5 Snacks that are Good for Heart’s Health

Introduction 

Often, the doctors and other health workers have dubbed #snacks as unhealthy. However, recent researches have shown that the snacks are not that bad at all. However, the choice of snacks matters. Most of the readily available ones are not that friendly to the body from a medical standpoint. Despite this, most of us go for it because we do not want to toil it out in the kitchen to make healthy ones. If we are persevering and knowledgeable enough, we can make snacks out of many healthy materials that are readily available in the kitchen.

Importance of Healthy Snacks

Normally, we could get unhealthy snacks from every nook and corner of any city in our country. We rely upon this food to satiate our hunger when we don’t have time to spend in the kitchen. Once in a while, this may seem okay. But it is harmful to the cardiovascular system as it has unhealthy fats that are capable of clogging the arteries and veins. If this happens, the part that gets blood from these blood vessels would be damaged permanently. Moreover, we start putting up more weight and increase our waistlines. At this point, it is not fair to blame the oils used in the locally available outlets in our neighborhood. The harmful effects of these fatty substances are further accentuated by the sedentary lifestyle that we lead in our daily lives.  Actually, our lifestyles are the culprits, not the fatty substances. This is where the making of healthy and heart-friendly snacks come in handy. In this short article, we would be looking at the 5 snacks that are good for our #hearts. Do you know that the consumption of these snacks also helps us to shed extra weight by increasing the rate of metabolism?

1. Mushroom-egg-white Omelette: This combination is low in calories and delicious. Moreover, it is perfect for the health of the heart.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Dalia Upma: This snack helps us to re-energize ourselves with the right combination of essentials. It is rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Whole Wheat, Egg White Crepes: This snack is tasty and rich in nutrients. Hence, it makes a healthier snack option for elders who run the risk of developing heart disease.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Carrot, Green Peas, Brown Bread Sandwich: It is rich in proteins, vitamin A and fiber.  Moreover, it is easy to prepare, and it requires less time.  You can even add some ketchup, boiled carrots, peas, etc. to make it even tastier and healthier.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Egg White Spinach Omelette: People with borderline HDL can even think of taking a snack with egg white without worrying about the repercussions, provided they mix it with spinach.

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5 Benefits of Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk)

Introduction 

Though Chilli is most commonly associated with Indian staple for ages, the importance of the #turmeric or Haldi, as is known in India, is not that publicized among the people. However, its importance has once again come to the reckoning during the time of global pandemic #COVID-19. It is surprising and ironic to know that turmeric’s health benefits were unknown to the Indians even when they are using it to make different cuisines at home. People make a solution of #Haldi and salt to dip the vegetables and fruits before their use. It is believed that the solution removes the bacteria and other harmful chemicals that may have been on the surface of the treated fruits and vegetables.

 Origin of Turmeric

A mainstay of all Indian kitchens, turmeric is extracted from an underground stem, just like ginger. It is cultivated throughout India. As it grows up, it accumulates all the required chemicals for the well-being of human beings. When we grew up, the grandparents used to talk a lot about its benefits and made us drink the milk laced with turmeric powder. Even, Indian System of Medicine, Ayurveda gives it as a recipe for sun tanning, bruise, or chronic cold. In this article, let us see whether these claims by elders are with good reasons to backup or not and the way by which the golden milk is properly cooked.

 Preparation of Golden Milk

The best way of preparing #golden milk is by the addition of a teaspoon of turmeric powder to hot milk and adding a dash of sugar or honey to it. The experts believe that the maximum benefits of this healthy concoction can be obtained if it is drunk without any sweetening agents. To make the concoction healthier, it is better to add fresh rhizome paste to it. However, everything depends upon the quality of turmeric powder used. Some people prefer to call it ‘turmeric latte’ as they feel that it tastes awful. The golden milk can indeed taste awful if it is not prepared properly.

There are other ways of making the golden milk tastier, especially for those who hate its original taste. The golden milk made using the following method tastes so delicious that you feel like having a cup of coffee. It is done as follows.
 

