Tag: health

5 Things you gotta know about Meditation
Whenever “MEDITATION” word crosses any where we tend to imagine Yogis or mental training. That doesn’t mean meditation don’t involve them in the picture, it’s just not the whole scenario. Yes! Meditation is needed. Why? It’ll be discussed further in the post, but let us first free ourselves from the preset definition of Meditation in our minds and start from the basic.

One of the defining features for living beings as we all know is Sensitivity. What’s sensitivity? It involves ability to adapt after we sense our environment. Humans gain sensitivity through Consciousness. Consciousness means forming a perception or being aware, of ourselves and our surroundings. In other words, through our consciousness we sense around the environment and respond respectively.Robots or machines if called simplistically are made by humans; still there is scope for collaborating conscious into their intelligence which is called Artificial Intelligence. Hence, being conscious is a unique feature of us, Humans!

Now, there are three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping. When we are awake, we sense our surroundings and respond to the situations we encounter. But, if we just have a normal stimulus-response relationship with our environment, why do we encounter conditions like stress? Because, every day we wake up and try to do activities that pleases our senses. The fascinating thing about our senses is like any other system in our body its needs increases exponentially with time. So, we can never satisfy them and the exhaustion resulted from this pursuit results in most cases of stresses. In the world where competition weighs everything down, we aren’t in a situation to compromise with the best we can give. So, it all comes down to increasing your potential to be a better person than a second before.

What do we need for that?

Calm and composed mind gives clarity to the thoughts in our mind which facilitates decisiveness, Coherent while communicating and gaining Emotional stability, intuition are just some of the mention able benefits.

So, Why Meditation?
1. It calms the “Freak-ish” side of you.
At situations when you don’t know why you were screaming at that person or flipping out or just runaway from there,

reason behind them are some unsettled thoughts and emotions which had been buried or repressed for some reason. Point to be made is neither you nor others like this side of you. Meditation drifts mind from the chaotic state to more stable disposed one, in this state you are able to focus all your energy to relax your mind. The repressed thoughts and emotions are if not resolved then at least isn’t projected as anger or frustration. So, after you’re done with meditating for a while; the calm mind forgets about the happenings and is ready for a fresh start.
1. You become Smarter!
Yes, it’s true and sure is so much heard from our parents, elders or counselors.

Now, come on it’s not like you meditate once in a month or week and you expect to top your boards. Once you cultivate a regular habit of meditating, it increases an individual’s focusing power which improves attention. More you give attention to something, more you will be grasping that topic.
1. You’ll be upgraded!
Yeah, it has been found out that meditation increases an individual’s level of consciousness. The benefit of evolving your level of consciousness is that the amount of disorder or disturbances in the life seems to be negligible. This means that with regular assimilation of meditation trivial disappointments would last for like a moment for you, not occupying all of you, all day.
1. Apart from mind, it’s good for your body too!
Meditation has been found to stimulate parasympathetic nervous system that is responsible for fight or flight response for the body. It calms down the body from the provoked state. This reduces the anxiety level for the individual which in due course of time can even treat disorders like insomnia.

It slows down the respiration making an individual take only longer and deeper breaths. Why is it important? Every breath we take in gets oxygen and supplies it to the lungs which get transported to rest of the body from and we know oxygen is pretty important for every organ and system in the body. So, shallower and faster breaths cut down the time for this procedure, resulting in hasty transportation of oxygen and carbon di oxide.
1. Get rid of those blues.
Meditation balances the neuro-chemical system of the body which reduces not only anxiety but also depression and moreover increases your critical thinking power! How’s that?It also helps staying in the present moment and it affects all aspects of your life and relationships.

Meditation does or so more than that, it transforms one’s personality for good. Individuals get to know more about themselves and this brings about thirst for discovering more about enigma of life. The questions encountered after that like “What is life? And Why I go in a circle of happiness and sadness round and round?” will take you into a different yet exciting journey altogether. This will only enrich your consciousness more and more resulting in you perceiving the whole universe as part of oneself. However easy and insignificant it may sound, it’s important for a human to get the answers for the same in his or her lifetime.
July 1, 2014
Flax seeds are Nutrition Superstar!

The flat, oval, glossy and pointed at one end are FLAX SEEDS, quite popular in vegetarian diets. These have versatile uses and they are kind of food that can be added to almost anything. They are like the baseline of our healthy body and food. Though they have been known to world from thousand years, but with its increasing popularity, flax seeds are in the spotlight for its number of health benefits and easy to use and easy availability reasons. Flax seeds are something that are truly healthy constituent of an ideal diet and are recommended by all physicians to consume on a regular basis. Its better to crunch on them than crunching on the haldirams or other snacks when you get a craving. Just adding some amount of flax seeds in the food you eat can improve your heart health, helps to control your weight, fights against cancer, increases immunity and many more healthy perks.
Flax seeds are equipped with many nutrients and that’s why they have achieved such stardom. Flax seeds are high in soluble and insoluble fiber and also contains a good amount of Vitamin B-6, Vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, folate. Flax seeds also include phytochemicals, having many powerful antioxidants called Lignans which have cancer fighting properties. Flax seeds are also a major source of Omega-3 fatty acids and have 50 -60% of plant version of omega-3 called Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is a key to fight inflammation. Flaxseeds are very low in cholesterol and sodium, what makes them all the more better. If you are a vegetarian, it is specifically a very good source to meet protein requirements in your diet. The flax seeds can be used whole or grounded or as oil. To reap the most benefits of it, it should purchased in ground form or ground before consumption. The super awesome benefits of this wonder food are listed below:

