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!

Foods Good for Organs they Look Like

Hi Friends! An interesting topic today, you may say God showed us a way for us to know food that are good for us. And research has proven the fact that the foods are great for the human organs they resemble.

Beans & Kidney

Both the name & the shape resemble the kidney of human beings. Kidney beans provide vitamins & minerals essential for health. They are rich in magnesium & potassium which help prevent kidney stones. Also are superstore for fibers help digestion & prevents constipation.

Walnut & the Brain

Look at the walnut, you will see a small brain, left & right hemisphere cerebrum & cerebellum, also the nut is protected by the hard shell just like the boney skull. They are also nicknamed the brain food. Walnuts are a very good vegan source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It helps the lubrication of the brain & keeps everything flowing properly.

Oranges & other citrus fruits & the breast

Grapefruits, oranges, lemons have a structure similar to the female breast. They have powerful limonoids which inhibit cancer development in lab animals & also in female breasts. This is just not a coincidence.

Tomato & Heart

A cross section of the tomato has four sections just like our heart, & red like our heart. Lycopene in tomato has been associated with healthy heart. It has shown a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases by 33% in both men & women. Olive oil & avocado added to tomatoes can help absorption of lycopene in our body.

Ginger & stomach

Ginger looks like our stomach, and no doubt it has an excellent digestive agent. Gingerol is responsible for the pungent scent & taste, is an excellent phytochemical has ability to prevent nausea & vomiting.

Celery & Bones

Celery stalk look like the human bone & specially target bone health. The presence of silicon in these foods help a strong foundation to the bones. Bones are 23% Sodium & the same composition is in celery.

Carrot & Cornea of the eye

We all have known for the benefits of the carrot for the human eyes. A slice of carrot resembles the cornea of the eye. Beta-carotene which produces the bright orange color in carrots are responsible for reducing cataract. They are also known to improve the blood flow to the eyes.

Now isn't this great... look at the shape of a fruit or vegetable and can know what the benefits of the same are. I believe it is an excellent way of nature to teach us what is good for us. Enjoy your day & have a great day ahead. Thanks!

Turmeric: Benefits for health

Hi Friends! Turmeric as we all know is a root used for spice in a curry, gives a bright yellow color & has a warm & bitter taste. It has been known to our sages & saints in ancient times & they have described it for medicinal use. The health benefits are associated to curcumin the main ingredient responsible. The studies conducted with high level of this compound which is present in much lesser quantities in actual diet. Taking it with black pepper has shown increased absorption of curcumin in the bloodstream.

The benefits of turmeric can be listed as follows:

1. Anti-inflammatory agent: Inflammation is a way of fighting foreign invaders & also has a role in repairing damage. But chronic inflammation has been studied to be cause of many diseases like cancers, neurodegenerative disorders and artherosclerosis. Curcumin helps fight these conditions as it helps fight agents associated with these.

2. Antioxidant: It is also a powerful antioxidant it helps fight the free radicals present in the body which are responsible for damaging the DNA, proteins etc. It can be a reason for different diseases like cancers caused due to mutation & other neurological disorders.

3. Liver related diseases: Research has shown positive results on chronic liver damages. The antioxidant & anti-inflammatory action of turmeric is helpful in these actions. It has shown results in reversing cirrhosis.

4. Heart diseases: Blood pressure, blood clotting, heart attack & stroke have been seen to be affected by the endothelial dysfucntion. Endothelium is the lining of the blood vessels. Curcumin has shown to improve the function of this lining. Alongwith this the antioxidant property is important for proper functioning of the heart.

5. Depression: As stated in my previous posts depression is a psychotic condition which is related to the functioning of the brain. Turmeric has shown proven results in improving the cognitive abilities & memory. Turmeric also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin & dopamine.

6. Anti-ageing: As it is a powerful antioxidant & anti-inflammatory agent can play a major role in anti-ageing. It is a derived function of many factors in which oxidation & inflammation plays a major role.

7. Weight Loss: It is a weight loss agent as one of the major reason for obesity & related diseases is presence of macrophages in fat tissues. These cause inflammation in organs like heart, islets of pancreas and also increases insulin resistance.