1. Make an equal-mixture of water and milk and bring the resultant mixture to a simmer. 
2. Separately, melt some ghee in a pan and sprinkle a half teaspoon of turmeric powder into the molten ghee. 
3. Continue heating the mixture, until it smells aromatic.
4. Take the pan containing ghee and turmeric powder off the flame, and add cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Mix the resultant mixture by shaking it over the flame.
6. Pour the water-milk mixture onto the pan and mix it thoroughly.
7. The flavored mixture of milk in water is then heated to a light boil.
8. Add the sweetener of your choice to make it sweet and tasty.
9. Take the pan off the flame, and serve it hot to devour its taste.

Main Ingredient of Turmeric Powder

The piperine present in the black pepper improves the bioavailability of curcumin. This combination works even better with some nutmeg and cinnamon in the milk medium. Some people don’t like to drink milk due to various reasons such as allergies and lifestyle choices. During those times, it is always prudent, from a health point of view, to prepare turmeric-based preparations such as golden milk. The nutritive value of milk can be enhanced by using coconut or almond milk.

 Health Benefits of Turmeric Powder

 The spice itself is an antidote for common ailments like chronic or simple cold, inflammations and bruises. It is even used as a medicine for skin tanning and other simple skin ailments. When it is mixed with health drink milk, its medicinal properties grow at least 10 folds. Lots of researches have been done on its medicinal effects in different parts of the world. These researches corroborate with what our grandparents coerced us to believe through their wonderful preparations as antidotes for common ailments at home. The posts with headings “golden milk” on Instagram have made it an international star among the global dwellers.
 

1. Turmeric Powder Stimulates Immune System: The most important content in turmeric that powers the body’s immune system is curcumin. This wonderful natural chemical has pharmacological properties such as antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Because of this reason, the consumption of a glass of turmeric powder-laced milk has become a norm for the Indian kids at home. The kids consuming the golden or Haldi milk get relief from not only coughs and sniffles but also acquire immunity against further infections. Seeing the response to various ailments after the gulping of the golden milk, the lactating mothers, young children, or patients who are recovering from surgery are given this health concoction to build the body immunity in Indian households.   
2. Turmeric-laced Milk Cures the Sick: The reason why the health benefits of the turmeric powder get boosted on mixing with milk is the solubility of its potent chemical curcumin in fat-rich milk. When the turmeric powder-laced milk is ingested, the curcumin present in the turmeric powder gets absorbed along with fat easily in our digestive system. So, after getting into our bloodstream, the curcumin purifies it and flushes out the toxins from the system. Thus a person who is suffering from headaches due to sinus blockage gets immediate relief from it after drinking turmeric milk. The turmeric powder present in the golden milk dissolves the phlegm or mucus and promotes sinus drainage. The main component curcumin also helps in the digestion of food. The regular ingestion of turmeric with milk keeps at bay heartburn and bloating as well.
3. Antidepressant Effect of Turmeric Milk: People taking a cup of golden milk before going to bed get a peaceful sleep in the night. Armed with antioxidant properties, curcumin protects the internal organs of the human body when used regularly with milk over a longer duration. It is important to remember that the health benefits of golden milk appear only after a certain time. Hence, it should be used on a long-term basis, not on an SOP basis. The bioavailability of the tryptophan in the brain gets enhanced in the presence of curcumin. Hence, the medicinal properties of milk get bio-magnified in the presence of turmeric powder. Golden milk is believed to bring the depression down as some research studies have shown. It can even potentially bring down inflammation relating to mood disorders too.
4. Turmeric Cures Skin Disorders: The curcumin present in turmeric powder is known to improve the skin complexion of people. This is the reason why the brides-to-be are given a glass of turmeric milk before their marriage. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of curcumin enable the turmeric to remove acne and improve the skin complexion. The local beauticians in India promote the concoction of turmeric and cow’s milk as cleanser-cum-moisturizer. A potent creamy mixture of turmeric and malai is used as an instant glow mask to brighten the face. This cream works well for people who have dry to normal complexions. On the other hand, a potent mixture of turmeric with yogurt works well to give brighter skin in people with oily skin complexion.