Fights against Cancer: Many studies show that flax seeds play a major role in providing protection against cancer. They are beneficial to prevent the growth of cancerous cells because of the presence of omega-3 fatty acids and lignans which are thought to inhibit the tumor growth. Consuming flax seeds on a regular basis can help in protecting against Prostate, Colon, and Breast cancers. They are actually very safe and are associated with a protective effect on cancer.
Improvement in blood sugar: It has been proved in studies that consuming flax seeds, in regular manner help in maintaining blood sugar levels, and also prevent in having diabetes. It helps the people having type 2 diabetes to lower their blood sugar levels.
Increases Immunity: People who include flax seeds in their diet and everyday food, are known to have better immunity as it contains ALA, which decreases inflammation and allows our immune system to function better. Some researches have also shown that flaxseed can help in relieving autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Lowers Cholesterol: Consumption of flax seeds provides us with cholesterol-lowering benefits. The soluble fiber, which is present in them is known to lower cholesterol, which in turn helps to prevent the buildup of plaque, which can clog arteries and lead to heart attack stroke or high blood pressure. But if you are a regular taker of flax seeds, you can prevent this.
Improves digestion: The flax seeds can improve your bowel movement and prevents constipation as they have good fiber content. Thus, they help in improving your digestive health.

Some easy-to-try eating tips for flax seeds:
So, now you have ground flax seeds, it is very easy to use them as they go well with almost anything liquid or solid. Just sprinkle a little amount on anything, be it yoghurt or milk, or buttermilk, your fruit smoothie or your coffee or your breakfast cereal. You can add a teaspoon of ground flaxseed to the mustard or mayonnaise or jam that you spread on your bread. Add them to tomato sauce or to your meatballs or meatloaf. Its tasty to sprinkle on salads or soups. This way, you can have sufficient amount of flax seeds and can enjoy the benefits. But yes, eat in moderation is the key.

Little Caution about Flaxseeds:
Even though, flax seeds have so many health benefits, but there are some minor precautions which should be taken. People who are suffering from bowel obstruction or inflammatory bowel conditions should avoid taking flax seeds as they have laxative effects. Also, pregnant women and mothers who are breastfeeding should avoid taking flax seeds in their diet and be on the safe side, because of its estrogen- like properties which doctors believe may affect pregnancy outcome. If you are taking medication, consult your doctor before taking flax seeds.
They may be a tiny small thing, but they are filled with big and unlimited benefits. Because of this they are given so much of importance. Enjoy them as they taste good too, they aren’t bitter or bad tasting, rather they are bit salty and crunchy. Go on, have a tablespoon of flax seeds or just sprinkle it on anything and enjoy your food with extra added and overloaded benefits. So, yes! Flax seeds are poised with Nutritional Superstar!
Happy Eating. Happy Life.

July 1, 2014
That Nutty, Creamy Peanut Butter!

Do you like peanuts? Do you love peanut butter? I know most of you do and why not, it’s way too delicious and can make anything more tastier. Peanut butter is too good for you and your diet. One superb thing is its filling, appetite satisfying and healthy too, with suffice nutrients. A bread piece or a cookie or anything with peanut butter spread on it is a perfect snack for your evening or morning. It can be a good substitute for any sweet, sugary or salty thing. It can go with anything and can be taken with anything. If you think that peanut butter sandwiches are for kids only, you are missing out something really good for your health and body. As, this protein rich, creamy delight is suitable for everyone and has become very popular now.
Peanut Butter is a rich, creamy paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanut, which is actually a legume and not a nut. It is very popular in many countries and The United States is a leading exporter of peanut butter. It is mainly used as a sandwich spread along with other variants as chocolate sauce, jam or jelly, cheese or vegetable. The peanut butter originated by the Aztecs, who ground peanut butter into a paste. In the United States, January 24 is observed as National Peanut Butter Day. Generally, there are two types of spread; Crunchy and smooth. The crunchy one has little chunks of peanut butter in it and smooth one is creamy, smooth paste. Both are loved and eaten by all. These are a good source of unsaturated fats. However smooth butter doesn’t have as much fiber as crunchy one. The peanut butter has many nutrients and vitamins, which makes it a healthy choice. It contains proteins, Vitamin B3 and E, magnesium, folate, arginine, dietary fiber and also high levels of antioxidants p-coumaric acid. It also contains saturated fat and some amount of sodium. Having all these essential nutrients, let’s go through some of the key benefits of peanut butter, which will make us famish it more.

