De-stressing techniques while at work

  Organize your work desk: Make sure your desk isn't cluttered with anything beyond the essential items you use often, like a cup of pencils, notepad, and your phone, as well as the few visually-appealing items you've chosen for resting your eyes. You will feel less stressed at work if your desk is more organized.  The more manageable your workspace feels, the more in control of your work and life you will feel.   Get some fresh air: If you are cooped up inside all day, take a few minutes to get outside and see the sun. A little time in the great outdoors can improve your mood and help you relax. Take a stroll around and your will feel refreshed when you get back to your work.   Soothe your mind by striking a conversation with friends: Make friends with your coworkers. Maybe you feel stressed at work because you feel like you're in your own little bubble and have no one to talk to during the day. Though you don't have to become best friends with your coworkers, just getting to know them over a quick lunch or a break in the coffee room can help you feel like you have people who are in the same boat and can understand your struggles.   Change is the only constant. Just go for it: Sometimes the best way to obtain stress relief is to remove your source of tension. If you are in a job working at a certain pace in an environment that is objectively painful because of your boss, coworkers, and so on, and you’re doing it because you can earn 10 percent more money than doing something else, you could calculate that you might be better off doing something else.   Meditation could prove to be a stress buster: Meditating right at your desk or on the floor for just twenty minutes a day can help you feel more relaxed and in control of your days. To mediate, just find a comfortable seat in a quiet place and rest your hands on your lap, straighten your posture, and focus on relaxing your body one part at a time.Close your eyes and take in all of the sounds and sensations as you breathe in and out.You can also meditate right before work to make for a less stressful day in the workplace.   Write down a to-do list about the work at hand: Though you may be married to your computer, you should take breaks to write down a few things, from your daily to-do list to some information you received over the phone. Writing down some words, even if they aren't essential to your job, can give your mind a break from the computer screen and can refocus your energies and make you feel less overwhelmed about the work at hand.

Sun Exposure for Longer Life

A new health research revealed that people who don't avoid sun exposure in their daily life have a higher chance of living longer than those who avoid sun exposure due to various reasons such as getting tanned, getting dizzy, also due to climatic conditions in their geographic region. Although over exposure to sun has been related to skin cancer. Analytical information on over 29,000 Women belonging to Sweden who were observed for 20years reveals that the more the sun exposure, the lesser the heart disease issues, and also the longer the life expenctancy in women. It was also said that those with non-sun exposure had the same risk as Smokers with higher Sun exposure habits, meaning, avoiding Sun is as dangerous as smoking ! There is a thin difference between Over exposure and Required levels of Sun exposure.   The study was initially designed to analyze the rate of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that is caused to due to over exposure to sun..but as the study started, it was observed that women who sun bathed daily had lower risk of cardiovascular heart disease and also deaths among them were not due to cancers...however, as they live longer their risk of skin cancer would also continue until the end. All this explains that Vitamin D is so valuable for life...the percentage of Vitamin D deficiency in ones body is the rate at which the body is targeted with numerous health problems.     Lower levels of Vitamin D3 play a major role in the development of various killing degenerative diseases. Deficiency and side effects of this vitamin are the most commonly occuring diseases around the world and D3 supplementation is the most cost effective, affordable treatment to avoid such harmful diseases like Skin, Breast, Colon and other kinds of cancers, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease like Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes etc. Many of us are beauty conscious and have modern health concerns that donot allow us to look beyond Sun tanning and Skin cancer problems due to Sun exposure..but it has been scientifically proved that human body needs a daily dose of vitamin D3, and when it is not provided enough, the organs fall apart, surrendering to various health problems that are life-taking.   Everyone of us needs to learn the right ways to nourish our bodies with the required D3 vitamin, daily..instead of procrastinating regular D3 checkups to know if one is deficient, forgetting to follow supplimentation if recommended ( due to no sufficient Sun shine in the geographic region), and not following up on the caught up D3 levels after supplimentation course ends...it is a vitamin crucial for life, required daily..not occasionally ! Are you Vitamin D friendly? - Prathyusha

