Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Controlling Your Cholesterol

Newspapers have reported on the drawbacks of having a diet high in fat. High-fat diet has been linked to high cholesterol and ultimately to heart attacks. Hence, people have started avoiding beef and eggs. But cholesterol is not bad. Our body needs it to protect nerves and build new cells and hormones. It is only when we include foods like pizzas, burgers, ice creams, steaks or any food containing animal product that the problem starts. Excess cholesterol settles along the walls of the arteries and can clog them thus, restricting blood flow. This gives rise to angina, heart attack or stroke. It has also been shown that high cholesterol leads to gallstones. There are two types of cholesterol called good cholesterol or HDL and bad cholesterol or LDL. LDL is the cholesterol that clogs the arteries and should be lower while HDL scours the artery walls and removes the harmful LDL and should be higher.

Doctors recommend reducing and avoiding high-fat diets containing meat, eggs and dairy products. But you can use the following home remedies for treatment:

• Increase the intake of Vitamin E: It is advised to increase your intake of Vitamin E to 400 international units to prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol where the cholesterol hardens into the arterial plaque thus giving rise to heart attack. It also raises the level of HDL. You can include Vitamin E as dietary sources or include vegetable oils, nuts or grains in your diet.

• Eat your breakfast: People who skip the breakfast have higher cholesterol levels than those who have breakfast everyday. This is because they tend to eat unhealthy foods which are high in fats.

• Eat small meals frequently: Large meals have been shown to release a large amount of insulin, which in turn stimulates the production of the enzymes that increases cholesterol production by the liver. But eating small frequent meals without increasing the total calories will limit the insulin production and thus controls the cholesterol and in turn heart diseases.

• Add Vitamin C to your diet: Though other vitamins and minerals play an important role in the cholesterol production, Vitamin C is the most crucial vitamin for cholesterol control. It increases HDL levels and is very beneficial if you get it from fruits and vegetables, since they have a special fibre called pectin. It surrounds the cholesterol and flushes it out of the digestive system before it gets into the blood. Include fruits like citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, apples and spinach which are rich in vitamin C and pectin.

• Increase garlic intake: Taking seven cloves of garlic a day will reduce cholesterol levels significantly. If you cannot stand the normal garlic, then you can opt for odorless garlic pills, which are available in local health stores.

• Skip decaf: Avoid decaffeinated coffee since it has been shown to raise LDL levels. This is because the beans used for decaf are far stronger than the normal beans.

• Munch grapes: Grapes and their products have a compound which lowers cholesterol significantly. So you can increase your intake of grapes, grape juice and wine to decrease your cholesterol level.

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

health benefits of peanuts

Peanut Power

Also known as ground nuts, peanuts, along with beans and peas are members of the legume family which are the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. Peanuts are found in a wide variety of products. They can be eaten salted, dry roasted, boiled and even raw. They can be found in peanut brittle, peanut butter and candy bars and is often a major ingredient in mixed nuts.

1. Helps Promote Fertility (Folate)

Peanuts contain a good amount of folate. Repeated studies have shown that women who had a daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during early pregnancy reduced their risk of having a baby born with a serious neural tube defect by up to 70%.

2. Aids in Blood Sugar Regulation (Manganese)

One fourth cup of peanuts can supply the body with 35% of the DV of manganese, a mineral which plays a role in fat and carbohydrate metabolism, calcium absorption, and blood sugar regulation.

3. Helps Prevent Gallstones

It may come as a surprise that peanuts can help prevent gallstones. But 20 years of studies have shown that eating 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter a week lowers the risk of developing gallstones by 25%.

4. Helps Fight Depression (Tryptophan)

Peanuts are good sources of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which is important for the production of serotonin, one of the key brain chemicals involved in mood regulation. When depression occurs, a decreased amount of serotonin may be released from the nerve cells in the brain. Tryptophan may raise serotonin’s antidepressant effects when there is an increased amount of serotonin in the blood.

5. Boosts Memory Power (Vitamin B3)
Do you know what can be found in peanuts that gave them the “brain food” tag? This is due to their vitamin B3 or niacin content whose many health benefits include normal brain functioning and boosting memory power.

6. Helps Lower Cholesterol Levels (Copper)

The same nutrient which gives peanuts their memory enhancing power also helps lower and control cholesterol levels. Added to that is their copper contents which aids in reducing bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels.

