Surprising Benefits of High-Fiber Foods

Nutrition experts know that high-fiber foods can lower your cholesterol and help you lose weight. Find out about other important benefits of dietary fiber.

Research shows that high-fiber foods can help keep you healthy in a number of ways, including aiding in digestion and improving heart health. But according to the Columbia University Institute of Human Nutrition, the average American's dietary fiber intake is less than half of what it should be.

"Traditionally, high-fiber foods were thought to be important mainly in promoting regular bowel movements. Today, we know that dietary fiber has many other important health benefits," says Debra J. Johnston, RD, director of nutrition services at Remuda Ranch, a treatment program for eating disorders in Wickenburg, Ariz.
 
What Is Dietary Fiber?
"Dietary fiber is found in the structural components of plants and cannot be digested by humans. Because it passes through the body undigested, it is not used for energy, but plays an important role in digestion and disease prevention," explains Lanah J. Brennan, RD, a dietitian in Lafayette, La.
Dietary fiber is divided into two categories, soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Most foods that contain fiber have a mixture of the two types. "When mixed with liquid, soluble fiber forms a gel,” says Brennan. “In your digestive tract, this gel helps to keep you feeling full and slows down digestion. Insoluble fiber does not form a gel. Instead, it passes through the intestinal tract intact, keeping things in motion."

Soluble fiber comes mainly from the insides of fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fiber comes from the skins of fruits and vegetables, and from whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

The Benefits of High-Fiber Foods
"Fiber is not just important for regularity — it can also help stabilize blood sugars, lower bad cholesterol levels, decrease the risk of certain cancers, and even help with weight loss," Brennan says. Here is how dietary fiber benefits your body:

• Lowers your cholesterol. "Soluble fiber binds with fatty acids in your digestive system to help lower your cholesterol," says Johnston.
• Lowers your risk of heart disease. In addition to trapping cholesterol and fats, a fiber-rich diet has been shown to help reduce blood pressure and lower your chance of having a heart attack.
• Lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes. Because high-fiber foods slow down your digestion, you absorb sugar more slowly. This helps regulate your blood sugar and helps prevent the development of type 2 diabetes.
• Helps you control your weight. "The fullness caused by soluble fiber, the slower digestion, and the decreased absorption of fat all help you control weight when you increase your fiber intake," explains Johnston.
• Protects against colon cancer. Because dietary fiber helps you get rid of toxic waste in your colon, it may help prevent colon cancer.
• Strengthens your immune system. Dietary fiber promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in your colon, which can strengthen your immune system and help you fight infections.
• Prevents constipation. High-fiber foods are reliable bulk laxatives. Fiber absorbs water in your colon, which promotes regularity.

Up Your Fiber Intake With These High-Fiber Foods
"I recommend 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily for a healthy diet," says Johnston. If you are not getting enough fiber in your diet, you can reverse this by starting to read food labels and shopping for high-fiber foods.
Studies show that most Americans are not aware of which foods are high in fiber. "Well-known dietary sources of fiber are fruits and vegetables, barley, oats, and beans. Other good sources include bran, fruit skins, nuts, and seeds," says Brennan. Here are a few more good sources that might surprise you:

• Avocados. "Avocados are one of my favorite high-fiber foods. You wouldn't think the creamy center of an avocado has so much fiber," says Johnston.
• Legumes. Legumes are the edible seeds that grow in pods. Peas and lentils are examples of legumes that are highest in dietary fiber.
• Noodles. Because noodles are made from grains, they contain fiber. Whole-wheat noodles are best.
• Popcorn. For a high-fiber snack, munch on popcorn — just skip heavy butter or other fat-laden seasonings.
• Berries. Fresh, canned, and frozen berries are all good sources of dietary fiber. Blackberries and raspberries are especially potent.

High-fiber foods are easy to include in your diet. Not only does eating fiber aid in digestion, increasing your fiber intake can also help you live a longer and healthier life.

10 Quick and Healthy Snacks

An easy-to-fix snack can also be healthy. From low-fat dairy to dressed-up vegetables, try these 10 ways to snack smart.

Healthy snacks are important for both children and adults. Eating nutritious snacks can help you stay energized during the day, and help keep you from overeating at regular mealtimes or resorting to junk foods when hunger strikes. You can also use a healthy snack to bolster your nutritional intake over the course of your day.

"You should think of a quick snack as a mini-meal,” advises Debra J. Johnston, RD, registered dietitian and director of nutrition services at Remuda Ranch, a treatment program for eating disorders in Wickenburg, Ariz. 

“A healthy snack is a great opportunity to add the fruits, vegetables, fiber, protein, and dairy that you need in your diet. Mix your food groups and avoid unhealthy fats to snack smart."
 
