Wealth 4 The Healthy : nutrition

Showing posts with label nutrition. Show all posts

Researchers have found that a mother’s nutrition during pregnancy can clearly impact her child’s risk of obesity years in the future.

The research has revealed that during pregnancy, a mother’s diet can change the function of her child’s DNA. The process, called epigenetic change, can result in her child tending to gain more fat. The research reveals that this effect happens independently of how fat or thin the mother is as well as child’s bodyweight at birth.

The study shows that susceptibility to obesity can’t just be due to a combination of our genes and our lifestyle, but could be caused by influences on a baby’s development inside the womb, which includes what the mother consumed. A mother’s nutrition during pregnancy can result in significant epigenetic changes that play a role in her child’s risk of obesity.

The scientists measured epigenetic changes in almost 300 children at birth and established that these strongly predicted the level of obesity at 6 or 9 years old. The thing that was surprising to the scientists was the size of the effect – children differ in how fat they are, but measurement of the epigenetic change at birth made it possible for the scientists to predict 25% of this variation.

The epigenetic changes, which change the function of our DNA without altering the actual DNA sequence inherited from the father and mother, can also impacts how an individual responds to lifestyle factors like diet or exercise for a long time in the future.

This research suggests that steps to avoid childhood obesity needs to be focused on improving a mother’s nutrition and her baby’s growth inside the womb. These powerful new epigenetic measurements could prove useful in keeping track of the health of the child.

The research presents convincing proof that epigenetic changes, at least in part, explain the connection between a poor start to life and later risk of disease. It strengthens the case for those women of reproductive age with better accessibility to education, nutritional and lifestyle support to further improve the health of the next generation, and also to lower the risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes which usually go along with obesity.

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10:57

Scientists know that vitamin D deficiency is unhealthy. However, a study now suggests that too much vitamin D isn’t healthy either. The research is based upon blood samples from 247,574 people.

Vitamin D is important in helping calcium get to our bones, and so reducing the risk from falls as well as the chance of broken hips. Studies suggest that vitamin D is also beneficial in preventing depression, cardiac disease and some kinds of cancers. The outcomes from research also support the benefits of vitamin D with regards to mortality risk. However, the study results also reveal higher mortality in those with too much vitamin D in their blood.

The researchers found higher mortality in individuals with a low level of vitamin D in their blood, but to their surprise, they also found it in those with a high level of vitamin D in their blood. A graph can be drawn showing that it could be harmful with too little as well as too much vitamin D.

Mortality is 2.31 times greater when the blood has under10 nmol of vitamin D for each litre of serum, and mortality is 1.42 times greater when the blood contains over 140 nmol of vitamin D for each litre of serum. Both of these values are in comparison to 50 nmol of vitamin D per liter of serum, the value where the lowest mortality rate was observed.

The data material was collected from a wide range of ages. Those who participated had approached their own medical practitioners for a number of reasons and had had vitamin D levels measured in that context.
The scientists emphasize that while they don’t know the reason for the higher mortality, they believe that the study results could be used to question the wisdom of those who maintain that you can’t ever get too much vitamin D.

Although the research can indicate an association between a high level of vitamin D and mortality, the higher risk cannot be explained.

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10:49

Long working hours and tight schedules may not allow you to stick to your fitness goals. Most of us skip meals and eat unhealthy food. It also becomes difficult to make time for exercise due to office deadlines and commuting. Due to our sedentary lifestyle, we slowly tend to get out of shape. However, with a little discipline you can easily manage both work and weight loss.

Exercise in the morning: Dietician Sunaina Khetarpal suggests motivating yourself and going for a brisk walk for an hour in the morning. You can also choose to exercise at home or hit the gym. An hour of exercise is a must to help you burn your calories.

Schedule your workouts: If you want to make sure that you don’t miss out on your exercises, you have to schedule it. Utilise your lunch break to go for short walk or the gym, or even do office exercises sitting at your desk.

Workout for short durations: Try short workouts and find simple ways to exercise to save your time. For example, the 7-minute workout is a high intensity workout which works on different body parts.

