An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but Minions seem to disagree. An apple being the fruit of choice for millions of households across the world, recent studies show that apples may not be as good for you as you ve been led to believe. For starters they have high sugar content, for the calorie conscious, which might be a bad revelation. The really high fiber content of apples is known to induce stomach aches. Studies show that most apples in the regular market are laden with pesticides, which are harmful for human consumption. Apples are known to cause allergies too and not to forget, apple seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide.

So if not apples, what is supposed to keep the doctor at bay? The world is going ga ga over bananas. Bananas and papayas are two easy to resource, lower priced alternative as the household fruit of choice. Here s why.

Papayas and Bananas contain fewer carbohydrates and more protein than Apples and hence instantly making them a better choice for calorie conscious.
High levels of Tryptophan, make bananas and papayas a natural antidepressant and stress buster.
Both are rich in Anti oxidants which helps in preventing and fighting cancer.
Bananas protect an individual against type 2 diabetes and aid in weight loss in this new age of morbid obesity that makes it quite a selling point.
Both fruits being rich in vitamin C are known to boost immunity.
Papayas are rich in flavonoids, vitamin A and beta carotene, which protect the mucus membrane of the eye and are known to prevent age related retardation of eye sight.
Bananas and Papayas help prevent swelling of joints and work well to prevent arthritis.
Both fruits are known to help ease menstrual cramps.
Papaya is rich in vitamin E, vitamin C and antioxidants like beta-carotene which helps prevent your skin from free radical damage keeping wrinkles, marks and signs of ageing at bay.
Papaya is known to encourage hair growth and fight against hair fall.
The duo is known to improve overall digestion as well.

Why Is Banana or Papaya Healthier Alternatives for Apple?

If you are experiencing a whizzing sound while you breathe or having difficulty in breathing, you are suffering from asthma. It is a medical condition characterized by paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea. There is no definite way to prevent asthma, but by following a step-by-step daily plan, you can prevent asthma attacks or keep them in check. Here are some important measures to follow to prevent asthma:

You need to strictly follow your asthma action plan. The plan should be laid down after a detailed discussion with your doctor or healthcare team. All the medicines you require to prevent the asthma attacks will be written down for you.
You should get vaccinated for pneumonia and influenza. This will prevent these conditions from triggering asthma attacks or flare-ups.
You need to identify the asthma triggers and stay away from them. Several outdoors irritants and allergens from pollen to cold air can trigger asthma attacks.
You have to monitor your breathing. By recognising the warning signs of an attack like wheezing, slight coughing or shortness of breath, you can prevent an asthma attack. You need to measure and record your peak airflow regularly using a home peak flow meter.
By acting quickly, you can identify a fatal attack and prevent it from occurring. When the peak flow measurement decreases, you need to take your medicines immediately and abstain from any activity which may have triggered the attack.
You need to keep taking your prescribed medicines, even if your asthma symptoms have improved. You should not change your medication schedule without consulting a doctor. It is recommended that you to bring along the medicines you take at your doctor s appointment as he will be able to tell whether you are taking them right.
If you use your quick relief inhaler a lot, the asthma is not under control. You need to visit your doctor as soon as possible and he/she will make some modifications to your treatment.
For prevention of asthma, you should use allergy proof pillow covers and mattresses. You must wash your bedding every week in hot water to eliminate dust mites. You may use a dehumidifier for reducing excess moisture to prevent mold.
Do not allow your pets in the bedroom and on the furniture. Pet dander is a common trigger of asthma and it cannot be avoided by people who own pets.
You can also fit an air filtration system in your home. It will help in the elimination of asthma triggers such as pollen, dust mites and other allergens.
Many doctors suggest immunotherapy for asthma prevention in the form of allergy shots. Immunotherapy aims at altering a person s immune response by making it less sensitive to asthma triggers.

Asthma - 10 Ways to Keep it Under Control

Cumin, also known as 'jeera' in the Indian subcontinent, is an ancient seed that has been prized for more than 3000 years. Ayurveda holds this spice in high regards and uses it for treating a host of health disorders including burning of excess fat.

Why are cumin seeds considered to aid in weight loss?

