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Apple Cider Vinegar and its 6 Health Benefits

apple-cider-vinegerWe all know what’s an apple and what is vinegar! But, have you given a thought to what if both apple and vinegr are blended, how would it taste?

An unusual combination called Apple cider vinegar (ACV), is unheard by most of us! It’s yet to gain importance in today’s world! Hence, I decided to write what it is and how it is beneficial!

ACV is a type of vinegar, made from apple. Unpasteurized organic ACV contains mother of vinegar. Mother of the vinegar is packed with benificial enzymes, pectins and minerals. It is said that the benefits of ACV comes from it’s mother. It is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid.

Bacteria and Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars  turn into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter). Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste.

Benefits:

  1. Improves digestion: If you’re planning on indulging in a meal that you expect might not get along very well with your stomach, ACV would definitely help. It has anti bacterial properties which helps in preventing UTI (urinary tract infection)

Dosage: one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with one teaspoon of honey in a glass of warm water 30 minutes before you dine.

  1. Improves insulin sensitivity in diabetes: Several studies have shown its positive effect on blood glucose levels; a 2007 study with type-2 diabetes patients was found to be success

Dosage: 2 tbsps of ACV in the morning have lowered glucose level by 4 to 6 percent

3.Brighten skin: Many who suffer from skin problems psoriasis and eczema to dry skin and blemishes, praise apple cider vinegar for reducing inflammation and generally minimizing problems.

Tip: Try dabbing it on affected areas with a cotton ball.

  1. Aids in weight loss: Apple cider vinegar’s acetic acid has been shown in studiesto suppress the accumulation of body fat and liver lipids. Its pectin content is also considered to slightly reduce your body’s ability to absorb fat.

When you have an apple cider vinegar drink before a meal it not only improves digestion, it also reduces your hunger levels which can only be beneficial for losing weight.

Dosage: 1 tablespoon in a large glass of water before each meal is the recommended dosage.

  1. Bad Breath: The natural acids in real apple cider vinegar, like acetic and malic acid, can reduce the bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath.

Dosage: Add one tablespoon to a third of a cup of water and gargle for around 20 seconds to minimize bad breath

6.Detoxification: Apple cider vinegar is a popular ingredient in detoxification of body, specially liver.

Dosage: One tablespoon of ACV in a large glass of water before each meal is often recommended as an effective dosage for daily detoxification.

Also, you can add ACV to salad dressings, marination, soups and stew! By now, I am sure you have understood the motherly benefits of ACV.

 

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Secrets of brown rice!

brown-rice

It’s always said that cut down on fat and you would slim down. But, I have observed that many people despite cutting down on fat, still put on weight. The reason for this is simple carbohydrates which Indian population gorges on without knowing the facts.

Indian diets comprises more of simple carbohydrates which mainly consists of white rice, sugar, maida. There is definitely a substitute for everything.

Let’s talk about how beneficial brown rice is over white rice! The difference between white and brown rice is not that of colour alone but there is lot more to it.

How Brown rice gets converted to white rice?

The outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce brown rice. This process avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing. If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we consume.

Benefits of Brown Rice:

  • Rich in Selenium: A trace mineral which reduces the risk for common illness like colon cancer.

 

  • High in manganese: One cup of brown rice provides 80% of our daily manganese requirements. Manganese helps the body synthesize fats. Manganese also benefits our nervous and reproductive systems.

 

  • High in fiber: It is packed with fiber! It has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels. It also keeps your sugar under control so brown rice is an excellent grain choice for people with diabetes. You feel satiated after eating brown rice as it is high in fiber so you tend to eat lesser in the meal, thus portion size comes into the picture.

 

  • Protection against breast cancer: The pytonutrient Lignin present in brown rice known to inhibit the growth of breast cancerous cells.
  •       Healthy bowel function: Brown rice contains good amounts of insoluble fibre that stays in the gut and aids digestion and prevents constipation.
  •       Great source of Magnesium: Magnesium is thought to be a key nutrient needed for healthy bones along with calcium and vitamin D.

To summarize, brown rice is  a healthy substitute which is packed with whole lot of antioxidants and micro-nutrients than white rice.

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Why excessive sweating is not good-Part 2

excessive-sweatingIn my previous blog I talked about how sweating is good and the health benefits of Sweating. But, having said that let me also caution you that excessive sweating is also not very good

Before I get to why it is not good, let us first try and understand what is excessive sweating or in other words ‘Hyperhidrosis’

What Is Excessive Sweating?

If you sweat more than other people when it’s hot or you’re exerting yourself, that’s not cause for concern. Sweating is a normal reaction when your body is working hard and needs to cool itself down.

Excessive sweating is usually defined as sweating an amount out of proportion with the temperature of a room or your activity level. Besides disrupting normal daily activities, excessive sweating can cause social anxiety or embarrassment.

Sweating that exceeds beyond the needs of the body—medically termed as hyperhidrosis—is fairly common but not a good sign. It affects 1%–3% of the population. Hyperhidrosis may be generalized but, most often it involves the palms, underarms, feet, and groin; it can take a social toll, making handshaking unpleasant and some handwork impossible.

Causes:

Sweating helps the human bodies stay cool. In most cases, it is perfectly natural. People sweat more in warm temperatures, when they exercise, or in response to situations that make them nervous, angry, embarrassed, or afraid.

Excessive sweating occurs without such triggers. Persons with hyperhidrosis appear to have overactive sweat glands. The uncontrollable sweating can lead to significant discomfort, both physically and emotionally.

