Have a Healthy Heart

The smartest plan for attacking a heart attack is, of course, preventing one from ever happening. Choose  the following strategies and make them a habit. 

Stress
Stress affects your mood, productivity, and the heart. You need to brush stress aside and try your best to avoid overworking. A burnout can tax your mind and the body causing you to crash and be fatigued. If you feel stressed, the best way to get rid of it is to take a walk and clear your mind. Get some fresh air and a fresh perspective.

Weight Management
No, it is not a program we are asking you to sign up; it is a lifestyle choice that you need to follow for the sake of your heart. If you are among the people who have a desk job, then know this: you are in danger of putting on weight because you sit all day. Being overweight is a big red flag for your heart. Besides exercising, weight management also calls for having a balanced diet. This means that you should effectively utilize the concept of the food pyramid. Your regular diet should contain a lot of fruits and vegetables. Try to cut down on red meat and substitute white bread with brown while you’re are at it.

Stay Active
Pick up cycling or light jogging if you prefer a light workout. If you are looking for something easy to fit your busy schedule, then take up walking, but going from your couch to your refrigerator does not count. At the very minimum, the 10,000 steps a day challenge counts as walking. This might feel outrageous, but it is possible and will help you stay active. You can do your heart a favor and get a pedometer to monitor your steps. Challenge yourself and if possible, take the subway instead of driving everywhere.

Eat Lots of Fish
You should eat this amazing source of protein at least once a week. Fish is high in Omega-3 and is your best defense against heart diseases. You don’t need to worry about the mercury content as the positives outweigh the negatives.

Don’t Smoke
Smoking is a leading cause for coronary diseases and therefore, you need to stay away from it.

The Salt
Food without salt is unimaginable for everyone. But as they say, too much of anything is bad for you and the same principle applies to salt. Blood pressures spikes are often related to high salt content so try to minimize your intake of salt.

Eat Nnuts

Almonds, walnuts, pecans, and other tree nuts deliver a powerful punch for lowering your risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Eating well balanced meals is important at all times, but it is even more essential when you are pregnant. There are essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your developing baby needs. During pregnancy it is advisable to eat natural foods, but there are certain food groups you should avoid.

Feta Cheese

Feta is a popular form of cheese, used in many salads and pastas and adored by food connoisseurs all over the world. Unfortunately, this type of cheese (along with other soft, unpasteurized cheese which we talk about later in this article) has been linked to foodborne illness such as Listeriosis. Avoid any cheeses that have “unpasteurized” on the label and opt for safer choices like mozzarella cheese instead.

Avoid seafood high in mercury

Seafood can be a great source of protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids in many fish can promote your baby's brain and eye development. However, some fish and shellfish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Too much mercury could harm your baby's developing nervous system.

The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it's likely to contain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourage pregnant women to avoid:

Swordfish

Shark

King mackerel

Tilefish

Crabs

Prawns

Salmon

Avoid Undercooked Food In Pregnancy

It is important to avoid the consumption of raw and undercooked food. These foods may contain bacteria and viruses which can affect the mother and baby. Consume well cooked food and properly refrigerate food to avoid cross contamination.

Avoid Unpasteurised Food In Pregnancy

Unpasteurised food can contain food borne diseases. Hence avoid dairy products that are not properly pasteurised. You can consume mozzarella, cottage cheese and skim milk. But avoid cheese like feta and brie.

Avoid Unwashed Vegetables and Fruits In Pregnancy

It is important to cook food for consumption during pregnancy. Do not consume food that is not cooked, raw or under cooked. These foods may contain bacteria and germs that can impact you during pregnancy. Wash all food products thoroughly before you cook it.

Caffeine

Although most studies show that caffeine intake in moderation is OK, there are others that show that caffeine intake may be related to miscarriages. Avoid caffeine during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage

Raw Eggs

Raw eggs or any foods that contain raw eggs should be avoided because of the potential exposure to salmonella. Some homemade Caesar dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream or custards, and Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs

Alcohol

There is NO amount of alcohol that is known to be safe during pregnancy, and therefore alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with the healthy development of the baby. Depending on the amount, timing, and pattern of use, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or other developmental disorders. If you consumed alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. You should continue to avoid alcohol during breastfeeding. Exposure of alcohol to an infant poses harmful risks, and alcohol does reach the baby during breastfeeding.

