Author: Mukul

Categories
Healthy Tips

The Power of Antioxidants

[amazon_link asins=’B01JTJ4LLG,B017AWER72′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fcc3c8b6-1a73-11e7-9f0b-db8c7ee3cf67′]

Although oxygen is essential for life, it can have adverse effects on your body. In the normal process of using oxygen, chemical changes occur that create reactive unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals, which can damage cells and structures within cells, including genetic material (DNA). Free radicals also may form in response to external factors such as cigarette smoke and alcohol, pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and ozone, and ultraviolet light and other forms of radiation, including X rays. If the genetic material in cells is affected by free radicals and not repaired, it can be replicated in new cells, contributing to cancer and other health problems. Free radicals may also weaken artery walls, allowing fatty deposits that can lead to heart disease to collect.

However, cells have special agents for combating free radicals and repairing molecular damage. These free-radical fighters are called antioxidants. A great deal of recent research suggests that antioxidants may play important roles in preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer, and other ills, and may even halt the damage to cells, thereby slowing the effects of aging. …….…click & see

Vitamins C and E are perhaps the best-known antioxidants. The mineral selenium is also an antioxidant, as are carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene. Enzymes and certain other compounds (such as glutathione) manufactured by the cells themselves also function as antioxidants. Some experts now think that a number of other substances, including certain herbs, may act as antioxidants as well. For example, green tea, grape seed extract, and ginkgo biloba (among others) are all thought to have antioxidant properties.

Source:Your Guide to
Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Related articles
Categories
Positive thinking

The Past In Light Of The Present

Knowing Better Now :
When we look back at the past, knowing what we know now, we often find it difficult to understand how we made the mistakes we made. This is because once we learn new information, it is nearly impossible to reenter the headspace we were in before we learned that information. And so we look back at parents who spanked their kids, for example, and wonder how they could have thought that was a good idea. Similarly, our personal pasts are full of mistakes we can’t believe we made. We did things then that we would never do now, and this is precisely because we have information now that we didn’t have, or weren’t able to access, then.

From ideas about how to raise children to how to treat the environment, our collective human past sometimes reads like a document on what not to do. In many ways, this is exactly as it should be. We learn from living and having experiences. It is from these past actions that we garnered the information that guides us to live differently now. Just so, in our personal lives, we probably had to have a few unsuccessful relationships or jobs, learning about our negative tendencies through them, in order to gain the wisdom we have now.

In order to live more peacefully with the past, it helps to remember that once we know better, we tend to do better. Prior to knowing, we generally do our best, and while it’s true that from the perspective of the present, our best doesn’t always seem good enough, we can at least give our past selves the benefit of the doubt. We did our best with what knowledge we had. Beyond this, we serve the greater good most effectively by not dwelling on the past, instead reigning our energy and knowledge into our present actions. It is here, in this moment, that we create our reality and ourselves anew, with our current knowledge and information.

Source:Daily Om

Categories
News on Health & Science

The Claim: Mother’s Heartburn Means a Hairy Newborn

[amazon_link asins=’B01AFQJXIS,B0032AM8H8′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’9c5d22e4-1a73-11e7-bfc3-fdf597ce992a’]

[amazon_link asins=’055337429X,055337429X’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’64255a30-1a73-11e7-8509-2bcfa4144999′]

THE FACTS It is an odd adage that has stuck around for ages: women who suffer heartburn during pregnancy will have babies with full heads of hair. But doctors have long shrugged it off………....click & see

Until now, that is. In December, researchers at Johns Hopkins University conducted a study intending to put the claim to rest. To their surprise, they ended up confirming it. The study, published in the current issue of the journal Birth, followed 64 pregnant women, about 78 percent of whom reported having some heartburn. After the women gave birth, two outside observers looked at pictures of their infants and rated their levels of hair.

Of the 28 women who reported moderate to severe heartburn, 23 had babies with average or above-average amounts of hair. Conversely, 10 of the 12 women who reported no heartburn had babies with little or no hair.

Other studies have shown that in pregnant women, high levels of estrogen and other hormones can relax the sphincter at the bottom of the esophagus, causing heartburn. The same hormones, other studies show, can influence fetal hair growth.

The lead author of the study, Kathleen Costigan, who runs the fetal assessment center at Johns Hopkins, said the findings came as a shock.

We’ve heard this claim hundreds of times, and I’ve always told people it’s nonsense,   she said.  Since the study came out,

THE BOTTOM LINE Heartburn during pregnancy may mean a greater likelihood a baby will have a lot of hair.

