Food
Apple Cider Vinegar: Benefits and Risk of Regular Consumption
When we think apple juice, we think of a refreshing beverage that is sweet and packed with nutrients. Crushed apples made into fermented juice, however, is an unfiltered version of the aforementioned that surprisingly provides more health benefits than the ingredient may lead you to believe. Functioning as an ingredient to many dining staples, here’s how apple cider vinegar can benefit you and the risks associated with it under regular consumption.
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar Used For?
Despite the sounds of it, apple cider vinegar isn’t exactly a viable choice to pick up and drink. When the juice begins to ferment, its sugar is replaced with alcohol. The”vinegar” in its name is the one you’ll want to pay closer attention to - it is not commonly drunk straight like other types of apple-based liquids, and functions best as an ingredient for salad dressing, baking, cooking and preservatives. It isn’t abnormal to consume it directly, but that comes with its own set of risks if taken in excess.
Strangely enough, the ingredient has tons of medicinal properties that can cure colds, warts and even bug bites. The ingredient also has a place in cosmetics - serving as a natural conditioner. Because of its strong acidic properties, apple cider vinegar can also act as a household cleaner and odor remover. That is not to be confused with being inedible, as it can safely be used in soups, sauces, hot beverages and much more.
Read Pink Chai: Kashmiri Tea Health Benefits, Recipe
Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
Weight Loss
According to a study, all it took for weight loss was two tablespoons (30ml) of apple cider vinegar daily for three months to generate weight loss. Like other natural foods, this isn’t a cure for being overweight, but it does suppress one’s appetite enough to slow food urges throughout the day. With apple cider vinegar being a completely natural product, calories and sugar levels are incredibly low. If your diet would couple this ingredient with other healthy food options and exercise, results are guaranteed!
Improves Digestion
Because apple cider vinegar contains heaps of acid, naturally that means that the digestive tract will be affected. The higher acidity count enables the body to create pepsin which is an enzyme that breaks down protein. Studies have shown that this ingredient was effective specifically for protein-based diets, which indirectly leads to mitigating constipation or other bowel irregularities.
Read Fungus: Health Benefits, Nutritional Values and Precautions
Lowers Blood Sugar
Type 2 diabetes is a serious threat that grows every year and apple cider vinegar does a good job to reduce overall blood sugar levels. The fermentation process that creates the ingredient does away with sugar, which makes its natural count extremely low when added into foods. Additionally, apple cider vinegar has proven in research to improve the sensitivity of insulin in carbohydrate-heavy meals, which lowers blood sugar already in the body. It is not an antidote for high blood sugar levels, but it is one of the best ingredients to complement low sugar diets.
Good Skin Treatment
The high acidic content in apple cider vinegar also plays a role in balancing the PH levels of the skin. Conditions like eczema, dry skin, and insect bites are responsible for skin irritation - and alkaline-based cleansers can harm to the skin when overused. The ingredient also boasts anti-bacterial properties and can be applied on the skin sparingly to prevent acne breakouts and odor. Although its benefits lie in a more medicinal approach, apple cider vinegar can work just fine as a cleanser.
Read Curry Leaf Health Benefits and Uses
Good For The Hair
Apple cider vinegar tackles the hair on two fronts: the first, and arguably most important is its ability to get rid of dandruff. This is thanks to vinegar's acetic acid that alters the scalps PH level that prevents yeast build up - one of the culprits that creates dandruff in the first place. When applied in between washes, this ingredient can also moisturise the hair to a certain extent and prevent overall dryness. Once again, the vinegar serves as a catalyst more than a solution to existing hair conditions.
Side Effects & RIsk of Apple Cider Vinegar
Slows Digestion
As anything that is taken in excess, too much of apple cider vinegar can cause a lot of health problems; the first also being indigestion. High acidity comes at a cost when overconsumed. Granted, this ingredient can do wonders for the digestive system, but things can get significantly worse when taking in too much. Although it does reduce blood sugar levels, the result of this also leads to food having a prolonged stay in the stomach. This slowed rate of absorption into the bloodstream can cause damage to the nerves of the stomach called gastroparesis. Other side effects to this condition include bloating, heartburn and nausea.