When excessive sweating affects the hands, feet, and armpits, it is called primary or focal hyperhidrosis. In most cases, no cause can be found. It sometimes is genetic and runs in families.

Excessive sweating also occurs as a result of another medical condition such as Diabetes, Endocarditis, fever of undetermined cause, heart attack, menopause, Hyperthyroidism, obesity and stress it is called secondary hyperhidrosis. The sweating may be all over the body or it may be in one area.

Excessive Sweating: Treatment Tips

Hyperhidrosis is a very real and embarrassing problem, but there are some effective ways to treat it. Before you hide under bulky sweaters or move to a chillier climate, you can try these proven techniques for combating excessive sweating.

The easiest way to tackle excessive sweating is with an antiperspirant, which most people already use on a daily basis. Antiperspirants contain aluminium salts. When you roll them onto your skin, antiperspirants form a plug that blocks perspiration.

Many antiperspirants are sold combined with a deodorant, which won’t stop you from sweating but will control the odour from your sweat.

 

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Healthy Vision

healthy-vision
One day while going through nutrition book and while surfing the net, I was surprised to see lack of blogging and articles on one body part that is the eye. Since my childhood I have noticed that we take our eyes for granted. Just because you are seeing well and have no irritation, one does not think it is necessary to go in for an eye examination till a problem arises. Well! It can be too late! Do you know your vision keeps getting worse as you age?

While in School almost 70 % of us have faced blurred vision not able to read the blackboard clearly. Also most of us have spent out childhood sitting close to the television, rubbing eyes and these problems still persist and we still neglect them most of the times. You neglect it till it gets worse and then get spectacles without which you can see at all.

Healthy vision should be of priority since childhood. The challenge begins from viewing the black board, ability to see clearly on a computer. If neglected the same persists in adulthood. Modern day computing and internet means spending more time with your smartphone and computer screen. Two hours with computer means tired, strained feeling such as eyestrain, redness, irritation, dryness, burning, blurred vision, headaches and neck and shoulder pain.

A healthy eye is an indicator of good health. It is important to maintain healthy weight for healthy eye, being overweight or obese increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, each of these damage vessels in eye and lead to vision loss in an individual. There is a strong correlation between eyes and diseases.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes for blindness among individuals in many countries especially in the age group of 20 – 74. Therefore, it is important for everyone who has diabetes to check their eyes regularly. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels lead to cataracts (clouding of eye with proteins and glaucoma). The shocking thing is you may not realize that you are suffering from a disease or you have diabetes mellitus until you experience loss of vision.

Lack of proper nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals in the regular diet also results in conditions like xeropthalmia. In India, Malnutrition is serious health problem leading to night blindness- a common ailment. In developed countries like America more than 8 million people face vision problems like age related macular degeneration (AMD) that causes blindness in people in their 60s, while the symptoms show late damage occurs decades earlier. Most leading eye problems are AMD, Cataract, Diabetic retinopathy, Glaucoma, dry eyes, conjuctivits and many more…

Therefore I would say why wait till a problem arises? Dietary intake prevention and lifestyle modification plays important role in healthy vision.

Free radicals bring about oxidation which is the evil for good vision as it destroys epithelial layer in eye & deeper ones of the cornea. Antioxidants( vitamin A,C,E, lutein ,zeaxanthin & zinc) present in fruits and vegetables help fighting against these free radicals which minimize the damage to your cells.

Diet modifications:

  • VITAMIN C

Citrus fruits are powerful topmost antioxidants such as vitamin C, retinas of our eye require vitamin c to maintain proper nerve cell function.  Vitamin C with essential nutrients slows AMD. Grapes, strawberries, papaya, orange, green peppers, Peaches, blueberries, mango, tomato, apricot & cabbage all provide Vitamin C.

 

  • VITAMIN E

Vitamin E works along with vitamin C. It is a Powerful antioxidant in nuts, cereals, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. It Protects retina from damage caused by smoking and alcohol.

 

  • VITAMIN A

Yellow orange coloured fruits and vegetables like Oranges, lettuce, bell peppers, tuna, mango,  kiwis, grapefruits, dried apricots, tomatoes, peppers & raw carrots contain good amount of vitamin A.

 

  • OMEGA 3 RICH FOODS

Salmon, Tuna, flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, soyabeans for visual function and retina development.

 

  • ZINC

Essential helper molecule as it brings the vitamin A from liver to the retina to produce melanin that protects eyes. Nuts, legumes, Oyester, turkey and crab are rich in zinc.

 

  • LUTEIN  AND ZEAXANTHIN

Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale contains Lutein and Zeaxanthin which absorb the damaging light, help retina cells off free radicals and reduce risk of macular degeneration. Eggs yellow peppers mango, kale, spinach, broccoli, green peas , sprouts.

Lifestyle modifications

  • We all know that in this fast moving World we can’t avoid computers and smartphones but in order to keep your eyes healthy give your eyes a break from the computer screen every 20 mins or more for atleast 30 secondss.
  • Make sure your lens has not expired, blink your eyes more to avoid dryness.
  • Quit smoking as it increases risk of cataracts.
  • Protect eyes from sun, ultraviolet rays by wearing right kind of sun glasses.
  • Remove eye makeup using coconut oil.
  • Use proper lighting to avoid eyestrain.
  • Get eyes examined regularly.
  • Relax your eyes by doing some eye exercises like rubbing your palm and keeping it on your eye.

We eat the right food to slim down and get into shape, but eyes are the mirror of a human soul and they are most important for a healthy life.

 

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