Home Remedies for Acidity & Heartburn

Hi Friends! Hope all of you are doing great. I decided to write about a topic lot of Indians suffer from & probably blame the spicy food we eat, acidity or acid reflux. And at times it does get bad & causes many more associated digestive problems. I will gist down some home remedies which are found to be pretty effective.

1. Raw potato grated & the juice with some water lets acidity vanish in a few minutes. This works like a miracle for acidity.

2.Green coconut water taken daily helps in digestion & aids in relief from acidity & heartburn, also increases appetite.

3. Ginger is known to be great for digestion so adding it to your recipe helps you fight problems related to the stomach.

4. Lemon, Yogurt, Almond & Jaggery are all known for their good effects to soothe heart burns immediately.

5. Avoid caffeine & aerated drinks for best results.

6. Drinking a glass of lukewarm water in the morning empty stomach helps.

7. Clove & cumin are also known excellent for acidity problems, so adding it to food helps. One Clove can also be had raw once a day.

8. Basil Leaves help you with instant relief from acidity gas & nausea.

9. Chewing a sugar free gum also helps lower acidity as it produces saliva which eases out the digestion process & reduces heartburn.

10. Cold milk also helps alot, and if you are suffering from acidity ensure not to drink hot milk, and also don't add any additives like sugar or flavors etc.

These home remedies mentioned above have been tried & tested over years & have aided in relief from acidity & heartburn. Hope it also helps you.

Fluid Retention: Home Remedies

Fluid retention or Water retention occurs due to abnormal accumulation of fluid in and around, cells, tissues etc. This can be usually seen in changing weather, high salt intake & hormonal change during menstrual cycle. Swelling is seen across feet, ankles & hands which also show stiffness in movement due to the same. The body uses a system of hormones and hormone-like substances called prostaglandins to keep its volume of fluid at a constant level. If one were to intake excessive amount of fluids in a day, the amount of fluid would not be affected in the long-term, because the kidneys quickly excrete the excess in the form of urine. Likewise, if one did not get enough to drink, the body would hold on to its fluids and urinate less than usual.

Follow these to avoid water retention:
1. Do not drink alcohol: Alcohol leads to water retention and so taking alcohol is a bad option for people with fluid intake
2. Change your salt intake: Avoid packaged food as they usually have a much higher content of salt in them. This part plays an important role in fluid retention.
3. Avoid wearing tight clothes: They tend to form pockets in the body which give space for the fluid to stay.
4. Keep your feet at an elevated position: This movement against the gravity helps the movement of the fluids in the body & does not allow the fluid to retain at the feet.

Some Home Remedies to help you against fluid retention:
1. Drink Water: Drinking more & more fluids increases the activities of the kidney & helps the body flush out excess fluids from the body.
2. Lemon juice: Lemon juice helps the body to hydrate & thus helps you flush out excess fluid and toxins from the body. It acts as an excellent remedy for fluid retention.
3. Fennel Seeds (Saunf): It is a diuretic (which promotes the production of urine & flushes out excess fluid). It increases the sodium & water output from the kidneys, and is also known to aid in digestion & relieves gas. Drinking the warm water soaked with fennel 3-4 times a day helps alot.
4. Garlic: It is known for its effectiveness for digestion related issues, also for breaking downs fats. It also helps in fluid retention problems in a big manner. Take 2-3 cloves in the morning empty stomach.
5. Onion: It is a great diuretic, and helps in fluid retention. Also eating raw onion with each meal helps increase the insulin production in the body & diabetes patients are greatly benefited.

I hope these remedies & changes in lifestyle can do wonders for you. Also to remember that it is best to try natural diuretics in the above mentioned scenario rather than taking medicines because they might have lots of side-effects on the functioning of the kidney.

Asthma- Natural Prevention Methods

Asthma as we all know is a chronic lung disease that inflates the airways in the lungs & disrupts the natural breathing process. It can be associated with a wheezing or whistling sound while breathing, chest tightness, short of breathing & coughing. It is also seen that the coughing increases during night & early morning. The airways which carry air into our lungs are inflamed in people suffering from asthma. The inflammation makes it difficult for the person to breathe normally, due to swelling & the sensitive tissues & cells react with certain inhaled substances making it worse. The muscles around the airways tighten & causing less air to flow to the lungs. To fight inflammation the cells start producing more mucus than usual leaving even less space for the air to pass. These symptoms are very common in childhood & seem to improve with time but not necessarily. Though asthma is not known for complete cure but we can take some measures to lesser the chances.

