Eating protein rich food is always recommended especially for morning breakfast. Though we have mentioned it in our previous posts, we’d like to repeat once again that many fruits and vegetables are great protein sources. We often ignore them believing that only animal foods are highly protein rich food.
Why Protein? What Are Its Health Benefits?
I have mentioned in many of previous posts that eating eggs in the morning is highly beneficial. Even if you are on a fat loss diet or planning to lose weight by any other method, starting your day with protein rich diet will set the pace of your metabolism for the whole day. No matter what your health condition is, you need energy, and a good source of protein gives you just that. Also protein rich food keeps you full for longer duration, which means your cravings for binge eating is controlled naturally. It is a great plus for those who find it difficult to control their craving. Short term studies suggest that high protein diet may also decrease blood sugar level.
Not many people are aware that simply eating protein is not enough. If your body is not absorbing protein in right quantity, then it is as good as not eating any protein. For example, if you are consuming 50 gm of protein, but your body absorbs only 15 gm, then 35 gm is wasted. The rate of protein absorption varies from person to person. However, it can be slightly improved if muscle building is on your mind. Enzyme boosting supplements often help in such situations. You can try MassEnzyme for amazing results.
Protein Absorption with MassEnzyme
7 Effects of Protein Deficiency
There can be various health issues due to protein deficiency. Those who are constantly on some kind of diet to lose weight, often lose track of their protein intake. This results in deficiency and shows up in various health issues and ailments such as.
It goes without saying that excess of anything is bad, and protein is no exception. The bottom line is that you must be aware of how much protein is required for your body type, health condition or specific health goals such muscle building or fat loss. Sometimes, protein supplements in limited quantities work wonders in achieving those goals. However, balance is the key.
Protein treatment for Coronavirus
As per the latest BBC report, direct dose of protein in lungs have shown significant reduction in breathlessness among those undergoing Corona treatment trial. Can protein power save us from Corona or Covid 19? Only time will tell.
Do you want to reduce cholesterol? Is LDL or HDL good cholesterol or how much cholesterol in eggs is present. Read about all these and take a look at cholesterol lowering food list.
Want to reduce cholesterol? Why? Is low cholesterol the best solution for burning fat or are there any side effects? Then immediately comes the next question, how much cholesterol per day is required for the body and how much can be reduced. These are some of questions that are often not understood or answered properly. Lets take a look.
Is Cholesterol Good or Bad for Health?
Before answering whether it is good or bad, let’s quickly try to understand what cholesterol is. Cholesterol is a fatty substance required by our body in certain quantity. It plays a vital role in making and functioning of certain hormones. It helps in producing Vitamin D, deficiency of which can cause various health issues such as joint pain related diseases. It also helps in producing some substances that are necessary for digestion. So, we can safely say that cholesterol is good for health, but how much?
There is a lot of information available online and on other media suggesting that high cholesterol is the root cause of heart health or various types of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Though it is partially true, what really needs to be understood is whether it is LDL or HDL. If your LDL level is high, which is often the case, then you need to take action. If your HDL level is high, then you can relax.
LDL or HDL
Basically these are two types of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). While HDL is good for overall health and LDL is bad for health, or simply put, high LDL level means your arteries start getting clogged. This is kind of onset of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or the groundwork for heart disease to be visible later.
Hypercholesterolemia
A genetic disorder called hypercholesterolemia is a condition when the cholesterol level in the body is more than 2-4 times higher than average. According to a study, people suffering from hypercholesterolemia should try eliminating carb and not fat from their diet. Read the full report.
What is Normal Cholesterol Range?
Well, the total count of cholesterol consists of LDL, HDL and Triglyceride count. Triglycerides are also certain types of fat produced by our body by converting excess calories. Just like LDL, high triglyceride level is also considered bad for health. So, lets a take a look at healthy and normal cholesterol range.
Cholesterol Level By Age Chart- Normal, High and Borderline
How much cholesterol per day
Now comes the real question. How much cholesterol per day should you eat? As a general rule, if you are a healthy adult, then your daily intake of dietary cholesterol should not exceed 300 mg. If you are already suffering from heart disease, then the upper limit of cholesterol per day should not be more than 200 mg. Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the body itself and is found in animal products. Your body can and does produce as much cholesterol as is required for proper functioning of your body.
Cut down on sugar to reduce cholesterol
When you eat saturated fat and trans fat in excess quantity, then your liver is kind of forced to produced more LDL than is required. That is what causes the whole problem. Considering this, experts and doctors recommend that only up to 5-6% of your your daily calorie intake should come from trans fat. Simply put, an adult consuming 2000 Cal per day should not eat more than 10-13 grams of saturated fat per day. A simple and easy way to reduce your cholesterol level is to reduce sugar intake. This makes the task easier and saves you from calorie counting unless you keep on munching on fatty foot as a habit.
Eggs or No Eggs to Lower Cholesterol?