 

Other Variants of Turmeric

Another variant of turmeric, locally known as Kasturi Haldi in South India is an amazing ingredient in many beauty and facial treatment mixtures. For instance, the beauticians in India use another Haldi variant by the name amba halid in their recipes for beauty enhancement. They mix this Haldi variant with malai and raw rice to make a smooth scrub for the body. This superb mixture not only hydrates the body but also removes the dead skin to make a brighter complexion. So, next time if you have any skin issues, it is better to look for grandma remedies than looking for the instant chemical solutions that are available online.

 

 

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Do We Drink Right Water in our Day-to-day Lives?

Introduction

During hot summers, it is better to cool off from outside and inside using water. With the change of climate patterns, the water has become a scarce quantity in the world. This is primarily due to the shortage of water or good quality or potable water in the cities and villages of this world as the rains have become scanty and less-frequent. This has forced the people to go after different sources of water to sustain their lives. With this change, many sources of water have come to the lives of people. They include mineral water, bore well water, flavoured water, Reverse Osmosis (RO) treated water to name a few. Do we have the clear understanding of what these words mean when we search for water for our sustenance? In this blog post, we would be clearing the air on these names for the sake of readers.

Doubts about Commercially Available Water

People moving to the cities come across different water sources and names when they search for the potable water. Before embarking on using them, the users need to know some things about them. Many questions arise in the minds of people like “What is the nature of mineral water?”, “Is the drinking of the flavoured water, healthy?”, “Is RO water is same in quality as the distilled or pure water?” etc. Let us attempt to make the distinction between these potable sources of water for healthy comparison.

1. 1       Infused Water: This is made by dipping the chipped fruits and vegetables in chilled water. This water is used to detoxify the body. Hence, it is also called as detox water. Being superior in quality and good for health, this drink has become one of the most popular drinks in the world today.
   
   
   
   
   
2. 2.       Tonic Water: It is actually a carbonated drink that has been laced with large quantities of quinine. In olden days, it was used as a medicine tonic to treat malaria. Hence, this drink has become quite popular with drink mixers for cocktails now-a-days.
   
   
   
   
   
3. 3.       Mineral Water: This is nothing but the natural water coming natural springs and fountains. By virtue of its source, it is rich in minerals such as sodium, potassium, sulphur, iron, etc. It also contains lots of salt of soluble metals. Learned from the ancestors about its curative property, people have started to bottle it for its sales in the market.
   
   
   
   
   
4. 4.       Flavoured Water: This kind of water can be made at home or purchased from the market. However, it is better to go for the home-made ones as we have the control over the raw materials used. It is usually made at home by muddling the sliced fruits in a jar and pouring potable water to it. The artificially manufactured ones have chemically made flavours, which are either harmless or harmful to the body.
   
   
   
   
   
5. 5.       Sparkling Water: The mineral water containing dissolved gases is called sparkling water. The dissolved gases are in the natural form. The artificially made sparkling water contains basically dissolved carbon dioxide. According to the medical experts the carbonated water seldom contains sugars. Hence, they are healthier when compared to others containing other gases. They also swear that the replacement of normal water with sparkling water does not augur well for the health of the body.
   
   
   
   
   
6. 6.       RO Water: This is made by passing water under high pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. This process is called reverse osmosis. In this process, dissolved salts, pathogens – like bacteria -, organics, etc. would be removed from water. The efficiency of the semi-permeable membrane present in the filter ages with the time, resulting in the lowering of the quality of potable water produced. The aged membrane cannot completely remove the viruses.
   
   
   
   
   
7. 7.       Distilled Water: In fact, this is the purest form of water available on our planet. Usually, the distilled water concentration improves to 99.9%. Since this kind of water is obtained by evaporating and condensing the impure water, it is called distilled water. The process of distillation leaves the contaminants behind in the original mixture.
   
