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Benefits of Figs
Mar 8th
Figs fruit are called as Gular ka phool in hindi and Athi Pazham in malayalam.
Though Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are seasonal fruits, they are available throughout the year in the dried form. They are said to taste more yummy in its dried form and are very nutritious as they contain Vitamins A, B, and minerals like phosphorus, calcium, iron and manganese. Here are some benefits of Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham we bet you didn’t know about…
Pectin, a soluble fibre found in Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham is beneficial for the digestive system. This soluble fibre helps in clearing out the accumulated cholesterol in the body.
Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are low in sodium content and high in potassium and thus, helps in preventing hypertension.
Dried Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are said to contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids along with phenol. These help in the prevention of heart diseases.
Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are also a great source of calcium, which is good for strengthening of the bones.
Because Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are rich in potassium, it helps in the regulation of blood sugar in the human body. This is beneficial for people who are diabetic. Furthermore, the high potassium content in this sweet-tasting fruit is useful for people who suffer from urinary calcium loss.
Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham are said to be an effective cure for treating sore throat because of their high mucilage content.
Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham have also been used for treating sexual weakness. The remedy requires one to soak about two to three Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham in milk overnight and eat it the very next morning.
Because Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham contain iron, they are useful in treating anaemia. Eating Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham can relieve fatigue too.
If you want a clean and acne-free face then mash about two fresh Figs / Gular ka phool / Athi Pazham and apply them on your face. Leave it on for 10 minutes. This is a useful treatment for acne control.
New hope for Kidney Failure Patients
Mar 4th
Scientists have developed a new lightweight ultrafiltration device which is actually a scaled down version of the conventional dialysis machine. This machine can be worn around the waist just like a belt.
DIALYSIS ON THE MOVE
This wearable artificial kidney developed by scientists offers a new hope to kidney failure patients requiring haemodialysis. Docs Say Lightweight Ultrafiltration Machine Can Be Worn Around Waist. A light-weight ultrafiltration device (Wearable artificial kidney) which works on the principle of haemodialysis. Weight of device is around 2kg, but Doctors say when commercially developed, the belt will be much lighter. It consists of a hot swap battery which dissipates heat and protects body from any thermal effect. Has bio-carbonates, electrolytes and heparin to correct acidosis, maintain the salt level and stop blood clotting, respectively. Sorbent cartridge cleans the toxins. Small waste bag to clear the extra fluid away
Sorbent cartridge needs to be changed every week Scientists say cost cannot be fixed yet as things are being worked out on experimental model only.
Watch out for your Heart !
Sep 25th
The busy lifestyle is something which has been hitting hard at everyone Heart.
Some of these can be quickly reversed by simply altering your eating habits and keeping stress at bay. Listed below are few tips which might be helpful in most people .
• Stop smoking and alcoholic drinks
• Switching to a low fat or vegetarian food
• Yoga
• Sharing of feelings with the friends to reduce stress
• 6-8 hours sleep at a stretch is a must
• Staying away from stress
Given below are some yogasanas by yogaguru Surakshit Goswami to keep you alive and kicking
Setubandhasana
For performing setubandh asana, lie on your back. Bend your legs at the knees, keeping the heels as close as possible to the hips. Hold your ankles with your hands if possible or place your palms on the floor beside your hips. Inhale and lift up your back and hips very slowly and smoothly such that your chin touches your chest. Keep your shoulders and heels planted on the ground. Close your eyes and focus on your heart. Hold the posture for as long as possible, breathing normally. Return to base position and relax
Pawanmuktasana
For performing pawanmukt asana, lie down on your back, legs stretched out. Bend both legs at the knees and bring them towards your chest. Exhale and pull the bent legs further towards the chest with your hands, your fingers interlocked. Now lift head and try to touch your knee with your chin. Hold the position for as long as you can. Bring head back to normal position, unlock your hands and stretch your legs again. Caution: Those suffering from neck aches or spondylosis should not raise their heads.
Ardh Naukasana
For performing Ardh Naukasana, lie on your stomach with your forehead touching the ground. Join your heels and keep the feet firmly planted on the ground. Stretch your arms out in front, palms down. Rest your chin on the floor. Inhale and raise your right hand, head and chest slowly. Simultaneously, lift your left leg very slowly, without bending it at the knee. Hold this position for as long as you can. Exhale as you bring your hand and leg down, very slowly. Repeat for your left hand and right leg. Benefits: Keeps lungs and heart healthy and strengthens back muscles.
~ Source TOI
Weight loss pills: Are they safe?
Oct 30th
The temptation of using over-the-counter weight-loss pills to lose weight fast is often irresistible. But are these products safe and effective?