Why peanut Butter is so good for you and your health:

The enviable combination of protein and fiber in peanut butter is awesome and way healthier and prove to be a very good substitute for meat protein. Just 2 tablespoons full of peanut butter have had 188 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fat. Each serving of protein, is really beneficial for the body as it uses amino acids to build and repair muscle tissue and helps in building metabolism-boosting muscle and such protein rich food also keep you feeling full for longer and in turn helps in losing weight. Alongwith this, peanut butter, having high content of mono-unsaturated fat, is really good for the heart and reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol in the bloodstream and even help in balancing the good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL). Many studies have shown that regular peanut taking can reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic health conditions. Peanuts also contain high amount of poly-phenolic antioxidants, which has shown results in reducing the risk of stomach cancer by decreasing the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. This spread is an excellent source of Resveratrol, which is an antioxidant and provides protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s (Neuro degenerative disorder) and fungal and viral infections. Also, peanut butter is a great source of iron, which helps in maintaining blood circulation throughout the body. Being so rich in nutrients and proteins, it gives you energy and boosts your metabolism and keeps you active for a long time.

So, what are you waiting for? Go enjoy your healthy favorite spread. It’s worth it.

Things you can do with your Peanut Butter:
Well, I recommend one should buy natural and organic peanut butter from the grocery store as it will really benefit your health. Also, you can do a variety of things with this incredibly versatile ingredient and can enjoy that big jar of creamy, crunchy spread with your creativity and as per your taste in many ways. Here’s some easy quickies you can do with your favorite peanut butter;
You can use it as a filling in your grilled desserts as it gives your dessert a creamy richness. Just pair a spoonful of spread with bananas, chocolate, honey, brown sugar and toss it into toasty bites.
Top it on your morning cereal and drizzle it nicely on the cornflakes or salad and enjoy the creaminess and nuttiness.
You can stir the creamy butter in the stew, which is slowly cooked and it will make it velvety smooth and just too delicious to resist.
You can glaze your vanilla or chocolate chip cookies or even your frost your teatime cake with this creamy spread and enjoy the lusciousness.
You can even add the peanut butter to your smoothies, whether its banana or vanilla or strawberry or any smoothie and give it a protein boost and even add it to maple syrup and improve its taste.
You can use it as a base dressing for a salad or use it as a spread in your world-famous traditional sandwich with chocolate or jam or even in your veggie burger and sandwich.
Enjoy it as you like. Even if, peanut butter has fat content present in it, the health benefits and versatility of it is enough to adopt it with a happy heart and spread its deliciousness on breads, cookies, waffles, toast, apple slices, celery, carrots and so many other foods. It can prove to be healthy and yummy choice for everyone.

Keep munching on Peanut Butter!

July 1, 2014
Essential Muscle Nutrients Which Are Found Only in Animal Food

Muscles are every much important for the human body as they perform several essential functions such as breathing and allow us to do physical labor. Every man today wants to have a body full of muscles so that they can look attractive and powerful. Muscles burns calories and so if you are planning to build a powerful body you need to pay special attention towards the food that you eat as the consumption of right food is very important. In order to build and later maintain these muscles there are some essential nutrients which your body requires and more importantly these nutrients are only found in the animal food. For the non-vegetarian people this is not a problem as they eat flesh but the vegetarian people look around for the replacement of this option. So they go for supplements which are available in the market today. These supplements are made up of artificial ingredients which causes harm to the body if you take it regularly. So it is recommend that if you want to build muscle and maintain your body, then you should start eating meat. Hereby we are mentioning some of the nutrients which are only found in animal food i.e. meat and are essential for muscle building.

Creatine:

Creatine is extremely important for the body and is one of the most popular supplements used for the muscle building. If your body has adequate amount of Creatine in it, then it not only improves the mass of your muscles but also the strength. Creatine forms the energy reserve in the muscles which helps in its maintenance. The energy in the body is provided by the Adenosine Triphosphate and the cells in the body have them in limited quantity. In the process of building muscles, people perform complex and vigorous exercises and so the amount of Adenosine Triphosphate in their body is not enough to last long. Creatine provides the phosphate in the cells and helps in producing the required extra energy. Although human body produces Creatine on its own but it is not enough and you need them in your diet. All the vegetarian foods are deprived of Creatine. So you should go for the meat and other animal foods.

Carnosine:

Carnosine is a dipeptide made with the help of the two amino acids. These amino acids are beta-alanine and histidine. Carnosine is highly popular as one of the wonderful anti-aging food supplement which stops the degenerative processes in the body and helps in maintaining the muscles. They are also required to keep your muscles in shape. When you perform intense workout the body releases lactic acid which stops the muscles from functioning normally and you experience fatigue. Carnosine is required as it helps in stopping the formation of this acid in the body by acting as a buffer. If the formation of the lactic acid is kept in check, there is no hindrance in the functioning of the muscles and you can carry out with your work with ease. This nutrient is only found in the animal food or else you will have to take supplements.