An effective detoxifier: Ayurveda considers the accumulation of toxins to cause weight gain and other medical conditions. While certain toxins are easily removed with water, fatty toxins stick to cells and disrupt cell metabolism resulting in weight gain. To detox such hard-to-remove toxins, cumin seeds are predominantly used in Ayurveda. The seeds remove excess kapha from the intestines and detox liver effectively.
Lowers cholesterol that aids in burning fat effectively: Black cumin is rich in phytosterols which are plant fats resembling cholesterol present in animal fats. When consumed, they limit the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. Taking a tablespoon of cumin seeds every day has been medically proven to lower the amount of cholesterol up to 10 percent and bad cholesterol up to 14 percent. This reduction in addition to the cholesterol-lowering measures that you may have adopted would be helpful in burning fat much faster. Taking about 2 grams of cumin seeds combined with light freehand or aerobic exercises can lead to subsequent weight loss in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Lowers blood sugar levels and regulates metabolism: Any person with high blood sugar levels is aware that low insulin levels tend to create a craving for sweets and carbs while high insulin levels can cause extreme thirst and fatigue. Cumin seeds have been proven to lower the blood sugar levels. It lowers blood sugar levels by increasing insulin and glucose sensitivity. In this way, black cumin seeds can aid you to shed off extra pounds by improving the blood glucose levels as well as glucose absorption. In addition to all these benefits, black cumin seeds contain high amounts of oleic acid which is a fatty acid causing acceleration in the way in which the body burns fat.
Other benefits from cumin seeds: Constipation and indigestion are other common reasons for weight gain. An excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, and that has anti-flatulent properties, the cumin seeds can cure constipation, bloating and heaviness, thus, aiding in weight loss. Lack of sleep may also be causing weight gain. Cumin seeds can cure you of insomnia, thus. regulating your sleep pattern and metabolism.
Hence, cumin seeds are a simple and effective ayurvedic remedy for weight loss. Cumin seeds are more potent, and you can take a spoon of roasted or plain cumin seeds every day. Obese or normal, irrespective of your weight, taking cumin seeds regularly have quite a few benefits.

1 Tablespoon Of Cumin - Know How It Can Work Wonders!

As we go about life and routine activities, we may be exposed to a lot of different types of environments. We may have to travel in heavy traffic and may be exposed to vehicular pollution, there may be times when we are at places that allow smoking and that may expose us to smoke from cigarettes. Our nature of work today requires us to be constantly in a situation where we take in industrial fumes and exhausts. Being in any of these conditions temporarily may not be a big matter of worry, but when the incidents get more frequent they may lead to troubles in breathing and diseases such as bronchitis or acute bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is a condition in which the bronchial tube that carries air to and from the lungs gets inflamed due to different reasons. The biggest hazard related to the inflammation of the bronchial tube is that the patient may suffer from constant coughing and irritation of the throat putting pressure on the lungs. In advanced cases, a bronchial infection may also leave the nodes of the lungs inflamed, making it more difficult for the patients to breathe.

Causes of Acute Bronchitis:

The most common causes of bronchitis include the infection of the bronchial tube with bacteria or virus, which lead to the inflammation of the tube and subsequent bouts of coughing.

A habit of smoking cigarettes or being exposed to cigarette smoke as a passive smoker may lead to the infection of the bronchial tube.

Vehicular smoke and fumes also lead to the inflammation and infection of the tube that plays an imminent role in supplying oxygen to the lungs.

Finally, when one works in a position where he/she is exposed to chemicals or harmful exhausts on a constant basis may also have to suffer from acute bronchitis.

Treating the Problem:

One of the best ways to combat health issues such as problems of bronchitis may be to lead a lifestyle as healthy as possible and to make sure that bad habits such as cigarette smoking are kept at bay. Apart from lifestyle habits, if a person falls prey to acute bronchitis, it may be important to undergo treatment so that long term effects to the lungs may be avoided.

Choosing the right treatment is of essence when you need to get the best results. One of the most effective treatments in maintaining a healthy bronchial tube is to opt for homeopathic treatment. The most viable trait of the treatment is that it does not lead to affecting the other body systems in a negative manner and the results are achieved by ensuring that it remains easy on the body. The natural ingredients and components of the medicines in homeopathy do not leave the patient weak and fighting for strength. This is one of the main reasons why people today prefer homeopathy over other conventional medicines.  