10 Easy Snack Ideas
Here are healthy snack ideas that draw from different food groups to provide a good nutritional balance:

1. Up your dairy and fiber intake by mixing a 6-ounce container of plain, non-fat, Greek-style yogurt with 1/2 cup of berries and 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed, says Lanah J. Brennan, RD, a registered dietitian in Lafayette, La., and a nutrition blogger.

2. Make your own trail mix. Start with raw almonds, chopped walnuts, and pistachios — look for nuts without added salt or oil. Then add raisins or dried blueberries and cranberries; again, be sure to look for those without added sugar.

3. Mix 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup of no-sugar-added applesauce and sprinkle with cinnamon for a tasty dairy and fruit combination.

4. Dip sliced cucumbers, radishes, and grape tomatoes in hummus. You can substitute raw carrots or any other favorite vegetable for a great high-fiber snack.

5. One of the best healthy snacks is popcorn, says Johnston. It’s low in calories and provides good dietary fiber. For variety, try spraying popcorn with low-fat, olive oil-based cooking spray instead of adding butter.

6. An old snack favorite that combines vegetables and protein is “bugs on a log.” Spread peanut butter on a celery stick and then sprinkle with raisins or dried cranberries for a nutritious mini-meal.

7. Another quick and healthy snack is a half sandwich. Use whole-wheat bread and layer on some lean meat such as turkey for protein, a slice of cheese for dairy, and lettuce and tomato for vegetables.

8. For a snack you can carry in your pocket, a bag of toasted almonds can give you a quick boost that is loaded with protein, healthy fat, and fiber, advises Joan Salge Blake, MS, a registered dietitian and clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University.

9. Healthy snacks can come from the freezer aisle, too. Frozen cubes of mango make a delicious snack. "Tropical fruit doesn't have to be just for vacation," says Blake. Frozen grapes and banana chunks are tasty, too.

10. Salsa is a great vegetable snack. One-half cup of salsa equals one vegetable serving. For a tasty salsa dipper, try whole-grain crackers.

Healthy snacks are not just a way to curb hunger during the day. A quick and easy snack can also be an opportunity to stick to your overall nutrition plan. "All foods can fit into a healthy meal plan when we incorporate balance, variety, and moderation,"

How to Treat Sun Damage Around the Neck and Chest

We do take a lot of care of the skin on our face, often forgetting that our neck and a part of our chest are also continuously exposed to the harmful radiations of the sun every time we are outdoors. It is important to protect the skin on the neck and chest from harmful ultra violet rays, not only because the skin is visible, but also because the sun can cause a lot of damage to the delicate skin of the neck and the chest.

Even if you have been using sunscreen regularly, it is not necessary that the skin on the neck and the chest are as protected.

In fact, a lot of times, people do not put on sunscreen on other parts of the body which are exposed. This can essentially cause a dire mismatch between the color of the skin on the face and that on the neck and chest.

If the sun damage on the neck and the chest is bad, creams will not really be able to help you much.

The skin tends to peel out in some time in case it is sun burnt. However, the entire process can be very excruciating and uncomfortable. The skin needs anti oxidants along with protection from the sun and there are two ways to make this happen.

The first is to always put on a protective layer of sunscreen which is SPF 20 or more. Use the sunscreen not only on your face, but also on the neck and the chest and other parts of your body which are exposed.

Your skin requires antioxidants and you can provide these to it by either applying vitamin E based formulations or consuming a diet which is rich in anti oxidants. While these remedies can help you keep sun damage at bay, if you already have damaged your neck and chest, the best remedy is to keep the area cool. Apply an ice pack on the damaged area, though never apply ice directly to the skin if it is burnt. Always wrap the ice in a cloth or a plastic bag before applying it. Tea bags soaked in cold water can also help soothe the damaged skin. For severe sun damaged skin on the neck and the chest a chemical peel or a laser may need to be used. However, these methods do not give permanent results. If you do not take good care of your skin when stepping out in the sun, chemical peeling and laser treatments can pretty much become a regular part of your lifestyle. It is best, therefore, to take suitable precautions.

9 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Get easy tips to incorporate healthy food choices into your diet. Plus, find out the right amount of fruits and vegetables to eat for your individual needs.

Vegetables and fruit have essential fiber, vitamins, and minerals that work to protect you from a variety of chronic diseases and maintain your digestive health. So how many fruits and vegetables do you need to eat each day for optimal health, and how can you easily incorporate more into your diet?

What Are the Right Amounts for You?
To maintain a healthy body and good digestive health, eat fiber-rich fruits and vegetables in the right amounts for your age, sex, and level of physical activity. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now offer guidelines in cups rather than number of servings, as they did previously, so you can better understand portion sizes.
The CDC daily recommends the following amounts of vegetables per day for these age categories:

Girls and women
9 to 13	2 cups
14 through 50	2.5 cups
51 and over	2 cups
Boys and men
9 to 13	2.5 cups
14 through 50	3 cups
51 and over	2.5 cups

The recommended amounts of fruit are a bit smaller:

Girls and women
9 to 18	1.5 cups
19 through 30	2 cups
30 and over	1.5 cups
Boys and men
9 to 13	1.5 cups
18 and over	2 cups

If you’re active for 30 minutes or more each day, you may need to eat more fruits and vegetables than these guidelines indicate because you will be burning more calories. You can use the CDC’s fruits and vegetables calculator to find portion recommendations based on your level of physical activity.