Animal Protein:

Proteins are the basic building blocks of muscles and they themselves are made up of amino acids. In total there are 21 essential amino acids required by the human body to synthesize proteins. Out of which only few of these amino acids can be produced by the body itself, rest all are provided in the diet. Those amino acids which the body cannot produce on its own are called as the essential amino acids. The best source of all these essential amino acids is animal food. Fish, meat and eggs have tremendous amount of proteins in them and they can easily compensate for the amino acids which the body requires. The proteins found in the plants lack some of the amino acid profiles and so the animal food is essential. Simply a vegetarian diet cannot provide you with the proteins that your body requires.

Vitamin D3:

Vitamin D3 is extremely essential for the human body. The proper functioning of the muscles and other body organs are very much dependent on it. There should be adequate amount of Vitamin D3 in the bloodstream. If your body is deprived of Vitamin D3, your muscles will decease and they will stop functioning properly. Although supplements are available to maintain the amount of Vitamin D3 in the body, the best source of this essential nutrient are fatty and the cod fishes. Moreover if you stay in such a place which receives less sunlight then you must start eating animal foods as the plants foods do not offers Vitamin D3.

Saturated Fats and Cholesterol:

Generally people believe that saturated fats and cholesterol are very much harmful for the human body and they are also the reasons for various dysfunctions in the body. So people opt for the low fat foods. But such food items have tendency to reduce the testosterone hormone in the body which is very much essential for muscle building and their maintenance. The testosterone hormone is required to increase the muscle mass and libido. The animal foods have large amount of saturated fats and cholesterol required for muscle building and that is why you should eat them.

July 1, 2014
Water: The Most Essential Requirement for the Human Body

It has been proved that the human body is 60 % made up of water. Water is the most essential requirement for any individual. Different people have different opinions on how much water you should drink each day. Generally it is recommended that you should drink about 2 liters of water per day. There is an 8×8 rule which says that a normal human being should drink 8 ounce of water, eight times a day which adds up to form about half a gallon water. Although this rule is arbitrary and there is no scientific explanation behind it, it is very much useful. The human body requires this much of water daily as it constantly loses water in the form of sweat and urine. But some people have the opinion that in order to avoid the dehydration, you should drink water throughout the day even if you are not thirsty. There are certain internal and external factors which play a vital role in an individual’s need for water. The important point is that without water the survival of the human beings is not possible. You cannot survive long if we do not drink water daily in the adequate amount. For most of the body organs to work properly and the various metabolism functions in the body, water is extremely essential.

If the human body is not provide with adequate amount of water, the energy level of the body comes downs and so as a result the functioning of the brain is affected. There are unexpected mood swings and headaches. Even the mild dehydration of the human body gives rise to the several problems. People start to lose weight and the brain consequently experiences its negative impact. If you are among such people who perform vigorous exercises then you must stay hydrated all the time as the less water content in your body will affect your physical performance and will eventually decrease your endurance.

Many people believe that drinking lots of water help them in losing weight because the water reduces the appetite and it increases the metabolism activities in the human body. This is actually true. When you drink water the metabolism of the body increases by about 25 % which is a very significant figure. Now again if you drink the prescribed amount of water daily, the energy expenditure of the body which is measured in the term of calories increases by about 96 calories per day. The key point here is that you should drink water prior to your meals as it will help in reducing the amount of the calories that you will consume during your meals. In this way you can keep a check on the amount of calories you consume and lose weight as per your requirement.

Now there are many health benefits of drinking water and it also helps you in avoiding many life taking diseases. According to the studies conducted in the various parts of the world, if you consume water in the prescribed amount daily, then you can avoid constipation, formation of stones in your kidneys, skin hydration, formation and spread of acne and most importantly you can also protect yourself from and bladder cancer. If you are among such people who do not drink water in desired quantity then, you must start doing it as it is extremely beneficial for your health.

Now it is also not necessary that you should drink the plain water to complete the daily dose of your water requirement. You can also drink tea, coffee and eat water rich foods to compensate for the water required by the human body. There are many vegetables and fruits which are very much rich in water content. Meat, eggs and fish are some of the examples of such foods. All these food items also contribute in maintaining the fluid balance in your body. But you must protect yourself from sweating a lot.

Maintaining the water balance in the body is one such aspect where you must pay special attention. We feel thirsty when the water balance in your body goes below the accepted level. If you feel thirsty, then you must immediately find a water source and drink it in appropriate amount. You should never ignore such feelings as it is highly essential for your survival. In a normal human being the thirst instinct is so strong and reliable that it is sufficient to pay attention towards the water requirement of the body. The water need of the body varies from individual to individual. For some people 2 liters is more than enough while for some people they feel like drinking water on very small intervals. In certain case such as ladies who get involved in breastfeeding their child should drink a lot of water. Similarly if you had vomiting or if you are suffering from diarrhea, then you must increase the amount of water that you drink daily.

