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Troubled Skin

Did you know that what you eat can affect the way your skin turns out? Eating isn’t just going to have an impact on your weight and heart, but also on your skin – the kind of food we eat can change the course of our skin health – through pimples, pigmentation or severe bouts of acne. This is why it is important to eat well and to nourish your skin well from inside. Here are a list of foods that help keep your skin in good health:

1. Drinking Green Tea helps you fight a host of health issues. It a is great for your skin as well. With plenty of acne fighting properties and antioxidants, Green Tea can help reduce the extent of sebum production that can cause breakouts and even battles hormones, inflammation and insulin resistance, all of which encourage acne.

2. Flaxseed, walnuts and fatty fish can help your skin through your diet. These ingredients will help address your body fight inflammation and keep the skin healthy. Flaxseed contains anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids that are excellent for the skin. They also have something called lignans that can restrict 5-alpha-reductase – the enzyme that is involved in steroid metabolism.

3. Foods that are high in magnesium also works well for the skin, because it helps balance out hormones that cause acne. Foods that are high in magnesium include figs, artichokes, brown rice, avocados, whole grains, dark leafy vegetables and nuts.

4. Food with lots of beta-carotene should work very well for your skin. Something that is found most commonly in red, orange and yellow-coloured vegetables and fruits, always make sure to include carrots, bell peppers, spinach and sweet potatoes in your diet. Beta-carotene gets converted into vitamin A in your body, which helps promote healthy skin and even boosts your immune system.

5. Another way to improve your skin health is by giving it adequate vitamin C, which is found in tomatoes, papayas, melons, oranges, dark leafy vegetables, kiwifruit, berries, broccoli and citrus fruits. Vitamin C can shield your skin with its antioxidant properties and thereby lower acne breakouts.

6. Apple cider vinegar is a fantastic ingredient that can be used to contain allergic reactions in the skin, and reduce the redness and itching. It needs a few applications, at first, but the rashes settle down soon enough. Even drinking some every day will keep your skin in good stead.

7. Drinking Aloe Vera juice is one of the best known remedies for skincare. Pure, gentle and filled with nutritional goodness, Aloe Vera comprises anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal qualities that do wonders for the skin. They help cool the skin down and reduce the redness in the rash, while also getting rid of the scarring, acne and irritation in the skin.

References:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/battling-bad-skin-your-diet-may-be-to-blame/articleshow/50684898.cms
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/6-worst-foods-your-skin
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Battling-bad-skin-Your-diet-may-be-to-blame/articleshow/50683141.cms

Healthy Chips

Potato chips actually evolved as an angry chef’s response to an angry king’s demands. Story goes that a king wanted to snack on something, but couldn’t stand the thickness of the potatoes. The chef was annoyed at being forced to reduce the thickness of the fried potatoes he served – so out of his anger, he sliced them razor thin and fried the entire lot. From then, up until now, the delightful snack remains a very big favourite. However, it isn’t exactly healthy. Here are a bunch of alternatives to the snack that give you as much taste and flavour, but also add the boosted benefit of good health.

– Apple Chips: Sliced apples, lightly salted and baked give you a crisp delight that fortifies your body with fibre and vitamin C without hampering your heart health. They are inherently low in saturated fats and sodium.

– Banana Chips: A hot favourite in India, banana chips are made out of either frying sliced raw bananas or baking sliced raw bananas. Rich in potassium and minerals, banana chips are also rich in starch.

– Soy Chips: If you’re looking for a snack that can add protein value to your body, opt for Soy Chips – perfect for weight watchers, soy gives your body the proteins that it needs for a sound metabolic rate.

PC: inlifehealthcare.com

– Zucchini Chips: Zucchinis are a great ingredient for chips, as well, especially because they come with zero fat. Imagine a bag of chips that don’t add calories to your body – sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

PC: motherearthnews.com
– Taro Chips: Taros, the root vegetables, are part of the potato family. They add a punch in terms of taste, and have 30% lesser fat and fibre than the potato does. Rich in Vitamin C, they are also very filling.

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– Kale Chips: Before you dismiss the possibility of a green leafy vegetable being a substitute for potato in making chips, let’s put on record that kales are known to make a delicious salted snack. Rich in vitamin A and vitamin C, they are a perfect snack.

PC: media.tumblr.com/
– Turnip Chips: Turnips are rich in vitamin B6, and helps kindle the production of Serotonin in the body. This helps you sleep well and control your appetite.

References:
http://www.idiva.com/news-health/7-healthy-options-to-satisfy-your-craving-for-chips/16012537
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/baked-potato-chips-recipe/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food/quick-food/Healthy-recipe-Baked-beetroot-chips/articleshow/46689448.cms

Water Exercises

Swimming may seem like a niche activity that only a few may seem inclined towards, but taken as a wholesome activity that pivots towards fitness, it is an extremely useful tool to help keep your fitness and your health levels high.