Take the stairs: Take the stairs whenever you can to burn those calories. Walking up and down the stairs is a great cardio workout and will give you a good leg workout as well.

Make workouts fun: Do what you love and you will stick to it. If you do not like the gym, sign up for a yoga, Pilates, martial arts or dance class after your office. You will enjoy your workout sessions while getting in shape. You may also be interested in reading how to fit exercise to your busy schedule. These five fat burning yoga poses you can do at office might also be of help to you.

Healthy eating tips for busy people

Do not skip breakfast: Never skip your breakfast if you want to stay fit and healthy. According to dietician Sunaina, eating a protein-rich breakfast will help you in maintaining your weight and keeping hunger pangs at bay.

Eat whole grains: Sunaina suggests consuming whole grains like whole wheat, oats, bajra, ragi, barley, brown rice, instead of breads made from refined wheat, refined corns and white rice.

Eat frequently: Fill up gaps between major meals with fruits, roasted chana, murmure rather than biscuits, chips and namkeens. Sprouts, boiled or roasted chana eaten as a snack will help you maintain your weight.

Avoid salt: Try to have one salt-free and fat-free meal like sweet dalia, or any porridge. Sunaina says, ‘Excessive use of salt in your diet can cause fluid retention in your body. You can use cinnamon, fruits, or other complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes or sweet corns to provide sweetness to your porridge.’

Avoid colas: Avoid drinking high-calorie sodas, cold drinks, and juices as they are loaded with sugar. Instead try to drink home-made lemonade with less sugar and less salt, fruit shake, lassi or buttermilk, jaljeera and coconut water.

Choose your food wisely: Whenever possible, eat home-made food. But if you cannot always cook, make sure what you eat out is healthy. Don’t opt for calorie-laden dishes. Have a side salad and customise your order with less oil or butter.

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10:46

Available in the market all round the year, oranges are the most common citrus fruits consumed in India. They are not only popular for their raww pulpy slices, juicy nature, and tangy and sweet flavour but also for their goodness of vitamin C. Also called the golden apple, oranges offer numerous benefits covering health as well as beauty aspects. Here are the top 10 health benefits you can derive by eating oranges.

#1 Boosts immunity
Oranges is an excellent source of vitamin C. A single medium-sized orange can fulfil about 72% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Since vitamin C plays a crucial role as an antioxidant by protecting your body against the damage caused by free radicals generated in the body. It therefore reduces inflammation in immune related conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Although debatable, researchers suggest that vitamin C also plays an important role in strengthening immune responses of the body, protecting against recurring cold and cough or any other common infections.

#2 Helps prevent ageing of skin
There’s a reason why oranges are popularly used in the beauty industry. Several beauty products including face packs, masks and creams that are available contain orange extract as a key ingredient. That’s because vitamin C present in oranges also helps prevent skin damage, by eliminating free radicals. Vitamin C, being involved in synthesis of collagen, an important component to maintain skin’s overall appearance and texture, prevents premature aging and wrinkling of the skin. Apart from vitamin C, oranges are packed with vitamin A that help keep the skin membranes healthy.

#3 Protects the eyes
Vitamin A in oranges helps keep mucus membranes in the eyes healthy. Available in the form of carotenoid compounds like lutein, beta carotene and zeaxanthin, vitamin A is protective against age-related macular degeneration, a vision-related condition that causes blindness. Besides, it also plays an important role in allowing your eyes to absorb the light.

#4 Help prevents heart disease
This is yet another health benefit of oranges which is attributed to its vitamin C level. Free radicals generated during various reactions taking place in the cells can trigger oxidation of cholesterol, causing the oxidised molecules to aggregate and stick to the walls of the arteries. This leads to build up of plaques that eventually block the arteries, causing heart attack, coronary artery disease or even stroke. Vitamin C in oranges takes care of these free radicals and neutralises them, thus playing a role in preventing heart disease. Besides they also contain flavonoids like hesperidin that lowers cholesterol level and prevents the arteries from getting blocked.

