Health Benefits of Mint

Allergies: Mint plants contain an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent called rosmarinic acid which is used  in relieving seasonal allergy symptoms, revealing a promising natural treatment.

Breast feeding: Although breastfeeding can offer significant benefits for both infant and parent, it can cause pain and damage to nipple. Peppermint water is effective in preventing nipple cracks and nipple pain in first-time mothers who are breastfeeding.

Common Cold: Mint contains menthol, a natural aromatic decongestant that helps to break up phlegm and mucus, making it easier to expel.

Indigestion and Gas: Mint is a calming and soothing herb that has been used for thousands of years to aid with upset stomach or indigestion. Mint is thought to increase bile secretion and encourage bile flow, which helps to speed and ease digestion (and which may also support healthy cholesterol levels).Peppermint is also thought to relieve pain and discomfort from gas and bloating. Peppermint tea is a common home remedy for flatulence.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): The use of peppermint oil has been found to be an effective and safe treatment for those suffering from abdominal pain.

Gastric Ulcers:  menthol was found to help protect the lining of the stomach from the negative effects of indomethacin and ethanol, giving it a potential role in preventing gastric ulcers associated with alcohol consumption and regular use of painkillers. 

Pain Relief: Applying peppermint extract externally has been found to increase pain threshold in humans.

Skin: When applied topically in oil, ointment or lotion, mint has the effect of calming and cooling skin affected by insect bites, rash or other reactions.

Oral Health: Mint is a natural anti-microbial agent and breath freshener.

hair Care Tips in Monsoon

Use a Mild Shampoo

Keeping your hair and scalp clean and clear during monsoon is necessary. Due to increased humidity, dandruff, hair fall and oily skin may occur. Since we sweat a lot due to humidity, hair becomes sticky and dirty. So you need to wash your hair regularly with a mild shampoo that is completely free of all the chemicals the strong shampoos usually have. Regular shampooing is also necessary because your hair has the chance of becoming limp during monsoon and shampooing is the only way to restore volume to the hair.

Use a Good Conditioner

The increased humidity level in the air can make your hair dry, rough and frizzy. A good conditioner will help to keep your hair soft, smooth and get rid of frizzy hair.

Hair Air-dry

Artificial mode of hair drying technique like blow dryer and hot rollers can make your hair dry and lifeless. Allow your hair to dry on its own. If you can’t wait, make sure to use dyer from a distance. Also try to keep your hair dry. Wet hair leads to hair fall and dandruff.

Stay Away From Hair-styling Products

Refrain from using hair styling products during the monsoon. These chemical based products tend to turn your hair oily and greasy due to excess humidity in the air. The gum and gel used in these products can cause dandruff.

Wooden Comb

Use a wooden comb with wide tooth instead of plastic comb to untangle your hair. During rainy season, hair often becomes frizzy and unmanageable due to humidity. With wooden comb, you will be able to untangle your hair easily without any breakage.

Oil your Hair

Oiling your hair is necessary throughout the year to prevent them from drying. But during monsoon, hair becomes dull and dry due high humidity level. So, it is all the more necessary to nourish your hair with oil during this time. It will keep your hair soft, frizz-free and untangled.

Take Care of your Diet

A healthy balanced diet is crucial for healthy hair. Protein is essential for strengthening the root of the hair. If you want to keep your hair soft and silky, you must eat foods which are good sources of protein and iron, like eggs, fish like salmon and mackerel which contains protein and omega-3 fatty acids and walnuts which are high in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. Besides these, whole grains, green vegetables, nuts, and yogurt are good for your hair. Also drink plenty of water to hydrate your scalp. Dehydrated scalp can weaken your hair and encourage hair fall.

Prevent Dandruff

To keep your hair dandruff-free mix egg white in almond oil and apply on the hair. Allow it to dry and then wash off. Another way to prevent is add some lemon juice to coconut oil and massage your hair and scalp. Cover your hair with a towel immersed in hot water to get steam therapy. After 15-20 minutes, wash your hair with a mild shampoo. This treatment will keep your hair not only healthy but dandruff free also.

BE HAPPY EVEN IF THINGS AREN’T PERFECT NOW

• Enjoying the present moment is a habit that takes practice.

• Finding reasons to be happy now can benefit your future.

• Tuning into joy can improve your health, something that affords you many possibilities in life.

• Consistent, long-term happiness depends on your ability to notice and appreciate the details; you can hone that skill right now.

• Every day is a new opportunity to be better than yesterday; that pursuit can increase your self-esteem and, accordingly, your happiness.

• You can be who you want to be right now, no matter what your situation looks like.

• Finding joy in the present moment, no matter how inadequate it may seem, makes difference in other people’s lives.