Swimming laps, doing exercises in water and strengthening oneself is a great way to stay in shape and in a place of good health. Here some of the fun ways to charge up your experience in the pool:
1. Swim a bunch of laps by yourself, but change the strokes every three laps. This will help your body use its muscles and tone your body evenly. Swimming different laps will also help you vary your workout suitably.
2. Try your hand at water aerobics! A fun activity, you don’t even need to know how to swim to do water aerobics. All you need is yourself and the right clothing, and follow your instructor. Everything from dance to full-fledged aerobics and kick-boxing can be done in the pool.

3. Cross train in the pool! It may be conventional to think that the idea of cross-fit centres around the land, where you’re carrying weights and roughing it out across a range of terrains. But, cross-fit can also be imported into the pool – and specific muscles can be targeted to achieve a great tone and impact.

4. Ab exercises: In the pool, working your core can be a fantastic way to achieve tone and weight loss. Water is about 70% more dense than air is, and this tends to provide a constant and consistent resistance. With that resistance, your whole body gets involved, and then creates a surge of energy and momentum. The core holds everything together and gets toned in the process, without having to do a single crunch or sit up.
5. Water yoga: Doing a few flex and movement postures – except those that require you to lie supine or bend over – such as the warrior pose or the tree pose, can be a good way to build your flexibility. Stretching in water gives your muscles a sense of flexibility and a sense of energy. This will further assist your body in attaining a state of suppleness when you get out of the water.

References:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/swim-workout
https://experiencelife.com/article/swim-for-your-life/
http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report-world-heart-day-cardio-exercises-you-should-do-for-a-healthy-heart-2129736

Retail IS therapy!

Retail therapy really does help. We’re not kidding you! While a lot of focus goes on the inward and introspective side of healing oneself in body, mind and soul, it is equally important to create a favourable external environment that will impact the person positively.

To this end, it is vital to ensure that you allow yourself to indulge in the things you like – and retail therapy is one way to do that. The key to getting retail therapy right is to follow these simple ideas:
1. Allow yourself the shot to remain in control. Shopping and retail therapy allows you to stay in charge, since it lets you decide what to buy and what not to. This will let you feel like you are in charge, and help you dispense with the negativities that are stressing you out.
2. You know what you like, so don’t hesitate and just go get what you would actually enjoy. Indulge yourself, and allow yourself the luxury of buying exactly what you like, in the perfect size, colour and style. PC: hotlegaladvice.com

3. Watch people shopping, and spend time talking to storekeepers, stylists and vendors. You might just learn a trick or two, or even find yourself landing a good deal!
4. Shop with an open mind, browse when you can and just look through things you may not otherwise even look at. Who knows, you might just find something inspiring and fun!
5. Sometimes, spend on others as well. Giving gifts is also just as satisfying as getting gifts!
6. Make the most of your shopping spree and win loyalty points! Chances are that if you’re reading this article, you’re probably a shopper at heart.
7. Try on clothes, and indulge in new looks, new styles and be adventurous. You might find something incredibly new and something that suits you perfectly well.

PC: syndicdecopropriete.net

Feature Image Courtesy: cliparts.co/

References:

https://helloheartapp.com/shopping-reduces-stress/
http://www.stresshack.com/shopping-to-reduce-work-stress.html

Detox Made Easy!

Detox. The word itself implies ‘letting go’ – the dictionary defines it as a treatment of helping the body to get rid of your toxins (defined as poisonous substances). Poisonous – could be foods you get into your daily diet that do not serve you, by this I mean make good blood condition. In a detox we are trying to get your body to be in a state of acid – alkaline balance. Most people require detox’s as they are in a more acidic state. Let’s look at these first: dairy/dairy products, sugar, white flour (maida), refined and processed foods, artificial sweeteners, excessive amounts of non-vegetarian food – these will throw the blood condition off. I also take people of legumes (just to keep things simple) and fruit as well. Also, avoid coffee, tea or caffeinated beverages; no oil and minimal salt. So, while on a detox definitely keep off these foods. This is a plan for someone who is starting a detox for the first time, we can do raw (only fruit or vegetable juices) detox’s, but my recommendation is to stick to a cooked detox if this is your first.

So what should one include? The detox diet focuses only on vegetables and whole grain. Lots of vegetables, primarily leafy greens – this could be taken in the form of juices or lightly sautéed or steamed; a whole grain – here I only recommend brown rice; really good quality fermentation – this could come in via a pressed salad, quick pickle (not the Indian pickle with oil and spices) something simple made in salt water brine or apple cider vinegar, khimchi. The fermented food should be included at all 3 meals i.e., breakfast lunch and dinner, include up to 2 tablespoons at each meal.