Read Most creative ways to eat more fruits for the non-fruit eaters
Weakens The Bones
The body faces a severe reduction in potassium levels when apple cider vinegar is consumed too frequently. The lack of potassium causes brittleness in bones. This is once again the byproduct of the incredible amounts of acidity found in the ingredient. Because of this, mineral transportation is interfered within the bloodstream which leads to this malnourishment. It also hampers the ability for new bone to grow, but it can be avoided if apple cider vinegar isn’t consumed daily in copious amounts.
Can Cause Sore Throat
Adults may not deal with the brunt of this side effect but children have been reported to suffer from this when consuming this ingredient. Vinegar’s high count of acetic acid specifically has been proven to be the leading cause of throat burns among children, which presents a risk that can easily be avoided with proper supervision. Adults have also faced a similar issue when consuming apple cider vinegar pills, which has caused severe throat irritation over the course of daily consumption.
Read Is Raw Onion Good For High Blood Pressure?
Iftar Items, Recipes for Ramadan in Bangladesh
After a long day of fasting, we tend to get more interest in delicious food in iftar. But iftar food should not only be tasty and nutritious, but it should also be healthy. Most of the iftar items sold in the market are adulterated, which are deadly harmful to our health. Hence, Proper and healthy iftar is a very important issue to maintain physical health during the month of Ramadan. Only a balanced and healthy iftar can meet the proper nutritional needs as well as keep the body healthy and active. The iftar menu should be arranged in such a way that it is suitable for everyone. Here will discuss popular and healthy iftar item you can make at home.
Popular Iftar Items
When it comes to popular iftar items, we understand the different fried items. Our iftar remains incomplete without the fried items such as Chop, Peyaju, Pakora, and other oily items. However, these iftar items are not healthy for our body, especially when we eat them for months. The continuous consumption of this item may cause issues with gastric ulcers, heartburn, and more. You may take them once in a while or a small amount every day during Ramadan.
Also read: Islamic Foundation releases Sehri, iftar timings
Here we have listed a few popular fried iftar Items.
Egg Chop
Many of us would like to have egg chop in our iftar. Especially children like this food very much. That's why many people tend to buy egg chops from outside or make this at home. However, making egg chop can be tricky for some people. For those who don't know the easiest recipe for egg chop, here we have explained briefly.
Ingredients you will need boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, chopped onions, chili, chili powder, salt, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, and oil.
Boil the eggs and potatoes and peel them off, and cut each egg in half (depends on individuals).
Mix the boiled potatoes with onion powder, raw chili powder, coriander leaf powder, chili powder, and salt very well. Now fill the whole boiled egg inside the potato mixture and make it in the shape of a chop. Beat 2 eggs with a little salt. Dip the chops in the egg yolks, wrap them in bread crumbs and keep them in the fridge for some time.
Also read:'No iftar gatherings, sehri in mosques during Ramadan'
Now take the chops out of the fridge and deep fry them in oil so that the brown color comes. When done, serve hot on the iftar table.
(we did not mention the amount of each ingredient as it varies on individual's taste the required quantity, you can use ingredients according to your needs)
Beguni
Beguni is one of the different foods in Iftar and adds an extra flavor to Iftar.
Required ingredients are thinly sliced eggplants, finely ground, 1 cup of gram lentils, 1 tablespoon of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1/3 teaspoon of cumin paste, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger paste, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic paste, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cornflour, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, amount of salt, amount of water, 1 egg, amount of oil for frying eggplant.
To make the Bason mixture, take the gram flour in a bowl and mix all the ingredients well except the eggplant, water, eggs, and oil.
After that, heat the taken oil in a saucepan to start frying. Then dip the thinly sliced eggplant in the besan mixture and fry it in deep oil till it turns brown. The fun item of Iftar became purple.
Piyaju
Piyaju is one of the main ingredients of Iftar and Iftar is not complete without it. However, Piyaju making procedure is simple, like a piece of cake.