Summer foods

      Watermelon:     Watermelon is summer’s most popular vegetable. It is part of the cucumber, pumpkin, and squash family.   Mango:     Mangoes are high in vitamins A and C. Eat one cup of sliced mangoes, and you've covered about 25 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin A (which is good for your eyesight)   Tomato:     Slicing 1 cup of raw tomato (about one medium-sized fruit) for your lunchtime salad gives you as much as 40 percent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin C and 20 percent of your daily vitamin A -- all for just about 35 calories and zero fat   Water:     Water helps keep your body hydrated, which is important for keeping all of your bodily systems working properly. It keeps tissues moist and cells healthy, and it helps remove toxins and waste. It helps the body regulate temperature and helps prevent dehydration   Bell Peppers/ Capsicum :     Bell peppers make a colorful addition to a snack, salad or meal, but there's more to this crunchy fruit (yes, bell pepper is technically a fruit, rather than a vegetable) than meets the eye. Sweet bell peppers are low in calories and high in vitamins. One-half of a cup of green, red or yellow bell peppers contains more than 230 percent of your recommended daily vitamin C intake, and only 20 calories Beans and Legumes:     Beans and legumes such as black beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils and soybeans are good sources of antioxidants for cell health, as well as B vitamins, folate, calcium, iron, potassium and protein. They're also full of fiber. Leafy Greens:     Greens are full of the cell-protecting and repairing antioxidants vitamins C and A, and contain protein and iron, as well as B vitamins and fiber. They also contain a lot of water, which will help keep you hydrated during hot summer days. Green Tea:     Green tea is packed full of healthy antioxidants, similar to those found in blueberries, grapes and pomegranates, and it's those antioxidants that help keep us healthy.Green tea may help reduce your risk of all sorts of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, stroke and heart disease.   Cucumber:     Cucumbers. You can put them on your eyes to help reduce redness and puffiness. You can put them in your water to add a punch of flavor to a cold beverage. And they make a tasty high-fiber, low-calorie snack.   Avocado:     Avocados find their way onto salads, into dressings and on top of burgers with regularity, so it's a good thing that they're full of all sorts of healthy things, including fiber, vitamins B5, B6, C, K, folate and potassium, as well as cell-protecting antioxidants. Blueberry:     Blueberries may reduce the risk of developing harmful plaques in your arteries, which in turn reduces your risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke. ...Divya

6 benefits of including Flax Seeds in your diet

    Want to save yourself from all the issues associated with hypertension? Then start consuming flax seeds on a daily basis. After a recent study was done researchers discovered that flaxseed oil consumption resulted in significantly lowering of blood pressure people.     Type 2 Diabetes can be controlled by consumption of Flax seeds as they have Lignans present in them which work effectively in controlling. Research also shows that a daily intake of flax builds up insulin sensitivity in glucose intolerant people. This is because of the high level of soluble fibers in flax. Consumption of a table spoon of ground flax seeds for a month has shown to improve fasting blood sugar levels.     Depression hurts. Every moment of your day can be impacted by it. There are plenty of antidepressants that doctors may prescribe, but a simple dietary addition may also prove useful. A study found that significant depression levels frequently went hand in hand with lower levels of docosahexaenoic and eicosapentanoic acids (found in various foods including fish, walnuts and flax) in patients. If you’re depressed and haven’t yet investigated the effects your diet maybe having on you, now is the time to start!   Flax seed is an excellent addition to the diet if you are looking to shed some extra pounds and stay healthy. The high fiber content in flax makes it heavier as it absorbs fluids and expands in volume that keeps the tummy fuller for a longer time and check cravings and over eating. This is highly favorable for weight loss.   If high cholesterol is left untreated your arteries could become clogged, leading to a heart attack or stroke. Studies indicate that flaxseed can help.Interesting fact here is that it only has the ability to lower the cholesterol of men. So, while researchers caution that it cannot match the cholesterol-lowering effects of prescription medication, if you’re looking for a drug-free, relatively inexpensive way to treat your problem, consider taking flaxseed lignan tablets or sprinkling some ground flaxseed overtop of your meals.   Flax seeds have a high level of omega 3 fatty acid and Lignans present in them which help in combating prostate cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer. Three types of Lignans found in flax seed are-secoisolariciresinol, matairesinol and pinoresinol that have the capacity to affect the hormonal workings and control hormone related cancers and hormone dependent tumors. ..Divya

Group Singing can tackle Parkinson's symptoms

  Parkinson's disease was not so known just a few years ago but it is heard more often these days...a degenerative functioning of the central nervous system causing Parkinson's, with symptoms commonly as Shaking, slowness in movement and later resulting to Sleep, Emotional problems too. It is a disorder of the brain and the nervous system and hence directly affects the emotional status of the person suffering. Ones emotional mood changes occur due to the biochemical reactions caused to the disease, sametime, they can be the sideffects of the medications that are used to capture the disease.   More than half of those affected by Parkinson's end up dealing with Depression due to the brain's disfunctioning and most of them are in denial that they actually have been detected with Parkinson's and tend to express more anger and frustration. They also encounter Loneliness due to sudden Non-Socializing behaviour due to their inactive mobility, as their movements get slower and they tend to be shaky, all these symptoms make them feel disinterested and discouraging to social with others, due to the fear of rejection.   Family and friends play an important role in helping those suffering with Parkinson's cope with the symtoms such as depression and lack of interest to socialize. They shall assure one of a better future and of days ahead with more family encouragement and involvement. Helping one to attend psychotherapy sessions to cope with depression and lack of confidence also makes things better. Many medicines promise to provide relief from symptoms, and also to reduce the damaging effects yet, a new research states that Group Singing can releive certain symptoms of the disease, that cannot be tackled so well through medication. Voice impairments are few other symptoms that occur in this disease, the voice becomes shaky and then the voice levels and pitch reduce at later stages.   Some interventions and medications came forward to treat the voice based discomfort situation but there have been more drop-outs as the stages passed. A research group at Iowa State University, USA conducted a study to find out if group singing can handle the symtoms and provide relief, at the sametime, improving the quality of life for the patients. After two months of conducting the research on 27 patients, they observed that singing in a group can improve their pitch loudness, swallowing ability and vocal control. This method also gave them more confidence to make friends and develop a pastime which lets them overcome boredom and forget their fears and worries for a while. Singing is such a boon that can treat many disorders, not just the Parkinson's.

