Eat your way to a healthy life!

Bananas
Bananas are a major source of potassium and iron, which is beneficial for restoring low haemoglobin levels in the body. They're also great for the digestive system because of their fibre content.

Eat your way to a healthy life!

Today all of us are constantly running on the treadmill called life. Long working hours, late nights, stress, health problems, family and household responsibilities constantly weigh us down.
Some sleep through the weekend to compensate sleep deprivation during the week. Eating junk and fast foods has made your health go for a toss. However, don't lose hope. There are a number of natural 'power foods' that are packed with nutrients, vitamins, anti-oxidants (cancer fighting agents/properties) and minerals. A regular consumption of these foods have benefits like slowing down of the ageing process, controlling cholesterol levels, blood pressure and diabetes. 
For the next some days i l b telling you some foods that we should eat on a daily basis and their good effects...


Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a major source of Lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant that helps fight cancerous cells. Lycopene can be absorbed through tomatoes by the body in raw as well as cooked form. They also help in preventing hear disease and reducing high cholesterol.

Toothache and Gum Disease

Toothaches and gum diseases are usually only related in that they both occur in the mouth. They have in general very different causes and therefore will be discussed separately.

The classic toothache is almost always caused by nerve pain due to an exposed nerve root. While it is true that receeding gums can expose nerve roots, causing "tooth" pain.

Another scenario is that of a filling worn down or fallen out. Chewing gum regularly will make fillings come out more quickly, avoid it if possible.

Usually a toothache requires a trip to the dentist, however there a number of  treatments you can access relatively easily if you can't see the dentist right away.

• Avoid very hot or very cold foods or beverages, such as hot coffee or ice cream.
• Also, avoid hard to bite foods such as raw carrots or apples.
• Gentle pressure onto the hurting tooth through the cheek may provide some relief.
• The castor oil pack is a marvelous tool for pain relief anywhere. Simply apply a generous layer of castor oil to the area that hurts (in the case of toothache apply the oil to the cheek; putting castor oil in your mouth could cause stomach cramps or loose stools), cover with a layer of saran wrap then apply a hot towel or heating pad to the area. Be careful not to burn the skin. Rest with the heat on for at least 20 minutes. The castor oil will stimulate "drainage" of the blood congested with microbes, in the case of infection, or with pain producing elements, such as cytokines, in the case of dental nerve irritation. Castor oil is available in most health-food stores.
• One of the easiest and most effective natural pain killers, especially for toothache, is clove oil. Many dentists still use clove oil in their offices where stronger  analgesics. You can rub the clove oil directly onto the painful area inside the mouth.  Dilute it with olive oil if it is too strong straight. You can also hold a whole peg of clove in your mouth at the site of the toothache. The numbing sensation will kick in quite rapidly, and will last up to 90 minutes.  

The good news about toothache is that the tooth can usually be fixed.

Gum disease is more serious, generally more chronic, and not readily responsive to "quick fixes."

Gum disease is caused by infection, and prevention is the best approach to this disease.

• Avoid over-eating.
• Avoid excessive stress which may cause night time teeth griding.
• Avoid sugary foods and beverages.

Gum disease is very common, in fact it is listed as the most prevalent infectious ailment in the United States after the common cold. The rate of infection increases with age; it is a major cause of adult tooth loss.

The first stage is gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums, caused by sticky deposits of bacteria, mucus and food particles. These sticky deposits are called "plaque" or may still be refered to by a more outdated term: tartar. The plaque builds up around the teeth and, at the gum line, irritates the gums causing bleeding and ultimately infection. Gingivits is the medical term for gum infection; pyorrhea means bleeding gums.

The accumulation of plaque eventually causes the gums to swell and become infected, widening the gaps between the gum and the tooth, like pockets, which further enhances disease. These "pockets" gather food debris and can become soft, red, shiny and will bleed easily. When gum diseases progresses ad begins to affect the jaw bone, it is called periodontal disease.

All of this can be prevented or improved with physical measures.

• Foremost is consistent, thoughtful tooth, gum and tongue brushing with a clean, soft brush. Brush the teeth at a 45 degree angle to get under the gum line. Get a new toothbrush regularly (at least 4 times yearly) and make sure your toothpaste isn't irritating.
• If you make lots of plaque, consider an alkalinizing toothpaste, such as one containing baking soda. Bacteria prefer an acid environment. The FDA has approved the first toothpaste (made by Colgate) that can claim on the label to "prevent gingivitis and plaque" but you probably don't need drugs in your toothpaste to keep your gums healthy. If you can't get to your toothbrush soon after eating, at least vigorously swish out your mouth with water.