Liver

Liver – and most liver products (like liver pate or liver sausage) – contain dangerously high amounts of Vitamin A. Too much Vitamin A has been linked to birth defects in babies. Monitor your intake of Vitamin A (ask your doctor how much of this vitamin is safe) and avoid high-dose multi-vitamin supplements, fish liver oil supplements and any supplement containing Vitamin A.

Cigarettes

For obvious reasons cigarettes are bad for pregnant women. ‘Not only does it have nicotine, but smoking also exposes your baby to nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar within the womb. This in turn lessens the oxygen that reaches the baby, giving rise to birth defects, a low birth weight or even a cleft palate.

Green tea

Green tea is herbal and good for health, but refrain from having it during pregnancy. ‘There aren’t enough documentation available to show that green tea is good for pregnant women. One reason why you should not have green tea during pregnancy is that it increases your metabolic rate and during pregnancy your metabolism levels are high as such. Speeding it up further wouldn’t be advisable. Green tea also have some caffeine in it so unlimited sips is going to do you as much damage as regular tea. Also excessive consumption of green tea can lead to less absorption of folic acid during pregnancy making you and your baby susceptible to folic acid deficiency diseases.

Side Effects of Diet Soda

Kidney Problems

Diet soda might be bad for your kidneys.

Messed-Up Metabolism

Diet soda is linked to a 34% higher risk of metabolic syndrome, the group of symptoms including belly fat and high cholesterol that puts you at risk for heart disease. Whether that link is attributed to an ingredient in diet soda or the drinkers' eating habits is unclear.

Obesity

Diet soda doesn't help you lose weight after all. Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the body's natural ability to regulate calorie intake based on the sweetness of foods, suggested an animal study from Purdue University. That means people who consume diet foods might be more likely to overeat, because your body is being tricked into thinking its eating sugar, and you crave more.

Cell Damage

Diet sodas contain something many regular sodas don't: mold inhibitors. They go by the names sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, and they're in nearly all diet sodas. But many regular sodas, such as Coke and Pepsi, don't contain this preservative.

These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it--they knock it out altogether. The preservative has also been linked to hives, asthma, and other allergic conditions.

Rotting Teeth

With a pH of 3.2, diet soda is very acidic. The acid is what readily dissolves enamel, and just because a soda is diet doesn't make it acid-light.

Reproductive Issues

Sometimes, the vessel for your beverage is just as harmful. Diet or not, soft drink cans are coated with the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to everything from heart disease to obesity to reproductive problems. 

Cucumber Health Benefits

Cucumbers, scientifically known as Cucumis sativus, are grown to either be eaten fresh or to be pickled. Those that are to be eaten fresh are commonly called slicing cucumbers. They are cylindrical in shape and commonly range in length from about six to nine inches, although they can smaller or much larger. Their skin, which ranges in color from green to white, may either be smoothed or ridged depending upon the variety. Inside a cucumber is a very pale green flesh that is dense yet aqueous and crunchy at the same time, as well as numerous edible fleshy seeds

1. Cucumber refreshes the mouth

Cucumber juice heals and refreshes diseased gums. Get a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for a half minute, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing unpleasant breath.

2. Rehydrates body and replenishes daily vitamins

Cucumbers are 95 percent water, keeping the body hydrated while helping the body eliminate toxins. Cucumbers have most of the vitamins the body needs in a single day. Don't forget to leave the skin on because the skin contains a good amount of vitamin C, about 10 percent of the daily-recommended allowance.

3. Skin and hair care

If you don't like to eat the skin, it can be used for skin irritations and sunburns as aloe would be used. Place a slice over puffy eyes and its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce puffiness. The silicon and sulfur in cucumbers help to stimulate hair growth.

4. Fight cancers

Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

5. Fights heat, both inside and out

Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.

6. Flushes out toxins

All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.

7. Revives the eyes

Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.

8. Aids in weight loss and digestion

Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

9. Cures diabetes, reduces cholesterol and controls blood pressure

Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients. Researchers found that a compound called sterols in cucumbers may help reduce cholesterol levels. Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber. These work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

10. Cucumber smoothes hair and nails

The wonder mineral Silica in cucumber makes your hair and nails shinier and stronger. The sulfur and silica in cucumbers help to stimulate your hair growth.

11. Promotes Joint Health, Relieves Gout and Arthritis Pain

Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues. They are also rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. When mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.