July 1, 2014
Truth about the Vegan Diet

Veganism is a special type of vegetarian diet in which people completely exclude eggs, meats, dairy products and all those ingredients which are derived from the animals. In veganism, people completely boycott the processed foods such as the white sugar and wines as well. Those people who follow such diet as called as vegans. Vegans generally give several arguments so as to why you should stop eating the animal foods. There are many myths in the mind of the people regarding the vegan diets. Some believe that the vegan diet is the best way a person can lose weight and fight the life threatening diseases. Every now and then you will be inspired to follow the vegan diet as it is highly beneficial for the human body. But the reality is completely different from what is presented in front of you. Vegan diet has in fact lots of side effects as well on which people don’t pay much attention and these side effects deteriorate the health of the individual. Here we will be talking about such lies and myths people have regarding the vegan diets.

People generally believe that since the vegan diet is completely free from animal foods, they offer several health benefits and are in fact healthy compared to the other food items that we eat in our daily life. The proponents of the vegan diets have whole foods in them. Vegan diet completely boycotts refined sugar, refined grains, Trans fats, vegetable oils and other processed foods. Consequently many food items which offers fewer nutrients and have chemicals that are harmful for the human body gets eliminated. The health benefits of the vegan diet is due to the fact that they consume only the whole food and eliminates the processed food items as they have harmful ingredients in them. It is nothing to do with the elimination of the animal foods from the diet. None of the studies have been able to prove that animal food is bad for the human health.

The other reason which people give for you to encourage in joining the vegan diet club is that the animal foods have huge amount of fats in them which is extremely harmful and is the root cause of the heart disease. The truth is that the cholesterol and the saturated fats which are present in the animal foods improves the blood cholesterol profile and offer several health benefits. They both give rise to the HDL and not the LDL which consequently helps in protecting the heart from diseases. Some of the recent advanced studies conducted in this field have proved that there is absolutely no connection among the heart disease and the consumption of the saturated fats and cholesterol. Vegan people use this myth to attract people but this myth has now been completely debunked.

People believe that the vegan diet is the only way one can reverse the heart disease. There is a huge contradiction on this fact. Till date no major prove is present which can support this fact. While this is true that a diet which has low fat content in it can be helpful in reversing the heart diseases but it is not necessary for you to completely adopt the veganism.

There is a very famous China Study associated with the vegan diet. China Study is in fact a world famous book written by the veteran biochemist T. Colin Campbell. In this book the author has claimed that the animal protein is the reason people suffer from the cancer and various heart diseases and lose their precious life. He stated the facts by examining the results of the survey conducted in the Cornell Oxford Project in China. But many researchers and biochemists from around the world have expressed their unhappiness over the content written in the book and have contradicted the facts given by T. Colin Campbell. They believe that the book China Study is in fact a science fiction and there is not enough evidence to accept the claims made by T. Colin Campbell.

People opt for the vegan diet as they believe that the animal protein is bad for their health. But this is not true. The animal protein is in fact useful for the human body. Several researches made in this regard confirm the same. The diet which has high protein in it acts as a wonderful appetite suppressant and this eventually helps you in losing weight. If you want to shed some kilos from your body then you must opt for the animal proteins instead of ignoring them. Further the animal protein also lowers the blood pressure and helps in building muscles.

The vegans argue that the human body is naturally herbivore and so people should not eat the animal flesh of any type. This is rather contradictory. We people are consuming animal flesh from generations and our body is well adapted to consume and digest the animal flesh. The humans on the other hand are omnivores. There are lots of nutrients and minerals obtained from the animal foods which are good for us. Moreover the claim that the person opting for the vegan diet live longer is also not true. No study has been able to prove that vegan diet is superior and is more beneficial for health.

July 1, 2014
Foods that can actually kill you

We have several food items in the market which people believe are very healthy and essential for the human body. But there are not aware that these food items can cause serious damage to their body. The result of which can even lead to death of the person. You must be aware of the side effects of such food items so that you can stay protected. Here we are mentioning some of those foods and you should stop eating immediately as they can kill you.

Sports Drink:

Today we have several sports drink in the market and people believe that they are highly beneficial for the body. These types of drinks are specially designed for the people who get involved into the training sessions or play different sports. Due to the intense workout and physical labor they sweat a lot and the level of glycogen in their body goes down. The sports drink contains water, sugar and electrolytes which compensates for the loss of fluid, energy and the electrolytes. If you are not getting involved in any intense workout sessions then this drink can be highly dangerous for your body as you don’t need any additional sugar, fluid and electrolytes. So please avoid drinking it.