Apart from the medicines & sterols which are used for treatment of asthma, the below written natural home remedies can help the sufferer.

1. Always keep your house clean, allergens like dust mites, animal dander create more trouble for the person. Do not let these allergens attack you, try to avoid contact with them as much as possible. Also furry pets should be kept at bay as animal hair is known as an allergen.

2. Turmeric is known as an anti-inflammatory agent & has shown good results. Drinking lukewarm milk with a pinch of turmeric helps fight inflammation. Similarly ginger also shows positive effects on curing inflammation & can be effective.

3. Magnesium rich food is good for relaxing the airways, also used in medication in emergency situation. If taking in capsulated form please know the correct dosage as it might have side-effects like upset stomach.

4. Omega-3 fatty acids act as drugs leukotriene inhibitors, which inhibits the action of infammation causing agents in the body.

5. Make a chart of food you eat everyday & the level of asthma for 15-30 days. Asthmatic action can be triggered by food which contains allergens, some people might be allergic to milk products, or other animal proteins, or wheat, sugar or other carbohydrates. So, continuous monitoring can help you identify it for you.

These remedies will not cure your asthma but reduce the severity. Other things to note for asthma patients is a strict non-smoking life, avoid fireplaces or other smoky things. Avoid drugs containing aspirin & ibuprofen as they are known to induce asthma. Try not to sleep on your stomach as this worsens respiratory problems. Do not stop medication if you have been advised by a medical practitioner till they ask you to discontinue the usage. I hope this small article will help you with some insights on better lifestyle with asthma.

Pranayam (Yoga) for Healthy Life-2

Hi Friends! This post is in continuation to my previous post on Pranayam. I had informed about three ways of doing Pranayam to be healthy & will continue with the rest of the three. To read about the previous ones already discussed & benefits of Pranayam please click here.

Bahya Pranayam
1. Sit with cross legged on the floor or ground.
2. Inhale fresh air & fill your lungs, hold.
3. Exhale the air forcefully (do not make it uncomfortable)
4. Now touch your chin to the chest & pull your stomach in so that it feels that you are trying to touch your back with your stomach.
5. Next lift your chin & breathe in slowly, hold it. Then exhale.
6. Repeat this 5-6 times.

Brahmari Pranayam
1. Close your eyes & start breathing.
2. Close your ears with the thumb & place the index finger above the eyebrow. Place the rest of the fingers on your eyes & face.
3. Keep your little fingers near your nostrils.
4. Now start breathing & fill your lungs with air.
5. Partially close your nostril with your little finger & breathe out with a humming sound like a bee originating from the throat.
6. Repeat thhis 3-5 times.

Udgeeth Pranayam
1. Breathe into fill your lungs with air.
2. Then slowly breathe out chanting "Om" originating from the throat with an emphasis on O and a short M.
3. Repeat this 5 times.

Enjoy doing Pranayam daily & let me know how you feel. Thanks Friends!

Pranayam (Yoga) for Healthy Life

Hi Friends! Today we are going to talk about Pranayam the ancient technique of breathing exercise. It consists of six breathing exercises out of which we will talk about three of them. At first listing down the benefits of these exercises for you so that you know why you should include it in your daily routine.
1. Improves blood circulation
2. Eases out breathing
3. Healthy heart & other organs with proper movement & blood circulation
4. Increases life expectancy
5. Better mental health

Bhastrika Pranayam:
1. Sit with crossed legs in your lawn or your porch on the ground.
2. Close your eyes & breathe deeply so that your diaphragm goes down & your chest expands.
3. Release your breathe at once.
4. Repeat for 5 mins.
5. Start it slow & with time you can increase your speed.

This technique helps us to ease out our breathing process & improves our concentration and other mental abilities.