Also read: Shops finally start selling Iftar delicacies on a limited scale
Ingredients you need, Lentil paste 1/2 cup, onion powder 1 cup, raw chili powder 1 teaspoon, coriander powder 1 tablespoon, ginger paste 1 teaspoon, garlic paste 1 teaspoon, mint leaf powder 1 tablespoon, salt and oil as required.
Mix all the ingredients with the lentil paste and fry in different sizes, from large to small, as per your choice. You can add any sauce or chaat masala if you want during the service.
Healthy Iftar Items
Healthy iftar items provide full nutrition and keep the body light. Following healthy food items should be your top priority during Ramadan to ensure a healthy life.
Chicken Salad
1 Cup of chicken salad and other ingredients can get you 508 calories. Required ingredients are 1 cup of boneless chicken, 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 teaspoon of onion powder (can also be made with onion), 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of paprika powder/half teaspoon of red chili powder, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, Half a teaspoon of oregano (available in super shops), a little bit of dried chili powder, 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon of oil, cucumber slices, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce slices and lemon juice, a little olive oil.
Mix all the ingredients of the meat without oil and marinate for 10 minutes. One hour is better. First, heat the oil in a pan and cook the marinated meat on medium heat. When fried, take it down. Now add chopped cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, lettuce to the salad with a little salt, fried crispy noodles, lemon juice, and a little olive oil.
Juice
It is very healthy to drink the juice of different fruits like orange, mango, apple, mixed fruit, etc. You can blend it if you want; you can also buy good quality juice. Eating cold juice also keeps your stomach cold and boosts up digestion. Also, it can relieve dehydration. Juice from one cup or 249 grams of fruit can get you roughly 136 calories.
Read Most creative ways to eat more fruits for the non-fruit eaters
Soup
Soup but very effective, is a healthy option for iftar. You can easily make soup with ingredients like mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, prawns, chicken, vegetables, etc. Soup is high in protein, minerals, fiber, vitamins, low-calorie, and low-fat, which is 100% nutritious and delicious. Depending on the ingredients, one cup of soup can be a source of 50-140 calories.
Chira
Chira is an excellent item for iftar, and it can satisfy hunger by keeping the stomach cool by eliminating the lack of water. It can be made by soaking them in water or cooking chira in different ways. However, banana slices, yogurt, and soaked chira mix can retain your energy after fasting the whole day. Depending on the yogurt type, you can get approximately 200 calories from this iftar item.
Apart from these items, you can also easily make very tasty and healthy iftar items with eggs, flour, rice, potatoes, honey, etc. Besides, try to use a very little amount of oil if your fry something.
You can also easily make very tasty and healthy iftar items with eggs, flour, rice, potatoes, honey, etc. And try to oil the folds very little.
Read Pink Chai: Kashmiri Tea Health Benefits, Recipe.
Vitamin D: Benefits, food sources, recommended amounts, and risks
We all know that calcium strengthens our bones. However, we may not know that vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium properly. Apart from boosting calcium absorption, vitamin D also prevents our body from being affected by different diseases, and it improves our immune system too. And during this COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to keep our immune system balanced. Read on to know the vitamin D benefits, sources, and risks.
Recommended Vitamin D Per Day
Typically, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally available in few foods. An adult person needs to intake 10-20 micrograms or 400-800 IU (International Unit) of vitamin D per day while it is 10 micrograms or 400 IU for the children.
Benefits of Vitamin D
Usually, we don’t care much about vitamin D intake, but it has some surprising benefits.
Reduce the risk of affected by flu
A 2018 review suggests that some studies have found that vitamin D can work against the influenza virus. Therefore, it may fight the seasonal flu. Some study shows that vitamin D can prevent COVID-19 and defend any kind of serious symptoms.
People with low vitamin D levels may have the chance to get infected in the upper respiratory tract. Hence, vitamin D can work against COVID-19 in two ways. Firstly, it works as a catalyst to increase the natural defense of our body, which actively prevents viruses and bacteria. Secondly, it can stop exaggerated inflammatory responses, which can cause severe illness top some COVID-19 patients.
Read Zinc: Health Benefits, Food Sources and Daily Requirements
Fight against depression
Research has found that Vitamin D can play an important role in fighting depression. In one study, it has been proved that people with depression saw a significant improvement after vitamin D consumption. However, the study used vitamin D supplements instead of natural sources. But, the result should be the same either way.