It has often been mentioned that egg yolk increases cholesterol level. There is another group of experts who believe that eating egg is healthy. Egg is one of the healthiest foods. So what is the truth about eggs? It is simple, strike the right balance. If you are eating eggs in breakfast, then go easy on fatty food at lunch. In simple words, a typical egg contains approx. 200 mg of cholesterol and 1.5 gram of saturated fat. So one egg a day is quite safe if do not eat more fatty food. Eating one egg a day does not increase the risk of heart disease unless you are diabetic. Read more. To make it more safe, experts believe up to 5 eggs a week is safe and healthy. Makes sense?
Cholesterol Lowering Food
Though symptoms of high cholesterol are not easily noticeable in early stages, you can be alarmed if you feel chest pain in left side, fullness or pressure in chest quite often, dizziness or slurry speech. Though medical attention is always recommended if pain is severe, you can start consuming cholesterol lowering food as soon as you notice any of these symptoms the first time. So, what are those cholesterol reducing food? Here is a brief list.
It will not be out of context to discuss if low cholesterol is bad or what are its side effects? Though low cholesterol is not so common, it is noticed in some people due to various reasons such as malnutrition, hyperthyroidism liver or kidney diseases. While the reasons can be many, the question is what are its effects on overall health. Though it is a matter of debate, some researchers believe that cholesterol makes hormones and Vitamin D, deficiency of which can affect mental health. Those suffering from low cholesterol can suffer from anxiety and even depression. Read the full report here.
An interesting fact about brain cholesterol is that brain has only 2% of body weight but contains 20% of body cholesterol. And brain makes all of its cholesterol. Read full report here. This report says as brain produces its own cholesterol, low level in the body does not impact its functioning, therefore low blood cholesterol does not necessarily cause mental health problems.
Did you know that sleep deficiency or lack of sleep can wreak havoc with your overall health? Weight gain or obesity is just one of them. The sooner you start sleeping naturally, the better. Read the symptoms and effects of sleep loss.
Losing weight by sleeping sounds unrealistic, but the truth seems to be just the opposite. It has been proven that sound sleep for fat loss is highly effective. Also, there are many diseases that start developing due to lack of sleep, and by the time you realize it, things are often out of control and may result in insomnia. Then starts your weight loss, yoga, gym and health sessions with fitness experts to bring your health back to normal.
Sleep and Weight Loss
If you proudly say that you don’t oversleep and you are fine with sleeping just 5-6 hours a day, then chances are that you are either obese, overweight or are suffering from other lack of sleep related health issues. We’ll discuss 5 most common diseases caused by lack of sleep, and weight gain or obesity is number one. Learn how you can gain abundance while you sleep.
Are You Getting Enough Sound Sleep?
If you are among those people who actually sleep for the recommended 8 hours a day, but still feel tired, sluggish and low on energy almost always, then act now. It goes without saying that you must be obese or overweight. I am pretty sure that you have tried many weight loss, diet and other fat loss programs. You have failed at all of them. The reason could be lack of sound sleep. What I mean to say is that despite sleeping 8 hours a day, you are definitely not reaching the sound sleep phase, which is required for your body to function properly. It is high time you tried to know how devastating lack of sound sleep can be. How it makes you obese, and weight loss becomes difficult or almost impossible no matter what you do. But then there is light at the end of the tunnel, if you want to gain health you really deserve. Some people go ahead and do something before it is too late.
Well, the most common symptom of short sleep, poor sleep pattern or onset of sleep deprivation is waking up many times during the night without any reason. Feeling tired or sleepy throughout the day can be another visible symptom of short sleep. However, please note that if you wake up too many times for peeing, then it could be the early symptom or onset of diabetes or any other health condition. In that condition, you must seek immediate medical help. Sleep deprivation is when you are simply not able to sleep properly despite being otherwise healthy.
Effects of lack of Sleep or Sleep Deprivation
7 Causes of Lack of Sleep
Staying up late for socialization, parties etc
Taking stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol or smoking before bed
Some types of medication
Pre-existing disorder or health issue that triggers insomnia
Excess exposure to blue screen (TV, Cellphone, PC screen etc) before bed
Too much stress or anxiety
Working night shifts and inability to sleep during the day
Snoring of partner
Stop Snoring exercise worth trying if cannot sleep
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Lack of Sleep Causes weight gain
It goes without saying that when you are low on energy, you prefer comfort food, which simply means more calorie and sugar than you need. Obviously the result would be obesity. You will gain weight due to sleep deprivation. In fact, Susan Zafarlotfi, PhD clinical director of the Institute for Sleep and Wake Disorders at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, has even equated sleep debt with credit card debt nicely to explain how problematic lack of sleep can be. Read more.
How sleep deprivation makes you obese
In order to understand how sleep deprivation works to make you gain weight, we’d require to learn how 2 nightly hormones, Ghrelin and Leptin work. Essentially, Ghrelin tells your mind when to eat and Leptin tells your brain when to stop eating. A perfect balance in these hormones is required for good health. As soon as this balance is disrupted, Ghrelin level goes up and Leptin level goes down. In layman’s terms, it means your mind starts getting signals to eat more and more because Leptin doesn’t ask it to stop as regularly as it should. Gradually, you move toward Leptin Resistance, and eventually obesity.