8 Magnesium Rich foods for healthy body function

    Magnesium and calcium make a wonderful health duo. When you’re getting enough magnesium, this makes it easier for your body to absorb calcium and put it to good use. Whole milk is high in both calcium and magnesium. Drink more throughout the week and you can help your bones stay strong and healthy while preventing osteoporosis.     Dark chocolate, as it turns out, is good for your heart, brain, and blood sugar (in small doses, that is!) and also neutralize free radicals, harmful molecules that can damage your cells and lead to disease. It’s full of antioxidants, vitamin, and minerals, including magnesium.     Nuts are nutritious, tasty and versatile. Several types are high in magnesium, including almonds, cashew nuts.           Bananas provide vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and fiber. They are best known for their high potassium content, which can lower blood pressure and is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. Bananas are also very high in magnesium.       Flaxseed is a versatile super food that you’d be wise to incorporate into your diet today. Just one tablespoon provides 10% of the recommended amount of magnesium per day. It’s easy to include a tablespoon or two into your diet by sprinkling flaxseed over your meals, mixing it in your juice, or blending it with a fruit smoothie.     Pumpkin seeds are a great source of Vitamin E, copper, antioxidants, and magnesium. A half-cup serving of pumpkin seeds provides 369 milligrams of magnesium—nearly 100% of the recommended value for the day.         Dates are packed with vitamins and minerals, including magnesium. A 100-gram serving adds up to 11% of the average person’s daily magnesium needs.         Black-eyed peas are nutritional powerhouses that provide your body with high levels of fiber, potassium, protein, and iron. ..Divya

Can foods really boost Healthy Tresses

    Hair tresses are one major concerning matters of the day, every adult worries about his/her hair health during some point in a day. Whether my hair will be thicker like that during my teenage, will it have delayed greying, will it stop having split ends, when will it grow longer,,,i dont want bald head anymore !? these are all the concerns one has about tresses. Nutrition promises of giving us healthy hair..there are many vegetables, meats and natural oils extracted from nuts and vegetables that can actively promote healthy hair.     Zinc is an important mineral for hair strength and fullness...deficiency of Zinc causes hair to loose fullness amd look weak. Oysters, lobsters, beef and such have high content of zinc that gives fullness and strength to hair. Considering to take supplements of any and all required nutrients and vitamins also helps cover deficiencies and gain good results. Eggs are rich in their vitamin B content which helps grow hair...low vitamin B content in body causes hair loss and brittle nails too. Even Iron and Protein requirements of the body are covered by consuming Eggs. Beef, Dark leafy greens also provide rich iron supplements to the body. Protein contents in meats and eggs boosts the richness of hair texture and fullness. Spinach, Kale and other leafy greens have iron, betacarotene, vitamin C sufficient for strong hair, without brittleness, vitamin C in fruits such as Guava also help restore the anti-breakage feature of hair..causing hair to stay away from split ends and brittleness. Omega-3 in Salmon fish, Chia seeds amd Flax seeds can boost the shine of hair...making hair look stunning without having to apply artificial shine oils and mousses.     All these said and done...why does not everyone of us still have beautiful and perfect hair as some of our friends have...even though they dont have better eating habits? I doubt the quality of foods and lifestyle that manipulates the difference. Foods grown using Pesticides and fertilizers might look oh-so-perfect for consumption, giving us a fake feeling of great health, but the true story is...they are not able to supply the correct nutrition to the body. These veggies and foods just look and taste good..but the body is smarter, it knows there are harmful items around the layers of these foods and rejects those, resulting in no right supply of nutrition for us....the more the stress and strain, the lesser the body relaxes to function well..all these elements act in combinations to showcase signs of health...healthy hair, baldness, delayed greying, early wrinkles and etc...foods can boost healthy hair but only when they are grown without manipulations and only when our mind is happy and absorbs those foods correctly...! ...Prathyusha

