Tag: energy

MAXIMIZE YOUR HEALTH
When we are talking of health, it is not just about a healthy body but also about sound mental health. Good health can be described as the condition where both our body as well as our mind are functioning properly. The main causes behind poor health conditions are diseases, improper diet, injury, mental stress, lack of hygiene, unhealthy lifestyle, etc. Over the past few years, our lifestyle has changed and we often tend to ignore the importance of healthy living in one way or the other.

When to make the smartest health moves- from scheduling a pap to popping a vitamin.

TO SHARPEN YOUR BRAIN
- Play sudoko or do a crossword between 10 and 11 AM or 8 and 9 PM: try not to waste a minute- the brain boost lasts only for about an hour.
- Take a nap at 2 PM: the sip in body temperature that helps ease you into sleep at night also occurs mid day, which is why afternoons can be so unproductive. But if you can catch a catnap around 2 PM (the slumps usually hit between 1 and 3’o clock), it should boost your alertness for several hours. Ten minutes will do the trick- nod off for more than 20 and you may wake up feeling groggy. If a nap is out of the question, eat plenty of protein at lunch, which will give you longer lasting energy.
- Mid afternoon is also a good time for “strategic caffeine use”. If you don’t exceed a cup or two per day, caffeine works phenomenally well at increasing your alertness.
TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY
- Follow a sleep schedule: several studies suggest that obeying your alarm clock can help relieve day time fatigue. And sleep researchers are finding that people who get at least 7 hours of sleep a night are much less likely to be obese and weight gain can act as an energy drain. Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day also keeps your biological clock on schedule. This clock regulates your body temperature, hormones, blood pressure and other important functions.
- Head to bed at least 2.5 hours after eating dinner: it ensures more efficient digestion and because eating too much food before sleeping can cause heart burn or deeper sleep. If you want a drink have it early to give your body plenty of time to metabolise the alcohol.
TO POWER UP YOUR PILLS
- Swallow your multi vitamins with a meal: your body absorbs vitamins better when you take them with food. This will minimise the potential for stomach upset, too and make you more likely to remember your multi vitamin every day.
- Take heart pills before bed: if you take blood pressure medication before turning in, it will still be working by early morning, which is a time associated with a 30 to 50% increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. And because the liver revs up cholesterol production overnight, you’ll maximise the lipid lowering ability of statins if you take them before hitting the sack.
TO GET MORE FROM YOUR WORKOUTS
- Do your cardio exercise early in the morning: ultimately, the best time to exercise is when you’ll actually do it. That’s the reason for scheduling it early in the day. You have fewer distractions and if some does interfere, you can reschedule for the afternoon or evening. If you exercise outdoors, mornings are better because air pollution is lowest at that time. And research demonstrates that working out boosts brain activity afterward- a great way to begin your day. Experts say it is not good to exercise on an absolutely empty stomach.
- Learn or practice a skill sport between 4 and 6 PM: hand-eye coordination is highest then, so it’s a good time for any form of exercise that requires a high degree of skill, like a tennis lesson or dance class.
- Start exercising in February: with impending university and school exams students and parents are busy, so are officials and corporate with the financial year drawing to a close, attendance at sports club or gym is low so you are likely to get more attention from the trainer.
- Begin your diet in June: you’ll naturally lose a kilo or two because of lack of appetite in this weather. Capitalize on that initial loss by starting a full-fledged diet and exercise program. All the fresh fruits and veggies will make it easier to eat right without feeling deprived.
TO PROTECT YOUR PEARLY WHITES
- Brush at night: if you can only fit in one brushing session per day, your teeth will benefit most if you do it before going to bed.
- Have a root canal after 2 PM: pain medications used in dentistry typically last 8 to 10 hours, so you’ll stay comfortably numb until you’re ready to hit the sack.
TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MEDICAL CARE
- Get the first appointment of the day: early in the morning doctors are more attentive and alert, so make the most of it with an early appointment. You encounter less traffic on your way to the doctor.
- Test your cholesterol and triglyceride levels twice a year: to get a complete picture of your lipid levels have them checked once in the summer and then again in December. Research shows that these levels especially those of triglycerides fluctuate between the seasons and generally tend to peak in mid winter, especially in women.
- Arrange your elective surgery for winter or: avoid July, august and September, when the hot moist weather in most parts of the country makes for ideal conditions for infections. The operation theatre may be sanitised, but once the patient is out of operation theatre, chances of secondary infection is high. Of course much depends on the kind of surgery.
August 10, 2014
Your breakfast is waiting, where are you?