Hidden Impact of Lack of sleep
As these hormones are mostly active during night or while you are sleeping, lack of sleep or inability to hit sound sleep pattern phase, hits hard on your overall health. Obesity is just one of many diseases or health disorders caused by it.
Health Issues caused by sleep deprivation
Loss of sleep causes Cardiovascular Disease
Many studies and research work have confirmed a strong co-relation between lack of sleep and CVD or cardiovascular disease. According to one report, two third of those who have a heart attack are those who are deprived of sound sleep. Sleeping is nature’s way of helping our body relax and recharge every day. If this doesn’t happen, then sleep credit accumulates and shows up in different forms, such as heart attack in extreme case. In milder cases, it is visible in general CVD. Want to know little known secret about cholesterol and CVD?
Sleep Deprivation triggers diabetes
Approximately 34.2 million people or 10% of the US population already has diabetes. Read more diabetes data. The number is rising consistently, and sleep deficiency, poor diet and lifestyle are cited as the main reasons behind it. When you don’t sleep properly or suffer from sleep deficiency quite often, then many metabolic changes happen in your body. Your glucose regulation system struggles to keep everything normal but cannot do so for long. As many bodily functions are regulated and cells are regenerated during sleep, your overall metabolic system starts working inefficiently or slowly. One of the effects of this gradual metabolic change in your body is Type II diabetes. Once diabetes develops, sleep deficiency becomes even worse and gives rise to many other health issues. So, the sooner you start sleeping properly, the better. Prevent diabetes.
What happens in Just 4 days of insufficient sleep?
You’ll be shocked to know that in just 4 days of insufficient sleep, your body’s ability to process insulin is severely hampered and your insulin sensitivity decreases by 30%. This has been confirmed by researchers at University of Chicago. Read full report here
Sleep Loss bad for mental health
You don’t even realise when sleep loss starts impacting your mental health. irritability and mood swings become your normal behavior. You may not notice it initially, but your friends and relatives can notice this behaviour change easily. What happens is that loss of sleep disrupts the flow of Serotonin in brain. Serotonin is responsible for sending signals from one part to other parts of the brain. It is a no-brainer that when this chemical is in short supply or its flow is not balanced, then you suffer from mood swings and even depression in extreme cases. So sleep is nature’s way to keep all functions in our body under control and balance. Though there are many Serotonin supplements are available on the market, you can try home remedy, i.e using turmeric regularly in your food, as it replenishes Serotonin naturally.
Hypertension due to sleep deficiency
High blood pressure or hypertension is another disease caused by lack of sleep. Though there are many other reasons behind high blood pressure, lack of sleep is one of them. When you are sleeping, your blood pressure should be slightly lower than normal. Your bio-clock is set so that during the night your body should relax and blood pressure and other bodily functions regulate themselves. When you don’t sleep during the night or don’t sleep enough, then this natural pattern is disrupted and your blood pressure goes up. When you start suffering from short sleep or lack of sleep, then high blood pressure during your waking hours become normal. Obviously, then you are said to be suffering from hypertension. High BP related health issues follow soon.
Lack of Sleep Causes Weight Gain or Obesity
One of the most overlooked and probably the most attention worthy health problem is weight gain or obesity. Though, there are many other reasons that could be the reason behind your uncontrolled fat gain, sleeplessness or no sound sleep is not worth ignoring. This is even more important, when you have tried various types of diet plans, weight loss programs, exercise or yoga classes. If nothing has shown positive outcome, then it is time to improve your sleep pattern, whether by using sleep aids or changing life style or diet. Changing diet is often very difficult for many, therefore why not try Noom App, which will give you all types of food options to choose from, without compromising on taste or nutrition.
With that, we can conclude that if you are overweight and you also suffer from lack of sleep, then your first priority should be to try to find a way to sleep better and for longer duration. Whether it takes, natural or home remedies or sleep aids, whatever works for you, give it a try. YouTube offers many type of sound sleep music tracks. Just check and download which one suits you and how it works for you. I believe, in a few weeks, you will start sleeping better.
What is Pink Noise and White Noise
It will not be out of context to talk briefly about pink noise and white noise, which what is produced by highly popular and effective sleep aids known as pink noise machine or pink noise generator. Without giving you the scientific definition of Pink Noise which you can read at Wiki in detail, I’d like to explain it in layman’s language. Pink noise is a sound that masks unwanted and unpleasant noise in your living environment. When pink noise is produced, the unpleasant sound turn into soothing and relaxing sound, which helps you sleep better. This is also used in auditoriums and theaters to make the speaker’s voice audible and soothing to the audience. However, we’ll stick to our topic as to how it is used or can be used in making us sleep better. Amazon offers many types of white and pink noise machines or generators.
Curing Lack of Sleep Naturally
I must say that things, techniques or health programs that stimulate your and re-energize your mental and physical abilities to achieve the desired health goal are my favourite. In short, yoga or meditation, which do not require any equipment or medication. All you need is to discipline yourself in line with what is natural for you. It seems difficult because we are so accustomed to living with artificial and man-made environment, that getting back to something we are made for, becomes painful. While it is true that Yoga requires some dedication, but it is worth it because what you gain out of it will keep you healthy without making you dependent on any medication or external aids. Also, you can follow it no matter where you are.