#5 Helps brain development
Folate/folic acid or vitamin B9 present in oranges promote brain development and keep the vital organ in mint condition. In fact, these nutrients also make orange a healthy fruit for pregnant woman as it prevents the baby from having neurological disorders later. Oranges also contain phytonutrients called polyphenols that play a role in development of learning and memory functions of the brain.

#6 Helps prevent cancer
Oranges contain a compound called D – limonene that has been shown to play an important role in preventing various types of cancer like lung cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer, etc. Additionally, the antioxidants and Vitamin C help promote the body’s immunity which helps in fighting cancer cells. Oranges are highly fibrous fruits, which contributes to its cancer-protecting effect. A study revealed that about 10 to 15 per cent of colon cancer cases are caused by mutations in the DNA. These mutations can prevented by consuming vitamin C rich sources like oranges.

#7 Prevents constipation
Oranges are a very good source of soluble and insoluble fibre, which helps keep your stomach and intestines healthy by preventing problems like irritable bowel syndrome. The fibre content in them adds bulk to the digested food and reduces transit time of feces, preventing constipation and straining.

#8 Improves sperm quality
Death is inevitable, but our legacy may live on through our offspring. The antioxidants and Vitamin C present in most fruits, including oranges improves the quality and motility of your sperm thus keeping you fertile. Another vitamin called folic acid also is an essential nutrient for maintaining healthy sperms that you can obtain from oranges. It also protects the sperm from genetic damage, which might lead to birth defects.

#9 Great for diabetics
The rich fibre content of oranges has the ability to keep a track of sugar levels in the body, preventing diabetes. It is also a good option for those who are diabetic. Also worth mentioning is that good oranges have a sweet taste, and since diabetics aren’t allowed to eat sweets or other sugary foods, they can eat oranges to tingle their taste buds.

#10 Prevents hair loss
Orange has high Vitamin C content which is required for producing collagen which, in turn, is responsible for keeping the tissues in your hair together. Nobody likes bald patches on their head, and eating oranges can ensure that you do not have to part with your lovely hair as you grow older.

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10:38

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09:55

Overview

Garlic is one of the most common ingredients in Indian dishes but apart from imparting flavour to food, this tiny, white pod also has immense medicinal properties. Used since time immemorial to treat various ailments, garlic is one ingredient in your kitchen that has a number of uses. Here are the top 15 health benefits of garlic you should know about.

Internal Contents of Garlic

It has a variety of potent sulphur-containing compounds which are the reason for its characteristic pungent odour.

Allicin, the vital compound in the pod, is known to have great anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant properties. That is why garlic is best had when it’s finely chopped, minced or pureed and let sit for some time.

Garlic is also a reliable source of selenium.

Allicin, along with other compounds like ajoene, alliin, etc. also have a healing effect on your circulatory, digestive and immunological systems and help in lowering blood pressure, detoxification, healing, etc.

1. Helps keep bacterial and viral infections at bay

Due to its innate compounds, garlic can help keep both bacterial and viral infections at bay.

They help control bacterial, viral, fungal, yeast and worm infections.
Fresh garlic is thought to play a role in preventing food poisoning by killing bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella enteritidis, etc.

2. Can help treat skin infections

Since it has both antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic is great when it comes to treating skin infections.

The chemical ajoene found in garlic may help treat fungal skin infections like ringworm and athlete’s foot.

If you have a skin infection, you could apply the juice of come crushed garlic cloves on the area once or twice a day. Wash the juice off with some clean, room temperature water.

3. Helps prevent the formation of clots in the body

The anti-clotting properties of ajoene found in garlic help in preventing the formation of blood clots in the body. While this fact is great for people with heart ailments and those prone to suffering from a stroke and other clotting disorders, it may also increase the risk of bleeding after surgery.

To help stay healthy have one crushed garlic pod everyday on an empty stomach.