Let us see what the morning is like for the following three people who decide to give the breakfast a miss.
Scene 1

A lousy you is woken up by your shouting mother. You bury your face into one of the pillows and tell her that you did not want to have breakfast and were not hungry. She shouts back that it wasn’t your choice to decide and had to have it. You go off to sleep anyway and your mother continues to shout.

Scene 2

The alarm clock strikes 8. You wake up startled and realize that you are late again. You curse yourself for forgetting such an important meeting! You take a shower hurriedly and get dressed, pick up the important files and documents, grab the wallet and the keys. You storm out of the door in an eye’s blink.

Scene 3

The sun has not even risen fully yet and you are up and going. You take a bath, offer the morning prayers. It’s time to wake up the children and the dear husband. You prepare the breakfast. You prepare the lunch and fill in their lunch boxes. At the same time, you are running around and tying your 5 year old son’s shoe laces. And who will braid the daughter’s hair but you! And oh, you got to make sure that your husband doesn’t forget the wallet and the watch again. Everyone leaves for their destinations. You are so tired by now that you simply sip in a cup of tea and watch a re-run of the last night’s television show you missed.

This is the daily routine of most of the people. Time is less and the work to be done is a lot. Or maybe it’s just ignorance. Whatever might the reason be, missing out on breakfast is not an option but a terribly bad idea. Scientists and researchers say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You can skip any other meal but this one. In today’s world that is so fast and furious, everyone is missing out on the importance of the morning’s meal, breakfast.
The top most important reasons for starting your day with breakfast are:

1) Re-fueling the body
Breakfast when broken into two gives its clear meaning, breaking the night long fast. You last ate at night and there happens to be a lot of time difference between the two meals if you skip breakfast and rather have lunch directly. Your body cannot endure that. You need to feed in that little boy something time to time! Like you have a timely routine to follow, the body has too. It needs to be refueled in order for it to work properly.

2) Controlled and maintained body weight
All the weight issues the mother of those two doting kids always complains about can be put to a rest. That is, if she decides to take care of herself like she takes care of her children and husband. It would take her an extra 5 minutes to sit along with them and have her breakfast. If she can do it for them, why can’t she do it for herself?
Having a timely and healthy breakfast reduces the chances of obesity and controls and maintains the body weight.

Keeps your body weight on check.

3) Lessened concentration issues
The guy who missed the breakfast because he woke up late and had an important meeting to attend will anyway be not able to concentrate in the meeting. Reason you ask? An empty growling stomach! All those lousy students in class who do not understand a thing about what the teacher is saying in the classes before lunch, can increase their concentration levels if they have a healthy breakfast. It enhances the brain power and makes you feel more energetic. Wish to attain higher grades? Start your day with a breakfast.

Concentration issues at school? Have some breakfast, you!

4) Reduced stress
The body does not get the required energy in the morning when you don’t have your breakfast. It then tends to take up whatever is available in the energy reserves and takes the fuel from them. This leaves you all irritated and stressed out due to the release of the stress hormones. You are not able to concentrate and work effectively. You do not produce a good result. On the other hand, if you do have a healthy breakfast, your energy reserves remain untouched and you remain stress free.

So much to do and so less time. Helps if you have your breakfast properly.

5) Reduced intake of unhealthy snacks
When you set out for office or school with an empty stomach, hunger creeps in hours before lunch. And as lunch is a time where you sit and eat a proper meal, it is not convenient for you to have a full meal before it, even if you maybe very hungry. Hence you decide to have some sort of snack here and some sort of snack there in order to quieten the growling stomach. The intake of such unhealthy snacks disrupts the functioning of the body. It also increases fat and sugar levels. The metabolism of the body gets adversely effected. A healthy breakfast in the morning kills the cravings for junk foods all together.

Say no to munching on unhealthy snacks! time for breakfast.

6) Reduced risk of chronic diseases
There are certain vitamins and minerals that only the breakfast can provide. Having a balanced and healthy breakfast reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart attack by maintaining the cholesterol levels. A proper intake of breakfast maintains the blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of diabetes.

Keep your cholesterol in check by having a healthy breakfast.