Protein rich foods to build muscle mass

  Generally Athletes seek to build muscle mass for strength, while keeping their body weight low....same could be the requirement for those whose knee joints are not strong and who had undergone knee replacement surgeries too...Doctors suggest gaining muscle mass to few others whose health needs are such..and for those in Athletics and Sports or Body Building business, the more the body weight, the more energy it takes to propel that weight through the motions of the sport and since fat doesnot exert forces or allow them to be fast in motion, it is obvious that their goal should be to reduce the body fat through diet alongside developing the good muscle.   Body needs protein every day amd if we concentrate on the protein levels in our food during only one meal of the day, it disappears by the time its the next meal, and so a recent study in Nutrition and Metabolism suggests one to split the daily protein requirement equally among the different meals of the day so that the body is always running on fuel without falling apart. The study reveals that the new protein requirement per day for an average healthy adult is 0.6 grams per every pound of body weight compared to the old estimate of 0.4 grams of protein per every pound.   If we are looking to get stronger, build muscle and also loose fat, here are some ideal strength building foods to include in ones diet: Nuts: Cashewnuts, Almonds, Groundnuts (peanuts) and other available nuts are ideal as protein sources, especially for the vegetarians. Nuts contain substantial protein and healthy fat levels that reduce body inflammation and excellently improve cardiovascular health. There is always a control on the amounts consumed per day, too much consumption is not beneficial either.   Complex Carbs: To provide good fuel to the body, complex slow release carbohydrates are at their best...they digest slowly and release their energy gradually and provide long-lasting fuel to the muscles during workouts and sports. Quinoa, Oats, Brown rice, Sweet potatoes are perfect examples of top quality carbohydrates.   Lean Meat, Fish and Eggs: There are some good and wide variety of options for those who consume meat, eggs and fish for buidling muscle and also to keep a check on weight. Lean Meats are the white meats with a low saturated fat content, such as Chicken and Turkey, and provide upto 30 grams of protein per serving. Same with Fish, Tuna, Sardines, Salmon are some best examples for high protein options. Just on egg white in a typical sized egg contains about 5-6 grams of protein, making it a power food...but the egg yolk contains fat. Eggs come with other nutrients such as Choline and Vitamins B12 and D which help keep energy levels up. Animal based protein comes along with these nutrients and essential amino acids.   Maintaining a healthy level of protein and muscle mass is essential for every human body...while protein rich foods are various, smartness lies in choosing those which support fat and weight control and also build healthy muscle! ..Prathyusha

బలాన్నిచ్చే బెల్లం

ఎక్కువగా స్వీట్స్ ఇష్టపడేవాళ్ళు తీపి తింటే లావుగా అయిపోతామని భయపడుతూ ఉంటారు. అవే స్వీట్స్ బెల్లంతో చేస్తే ఆ ప్రమాదం చాలా మటుకు తగ్గుతుందని చెప్తున్నారు ఆరోగ్య నిపుణులు. బెల్లం పంచదారకన్నా అన్నివిధాల మేలు అని ఇప్పటికే ఎన్నో ప్రయోగాలు తెలియచేసాయ్. మనం అన్నం తినగానే చిన్న బెల్లం ముక్క తింటే అరుగుదల బాగుంటుందిట, అందుకేనేమో మన పెద్దవాళ్ళు అలా తినేవారు.  అంతేకాదు బెల్లంతో కలిగే ప్రయోజనాలు తెలుసుకుంటే, ఇన్ని ఉన్నాయా అని ఆశ్చర్యం కలగక మానదు.   బెల్లానికి ఉన్న ప్రధాన లక్షణం రక్తాన్ని శుద్ది చేయటం. బెల్లాన్ని తరచూ తినటం వల్ల అది రక్తంలో ఉన్న దోషాలని తీసిపారేసి మనం ఆరోగ్యంగా ఉండటానికి దోహదపడుతుంది. అంతేకాదు రోగనిరోధక శక్తిని కూడా పెంచుతుంది.     ఒంట్లో నీరసంగా ఉన్నప్పుడు కాస్తంత బెల్లం తింటే చాలు మళ్లీ పోయిన శక్తి పుంజుకొస్తుంది. ఎందుకంటే ఇందులో ఉండే కార్బోహైడ్రేట్ లు రక్తంలో త్వరగా ఇంకిపోయి మనిషికి బలాన్నిస్తాయి.     దగ్గుగా ఉన్నప్పుడు తీపి తింటే అది ఇంకా ఉదృతం అవుతుంది. కాని బెల్లంలో అల్లం, తేనే కలిపి పరగడుపునే తీసుకుంటే దగ్గు నుంచి ఉపశమనం లభిస్తుంది.     బెల్లంలో ఐరన్ శాతం ఎక్కువగా ఉండటం వల్ల అది ఎముకులకి, కీళ్లకి ఎంతో మేలు చేస్తుంది. రోజులో కనీసం 10 గ్రాముల బెల్లం తిన్నా చాలు (అంటే చిన్న ముక్క) లేదా గ్లాసు పాలల్లో బెల్లం కలుపుకుని తాగినా ఆర్థరైటిస్ లాంటి వాటిని కూడా దూరం చేస్తుంది.         అతిగా ఎక్కిళ్ళు వచ్చేవారు బెల్లంలో అల్లంరసం  కలుపుకుని తాగితే ఉపశమనం కలుగుతుంది. ఇది శ్వాస సంబందిత సమస్యలను కూడా తాగిస్తుంది.     బెల్లంలో పొటాషియం, సోడియంల శాతం ఎక్కువగా ఉండటం వల్ల అది ఆసిడ్ లెవెల్స్ ని సరైన స్థాయిల్లో ఉండేలా చూసి బిపి ని తగ్గిస్తుంది.     ఎండాకాలంలో మన కడుపు చల్లగా ఉండాలంటే బెల్లం షర్బత్ తాగితే చాలు. వేసవిలో వచ్చే అతివేడిని బెల్లం తగ్గించగలదు.     ఆడవాళ్ళకి నెలసరి సమయంలో వచ్చే కడుపునొప్పికి బెల్లం ఒక దివ్యౌషదం. అలాంటి సమయంలో ఒకొక్కరికి అతిగా ఉద్రేక పడటం లేదా విపరీతమైన నీరసం మొదలైన సమస్యలు (PMS సమస్యలు) ఉంటాయి, అవన్నీ బెల్లం తీసుకోవటం వల్ల క్రమంగా తగ్గుతాయి.     రెండు వంతుల బెల్లంలో ఒక వంతు ఆవునెయ్యి కలుపుకుని పరగడుపునే తింటే మామూలు తలనొప్పులే కాదు మైగ్రైన్ లాంటి మొండి తలనొప్పులు కూడా పోతాయి.     పొడి దగ్గు ఉన్నవాళ్ళు కొబ్బరిలో బెల్లం కలిపి కొబ్బరి ఉండల్లా తింటే దగ్గు తగ్గుతుంది. కొబ్బరి తింటే దగ్గు పెరుగుతుందని చాల మంది అనుకుంటారు. కాని ఈ బెల్లం కొబ్బరుండల వల్ల దగ్గు తగ్గుతుందో లేదో మీరే టెస్ట్ చేసి చూడండి చాలు.     వేసవిలో వచ్చే పండగలైన ఉగాదికి, శ్రీరామనవమికి పానకం పంచిపెట్టటానికి ఒక కారణం ఉంది. నీళ్ళల్లో బెల్లం, మిరియాలు, యాలకులు వేసుకుని ఆ పానకం తాగితే చాలా చలవ చేస్తుంది. మన పెద్దవాళ్ళు ఏం చేసినా మనమంచికే అని మరోసారి నిరూపించారు కదా.   ఇది అసలే కొత్త సంవత్సరం మొదలయ్యే సమయం. కొత్త ఏడాదితో పాటు కొత్త బెల్లం వచ్చే సమయం. మరెందుకు ఆలస్యం, బెల్లం తినాలన్నా కొత్త నిర్ణయాన్ని కూడా తీసేసుకోండి మరి ఆలస్యం ఎందుకు.... ----కళ్యాణి