A Cup Here, a Cup There
It’s fairly simple to meet — and exceed — these goals through your daily meals and snacks, says Susan Kraus, MS, RD, a registered dietitian at the Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, N.J.

If you start your day with an 8-ounce glass of fruit juice at home — which is often also the size served at a restaurant — that’s already one full cup of your daily fruit requirement. One piece of whole fruit, like an apple, banana, or pear, counts as one cup, too — perfect for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

As for your daily requirement of vegetables, if you’re already eating a cup of vegetables with dinner, it might only take adding a salad to put you over the top — just toss a cup of greens with a one-cup medley of tomatoes, cucumber slices, and red bell pepper rings. Pre-mix a larger amount to keep in the fridge for meals and snacks, suggests Kraus.

For more portion examples, check out the CDC’s online primer “What Counts as a Cup?”

Picking the Best Produce
When buying fruits and vegetables, pick yourself a rainbow. “Choosing a rainbow of colors helps to guarantee that you get various types of nutrients, since the various nutrients are what impart color to the fruits and veggies,” explains Kraus. By eating green broccoli and grapes, yellow squash and pineapple, orange carrots and cantaloupe, red apples and strawberries, purple plums and eggplant, and blueberries, you’ll get the widest range of nutrients plus both soluble and insoluble fiber for better digestive health.

Kraus also suggests buying and eating what's in season because these foods will have the freshest taste and are likely to be cheaper than out-of-season foods.

9 Ways to Meet Your Needs
Here are nine tips to help meet your daily goals for fruits and vegetables:

1. Try it raw. Not only are raw vegetables tasty for you, it's typically easier to get children to eat vegetables raw. Try serving vegetables at the start of a meal, when kids are hungriest and less likely to reject them; you can offer them with a low-fat dip to add flavor. Then enjoy some yourself.

2. Eat fiber-filled fruit with breakfast. It's easy to include fruit in the morning. Slice a variety of fruits, like peaches, plums, nectarines, and various berries to add to cold or cooked cereal or to top French toast, waffles, or pancakes instead of syrup. “If you like yogurt in the morning, make a parfait by layering assorted cut-up fruit with yogurt and a high-fiber cereal,” says Kraus. If you don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast, grab a handful of grapes or an apple to take with you.

3. Make your own yogurt toppers. Top low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fresh berries and low-fat or fat-free granola for breakfast.

4. Excite your eggs. Add chopped vegetables like mushrooms and peppers to omelets or egg scrambles.

5. Switch “sides.” Skip the greasy fries and choose corn on the cob, a tossed salad, or a high-fiber bean medley. Or grill a batch of vegetables, such as eggplant, peppers, onions, and mushrooms, or fruits, like pineapple, peaches, bananas, and apples. “They’re good hot or cold,” says Kraus.

6. Add vegetables to pasta. Use olive oil to sauté vegetables of your choice, such as tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, and onions, and toss with whole-grain pasta for a delicious pasta primavera.

7. Pick better pizza toppings. Opt for a veggie-topped pizza rather than choosing fatty meat toppings or extra cheese.

8. Dish up the dried fruit. Pack some dried fruit to eat on the run, perhaps mixed with a handful of seeds or nuts. Remember that 1/4 cup of dried fruit equals 1/2 cup of fresh fruit.

9. In a pinch, frozen is fine. Especially in winter months when fresh choices are limited or expensive, try buying a bag of frozen berries or broccoli. “Using frozen fruits and veggies is a great option for out-of-season produce — they’ve been processed within an hour of harvesting, so the flavor and nutritional value are usually well preserved,” says Kraus. If you’re purchasing frozen produce that includes sauce, look for a low-fat, low-calorie option — or better yet, buy frozen produce with no sauce and season it yourself.

With a little ingenuity, you can enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables to keep your diet interesting and healthy every day.

Controlling Diabetes With Exercise

Exercise is important for everyone, but it can be especially important for your health if you have diabetes. People who exercise regularly are better able to control their diabetes, thereby reducing their risk of diabetes complications.

Diabetes and Exercise: Why It’s Important to Stay Fit

If you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing certain health conditions, including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and nerve problems. By following your doctor's recommendations for keeping your blood glucose levels under control, you can reduce your risk of developing these complications.