All the points very well establish the fact that it is extremely necessary to have a balanced, nutritious and energy enhancing breakfast. If you had to opt for one meal out of the three, go for breakfast. It is the meal that lets you survive the day.

July 7, 2014
Fun facts about honey – the wonders it can do!

The negative impacts of redefined sugar have been too many to count but this does not imply that anything that is ‘sweet’ is harmful. There are numerous natural alternatives of redefined sugar which can be obtained from fruits, vegetables and the cute little honeybee! These do not have any sort of poor effect on one’s health and rather provide nourishing nutrients to the body.

Honey has been in use since more than four thousand years. Produced from the nectar of the flowers by the bees, this golden elixir has served the mankind since ancient days. In the olden Egyptian times, it was used to heal the wounds. Honey boasts of a superpower, it can be kept for an indefinitely long period of time without it getting spoiled. The Romans and the Greeks used to honey to treat eye and skin related problems.

Following are some wonders that honey does for our health:

1. Gives the immune system a boost

Raw and organic honey is full of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. These components of honey help your body fight away the harmful bacteria.
When you are suffering from cold, or have a cough or a sore throat, how often have you heard your mother say, “Take a tea spoon of honey, you’ll be good!” I have heard it a lot of times and trust me, it totally works. Honey is useful in clearing out your throat.
Regularly having honey mixed in warm water boosts up the immune system.

2. Decreases the risk of a heart-disease

Honey in combination with cinnamon revitalizes the veins and arteries of the heart. It also reduces the cholesterol level by 10%. This combo of honey and cinnamon is a boon for the heart patients as it reduces the risk of a heart attack, when taken on a regular basis.

3. Ups the energy levels

Honey provides the right amount of calories and energy to keep your body going. It gives an instant energy boost to the body. Athletes constantly have sports drinks for increasing their energy levels. They might provide instant energy but obviously have negative effects on the body in the long run. It has been proven that adding honey to the drinking water and consuming it during important events is as good as any energy drink you find in the market. How often do you find yourself suddenly craving for something sweet? Next time when you are in such a dilemma to choose between coffee and chocolate, instead go for the natural dose of sweetness, honey.

4. Treats indigestion

Are you the type of person to suffer from indigestion frequently? Well, honey is the best medicine for you. It is helpful in preventing acid reflux. It has certain antiseptic properties which help in relieving acidity in the stomach. It also neutralizes gases.
If you have had too much to eat, drink up a warm glass of water with added lemon juice and honey.

5. Helps you lose weight

The first thing to do when you wake up in the morning should surely be drinking a combo of warm water, lemon juice and honey in an empty stomach. It is a proven technique which helps in weight loss. It is the best possible detox solution. It cleanses the liver and removes fat and toxins from the body. The same combination can be consumed just before sleeping as well.

6. Clears up the skin

Looking for a new skincare product? Why don’t you try out some organic honey? It has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties which moisturize the skin. Apply a dab of honey on your pimples and blemishes and leave it overnight. Wake up with a glowing and radiating skin! It prevents wrinkles and dryness. It gives your skin the kind of natural glow that no skin care brand can provide.

7. Reduces dandruff and scalp related problems

Honey can be diluted in warm water and applied to the problem areas and left on for three hours. It can later be rinsed with warm water. This relieves the constant itching in the scalp reduces scaling as well. It also helps in reducing hair loss to a great extent. I don’t need a new shampoo saying, ‘100% guarantee of no dandruff’ because I have the remedy at home!

8. Metabolizes alcohol

Have you had a little too many to drink? Vodka and whiskey all around you? It has been medically proven that an oral intake of honey would reduce alcohol blood levels, increase the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol, and thus would limit intoxication. Raise your hands for honey shots now!

9. Helps treat wounds and burns

Since ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman times, honey has been effectively and extensively used in the treatment of wounds and burns. Thousands of years later, honey is still being used for the same. Many studies have been carried out that conform these abilities of honey. Application of honey makes the wound sterile. It can either be directly applied on to the wound or burn or can be applied in the form of a dressing which should be changed on a regular basis.

Honey helps in treating seasonal infections. It boosts up the memory. And to add to its endless uses, possesses an extremely enchanting taste! Its soft and lustrous texture plays inside your mouth. Remember its uses, apply them in your day-to-day life and notice the difference.

