10 Superfoods for a Healthy Life

Today’s hectic life has compelled us all to opt for easy, ready-made and time-saving options which gradually deteriorate our health. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate the natural and healthy foods in our daily diet that help us ward off a lot of diseases and keep us fit. Following are some superfoods that promote a healthy lifestyle and help us live hearty life despite our messed up routine.

1. Spinach

Vegetables and most of the fruits are low in calories and high in nutrients that grant you a key to a healthy lifestyle.

Spinach is one of the super vegetables that is rich in antioxidants which help fight against cancer and boost immune system. Plus, the anti-inflammatory properties of spinach may help arthritis, osteoporosis, migraine, headache and asthma etc. The mineral iron in spinach is essential for menstruating women and growing children.

2. Berries

Blackberries, Blueberries, Cranberries, Strawberries and Raspberries are known to stave off diseases by boosting immune system. They are also known to reduce the risk of cognitive decline in older adults.

All berries are composed of more than 85 percent water along with a large amount of fiber, which makes them an excellent fruit to eat if you’re trying to lose weight, lower cholesterol, or manage type 2 diabetes. The B vitamin in them helps maintain healthy hair and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and mood disorders. Including them in your diet once or twice a week will help gain a lot of benefits of these wonder fruits.

 3. Garlic

Garlic is well-known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties which makes it quite effective in cold and flu and any bacterial infection. The high levels of allicin in it help hair growth and prevent hair fall. You can give your immune system a constant boost by incorporating garlic in your daily recipes. It also protects our heart against cardiovascular problems and aids in weight loss.

4. Olive oil

Olive oil carries Vitamin A, D, E, K and provides essential polyunsaturated fatty acids which play a key role in metabolism, They fatty acids in olive oil also help you mention a healthy skin and a healthy lifestyle. To achieve the possible benefits of olive oil, replace it with a similar amount of saturated fat and do not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.

5. Tomatoes

Tomato is another wonder fruit that is rich in antioxidants, It also has bleaching properties and is known to maintain a healthy, fair and glowing skin. Plus, the fruit is very low in calories and it keeps you feel full for long. They are not only good for skin but also ward off cancer, prevent DNA damage, reduce the risk of heart disease, protect against thrombosis, and ward off inflammation.

6. Beans

Beans control your PMS, reduce the risk of cancer, keep your bones strong, protect your heart, improve your bone density, absorb more iron and very low in fat. A diet rich in beans and legumes increases levels of the fatty acid butyrate and promotes a healthy lifestyle.

7. Fish

The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, tuna, and other oily fish help fight dangerous inflammation that can damage our DNA. They are rich in protein and help reduce the risk of stroke, prevent high blood pressure, lower triglycerides, prevent heart diseases and obesity. Tuna is a god source of selenium and vitamin B which fight off sickness and boost the immune system.

8. Mushrooms

Mushrooms are very low in calories and contain 0 fat which makes them an excellent addition in any recipe. If you’re concerned that you are not having enough protein, you can eat mushrooms with a side dish of beans. As an added bonus, they may help ward off breast cancer by regulating a woman’s estrogen levels, lower the risk of bladder cancer and promote immune function.

9. Lemons

One lemon has more than 100% your daily vitamin C intake. This consumption can also help increase your HDL, or “good,” cholesterol levels. Also, the citrus flavonoids found in lemons may help deter the growth of cancer cells. When you add some lemon to your green tea, it increases your body’s ability to absorb the tea’s antioxidants by 80%. Other fruits rich in vitamin C include cantaloupe, grapefruit, oranges, and strawberries.

10. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate, when consumed in moderate amounts, can be as good for you as the above mentioned foods. It helps reduce blood pressure and LDL, or “bad”, cholesterol levels. Darke chocolates that have higher concentration of cacao are full of antioxidants and flavonoids, which help your body to ward off infections and cancers. Apples, onions and peanuts also include flavonoid compounds.

Read More

How Zinc Is Important For Your Body

Zinc is an essential part of nature. It is a trace mineral and is abundantly found in the human body. It can either be found in food items or may be found in the dietary supplements. It is an essential component in teeth, hair, nails, liver, skin, sperms, etc.

Metabolic Functions of Zinc:

Thyroid function- Zinc is required in the synthesis of thyroid hormone.
Formation of bone- Zinc is necessary as it plays the role of enzymes in the production of collagen and Alkaline phosphatase.
Formation of Calcitonin- Calcitonin inhibits the breakdown of Calcium.
Zinc- A Weapon of Immunity!
Since this amazing gift of nature is present in the skin, mucous membrane and on the surface of lungs and throat it has been given the task of performing anti microbial functions. It diminishes inhaled bacteria or viruses. Moreover, Zinc also aids the production of White blood cells. These types of cells build up the major defense mechanism of immune system in human body. So the next time you are hit by a viral attack, don’t just run for antibiotics. Give Zinc a chance. 