Heart Healthy Vegetable Oils:

People are so much influenced with the heart healthy vegetable oils that are present in the supermarkets. They believe that with its consumption, they can protect their heart and keep it healthy. But it is not necessarily true. The methods performed in their extractions are quite complex and involves several processes such as bleaching and addition of hexane which are very much harmful for the human body. As a result these oils have a large amount of Omega 6 fatty acid and trans fats in them which are not at all beneficial. There are chances that you may get diagnosed with the chronic diseases if you consume these types of oils.

Agave Nectar:

You must have seen several advertisements in which the manufacturers claim that their product is sugar free. It is because it contains Agave Nectar and it gives the sweetened taste. While people prefer it as Agave Nectar has low glycemic index and it acts as a wonderful replacement to the actual sugar, they are not aware that it contains unnatural fructose which cause several damages to the human body. Those people who are not very much active or say don’t exercise much, high fructose can lead them to serious diseases which are life threatening. Agave Nectar has 40 % more fructose in it than the actual sugar. So it is better to avoid them.

Energy Bars:

Energy bars are not for such people who have a normal routine. They are very much similar to the sports drink. The ingredients that they have are required only by the specific peoples and if you are not among them, then you should avoid it so that you remain protected. The sports personalities need extra protein intake so as to make them fitter and gain energy. So they eat it in 2-3 hours intervals. If you don’t have such work then there is no need for you to eat these energy bars. They have a lot of ingredients which are harmful for a normal person.

Fat Free Foods:

Today people love to eat those food items which have less fat or absolutely no fat in them as they believe that it is the best way they can keep a check on their health. But this is not at all a wise decision. The absence of fat in the body also leads to several diseases. The fat free foods have several disadvantages. Since they are highly processed and several chemicals and sweeteners are added so as to get rid of the fat contents, they are extremely dangerous for the human body. It is advised that you stay from such food items as their adverse effects can take your precious life from you as well.

Foods Having Low Carbohydrates:

People generally believe that it is good to eat those food items which offer low carbohydrates as they offer several health benefits. The market today is full of such food. For the companies which manufacture such food items, they find it a perfect opportunity to make some cash as people prefer them without knowing that such foods harm them and make them prone to the diseases. The artificial ingredients added in them can cause some serious damage and you can eventually get yourself killed because of its side effects.

Gluten Free Foods:

People today have started to eliminate gluten from their diet completely as they find it one such ingredient which causes them serious trouble. Gluten is found in wheat and barley. So the food items in the markets today are gluten free. But the point which needs attention here is that gluten free foods are not at all healthy. They contain starch and other artificial chemicals which causes several adverse effects on the health. Moreover they also have large sugar content. So you should understand that gluten containing food items are much healthier and the complete absence of gluten can deteriorate your health and cause you trouble.

July 1, 2014
Foods which are best for skin

The nutritious and healthy food is all that you want to have a perfect and blushing skin. Not only it protects the inner body but also shields from the outside. The better and more nutritious food stuff we take in results in more beautiful and vibrant skin. Now a day’s people spend a lot amount of money in buying skin products, but the results out of them are not found to be satisfactory. We can protect our skin by proper exercising, sleeping for adequate amount, avoiding damage from the sun and most importantly by eating healthy and nourishing food items. The right kinds of food items can certainly shield the skin from the effect of environment, location and time. People have become less concerned of what they eat and hence they end up buying expensive cosmetics for their skin. Taking all the necessary nutrients in your diet definitely results in glowing, healthy looking skin. So if you really want the radiant and shining skin then you have to make sure the food items you take in.

Drink a lot: In order to make your skin more flexible, drink a lot to provide it with moisture. Deficiency in the amount of moisture can lead to dry, dull and drained skin. It has been found out that it is necessary to drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. If you are working or move out of your house, make it a habit to carry a bottle of water along with you. Consuming alcohol is damaging for the skin, so avoid extreme amount of it. Teas which do not contain caffeine are also good for the skin.

Almonds: Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and because of that it helps in protecting the skin from the damage of the sun. It has been found out that the people who ingest about 20 almonds a day are more resistant from the exposure to the sun as compared to the people who do not consume almonds. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and hence it is quite beneficial for the skin. So don’t forget to eat almonds every day to have a beautiful and vibrant skin.

Fruits and Vegetables: Effective and necessary antioxidants are present in fruits and vegetables that provides shield to the skin from the cellular ravage that is triggered by the free radicals. These free radicals can lead to wrinkles and age marks on the skin. They are produced by contamination, effluence, smoking as well as sunlight. Proper amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet are very important for healthy and fit skin. Try to include papaya, spinach, pumpkin and sweet potatoes in your diet as they rich in all the necessary nutrients which the skin wants.

Green Tea: Green tea has many benefits like it provides relaxing and soothing effect. Apart from that it contains antioxidants that fight with tenderness, swelling and inflammation. It is also studied that the consumption of green tea may diminish the danger of skin cancer as well. Because of the high amount of antioxidant present in the green tea, it helps in reducing the redness. So it is advised to consume 1 cup of green day every single day.