12. Cucumber cures hangover

To avoid a morning headache or hangover you can eat a few cucumber slices before going to sleep. Cucumbers contain enough B vitamins, sugar and electrolytes to replenish many essential nutrients and reducing the severity of both hangover and headache.

13. A Radiant Complexion

The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, which includes intracellular cement, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone. Cucumber juice is often recommended as a source of silicon to improve the complexion and health of the skin, plus cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating–a must for glowing skin. Cucumbers are also used topically for various types of skin problems, including swelling under the eyes and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, burns and dermatitis.

Grape Fruit Health Benefits

Tart and tangy with an underlying sweetness, grapefruit has a juiciness that rivals that of the ever popular orange and sparkles with many of the same health promoting benefits.

Refreshing and delicious grapefruit is rich in phytonutrients such as lycopene, vitamin A, and beta-carotene. The fruit is well known as "fruit from the paradise" for its unique health-promoting as well as disease preventing properties, especially among the health-conscious, fitness enthusiasts.

Here are the health benefits of grapefruit.

1. Grapefruit Helps in Losing Weight

Grapefruit is high in enzymes that burn fats, has high water content and has less sodium. A combination of these three characteristics make grapefruit a perfect food for increasing your body's metabolism.

2. Prevents Arthritis and Works as an Antiseptic

Grapefruit contains salicylic acid that helps break down the body's inorganic calcium, which builds up in the cartilage of joints and may lead to arthritis.

The salicylic acid in grapefruit also works as a powerful antiseptic. In addition, grapefruit seed extracts can be added to water to make an antiseptic spray for treating bacterial and fungal infections.

3. Grapefruit Helps in Cancer Prevention

Lycopene is a carotenoid pigment that is responsible for the red color of grapefruit. It is a powerful agent against tumors and cancers as it acts as a scavenger of cancer-causing free radicals. Lycopene works best with vitamins A and C, which are also found in grapefruit.

An antioxidant compound, called naringenin, is also found in grapefruit. Naringenin helps repair damaged DNA in prostate cancer cells. DNA repair contributes to cancer prevention as it impedes the reproduction of cancer cells.

4. Grapefruit Helps Lower Cholesterol Levels

The antioxidants found in grapefruit are effective in reducing cholesterol levels. However, if you are on prescription drugs, do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice. Grapefruit has a negative reaction against many prescription drugs such as those used in treating depression, allergies, high blood pressure, seizures, impotence, heart palpitations and even HIV.

5. Grapefruit Treats Common Ailments

Eating grapefruit or drinking its juice helps treat common cold and fever, dissolve gallstones, boost liver function and enhance immunity against infections. As grapefruit contains a dietary fiber called pectin, it thus promotes better digestion.

6. Limonoids Promote Optimal Health

Phytonutrients in grapefruit called limonoids inhibit tumor formation by promoting the formation of glutathione-S-transferase, a detoxifying enzyme. This enzyme sparks a reaction in the liver that helps to make toxic compounds more water soluble for excretion from the body. Pulp of citrus fruits like grapefruit contain glucarates, compounds that may help prevent breast cancer.

7. Grapefruit Lowers Cholesterol

Both red and blond grapefruits both positively influenced cholesterol levels, but red grapefruit was more than twice as effective, especially in lowering triglycerides. In addition, both grapefruits significantly improved blood levels of protective antioxidants. Red grapefruit's better performance may be due to an as yet unknown antioxidant compound or the synergistic effects of its phytonutrients, including lycopene.

8. Rich in the Nutritional Powerhouse Vitamin C

Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps to support the immune system. Vitamin C-rich foods like grapefruit may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms. Vitamin C also prevents the free radical damage that triggers the inflammatory cascade, and is therefore also associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. As free radicals can oxidize cholesterol and lead to plaques that may rupture causing heart attacks or stroke, vitamin C is beneficial to promoting cardiovascular health

Hazards at Work Place

Common types of hazards

Use these notes to help you identify and assess hazards that might occur in your workplace.

Chemical hazards
Chemicals can affect the skin by contact or the body either through the digestive system or through the lungs if air is contaminated with chemicals, vapour, mist or dust. There can be an acute (immediate) effect, or a chronic (medium to long-term) effect from the accumulation of chemicals or substances in or on the body.

Noise hazards
Excessive noise can disrupt concentration, interfere with communication, and result in loss of hearing. High impact noises are particularly damaging. Noise can also mask out signals, affecting communication or danger warnings.