Most Popular weight-loss pills
A number of weight-loss pills are available at your local drugstore, supermarket or health food store. Most haven’t been proved safe and effective, and some are downright dangerous.
|
Herbal or dietary supplement |
The claims |
What you need to know |
|
Bitter orange |
Increases the number of calories burned |
§ Touted as an “ephedra substitute” but may cause health problems similar to those of ephedra § Long-term effects unknown |
|
Chitosan |
Blocks the absorption of dietary fat |
§ Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss § Can cause constipation, bloating and other gastrointestinal complaints § Long-term effects unknown |
|
Chromium |
Reduces body fat and builds muscle |
§ Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss § Long-term effects unknown |
|
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) |
Reduces body fat, decreases appetite and builds muscle |
§ Might decrease body fat and increase muscle, but isn’t likely to reduce total body weight § Can cause diarrhea, indigestion and other gastrointestinal problems |
|
Country mallow (heartleaf) |
Decreases appetite and increases the number of calories burned |
§ Contains ephedra, which is dangerous § Likely unsafe and should be avoided |
|
Ephedra |
Decreases appetite |
§ Can cause high blood pressure, heart rate irregularities, sleeplessness, seizures, heart attacks, strokes and even death § Banned from the marketplace because of safety concerns, but may still be legally sold as a tea § Despite the ban, many ephedra products are still sold on the Internet |
|
Green tea extract |
Increases calorie and fat metabolism and decreases appetite |
§ Limited evidence to support the claim § Can cause vomiting, bloating, indigestion and diarrhea § May contain a large amount of caffeine |
|
Guar gum |
Blocks the absorption of dietary fat and increases the feeling of fullness, which leads to decreased calorie intake |
§ Relatively safe, but unlikely to cause weight loss § Can cause diarrhea, flatulence and other gastrointestinal problems § May cause intestinal obstruction if not taken with enough water |
|
Hoodia |
Decreases appetite |
§ No conclusive evidence to support the weight-loss claim |
In addition to these herbal and dietary supplements, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Alli — a reduced-strength over-the-counter (nonprescription) version of orlistat, a prescription weight-loss medication for adults age 18 and older. Alli promotes weight loss by decreasing absorption of fat by the intestines. The capsules are taken with meals, up to three times a day.
Alli sounds like a dieter’s dream, but there are no shortcuts to permanent weight loss. Alli is intended to be used only with a reduced-calorie, low-fat diet and regular exercise. Side effects, such as diarrhea and gas with oily spotting, can be significant if you don’t reduce the amount of fat in your diet.
The pitfalls of pills
Dietary supplements and weight-loss aids aren’t subject to the same rigorous standards as are prescription drugs or medications sold over-the-counter. Thus, they can be marketed with limited proof of effectiveness or safety. Vendors can make health claims about products based on their own review and interpretation of studies without the authorization of the FDA. However, the FDA can pull a product off the market if it’s proved dangerous.
Many weight-loss pills contain a cocktail of ingredients — some with more than 20 herbs, botanicals, vitamins, minerals or other add-ons, such as caffeine or laxatives.
There’s no magic bullet for losing weight. The most effective way to lose weight and keep it off is through lifestyle changes: Eat healthy, low-calorie foods, watch portion sizes, and engage in regular physical activity. It’s certainly no magic pill, but it works.
Keep in mind that even if you take a weight-loss pill, you still have to eat fewer calories than your body uses in order to lose weight. Even if these products were to help you lose weight initially, you’d have to continue taking them for the weight to stay off, which could cause more harm than good.
MULTIVITAMINS – A nutritional insurance policy
Oct 30th
Our bodies cannot absorb all the nutrients found in the foods. So Multivitamin and multimineral supplements are specifically designed to provide a variety of both essential and/or non-essential nutrients for the body. Multivitamin supplements can help to prevent both vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and are used by many to increase essential nutrients in the body to achieve additional health benefits.
Multivitamins usually contain at least 100, if not more, of the recommended dietary allowance of essential vitamins. While not all multivitamins contain minerals, in the case of high potency multivitamins, mineral content may also exceed 100 of Daily Value or U.S. Recommended Allowance (USRDA).
Multivitamins are prescribed for patients who need extra vitamins, who cannot eat enough food to obtain the required vitamins, or who cannot receive the full benefit of the vitamins contained in the food they eat.”
Even if you eat plenty of calories, if you’re not eating fruits and vegetables then your body may be lacking crucial nutrients
Multivitamins are only beneficial for some groups of people: with a very-low-calorie weight-loss diet; strict vegetarians; heavy alcohol drinkers; and individuals who are not getting an adequate diet because they are too sick or too poor and are unable to prepare proper meals for themselves.
Still wondering, what is Swine flu?
Oct 27th
Swine influenza is endemic in pigs. Swine influenza (also called swine flu, hog flu, pig flu and sometimes, the swine) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus. Swine influenza virus (SIV) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. The known SIV strains include influenza C and the subtypes of influenza A known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3.