7 Quick tips for Sound Sleep naturally
Do not live indoors always, get some sunlight every day
Follow a routine. Eat and sleep at same time every day
Drink milk before bedtime, if possible
Avoid heavy dinner, light meal at night is preferable
Breathing exercise for just 5-10 minutes every morning works wonders
Incorporate Yoga in your routine, if possible
Soothing music works. Tough I don’t like it, it is worth giving a try.
Though not possible and practical for everyone, I’d say that swimming is the best exercise because if works on every part of your body in every move. Last but not the least, I’d like to say that remaining stress-free and doing something that makes you sweat every day will help you gain overall health. Stress and anxiety are silent killers of health. The more stress-free you live, the better will be your overall life.
From using turmeric to lose weight or to boost immunity, there are many ways to get the health benefits of Turmeric. However, you may need Fulvic Acid based supplement to get the best possible results.
I talked about general health benefits of turmeric and mainly covered curcumin in one of my previous posts. Today we’ll focus on Fulvic Acid which is found in all types of root vegetables such as turmeric, beetroot, turnip, radish grown organically.
The problem is we do not get enough Fulvic Acid from from raw vegetables alone, therefore we may need to take supplements. Another way is to use turmeric regularly in your cooking or daily meal. Not only does it boost our immunity, but also provides many other health benefits. Immunity is what we must focus on during Covid 19 times anyway, right? So let’s start with what Fulvic acid is.
Turmeric Tea-Worth Trying
What is Fulvic Acid?
It is a naturally occurring compound produced by geochemical and biological reactions usually under the soil where no fertilizers and other harsh man-made chemical are used. There are many substances secreted by rocky mountains, that are rich in fulvic acid. Shilajit is one such substance recommended by Ayurvedic practitioners for treating various health issues such as diabetes, heart problems, asthma, digestive and sexual disorders. Fulvic Acid is the main compoent of Shilajit, that makes is so powerful. It works wonders for immunity as well.
What does Fulvic Acid Do?
Yes, you must be wondering why we are talking about Fulvic Acid anyway. Fulvic acid plays an important role in transporting nutrients to deep tissues, which in turn results in fatigue relaxation, helps in overcoming lethargy, delaying age-related cognitive impairment and many health issues. It is known to help in healing and improving lipid profiles. It aids in detoxification and boosts immune system. However, we do not get ample quantities of this directly from vegetable as they are grown with the help of fertilizers and many other chemicals that rob the soil of Fulvic Acid. Keeping that in mind, many types of Fulvic acid supplements have been produced.
Fulvic Acid with Turmeric Supplement
Turmeric Supplement to Lose Weight
Well, turmeric is not something that will help you burn fat by consuming it directly. It should be added in your food so that it works on your overall health and boosts your energy level. However, if combined with another powerful compound called Forskolin, it helps in burning fat and losing weight. Visit the official site of TurmaSlim for detailed information, price, shipping options and dosage.
Power of Turmeric and Forskolin for Immunity and Fat Burning
Turmeric and Honey
Turmeric health benefits are many, and that was known to ancient Indian health practitioner and public in general. That perhaps was the reason that turmeric is used in almost all types of cooked food in India and many Asian countries. Simply adding 1 teaspoonful of turmeric powder in 1/4 tsp of honey and a few drops of lemon makes a powerful antibiotic that can help you fight cold, cough and mild flu.
In addition to that, turmeric is used in various types of beauty and skin care products. This simple herb is so powerful that whether you consume it in power form in cooking or apply it externally on your skin, you will get some benefits.
While the medical world is struggling to find a vaccine for deadly Coronavirus, Baba Ramdev seems to have found a cure for Covid-19,which has affected more than 9 million people across the world till date. Coronil, Swasari Vati and an oil called Anu oil make the whole kit, which Patanjali claims to be 100% effective in curing Coronavirus patients in a week’s time. Launching the product at Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Baba Ramdev informed the media about the powerful effect of Coronil Kit. Read the full report. Here is a quick and honest review.
Coronil Kit Ayurvedic cure for Covid-19 launched by Patanjali
Coronil Kit Ingredients
Baba Ramdev told the media that Coronil is made of a powerful of combination of Giloy, Tulsi and Ashwagandha in addition to many other Ayurvedic herbs. These are highly effective in boosting a person’s immunity, but are they really effective in curing COVID-19 cases. Lets take a look at facts first.
Clinical Trials- Were they successful?
Baba Ramdev claimed that Coronil and its efficacy were tested on Corona patients and they were all successful, which means 100% recovery. It was told to the media that 285 tests were conducted and 69% of them recovered within 3-4 days and others recovered within 7-10 day. However, the question is how severe was the condition of those patients.
“The mean age of patients was 35-45 — mainly young, and they all were either asymptomatic or had mild symptoms,” Dr G. Devpura, principal investigator of Coronil’s clinical trials, told The Print
As no further details were shared, Ministry of AYUSH has asked Patanjali to produce the exact details of those scientific studies before advertising it as a potential cure for Coronavirus or COVID-19 patients.