PC: deescereal.com
Here is how your day would look like:

Morning: Ginger juice (of 1 inch piece ginger) and ½ lime squeezed into a glass, and add ½ cup water – drink at room temperature.
Breakfast: A bowl of brown rice (like a gruel or porridge made little mushy) with a side of any of the fermented foods stated above.
Mid Morning: Herbal tea
Lunch: Brown rice + steamed/boiled vegetables + some fermented food
Evening: Herbal tea
Dinner (Early by 6.30 pm): Barley/Brown rice or a millet + steamed or boiled vegetables + some fermented food
Here is a recipe of a good fermented food you can include:
Pressed salad – this salad is highly recommended for people who have eaten or still eat non-vegetarian as it breaks down the saturated fat from the non-vegetarian food; also for people who are leading pressured lives, as it releases pressure. It is also good source of B12 for vegetarians and vegans.
Ingredients Servings: 4
1/2 cup sliced cucumbers
½ cup sliced cabbage
½ cup red raddish (mooli)
¼ cup celery
¼ cup red onion
1 teaspoon salt
Tip: Green apples when in season make this salad nice and tangy.

Shonali Sabherwal – Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Chef. Author of The Beauty Diet & The Love Diet published by Random House.

Epilepsy Awareness

Many times, it is the fear and misconception about diseases that keeps us away from embracing the immediate need of people and communities that are seeking redress. Epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest medical conditions on record. And yet, people are less aware of it, and it tends to be shrouded in myths. Read on to equip yourself with all that you need to know about Epilepsy.
– Epilepsy is a seizure. It is not a condition where a person has control over his body or mind. Therefore, hitting a person or harming a person who is having a seizure is not the right thing to do.
– One of the most popular beliefs of Epilepsy is that one can swallow their tongue. It is not possible to swallow your tongue, since the tongue is rooted to the floor of the mouth. This makes getting the tongue far enough back in the throat to actually swallow it impossible.
– People say that putting something in the mouth of a person having a seizure will prevent them from swallowing their tongue. This is misinformation. Putting something in the mouth of a person with a seizure can choke them, too.
– Never attempt to restrain a person having a seizure. Use basic first aid to address the issue and then allow the seizure to happen.
– Epilepsy is not a contagious disease. But, those who do have epilepsy may be more or less likely to have a history of seizures in their family, but it is not contagious.
– Epilepsy and seizures can develop in any person at any age, and at any point in time. Seizures and epilepsy tend to seem more common in young children and older people. But they are not limited to those age groups and can happen at any point in time.
– People who have epilepsy are presumed to be less intelligent – but this is not true. People who have Epilepsy are about the same level in terms of intelligence as people without Epilepsy.
– There is an assumption that one can’t die from epilepsy. However, this is not true. Epilepsy is inherently a rather serious condition and individuals do tend to die from seizures.
– There are over forty different kinds of seizures and Epilepsy, and the occurrence of convulsions are not the most common kinds of seizures, at all!

References:
http://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/2015/emilys-perspective/emilys-perspective-facts-and-myths-about-epilepsy.html
http://livingwellwithepilepsy.com/2016/emilys-perspective/home-treatment.html

PC: ibe-epilepsy.org

There were Fruits. Now, there are flowers!

Did you know that flowers can be used as a significant ingredient in a recipe, or as a part of the seasoning in your cooking? The best part is, flowers aren’t just embellishments or elements that only beautify. Flowers are known to enhance the flavour of your food, while also helping augment the health. Here are a bunch of flowers you should consider adding into your everyday eating!
1. Roses: Commonly associated with love, Roses actually do a great deal for your heart. They come in with anti-inflammatory properties which are a result of phenolics, and are integral to Indian and Chinese medicine. They are also rich source of vitamins and help reduce the risk of heart diseases, cancer and diabetes.

PC: .ohweddings.net

2. Hibiscuses: Perfect for salad garnish, hibiscus works great with tea. Because of its heightened anthocyanin and antioxidant content, they also help to keep the blood pressure and cholesterol much lower.

PC: healthiestalternative.com

– Mint flowers: While mint leaves are a value addition in cooking, the power of the mint flower still remains largely undiscovered. Brilliant for digestion, nausea and headaches, mint flowers also enable weight loss.

– Banana flowers, also called banana hearts, are a fantastic source of fibre, protein and minerals, and they work very well for vegetarians who don’t otherwise get minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and magnesium.

– Cilantro flowers are a delight when taken afresh. Rich in vitamins and iron content, the little flowers are very good for digestion.

PC: flickr.com

– Ginger flowers are a great ingredient to keep digestion, blood purity and muscular strength in fully functioning order. They are very commonly used in aromatherapy oils and can be eaten raw or cooked.

PC: Indiatimes
– Fennel flowers are extremely useful, since they come in with high antioxidant content, and are very good for weight loss. They also help purify the blood s tream.