Gum disease is a major cause of bad breath.

• The next obvious preventive approaches to gum health are eating nutritious whole foods (not processed), flossing daily and regular dental check-ups.
• Avoid refined carbohydrates including alcohol and soda pop.
• Faulty dental fillings and ill-fitting protheses can also accelerate gum disease by providing sites for plaque accumulation.
• Sufficient saliva is also critical to clear the mouth of plaque and bacteria. Persons with dry mouth due to age or disease will need to stimulate their salivary glands more vigorously by chewing carrots  or sugar-free candies, sipping fluids throughout the day and attempting to breathe through the nose only.

Bacterial plaque is not the only cause of gum disease. A compromised "host" is also a factor in any disease; that is, someone with a poorly functioning immune system due to substance abuse, poor nutrition or poor general hygiene.

Smokers suffer from much more rapid gum deterioration than non-smokers. In case you needed just one more reason to quit! Smoking promotes periodontal disease and ultimately tooth loss by doing free radical damage to the cells on the surface of the inside of the mouth. Smoking also drastically reduces Vitamin C stores.

Gum problems which progress from gingivitis to periodontal disease may be a sign of a more systemic condition, such as diabetes mellitus, collagen diseases, luekemia or other diorders of white cell function, anemia, or vitamin deficiency. 

White patches on the gums or elsewhere on the oral mucous membrane (inside the mouth) that can be scraped off are a sign of fungal infection (thrush) which must be treated, principally by avoiding sugar, antibiotics and steroids (including inhalers) whenever possible. The reason you would want to avoid antibiotics, if possible, in treating gum disease is that they destroy "good" bacteria, which help to break down and digest food, in the mouth as well as along the whole length of the gastro-intestinal tract.

Once you have gum disease, what can be done?

Luckily, quite alot, including many non-drug and non-surgical methods.

• Natural bioflavonoids, the molecules that give plants their colors, decrease wound healing time and are useful in treating gum and periodontal disease. Blueberries, hawthorn berries and grapes are all rich sources of flavonoids.
• Vitamin C is also critical to gum health, found in amla, lemon, oranges etc.
• Another crucial nutrient for gum health is folic acid, or folate. The mucous membrane of the gastro-intestinal tract, which starts in the mouth, has the highest rate of cell turnover in the entire body. This is why many chemotherapy drugs, which are geared to "attack" cancer cells that are rapidly dividing, are folic acid inhibitors. People taking chemotherapy drugs will often suffer terribly from sores and blisters in their mouths, and all along the GI tract. Folic acid is essential for normal cell proliferation and the constantly renewing mucous membrane over the gums would not stay healthy without this important B vitamin.

Please give these methods a try, and hopefully surgery and/or antibiotics can be avoided.

Now, truthfully, when was the last time you changed your toothbrush?

Home remedies for back pain...

The back bears most of the body weight and this problem is more pronounced among people who are overweight because in their case, they have to carry the extra load of their excess weight.

The various causes for backache include poor posture, lack of exercise, too much stress, muscular tension, etc. Here are some home remedies to help you deal with this problem:

- If you are overweight, the first thing you should do is lose excess weight because then your back won't have to bear extra pressure.

- Massage your back with garlic oil and eucalyptus oil to seek relief from pain and inflammation.

- Drink a glass of warm water mixed with a tablespoon of honey to soothe backpain.

- Deficiency of vitamin C makes one prone to backache. Therefore, increase the vitamin C intake in your diet.

- Apply a towel that has been squeezed after being soaked in hot salted water, on the back. Application of heat in this way will provide relief.
- Do not sit in the same position for several hours. Also, sit straight and do not stoop. A poor posturewill only worsen your backpain.

Size zero and its side effects

For those of you who want to dump your curves and crave to be a size zero, here is a warning. Research have shown: girls dieting to be size zero could be risking their bones to long-term problems such as osteoporosis. The research conducted on 4,000 young girls, shows that fat mass plays an important role in building bones. It is also found that constant images of reed-thin, size-zero models, pop stars and actresses fuelled a rise in eating disorders amongst young women.