Source:The New York Times

Related articles
Categories
Featured

Preventing disease, slowing aging

[amazon_link asins=’B001FXODBS,B00X127CGE’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’cc95e963-1a72-11e7-ad01-43e7eb54ee33′]

[amazon_link asins=’B00W44YZS8,B01N22PIIR’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’f67a3f13-1a72-11e7-b296-c946f2fc38a3′]

For many years, it was thought that a lack of nutrients was linked only to specific deficiency diseases such as scurvy, a condition marked by soft gums and loose teeth that is caused by too little vitamin C. In the past three decades, however, thousands of scientific studies have all indicated that specific nutrients appear to play an important role in the prevention of a number of chronic, degenerative diseases common in contemporary Western societies.

click & see

Many recent studies highlighting the disease-fighting potential of different nutrients . What most of these studies reveal is that the level of nutrients associated with disease prevention is often significantly higher than the current RDAs. And to achieve these higher levels, the participants in these studies often had to depend on supplements.

In slowing or preventing the development of disease, some experts suggest that nutrients, particularly the antioxidants, can also delay the wear and tear of aging itself by reducing the damage done to cells. This idea doesn’t mean vitamin E or coenzyme Q10, for example, are”youth potions.” But several recent studies, including work done at the Nutritional Immunological Laboratory at Tufts University, have found that supplementation with single nutrients, such as vitamin E, or with multivitamin and mineral supplements, appear to improve immune response among older people.

For example, a study of 11,178 elderly subjects, conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Aging, showed that the use of vitamin E was associated with a lowered risk of total mortality, and especially of death from heart disease. In fact, vitamin E users were only half as likely to die of heart disease as those taking no supplements. In addition, there is evidence that antioxidant supplements are effective in lowering the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, two age-related conditions in which vision slowly deteriorates.

Other supplements that serve as high-potency antioxidants against aging disorders include selenium, carotenoids, flavonoids, certain amino acids, and coenzyme Q10. Some experts also believe that the herb ginkgo biloba may improve many age-related symptoms, especially those involving reduced blood flow, such as dizziness, impotence, and short-term memory loss. Substances found in echinacea and other herbs are reported to strengthen the immune system, and phytoestrogens such as soy isoflavones are thought to help delay or prevent some of the effects of menopause, as well as to help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Too Many Beneifits: Too Good to Be True?

When you see a supplement label that lists a variety of functions and benefits for a single herb or substance, you might wonder if this is more marketing hype than facts. You can’t rely entirely on label claims, because they aren’t scrutinized for accuracy by the government or any other agency. But as you will see in reading the entries in this book, some supplements do have multiple effects that are well documented.

Consider an herb such as green tea. According to many studies, its benefits may include helping control several cancers, including colon and pancreatic cancer; protecting against heart disease; inhibiting the action of bacteria; combating tooth decay; and acting as an antioxidant to bolster the immune system. All of these benefits aren’t too surprising, given that researchers have identified various active components in green tea.

You should be aware that many common medications were initially developed for one purpose. As more people take the drugs and their effects are studied, new uses come to light. Imagine a drug that can cure headaches, relieve arthritis, help prevent heart disease, ease the pain of athletic injuries, and reduce the risk of colon cancer. It’s aspirin, of course — and its precursor came from an herbal source, the bark of the white willow tree.

Source:Your Guide to
Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

Related articles
Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Anorexia (loss of appetite)

[amazon_link asins=’0415633672,B009SR7HIE’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’6109a016-1a17-11e7-aca2-672913af80dd’]

[amazon_link asins=’1138777900,B009SR7HIE’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7bc187be-1a17-11e7-83cd-0fc80be69119′]

[amazon_link asins=’B01GUG3UYK,B06XC4CN2X’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’finmeacur-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’b1131ff1-1a17-11e7-9e96-01f00f02b835′]

Anorexia means loss of appetite. It is a symptom of disturbed digestion and common results from failure of activity of the stomach and secretion of gastric juices due to low vitality which, in turn, can be due to various causes. .....click & see

Person suffering from this disease may refuse to eat .Generally they suffer from Insomnia also. Root causes :

People suffer from anorexia when they habitually take a faulty diet and hardly do any physical work. It may cause from physical stress and strain. It also can be caused by mental or domestic worry, emotional disturbances. Difficult working condition and nervous disorder also may cause Anorexia. General body disorder and diseases also lead to this condition.

Symptoms:
Person suffering from this disease may refuse to eat .
Generally they suffer from Insomnia also.