Patanajali further claimed that there has been some communication gap between the government and Patanjali. All required approvals were sought and protocol were followed before formally launching the product. However,
Covid 19 Not Mentioned In License Application
When the licensing authority of Uttrakhand were contacted, it was found that Covid 19 was not mentioned in the license application by Patanjali as per Hindustan Times. Here is what the licencing officer said.
“As per Patanjali’s application, we issued them a license. They didn’t mention coronavirus. We only approved the license for immunity booster, cough and fever,” He further added that they would issue a notice asking for explanation as to how they got permission to make a kit to cure Covid-19.
Price of Coronil Kit- How much does it cost?
Though seems to be slightly expensive, Coronil Kit can be worth it, if it is proved that it is really effective in curing Coronavirus patients. The price of this product as present is Rs 545 for 30 days.
Coronil Dosage
The kits comes with 2 types of tablets to be taken 3 times a day, and one oil to be poured in nostrils.
How and where to buy Coronil Kit
Currently Coronil Kit cannot be ordered online. It will be available at Patanjali Stores across the country in 10-15 days.
Coronil News Update-1 July 2020
According the the latest news, Baba Ramdev clarified at a press conference that AYUSH ministry confirmed that Patanjali worked for COVID management. The word treatment was not used. He also clarified that no metallic item has been used in Coronil. Baba Ramdev thanked AYUSH ministry and said that Coronil Kit will be available across the country from today July 1, 2020 without any legal restrictions. Read the full report here.
Read 5 diabetes prevention tips to prevent infections including coronavirus or Covid 19. Are diabetics at higher risk.
In recent times or Covid 19 times, when a lot of things about coronavirus are still unknown, there is a widespread belief that other than obesity, diabetes makes one more prone to Covid 19. Lets try to dig deep into the topic and try to find out if diabetics are more at risk of Covid 19 than non-diabetics.
Diabetes and Obesity Weaken Your Immunity
I need not repeat that Covid 19 is caused when a person’s immunity is compromised. If your immunity is not strong enough to fight or kill this deadly virus, you get infected. So, it becomes clear that all health issues that weaken your immune system, make you vulnerable to Covid 19, and diabetes is one of them. We have already covered obesity and immunity in our previous posts, therefore for now, we’ll focus on how diabetes makes you at risk of Coronavirus.
Are diabetics more likely to get Covid 19?
Is it not about being more vulnerable to coronavirus, what makes diabetics more ‘at risk’ than non-diabetics is their inability to stop other complications, when infected by the disease. People with diabetes often have heart diseases as well. This further complicates their health condition if they are corona-infected, and handling multiple issues together becomes a challenge for attending doctors. The result! you guessed it right. Those with diabetes often lose the battle with Corona earlier than those with no diabetes. Read more.
Diabetes Type 1 or 2? which is more risky for Coronavirus?
We do not have enough data to comment of this at this point in time. Researchers are working on data from across the world, and soon we’ll have a clear answer to this. For now, we can assume that both diabetes type 1 and type 2 complicates the patient’s health condition in a similar manner. So, the best way is to manage your diabetes as carefully as possible.
Diabetes Prevention- 5 Tips
Prevention of diabetes type II is all about your ability to switch to a healthy lifestyle, which is not necessarily a challenge as most people assume even before giving it a try. In fact, those who are pre-diabetic often believe they will remain so for long. The reality is just the opposite. They are nearer than they assume to become full diabetic. You’ll find plenty of diabetes prevention food, diet and other tips on the internet, but the most important one is to prepare yourself for a change if you have been diagnosed pre-diabetic or are 40+ leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Workout or brisk walking: This is one of the easiest, risk-free and effective ways to prevent diabetes. Moderate intensity exercise helps you increase your insulin sensitivity by more than 50%. If you choose high intensity exercise, then insulin sensitivities can go up to 85% on those intense exercise days.
Lose Weight no matter what: If diabetes prevention is on your mind, then fat loss must be your priority. Obese people develop diabetes faster than others. Go for any weight loss program that suits you, try intermittent fasting, change your eating habits or whatever it takes. Without losing weight, preventing diabetes will be tough or even impossible in most cases.
Bitter is Better: Yes, bitter gourd or bitter melon, Giloy and many types of herbs that are bitter in taste, must be a part of your daily diet. These bitter herbs are an important ingredient of almost all Ayurvedic medicine that help you manage diabetes.
Say No to Alcohol and Smoking: These are 2 most common bad habits that put you at a higher risk of being diabetic. The sooner you quit them, the better. I know, sometimes it becomes difficult at social gatherings, but the least you can do is limit alcohol intake to only extremely unavoidable situations.
Tea and Coffee with limited sugar: Yes, tea or coffee help you prevent diabetes if you consume them with less sugar, and in limited quantities. Care should be taken that, these beverages do not reduce your water intake. You must drink plain water in ample quantities 7-8 glasses a day . Read about water hacks for health.
Low-fat food can be tricky if burning fat is on your mind. Go for low-sugar or less sugary food instead. Read 5 tips to cut down on sugar.