In India, Bollywood hottie Kareena Kapoor sparked the craze for size zero after she reportedly lost eight kilos to acquire a bikini body for Tashan in 2007.

While celebs like her can take pride in setting a trend, for young followers there could be health hazards. Building strong bones is particularly important for women, as they are three times more likely to develop osteoporosis and suffer up to three times more hip fractures than men. Actress Gul Panag points out, "Size zero has sparked low self-esteem issues, resulting in bulimia, anorexia and body dysmorphic disorders. Looking thin is like being a poster girl for sickness and bad health. I believe it's more important to be fit than be thin and look sick." Former Miss India Parvathy Omanakuttan agrees with Gul."The term size zero is a gimmick to sell certain products in the market."

Fitness experts point out that size zero is unhealthy and not many are aware of what it really implies. "Size zero refers to maintaining a slim figure. Do the right kind of exercises under the guidance of a certified trainer and have the right kind of food that can help you acquire a slim figure. Simply aping superstars and trying to be a size zero is something no sensible person will support," concludes fitness expert Dinaz Vervatwala.

Unhealthy fad
In early 2006, Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston, 21, died of anorexia on the eve of a Paris photoshoot after living on a diet of apples and tomatoes
Actress Nicole Richie was reported to have collapsed on set. Citing dehydration, she has tried in vain to quench rumours that she suffered from malnutrition.
And there are numerous other cases that can be stated.. so instead of craving for size zero try out for being fit...

Best brain foods for everyone

As you age, your memory goes for a toss. Eating right will help those grey cells in working condition and you in tip-top shape!

Can't find your keys ... again? Whether your momentary memory loss is linked to doing too many things at once or just a bad case of menopausal brain fog, you don't have to put up with it.

It is suggested that natural chemicals in these foods, spices, and drinks combat cognitive decline.

Here is a list of some of the foods that help us keep our memory active and sharp.

- Asparagus

- Blueberries

- Cocoa

- Coffee

- Egg yolks

- Indian curry

- Red wine

- Rosemary

- Salmon

- Tomato sauce

- Walnuts

Like celebs, shed post-pregnancy kilos

Take a cue from celebrity mothers and shed those post-pregnancy kilos. Here are a few things that work in your favour and make the ordeal easier

Celebrity mothers such as Aishwarya, Amrita Arora, her sexy older sibling Malaika Arora Khan, Hollywood hotties like Angelina Jolie and bootylicious singer Jennifer Lopez prance around setting an example for young mothers everywhere. While they may have a slew of helpers and nannies to take over when they tire, getting back into shape post delivery is as rewarding as it is difficult, much like childbirth itself. Gone are the days when all you could picture were double chins, saggy tummies and excess weight that's impossible to shed.

Here is a cheat sheet on how they do it and what you can do to get rid of your motherhood fat.

Eating on the run
When coping with a newborn it's almost impossible to sit down and enjoy three normal meals. So mums tend to eat little and often — between feeds and while the baby sleeps.

"This style of eating keeps energy levels up and boosts the metabolism," says nutritionist Louise Khan. The other secret for a faster fat-busting metabolism is breastfeeding, which burns an average of 500 calories a day. "It also helps stomach muscles contract and tighten post-birth for a flat tummy," says Louise.

It fixes your hormones
More and more mums — including celebs such as JLo and Victoria Beckham, have suffered from the common hormone imbalance polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Symptoms of this condition include irregular periods, infertility, miscarriages, excess hair, acne and obesity.

But although it can be tougher to conceive with this condition, after pregnancy many women with PCOS find their hormones balance out for the better. This means more stable blood sugar levels, so it's easier to keep weight off.

You burn more calories
It might sound obvious, but when you think that weight loss is down to a simple calculation of substracting calories, it's clear why the additional activity involved in looking after a newborn shifts fat.

Many new mums find that after years of leading a relatively sedentary life — sitting down at work all day, for example — they're now find themselves racing around from the moment they wake up until their head hits the pillow. Some also find it easier to walk to more places rather than load and unload the pram into the car for every short journey. Plus, the bigger your family the better, as with every additional baby your activity levels increase even further.

Exercise for the first time
For many new mums, trying to lose weight after pregnancy is the first time they've done any real exercise since school, so even women who were slim before wouldn't have had much muscle tone if they weren't working out. Wanting to shift the pregnancy weight gives mums an incentive to visit the gym or start swimming, which can reap big rewards. They find their body becomes stronger and better toned than ever before.