Kapalbhati Pranayam:
1. Sit in the same position as mentioned above in open air (lawn or porch).
2. Inhale through your nostrils normally, allowing the lung to expand.
3. Exhale through both nostrils forcefully, assist by pulling in your stomach.
4. Repeat for 10 min

This technique helps us concentrate on forced exhalation & normal inhalation. The contraction of stomach muscles in the process helps you in burning fat around the area & improved digestion.

Anulom Vilom Pranayam:
1. While sitting in the same position, close your eyes & concentrate on your breathing.
2. Close the right nostril with right thumb breathe from your left nose, fill your lungs.
3. Move away the thumb & now close the left nostril with the middle & ring finger of the right hand. Exhale completely from the right nostril slowly.
4. Now inhale with your right nose & fill the lungs.
5. And now move your hand & close the right nostril with the right thumb like earlier & exhale.
6. Repeat the process for 10 min.

This technique of alternate breathing helps improve breathing and also uses both the nostrils & clears any congestion. It also helps people suffering from problems of sinus.

I hope this article gives you an insight on how useful introducing pranayam in your daily routine. It gives a fresh start to your day & shows great results in improving the quality of life. Thank You!

Diabetes & Foot Care

Hi Friends! We know that diabetes is becoming a very common disease in the society today, and high blood sugar levels over time start affecting the various organs of the body. Trying to throw some light over one of the common problems faced by patients of diabetes mellitus which is foot problems. Diabetes is responsible for ailments related to kidney, nerves, eyes, blood vessels etc. Immunity is also affected in most cases of these patients. Commonly foot problems are seen in patients which is due to damage to the blood vessels & walking and other physical activities can create abnormal pressure on the skin, bones & muscles. Normal sweat secretion & lubrication of the foot is reduced under diabetic conditions finally leading to foot sores.

Because of a weak immune system the healing process is affected in patients. The wounds can lead to bacterial infections of skin, muscle, tissues etc. These wounds take turn into gangrene, the slow absorption of antibiotics is affected due to poor flow of blood to these parts of the body. People with diabetes should take extra care of foot.

• You should learn to examine your foot regularly to recognize early signs of diabetic foot problems.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly and try to remain within the target range.
• Wash your feet regularly & dry them carefully.
• Apply moisturizer to your feet to avoid drying & cracking of skin.
• Do not let your shoes trouble you. Wear right shoes of correct size, blisters & burns in foot can be a serious problem.
• Poor circulation of blood can cause troubles so wiggle your foot & legs in intervals of 5 mins.
• Do not use extra hot or cold water or therapy on your foot. It can cause trauma & can lead to internal damages without your knowledge.
• Do not smoke. tobacco can cause damage to the blood vessels of your feet. The damage can interfere with your healing process.
• Trim your toenail carefully avoiding any cuts etc. Do it with a nail clipper & not scissors for safety. If you are unable to do it ask your family members.
• Avoid tripping, remove all obstacles which might be a reason for hurting yourself. Also avoid walking on uneven grounds to be safe.

These are a few tips every diabetes patient should follow for foot care. If anyone in your family suffering from diabetes, ensure they know about foot care. Enjoy a safe & happy day. Be Healthy!!

Can't Sleep?

Hi Friends! Do you feel drowsy during the day even after an 8 hour sleep. Not able to feel refreshed in the morning or can't sleep at night these might be symptoms of insomnia. Though insomnia may not be the only kind of sleep disorder it may be a warning for other problems. The symptoms vary from person to person as mentioned above or many others like not able to sleep at night or waking up many times at night or not able to sleep after waking up once.

Insomnia is a complex condition usually due to number of factors. You need to figure out the cause which disturbs your sleep. Your treatment can be tailored only after you know the cause. Some of the causes can be stress, depression, medication which can affect sleep, trauma, environment etc. Also certain other sleep disorders sleep apnea, narcolepsy & restless legs syndrome can lead to insomnia. Anxiety & Depression are are the two most common causes of chronic insomnia.

Some natural remedies which help you have a good night sleep:

1. Melatonin is a hormone which is responsible for the sleep/wake cycle. It causes drowsiness, lowers the body temperature & puts the body to sleep mode. Calcium & Magnesium have a role in the making of melatonin by the brain. So drinking a warm glass of milk at night helps you sleep better. Also Calcium & Magnesium can be taken in synthetic form in tablets. Also good sources of Magnesium include green leafy vegetable, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds etc.