   
   
   
   

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7 Beverages for Faster Sleep at Bedtime

Introduction

If you want a deep sleep after a strenuous day, then a hot drink is the perfect recipe for you to relax the mind, which is necessary for a nice sleep ahead. Traditionally speaking, drinking bedtime takes a nightcap of a neat liqueur or spirits, pushing people to discomfort. With people becoming conscious about the health, they are going for health-friendly beverages that keep their body and mind cool.

Sleep Inducing Beverages

There is a large range of customized beverages available in the market that will help people sleep peacefully in the night.  The good thing about these beverages is that they don’t have any alcoholic content. In this article, we would be looking at the seven bedtime beverages for faster sleep.

1. Cocoa: This classic pre-bed drink was used as a beverage by the members of Mayan Civilization long time back. This beverage is primarily made of roasted cocoa beans. A pinch of spice laced boiling water is added to the roasted beans to make this beverage. It is a nice fluid to have in the winter night to retain the warmth inside the body.
   
   
   



2. Chamomile Tea: It is the right choice for those who want to avoid dairy products at all costs. This beverage is known to soothe the body and mind naturally.  The fluid calms our body by soothing nerves before bedtime. It also calms down the stomach so that people can have a nice sleep in the night.
   
   



3. Hot Toddy: This is a traditional Scottish recipe. It contains honey or sugar, half slice of lemon and a cinnamon stick to add favour in hot water. This recipe is traditionally known to clear the head colds and prevent flu during the winter season.





4. Warm Milk: It gives a soothing effect to the mind and body. The fluid contains amino acid tryptophan that helps the body to create hormones. This biochemical also calms down the body and mind to have a peaceful sleep at night. It is a great source of calcium and protein as well.





5. Peppermint Tea: This herbal drink has lots of medicinal properties. The main ingredient of this fluid is peppermint, which helps the body to naturally de-stress. It is especially useful during the stress-giving exam days for children to have a nice sleep before the taxing exam. It also calms the stomach down and removes the symptoms of nausea.





6. Ovaltine: It was originally developed as a recovery drink for Swiss skiers who had returned from a long day on the slopes. It has a chocolatey taste. Surprisingly, this Swiss drink is a nutritious treat enjoyed by the people all over the world.





7. Hot Chocolate: This fluid has a thicker and creamier consistency due to the presence of cocoa butter and powder. The said drink is made by mixing these two ingredients carefully with milk or cream to make it delicious.  This would also help us to doze off on the bed easier and in no time.

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5 Ways to Get Better Sleep at Night

Introduction

Due to change in lifestyle and food habits, people are losing fast the rhythm of life and are therefore suffering from it. For instance, people tend to over eat when they are supposed to eat less. Over a period of time, they start getting tires of fat around waist and their tummy start coming out. Untimed food habits in the night also lead to insomnia in many people. There are other reasons for change in Circadian Rhythm.  We should in fact give some time for the mind to relax so that it can fall off to sleep slowly. In this article, let us see 5 habits that promote sleeplessness in the night.

• Night-time Snacking: Always one should have night-time light food early. This would give enough time for us to digest food right before we go to bed. Having snacks in the night before bedtime cause a disorder by the name gastro-esophageal reflex. It increases the acidity in the stomach, which in turn causes stomach discomfort.
  
  
  
  
  
• Exercising very Late: Doing exercise is always considered as good for health. However, timing is very important. You should not be doing exercise late in the night. The body heats up during exercise, which is not good for a sound sleep.
  
  
  
  

 Watching too Much TV: The bedtime watching of movies, crime programs, etc. can increase the adrenaline count in the blood. This leads to increase of blood pressure. The increase in blood pressure brings discomfort on the bed. Hence, it will not help in getting sound sleep.

Working after Hours: If you work late in the night or stay back for work in the office, you get stressed up when your body needs the period of rest. This change in response would lead to insomnia and appetite loss. Hence, late working should be avoided to get deep sleep.

