Hangover

A hangover is a group of unpleasant signs and symptoms that can develop after drinking too much alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are to have a hangover the next day. But there's no magic formula to tell you how much you can safely drink yet still avoid a hangover.

However unpleasant, most hangovers go away on their own within 24 hours. If you choose to drink alcohol, doing so responsibly can help you avoid future hangovers.

Alcoholic beverages contain ingredients called congeners — which give many types of alcoholic beverages their flavor and which can contribute to hangovers. Congeners are found in larger amounts in dark liquors, such as brandy and whiskey, than in clear liquors, such as vodka and gin

From pulling your hair to drinking sauerkraut juice, home remedies for hangovers abound. Pharmacy shelves are often stocked with hangover remedies as well. But in the end, time is the only sure cure. Here are a few things you can do to help yourself feel better in the meantime:

Fill your water bottle. Sip water or fruit juice to prevent dehydration. Resist any temptation to treat your hangover with more alcohol. It'll only make you feel worse. Be careful with caffeinated beverages, too. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which may increase dehydration. Additionally, caffeinated beverages may make you think you're alert when you're really not.

Have a snack. Bland foods, such as toast and crackers, may boost your blood sugar and settle your stomach. Foods and drinks that contain fructose, such as honey or fruit juice, may help your body burn the alcohol faster.

Take a pain reliever. An over-the-counter pain reliever may ease your headache. But there are a few caveats. Aspirin can irritate your stomach. And if you sometimes drink alcohol too excess, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can cause severe liverdamage.

Go back to bed. If you sleep long enough, your hangover may be gone when you awake.

Nutrient of the day: Calcium

Nutrient of the day: Calcium

Calcium is one of the most important and abundant minerals in the human body. It plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the bones. Calcium is also needed in tooth formation and is important in some other body functions too. Calcium performs a number of basic functions in your body.

Your body uses 99 percent of its calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong, thereby supporting skeletal structure and function. The rest of the calcium in your body plays key roles in cell signalling, blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve function.

Dairy products are the major source of calcium. Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, legumes, nuts, and whole grains provide calcium but in smaller amounts than dairy products.

If we do not have enough calcium in our diets to keep our bodies functioning, calcium is removed from where it is stored in our bones. Over time, this causes our bones to grow weaker and may lead to osteoporosis — a disorder in which bones become very fragile.

What is fatty liver?

What is fatty liver?

Fatty liver, or steatosis, is a term that describes the build-up of excess fat in the liver. While it’s normal to have some fat in your liver for its regular functioning, when fat makes up at least 5% of the liver its termed as fatty liver. Fatty liver can be a completely benign (Not harmful) condition and usually does not lead to liver damage. However, once there is a build-up of simple fat, the liver becomes vulnerable to further injury, which may result in inflammation and scarring of the liver.

Causes of fatty liver include:
Alcoholism- Most common cause
Obesity
hyperlipidemia, or high levels of fats in the blood
Diabetes
Genetic inheritance
Rapid weight loss
Side effect of certain medications, including aspirin, steroids, tamoxifen, and tetracycline.

Treatment:
There isn’t a medication or surgery to treat fatty liver. Lifestyle modifications like-
Limiting or avoiding alcoholic beverages
Managing your cholesterol
Losing weight
Controlling your blood sugar
Avoiding high amount of fatty and sugary foods 
Dietary modification-Increasing fibre like fruits and vegetables, Whole grain cereals, sprouts
Exercising- 45-60 minutes at least 4-5 days/week

"food is the cause and food is the cure" of any disease to mankind.

It is widely known that "food is the cause and food is the cure" of any disease to mankind. Food is medicine. 
Bad food is bad medicine and will make us sick. 
Good food is good medicine that can prevent, reverse, and even cure disease. 
Take away the bad food, put in the good food and magic happens.

Powerful Reasons to Eat Slower:

Lose weight- A number of studies by many researchers have confirmed that just by eating slower, you’ll consume fewer calories — in fact, enough to lose 20 pounds a year without doing anything different or eating anything different. The reason is that it takes about 20 minutes for our brains to register that we’re full. If we eat fast, we can continue eating past the point where we’re full.

Enjoy your food- It’s hard to enjoy your food if it goes by too quickly. Make your meals a gastronomic pleasure, not a thing you do rushed, between stressful events.

Better digestion- If you eat slower, you’ll chew your food better, which leads to better digestion. This can help lead to fewer digestive problems.

Less stress- Eating slowly, and paying attention to our eating, can be a great form of relaxing. When you eat, you should eat. This kind of mindfulness, I believe, will lead to a less stressful life, and long-term happiness.

Eating quickly leads to poor digestion, increased weight gain, and lower satisfaction. 

The message is clear: Slow down your eating and

enjoy improved health and well-being.

MANGO - MYTHS AND FACTS

MANGO - MYTHS AND FACTS

Mango is the king of all fruits. The golden yellow delite is a nutritional boon to mankind. Its Fibrous nature relieves you from constipation & helps in cleansing & detoxifying your system.

Mango possess ample amount of Beta- Carotene and Vitamin C. Beta Carotene is a precursor of vitamin A. Thus, consumption of it will help you in improving your eyesight gives you glowing skin & boosts immunity.

Have mango as a fruit by chewing it & not gulping it down as a juice as that will destroy most of its nutrients.

MYTH – MANGO LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN

Mango is a sweet and pulpy Fruit & so it contains fructose in high amount. Fructose is a monosaccharide (simple sugar). However if consumed in lesser quantity will not lead to weight gain. Do not combine it with your meal as that would give you extra calories. So enjoy 1 mango as your breakfast or half mango as an in between snacks.

TRULY MANGO RULES THE FRUITS OF ALL SEASONS!!

What is diabetes? Types of Diabetes & Symptoms

What is diabetes? Types of Diabetes & Symptoms

According to International Diabetes federation by 2025 India is going to be the capital of diabetes world population. Currently up to 11% of the India’s population and 3% of the rural population above the age of 15 have diabetes.Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.

-Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and is usually diagnosed in childhood. Many patients are diagnosed when they are older than age 20. In this disease, the body makes little or no insulin.

 It was previously known as juvenile diabetes.

-The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. In this type of diabetes either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2.

Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that develops at any time during pregnancy in a woman who does not have diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women.

Symptoms

• Always tired: Due to inefficiency of the cell to metabolize glucose, reserve fat of body is metabolized to gain energy. When fat is broken down in the body, it uses more energy as compared to glucose; hence body goes in negative calorie effect, which results in fatigue.
• Frequent Urination: Increase in urine production is due to excess glucose present in body. Body gets rid of the extra sugar in the blood by excreting it through urine.
• Weight loss: Factors like loss of water, metabolism of body fat and protein may lead to weight loss. Few cases may show weight gain due to increased appetite.
• Always thirsty: concentration of glucose increases in the blood, brain receives signal for diluting it and we feel thirsty.
• Poor wound healing: High blood sugar resists production of WBC, (white blood cell) which are responsible for body immune system. When these cells do not function accordingly, wound healing is not at good pace.
• Always Hungry:  In order to cope up with high sugar levels in blood, body produces insulin which leads to increased hunger.
• Infections : because of the fluctuation in blood sugar the body gives few signals by frequent infections
• Blurry vision: Due to high glucose levels body fluid is pulled out of tissues including lenses of the eye, which affects its ability to focus, resulting blurry vision.

 If you notice any possible diabetes symptoms, contact your doctor. The earlier the condition is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can begin.