6 Healthy early morning habits to lose weight the right way!

  Morning is the optimal time to get your metabolism revved up for the day and your body ready to fight fat. Changing up your morning routine to lose weight more effectively may feel awkward at first. But once your modifications become habits, you may find your slenderizing efforts very worthwhile.     Get a good nights sleep the previous day: Not only do you have more energy to take on the day after a good night’s sleep, but your body also torches calories, even when you’re not working out. If you’re not getting the sleep your body needs, you won’t drop as much fat even if you work out. An average adult would need 7-8hrs of sound sleep.     Drink warm water: Warm water can boost weight loss by stimulating metabolism. Regular in take will regulate blood sugar better, improve kidney function and reduce sugar cravings. It can also relieve constipation and fires up your digestive system for breakfast.     Sweat it out: Wake up 40 minutes earlier than usual and do a 30-minute workout in the morning, before breakfast, instead of in the afternoon or evening. It’s easy to put off exercise after a hard day of work; in the morning, procrastination is harder to justify. Also, take a stroll in the morning to get your share of Vitamin D, which, when lower than desired levels makes you gain weight     Have a protein rich diet: The golden rule to losing weight is to never skip your breakfast. The heaviest of the meals in the day should be your breakfast as it helps you give an energetic kick start the day. Include a lot of proteins in your diet like paneer, meat, fish, cheese, tofu, beans, lentils, yogurt, eggs, nuts, and seeds.     Staying positive and focused helps: Those who were naturally mindful had experienced less irregular mood swings. Rather than trying to kick-start this habit when faced with your first meal, begin your morning with mindfulness instead: Take a few minutes at the start of each day to sit quietly and focus on the rhythm of your breath     Pack a punch for lunch: Taking home made healthy food along while going for work makes you stay away from unhealthy snacking. ..Divya

Miracles having a lemon juice could do to your health!

Lemon juice can do wonders to your health.Here are a few of them just for you   Strengthens your immunity system: Lemon helps to strengthen your immunity system and cleanses your stomach. It is not only a blood purifier but also enables body to fight diseases. Also useful for treating kidney stones, curing heart strokes and reducing the body temperature given this super hot weather.   Aids in having a healthy skin: Lemon juice improves collagen levels and repairs tissue damage. Vitamin C also acts as an anti-oxidant helping prevent wrinkles, sunburn and fights free radicals which can cause blemishes and acne.   Helps in control blood pressure: Lemon is loaded with Vitamin C and Potassium, both of which are found lacking in a High Blood Pressure patient and both of which help control blood pressure.   Helps in dealing with mental stress: Individuals with a weak immune system are prone to lose Vitamin C from their bodies whenever they are faced with stress. Plus lemon juice has a very calming effect on our nerves, which makes it the perfect go to drink this summer.   Helps in normal functioning of heart: The high Potassium content helps those suffering from heart problems immensely as potassium helps in maintaining a normal heart function.   Helps you stay fit: Lemon juice works on the accumulated fat of your body. Regular intake of lemon juice and honey mixed with lukewarm water can do a magic to the shape of your body this summer. ..divya