Swine influenza virus is common throughout pig populations worldwide. Transmission of the virus from pigs to human cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs are at increased risk of swine flu infection. The meat of an infected animal poses no risk of infection when properly cooked.
Symptoms of zoonotic swine flu in humans are illness in general, namely chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness and general discomfort
The first identification of an influenza virus as a cause of disease in pigs occurred about ten years later, in 1930.For the following 60 years, swine influenza strains were almost exclusively H1N1. Then, between 1997 and 2002, new strains of three different subtypes and five different genotypes emerged as causes of influenza among pigs in North America. In 1997–1998, H3N2 strains emerged. These strains, which include genes derived by reassortment from human, swine and avian viruses, have become a major cause of swine influenza in North America. Reassortment between H1N1 and H3N2 produced H1N2. In 1999 in Canada, a strain of H4N6 crossed the species barrier from birds to pigs, but was contained on a single farm.
Virgin Olive Oil for reducing bad cholesterol
Oct 22nd
Virgin olive oil is made from the first pressing of olives and contains higher levels of a class of antioxidants known as polyphenols than more refined olive oils that come from later pressings.that prevent the oxidation of bad LDL cholesterol while promoting healthly HDL cholesterol levels. It lowers the bad cholesterol while keeping the level of good cholesterol up. As a result, it offers tremendous protection against heart disease.
Researchers say these polyphenols reduce the risk of heart disease in addition to the heart-healthy benefits attributed to the good fatty acids(monounsaturated fatty acids) found in olive oil.
Researchers found that the virgin olive oil higher in polyphenols increased the level of good, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol more than the other two types of olive oil.
Virgin olive oil also produced another healthy antioxidant effect: It increased the level of substances in the body that prevent the oxidation of bad, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Oxidation of this type of cholesterol is linked to the formation of clots in blood vessels, which could lead to heart attack or stroke.
10 Tips for beautiful and toned legs
Aug 19th
1. Brush off cellulite: The hormone oestrogen is partly to blame for fatty deposits, as well as lack of exercise and poor circulation. So give nature a helping hand with a body brush. In the shower, massage your calves and thighs with a brush that has rounded teeth.
2. Have a close shave: Waxing is all very well, but the easiest and cheapest way to keep legs fuzzfree is with a razor. Shave downwards in the direction that the hair grows, then upwards for a close finish. Prevent ingrowth by massaging with an exfoliating cloth every day.
3. Beat salt: A high salt diet is known to cause fluid retention, so ditch sodium-rich foods such as crisps, ready meals and Chinese take-out. Eat away the bumps: Oily fish such as salmon, fresh tuna and mackerel are packed with omega-3 fats, which help the body shift flab while maintaining muscle tone.
4. Get your greens: Spinach, broccoli and other leafy green vegetables help beat cellulite. Oats so simple: Tucking into oats in the form of porridge or cereal each morning can help beat the bloat. This is because they’re packed with soluble fibre, which boosts digestion and encourages the body to eliminate excess fluid.
5. Squat for slimmer thighs: Try these ball squats everyday…
1. Place a full water bottle on the floor with feet wide apart. 2. Bend down and pick up bottle up. 3. Bend again, place bottle on floor. Repeat in sets of six.
6. Skipping with a rope for 10 minutes every other day is a great way to create some attractive curves, not to mention it’s a fun exercise.
7. Get high and waisted: Skirts, shorts and cuffed pants that sit high on your waist will make your legs look longer and your bottom trimmer.
8. Be well-heeled: Strappy sandals visually cut the leg at the ankle and make it look shorter. Go for pumps and strappy sandals with no ankle straps.
9. Raise your hemline: If you don’t love your legs it can be tempting to hide them under calf-length skirts or shorts. But cuts that end on the widest part of your calf actually make your legs look thicker. So try and avoid that pitfall. Hemlines that end an inch or two above the knee create the illusion of slimmer legs without flashing too much thigh. Just the thing that you want.
10. Choose neutral shoes: To elongate the line of your legs, choose shoes in a neutral colour that’s similar to your natural skin tone. Actually, these days, you can even find sandals with sheer straps. Otherwise you can try pearl, beige, tan and brown. Even metallics make the legs look like they go on forever. Silver works for those with fair skin, while those with tanned or wheatish complexion can try bronze and silver.
TV Programme claiming cure for cancer – Body Revival
May 27th
There are TV scoops which shows a product named Body Revival which has been developed by some Mr. Khan ( Munir Khan ). They are claiming that the use of product can cure even cancer and no additional medicines are required.
The ticker at the bottom says the product can cure cancer, aids, heart blockage, brain tumor, blood pressure etc.
There are even some patients like Ranjith Singh who says they have seen the product work on their relatives and the product is fully natural.
www.heartcurable.com
www.cancercurable.com