Talking too Much: Now-a-days, people don’t get enough time to talk to their spouses. So, they devote some time for this while lying on the bed. This is to some extent acceptable provided it does not go into the heated arguments. If this spurt of argument arises, it leads to increased energy levels and stress hormones in blood. This situation keeps you awake for a long period of time in the night. Hence, it needs to be avoided.

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3 Simple Exercises to Get Flat Stomach

Introduction

If you aspire for an enviably flat tummy, you should do certain exercises regularly. These workouts will help you to remain slim, calm and flexible. It is found that giving proper movements to joints and muscles help people sprint forward without afflicting themselves with any injury. But there should be a limit beyond which the body should not be stretched, as it would bring unnecessary wear and tear that might damage the ability to move altogether. Hence, you should aim for a brisk 20-minute walk every day to burn fat to remain simple with your body exercises regimen. Other exercises can also be tried with some supervision initially from reputed trainers. Once they give go ahead, you can practice slightly complicated ones at home. Following are the three simple exercises that would keep your tummy flat and make you sprint like a tiger on the long run.

• Bicycle Crunch:  You should first lie down with your back on the floor. While doing so, you should keep the hands behind your head. Now, you should try to bend your legs at a 45 degree angle so that the right knee is closer to the chest. Simultaneously, you should straighten the left leg. While doing this exercise, you should slowly rotate your top half in such a manner that your left elbow touches your right knee. After a minute of freezing in this posture, you should repeat the same exercise by switching sides.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Boat: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Sitting in this posture, you should tilt your top half of the body back. Now, you can extend your legs so that your body forms a right angle. While doing this exercise, you should pull your abs in to balance the body. After freezing for a minute, slowly extend your arms at shoulder height past your knees. After reaching this posture, hold for five slow breaths again and return to your starting position. Repeat this exercise five times a day to keep the body flexible.
  
  
  
  
  
• The Plank: You should lay your face down first. After this, you should lift yourself up onto your toes and forearms. At this position, your elbows must be bent at 90 degrees. Now, keep your core muscles tight and your legs straight to balance the body in the elevated position. Freeze at this position hold your breath for 10 seconds before releasing your body to reach the starting position. Repeat three times a day, gradually building to 40 seconds each.
  
  
  
  
  

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5 Home Remedies for PCOS Available in Kitchen

Introduction

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is becoming quite common now-a-days due to a variety of factors. Some factors are genetic, environmental, food habits, occupation, etc. to name a few. That is the reason why growing number of women are turning to medication to bring some normality to their lives. Apart from medications, they are also trying to make some lifestyle changes and add the exercise regimen to mitigate the effect due to PCOS. After having said that, how many of the ladies know that there are home remedies that can keep under control this disease condition for many years? This is a hundred dollar question the ladies should ask themselves. When there is a homemade treatment, why should they go for English medicines that have a number of side effects after a long use?

Home Remedies

Many of the provisions that we normally use for the daily cooking have also got the medicinal properties. For example, turmeric powder, coriander, pepper, etc. have been shown to have medicinal properties in latest medical studies. Even our grandmothers used to make quick home remedies with locally available materials for small ailments. That was the beauty of the joint family. Not many people in olden times depended on the English medicine until it is absolutely necessary. Thinking in similar veins, there are home remedies for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. In this blog, we would be having a look at the home remedies available kitchen to combat this medical condition.

• Fenugreek: In Indian condition, it is called as Methi seed. People with PCOS have their insulin underutilized. This results in the increased production of testosterone and associated changes in the body, including obesity. The studies have found that eating soaked fenugreek helps to maintain normal levels of insulin in the body and burns excess glucose. This in turn reduces the concentration of testosterone.
  