Respecting the body
Having a baby can put you more in tune with your body. You feel more confident and appreciative of your body and what it's capable of doing. Serial yo-yo dieters can find this newfound respect ends the 'binge-then-crash diet' cycle and they lose weight without trying, for the first time in their lives. New mums must eat well to have enough energy to cope, and this change of focus often stops them from obsessing about calories. They follow a healthy diet, with everything in moderation and no meal skipping, which is the real secret to sustained weight loss.

Post-baby body
Exercise throughout : Swimming or walking three times a week while pregnant will keep your muscles toned and fat stores down, without overdoing it.

Go steady after the birth: Ask your doctor at your six-week check up if you're safe to start exercising, and listen to your body— don't rush into exercise until you feel up to it.

Move more: If it's impossible to get to the gym, try to walk everywhere with your pram — the faster you go, the more calories you will burn.

Breast-feed: It's not just the best thing for your baby — it will help you lose weight faster too.

Eat right: A healthy diet with plenty of fruit, veges and lean protein is vital, and eating small mini meals fives times a day boosts your metabolism.

Fix your fat belly now!

We share with you four easy ways to fix your belly fat. Mind you, they are not exercises...

Are you also worried about your 'jelly' belly like millions of others around you? Have flat-abs diet failed you too often? We share some easy tips to drastically reduce belly fat. We are not suggesting exercises, only some quick lifestyle changes...

"Roll your shoulders back and down"
By default when you haunch, your belly pooches out. This is a simple posture correction that helps your tummy to stay in. This posture also makes you look slimmest.

"Pull up your abs and up"
Yes, you read it right. You don't have to go through the painful process of crunches and simply pull up your abs and then push them up.

"Keep your butt tucked in"
Many of you must have heard this trick somewhere but never took it seriously. It's time you start doing it!

"Bend 90 degrees"
Don't stress your back when you bend. When you pick up stuff ensure you bend 90 degrees. Do it few times a day and it will help push the belly fat in.

Dont like veggies.. here are some tips..

 

Love them or hate them, you cannot deny their importance.

Easily the most health-promoting food group on the planet, vegetables are powerhouses of fiber and antioxidants. So, what do self-confessed veggie haters (like most of us!) do? One thing's for sure, cheating veggie haters into eating generous portions of the leafy things works...everytime. Here are some tips for including vegetables in your daily diet without really tasting them...

 Add vegetables to your favourite dishes

You love lasagna? Add layers of chopped spinach or boiled and stir fried broccoli or carrots along with flavoured zucchini slices. You love macaroni and cheese? Stir fry a few seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, mushroom and tomatoes in olive oil. Add a dash of oregano or tomato puree to it, your healthy bowl of macaroni and cheese is ready. Fold them into quesadilla or omelettes.

 

Fold them into salads

 

Throw in all the vegetables you like (or tolerate) into your bowl of salad. There are many vegetables which will go well with salads - onions, radishes, grated carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, cauliflower florets or green beans. Perhaps a good way to include them is to slice them really thin...so they don't get in the way too much.

 

Have some fun mixing and matching

 

Some vegetables are best when combined with certain other vegetables. So add a bunch of them to a single dish - maybe grill some eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes for a single dish topped with your favourite sauce?

 

Serve them raw with a tasty homemade dip

 

The flavour of raw veggies is milder and the texture is crisp. Serve them with onion dip (use home prepared onion broth and add low fat cream to it) or simple make a flavoured tomato puree (boil tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper in one table spoon of olive oil).

 Sneak them into your evening snack

 

Place them inside hot or cold sandwiches. Add grated or finally chopped vegetables such as fresh basil, sliced zucchini, shredded cabbage of different colours. Tomato and sprouts go well with wraps and pitas too.

 

Drink your veggies!

 

Prepare homemade versions of bottled or canned juice and add your own healthy twist of veggies to it. Blend some carrot along with mango or orange juice.

Grill them!

 

Grill some vegetables, and add a dash of your favourite flavouring or simply salt and pepper will also do. Just make sure to brush them slightly with olive oil or light dressing, before grilling. Large pieces of mushroom and zucchini or eggplant can be placed neatly on a stick and grilled.

If you are somebody who dislikes eating overcooked vegetables, simply change your cooking style. Try cooking vegetables in texture enhancing ways such as light microwave cooking or simple stir-fries in your favourite sauce.

Merry Christmas...