HOW TO PREVENT PILES

• Increase crude fiber in your diet: This will help to soften your stool to relieve pain and mend piles.

• Eat less spicy food

• Consume a bowl of yogurt every day:- Grind some black mustard and add it inside the yogurt and eat it followed by a glass of buttermilk to ease piles

• Combine one tablespoon of roasted cumin seeds with a tablespoon of normal cumin seeds:- These should be finally mixed in a glass of water and you will have one good home remedy for hemorrhoids to cure piles. Drink the mixture once every day.

• Take some figs and leave them in water for a night:- Next day, eat the half of the figs and drink half the water they were soaked in on an empty stomach in the morning. Do the same in evening to cure piles.

• Make a juice of bitter gourd:- Take it with buttermilk for hemorrhoid treatment.

• Grind ripe mangoes dried seeds:- Take 2mg of powder twice daily with honey

• Eat dates rather than taking laxatives:- Dates are natural laxatives which won't put you on risk for dependence. They will help when you have constipation.

FOODS TO IMPROVE CHOLESTEROL

1. Beans and lentils

Beans, lentils and peas are good source of soluble fibre which helps lower cholesterol levels. Beans and pulses are high in fibre, high in protein and low in fat. Beans also contain lecithin, a nutrient that also helps in lowering it.

2. Monounsaturated fats

Avocados, Peanut butter, Hazelnuts, Almonds and Pecans contain heart-healthy MUFA, which helps lower Cholesterol levels. Olive and Peanut oils are also rich in monounsaturated.

3. Grains and Oats

Soluble fiber found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, helps lower Cholesterol. Soluble fiber binds to bile acids and cholesterol an helps their excretion. Beans, apples, carrots also contain soluble fiber.

4. Nuts

Nuts contain plant sterols and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachio, Pecans) are rich in heart healthy - fiber, Vitamin E and Selenium.

5. Fibre in fruits

Apples, Pears, Oranges and Grapefruit contain soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol. Include other soluble fibre rich foods such as barley, apples, pears, kidney beans...

6. Garlic

Eating garlic regularly reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol and raises HDL (good) level.

7.Avocado 

Avocados are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that helps lower cholesterol.

CHOOSE WISE AND EAT RIGHT

              

Some Healthy Tips for Diabetes Patient

1. The ideal meal: Aim for half vegetables/salad, quarter lean protein and quarter low GI carbohydrate.

• Vegetables/salad – aim to eat at least five serves of vegetables every day preferably with three or more different colours.
• Protein – good sources include lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, seafood, eggs, milk, yoghurt, cheese, legumes or tofu.
• Lower GI carbs – low GI white rice, instead have oats, whole wheat, barley, etc.

2. Go grainy: Choose grainy breads (where you can actually see the grains) over white bread.

3. Get a good start: Replace highly processed breakfast cereals with natural muesli, traditional porridge oats or cereals that carry the GI Symbol.

4. Love legumes! Include legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas in your meals two or three times a week, or more often if you are a vegetarian.

5. It’s all about combinations: You don’t need to completely cut out high GI options – the trick is to combine them with low GI options to achieve a moderate GI.

Additionally, certain acids help to lower the GI of certain foods. Try vinegars on salads, yoghurt with cereal and lemon juice on vegetables.

6. Smart Snacking: When it comes to snacking, go for fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts and yoghurt. Avoid refined flour products like cookies, crackers and biscuits.

7. Wonderful Water: Make water your first choice. Avoid sugary drinks.

Benefits of Sugarcane Juice

1. Sugarcane juice is a diuretic which means that it helps treat urinary tract infections, kidney stones and ensure proper functioning of the kidneys

2. According to Ayurveda, sugarcane juice helps strengthen your liver and is thus suggested as a remedy for jaundice. Jaundice is a condition where you find yellow pigmentation of the skin and membrane due to elevated levels of a substance known as bilirubin in the bodily fluids and is triggered by poor functioning liver. What sugarcane juice does is replenish your body with proteins lost and nutrients that it needs to recover quickly.

3. Sugarcane juice is rich in the good kind of carbohydrates, protein, iron, potassium and other essential nutrients that make it the ideal energy drinks. Especially in the summer months, a glass of cold sugarcane juice and really life both your health and your depleting levels of energy. It builds up plasma and body fluids and helps counter dryness and fatigue.

4. Ayurveda also suggests that 'sugarcane juice exhibits laxative properties thereby improving bowel movement and relieving constipation' (Source: ayurhelp.com). Sugarcane juice also has alkaline properties which means it's good for treating acidity and stomachburns.

5. It has a low glycemic index (GI) so it comes highly recommended for diabetics. A study showed that drinking sugarcane juice did not alter the blood glucose levels of diabetics drastically but you should check with your doctor before you start to drink some of this yourself.