2. Have bed time snacks to avoid sleep disturbance due to hunger. If hungry at night it can wake you up at night, but also a food with high glycemic index can keep you awake at night. Such food causes insulin & blood glucose to spike up and causes anxiety. Such foods should be avoided at night. Food high in fiber & low in glycemic index will keep you full and also avoid any anxiety.

3. Tryptophan an amino acid in milk & poultry is known to induce the production of serotonin. Foods rich in tryptophan have shown help in better sleep cycle due to serotonin which is known to calm our senses & prevents depression.

4. Tea has L-Theanine which is an amino acid (a higher percentage presence in Green Tea), which helps reduce heart rate & improves immune responses to stress. It induces the brain to secrete hormones which relaxes the body.

5. Lavender oil is a cheap, non-toxic way to slip peacefully into a good sleep. It has shown good effects in patients with problems of insomnia. Valerian root also has the same effects and used from ancient times to treat insomnia.

Hope these remedies will help you overcome from sleep disorders. Sleeping right is a key to a happy & successful life. Have a sleep like a baby. Thank!!

Avoid These Three Things

Hi Friends! I have not spoken about things which you should not do to stay healthy till date, but today I thought to blame three things which are causing troubles in our lives. All three of them start with the letter 'S', SUGAR, SALT & SATURATED FATS. After reading the names you can think why, though by avoiding I do not mean remove them from your diet, you just have to reduce or replace your options. They all are

As we all know Sugar is a culprit for high blood sugar levels or type-2 diabetes (not the only reason), reducing intake of sugar can help reduce the risks. Sugar is not only high in calories but also its glycemic index is high and mind you the refining of sugar uses various chemicals in the process which are harmful for the body. It is advisable to avoid sugar and use natural sweetening agents like organic honey, real maple syrup, xylitol, sorbitol, stevia etc. Though across countries in the Indian subcontinent jaggery (gud) considered as a safe option for diabetic patients but it is not. It is equally bad for your health, please consider this before using jaggery. Actually the food we eat has some or the other form of carbohydrate which breaks down to glucose to provide us energy. Now all the glucose may not be used by the body so it remains in our bloodstream and might convert to triglycerides which are stored around your waist. Sugar is not an essential item to our diet for this reason, in fact it is a bad guy. Reduce your sugar intake to avoid weight gain, weak immune system & of course diabetes.

If talked about salt, all know the chronic effects of excess salt in food like hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, edema (water retention) & stomach cancer due to the presence of Sodium. Salt is nothing but Sodium Chloride (NaCl) , the free ions of salt Na+ & Cl- are both required by the body in small amounts for proper functioning of the body. Muscle cramps, dizziness or electrolyte disturbance symptoms can be seen in people with salt imbalance. How to limit your intake of salt? Avoid packaged & processed foods, as they contain high amounts of sodium content & you cannot control your intake. Cook with less salt, avoid adding table salt during meals.

Now the last food saturated fat contains only triglycerides which are saturated fatty acids. Animal fats like butter, ghee, fatty meats, cheese etc. and plant fats like coconut oil, cottonseed oil, palm kernel oil are example of foods with high saturated fatty acid content. They are cause of many diseases which can be deadly like cardiovascular diseases by blocking the arteries and differesnt cancers like breast, colorectal, prostrate & ovarian cancers. These fats should be removed from the diet & should be replaced by monounsaturated fats like soya oil, olive oil, sesame oil etc.

Friends these small changes in our lifestyle can be a life changing event. I remember an old saying "Health is Wealth" so without health there is no fun in living. Have a great day... Thanks!

Foods for Depression

Hi Friends! First of all thank you all for providing continuous support.
This post is in continuation to my previous post on Deal with Depression. I would list down some foods which have been linked to help fight depression. In research it has been shown that diet has an important role to play in fighting depression.
Before writing about foods which have a good effect I would like to write particularly about sweets or sugary confectionery. Mind you this has a very negative effect on your mood, due to spikes in blood sugar level which is directly related to the functioning of the brain. Please ensure to avoid this food from the list.