Researchers have found that people who exercise regularly have:

• Lower blood glucose levels
• Lower blood pressure
• Better cholesterol levels
• Improved ability to use insulin
• Decreased risk of stroke
• Decreased risk of heart disease
• Stronger bones
• Less chance of falling
• Easier weight loss
• Less body fat
• More energy
• Reduced stress levels

In addition, if you use insulin to treat your diabetes, exercise can be part of the daily schedule that you and your diabetes health care team develop to control your blood glucose levels.

Diabetes and Exercise: Getting Started

Talk with your diabetes health care team before you begin an exercise program. They can help you design an exercise program that is safe and effective for you. Make sure to ask about any limitations. If you have heart disease, kidney disease, eye problems, or foot problems, there may be some physical activities that you should not do.

To get started with an exercise program:

• Find physical activities you like. Choose activities that you enjoy doing and that are convenient. Try new activities, such as walking, dancing, swimming, or bicycling, until you find one you like.
• Schedule your workouts. Make exercise part of your schedule, just like work and doctor appointments. Aim to work out for at least half an hour on most or all days of the week.
• Slowly increase your time and intensity. Don't start out doing too much, or you may get burned out. Begin with just a few minutes, and add a little time, distance, or intensity to your workouts each week.
• Find an exercise partner. Ask a friend or neighbor to join you in your exercise plan. For many people, having a person who is counting on you will make you less likely to skip a workout.
• Keep a workout journal. Each time you exercise, write down what you did and what your blood glucose levels were. That way you can keep track of your progress and see how activity affects your diabetes control.

Diabetes and Exercise: A Note about Hypoglycemia

Although exercise is an excellent way to help control your blood glucose levels, it is not without its risks. One of the most serious risks of exercising when you have diabetes is a condition called hypoglycemia.

With hypoglycemia, increased activity causes your blood glucose to fall to dangerously low levels. This can happen while you are exercising or even many hours later. Hypoglycemia can make you feel shaky, weak, and confused. If your blood glucose levels drop low enough, hypoglycemia could cause you to faint or have a seizure.

Talk with your doctor about strategies for preventing hypoglycemia. You may need to have a snack before you exercise or closely monitor your blood glucose levels before, during, and after exercising.

In addition to eating healthfully and taking insulin or other diabetes medications, exercise is a valuable tool for keeping you healthy. Commit to a regular exercise program, and you will not only have better control over your diabetes, but you will also gain more self-confidence and a better sense of well-being.

How do I stay fit when I'm on a business trip or away on vacation?

People who travel a lot — either for work or pleasure — often find that they just can't keep up their exercise routines the way they'd like to. The obstacles are real (fatigue from time-zone differences; hotels that don't have gyms; bulky, unfamiliar workout equipment) but not insurmountable. Consider using the following tips to stay in shape when you're on the road.

Strength training: Resistance bands weigh no more than a few ounces and offer such effective workouts that many trainers opt for them even when fancy gym equipment is available. Inflatable free weights, which you fill with water, are another lightweight travel option; I've seen both dumbbell and ankle-weight versions advertised online.

Mat work: If you can bring a yoga mat with you, your options are endless (and if you can't fit a mat into your suitcase, try a bed quilt). You can do yoga, of course, but mats are also great for ab work, like crunches and planks, and for stretching and flexibility exercises.

Body-weight exercises: Modified or traditional push-ups, squats, and lunges are a few powerful exercises that require only one thing — your own body.

Take the stairs: You can create your own StairMaster by throwing on a pair of sneaks and climbing the hotel stairs for 15 minutes or more.

Think you know the facts about HIV and AIDS? Test your knowledge.

10 HIV Myths Debunked

Think you know the facts about HIV and AIDS? Test your knowledge.

By Michele Bloomquist

It’s likely that you've heard or read a lot of about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) that’s both true and untrue. See if you can sort the truth from the most common myths about HIV.

True or False?