Guava, Orange, papaya: Vitamin C is considered as an excellent antioxidant. It is very essential for us and provides us with many benefits like it plays a vital role for the robust immune system. It makes the skin glowing, shining and healthy looking. It helps in the healing of the blemishes and the marks. There is wide range of vitamin c rich food items that you can consume. Some of the finest sources include guava, orange, papaya, kiwi and many more. Hence, make your skin looks vibrant and lively as a result of vitamin c rich food stuff.

Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate proves to be very valuable for the skin. The antioxidant present in the dark chocolate is ‘flavonols’ that helps in reducing the coarseness in the skin. It also provides protection from the sun. It acts as a sun blocker. The skin becomes more flexible and agile as the cocoa provides moisture to the skin. A little amount of it every day certainly improves the glow and shine on the skin. The person who consumes it has an advance texture of the skin and he or she is more resistant to the sun rays.

Walnuts: Omega -3 fatty acids are very important for us as it helps in improving the flexibility and agility of the skin. Walnut is very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Apart from that walnut also contains copper, which is a useful mineral that increase the creation of collagen. So in order to get a better skin texture and to make the skin more refreshing eat walnuts every single day.

We all have various creams as well as skin treatments but the skin becomes more beautiful with the intake of nourishing and healthy food products. It is essential that we include the desirable nutrients in our everyday diet to make the skin radiant and fabulous. So make sure that you consume the vital nutrients every single day.

June 28, 2014
Mainstream Nutrition Myths

People generally have a lot of nutrition myths in their knowledge and they follow it as they have heard it from somewhere and consider it as a true fact. But today science and technology has progressed a lot. We no longer live in the world where facts cannot be verified. The scientific studies have proved that the following mentioned myths are baseless and people should ignore them completely. So here we go.

You should eat less salt so as to prevent the heart attacks: Yes you may have heard this myth from a lot of people advising you to eat less salt as in helps in preventing the heart attacks. While this has been proved that eating less salt reduces the blood pressure of the human body to a very slight level, there has not been any link established between the heart attacks and the salt consumptions. If you are suffering from hypertension then salt intake should be restricted to prescribed limit. So don’t go for the boring and tasteless food. Eat as such as salt you feel like.

Having several small meals is more beneficial for health: people often argue that that those who eat several small meals in a day are more active as their metabolism rate is higher than the people who eat at the fixed timings. This is again a myth and it is not correct. The activeness of the human body depends upon the calories that are burnt throughout the day. So if you are having 6-7 small meals or going for the regular 3 meals, the effects will be same. Eating very often can also increase the abdominal fats which is very harmful.

You should go for foods which have high carbohydrates and low fats: Now this is one such myth which is extremely popular. You must have often heard people saying that one should eat food items which have high carbohydrates and low fats, as in this way you can prevent the body from any sort of disease and stay healthy. Further they also help in losing weight and prevent the risk of cancer. This is completely baseless. There has been several studies conducted on this myth but none has been able to give results which can support this claim.

Avoid eating yolks in eggs as they have high cholesterol and causes heart disease: I mean seriously you believe this myth. Yolk has the tremendous source of essential vitamins and minerals which the body requires for proper functioning. It has a high amount of good cholesterols which are essential for the human beings and clearly it does not cause the heart attacks. If you are diabetic then surely you should not eat eggs. But if you are healthy then you must eat eggs as they are among the most nutritious foods that we have. So who so ever tells you to stop eating yolk or eggs, ask them to read about the benefits of eating eggs and get their facts corrected.

Avoid coffee as it is unhealthy: You must have been advised by your loved ones that you should not drink coffee too much as it contains caffeine which is not only dangerous for the health but also gets you addicted towards it. But the latest studies conducted have yielded different results. According to them, coffee offers several health benefits and so you should drink it more often. It is a wonderful source of the antioxidants and helps people in getting rid of the depression and diabetes.

Say no to high protein diets: Most of the people believe that diets which are high in proteins such as the chickens and meats causes the extra strain on the kidneys and make it prone to the diseases. Result of which can lead to the kidney failure. But this is not at all true. The protein intake is completely safe for the people who are healthy and only those people who have kidney diseases should stop themselves from eating protein rich foods. Proteins act as a wonderful agent which suppresses the appetite and helps in the weight loss process.

Avoid full fat dairy products: you must have seen people opting for the toned milk instead of the full cream milk. It is because they believe that fully fat dairy products have a high amount of the calories and saturated fats present in them which results in the increase of obesity and the risk of the heart disease. But none of studies conducted so far have not been able to prove these myths as a true fact. The dairy products are preferred as they have high amount of fat in them and so if you choose to go for the less fat products then it is surely a bad idea.