Now coming to foods which will help you overcome depression:

1. Dark Chocolates: They are not only great into fight excess kilos you put on but also the antioxidants polyphenols & flavonols which help fight high blood pressure & makes you calmer. This has shown improved results in fighting depression.

2. Poultry: Poultry meat like chicken & turkey are high in tryptophan an amino acid which helps increase the production of Serotonin production. This chemical is a feel good chemical your body produces naturally.

3. Fatty Fish: As we all know they are rich of Omega-3 fatty acids which help fight heart disease & reduces inflammation, it also fights depression by inducing Serotonin levels by the brain. A partial study has proved that it helps the movement of serotonin across cells. Fishes like Tuna, Salmon, Cod, Hilsa are best in the category, other fishes like rohu, catla are good but the level of Omega-3 fatty acids might be lower & vary from each species.

4. Walnuts: They are source of monounsaturated fatty acids as well as proteins like other nuts. Along with this walnuts is the only source of Omega-3 from plant sources & has a similar effect on the serotonin as mentioned above.

5. Whole Grain: They are complex carbohydrates which helps fight depression. They help the moods improve quickly & are good for serotonin secretion by the body. This is also good for controlling the blood sugar levels. So whole wheat, whole pasta, oatmeal etc. are good choice of food for this case.

Diet is an important factor for fighting depression and you are asked to take special care for your diet. Hope the above article will help you make & your close ones make good choices for diet. Thank You!

Deal with Depression

Hi Friends! We live in a fast paced world today & if we do not run equally fast we tend to lose the race. With amazing technology revolution we have made our lives easy. But in this rat race we have lost one important thing in our life happiness & peace. We have so much in our head that we do not have space for happiness. There are times of ups & downs in our lives but if you are constantly feeling low & not feeling to do anything it is a sign of depression. It makes life very difficult to deal with, you don't find any interest in anything around you, even things which matter to you do not make you happy. Things can get better with help, we need to understand what it is, why it happens & how to overcome it.

What is Depression?

We hear in day-to-day conversation about people being depressed, though literally they just might be sad about something. Sadness & depression are not one and the same. A person might not be sad if depressed, there are different feelings experienced by different individuals which can be from sadness, hollowness, emptiness, apathy, anger, aggression, or restlessness. It is a psychiatric syndrome which eats up your happiness & interest towards life. It makes your life look pathetic without any sense of relief. The symptoms can vary like insomnia or oversleeping, hopeless & helpless, things seem impossible or difficult to do, you don't find interest in things you loved, either you lose appetite or eat without stopping, you find small things irritable, and become more short tempered or aggressive. Also there are tendencies of suicide as you don't find any reason to live.

What causes Depression?

The causes of depression may vary from life events to genetics. The some commonly understood causes of depression can be:

Past life events like problems in family, physical or sexual abuse, unequal treatment by parents, neglect which can cause troubles in later life. 

Events like job loss, divorce, death in family, emotional troubles & also sometimes happy events like new relationship, new job. Isolation from society or family.

Certain medications have shown negative effects on depression & taking such medication should be done under supervision of medical practitioners only.

Prolonged illness like diabetes, chronic pain, sleep apnea, cancer etc can trigger depression.

Genetic inheritance can increase the risk of depression, it has been seen as a complex function of genes.

Substance abuse like drugs & alcohol are a large percentage.

How to Overcome Depression or Treatment?

Seek Professional Help: There are effective treatments like therapy and medication which can help you recover, and it is important to understand the options & seek help as this is a medical condition and you might not recover from it naturally.

Talk to Trusted People: These people know you & understand you, they will lend a listening ear. Share your feelings with them, they might not be able to help but you will have a strong support system.

Join Support groups: There might be many like you who are suffering from depression this will help you with advice from each other & experience from each other. It will help reduce your feeling of isolation.

Start Healthy changes: Eat healthy & opt for regular exercise in your routine. Make conscious efforts to reduce stress & challenge negative thinking.

Build Relationships: This will help you cope up adverse situations, it will allow an outlet of emotions. Socializing will help you come out of the shell you had built around you. To balance emotional balance is one key to overcome depression.

Life is very beautiful enjoy it & do not wait for things to change & stand up for yourself and make the changes yourself. Do not neglect yourself while doing other things because you are important.