PC: wikimedia.org/
– Pumpkin flowers: Although more commonly associated with festivities and celebrations, pumpkin flowers have a mild flavour but are very rich in calcium, iron and Vitamins A and C.

– Sunflowers are a great source of Vitamin E, and bring your body the energy that the sun’s rays offer you – but in generous doses!

PC: flowersdelivered.com.au
– Jasmine flowers maybe delightful means to adorn yourself, but they are exceptional in health efforts, particularly for their anti-carcinogenic and antiviral properties.
While eating flowers, it is important to understand that they are not like fruits, to be eaten raw or straight after being picked. Make sure to clean it, especially of little insects, insect eggs and stings of insects that may be left behind. Also, be sure that they have been grown without the use of pesticides. It is important to eat only the petals and not the stamens or filaments.

PC: pickmeyard.files.wordpress.com

References:
http://www.indiatimes.com/health/healthyliving/25-edible-flowers-that-will-add-colour-flavour-and-nutrition-to-your-food-249224.html

We Can. I Can.

On the International day of awareness and activism for Cancer, i.e., World Cancer Day, this year, the global effort is to look at the concept of “We can. I can.” The theme is to look at how everyone in the world can as a collective or as individuals do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.
Cancer may definitely leave its mark on people, and affect different people in different ways. But, all people have the power to take different actions to reduce the impact of cancer on individuals, on families and on communities at large. The idea underlying World Cancer Day is to reflect on what each person can do, and then make a difference.
Cancer is perhaps one of the most dreaded words and diseases today. People tend to fear the big C, but do not realise that they can overcome it, address it and even prevent it through early and expedited awareness. The key to cancer awareness is to ensure that you make the right effort for your body and mind, and to invest in ways to stay healthy. Lifestyle habits that don’t attract cancer are always the ideal way, and making the switch at any time is all about commitment.
As part of World Cancer Day, the list of collective and individual actions are as follows:

PC: World Cancer Day

References: https://www.facebook.com/worldcancerday
http://www.worldcancerday.org/about/2016-2018-world-cancer-day-campaign

Zika Virus

Zika is the name of a new virus that’s doing the rounds across many parts of the world. The World Health Organization has warned against the spread of the disease, which appears to be at a rather explosive rate, and threatens to affect countries like India.
Zika is essentially transferred through the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito, and currently, there isn’t any treatment or vaccine available. If one is affected by the Zika virus, they will wind up with symptoms such as mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis and muscle fatigue. The symptoms usually last from two to seven days.

The Zika virus has already begun to spread in the Americas, and has the potential to infect up to four million people. The WHO has issued a warning to all countries, including India. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito carries the Zika virus, and it is believed to have the capacity to cause brain damage in babies.
The mosquito also carries the viruses that cause Dengue and Chikungunya. The WHO has said that a direct causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects have not yet been established, but the connection is strongly suspected.
Health authorities in Brazil in 2015 observed a rise in the number of babies born with microcephaly at the same time when the Zika outbreak was seen. About 4,000 cases of microcephaly have been reported in Brazil since September 2015. It may be dangerous to India as the same type of mosquito that spreads dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.

Lara Dutta’s Fitness

Former Miss Universe of 2000, Lara Dutta, is busy making heads turn with her every role and public appearance. For one who has been in the limelight since she was rather young, the demands of her profession have been less adversely impactful, and Lara remains a substantial role model in terms of health, work and intellect. Here is a look at Lara’s fitness mantra:
– A self-proclaimed foodie, Lara enjoys following her mind rather than her heart. She enjoys fitness as much as she enjoys food. She watches her food intake in her everyday diet plans, and is vegan. She sticks to nature’s offerings such as fresh fruits, vegetables.
– Lara looks at breakfast as one of the main meals of the day lunch being the second and the dinner getting the least priority.
– In terms of her exercise regimen, Lara follows a regimen of yoga and follows a five-days-a-week regime is mainly conducted on cardio and strength training. She also accumulated her personal experiences into releasing a fitness CD called H.E.A.L with Lara.
– Lara Dutta is all about organic and eco-friendly products, and is quite often seen popping in a DIY mask every now and then. While she uses ice cube to reduce puffiness in her eyes, she also delights in sandalwood and aloe vera gel for healthy skin.
– Because if her career needs, she frequently needs to get her hair changed and dyed and this is why she makes sure she gets protein treatments every now and then. She fears alopecia and makes it a point to go in for a head massage or hot-oil scalp massage often.

References:
Lara Dutta – Fitness and diet tips!
http://stylesatlife.com/articles/lara-dutta-beauty-tips/
http://pluslifestyles.com/articles/lara-dutta-beauty-secrets/’

Picture Courtesy: workoutinfoguru and images.desimartini.com/

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