More reasons to eat Fruit!

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Dining with friends can make you fat

Dining with a friend could be bad for those on a diet - it tempts you into eating unhealthy dishes from the menu, just to keep him or her in good humour, says a study.

Researchers led by Eric Robinson, psychologist at the University of Birmingham, believe it may help to explain why groups of friends often put on weight at the same time and why some women complain that they get heavier when they find a boyfriend - they start to copy his eating habits.

"There is a lot of evidence that points towards this idea that your friends make you fat. If you have got friends or people you know who have put on weight recently, then you will put on weight too," said Robinson.

"We found that pairing people with unhealthy eating partners reduced the amount of healthy food they were eating. They tended to pick the foods that were high in calories," added Robinson, the British Journal of Nutrition reported.

"Recognising that this effect is real could help people who are trying to watch what they eat. They could even look at a menu and try to decide what they are eating before those they are with to help avoid being influenced," the Telegraph quoting Robinson, said.

The research asked 100 female volunteers to select from a choice of food consisting of healthy fruit and vegetables or unhealthy foods including crisps, pastries and cocktail sausages.

They found that when they were eating with someone who had been asked to pick unhealthy options, the volunteers also picked far more of these compared to when they ate alone or with someone who chose healthier foods.

Suzanne Higgs, reader in the psychobiology of appetite and study co-author, added: "This research underlines the social nature of eating and how this influences our behaviour."

Source - News Live Tv

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Beneficial Junk Foods!!!!

Recent studies have proved that certain junk foods can also be beneficial. Indulging in some of these junk foods of course limited quantities may impart goodness.

Baked snacks
These are the most recent introductions which contain very less oil and made of whole wheat and dash of spice. Which is a delight for the taste buds and curb cravings. Whole wheat crackers that are available is the best example for baked snacks and is a preferred tea time snack. 

Processed Cheese
The anti-carcinogenic properties found in cheese is an effective antioxidant.

Dark Chocolates
Dark chocolates help keep blood pressure under control.

Red wine
Resveratrol in the red wine helps prevent inflammations. It is also rich in antioxidants that prevent heart disease and cancer.   

Popcorn
A desirable movie accompaniment helps to curb cravings a is very less in calories.

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Working more than 8hrs a day ups heart risk

Working more than eight hours a day raises the risk of heart disease by up to 80 per cent, a new study has revealed.

Researchers said that long working hours could be condemning thousands of employees to heart attacks and strokes.

The warning follows analysis of 12 studies dating back as far as 1958, involving a total of 22,000 people from around the world.

The analysis, by scientists at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, found that those whose working days that were longer than the traditional eight hours had a 40 to 80 per cent greater chance of heart disease.

The size of the increase varied depending on how each study was carried out.

The effects were more pronounced when participants were asked how long they worked for - but when researchers closely monitored working hours, the increased risk of heart disease was closer to 40 per cent.

Lead researcher Dr Marianna Virtanen said the effects could be due to "prolonged exposure to stress."

Other triggers could be poor eating habits and lack of exercise due to restricted leisure time.

Middle-aged workers putting in 55 hours or more a week had poorer brain function than those clocking up no more than 40 hours, with lower scores on tests to measure intelligence, short-term memory and word recall.

Britons work some of the longest hours in Europe, with full-time employees averaging 42.7 a week.

Those in Germany typically work for 42 hours, while Danes do 39.1.

It estimated that more than five million people a year in Britain work unpaid extra hours to hang on to their jobs.

But the long-term toll on workers' health could be devastating, the new research suggests.

"There are several potential mechanisms that may underlie the association between long working hours and heart disease," the Daily Mail quoted Dr Virtanen as saying in a report on the findings.

In addition to prolonged exposure to psychological stress, she said other triggers could be raised levels of the stress hormone cortisol, poor eating habits and lack of physical activity due to restricted leisure time.

Source - Times Of India

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25 Health Benefits of Lemon

25 Health Benefits of Lemon

Lemon is one of those super foods with a myriad health and cosmetic benefits. There are a few persons for whom it is an allergen, so make sure you are not allergic to this natural product, before you start enjoying the many benefits.

1. Lemon being a citrus fruit, fights against infection.

It helps in production of WBC's and antibodies in blood which attacks the invading microorganism and prevents infection.

2. Lemon is an antioxidant which deactivates the free radicals preventing many dangerous diseases like stroke, cardiovascular diseases and cancers.

3. Lemon lowers blood pressure and increases the levels of HDL (good cholesterol) .

4. Lemon is found to be anti-carcinogenic which lower the rates of colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

They prevent faulty metabolism in the cell, which can predispose a cell to becoming carcinogenic. Also blocks the formation of nitrosamines in the gut.

5. Lemon juice is said to give a glow to the skin.

6. A few drops of lemon juice in hot water are believed to clear the digestive system and purify liver as well.

7. The skin of lemon dried under the sun and then ground to make powder can be applied to the hair for a

few minutes before bath which relieves head ache and cools the body.

8. Applying lemon juice to acne dries the existing ones and prevents from getting more.

9. Lemon juice acts as a natural hair lightner and skin bleach which reduces the pigment melanin and prevents

the risk of chemical allergic reactions which is common with hair dyes and bleaches.

10. Lemon juice is given to relieve gingivitis, stomatitis, and inflammation of the tongue.

11. Lemon juice is given to prevent common cold.

12. Lemon juice is given to prevent or treat urinary tract infection and gonorrhea.

13. Lemon juice is applied to the sites of bites and stings of certain insects to relieve its poison and pain.

14. Lemon juice relieves colic pain and gastric problems.

15. Lemon juice soothes the dry skin when applied with little glycerin.

16. Lemon juice used for marinating seafood or meat kills bacteria and other organisms present in them,

thereby prevents many gastro-intestinal tract infections.