Thanks alot!!

Hypertension: High Blood Pressure

Hi! Today's topic is about Hypertension after discussing the counter part Hypotension yesterday. We know lot of people who would be suffering from this condition. The causes for hypertension listed out have been obesity, stress, sleep apnea, alcohol consumption, diet etc. Now, if you analyse the reasons carefully you will see that the reason accounting to Hypertension is mainly due to the lifestyle we indulge in. These conditions are known as lifestyle disorders or diseases & seen frequently in today's youth, though you can say there are factors which cannot be removed or changed from our daily life but we can still ensure certain corrective actions.

What to do?

Reduce your salt intake, it will reduce the sodium intake in your diet which has been considered to be one of the major reasons for increase in blood pressure. It takes extra fluid to flush out the salt from the system & thus pressurizing the heart to increase the blood pressure. Avoid packaged & processed foods, because they account for maximum salt intake in the body. You can also limit your intake if you cook yourself.

Drinking Coconut water has shown good effects on working of the heart. It has good amount of potassium and magnesium which helps in well being of the muscles & heart. Also the Sodium Potassium pump responsible for the smooth movement of fluid across the plasma membrane will create a less pressure on the heart.

Avoid Alcohol as it has shown negative effects on the blood pressure, also has shown negative effects on the medication for high blood pressure. It also has unwanted calories which add to your waistline & cause more trouble. It has been seen that losing 4-5 kg (10 pounds) can effect your blood pressure positively & not only weight but the waistline has shown correlation with blood pressure. Read my post on how to reduce waistline for help http://healthyyumfood.blogspot.in/2015/02/why-cant-i-fit-in-my-old-jeans-after.html

Introduce Garlic to food, this is an easy home remedy known for years to reduce the blood pressure. Allicin has shown positive effects on production of nitric oxide which helps reduce the diastolic & systolic pressure. Eat it raw in 1 large clove in the morning empty stomach to get best results alongwith addition to your food.

Sesame or til has shown good effects on hypertension, It relieves the oxidative stress in the body & also shows anti-inflammatory effect on the arterial walls thus lowering the blood pressure. It can be had in form of oil or also in food directly.

These are a few tips you can follow to help your hypertension & aid with your medication. Our lifestyle today is making us more & more prone to these lifestyle disorders. Try to live a happy & healthy life, because without these two life is meaningless. Thanks!!

Hypotension or Low Blood Pressure

Hi Friends!! My today's topic is to address a problem which you might not have heard much about. Rather all of us are always talking about high blood pressure or high BP. Jokingly also people say do not take too much of stress else your BP would go up. Then why at all talk about Low blood pressure or Hypotension. There are many equally suffering from low BP like high BP and is equally dangerous. Many of us do not take proper care or understand the symptoms of low BP. First of all lets try to know what would be considered as low BP. Normal resting human adult blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. Usually this is not stable & can vary from 100-120/ 60-80 for normal human beings, if a persistent 90/60 mm Hg or below is recorded for a person this is considered as low BP.

The symptoms experienced by the person are dizziness, lightheaded, fatigue, nausea, hard breathing, palpitations caused due to decrease in arterial flow & blood pressure beyond a point, the perfusion of the brain decreasing critically. Sometimes the arterial pressure drops suddenly on standing after sitting, this is caused due to gravity which doesn't allow blood back to the heart & the cardiac output is reduced. The cause of this kind of condition is dehydration, prolonged illness, nutritional deficiencies, decrease in blood volumes, pregnancy, sepsis, toxins, some medication etc.

Some things a person should immediately take care in such a condition is
1. Drink more Water to keep yourself hydrated & Avoid Alcohol as its property is to make you dehydrated.
2. Change your body positions slowly, this would help in reducing dizziness & lightheadedness.
3. Eat food which have low carbohydrate content to help preventing the blood pressure to drop drastically after meals. Also have meals in small gaps.
4. Eat healthy food, to fulfill any nutritional deficiencies. Eat good amount of lean proteins.