Boost weight loss
Adding vitamin D to your diet would boost your weight loss progress. According to a study, people who take calcium and vitamin D supplements are able to reduce more weight and without supplements. The extra vitamin D consumption can suppress appetite intake. While it works on reducing weight, vitamin D can also work on heat diseases.
Read Honey Benefits: What Happens to Your Body When You Consume Honey
Strengths the bones
Vitamin D is known for its bone-building powers. As we have mentioned earlier, it boosts calcium’s work and eventually powers up the normal mineralization of the bones. According to the medical experts, calcium actually cannot work properly without the D’s help. Hence, the importance of Vitamin D is undeniable.
Strengthen muscles
Besides the bone-building abilities, Vitamin D also helps strengthen the muscles. In other words, lack of vitamin D may lead to the risk of having weak muscles. This is mainly important for the elderly person. Hence, anyone aged 70+ is recommended to take more than 20 micrograms of vitamin D each day.
Read Vitamin C: Where to Found and How Much to Consume
Local Food Sources of Vitamin D
It is evident that, like other vitamins and minerals, Vitamin D is highly essential for our body. Hence, you need to consume enriched vitamin D enriched foods.
Egg Yolks
Egg yolks are the easily accessible source of vitamin D. Besides; it also contains other nutritional ingredients. Each egg yolk may contain 18-39 IU of vitamin D. However, this might not be high in amount but, multiple consumptions may fill your daily needs. You can include some eggs in your daily diet chart to make your body grow and fetch the benefits of vitamin D.
Read Honey Benefits: What Happens to Your Body When You Consume Honey
Milk
After egg, milk is another commonly known source of vitamin D. Apart from vitamin D; it contains phosphorus, calcium, and other vitamins as well. However, many of us do not know that milk can help us to get the desired amount of vitamin D each day. That is why packaged dairy milk producers add vitamin D words in their commercials and packages.
Milk can provide around 130 IU of vitamin D for sure, which can easily serve the desired amount of vitamin D needed for our body.
Mushrooms
If you are a vegetarian, Mushrooms will be your only plant-based source for vitamin D. It is enriched with vitamin d2, which is highly essential for our body. The locally grown mushroom can give you 130-450 IU of vitamin D. The good thing about adding mushrooms to your daily diet is that they can provide you up to 2300 IU of vitamin D. So, mushrooms are the savior for vegetarians.
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Shrimp
If you are not comfortable eating eggs or mushrooms, shrimp can be a good source for you. A regular size contains 152 IU of vitamin D, which can easily meet up with your vitamin D intake. Besides, they have minimal fat, and thus it reduces any inevitable side effects. So, seafood lovers can easily add shrimp to their diet list.
Beef Liver
Although excessive consumption of beef may cause multiple health issues, it is a great source of vitamin D. You may take beef liver once a month or week to meet your vitamin D requirement. Generally, beef liver contains 149 IU of vitamin D, which is good enough to meet the required vitamin D for your body. However, if you have health issues that are related to beef liver, you may take other foods we have mentioned above.
Read Most creative ways to eat more fruits for the non-fruit eaters
Orange Juice
If you don’t want to eat any of the items we have mentioned above, you can try drinking orange juice. You can get 142 IU of vitamin D from one glass of orange juice. So grabbing a glass of orange juice in your breakfast will definitely serve the desired amount of vitamin D. You may find orange juice fortified with vitamin D in the super shops.
Possible Side Effects of Vitamin D
You may love the foods we have mentioned earlier and consume excessively. Therefore, you may face some side effects due to additional consumption. You may face bone pain, kidney stones. Frequent urination, muscle weakness, weight loss, vomiting, frequent thrust, and disorientation. So, we should refrain from eating excessive amounts of vitamin D.
Read Fungus: Health Benefits, Nutritional Values, and Precautions
It is widely known that sunlight is a source of vitamin D, and it is totally natural. Whenever your skin is exposed to sunlight, it creates vitamin D from the cholesterol. The ultraviolet B rays from the sun hit the cholesterol available in our skin cells which provides the desired energy for vitamin D synthesis. Hence, exposing your skin to the sun is necessary if you are unable to have vitamin D from food intake.