  
  
  
  


• Cinnamon:  This is a proven cure for the type 2 diabetes. It reduces the insulin resistance and stabilises the concentration of glucose in the blood. It also increases the chance of conceiving when eaten along with other food items such as yoghurts, milkshakes, tea, etc. It also has zero calories.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Flax Seeds: They are rich sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and fibres. In addition, they have large amounts of lignans and proteins. These ingredients together can combat the body’s ability to boost testosterone synthesis. The seed has the ability to reduce the side effects of PCOS and utilize the insulin and glucose in the body. They can be powdered and mixed with water or milk before consumption.
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  Tulsi: It can control the androgens and moderate the insulin levels in the body. Due to lack of ovulation, the androgenic hormones are not properly utilized in case of polycystic ovary syndrome.  It is also an excellent antioxidant. For optimal response, the women are supposed to chew 10 leaves of tulsi in the empty stomach.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Honey:  The obesity and PCOS are interrelated. In fact, PCOS upsets the hormonal control of the body, which in turn leads to obesity. People with this medical condition need to take precautionary steps in order to avoid other medical problems such as arthritis and heart ailments. This natural product reduces hunger pangs and keeps the stomach full for period of time. Having honey laced with lemon juice made of warm water in the empty stomach would help the ladies reduce the body weight.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Home Remedies to Treat Hair Loss

Introduction

There is nothing like seeing a flock of hair on the head nicely combed in place when a person gets dressed up for an occasion. This is especially true about Indian women. The moment they lose hair or trim their hair, their beauty goes into oblivion and adds masculinity in their appearance.  This is why a flock of hair is considered indispensable for married women and marriageable young ladies in Indian society. Many people, especially grooms and other young guys, look forward to marry or partner with girls with long flocks of hair. In Indian society, the femininity or womanliness nears completion only when the girl or woman grows long flock of hair that reaches her buttocks.  In order to cash in on the strong desire, the chemical and pharmaceutical companies have come out with a number of formulations.  Despite the much publicity as the safe ones, these substances do have side effects that vary from person to person. Even doctors suggest in private that the home remedies can be used to have same desired effects without accumulating the side effects in the body. On this blog we would be taking a look at the number of home remedies that help us prevent the hair loss.

Factors Favouring Hair Fall

Medically, there are 1 lakh strands of hair on our scalp of which normally 50 or less strands fall off. If the number of falling strands is more than 50, medically the situation can be called as hair loss. There can be several factors that lead to hair fall. The most common factors that precipitate this kind of situation include ageing, environmental effects, too much of stress, use of chemically enriched hair products, etc. This could even come in certain medical conditions that present themselves as thyroid syndrome, polycystic syndrome, autoimmune disease, chronic iron deficiency induced anaemia and other chronic ailments.

Home Remedies

The simple looking measures taken at home using the home-derived products help us to prevent the hair loss and improvement in hair health. These simple ones are discussed below.

• Hair Oil Massage: This would increase the blood circulation to the hair root or follicles, leading to the improved growth. This also promotes relaxation and reduces the stress building in people. People can use coconut oil or almond oil or olive oil or other types of oil as a medium and a few drops of rosemary oil the vehicle to bring in the desired change quickly.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Indian Gooseberry:  This fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C. It is seen that a deficiency in this vitamin leads to hair fall.  The ample supply of this vitamin through natural fruit promotes natural growth of hair. This vitamin also has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Hence, the Indian Gooseberry or amla maintains a healthy scalp and promote hair growth.
  
  
  
  
  
• Fenugreek:  It is also known as methi. This home medicine is highly effective in preventing hair loss. Biochemically, it has the precursors of growth hormone that enhance hair growth by help building hair follicles. It also contains proteins and nicotinic acid. These compounds are also known to stimulate hair growth.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Onion Juice: It has high sulphur content. This juice improves blood circulation to the hair follicles. This in turn repairs inflammation and regenerates hair follicles. The juice also has the ability kill germs and other body parasites that may harm the body.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Aloe Vera: It contains enzymes that promote healthy hair growth. The alkalizing property sets the pH of the scalp at the desire level to improve hair growth. Its regular use reduces scalp itching, redness and inflammation.
  
  
  
  

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