Turmeric is an ancient healer and being used in the Indian society for century. I have listed only some of the benefits from this root. There are other benefits also of this root which are known to many, in case you want to know more please tell me I can make another post about the other common uses. Thanks!

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!

Have a Safe Holi

Hi Friends!! Wish you all a very Happy Holi in advance. Holi is a festival of colors & a tradition we love to indulge in, follow some pre & post tips to have a safe Holi.

1. Colors: Use organic colors instead of chemical colors as they can cause severe irritation on the skin & have been associated with carcinogenic effects. If allergic to dust & pollution avoid playing with dry colors as they enter your lungs & cause allergic problems.

2. Cover your body: You cannot choose what your neighbor & friends buy for Holi , you can still be exposed to chemicals. Wear clothes which cover you the most. Additionally oil your body & hair to minimize the contact with colors. Use a lip balm to keep your lips soft. Avoid make-up as these colors might have unwanted reaction with the make-up. Apply thick coating of nail lacquer to avoid multi-colored nails. :)

3. Wear glasses or goggles: Do not wear contact lenses as they do not protect your eyes from any irritation rather might increase any irritate on contact with any irritant. Wear glasses or goggles instead to avoid chemical contact with eyes.

4. After playing Holi: Instead of using soap to clean your face use a cleanser to avoid drying up of the skin. Use a mild shampoo to wash your hair, if still colors don't go, oil at night wash your hair the next day.

Have a Happy & Safe Holi! Enjoy Friends!!

Chickpeas or Bengal Gram

Hi Friends! As promised my today's topic is related to the benefits associated with chickpeas or bengal gram commonly eaten across India. It is a great source of vegan protein & also gluten-free.
Let's list it down:

1. Weight Loss: It is an important ingredient of the weight loss diet. It has a low glycemic index makes it digested slowly thus while consuming a chickpea preparation will keep you full for longer & control your appetite. Apart from it has high fiber content thus makes the bile to be forced out & prevent constipation.

2. Diabetes: This is a high fiber diet & as well a low GI food of around 28-31 which makes the digestion slow & release of sugar is delayed people with insulin resistance, hypoglycemia, diabetes are benefited by this. Also as it is gluten-free it is better for digestion.

3. Heart & Blood Health: It has high potassium content which is necessary for keeping blood pressure under control. Alongwith this it has fibers, Vitamin C, & Vitamin B-6 content which makes ita n excellent food for the heart. It also doesn't have any cholesterol. Also the fibers present help clean your system of cholesterol in the blood reducing risk of heart stroke. And in addition to this it contains iron which is important for you to prevent anemia, especially menstruating women & pregnant women are greatly benefited.

4. Bone health: The presence of micro-nutrients makes it important for bone health also. Calcium & phosphorus balance is required for the building of bone minerals, whereas manganese, zinc & iron play crucial role in formation of collagen. Vitamin K has been proved to improve the absorption of calcium & improving proteins of bone matrix. Lesser intake of Vit K has shown higher risk of bone fractures.

5. Cancers: Selenium is present in chickpeas has shown role in liver enzyme function & reduces inflammation & growth rate of tumors. Also it has folates which are known for good DNA health and protects from mutations. Also a compound called saponin is present in chickpeas which prevents cancer cells to grow & multiply throughout the body. Additionally Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant which fight against free radical damage.

You can see how power packed a bowl of chickpeas or chhole is. Including it in the daily diet is a very good option, or you can have atleast 2-3 times a week. Enjoy it in salads, curries etc.
Hope you had a good insight on the health benefits. Thanks!

Healthy Vegan Snack: Chickpea or Chhole Chaat

Hi Friends! We find it very difficult to think of a healthy evening snack. Most of us find it very difficult to find healthy options for evening snacks & finally eat some unwanted calories like a cake, chips, mixtures etc. Today I will write a simple vegan snack, tasty & healthy.