Some foods which have shown positive effects on hypotension are:
1. Salt: the presence of sodium helps to increase the blood pressure but this remedy should not be taken for a long time, as prolonged high consumption of salt can lead to other functional problems.
2. Lemon juice: It helps body fight dehydration and taking it with a small amount of salt & sugar serves the purpose, also in the long run it does help in maintaining blood pressure also, avoiding problems of fluctuating blood pressure.
3. Raisins: They are considered excellent remedy in Ayurveda, soak them overnight in water & have them in the morning for a few days & you will see change. The same can be done with almonds also which has shown very good results.
4. Coffee: Caffeine as mentioned in my previous post has sight effects on blood pressure can help. Especially having it with meals help you fight orthostatic blood pressure which is caused due to gravitational forces.
5. Holy basil leaves with honey: Have holy basil leaves or tulsi in the morning with honey, this has been recommended in Ayurveda for years. Also it helps fight common flu & cold.

Thanks Friends, I hope this article would be of help.

The dreaded Hypothyroidism: Combat it!!

Friends most of you must have people complaining of thyroid & getting obese. They are talking about hypothyroidism. This is a condition of the thyroid gland not producing enough thyroid hormone to run the body's mechanism. And surprisingly most of the people do not know their thyroid hormone deficiency.So, the number of people affected with this deficiency is far higher than the no. recorded. The main causes identified are autoimmune thyroiditis i.e. leaving the part of the gland inflamed leaves the cells dead and no producing enough hormones this is triggered by the patient's own body's immune system, this is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. The second case is of medical treatments, in some conditions surgical removal of part of the thyroid gland and can leave a small part which is not enough to meet the body's requirement.

There are no such foods which can cure your situation of hypothyroidism, but eating well & avoiding certain food can help you stay better. These hormones are attached with your mood swings, depression, lethargy, body temperature, heart rate & blood health. Along with the thyroid medication a well balanced diet helps in bolstering the thyroid hormone.

I will list down a few foods which would boost your system & also the ones which you should avoid.

EAT THESE MORE

1. Fish: The Omega-3 fatty acids present in fatty fishes are responsible to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and also increase immunity and decrease the inflammation due to presence of Selenium which helps in reducing inflammation. Also in sea fish especially the Iodine content is high which helps the normal functioning of the gland.

2. Whole grains: Whole grains have dietary fibers which help with bowel regularity, as constipation is a symptom highly noticed in these patients though it has shown interference with the synthetic medication, so medication for hypothyroidism is advised to be taken much before the consumption of any high fiber food.

3. Fresh Vegetables: Early signs of hypothyroidism includes massive weight gain, so  low calorie & nutrient rich food like bell peppers, sweet potatoes etc. is recommended in this scenario. Additionally foods like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, spinach, radish, soybean etc.are goitrogenic in nature which interferes with the production of the thyroid hormone. Research has shown that the cooking of these foods have made them effective in making the goitrogens inactive. There are also certain fruits which are effective in reducing your calorie intake eg strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches etc.

4. Dairy Products: Milk has always been a good source of nutrients, and in this case has shown to fulfill needs of Vitamin D commonly seen to be lacking in people with hypothyroidism, as well as provides calcium, protein and iodine in good amount. The good bacteria in yogurt has shown effects in digestion & help other gut bacteria, as digestion is also affected in people with hypothyroidism.

5. Bananas, Avocados & Almonds: These foods are high in tyrosine an amino acid which has shown to combine with iodine & produce thyroid hormones. Zinc, Vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12 and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E are also known to improve the thyroid function.

6. Beans: They are a great source of protein & dietary fibers and can be consumed in various ways in our daily diet. It has shown good effect on energy levels as this disease leaves you drained & fatigued. They contain variety of nutrients which helps you.

AVOID THESE FOODS

1. Fatty Foods: The lowering of metabolism associated with this disease will make you more susceptible to weight gain. Also it has a negative effect on the production of the hormone.

2. Sugary Food: The body becomes less active & lethargy prevails with the less production of the hormone which will reduce you capability to burn out the sugar. It can lead to problems of blood sugar etc.

3. Processed Foods: These food usually have high sodium content an underactive thyroid can lead to blood pressure issues. Look out for food with low sodium content.

4. Alcohol: It acts as a toxic agent on the gland and suppresses the ability of the body to use the hormone completely. The medication or synthetic hormone becomes inactive in such a condition.