Radiation hazards
Equipment such as radioactive gauging devices or the radioactive trace element used in analytical chemistry produce Ionising radiation. Non-ionising radiation covers infrared radiation (heat-producing processes), lasers, ultraviolet radiation (welding, sunlight), and microwaves (high-frequency welders, freeze drying).

Electrical hazards
These include the risk of injury from all forms of electrical energy.

Lighting hazards
Inadequate lighting levels are a potential safety hazard. A common problem area is the reaction time needed for the eyes to adjust from a brightly lit to a darker environment — such as a forklift driver coming indoors from bright sunlight. Temporary lighting is often inadequate.

Vibration hazards
This includes whole-body vibration — for example, truck drivers, people standing on vibrating platforms, and operators of mobile equipment — and also more localised vibration effects from such equipment as hand tools, chainsaws, and pneumatic hammers.

Temperature hazards
Extremes of cold or heat can cause problems such as tiredness, vulnerability to infections or reduced capacity to work.

Biological hazards
These include insects, bacteria, fungi, plants, worms, animals and viruses. For example, poultry workers exposed to bird feathers and droppings to which they are allergic can contract a medical condition. Brucellosis is a well known problem in New Zealand associated with people handling meat and meat products infected with brucella. Hepatitis and the AIDS virus are other biological hazards.

Ergonomic hazards
Ergonomics (the ‘fit’ between people and their work) covers risk of injury from manual handling procedures, incorrectly designed desks or workstations, audio and visual alarms, and colour coding control mechanisms.

Physical hazards
These include a wide range of injury risks— as diverse as being caught in or by machinery, buried in trenches or hurt by collapsing machinery. This category also includes the hazards from working in confined spaces, being hit by flying objects, caught in explosions, falling from heights and tripping on obstacles.

Other hazards
Include stress, fatigue, the effects of shift work, and even assaults from other people.

Health Benefits of Fasting

When the body is starved of food, it starts to burn fat so that it can make energy. This can lead to weight loss. However, if you fast for too long your body will eventually start breaking down muscle protein for energy, which is unhealthy.

As the Ramadan fast only lasts from dawn till dusk, the body's energy can be replaced in the pre-dawn and dusk meals.

This provides a gentle transition from using glucose as the main source of energy, to using fat, and prevents the breakdown of muscle for protein.

1. Fasting Promotes detoxification

Processed foods contain lots of additives. These additives may become toxins in the body. Some of them promote production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Most of these toxins are stored in fats. Fat is burnt during fasting, especially when it is prolonged. And the toxins are released. The liver, kidneys and other organs in the body are involved in detoxification. 

2. Fasting Rests Digestive System

During fasting, the digestive organs rest. The normal physiologic functions continue especially production of digestive secretions, but at reduced rates. This exercise helps to maintain balance of fluids in the body. Breakdown of food takes place at steady rates. Release of energy also follows a gradual pattern. Fasting however does not stop production of acids in the stomach. This is reason patients with peptic ulcer are advised to approach fasting with caution. 

3. Fasting Resolves Inflammatory Response

Fasting promotes resolution of inflammatory diseases and allergies. Examples of such inflammatory diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis and skin diseases such as psoriasis. Some experts assert that fasting may promote healing of inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

4. Fasting Reduces Blood Sugar

Fasting increases breakdown of glucose so that the body can get energy. It reduces production of insulin. This rests the pancreas. Glucagon is produced to facilitate the breakdown of glucose. The outcome of fasting is a reduction in blood sugar.

5. Fasting Increases Fat breakdown

The first response of the body to fasting is break down of glucose. When the store of glucose is exhausted, ketosis begins. This is break down of fats to release energy. The fats stored in kidney and muscles are broken down to release energy.

6. Fasting Corrects high blood Pressure

Fasting is one of the non-drug methods of reducing blood pressure. It helps to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is clogging of arteries by fat particles. During fasting glucose and later, fat stores are used to produce energy. Metabolic rate is reduced during fasting. The fear-flight hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline are also reduced. This keeps the metabolic steady and within limits. The benefit is a reduction in blood pressure.

7. Fasting Promotes Weight loss

Fasting promotes rapid weight loss. It reduces the store of fats in the body. However fasting is not a good weight loss strategy. Reducing fat and sugar intake, and increasing fruits and rest are better measures to achieve weight reduction.

