Archive for the ‘Food & Health’ Category

Ageing is a very natural process and people should be ready to face it in a more confident way. When people grow older, they tend to face many problems related to health. Dental problems, blood pressure, joint pains; bad sight and hearing ability; loss of hair and weight loss are considered some of the common problems faced by elderly people. Regular health check ups should be made to ensure a better health of these individuals.

Vitamin A supplements in elderly people can prevents issues such as improper vision, hair loss, bone related problems and slow metabolism. Supplements containing niacin is known to protect elders from low oxygen supply and other related issues. High blood pressure in elders leads to stress, weakness and loss of energy. Taking supplements containing potassium and magnesium or omega 3 fatty acids can help in lowering the effects of blood pressure. Health supplements containing Vitamin E, Thiamine and Vitamin C are few others to be mentioned.

Diabetes in general can be divided into two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Identifying the type can be done by trained practitioners. Type 1 diabetes is more common among children and young people in their thirties, whereas type 2 is widely seen among people of age group greater than 40. Dehydration, excessive urination, low energy, sudden weight loss, confused state of mind and eye sight problem are some the major symptoms of both types of diabetes. Smoking and intake of alcohol increases the risks of diabetes and hence it should be avoided.

A good balanced diet is necessary for a diabetic to gain the lost energy through sweat and urine. It also helps in maintaining the sugar level of the body. Avoiding food items containing high carbohydrates; excess fat and calories; and physical activities such as walking, running, cardio workouts are some of the effective ways to treat diabetes. Regular check- ups also help in keeping diabetes under control.

When it comes to tackling high blood pressure, apart from medications, there are plenty of widely accepted home remedies available. Though these remedies are not scientifically proven, it is claimed that they are very effective. It is quite strange, but true that high blood pressure can be kept in control through the food we intake.

Avoiding food items that contain excess amount of sodium, cholesterol, and saturated fats can help in keeping the pressure level under control. Planning the diet for whole week and sticking to that plan is the first step to be taken while tacking high blood pressure. This diet should include foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium and antioxidants. Potato, banana, corn, dry fruits, green leafy vegetables, skimmed milk, fish and wheat are some of the best sources of potassium and magnesium. Practicing meditation and yoga regularly at home can also help in controlling high blood pressure.

An event in my friends life hit him hard and that is when he turned to food for solace. All he was doing those days were digging in and pigging out. He would get really angry his my fridge did not have fudges, chocolates and soft drinks. And before he could even realize, he was weighing 193 lbs. People started to refer him him as ‘that fat boy’ and when he used to go for dinner with his dad whom he stayed with during those years, he felt that all eyes were on him. Not only was his social life hampered, his self confidence hit an all time low. And then he decided to hit the gym. At the gym he met a girl, Alice who was struggling with weight issues for years and had not lost much flab as she felt tired after just a few sit-ups. He too, felt that gym was not helping him to trim down much.

And that is exactly when he came across the Sensa-Weight-Loss System while surfing the internet. Even after he read the positive reviews he wasn’t very convinced. Yet he ordered it because he was desperate to the shed the pounds. And believe me; We are so glad that he did it. Sensa-Weight-Loss System is basically a 60 day program that comes with a two month shaker, a user guide and a DVD. All he had to do was sprinkle Sensa on my food. It curbed my appetite and I wasn’t experiencing the hunger pangs as frequently as it did earlier. The best thing about the Sensa-Weight-Loss System is that it does not contain any stimulants or pre-packaged food. It is sans sodium, sugar and calories and therefore makes weight-loss a whole lot easier. Nowadays he doesn’t eat all the fudges and pies he can lay my hands on and even when he eats his food it is with Sensa sprinkled on it, there is no question of guilt pangs. Now he weigh 28 lbs less than he used to!

Another great new update is that, his friend Alice has also found a magic solution for her weight issues. She found Right Way- HCG Platinum Maintain on the same website where my friend found Sensa. And it is working great for her. The HCG Platinum Maintain effectively controls appetite, enhances energy, reduces fat and lowers the stress level. It contains L-Ornithine, an amino acid that enhances workouts and feeds your muscles. It also contains L-Theanine that reduces fat for weight and caffeine which is a well known fat burner. Alice is convinced that Right Way- HCG Platinum Maintain is definitely the right way for her.

Cauliflower, a blooming vegetable when eaten commingled with carrots and broccoli sort of vegetables provides phyto chemicals that are paramount for the body to retain the healthy status.Cauliflower belongs to the white’ family of fruits and vegetables falling in the same category as with bananas mushrooms etc natural foods.

Cauliflower has allicin which boosts the health of heart and cuts down the risk of strokes. It also carries selenium which works in coordination with Vitamin C to fortify the immune system. Cauliflower assists in maintaining a safe cholesterol level in the body.