Acute Bronchitis - Causes and Treatment

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder. In asthma, the airways of the lungs get inflamed. Due to this inflammation, there is swelling inside the airways. This also causes excess production of mucous. The combined effect of swelling and mucus production is that the passage of air gets obstructed. This makes breathing difficult. A whistling sound or wheezing is often heard in such patients. Often the patient gets cough due to this obstruction of the airways. This cough is a reflex of the body to get rid of the excess mucous in the airways. A sense of tightness or heaviness is felt in the chest. One cannot expand the chest fully while inhaling. This is a medical condition characterised by paroxysmal wheezing respiration dyspnoea. 
Homeopathy for Asthma-
When it comes to the treatment of Asthma, Homeopathy is much better at treating asthma. It is in stark contrast to allopathy, where inhalers and steroids are used to suppress inflammation. Homeopathic medicines do not aim at just reducing inflammation. They also intend to cure the basic cause of the recurrent inflammation. This way, not only the symptoms of asthma are treated but the incidence of asthmatic attacks is completely eliminated. With a couple of months of Homeopathic treatment, you will be able to live a disease-free and medicine-free life. It is worthwhile to mention here that all Homeopathic remedies are natural and do not contain any chemicals. That is why these purely natural homeopathic remedies do not have any side effects at all. Here is a list of the top homeopathic medicines for asthma, along with the symptoms when they are used-
Ipecac: Ipecac is used in treating asthma, where the patient experiences symptoms like heaviness and tension around the chest area. Sudden wheezing, suffocation is experienced followed by other symptoms like motions, vomiting and gagging. The cough remains constant, and the chest gets filled up with phlegm. Cold and perspiration is also likely to be experienced. A patient may feel as if a lump is present in the chest. Increased salivation is also indicated.
Arsenicum: Arsenicum is an efficient homeopathic medicine, which treats asthma attacks, which take place after midnight. The patient is anxious, restless, and cannot sleep because of the fear of being suffocated. In such cases, the patient dozes off a bit, and wakes up with great burning sensation and sore feeling in the chest. Arsenicum is prescribed during chronic stages of asthma, usually in elderly people.
Nux Vomica: Nux Vomica is used when asthma attacks occur due to gastric disorders and during simple spasmodic asthmas. People who consume an excess of caffeine or alcohol are more likely to experience such attacks. A constricting feeling in the lower chest region may be experienced. These attacks commonly occur during the morning.
Kali Bichromicum: This homeopathic medicine is used is asthmatic patients where the asthma attacks occur because of potashes. The attacks generally occur between three to four a.m. in the morning. The patient gets compelled to rise from sleep and sit up in order to breathe. A stringy yellow mucus may be produced, and the patient feels a lack of air in his chest.
Natrum Sulphuricum: This is another effective medicine for treating asthma. The symptoms of asthma treated with this medicine get worse in damp weather. Most asthma attacks occur with a rattling sensation being felt in the chest. Bowel movement may become loose after this type of asthma attack. Alcohol and aerated drinks make the symptoms even worse. Such attacks are common in the morning with the production of a green mucus.
Homeopathy has no side effects and treats the underlying cause of asthma. You should consult a homeopathic practitioner before starting homeopathic treatment for asthma. 

Treating Asthma With Homeopathy

Asthma is a distressing condition during which people find it difficult to breathe as the bronchi or tubes carrying air to lungs swell up. This happens when mucus inside bronchi comes into contact with an allergen like a pollutant or dirt causing symptoms like wheezing, coughing, more mucus production and difficulty breathing. There is no cure for asthma. As of now, it can only be managed. But managing asthma becomes really difficult during low air quality days, especially during winters when it s cold and dry.

The most common air pollutants are gases like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, vehicle smoke, and suspended particles. Each one of them can trigger an asthma attack by itself because of its deleterious effect on the lungs. The smaller the particulate matter is, the more dangerous it becomes as these particles get lodged in the air sacs inside lungs, causing not just asthma from worsening but also fatal diseases like lung cancer.

So, most asthma patients suffer from frequent attacks due to air pollution. How can these attacks be prevented? Here are some tips:

According to research, asthma can be managed by making modifications in everyday life. On high air pollution days due to ozone, for example, asthmatics tend to experience more lung inflammation. If you are an asthmatic, you should reduce time spent outdoors, especially doing strenuous activity in the mornings and evenings. Keeping medications on hand and using those at the very start of an asthma attack also helps. There should always be a plan in place to lessen the chance of an asthma attack on poor air quality days starting from a rescue inhaler to preventive medication if your doctor feels you need it.
Stay hydrated and breathe through the nose. Dehydration is dangerous for asthmatics especially when air quality is bad. In this case, lungs can become badly affected because they need right temperature and levels of water to work properly. It s crucial to breathe through the nose only and not the mouth as the air breathed in from the mouth can be very cold and dry and can cause even more inflammation of the lungs.
Know your asthma triggers and change lifestyle. Avoiding your triggers is key to managing asthma. If traffic fumes are a trigger, it s best to change the route you take to work to manage your asthma. If you don t know your triggers look back at your last asthma attack and remember what you were doing. Did you pet your dog? Write a diary and discuss with your doctor on how to avoid your triggers. Use a face mask when outdoors to limit exposure to allergens. 
Track your asthma to recognise early signs of asthma. If you know that it s getting worse, you should have a fool-proof plan in place.

Air Pollution - Tips to Prevent Asthma From Worsening!

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