17. Lemon juice with a pinch of salt (warm) every morning lowers cholesterol levels and brings down your weight.

18. Lemon juice is the best drink to prevent dehydration and shock in case of diarrhea.

19. Lemon juice can also be used as a mouthwash. It removes plaque, whitens the teeth and strengthens the enamel.

20. A table spoon on thick lemon syrup everyday relieves asthma.

21. Lemon juice relieves chilblains and itchy skin.

22. Gargling lemon juice relieves throat infection and also used as a treatment for diphtheria.

23. Lemon juice is an excellent treatment for dandruff and greasy hair.

24. Lemon applied over the face removes wrinkles and keeps you young.

25. Lemon juice helps to prevent and cure osteoarthritis.
Source - Health Tips

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Health Benefits of Water

How 8 Glasses a Day Keeps Fat Away

Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Although most of us take for granted, water may be the only true "magic potion" for permanent weight loss.

Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.

 Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When they don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops.

Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When the body gets less water,it perceives this as a threat to survival and begins to hold on to every drop. Water is stored in extracellular spaces (outside the cell). This shows up as swollen feet, legs and hands.

Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a treat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs -- plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released.

If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat the more water your system retains to dilute it.

But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy -- just drink more water. As it's forced through the kidneys it takes away excess sodium.

The overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that the over weight person needs more water.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscles their natural ability to contract and by preventing dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weigh loss -- shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plumps the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has a lot more waste to get rid of -- all that metabolized fat must be shed. Again, adequate water helps flush out the waste.

Water can help relieve constipation. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. The colon is one primary source. Result? Constipation. But when a person drinks enough water, normal bowel function usually returns.

So far, we've discovered some remarkable truths about water and weight loss:

The body will not function properly without enough water and can't metabolize stored fat efficiently. 

Retained water shows up as excess weight. 

To get rid of excess water you must drink more water. 

Drinking water is essential to weight loss.How much water is enough? On the average, a person should drink eight 8-ounce glasses every day. That's about 2 quarts. However, the overweight person needs one additional glass for every 25 pounds of excess weight. The amount you drink also should be increased if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry.

Water should preferably be cold. It's absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water. And some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually help burn calories. To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this schedule:

Morning: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period. 

Noon: 1 quart consumed over a 30-minute period. 

Evening: 1 quart consumed between five and six o'clock.

When the body gets the water it needs to function optimally, it's fluids are perfectly balanced. When this happens, you have reached the "breakthrough point." What does this mean?

Endocrine-gland function improves. 

Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost. 

More fat is used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat. 

Natural thirst returns. 

There is a loss of hunger almost over night.If you stop drinking enough water, your body fluids will be thrown out of balance again, and you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. To remedy the situation you'll have to go back and force another "breakthrough."

Source - High vibrations

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रोजाना कुछ देर ऐसे बैठें आंखों की कमजोरी दूर हो जाएगी

लगातार कई घंटों तक कंप्यूटर पर काम करने, टी.वी. देखने या पढ़ाई करने से आजकल अधिकतर लोगों को आंखों से जुड़ी समस्याओं का सामना करना पड़ता है। योग से हर बीमारी का उपचार संभव है। कई हस्तमुद्राएं ऐसी है जिनका नियमित रूप से अभ्यास कर इंसान कई तरह की शारीरिक समस्याओं से छुटकारा पा सकता है। आंखों से जुड़ी परेशानियों के लिए प्राणमुद्रा को सर्वश्रेष्ठ माना गया है।

प्राणमुद्रा- अंगूठे से तीसरी अनामिका यानी रिंग फिंगर तथा चौथी कनिष्ठिका यानी लिटिल फिंगर दोनों अँगुलियों के पोरों को एकसाथ अंगूठे के पोर के साथ मिलाकर शेष दोनों अँगुलियों को अपने सीध में खडा रखने से जो मुद्रा बनती है उसे प्राण मुद्रा कहते है। ह्रदय रोग में रामबाण तथा नेत्रज्योति बढाने में यह मुद्रा बहुत सहायक है। अंगूठे से तीसरी अनामिका तथा चौथी कनिष्ठिका अँगुलियों के पोरों को एकसाथ अंगूठे के पोर के साथ मिलाकर बाकि दोनों अँगुलियों को अपने सीध में खडा रखने से जो मुद्रा बनती है उसे प्राण मुद्रा कहते हैं। ह्रदय रोग में रामबाण तथा नेत्रज्योति बढाने में यह मुद्रा बहुत सहायक है। साथ ही यह प्राण शक्ति बढ़ाने वाला भी होता है।

प्राण शक्ति प्रबल होने पर मनुष्य के लिए किसी भी प्रतिकूल परिस्थितियों में धैर्यवान रहना अत्यंत सहज हो जाता है.वस्तुत: दृढ प्राण शक्ति ही जीवन को सुखद बनाती है। साथ ही यह प्राण शक्ति बढ़ाने वाला भी होता है। यह मुद्रा रोज करने से इम्युनिटी पावर तो बढ़ता ही है साथ ही दिल से जुड़ी बीमारियां होने की संभावना भी कम हो जाती है। कहते हैं अगर यह मुद्रा के लिए सिर्फ दस मिनट देकर आप आंखों से जुड़ी हर परेशानी को मुक्ति पा सकते हैं। इस मुद्रा से आंखों के थकान तो मिटती ही है आंखों की ज्योति भी बढ़ती है।

Source - Bhasker

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