5. Uncooked Cruciferous Vegetables: Do not eat uncooked vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy etc which falls under the cruciferous categories of vegetables. As previously mentioned they are goitrogenic in nature and should be cooked to inactive the goitrogens.

6. Dietary fiber with medication: Keep sufficient gap between medication and eating anything with fiber, as it affects the functioning of the synthetic hormone. Do not consume too much dietary fiber as well.

Friends hope this is helpful. Circulate it friends & family for more & more people to be aware. People with history in family & women nearing menopause should be more careful. Thanks!!

Obesity---> Diabetes- Power Foods

Hi Friends!! Today have chosen a topic which is becoming a dreaded name & a very common ailment. In yester years it was seen to affect at old age maybe after retirement or just a few years before that. Today you cannot say so any of us can be affected by it there is no age restrictions. Primarily what has changed is our lifestyle, & so very rightly called lifestyle diseases. Nowadays everyone is busy with their careers, running around for work (though not literally) & has very less time to relax & care about themselves and families. Also it is said by doctors & researchers people who are obese have a higher risk towards diabetes. Overweight stresses the individual cells which in turn send signals for insulin resistance thus increasing the blood sugar levels the first indication of diabetes.
We can control diabetes from early stages called pre-diabetes by changing our lifestyle. This includes Breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. It has been seen a person who does not have breakfast properly has a tendency to overeat during the day and also becomes lazy & sluggish. A healthy breakfast should have carbohydrates, proteins & fiber (ofcourse vitamins & minerals). A combination of fresh fruits, whole grain cereals, milk, eggs are ideal choice for breakfast (fruits will not include sealed fruit juices). Most of you will find it very cumbersome to do so much in the mornings, so atleast have a filling breakfast & change it on regular basis. A change in the eating habits have shown to trigger a good signal to the brain.
Today the main focus is on food which you can have as a diabetic which will control your symptoms. I will again focus on food high in anti-oxidants, vitamins and fiber and something which can be easily made available.

1. Beans: Beans typically available in India as Rajma & Soybeans, are in true sense the magic beans. They are a great source of protein, and have high dietary fiber. They help control blood sugar level & reduces risk of first time stroke. They are high quality carbohydrates and 1/2 cup of beans count for more than 9g of fiber, one starch & one lean meat. So now you know how much beans you should have, but barring the ghee in the preparation of Rajma :D.

2. Broccoli: This vegetable not liked by many (including me earlier) is a great source of Anti-oxidants beta-carotene which is responsible for production of Vitamin A in the body. Also the Vitamin C found in 100g broccoli is higher than similar amount of oranges. It does not have any starch & promotes good vision, teeth, bones & skin. Very rich content of folate & fiber with minimal calories & carbohydrates. Include this in your veggies sauteed, steamed, grilled.

3. Low fat Yogurt: Be sure to eat low-fat yogurt, as mentioned in my yesterday's post the fat content in dairy products are very high and not good for health. The high content of calcium & good amount of proteins have known to reduce risk of type-2 diabetes. Already mentioned yesterday calcium helps slowing down the break down of carbohydrates in the meal.

4. Watermelon: They are a good source of antioxidant lycopene, which may help protect against some cancers & cell damage associated with heart diseases. The fruit is low in saturated fat & cholesterol keeps the heart healthy. It also has a very good amount of water content. The amount of watermelon a person can have defines how much effect it has on the glycemic index (GI: a measure of effects of carbohydrates on the blood sugar level), a normal serving of watermelon is around 1.25 cup which has a low GI of only about 9.

5. Cinnamon: Cinnamon known as Dalchini in hindi is known to reduce the insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes. Also it has shown effect on lowering the cholesterol levels by around 18%. To have around an inch of cinnamon raw has shown great results, in lower blood sugar levels & cholesterol. People with any kind of liver ailments should exercise caution while consumption of cinnamon.While consuming ground cinnamon powder available in the market, the results might not be very favorable as the contents may not be very pure.

Hope you like this post & circulate it to maximum people you know. It might help them fight this disease. A good diet can improve our lives alot & save us from various lifestyle diseases. Please provide me with your valuable suggestions over the content. Thanks!!