Zinc and its Antioxidant Powers 

We living in a polluted environment of cities in Pakistan, have an increased tendency to accumulate oxidants and toxins in our body. This renders are drastic problem in the inclination of treatment. Antioxidant poses a helping hand in the healing of many disorders and diseases. Zinc protects cells (the building block of body) from oxidative damages and protects our liver against such damage.

Victim of Zinc deficiency?

Following are the symptoms of zinc deficiency which will aid you in knowing the signs at an earlier stage: 
1- White Spots on Nails

2- Hair Loss

3- Skin disorders such as stretch marks, acne, dry skin, etc.
4-Poor growth in children

5- Decreased wound healing
6- Poor night vision, etc. 

Shop wisely for Zinc

Opt for a wiser grocery list when shopping for home. The following items are rich natural source of Zinc.

• Proteins- Chicken, Mutton, Beef, Lamb and Eggs.
• Fish, Prawns, Oysters, etc.
• Green leafy vegetables.
• Fresh seasonal fruits.

Read More

Green Tea Benefits For Health

Green tea is becoming a very popular sort of tea among people now days due to its benefits towards human health. All of us are very much aware of this one benefit of it i.e. it helps you to reduce weight. But let me tell you guys that green tea is just not for this purpose but has many more advantages towards human health that after knowing them you will surely hook up with it. The advantages include, weight loss, preventing against heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and many more.
Green tea is an Anti Oxidant plus contains polyphenols and caffeine that increases metabolism but doesn’t affect our heart rate that makes it more beneficial towards weight loss and fat burning.
Green tea is known to be an agent that fights against many types of cancers like breast cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancers, oral cancers and many more. It induces the cancer cell death and supports towards ending tumors.
Green tea helps to lower the cholesterol in the blood vessels and also acts as a natural aspirin by preventing blood clotting which is the major cause of heart diseases. Even for people who have heart conditions, green tea helps to prevent cell deaths and makes the recovery very much easy.
Green tea regulates the sugar level in our blood vessels; it normalizes and also regularizes it. Hence people who are diabetic must use green tea more often for their better health.
People who suffer from cold and influenza more often shows that their immunity power is very much low, hence green tea also acts in boosting our immunity due to the polyphenols, vitamin C and E present in it.
Green tea is also known to kill oral bacteria and viruses; hence they prevent bad breath, throat infections and other dental conditions.
Green tea also helps to prevent viral liver infections like hepatitis by lowering the iron levels in the liver. It is also been researched that it destroys free harmful radicals in fatty livers and prevents the failure and transplant.
Green tea also keeps your blood pressure normal; it has certain compounds which repress the angiotensin enzyme produced by the kidneys that cause hypertension.
Green tea also acts in other ways like as an anti allergy, against HIV and ENT infections and also is very best for skin care.

Read More

Omega 3 – Important Part of Our Diet

Omega 3 is known as an essential fatty acid for a normal growth in young children especially. It is said to be very much necessary for maintaining brain and nerve function. It has been researched by scientists that omega 3 primarily comes from fatty fish like, tuna, salmon etc. and walnuts.
One of the reasons doctor advice people to switch from butters and creams to unsaturated oils is that unsaturated oils have lower cholesterol as compared to saturated ones; as unsaturated oils come from vegetable, nuts and fish.
Omega 3 helps in lowering the rate of heart disease in human, this is the reason when a nutritionist gives a diet plan to a person it always involves a Nut and fish diet in the menu, whether in salads, soups or anything.

HOW TO GET OMEGA 3

Our body doesn’t produce omega 3 on its own, that’s why we take it from foods and supplements like flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, walnuts and fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines etc. the omega 3 fatty acids are very much essential for a human’s optimum health as they fight against heart diseases, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, allergies and cancer.
It is also in researches that other than the oily fish and walnuts, leafy vegetables can also produce omega 3 in our systems, the leafy vegetable like spinach can be very rich in omega 3 productions hence they help to regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of arteries and also these are anti inflaming.

WHY SHOULD IT BE A PART OF OUR DIET

One of the major reasons that omega 3 should be part of our diet is that it also helps to fight against the very dreadful disease cancer (especially prostate cancer). So making fish part of your meal and eating it every third day can be very helpful to obtain more amount of omega 3 in your system.
When we talk about fatty fish, the question raises what fish? Other than the ones WE mentioned don’t go for fish that are high in mercury because mercury is very harmful for pregnant women or women who are hoping to get pregnant. But other than that omega 3 is very much important for the soon-to-be mommies.
Omega 3 fatty acid can also be very helpful to improve tabular dysfunctions and lipid profiles. It is also known to be helping in lowering blood pressure and improving cardiovascular risk profile. Similarly, sudden cardiac deaths are very much common now days and having omega 3 in your diet can lower the incidence of sudden cardiac failure.