7. Lowers Risk of Heart Disease

Numerous studies have shown that regular nuts consumption is linked to reduced risk of heart disease. Peanuts are rich in heart-friendly monounsaturated fats and antioxidants such as oleic acid. Reach for a handful of peanuts and other nuts at least four times a week to reduce your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.

8. Protects Against Age-related Cognitive Decline (Vitamin B2)

Study participants have shown that those who have an intake of the most niacin-rich foods like peanuts were 70% less likely to have developed Alzheimer’s disease. A quarter cup a day of peanuts can already supply almost a quarter of the daily needed value for niacin.

9 Cancer Protection

A form of phytosterol called beta-sitoserol (SIT) is found in high concentrations in some plant oils, seeds, and legumes including peanuts. Phytosterols not only protects against cardiovascular disease by interfering with the absorption of cholesterol, they also protect against cancer by inhibiting tumor growth.

10. Lowers Risk of Weight Gain

Surprise! Eating nuts regularly is associated with a lowered risk of weight gain. Research has shown that people who eat nuts at least twice weekly are much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never eat them.

The only thing you should consider when adding peanuts to your diet, is that you try to avoid salted peanuts as too much salt intake is bad for you.

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Safe and Healthy Ways To Lose Weight

Are you not ready to begin a weight loss program? Do you not have a clear idea about how to lose weight and get somewhat overwhelmed when you think of starting? Not to worry, you have to begin somewhere and the following article is the perfect place.
It is advisable to spread your meals out throughout the day. Eat a small healthy meal when a hunger craving strikes between normal meal times. Avoid sweet, salty, or fatty snacks and try to plan healthy alternatives if you think you will get hungry before your next meal. This lets the body burn calories much quicker throughout the day.
You need to find other sources of fun that don't include food. Many people's favorite pastime is spending time in the kitchen and eating what they create. And there is nothing wrong with that. Eating can be very enjoyable. It is important though to make sure you have other things in your life that are just as, if not more, important. Try to get involved in a new hobby, particularly one that involves physical activity.
When you make the decision to try to lose weight, share it with as many people as possible. You can go even further and blog about your weight loss journey. This will help the whole weight loss process become more concrete in your mind so you will be less likely to drift off your chosen path.
Weight fluctuations are natural and normal. The trends of your weight matter more than the number does on a day-to-day basis. You are doing a good job if you are losing weight.
MUFA stands for Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, and if you want to lose weight, you should be eating food items from the MUFA group. MUFA stands for monounsaturated fatty acids and can be very beneficial if you learn about the different oils and nuts in this group. It is reported that MUFA food choices will aid in weight loss as well as increased health. For best results, incorporate these MUFA-rich foods into your daily diet whenever possible.
Consult a physician before taking over-the-counter diet pills. If someone is on medication or has heart problems they should be very cautious of the available diet pills. Consult with your physician and ask them if it is alright to take this kind of supplement.
Variety is the spice of life, and it is a great way to keep your diet interesting. If you just eat the same foods every day, you'll soon grow tired of them, which will cause you to quit your diet plan. Make sure you eat a balanced diet, and realize you are still able to quite a variety of foods, but you can't have them all at once.
A good technique for feeling as though you are part of the fitness landscape is to visit weight loss, diet and exercise websites. If you aren't feeling up to the task of losing weight, head over to a site you bookmarked to get motivated again. Getting inspired by a blog or bodybuilder will get you back on track and make you more likely to follow through with your weight loss journey.
Consider drinking coffee as a means to lose weight. Plain coffee can give your metabolism a boost and get you moving through the day. It can provide you with the much-needed energy to get up and start getting fit.
Many people eat emotionally; however, this usually leads to rapid weight gain. Therefore, if you do this, you need to stop. If you're really sad, try doing exercise to cheer yourself up. The endorphins that are released due to exercise will have you feeling better in no time.
Keeping healthy food on hand can help you fight the urge to snack. Small bags of healthy snacks such as nuts or fruit can help keep you focused and satisfied throughout the day.
It can be helpful to enlist a partner in your attempt to lose weight. Whenever one of you is tempted to stray, the other can help to reinforce the importance of your shared goals and offer support and motivation. Also, it is helpful to share tips if your plans need adjusting. Also, you can both celebrate when you reach milestones in your plan.
If done correctly, accompanying a meal with a workout can be quite effective. Are you considering going on a picnic? Walk to a nearby park for your meal. As time allows, including physical exercise in your mealtime routine will help you in the process of losing weight.
With these tips, you can start a program that will work for you and have results! Just imagine how good it will feel to slip into your old jeans! Start using these tips, and you will look great and slim in no time!
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