Click to see & learn more about Anorexia

Remedies:

Herbs Help to heal the desease: Lime, Ginger, Garlic, Orange and Apple

Ayurvedic Supplements : Agnitundi Bati, Kshudhakari Bati and Amalki Rasayan (Link to buy in internet)

Diet : The only effective treatment of anorexia is thorough cleansing of the digestive tract, and adoption of the sensible diet thereafter, along with a change in the style of living .To begin with the patients should fast on orange juice and water for first three to five days. After the juice diet the patient may adopt a all fruit diet for a further five days, taking three meals a day of juicy fruits, such as apples, pears, grapes, oranges, pineapple, peaches at five hourly intervals. Thereafter he may adopt a restricted diet of easily digestible foods, consisting of lightly cooked vegetables, juicy fruits, and buttermilk for about ten days.

Lifestyle : During the first three to five days of the juice fast, the bowels should be cleansed with a warm water enema each day. The poisonous matter will thus be eliminated by this self – cleansing process.

YOGA: The Lotus (Padma Asana),Basic Breathing (Pranayama) & Vajrasana
(It is always adviced to practice YOGA under the guidance of an expart for beginers)
The Lotus (Padma Asana)
——————————
Benefits of the asana

Effective For liver disorder (hidden lotus)

Lotus warm-ups

Practising these bhadrasana poses will help you to achieve the lotus. Sit with spine erect and soles of the feet together, heels close to the body. For the Ankle-knee pose, press your knees forward with a straight back. For the Butterfly, right, clasp your feet and move your knees up and down.

The lotus:
To assume the Lotus position, start by sitting with your legs out in a “V” shape in front of you, with spine erect. Bend one knee and bring the foot in, placing it high on the thigh. Now bring the second foot in. If you place it under the opposite thigh, you form the Half Lotus
The Half lotus(Ardha Palmasan) which is easier at first, and can be used for meditation and pranayama until your legs are more supple. For the full Lotus, you lift the second leg in over the first placing the foot high on the opposite thigh. In the classic Lotus, the left leg is on top, and the knees touch the floor.

Basic Breathing (Pranayama)
—————————

Yogic breathing or pranayaam revitalises the body steadies the emotion and creats great clarity of the mind. Yoga breathing exercises are performed sitting down with the spine neck and head in a straight line in the lotus pose.

Kalpabhati is a kriyas of purification besides being a pranayama. The forced exhalation rids the lower lungs of the stale air making way for a fresh intake of oxygen rich air in cleansing the entire respiratory system. This is a wonderfully invigorating exercise to begin your pranayam. By increasing the amount of oxygen in the body its effect is to clear the mind and improve concentration.

Kalpabhati

Benefits

Effective for cardiovascular problems.
To clear the mind and improve the concentration
Description of the asana

Sit in ardha padmasana (lotus )–But if you have knee ache,sit on a bench or chair.Keep the feet crossed on a rug or a carpet.
Take two normal breaths.
Inhale, Now exhale, pulling in your abdomen and inhale, relaxing your abdomen.
Repeat 20 times, keeping a steady rhythm and emphasising the exhalation each time.
Inhale fully and hold your breathe as long as you can.
Slowly exhale.
Anuloma Viloma

In this alternate nostril breathing exercise, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, then exhale through the other nostril in a ratio of 2:8:4. If you are really healthy, you the will breathe predominantly through the Ida nostril for about one hour and fifty minutes, then through the other nostril. But in many people this natural rhythm is disturbed. Anuloma Viloma restores an equal flow, balancing the flow of prana in the body.

Description of the asana

Close your right nostril with your thumb and keeping it closed breathe in through the left nostril counting up to four.
Hold your breath and count to sixteen while opening the right nostril and closing your left with your third finger.
Breathe out slowly through the right nostril to a counterfiet.
Repeat the exercise but breathe in through the right nostril and out through the left.
Brahmari

It’s a kind of meditation which improves concentration memory and confidence. This extended exhalation makes it a very beneficial exercise for pregnant women, in preparation for labour. Sometimes known as the humming breath, Brahmari also gives a sweet clear voice and is highly recommended for singers.

Description of the asana
To practise Brahmari

You partially close the glottis as you inhale through both nostrils, making a snoring sound
Then exhale slowly, humming like a bee.
The inhalation clears and vibrates the throat area.
Humming while you breathe out, enables you to spin out the breath and make a longer exhalation.
You should repeat Brahmari five to ten times.

Vajrasana
———
Benefits

1. It ensures digestion and
prevents excess wind formation.
Caution

Those suffering from knee pain should not practise this asana.

Description of the asana

1. Sit on your knees keeping them together.

2. Draw both toes together, and with heels apart, sit on them.
Keep your hands straight on the respective knees.

3. Breathe normally with your spine straight. Relax your hands
and release the legs

4. Now lie on your back or stretch your legs in front with hands
at the back and relax.

5. Take rest for 10 counts and repeat.

6. Do this two times.


Source:allayurveda.com

Related articles
css.php