Read More

5 Essential Vitamins For Women

Vitamin A

Vitamin A provides retinol and carotenoids and helps prevent old-age blindness in women. Vitamin A also works as a antioxidant agent, helping get rid of radicals so your body cells remain healthy. Vitamin A, among other vitamins is also known for improving immunity. Pumpkins, carrots, tomatoes, and fruits are rich with Vitamin A.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B (including B6, B9, and B12 Vitamins) is an important vitamin for women. It helps in facilitating brain (B6), development of baby in womb, production of blood cells (B9), and production of proteins (B12). Vitamin B is found in variety of foods including poultry, meat, beans, eggs, liver, grains, vegetables, and fruits.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is commonly found in citrus foods. However, it is also found in tomatoes, broccoli, and strawberries. It helps to repair skin through collagen and it helps keep the skin generally healthy. Vitamin C also plays in important role in production of new red blood cells.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bones. It regulates bone homeostasis by providing the body with necessary hormones. Deficiency of Vitamin D can cause numerous diseases related to bones. Vitamin D is readily available through sunlight. You can also increase intake of fish and vitamin-fortified foods to increase level of Vitamin in the body.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is necessary for healthy growth of bones. It also helps with healthy blood clotting. Vitamin K can reduce chances of heart attack and improve overall health. Dark leafy green vegetables have ample amount of Vitamin K so make sure you include them in your everyday diet.

Read More

Important Tips For A Healthy Lifestyle

Here are some basic health tips to slot in your daily routine for a safe and healthy life. Following these basic rules will change your life in a positive way and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Eat Healthy

• Take breakfast daily and within an hour of waking up. Soon after you wake up is a time when your metabolism is at its highest rate, therefore eating then will burn calories and prepare you for an active day ahead.
• Drink fresh juices instead of packed ones.
• Take light food at night.
• Add green veggies and fruits to your daily meal.

Be active

• Be active for at least two and a half hour a week; include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and strengthen your muscles.
• Try to do some exercise daily. It will keep you strong physically and mentally both.
• Go for a morning walk and walk barefoot on the grass, it helps in increasing the eyesight.

Practice Healthy Habits

• Do not drink water right after your meal.
• Wake up in the morning before the sunrise.
• Drink one or two glasses of water before you brush your teeth as the saliva in the mouth is very useful for our body.
• Do not lie down right after your dinner.
• Brush your teeth before going to bed.

Manage Stress

• Do meditation on regular basis, it keeps you calm all day.
• Keep a balance between work, home and leisure.
• Stay positive.
• Get 7 to 9 hours sleep every night.
• Stress can do a lot to ruin your physical and mental health.

The above mentioned tips are the key to live a healthy life. Following these tips will benefit you in a lot of ways and will give you a positive energy.

Read More

10 Best Ways To Free From Stress And Be Relax

When we’re feeling stressed out after so many weeks of hard work and tough routine, a weekend at a beach resort or a short trip to our favorite place might be just the thing to soothe our nerves. However, there isn’t always time for it.
Hence, here are 10 ways to instantly relax yourself. From noshing on some sweet stuff to running a brush in your hair, all these tactics can be calming during tough, hectic days.
1. Grab Some Sweet: Nosh on chocolate; just a little piece of the sweet stuff can tranquil your nerves, especially dark chocolate. It normalizes levels of the stress hormone in our bodies.  Or try tasting some honey. It provides compounds that lessen the irritation in the brain and fights anxiety.

2. Chew a Gum: Chewing a bubble gum just for a few minutes is a startlingly fast and simple way to beat anxiety. It can actually reduce stress and soothe your nerves.

3. Meditate: Just 5 minutes of tranquility and peace is all it takes to gather the benefits of meditation. It is said that just two quick sessions of a quiet meditation in a day can help you relax and relieve stress.

4. Breathe: Try pranayama breathing, a yogic technique of inhalation that involves breathing through one nostril at a time to relieve anxiety. The technique needs to balance the mind and body. Or simply just inhale through your nostrils and exhale slowly through your mouth. It helps you relax.

5. Count Backward: When worries are running out of control and you are finding it hard to relax your mind, try counting backwards slowly, with visualization of the numbers in your head. It will help relaxing your brain.

6. Day Dream: Beat stress by visualizing yourself at your dream destination, enjoying with your loved ones or anything that makes you feel happy. It’s an instantaneous mood enhancer on frantic days when we’re feeling stressed.

7. Give Yourself a Massage: Try a hand massage for instant relaxation. Hand massages are known to help people who spend plenty of time typing on a keyboard. Hands can generally clutch loads of tension. Apply some deluxe lotion or an essential oil and start rubbing the base of your thumb to ease stress in the shoulders and neck.

8. Relaxing Through Pressure Points: Massage the soft area between the thumb and forefinger. Apply some lavender oil or any other essential oil for extra relaxation.

9. Use Cold Water:  When stress strikes, head to pour some cold water over your wrists and behind your ears. The main arteries are right beneath the skin on your wrist and behind earlobes, so cooling these areas can help tranquil the whole body.

10. Comb Your Hair:  Cyclic motions such as brushing your hair, doing dishes, or weaving can cause the body to relax. It’s better to use a wooden comb or brush, it promotes blood circulation.

Read More