Pink Chai: Kashmiri Tea Health Benefits, Recipe
Teas are done radically different across the world, but few are as complex as Kashmiri pink chai tea. With an impressive array of ingredients that work better together than one from another culture might expect, this concoction subverts expectations in its health benefits and general uses. This beverage is also known as Noon Chai; here are a few health benefits and recipes of Kashmiri Pink Chai to get you started.
Kashmiri Pink Tea Ingredients, Recipe
The standout feature of pink chai is its assortment of ingredients that are clearly prevalent in South India. Kashmiri chai leaves, green cardamoms, salt, soda bicarbonate, cinnamon, star anise, milk, sugar, and pistachios are all required to make the most basic form of Kashmiri tea.
Milk, tea, and sugar are on the higher scale of quantity in the mix, while salt and soda bicarbonate is used sparingly ( 1 teaspoon each) to enhance the flavor without overstepping its boundaries.
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Alternatively, it isn’t unheard of to replace milk with half-and-half if you’re keen to up the fat intake for a keto diet. A small amount of baking soda and cloves are also optional if you want to change things up.
Instead of regular sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, and date syrup are all perfectly viable replacements. Pistachio bits are the staple for Pink Chai recipes, however, if you’re pursuing the healthiest possible concoction, using chopped raw almonds would be the best choice to opt for.
Also read: Curry Leaf Health Benefits and Uses
Kashmiri Pink Tea Preparation
More ingredients can lead to more room for error; that being said, the preparation process requires more attention to detail than simply boiling water with a teabag in it. To get started, two separate cups of water are needed to be boiled. It has traditionally been done through a non-stick pan, but a boiler may work too.
Once boiled, one pan will require cardamom pods, seeds, tea leaves, cinnamon, star anise, and bicarbonate of soda will be mixed in first and stirred. Milk will be added after, while the leaves and spices are removed. The sugar of choice will be next and it will have to sit in the mix till it melts in. Straining the tea from the kettle will come last and will be poured into separate cups.
Read Masala Tea Health Benefits: How Can It Improve Your Immunity
The key ingredient in this entire mix is your Kashmiri Chai tea leaves. The quality will make a drastic difference to how the entire blend will taste.
Kashmiri Pink Tea Brands
In the end, the tea will be at the forefront of the beverage’s taste - therefore your choices of brands are crucial. A few recommended brands include Three Rivers, Tapal Gulbahar, Dewan Kashmiri, and Food Net Hi-Sun.
These brands are reliable starts to get you prepared as you embark on your tea-making journey. Do note that ice water can be added after the leaves are boiled to increase quantity without losing flavor. Ice cubes, however, will affect the coloration of the beverage.
Read Is Being Vegan Good For Your Body?
Kashmiri Pink Chai Health Benefits
Digestion Improvement
Much like how other teas are renowned for their role in a detox regime, Pink Chai tea is no exception. It features malic acid that helps your digestive tract regulate normally. As a bonus for its improvement to the entire system, constipation specifically can be remedied with a cup of this. If the ordinary blend doesn’t do the job as well as you’d hoped, adding apple (slices or blended) with more cinnamon should do the trick.
Read Easy Homemade Drinks to Boost Up Digestion Power Naturally
Helps Weight Loss
There is no single cure that can help the body burn fat at the pace we’d like it to, but Pink Chai tea does have a few benefits: its low-calorie count despite the ingredient pool can enhance many fat-loss-centric diets. It certainly does help that a cut done correctly only contains 115 calories Additionally, its properties can help boost the body’s metabolism rate and helps improve the oxidation of fat in your blood. The latter does wonder to combat the excess fat storage in blood vessels, along with protecting the heart from fat build-up.
Read Matcha Green Tea Health Benefits
Good For The Skin
Many food options offer improvement to skin health in the form of aging and oil build-up, but it never hurts that it comes from a beverage as delectable as Pink Chai Tea. Like other teas in the market, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties are present and specifically slows wrinkles on the body. It isn’t a short-term fix; like any other superfoods, regular intake is necessary to ensure that the skin is properly nourished so that the results can come to fruition.