Sugar is not harmful for the human body: We use sugars in several drinks and food items daily without paying attention towards the amount of sugar that we are consuming. Excess sugar consumption has several health disadvantages. You should check the consumption of sugar as it provides the empty calories which are not good for the healthy body. Not only it can cause you obesity, diabetes but it also affects the metabolic reactions going inside the human body.

June 28, 2014
FIVE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR HEALTHY SKIN AND WHERE TO FIND THEM!!

Skin-care is probably the most overrated issue in our life. With the flooding of creams, face-washes and other products in the market, beauty is arguably the most profit-generating venture. There are day creams, night creams, anti-aging, wrinkle-lift, fairness creams, cold-creams and what not!! I am sincerely waiting for noon creams, evening creams, summer creams, spring creams and most importantly, anti-dumbness creams. When all these creams don’t suffice, people flock to the parlors and salons for various treatments like bleaching and de-tanning.A little application of moisturizers and sunscreens is necessary for protecting our skin. Agreed!! Also,messages are very helpful in improving blood-circulation to the skin and relaxation. Agreed again!! But at the same time,there is a hoard of unnecessary products in the market that are simply aimed at duping huge sums of money from people.. The photo shopped images of celebs and models further push people towards parlours and beauty-treatments. The drive for that radiant flawless skin has never been stronger. Ironically, when the drive for looking younger and prettier is stronger than ever before, people have forgotten the essentials of ever-lasting beauty. In fact, the secrets of beauty are highly mis-understood.The old adage- You become what you eat, is long forgotten!! This leads to many problems like premature-aging,chemical burns etc. The safest and the longer-lasting ways to a healthy, glowing skin is probably the easiest too- eating right, exercising and protecting from sun!! So, let me take you to a tour into the beautiful kingdom of delicacies that will make your skin glow like never before!!

1. VITAMIN E

When our body comes in contact with external influences like Sun exposure, chemicals etc., some molecules constituting our body get oxidized and produce free-radicals. Free-radicals are extremely unstable molecules and they take electrons from neighboring molecules to gain stability. This induces a chain reaction that produces more such radicals, thereby causing severe damage to skin cells and collagen, the main structural protein of our body. This results in aging, fine-lines and wrinkles. Our body thus needs antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Vitamin E is an extremely powerful antioxidant and thus, the route to longer youth. It is found in avocado, almonds. Hazelnuts, corn oils etc.

2. VITAMIN C

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an elixir for your skin. Vitamin C is known to aid the production of Collagen, the main structural protein that makes up for about 25-35% of the whole body protein content. Collagen strengthens the capillaries supplying the skin and also helps in cell growth. Thus, Vitamin C is essential for skin repair and maintenance. Moreover, Being an anti-oxidant, it is also known to neutralize the free-radicals. It also reduces the effects of long-term effects of sun exposure like skin cancers. The main sources of Ascorbic acid are – Guava, Oranges, Lemons, Strawberries, Blueberries and other citrus fruits.

3. ZINC

Zinc is the goldmine of skin benefits. It is primarily responsible for carrying out repair work. Sebum is an oily secretion by sebaceous glands to keep our hair and skin moisturized. When secreted in excess, it can cause a variety of problems like Acne. Zinc helps counteract the damage to skin caused due to acne by reducing the amount of sebum secreted and repairing the scarred skin around acne. Zinc is one of the main constituents of almost all Sunscreen products because it provides protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. It’s anti-cancerous properties further reduces chances of skin cancer due to repeated exposure of sun. It is also important for a healthy scalp and provides protection against skin ailments such as burns, boils, eczema etc. Zinc is found in abundance in fish, meat, whole grains, nuts, sea-food, seeds etc.

4. OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATS

Omega-3 fatty acids particularly, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) regulate oil production in the body and keeps your hair and skin hydrated. Without these essential fats, your scalp and skin will become dry and flaky. Apart from this, these fatty acids are very powerful anti-oxidants as well and thus, protect our skin from free-radical damage. They are also associated with skin maintenance and repairs and have anti-inflammatory action. For this reason, they are used for providing relief in skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis etc. They, however, cannot be produced by body and has to be obtained from outside. Chief sources include- flax-seed oil, linseed, walnut and rapeseed oil.

5.LOW GI-CARBS

Clear skin-tone, freedom from acne and a slim waistline, you name it and you have it!! Low GI carbs are your one-stop solution to all beauty-related problems. As opposed to high GI carbohydrates like sweets, potatoes etc. , low GI carbs release sugar in the blood-stream slowly. This makes you feel full for longer duration and also, helps avoid a situation known as hyperinsulinemia (excess of insulin in blood)which is often associated with acne. The main sources of low GI carbs include beans, pulses, porridge etc.

Once you start regulating your diet to include these products, you would feel a new re-flux of energy in your life. But don’t be too impatient. It takes about 6 weeks for a new layer of epidermal cells to form on your body. So, the diet changes would also take as much to provide visible results!! A little care and control today can guard your beauty forever!!

June 28, 2014