It has often been the topic of debate as to what causes real fat gain and make you overweight or obese? If fatty food consumption was the cause of obesity, then cutting down on fat would be the sure-shot formula for weight loss. So, the question is whether fatty food is the only or the biggest culprit behind your obesity or is it something else? Yes, you guessed it right. Sugar or sugary food is one of the most important factors behind weight gain or obesity.
How Sugar Makes You Fat
Before getting into how sugar makes your fat, lets try to understand what happens when we eat sugar more than our body’s requirement. While it is true that sugar or glucose is necessary for energy that our body needs, over- consumption of sugar on a daily basis has many adverse effects on health. Read more.
Sugar-Over consumption of it makes your fat or obese
Insulin Resistance
I assume that you must be aware that insulin is a hormone produced by pancreas. It plays an important role in moving sugar to different cells where energy in required. Insulin also helps in storing energy as fat or glycogen. The problem starts when your body receives more sugar than it can handle or process. It leads to insulin resistance, i.e. your cells stop responding to insulin and your sugar level goes up. High blood sugar level impairs many cell functions that cause inflammation and further aggravates insulin resistance and gives rise to many complication such as fatty liver and general fat gain. You start developing diabetes type 2 and the series of health issues start. Read about reversing diabetes naturally.
Leptin Resistance
I have covered Leptin resistance in one of my previous posts and also reviewed Leptitox, which promises to manage leptin resistance effectively. Quickly recapping, I’d say that Leptin is a hormone that manages calorie intake and fat burning or energy regulation as a whole. High sugar diets trigger trigger Leptin resistance, which essentially means you don’t realise how much you must eat and when to stop. As a result, you always feel hungry and tend to overeat. The end result, fat gain or obesity. So, reducing sugar intake will help you prevent this condition as well.
High-Sugar Food-Usually Low on Protein
For energy, your body should use more protein than sugar. However, this does not happen when you eat high-sugar food, which often lacks in protein. You feel less satisfied even after eating large quantities of sugary food, which is often the case, as you tend to eat more and more. Its opposite happens when you eat high-protein diet. You eat less and feel fuller than when you eat same quantity sugary food.
Sugary Food-Low in Fiber
Usually sugar-loaded food items are low in fiber, which is required for proper digestion and overall health. As you continue eating more sugar and less fiber, the end result is overall bad health, poor digestion, sluggish metabolism and obesity, which itself is the root cause of many health issues such as heart health.
Is Low Fat Diet Effective in Weight Loss?
By now, I think I have made it clear that sugar is a major contributing factor in making you fat. However, it doesn’t mean that you can go on eating fatty food. Though I must agree that low-fat foods are considered and marketed as weight loss products, they are often loaded with sugar, which simply prove to be counter-productive. The key is to maintain a balance by choosing your food wisely. It often involves changing eating habits. Why not take the help of Noom App that will give you hundreds of healthy food options?
5 Tips to cut down on sugar
Start Reading Food Labels: Beware of hidden sugar aliases such as corn syrup, malt syrup, fructose, lactose, sucrose and more. If these ingredients are there, that means you are buying sugary food. Avoid them.
Start drinking more water: Replace sugary beverages and carbonated beverages with plain water or lemon water. This is practical, easy and achievable.
Go for full-fat instead of low-fat food: As explained above low-fat is often high-sugar and full fat has low sugar. However, maintain a balance.
High-Protein better than High-Sugar: This is one of the reasons that make eggs a super food. Loaded with high-protein, eggs give you energy and keep you full for long duration without adding sugar to your diet.
Sound sleep-8 hours a day: Studies have confirmed that those who don’t sleep properly often tend to eat more junk food and sugar than those who sleep 8 hours a day.
Giloy works wonder for overall health. From immunity boosting and diabetes management to fat loss and stress management, Giloy or Guruch does it all.
Immunity has been one of the most talked about topics during Covid-19 lockdown or simply since the time Coronavirus started spreading in 2020. Boosting immunity can often be as simple as eating some natural herbs or leaves such as Giloy ( Tinospora Cordifolia ) or Guruchi, which often go unnoticed in your backyard. Today we are going to talk about Giloy which is so abundantly and easily available in and around Delhi and various parts of North India, that we fail to notice its medicinal properties.
Ayurvedic Root of Immortality
Giloy or Guduchi Leaves
This seemingly useless plant is full of medicinal properties. A majority of Ayurvedic medicines contain some amount of Giloy essence as an important ingredient. You just pick up any ayurvedic medicine and read its ingredient label, you will find Giloy in it. In fact, it is called the Ayurvedic root of immortality just because of its powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties all rolled into one. Also, it will not be out of context to mention that Giloy in Sankrit means Amrit, which can be translated as something that makes you immortal. Amrit, as mentioned in old text, was available only in liquid form, but Giloy can be consumed in many forms such as liquid, powder, paste or even its root can be chewed.