Read Coronavirus Tips: Immunity Booster Herbal Teas to Prevent Infection
Strengthens The Bones
An odd benefit, given that tea isn’t commonly known for its bone-strengthening properties. The tea itself contains an impressive amount of magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C that boosts bone density. Added on top of dairy-based milk and the benefits are improved even further. It can never replace the likes of calcium-rich foods, but it does its part to assist in bone strengthening, rather than being the focus of said benefit.
Read Fungus: Health Benefits, Nutritional Values, and Precautions
Mood Booster
The tea’s antioxidant properties zero in on the liver to help purify the body of toxins. Normally considered a standard beverage choice of a cleansing diet, this tea is no exception. Antioxidants in general stimulate chemicals that are secreted from the brain such as dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. Because of this, anxiety, depression, and even insomnia are reduced moderately, but not cured. Even as a mood booster, the tea may be enjoyable, but not an immediate cure to these conditions.
Read Best Tea Brands in Bangladesh
Fungus: Health Benefits, Nutritional Values and Precautions
The fungus has always secured an interesting spot in the food industry. Its nutritional benefits aren’t shared as frequently as compared to the likes of food and vegetables. Mushrooms, for example, are commonly found in burgers, pasta, and soup but have been marketed as a flavor enhancer more than anything else - but the fungus has more than restaurants are letting on. Here are the nutritional values and health benefits of fungus.
Nutritional Values of Fungus
As a whole, fungus such as black fungus, mushrooms, and more contain a plethora of properties, with the standouts being Vitamin D, protein, and potassium. Because mushrooms assimilate organic matter rather than being able to photosynthesize like plants, carbohydrates are its main source of carbon and that presents a different set of nutrients to plants.
Glucose, xylose, sucrose, and fructose are some carbon-based nutrients. On a slightly smaller scale, some mushrooms contain magnesium, zinc, folate, vitamin B, and fiber. This is because fungi are parasitic in nature and contain nutrients from organic material it “infects”. Despite the connotation of fungi’s identity, it is a rising superfood that can nutritionally benefit many staple dishes.
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Is Fungus Goof for Your Health?
Healthy Skin
There aren’t many foods out there that benefit skin health to the same degree as snow fungus. The food contains large quantities of polysaccharides that have been making waves in the skincare industry. This is due to its ability to keep skin hydrated by acting similarly to hyaluronic acid, the hydration it presents helps restore the skin’s elasticity while containing antioxidants as well.
Read Curry Leaf Health Benefits and Uses
High In Potassium
Particularly found in black fungus is a high count in potassium. This nutrient benefits in the long term by assisting in preventing kidney stone formations, hypertension and even strokes. Potassium also has more immediate benefits that include moderating blood pressure, establishing bodily PH balance, digestion improvement and heart health. A versatile nutrient that fungus has in spades when consumed moderately only.
Read Most creative ways to eat more fruits for the non-fruit eaters
Cancer Prevention
According to the National Cancer Institute, the antioxidants found in mushrooms can prevent different types of cancers such as lung, breast, and prostate for starters. Vitamin D is the main nutrient found in mushrooms that accredit this ability, proving that it can prevent and treat cancer, however, this is largely dependent on the patient’s specific reaction to it. Additionally, Choline is an antioxidant known to reduce the risks of cancer altogether, however, this is less substantial.
Also read: Matcha Green Tea Health Benefits
Reduces Risk Of Diabetes
Not exclusive to mushrooms, its high fiber content does put it in the same league as vegetables in terms of its quantity - resulting in a solid range of choices that can reduce the risks of diabetes altogether, especially type 2. Unlike other nutrients found in fungus, fiber is best congested as a whole in a well-structured meal plan. Meaning beans, rice, vegetables, and certain types of bread perfectly complement the mushroom’s rich fiber count.
Read Is Raw Onion Good For High Blood Pressure?
A special Valentines meal can take many forms this year
As we come to the end of a collective year of pandemic firsts, Valentine’s Day is next up. And showing love and gratitude can feel more important than ever.