8. Fasting Promotes Healthy diet

It has been observed that fasting reduces craving for processed foods. It promotes desire for natural foods, especially water and fruits. This is one way fasting promote healthy lifestyle.

9. Fasting Boosts Immunity

When an individual is on balanced diet in between fasts, this can boost immunity. Elimination of toxins and reduction in fat store also helps the body. When individuals take fruits to break a fast, they increase the body's store of essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A and E are good antioxidants readily available in fruits. They help to boost immunity.

10. Fasting May Help to Overcome Addictions

Fasting can help addicts reduce their cravings, for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other substance abuse. Although there are other regimens required to resolve addictions, fasting can play a role.

CASHEW NUT HEALTH BENEFITS

Cashews grow on an evergreen tree and are prominently cultivated in the tropical regions. Cashew nuts are actually seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, Anacardium occidentale. Cashew nuts are widely used as a snack, preferably eaten lightly salted or sugared. 

Some of the health benefits are:

1. Prevents Cancer:

Proanthocyanidins are a class of flavonols which fight against tumor cells by stopping them to divide further. These proanthocyanidins and high copper content in cashew nuts help fight against cancerous cells and keeps you away from colon cancer. This is one of the major cashew nut benefits.

2. Healthy Heart:

Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts and most of it is in the form of oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. They are cholesterol free and the antioxidants present keeps you away from heart diseases. Oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health by helping to reduce triglyceride levels, high levels of which are associated with an increased risk for heart disease. The magnesium in cashews helps lower blood pressure and helps prevent heart attacks.

3. Lowers High Blood Pressure:

Cashew nuts lower your blood pressure with the help of magnesium present in them.

4. Helps Hair:

Cashews are rich in the mineral copper. An essential component of many enzymes, copper plays its part in a broad array of processes. One copper-containing enzyme, tyrosinase, converts tyrosine to melanin, which is the pigment that gives hair and skin its color.

5. Healthy Bones:

Like calcium, magnesium is also important for bone health . Cashews are particularly rich in magnesium. It's a well-known fact that calcium is necessary for strong bones, but magnesium is as well. Most of the magnesium in the human body is in our bones. Some of it helps lend bones their physical structure, and the remainder is located on the surface of the bone where it is stored for the body to use as it needs. Copper found in cashews is vital for the function of enzymes involved in combining collagen and elastin, providing substance and flexibility in bones and joints.

6. Healthy Nerves:

Magnesium is stored on the bones surface which prevents calcium from entering the nerve cells and thus keeps the blood vessels and muscles relaxed. Insufficient amount of magnesium can lead calcium to enter the blood vessels leading them to contract. It also leads to high blood pressure, migraine headache etc.

8. Helps in Weight Loss:

Even though cashew nuts are considered as fats, it contains good cholesterol. So contrary to popular belief, those who eat cashews at least twice a week gain less weight when compared to those who eat less.

9. Anti-oxidants:

Selenium, copper, magnesium etc. act as co-factors for many enzymes.

10. Helps Digestion:

Cashew nuts help in growth and development, nucleic acid synthesis and digestion.

11. High on Vitamins:

Cashew nuts are rich in vitamins like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, niacin etc. These vitamins keep you safe from sideroblastic anemia, pellagra, etc.

12. Healthy Gums and Teeth:

As mentioned before, the magnesium content present in cashew nuts is very good for bones. So it gives healthy teeth as well as strong gums to hold them.

13. Pleasant sleep:

After menopause, these cashew nuts can give you relaxed and pleasant sleep during nights.

14. Free Radicals:

Cashew nuts help our body to utilize iron properly and eliminate free radicals which cause health problems.

15. Macular Degeneration:

Cashewnuts have the ability to filter Sun’s UV rays and protect us from macular degeneration.

Side effects:

Cashew nuts have certain drawbacks as well. Let us take a quick look at a few of them: 

Binging on cashew nuts can lead to unnecessary weight gain because it is high in calories.

Nut allergies have become increasingly common in today’s world. Reaction to eating these nuts can sometimes be fatal. It is therefore, crucial that one consults a doctor immediately in case of symptoms of an allergy like hives, itchiness or difficulty in breathing.

Salted cashews are an easily available snack option. They are delicious in taste too. However, people with high blood pressure should avoid them because of the high levels of sodium in it.

People who are prone to migraines should avoid eating cashew nuts. This is because they contain amino acids that can cause headaches.