Giloy Boosts immunity amazingly
I personally know a few people, who I don’t remember ever saying that they fell ill in the last 25-30 years. One of them is none other than my own uncle ( now approx. 80 ). The last time I saw him falling ill was some 25 years ago, when I was a teenager. As kids, we used to avoid him whenever we fell ill because he would quickly advise us to eat Giloy stem or drink its bitter juice instead of eating tablets or capsules. We didn’t know at that time that Giloy plants growing naturally in our backyard was the secret of his agility, sharp eyes, glowing face and overall health. Till date, he eats Giloy stems regularly either directly (raw form directly cut from the plant), boiled stems or sometimes its juice. Giloy boosts your immunity and helps you fight many common health issues.
Giloy-Available in Many Forms
Giloy Guice- Natural and Ayurvedic Immunity Booster
Though I must say that everyone cannot have access to fresh Giloy, it is not so difficult to get high quality Giloy from any Ayurvedic store especially Patanjali stores in various cities and towns in India. Baba Ramadev has recommended and talked about immense benefits of Giloy or Guruchi in many of his yoga programs, videos and live events. In fact, I also used Patanjali Giloy tablets in combination of a few other tablets to get relief from my knee pain caused by Chickengunia last year. I am so impressed by the health benefits of Giloy that I always keep a bottle of Giloy juice available in my house. I make it a point to drink 10-15 ml with equal amount of water every day to keep my immunity in good shape. It is also available in powder form, if you prefer that.
5 Health Benefits of Giloy
A lot has been said and written about health benefits of Giloy. However, the most important and perhaps the most useful point in current Covid-19 times is its ability to boost your immunity. Start taking Giloy in any form every day and see the difference. I’d once again repeat that if you are already under some medication, then take medical advice first before giving it a try. What I have mentioned above is based on my personal experience, and should not be considered as medical advice. Here are some other health benefits of Giloy.
Immunity Booster Giloy
It is one of the most powerful natural herbs that can boost your immunity amazingly. It purifies blood and keeps your cells healthy. Also, read about immunity yoga.
Bowel movement regulator
If you suffer from constipation, which itself gives rise to many health issues, then you must consider taking Giloy regularly. It helps your digestion and brings relief in many bowel related issues in addition to constipation.
Giloy for joint pain and arthritis relief
If you have joint pain or arthritis, then Giloy will bring you immense relief. However, dosages and duration will depend on your exact condition for which you must get in touch with an Ayurvedic practitioner.
Common cough and cold relief by Giloy
If you suffer from cold and cough quite frequently, then Giloy’s anti-inflammatory properties will bring you relief.
Giloy for Fat Loss and Stress Management
As Giloy helps digestion and detoxification by improving liver functions, the overall impact of this is visible in fat loss or weight reduction. As your digestion improves, your metabolism gets a boost and you start burning fat naturally. As toxins are flushed out of your body, your memory improves and overall stress and anxiety also disappear gradually. Worth giving a try, isn’t it?
In recent Covid-19 lockdown times, many types of real and fake news circulated across different media. And of course, WhatsApp and FB messages and videos were widely used to spread various types of messages because of their accessibility, popularity and ease-of-use. However, the real problem starts when people start forwarding unverified messages and videos that add to the confusion instead of clearing doubts about any issue. One such message that created confusion was about hand sanitizer bursting in car. So, the question is ” Can hand sanitizer explode, burst or catch fire if left in a car?” We’ll do a reality check.
Sanitizer contains alcohol which is inflammable
Yes, that’s right. Alcohol is inflammable and can catch fire if there is some spark or ignition or something is already burning nearby within a touching distance. Also, carrying large quantities of it in a car can be a fire hazard. However, for any alcohol-based sanitizer to catch fire on its own, the temperature around it should be 700 degrees Fahrenheit, which is next to impossible unless something is burning nearby. As per Earth Observatory , even the hottest place on earth has a temperature of approximately 175 degrees Fahrenheit, which is far less than what is required to cause a fire on its own. Makes sense?
What if we leave hand sanitizer in car?
The next question is what if we leave a hand-sanitizer bottle in the car? See, as long as its cap is tightly closed, there is no harm in keeping it in your car, but why’d you leave it in the car? Why not carry it with you so that you can use it when required? In the worst scenario, the liquid can leak if its cap is open. It can spoil the floor or dashboard of your car. If you park your car in scorching sun for long duration, some of the liquid can evaporate, but that is also highly unlikely, but possible. If it evaporates, then its efficacy or ability to kill bacteria and virus can get slightly impacted.
What if hand-sanitizer in left in cold temperature?
Well, that is really interesting. Will it freeze? At what temperature will hand sanitizer freeze? Usually all hand sanitizers contain Ethyl alcohol or Isopropyl alcohol which has a freezing point of -114 to -128 degree F. The temperature at the coldest inhabited place on earth, Oymyakon is around -72 F. So it is out of question that your hand sanitizer will freeze unless you are planning a trip to Antarctica, which is obviously not the case. I think that answers the question as to what will happen if hand-sanitizer in left in cold temperature.
Hand Sanitizer -Best Practice to Stay Safe During Covid-19 time
It goes without saying that the best use of hand-sanitiser is to sanitize your hands after touching any surface, which is advised during Covid-19 times. Though it is provided at almost all public places where lockdown restrictions have been eased, I’d suggest carry your own and use it if washing your hand with soap and water is not possible. Excess use of hand-sanitizer can also cause skin related issues in some people. However, safety from Coronavirus is our first priority in current times, therefore using it wisely is the key.