1. People have been infected with HIV from taking the HIV test itself.
   FALSE. Some claim that the HIV test itself can give you the virus. But unless a clinic reuses a needle that was previously used on someone with HIV (a highly unlikely scenario that has never been reported), there is no way that testing for HIV could cause the infection.
2. You can catch HIV from a toilet seat.
   FALSE. The HIV virus cannot be transmitted by casual contact, from a toilet seat, a doorknob, a fork, or a handshake, for that matter. The only known HIV transmission methods include unprotected sex, intravenous drug use, exposure to blood or bodily fluids from an infected person, from mother to child in pregnancy, and through blood transfusions if the blood came from an HIV infected person. (Transmission of the virus did happen through blood transfusions or blood products in the 1980s before HIV testing became routine for all donated blood, but is highly unlikely to happen in a modern medical facility.)
3. There is no cure for HIV.
   TRUE. There are medications available to suppress the HIV virus in infected individuals and to lower their viral load. Such treatments can prolong or prevent the development of AIDS for years or even a lifetime. However, researchers have not found a cure for HIV that would eliminate the virus from an infected person’s body entirely.
4. If you test positive for HIV, you will inevitably die from AIDS.
   FALSE. In the early years, an HIV diagnosis often meant the infected person would develop AIDS and die from complications of the disease within a matter of years, but this is no longer true. Medications, combined with lifestyle changes and complementary therapies that support the body’s ability to keep the virus in check, can keep an HIV-infected person from developing AIDS or the fatal complications associated with it for many years, or even a lifetime.
5. If both you and your partner have HIV, it's safe to have unprotected sex with one another.
   FALSE. If you and your partner both test positive for the HIV virus, that doesn’t mean you can ignore the diagnosis or live life just as you did before your diagnosis. To best decrease your odds of developing AIDS, you should both work closely with a medical professional to manage the illness. You also both need to take whatever precautions you can to prevent exposing others to the HIV virus. This includes not having unprotected sex or sharing needles with anyone, taking proper precautions to contain and warn others about exposure to your bodily fluids (such as when you're bleeding), and following any other advice from your HIV care team. Nobody with HIV can afford to ignore his or her diagnosis for their own sake, or for the sake of others who could be exposed to the virus.
6. You can spread or get HIV through oral sex.
   TRUE. One myth HIV experts often hear is that HIV can’t be spread or contracted through oral sex. This is not true. If the person performing oral sex has a cut or abrasion in their mouth and comes in contact with HIV-infected bodily fluids, they can become infected with the virus just as they could having unprotected vaginal or anal sex. Using a dental dam or condom during oral sex greatly diminishes this risk.
7. Mosquitoes can spread HIV.
   FALSE. While mosquitoes can spread a number of illnesses such as West Nile Virus or malaria, there are no known cases of HIV transmission through mosquito bites. If mosquitoes could transmit the HIV virus, there would be many more cases among young children, adolescents, and other people who would otherwise be at low risk for HIV exposure.
8. You could have HIV and not know it.
   TRUE. People who are infected with HIV don’t necessarily “feel” sick; it's possible to have the HIV virus for some time before developing any symptoms. HIV testing is the only way to determine whether someone has HIV or not.
9. HIV and AIDS may not be caused by the same virus.
   FALSE. Some claim HIV and AIDS are not caused by the same virus. This is not true. Without treatment, the HIV virus will probably progress to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which is essentially a collapse of the immune system. However, with HIV treatment, most people living with the virus are able to prolong or prevent the development of AIDS.
10. If you're taking medication for HIV, you can’t spread the virus.
    FALSE. Even while taking medication, a person with HIV can still infect others if they have unprotected sex, share needles, or expose others to their blood or other bodily fluids.

The Onion: Heart Protective and Anti-carcinogen

Onions are a rich source of oligosaccharides, which can stimulate the growth of healthy  bifid bacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon, which translates into protection preventing tumor development in the area.

Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic, both of which belong to the family of the lilies, compounds that can reduce blood lipids and blood pressure.
 
In India, according to statistics, those communities who did not eat onion or garlic, and cholesterol were significantly higher triglycerides and altered blood clotting times in relation to the communities that ate liberal amounts of garlic and onion.

Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, substances known for its protective property against cardiovascular disease and natural anticoagulants are also agents since they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity and can suppress platelet aggregation.

The anticoagulant effect of the onion is closely correlated with its sulfur content, which prevents blood clots and therefore strokes.

Extracts of onion to be very rich in sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth, in central Georgia (USA) where Vidalia onions are grown, mortality rates from stomach cancer are about half the average level in the United States.

Studies in Greece have shown that high consumption of onions, garlic and herbs, Allium, are protective against stomach cancer.

Power Diet For Quick Weight Loss

In this fast moving life we do not get much time to spare for physical exercise so in such a situation a healthy and nutritious diet can solve the purpose. 

Early Morning
Start your day with lemon juice and honey in lukewarm water; this helps your body to get rid of harmful acids produced by the body. 

Breakfast
Choose any one or two from the following options
Egg white omelet (2) + 2 slices of brown bread,
Milk (Skimmed Milk) +Cornflakes/ Oats /Wheat bran
Fruit salad / Sprouts.
Vegetable Poha / Upma
Skimmed milk cottage cheese + Brown Bread Pre Lunch
Take black coffee before the afternoon meal this helps in boosting metabolism. Lunch
Boiled / Roasted Chicken/ Soyabean (200 grams) +Brown Rice (1/2 plate) / Chapatti (1)
Boiled Dal +salad + Brown Rice (1/2 plate) / Chapatti (1-2)
Take Probiotic curd (100grams) as it helps in digestion.
Vegetable Daliya 

Evening
Take some citrus fruits to satisfy the hunger pangs in the evening,
Green tea with two Marie Lite biscuit
Boiled Channa

Dinner
Choose any one or two from the following options
Boiled Soybean Nutrela/ soup + salad,
Boiled Egg White (3) + Vegetable clear soup
Chicken or Tuna salad.
Boiled Dal
Vegetable Daliya 

Pre Bed –time 150 -200 ml of skimmed milk.