Cell growth and replication finds a boost from Folate, a Vitamin B variant found in cauliflower. Pregnant mothers should consume significant quantity of cauliflower to promote healthy development of the fetus.

Cauliflower provides fiber which improves colon health and may avert cancer. Like various cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower also has indole-3-carbinol, a chemical that significantly affects estrogen metabolism and stops breast and other cancers from occurring in females.

The best advantage of eating cauliflower is it leads to a healthy heart as it contains allicin so the chances of heart strokes reduce a lot. It also improves the immune system to a great extent due to the presence of selenium which works well with vitamin c. Cauliflower is also helpful as it maintains cholesterol in an exact proportion. Vitamin B is very important for growth and replication of cells which is fulfilled by cauliflower.

Eating cauliflower is very beneficial for pregnant women as it helps the unborn baby to grow and develop properly. Cauliflower contains a great amount of fibre which helps to prevent cancer and improves colon health. It serves as the best medicine to prevent breast and other cancer related to women as it contains a substance indole-3-carbinol which affects the metabolism of estrogens in body. Consumption of cauliflower is also beneficial for the patients of arthritis, asthma, constipation, high blood pressure and kidney and bladder disorders.

Cauliflower is a nutritious and versatile vegetable that can be used raw or cooked, alone or with other vegetables. It is an annual plant which is cultivated from seeds and matures to be eaten only once in a year. Though, this vegetable is overlooked at times yet it contains nutrients like indole-3-carbinol, or 13C, and the photonutrient sulforaphane which lowered the chances of breast tumors in lab animals by 40% in a research done at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.
It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, phosphorus, protein, magnesium and other essential vitamins which strengthens our immunity system. High fiber content makes this cruciferous vegetable a great choice for digestive system support and also for anti cancer ailments.

Forseeing the benefits of cauliflower, this should be included in at least 2-3 meals in a week since it is available throughout the year and can be cooked in number of ways.

Breast milk jaundice is more of a biochemical problem and occurs mostly in newborn babies which is exclusively breastfed and in whom other causes of jaundice have been ruled out. Breast milk may contain a substance that increases reuse of bilirubin in the intestines.The jaundice appears at the end of the first week of life and can last even up to two months.Usually jaundice in infants is not harmful. For most babies, jaundice usually resolves without treatment in 1 to 2 weeks. Baby should be well hydrated with mother’s milk which encourages frequent bowel movements, which further removes bilirubin through the stools. (Bilirubin is what gives stool a brown color).

If the jaundice level is very high, phototherapy is done in which special blue lights are used to break down bilirubin in the skin. As per American Academy of Pediatrics, breastfeeding should be continued through phototherapy also if possible.In critical cases, baby’s blood is also replaced with fresh blood.

Last but not the least, in newborn, some degree of jaundice is normal and probably not preventable. The risk of significant jaundice can often be reduced by feeding babies at least 8 to 12 times a day for the first several days and by carefully identifying infants at highest risk. Also, all pregnant women should be tested for blood type and unusual antibodies. All babies should be seen by a health care provider in the first 5 days of life to check for jaundice.

Pears are the member of Rose family and are closely related to apples & quines. Though, they are available in the market from August to October yet wide variety is available throughout the year with skin color varying from yellow, green, brown, red or may be blend of two or more of these colors.Our food ranking system also terms pears as an adequate source of antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin C and copper which helps to protect cells in our body.

They are also rich source of dietary fiber and are recommended by doctors as a safe fruit for infants. Even the prospective study on 51,823 postmenopausal women for an average of 8.3 years showed 34% decrease in breast cancer risk for those who consume fruit with fiber.Not only this, they have higher amount of pectin than in apples and thus also help in lowering cholesterol levels and in toning of the intestines.So many benefits in one delicious package with less than 100 calories per piece. Anyway you can slice it, a pear can be a great addition to your diet that can help you to look and feel your best.

Guava is a tropical fruit that has enormous nutritional value. It is rich in Vitamin C and other essential nutrients like calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, protein etc. Let us discuss about its benefits:

• Guava has high fiber and zero cholesterol that helps in reducing weight.
• Guava is rich in antioxidants that effectively prevent cancer and heart ailments.
• Guava also helps in preventing chronic ailments like Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis etc.
• Guava is very good for the digestive tracts and helps to strengthen them.
• Guava removes extra mucus from intestines and cures dysentery.
• Guava is extremely generous in lowering cholesterol and sugar levels in our body due to the complex carbohydrates present in them.

Guava is known for its healing properties in curing various ailments like acidosis, asthma, obesity, high blood pressure, epilepsy, oral ulcers, bacterial infections and so on. Besides, the fruit also works wonders on skin and eyes and you can feast on them anytime you feel like.