June 7, 2014
Popeye’s Secret to Strength

Spinach is a flowering plant which comes from the family of Amaranthaceace. Mostly found in central and southwest Asia, it’s a plant which can survive throughout the year. The leaves come in various shapes and sizes with leaves of a bigger size found in the base and small leaves found in the higher stems. There are basically three types of spinach which we use. Savoy is a dark green, curly leaf, found in bunches in our local markets. A hybrid variety of savoy is the semi-savoy. The leaves of this variety are curled as well and are grown for both fresh as well as processed industries. Other varieties include the flat and smooth spinach which has broader leaves than savoy. It is grown sold as processed and canned foods, cold soups, baby foods etc.

Spinach finds its origin in Persia and the neighboring counties. In India it was introduced by Arab traders who had travelled here for other spices. The spinach was a popular vegetable among the Arabs and so they introduced them in all the regions they travelled. By the 12^th century, this vegetable had reached Spain which then found its way to France and England by the 14^th century. The reason why people became so found of this vegetable is that it grew during the time of spring when vegetables were scarce and Lenten dietary was discouraged. Spinach became an important ingredient in the dishes served to the royals and during wars soldiers were given wine and spinach juice when they suffered from hemorrhage.

The fresh green spinach leaves is storehouse of vital minerals and vitamins. Vitamin C which is very essential for proper body functioning is largely found in the leaves that are dark green and vibrant. Vitamin K1 , which is also found in the leaves helps in maintenance of bone health. When we consume spinach, the friendly bacteria found in our intestines convert vitamin K1 present in the leaves to vitamin K2 which then produces osteoclasts which is a non collagen protein found in the bone. These acts like anchors and holds on to the calcium molecules in the bones making it stronger. Sunlight is mainly used by leaves during photosynthesis to form the green material or chlorophyll which is something which we studied in school. However what happens further is that this forms the major portion of the molecules called glycoclycerolipids which are rich in health supportive nutrients. According to certain studies, Spinach like other green vegetables like broccoli and cabbage has anti-cancer qualities. They also help to protect and maintain the digestive track, arrest inflammation and strongly prevent the occurrence of prostate cancer. The spinach leaves also contain an abundant supply of some very unique qualities of anti cancer carotenoids called epoxyxanthophylls. It has very powerful anti-oxidant protective qualities and is highly concentrated in beta carotin, luteinzeaxanthen and flavonoids, the main phytonutrient which helps in promoting health. The spinach therefore undoubtedly tops the list of the most nutrient rich healthiest vegetable in the world and having said that it is therefore important to make this an important part of your diet. According to nutritionist, it will be beneficial if we consume spinach 1-2 times per week.

We would all be familiar with the popular cartoon Popeye the sailor man. The story line of the cartoon was very simple where we have a sailor who works in the docks and is mostly mocked and disturbed by a fellow sailor Brutus who is jealous of him and always finds ways to hurt him or degrade him so that olive chooses Brutus over Popeye as he looks more strong and healthy. The plot is set in such a way that Popeye falls in the trap set by Brutus and by the time pope tries to get out, he kidnaps Olive. Popeye tries his best to rescue himself and Olive but when his out of power and becomes sick and weak fighting the traps laid down for him. When no other way seems useful he takes out a can containing fresh spinach leaves and starts munching and eats them whole. Popeye always carries a can with him and its contents are shown as some kind of power boosters. As the spinach enters his body he is all power up and his energy reaches the highest possible level and now with all the power back again he fights Brutus and safes his dear ones. The use of spinach in this cartoon made it famous throughout the world such that it became an important ingredient in the kitchen of every household. Children who earlier did not like spinach started eating them thinking they would became as strong as Popeye and fight their enemies.

The reason why the cartoonist used spinach in his cartoon was based on a popular belief in those days that spinach had a high quantity of iron and so the cartoonist wanted to show that iron makes the body strong due to which he used spinach in his cartoon. However later it was found that this notion was a mistake done by German scientist Emil von Wolff who due to some miscalculations gave a value for iron which was ten times more than the original content value. This faulty measurement was finally found out and corrected in 1930. However the bottomline fact that spinach made you stronger was always correct.

Today we see that the popularity of spinach has grown so much more than it was before and also find so many ways in which spinach is being used both in salads as well as mouth watering dishes.

June 5, 2014