Beside the above diet keep in mind the following points-
• Avoid heavy dinner; maintain at least 3 to 4 hours of gap between meal and sleep.
• Replace cold drinks with coconut water, vegetable soup or butter milk
• Drink at least 2 to 3 liters of water everyday
• Fibre is excellent for weight loss , so consume more of raw vegetables and fruits
• All carbs are not bad; avoid simple carbs like sugar, sweet and processed food.
• Never skip meals.
• Avoid Bakery products.
• Replace Chicken Tikka with Chicken Salami
• Avoid taking water along with the meal.
.
Follow the above mentioned points for 6 days in a week and once in a week please your taste buds with one meal of your choice but don’t forget only one. Try to take out some time for physical exercises at least thrice a week

Pursue the above mentioned rules and fit in your old clothes again but don’t forget the results may vary from person to person and don’t try to bully your body.

Secret Food For Healthy Glowing Skin

Your skin care treatment for your skin problems lies in your kitchen. Use natural skin care treatment and remedies. Why waste money on skin care products. They actually harm your skin.

1. Almond Oil:

Almond oil is good for dryness of the skin and for removing scars of old pimples. Ground the outer cover of 3-5 almonds in with water and apply over the face daily.  

2. Apples:

Apply or drink juice of pineapple for body and facial pains. Apply juice of green apples for fine wrinkles, cracked skin, itching and inflammations.

 

 

3. Apricots: 

Apply fresh juice of apricots on face good for sunburn, itching, and eczema.

 

4. Bengal Gram Flour:
Apply a paste of Bengal Gram flour with yogurt for the treatment of pimples and other skin allergies. Apply green gram flour mixed in water or glycerine for improving complexion.

 

5. Cucumber:
Apply cucumber juice or grated cucumber or cucumber juice mixed with juices of carrot, lettuce or alfalfa over the face for skin eruptions.

 

6. Drumsticks:
Apply a paste of ground drumstick pods and leaves with fresh lime juice for the treatment of pimples, black spots and blackheads.    

7. Fenugreek:  Apply a paste of fresh fenugreek leaves in water over the face every night and washed with warm water in the morning for preventing pimples, blackheads, dryness, and wrinkles.

Apply a decoction on the face, made by boiling 1 tsp. fenugreek seeds in 1 litre water for a few of minutes for preventing pimples, blackheads, dryness, and wrinkles.

 

8. Garlic: Garlic is an important cool season bulb crop that is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor, as a spice or condiment. 

The head of garlic comprising numerous discrete cloves is the edible part. Garlic is suitable for growing as a winter crop in the high ranges of Kerala.

Rub raw garlic on the face for persistent pimples. The pimples will disappear without scars with repeated applications.

Mix 3-4 raw, skinned garlic, finely cut garlic with puffed rice, and swallow with water to clear skin infections quickly.

9. Groundnut Oil:
Mix 1 tsp. groundnut oil with 1 tsp. fresh lime juice to prevent formation of blackheads and pimples.

 

 

10. Honey:
Apply honey (1 tsp.) mixed with water for all skin blemishes. This will turn your skin glowing.

Apply honey mixed with milk, yogurt, and ground sesame seeds in equal proportions for fair complexion and lovely skin.

11. Lime Juice: Contains Vitamins A,B,C helps with scurvy

Lime juice and honey can be used to soothe sore throat. 

Stinging Coral and mosquito bites; rubbing lime relieves irritation.

Apply fresh lime juice mixed to a glass of boiled milk as a face wash for pimples blackheads, and cracked skin.

12. Mangoes:

Mangoes are full packed with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants and contain like all fruits very few proteins, fats and calories. They are perfect to replenish salts, vitamins and energy after physical exercise.

Taking Mango regularly makes the complexion fair and the skin soft and shining.

 

Boil mangoes leaves and skin in water and apply for skin infection.

13. Mint: While mint oil is a good anti septic and anti pruritic, mint juice is an excelle,nt skin cleanser. It soothes skin, cures infections, itching etc., and is also good for pimples. Its anti pruritic properties can be used for treating bites of insects like mosquitoes, honey-bees, hornets, wasps, gnats etc.

Apply fresh mint juice over the face every night for the treatment of pimples, insect stings, eczema, scabies, & other skin infections.

 14. Neem Leaves:
Neem or Margosa is a botanical cousin of mahogany. It belongs to the family Meliaceae. The latinized name of Neem - Azadirachta indica - is derived from the Persian: 

The Vedas called Neem sarva roga nivarini, which means 'one that cures all ailments and ills'.

Swallow 10 fresh ground neem leaves with water to clear the skin.