Dark Chocolate can be a Workout Booster

  According to a new study, published in a sports journal last December, researchers at Kingston University in England found that dark chocolate might be a potent performance enhancer, specially in the case of Athletes, if the Chocolate amounts were consumed carefully. Eight male recreational cyclists, the study subjects were given a little dark chocolate every day. Four cyclists were asked to replace one of their normal sweets or desserts with 40 grams dark chocolate, to avoid weight gain per day. Four others were given 40 grams of white chocolate, every day, for two weeks. After this study period ended, all the athletes were called for a physical examination and surprisingly, thise subjects who were supplemented with dark chocolate ran an extra tenth of mile compared to them who consumed white chocolate for two weeks.     Dark chocolate is proved to be good for health with quite a good number if benefits and studies show that small amounts of dark chocolate every day may have benefits for heart and brain too. Most of the above mentined research focused on the existence of a substance called Epicatechin, a plant nutrient found in Cocoa. It is found more in Dark chocolate as this variety of chocolate has more percentage of Cocoa than Milk chocolate and White Chocolate. Epicatechin is known to enable blood vessels to release extra nitric oxide, improving functioning of veins and arteries, blood flow and cardiac function, and also the ability to pump more oxygen into blood cells.   With all these physiological benfits, Epicatechin in Dark Chocolate is suspected to help improve athletic performance in cyclists and other athletes. Researchers suggest those who want to improve their physical performace in Workouts and Athletics to supplement their diet with not more than 40 grams of Dark Chocolate daily. If thwy want to consume Dark chocolate with milk, then skim/fatfree milk is better to keep a check on body weight. Offering dark chocolate squares to children and adults for snacking in limited quantities, every day, is a healthy habit...then would you buy a dark chocolate bar when visiting a friend's place instead of cakes and sweets, or white chocolates? ..Prathyusha

Common Allergy Facts

Allergy...we Indians are pretty aware of this term from childhood....mostly occurs due to dust exposure or an insect bite, according to 90% of us but Allergies are different kinds, among which food allergies are less noticed in India, whereas thet are highly identified if occuring among children and treated well too. Increasing levels of pollution have been doubling up the amount of dust poured into the environment, although the immunity levels have not been doubling up, instead they are slowing down. Natural Immunity of human body was increasing and well maintained during the previous generations due to their better quality of food and lifestyle, and it is reducing due to pollution and drastic fall of food quality and lifestyle too. Increased stress levels and insufficient sleep needs due to technology and personal communication gadgets such as mobiles and tablets, lack of sleep has become so common and highly ignored. Due to all these reasons, body's disease fighting abilities are disturbed. Even the Drug quality has been tampered that they cannot make ones health better, in turn, it deteriorates at times. Allergies are considered not so disturbing in India, they are petty health issues for most of us.   Food allergies, dust allergies, material allergies, sun allergy, pollen allergy, pet allergies are the most commonly heard and commonly occuring alllergies. Some children are allergic to Peanuts ( groundnuts) and dairy. Some start sneezing soon as they come in contact with a dusty item or as they start to clean a house or even wipe a coffee table. Some start to have rashes on skin as soon as they get exposed to Sun, or their facial skin turns red and patchy. Pollen allergy is similar to Flu, with severe cold and sneezing. To experience an allergy sympton and fight it is a big headache.. With proper dietery care and sanitation around, we can keep frequent colds away from children and als make sure we stay safe from falling sick everytime the climate changes or the season changes...avoid back to back sneezing during pollen season and also look funny with patches and rashes due to climatic reasons, and look silly with an itchy hand everytime someone's pet comes closer,to him/her. . A fit and toned body that thrives on healthy diet and happy mind can fight such allergic struggles too !! Parents can teach their kids to be healthy and unaware of the word 'falling sick' by setting up examples of their own - Prathyusha

వాటర్ థెరఫితో వ్యాధులు మటుమాయం ( ఈ రోజు వరల్డ్ వాటర్ డే)