4. Can keep your blood pressure levels in check

Allicin in garlic blocks the activity of angiotensin II (a protein that is responsible for increase in blood pressure) and helps in reducing blood pressure.

The polysulphides present in garlic are converted into a gas called hydrogen sulphide by red blood cells that helps dilate your blood vessels and helps control blood pressure. If your blood pressure levels are of concern, there are natural alternatives to blood pressure medication that you could try after speaking to your doctor about the change.

To help control your blood pressure you could add garlic to your daily meals. Apart from that you could also eat one pod of raw garlic on an empty stomach to keep your blood pressure under control.

5. Helps protect your heart

With age, your arteries tend to lose their ability to stretch and garlic can help maintain their elasticity.

It also helps protect the heart from the damaging effects of free oxygen radicals.

The sulphur-containing compounds of garlic also prevent our blood vessels from becoming blocked and slow the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

The anti-clotting properties of ajoene (a compound present in garlic) helps prevent the formation of clots inside your blood vessels.

6. Can reduce the levels of bad cholesterol

The allicin present in garlic helps moderately lower our blood triglycerides and total cholesterol.

This compound also helps reduce arterial plaque formation.

7. Combat allergies

The anti-arthritic property of garlic is due to diallyl sulphide and thiacremonone.

Garlic has also been show to improve allergic airway inflammation (allergic rhinitis).

Raw garlic juice may be used to immediately stop the itching due to rashes and bug bites.

8. Can protect you against frequent colds and bouts of sore throat

The daily use of garlic might reduce the frequency and number of colds.

Its antibacterial properties help in treating throat irritations.

Garlic may also reduce the severity of upper respiratory tract infections.

Its ability to promote expectoration makes it irreplaceable in chronic bronchitis.

9. Helps keep your blood sugar levels in check

Garlic increases insulin release and regulates blood sugar levels in your body, especially if you are a diabetic.

10. Can help keep cancer at bay

Garlic’s anti-cancer properties are due to the allyl sulphides it contains.

According to studies, diallyl sulphide found in garlic inhibits the transformation of PhIP (a type of compound that has been associated with increased incidence of breast cancer) into carcinogens.

11. Helps beat iron deficiency and anaemia

Diallyl sulphides present in garlic increase the production of ferroportin (a protein that helps in the absorption and release of iron) and improves iron metabolism — all of which helps prevent iron deficiency and associated diseases like anaemia.

12. Can give your sex life a much needed boost

Garlic’s aphrodisiac properties which is due to its ability to increase the circulation and intensifying an orgasm.

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13. Helps relieve pain caused due to a toothache

It can help relieve toothaches due to its antibacterial and analgesic properties. But be aware that it can be irritating to the gum

Simply put some crushed garlic clove directly on the affected tooth.

14. Can help you lose weight

According to recent research, garlic may help to regulate the formation of fat cells in our body by converting pre-adipocytes to fat cells (adipocytes) by preventing the conversion.

Additional Guide Here...

08:43

1. Protect Your Brain

Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline,¹ fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease.²

2. Reduce Your Risk of Cancer

Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.³ They also contain phytonutrients called cucurbitacins, which also have anti-cancer properties. According to the George Mateljan Foundation:⁴

"Scientists have already determined that several different signaling pathways (for example, the JAK-STAT and MAPK pathways) required for cancer cell development and survival can be blocked by activity of cucurbitacins."

3. Fight Inflammation

Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory response in your body, and animal studies suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2).⁵

4. Antioxidant Properties

Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol,⁶ which provide additional benefits.
For instance, quercetin is an antioxidant that many believe prevents histamine release—making quercetin-rich foods "natural antihistamines." Kaempferol, meanwhile, may help fight cancer and lower your risk of chronic diseases including heart disease.

5. Freshen Your Breath

Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath.⁷

6. Manage Stress

Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress.

7. Support Your Digestive Health

Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH; it's possible that water-rich cucumbers may have a similar effect.
Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.

8. Maintain a Healthy Weight

Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories).⁸ The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gel-like texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control.

9. Support Heart Health

Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly.
As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function.