woody plant native to India and North Africa. Its root and berries are used to produce a very popular Ayurvedic remedy. It’s considered an adaptogen, which means that it’s believed to help your body manage stress more effectively. Research has shown that it reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone that your adrenal glands produce in response to stress. There’s also