Fatty liver can be reversed unless it take a very severe form. As soon as you notice fatty liver symptoms, start incorporating liver cleansing food in your diet. It will also boost your immunity, which is highly recommended anyway during Covid 19 times.
Do you feel tired or weak for no apparent reason? If abdominal cramps, feeling nauseous or loss of appetite are also some of the common symptoms you face quite often, then chances are that you have fatty liver. Once your liver becomes fatty, all of its 800 plus functions get impaired. The result is you feel unhealthy, which is quite natural if one of your vital organs is not functioning properly. Let’s try to understand whether it can be reversed by liver cleansing or any other method.
What is fatty liver?
As the name suggests, fatty liver is when fat deposits on the liver and is more than 5%. This condition is also called steatosis. Usually some amount of fat is quite normal, but when fat accumulation on the liver is more than 5%, you are said to be suffering from fatty liver. This is called ALD or Alcohol Related Liver Disease. Though alcohol consumption is the most common cause of this fatty liver, there are almost equal number of patients suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD). However, non-alcoholic cases often go unreported unless the situation becomes very severe.
I don’t drink, can I have fatty liver?
As mentioned above that usually non-alcoholic people assume that they cannot develop fatty liver, which is not correct. A lot of people who never had a drop of alcohol also develop fatty liver. However, the reasons vary from person to person in these cases. It will not be out context to mention that extreme weight loss measures can sometimes lead to this condition. Keeping that in mind, I’d suggest that go for fat loss programs, but within your limitation. If you are cutting down on protein beyond a certain limit, then it may cause protein deficiency, and could be the reason for fatty liver. Sometimes, those who undergo intestinal bypass surgery, may also develop steatosis under certain conditions.
What causes fatty liver
Alcohol is the number 1 cause. If you quit alcohol, the disease will also disappear. It is good for heart health as well.
Insulin Resistance: In other words if you are diabetic with Diabetes type 2, you are prone to obesity. Insulin resistance and obesity together often cause fatty liver.
Obesity or being fat is an obvious reason.
High fat level in blood. When fat level is high, it gets deposited on liver as well as the visible body parts such as thighs, belly and buttocks.
Though rare, sometimes fatty liver develops during pregnancy and it is considered very serious .
Excess medication can sometimes lead to fatty liver conditions. Especially, drugs used for Malaria treatment are reported to cause this condition in many cases. Similarly TB drug isoniazid can sometimes also cause fatty liver.
Can fatty liver cause pain?
There are many symptoms of fatty liver and mild abdominal pain is one of them. When fat deposits on the liver, it becomes enlarged and extra pressure on the receptors of pain in that area causes the pain.
Fatty liver symptoms
Loss of appetite
Loss of energy and general tiredness
Jaundice or jaundice-like symptom such as yellowish eye, skin and mouth
Low or diminishing sex drive
Dark or yellowish urine
Itchy skin
Is Fatty liver curable? Can it be reversed?
Yes, it is curable but is slightly difficult because treatment of fatty liver is all about changing eating habits, which is easier said than done. As the symptoms are usually not life threatening, people tend to take it lightly and carry on with their existing lifestyle. More or less, the treatment approach is similar to any effective weight loss program. Many people ask if this condition can be reversed. It depends a lot on your exact health condition. After proper lab tests, your physician can tell you if it can be reversed. However, I must say that in initial phases, you can reverse it by choosing healthy eating habits and quitting alcohol.
Fatty liver cure
Cut down on saturated fat
Manage or control cholesterol level
Diabetes control
Quit Alcohol if you drink
Exercise regularly so that you burn calories and lose weight
Liver Cleansing or Detoxification
Liver is one of the many detoxifying organs in human. Other organs are kidney, gall bladder, colon and also your skin. These organs work in tandem to detoxify your body. If any of these organs fail to function properly, extra pressure is handled by other organs, which often result in other ailments or symptoms of other diseases. For example, if your colon is not working properly, then digested food is not eliminated due to constipation. Your liver will not get the right place to dump toxins. This may slow down the function of other organs. It is therefore highly recommended to ensure that our digestion works properly.
Benefits of liver cleansing
One of the best and most effective way to ensure that your liver functions at its optimal level, is to incorporate liver cleansing food in your daily diet. Also, you need to cut down on alcohol or items that cause fatty liver. Before discussing food for liver cleansing, lets take a quick look at its health benefits.
This brings me to my favorite and probably the most natural way to good health. Yes, yoga can help you manage, detoxify or completely cure fatty liver. What’s more is that you yoga of fatty liver is not a set of difficult asanas. Simple hand gesture or Apaan Mudra can provide your relief from liver related disease. This gesture is simple. All you have to do is press your middle and index fingers with thumb (See the pic above). Place your hands on your thighs and sit in a comfortable position. This simple yogic method offers many health benefits, and liver detoxification or cleansing is just one of them. As a result, your digestion improves and your gain many other health benefits.