Chew fresh neem leaves and then swallow with water to remove bad odour from the mouth.

15. Orange:
Orange is one of the most favorite fruit in the world. Orange is loaded with vitamins, and the most abundant vitamin in orange is Vitamin C.

This powerful vitamin protect our body against harmful elements.

Apply a paste of ground orange peel (dried) with water for acne/pimples.

 Orange is Beneficial in the following cases:

*Asthma

*Bronchitis

*Tuberculosis

*Pneumonia

*Rheumatism

*Prevent kidney stone

*Helps lower cholesterol

*Helps prevent diabetes

*Arthritis

*High blood pressure

*Persons addicted to alcohol have found that the desire for liquor is greatly reduced by drinking of orange juice.

*Consumption of large quantities of oranges will decrease the outpouring of mucus secretions from the nose.

16. Papaya or Paw Paw: There are two types of papayas, Hawaiian and Mexican. The Hawaiian varieties are the papayas commonly found in supermarkets. These pear-shaped fruit generally weigh about 1 pound and have yellow skin when ripe. The flesh is bright orange or pinkish, depending on variety, with small black seeds clustered in the center. Hawaiian papayas are easier to harvest because the plants seldom grow taller than 8 feet.

Mexican papayas are much larger the the Hawaiian types and may weigh up to 10 pounds and be more than 15 inches long. The flesh may be yellow, orange or pink. The flavor is less intense than that the Hawaiian papaya but still is delicious and extremely enjoyable. They are slightly easier to grow than Hawaiian papayas. 

A properly ripened papaya is juicy, sweetish and somewhat like a cantaloupe in flavor, although musky in some types. The fruit (and leaves) contain papain which helps digestion and is used to tenderize meat. The edible seeds have a spicy flavor somewhat reminiscent of black pepper. 

Apply and drink the juice of raw papaya including the skin and seed for treatment of swelling pimples, acne, or any abnormal growth of the skin. It also removes whiteheads, boils, and spots.

Rub raw or ripe papaya on your face to get a smooth and glowing skin.

17. Pineapples:  One of the most important enzymes in pineapples is bromelain and it is bromelain that holds the key to many of the pineapple's health benefits. Fresh pineapple is full of these sulphur-containing, protein-digesting compounds.

 

A very good source of vitamin C, pineapple offers your body an excellent protection against free-radicals, substances that attack healthy cells. A build up of free-radicals can lead to atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, an increase in asthma attacks and an increased risk of developing certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Free-radicals have also been shown to accentuate the problems associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Vitamin C, your body's most important water-soluble anti-oxidant has proven itself invaluable in fighting against and aiding treatment for these conditions.

Vitamin C is, of course, also an excellent cold and flu fighter due to its importance to the proper functioning of the immune system.
 

Apply or drink juice of pineapple for body and facial pains.

For removing fine wrinkles, rub the core of pineapple for a few minutes and leave for 15 minutes

Apply juice of pineapples for fine wrinkles, cracked skin, itching and inflammations.

18. Pomegranate: Pomegranate is likely the world's most profuse source of polyphenols. This is a very powerful family of antioxidants that work primarily in the skin. They are found in grape seeds and green tea, but most abundantly in pomegranates. It is also very helpful in escalating the protective abilities of sunscreens.
 

Make a paste of roasted & powdered pomegranate skin with fresh lime juice and apply over boils, pimple, blackheads and whiteheads.

19. Potatoes: The juice of raw potatoes, has also proved very valuable in clearing skin blemishes. This cleansing results from high content of potassium, sulphur, phosphorus and chlorine in the potato. These elements are, however, of value only when the potato is raw as in this state they are composed of live organic atoms. In the cooked state, they are converted into inorganic atoms and are of little value for constructive purposes.
The juicy pulp of the shredded raw potatoes can also be applied as a poultice in clearing the wrinkle and other skin blemishes due to ageing. It may be rubbed on the face and other portions of body that have wrinkles before retiring for bed. It will help melt the wrinkles, banish age spots and clear the skin.
The enzymes in raw potato pulp, combined with the Vitamin C and the natural starch, helps create a skin food that nourishes the starved cellular tissues of the skin. Furthermore, the alkaline juices of the potato promotes an antiseptic action that gives a glowing look of youth. Much of the decaying skin sloughs off by the acid portion of the pulp. 

Apply grated potatoes as poultice to treat skin blemishes, wrinkles, boils, pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, etc.

20. Radish:  

Radish seeds contain a bleaching substance and emulsion of the seeds with water applied over the face will remove blackheads  and freckles. It can also be applied with beneficial results in the treatment of ringworm. 

Make a paste of ground radish seeds with water and apply on face to remove blackheads.

Apply grated white radish or its juice for fairer complexion.