నీళ్ళతో వ్యాధులు మయమవుతాయంటే నమ్ముతారా. ఇదేమి కొత్తగా కనిపెట్టిన చికిత్స కాదు. మన పూర్వకాలం నుంచి మన పెద్దవాళ్ళు ఆచరిస్తూ వస్తున్నవిధానమే, ఈ మధ్య కాలంలో కొన్ని కొత్త పోకడలతో వాటర్ థెరఫీగా మళ్లీ మనముందుకొచ్చింది. ఈ చికిత్సతో ఎన్నో ప్రాణాంతకమైన వ్యాధులు కూడా తగ్గుముఖం పడతాయని చెప్తున్నారు వైధ్యులు. మనకొచ్చే తలనొప్పి, జ్వరం మొదలుకొని బిపి, షుగర్, ఆఖరికి కాన్సర్ లాంటి వ్యాధుల్ని కూడా నయం చేసే శక్తి ఈ చికిత్సకు ఉందిట. ఇంతకీ ఈ చికిత్సా విధానం ఏంటా అని అనుకుంటున్నారా. మొదట్లో కాస్త కష్టంగా ఉన్నా అలవాటయితే ఇంతేనా అనిపిస్తుంది ఎవరికైనా. నీళ్ళతో రోగాలను దూరం చేసుకోవటానికి మనం చెయ్యాల్సిందల్లా ఉదయం నిద్ర లేవగానే (నోరు కూడా కడుక్కోకుండా) 5 నుంచి 6 గ్లాసుల నీళ్ళు అంటే 1 1/2 లీటర్ల నీళ్ళు తాగటమే. దీనినే మన పూర్వికులు ఉషః పాన చికిత్స అనేవారు.     ఈ చికిత్స మొదలుపెట్టిన వాళ్ళు ముందు రోజు రాత్రి ఎలాంటి మత్తు పానీయాలు సేవించకూడదట. అలాగే ఈ నీళ్ళు తాగటానికి గంట ముందు, నీళ్ళు తాగాక గంట తరవాత ఏమి తినకూడదు. కనీసం కాఫీ, టీ లాంటివి కూడా పుచ్చుకోకూడదు. మొదట్లో ఒకేసారి 5, 6 గ్లాసుల నెలలు తాగటానికి అలవాటు లేక ఇబ్బందిగా ఉండచ్చు. అందుకని ఇది మొదలుపెట్టిన మొదటి కొన్ని రోజులు ముందు 3,4 గ్లాసుల నీరు తాగి కాస్త గ్యాప్ ఇచ్చిమళ్లీ ఇంకో రెండు గ్లాసుల నీరు  తాగచ్చు. ఈ విధానంలో గంటలో మూడు నాలుగు సార్లు బాత్రూంకి వెళ్ళాల్సి వచ్చినా కంగారు పడాల్సిన పని లేదు. శరీరానికి అలవాటు అయ్యాకా ఇలాంటి ఇబ్బందులు కూడా దూరమవుతాయి. కేవలం ఇలాంటి చికిత్స వల్ల మాత్రమే కాదు, శరీరం అలసటగా ఉన్నప్పుడు చల్లటి నీటితో స్నానం చేసినా కూడా మనకి తెలియని బలం వస్తుంది. అందుకే స్నానం చేయగానే హుషారుగా ఉంటారు చాలామంది. అలాగే స్విమ్మింగ్ మనిషిలో ఉండే కొవ్వుని కరిగిస్తుంది. ఆకలిని పెంచుతుంది.శరీరానికి మంచి వ్యాయామంగా పనిచేస్తుంది. ఇన్ని విధాలుగా మనని రక్షిస్తున్న నీటికి మనం ఏమిచ్చి ఋణం తీర్చుకోగలం. దానిని వృధా చేయకుండా ఉంటే అంత కన్నా మించిన మేలు ఇంకోటి ఉండదు.   ...కళ్యాణి

Acupressure and Sujok Benefits

  Most of us have heard of Acupressure and Acupuncture from so many years.. Acupressure seems a little not so scary to try once but Acupuncture creates quite an alarming feeling..due to lack of awareness and no experience in observing others follow the treatment. Sujok is also one similar therapy method which follows pressure points like Acupressure, combining the Modern Nuerology with Ancient Chinese Medicine..instead of using pressure points on the body, Sujok focuses on pressure points only on ones palm and fingers. They are based on Traditional Chinese Medicine that teaches an overall wellness treatment method to those interested in healing diseases and other physical ailments.   This method functions on the belief that human body is made up of a combination of 'Chi' and 'Qui' energies that flow throughout the body via invisible paths called meridians. When these meridians are blocked, an imbalance occurs which results in an ailment or a disease and by regulating the meridians by causing pressure or puncture using needles, the energy flow can be corrected or reactivated on resolving the blocks. These treatment techniques effectively work in relieving muscular tension, regulating blood circulation, and improving the energy flow through out the body, and the result is ..if someone is undergoing a treatment for a severe disease then supplementing it with one of these Chinese techniques helps speed up the healing or recovery process.   For example, if one has a severe headache, then using Acupressure or Sujok and creating pressure on the pulse points that connect to the brain, the blockages in the energy flow are removed and relief is faster, sametime, blood circulation to the brain is improved which also helps in pain relief. Acupressure and similar therapies can positively help with Cosmetic needs to fight aging and reduction of wrinkles, hair growth, regeneration-reactivation of body organs like kidneys, heart and lungs for their optimum functioning, skin disorders such as Psoriasis, Eczema, Allergic bites and such. These techniques have successfully healed Cancers, Skin disorders, depressions, Parkinson's disease, gastrointestinal disorders, name it and there are examples. In a wellness combination of nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle, these Chinese Wellness Techniques have been excellently helping many fight health problems and continue to be healthier...sametime, many still dont know about their effectiveness and many still dont beleive that they do wonders without the side effects of Over The Counter Drugs. - Prathyusha

Can Talcum Powder cause Cancer?