Indie-Chickpea Trailmix (Chhole chat)

Ingredients
Chickpea (Chhole): 1 cup
Onion: 1 large
Tomato: 1
Cucumber: 1
Corriander or Cilantro leaves: few springs
Green chili: 1
Lemon juice: 2 teaspoons
Red chili powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
Sweet tamarind sauce: 1 tablespoon
Dried mango powder (Amchur): 1/2 teaspoon
Dried Pomegranate powder (Anardana): 1/4 teaspoon
Salt as per taste
Ginger: 5-6 thin pieces for garnishing

Preparation:
1. Wash & Soak the chickpeas overnight in water 12 hrs, you will see the chickpeas swell up. Pressure cook them in the morning till soft in the same water so that all nutrients remain intact, add a little bit of salt while doing so. Leave it to cool.
2. Chop the onion, tomato, cucumber, chili finely & make a mix. Mix it well with the cooled chickpeas and add the lemon juice as well.
3. Add the spices black pepper, red pepper, amchur, anardana and salt with the already made chickpea mix.
4. Now your Indie trail mix is ready. Now you just need to garnish it with the tamarind sauce, Cilantro leaves, Ginger pieces. It will be a lip smacking snack for the evening.

Chickpeas are great source of vegan protein, gluten free with a low Glycemic index so excellent for diabetic patients as well. Await a complete article on health benefits of chickpea or bengal gram. Please let me know your suggestions to this. Thanks!

Will you have a cup of Tea?

A cup of tea can be very useful to have a healthy life. There are several good benefits attached to the cup. Here is a list of the benefits you will love your cup of tea a bit more.

1. Tea is full of antioxidants (polyphenols) which acts as an anti-aging agent and ravages the effect of pollution. The antioxidants present also boost your ability to burn fat and improved muscle endurance. Most importantly helps you fight a range of cancers breast, colorectal, skin, lungs, eosophagus, stomach etc.

2. Tea helps fight free radicals, it helps fight free radicals which destroy the DNA. This activity of free radicals is also linked to cancer, heart disease and neurological disorder. 

3. Tea reduces the chances of heart attack & stroke. Drinking tea helps keep the arteries smooth and clog free, thus reducing the chances of heart attack which is mainly stimulated by unwanted blood clots due to cholesterol.

4. Tea is also acknowledged for improving bone mineral density. Tea is also known to improve the dental looks as it has fluoride & tannins which keeps plaque away. Please keep it unsweetened else no use :).

5. Tea also helps improve the immune defenses of the body as shown in research. 

Ek cup chai ho jaye!!

Have a great day and thanks!!

Coffee: Good or Bad?

Coffee has been discredited by many as bad for health. There have been lot of posts on bad effects of coffee. Now recent research has come up with lot of good effects of coffee, mainly the caffeine content. Though high dosage of caffeinated coffee is not good for health, more than 28 cups in a week can have adverse effects. Let's start with some good points in favor of coffee:

1. Coffee has been known as an energy drink for ages & that is due to caffeine present which helps in blocking an inhibitory neurotransmitter named Adenosine. This helps in other transmitters to become active which make your brain more receptive & increases functioning of the brain. It increases energy levels, memorizing capability, reaction time & general cognitive function.

2. Caffeine can improve fat burning in the cells, boosting the metabolic rate by 3-10%. Also adrenaline levels are increased due to caffeine which makes us more active & can make us ready for physical exertion. So, again this can help in losing weight & staying in shape.

3. Coffee is known as lowering Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia. Coffee drinkers have shown upto 65% lower risk of getting these diseases, also risk of Parkinson's disease can be reduced.

4. Coffee reduces the risk of stroke & risk of some types of cancer (liver and colorectal). Often coffee is associated with high blood pressure it is true but is very small & regularly drinking coffee leaves no effect on the blood pressure. Women have shown reduced risk of stroke on drinking caffeinated coffee.

5. Coffee with its huge antioxidant properties have shown reduced risk of deadly skin cancer. It has properties of signal tissue repair which helps in regulating cell re-growth increased collagen level giving a healthy looking & increased skin elasticity.

Friends these can be a good reason for drinking coffee but beware of the side effects. Do not drink too much coffee as it can lead to insomnia & if taken with some medication (anti-depressants, psychiatric drug, thyroid medication, and antibiotics) can have bad effects. Please take care & stay well. Thanks!!