21. Rice:Rice Powder is the refined starch from rice, known as Oryza Sativa. The powder of rice has been used for centuries in the ancient art of Ayurveda, a holistic healing practice. It is used as a poultice that soothes inflamed acne and skin ulcerations. It has been used by Asian women in their facial makeup and to wash their skin since the 16th century. It is considered an emollient rich skin treatment.

Rice bran has a chemical structure similar to ceramide found in the human skin. It has moisturizing and water retaining effects on the skin and increases the production of collagen for younger looking skin. Japanese farmers have known long before scientists discovered, the healing properties of the rice plant, and the effects it has on skin treatment.

Rice water and its powder has been used by the Asian culture for centuries as an anti-aging skin formula that protects from the harmful rays of the sun, and leaves skin more radiant. It’s emollient and exfoliate properties keep skin cells healthy, while its ceramide increases collagen production to make skin more supple and free of wrinkles.

Apply a paste of rice powder with water as a poultice for soothing bleeding pimples and skin inflammations.

22. Sesame Seeds:  Sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) and especially sesame seed oil can really be compared to a huge cave filled with such priceless treasures as various nutrients, minerals, natural vitamins and lipids.

 

Sesame seed oil is known as a very powerful antioxidant. Also, it has very positive effects on skin, can open pores, refresh and make our skin look smoother.

Since sesame seed oil is an important natural source of such mineral as copper, it has excellent anti-inflammatory properties and can be used for treating wounds and swellings, calming down sunburns and arthritis pains, etc.

Sesame oil can help remove wrinkles and other skin diseases
when applied externally.

Apply a paste of ground sesame seeds with water as poultice for inflammation of the skin due to allergies, skin rashes, and pimples.

23. Tomatoes: Tomatoes make an excellent skin treatment for everything from large pores and acne to rashes and more. Tomatoes have cooling elements to soothe raw skin, astringents to remove excess oil, and tons of vitamin C and A to brighten dull skin and restore its health.

 

Mash a fresh tomato and apply the pulp liberally to your face. Leave on skin for an hour or more, then rinse and moisturize. Do this every day for several days and your acne will disappear.

Mix honey and tomato juice and apply to your face and neck. Let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Your skin will be smooth and glowing!

Mix two teaspoons of tomato juice with four tablespoons of buttermilk. Apply it all over your skin. Leave on skin for a half hour, then rinse gently.

Make sure you always have tomatoes on hand to make homemade skin-care remedies anytime.

24. Turmeric: Turmeric is Indian Ayurvedic medicine is widely used as an herbal medicine and for traditional beauty care and has other users as well besides cooking!

Use turmeric as a face cleanser. Mix chick pea flour or rice flour and turmeric powder in equal proportions and store it in an airtight bottle. Add a little yogurt, milk, or soy milk to a teaspoon of this powder to make a paste. Apply the paste evenly to face evenly and wait for it to semi dry. Wash the paste off with water. Millions of women in India use this treatment instead of a facial cleanser every day to exfoliate and brighten their skin.

Apply a paste of turmeric powder with pineapple juice for dark circles under the eyes.

Apply a paste of turmeric powder with gram flour or whole wheat flour for minor skin blemishes.

Apply a paste of turmeric powder with sugarcane juice to remove wrinkles and to prevent skin ageing.

25. Wheat Flour:

Take two spoonful of gram flour and make a paste with curd or yogurt. Yogurt has bleaching agents so clears the complexion. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to it, which helps in reducing the marks caused by acne and pimples.

 

This pack can be used as a scrubber also. Scrub it off from the skin in adverse direction when half dries. It will remove the dead skin also.  

Apply a paste of whole wheat flour with vinegar to remove dark spots.

 
26. Yogurt:

Apply a paste of yogurt with wheat flour as a cleanser.

Health in food...

Health and Fitness has now become one of the major concerns. Earlier humans used to hunt for their living, due to which their body had to undergo a lot of physical exercise. This made life active and alert. Now, life has become more simple and easy. Everything we need is just a phone call away. This easy life has restricted humans to do that bit of physical exercise which is required to keep the body fit and healthy. We get instant, spicy and variety of food which lose their nutrition during the process.

How do we ensure that we have all that we need to have a healthy living? This is a big question among everyone. We need proper nutrition and a fit and healthy body. Good Health is all that one craves for. Becoming healthier and fitter though not very difficult needs dedicated efforts.

Healthy and Nutritious food is very important for maintaining a good health. Healthy food involves, regular and timely food, juices, nuts, snacks and much more. A balanced diet, good food habits are essential for a healthy life.

In the normal course of life, we forget to take necessary nutrition that is required for our body and hence we tend to get into many life style diseases. It is very essential for a person to know and understand the benefits of nature's creation like fruits, vegetables, nuts,etc.

You can find useful articles on nutrition and health benefits of various fruits and vegetables. Read on and add these to your daily life. The value of food is more when it is taken in a systematic manner and also by understanding the benefits of every bite we take.