A new study has revealed that certain famous Baby Talcum Powders can cause Cancer. Usually, Talcum powders are used by adults and for babies to releive Diaper rashes due to wetness, to prevent rashes and to absorb extra moisture. For years, Parents have been using Talc during diapering babies, until the Pediatricians started discouraging the usage. The American Cancer Society posted on its website that Talcum powder may contain traces of Asbestos, which happens to be a Carcinogen. From Literature of the 1960s, a possible relationship between Talcum powder and Ovarian cancer has been derived with no proof atall.   In a study conducted in 2013, about 20,000 subjects have been studied for their usage of Talcs...those who used Talcs everyday had 20-30% more chances of getting exposed to Ovarian cancer than those who ddnt use powders there. However, the reseearchers say that Talcum powder may be harmful if used around the Genetal areas, as they get absorbed into the personal parts of the human body, and not so hamrful if they are used just for Cosmetic purposes such as around Neck, Underarms and Face, as there was no proof of Asbestos contamination in Talcum powders when a study was conducted.     Some Doctors recommend using Talcum powder for babies, specially in Humid and Hot climatic regions of the Indian subcontinent, some dont suggest powders for pediatric use due to their Dusty and Cosmetic characteristics that could cause Sneezing and Cough. Some Powders contain Corn starch instead of Talc and are harmless..except for other allergies due to the fragrance added or any other existing skin condition. No matter what, either for Babies or for Adult use, dabbing Talcs or Powders down there is not a good idea, keeping the worry of Cancer aside ....Prathyusha

Smart Ways to avoid Food Poisoning

A delicious meal, the previous night or earlier today...so much cherished while consuming but turned out to be a bad tummy feeling and then diarrhea can spoil everything..even those wonderful memorable moments spent with friends or family during that dining time. How long can we stay away from eating out or cooking a special dinner? There has to be a cheat sheet to identify a possible Food Poisoning occurrence in the future. Here are some tips to make sure there is no food poisoned, neither such food consumed.. 1.  Don't leave food outside: Any food item, be it home-made, restaurant-made or store-bought, that is left outside in room temperature tends to develop bacteria and toxins, quickly. Between 5-60 degrees celcius, i.e,.40-140 degrees Fahrenheit, the bacteria-spores thrive on food items, and tend to be dangerous when consumed. Soups, sauces, rice and previous day's leftovers are more prone to developing this bacteria quickly, if left outside, sametime, no food item should be left out in room temperature for more than two hours. With warm climate around, and Summer approaching in India, we should be smart to use our refridgerators well. These bacterial spores maynot cause serious illness, but may leave ones body weak for 24hours, feeling dizzy, nauseous due to diaarhea or tummy aches because of indigestible too. 2. Reheat food properly: Any food item if too cold maynot be conveniet to consume, except for icecreams. Specially, rice and meats should be reheated to consume again. Bacteria in rice grains is killed when cooked, first time. But the spores survive, however, they tend to grow back to bacterial state if rice is left outside for longer or if it is not reheated to steaming hot levels. Hence, it is important to make sure, rice is steaming hot when reheated, donot just heat it to be warm enough..it may contain bacteria in a warm state. Even meats tend to be rotten if left outside for longer. Throwing them away is better than eating them after long hours of leaving them outside or not properly reheating them.     3. Cook meats correctly: Most common food borne illnesses in the Western countries are due to meats, as there are more number of Eat-out Fast-food chains and they sell mostly Meats. Not washing them thoroughly or following proper hygiene when cutting them and processing them for packaging or before cooking causes bacterial damage. Raw meat is another culprit...large quantities of meat and mass range cooking for restaurants, fast food chains or during parties causes under cooking and meat when undercooked tends to provide for bacterial growth. Turkey and Duck are more prone to spoilage due to bacteria than Chicken. Improper thawing and freezing techniques could cause food spoilage problems too. Food once thawed is not appropriate to be refreezed, once thawed it is only fit for cooking or consuming, but never for freezing again. Following proper hygiene while cutting and preparing meats for cooking can hel reduce their exposure to bacteria and spores. 4. Wash fruits amd vveggies thoroughly right before consumption: Fruits and vegetables are grown under Sun, in soil and get exposed to fertilizers or organic manures and many hands, all these conditions force them to be prone to developing bacteria and toxins easily. More than vegetables which we wash and cook, fruits are eaten without cooking. While we wash Apples before eating, we dont bother much to pop a grape or take a bit of a red ripe strawberry without washing thoroughly. It is not only recommended to wash fruits and vegetables, it is also advised to wash them with salt or vinegar diluted water to remove the toxic sprays and pesticides sprayed during farming. Peeling a Cantaloupe and sometimes even an Apple if they are not Organically ( pesticide-free farming) grown is a better practice these days, instead of swallowing those harmful toxins. Food poisoning happens every now and then, just that they are mostly mild and donot make us run to the emergency room but in the long run, we better keep away from recurrences even though mild..their affect on the digestive system and body is definitely harmful, if not big to the human eye. By following few smart steps as mentioned above, we can all make sure food poisoning is out of our books. ...Pratyusha