In this health-conscious era, more and more people want to stay fit. They constantly look for ways to maintain good health. Many have even developed a good habit of starting the day with a glass of lukewarm water as soon as they wake up in the morning. Yes, drinking water on an empty stomach offers the maximum health benefits. It not only stimulates the removal of toxins from the body but also benefits the overall digestive system. 

Although warm water isn t the most palatable, there are many reasons to start drinking it this way, either alone or with lemon. Below given are 6 reasons to start drinking lukewarm water on an empty stomach:

Digestive system: The food pipe, after having digested a variety of foods the previous day, would still be left with remnants. Starting the day with a glass of warm water acts as a good flush, which removes all these remnants. The warm or hot water also helps in removing greasiness, which is very helpful in people who eat a lot of junk food.
Helps in Weight loss: Drinking warm water on an empty stomach is perfect for those who are trying to lose weight as warm water raises body temperature and the metabolism. This, eventually, helps in burning more fat and boosting the weight loss efforts through diet and exercise changes. Ideally, you should add some drops of lemon in it. 
Strengthens Immune system: When a glass of hot water along with some lime is consumed early in the morning, it gives the required dose of vitamin C and potassium to the body, which strengthens your immunity system. Also, as the stomach is empty, the absorption is faster. 
Maintains body s pH balance: The body s pH turns alkaline as the ascorbic acid and the citric acid is easily digested and removed from the system. Drinking warm water helps in maintaining the required pH in the body.
Keeps you positive throughout the day: A nice juicy lime smells great, and this can be one of the best mood enhancers to begin your day with.
Skin and hair: For anybody with good skin, the key success factor is hydration, and a glass of warm water in the morning works like a cherry on the cake. When our body accumulates toxins, it becomes prone to illness and aging. A glass of hot water in the morning stimulates detoxification and helps in repairing skin cells and elasticity.
So, start your day with a glass of warm water and feel the difference. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Benefits of Drinking Lukewarm Water in Morning - Start Your Day With It?

Coronary artery disease is one of the major killer diseases of the modern society. It is not a solitary problem but brings with it a multitude of issues including obesity, diabetes, stroke, and other metabolic disorders. A thorough understanding of what causes it and how to manage it can help save thousands of lives.

Causes: The circulatory system is mainly made up of the heart and a complex network of arteries and veins. The inner walls of these are lined with smooth muscles, allowing for free flow of blood. Gradually, over a period of time, given the density, the fat from the blood flowing through these vessels settles along the walls of these vessels. This attracts more fat, lipoproteins, and other inflammatory cells and so the process continues. This reduces the diameter of the blood vessels, therefore reducing the amount of blood supply to the target organs. If the target organ is a vital one like the brain or the heart, then it could lead to stroke or heart attacks.

Main causes for coronary artery disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, diabetes, and stress. Men are more prone than women, and family history and age puts them at higher risk.

Symptoms: Reduced blood supply to the target organ causes the following symptoms:

Shortness of Breath: A person with coronary artery disease will feel short of breath and tired with most activities, even like walking a few meters.

Chest Pain: A strong pressure sensation on the left side of the chest is an indication of coronary artery disease. Known as angina, it comes with stress and goes away once the stress is removed. It could sometimes radiate to the shoulder, down the arm, or up into the jaw also. These are classical symptoms of angina or heart attack and is considered an emergency. Of note, this is often mistaken for indigestion.

Palpitations: A sensation where you are able to hear your heartbeat.

Nausea and Excessive Sweating: Nausea and excessive sweating are also seen during angina.

Treatment: There are 3 modes to manage this.

Medications:

Aspirin to reduce the viscosity of the blood.

Statin to control the cholesterol levels.

Beta blockers to control hypertension.

Nitroglycerin for temporary relief of angina pain.

Surgical Procedures:  Surgical procedures including balloon angioplasty followed by placement of drug-eluting stents and coronary artery bypass surgery are done to manage more severe cases.

Lifestyle Change: Lifestyle changes including reduced fat consumption, decrease body weight, stop smoking, increased physical exercise, and reducing stress are highly important in preventing further damage.

Once suspected, coronary artery disease can be effectively managed and the extent of damage controlled using the above techniques.

Coronary Artery Disease   Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

The mere thought of biting into a chilled watermelon or sipping chilled watermelon juice during summer is a refreshing thought. What many do not readily realise is that not just they are not just a refresher, but they are also loaded with multiple health benefits. Another surprising fact is that they have been in use since 5000 years ago and are referred to in ancient literature. There are about 300 varieties and are easily available during summer.

Many may think that watermelon is loaded with water. However, there are also multiple compounds including vitamins and minerals; vitamins C, A, B1, B5, and B6; minerals like potassium and magnesium, and compounds like carotenoids and lycopene. These have multiple benefits on the health and so watermelon can be consumed without any second thought in abundance.

Read on to know some of the wonders of this melon.

Hydration: One of the best remedies to avoid the ill effects of summer is to improve hydration levels, and there could be no better way to do this than with watermelon (eat it or drink it!) It is 92% water, and therefore leaves you refreshed and rejuvenated.
Heart health: Lycopene helps reduce cholesterol, reduce thickening of artery walls, and reduces oxidative stress. The various minerals and vitamins also add to the heart health qualities of watermelon. The citrulline in it also increases nitric oxide level in the body, which expands or dilates blood vessels and improves blood pressure.
Anti-inflammatory benefits: The lycopene and vitamin C reduce the levels of C-reactive protein which are responsible for inflammation. The antioxidant levels also lower inflammation, thereby reducing the onset of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer s.
Eye health: Watermelons, through their anti-inflammatory effects, reduce the onset of age-related macular degeneration. Those who already have it can also see the delayed progression of the condition, thereby prolonging vision loss.
Muscle soreness: Those who have muscle soreness should reach out for a slice of watermelon to get instant relief from this soreness. Watermelon also improves exercise endurance and performance, and the added benefit on the heart also improves exercise tolerance.
Skin and hair benefits: These benefits come from multiple sources in the melon. The vitamin A helps improve skin regeneration, vitamin C helps collagen formation and improved skin tone. Lycopene and beta-carotene help control the damage caused by sun exposure and pigmentation.
Digestive benefits: The very nature of watermelon almost completely water and high fibre directly benefits the stomach. It cleanses the stomach and promotes bowel movement. Not just the red portion, even the rind and seeds are beneficial as there is a lot of citrulline and chlorophyll which are also healthy.

Watermelon - One Fruit, Many Benefits!

5 Signs of an Unhealthy Heart

The heart is a muscular organ that helps to pump blood through the circulatory system by periodic contractions and relaxations. The heart is one of the most important organs of the body so much so that a single cardiac arrest or a heart attack can lead to fatal consequences. Even so, a heart attack is one of the most leading causes of death in the country. But there are some earlier symptoms that could alert you ahead of time. The following are signs of an unhealthy heart:

1. Sexual problems

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most predictable reasons for cardiovascular conditions. Today, patients who are diagnosed with ED are also considered as cardiovascular patients. This is because the heart is supposedly not able to pump enough blood to the genital area. In case of women, reduced blood flow can hamper arousal and delay orgasms.

2. Snoring and sleep apnea

If one snores loudly enough to prevent their partner's from sleeping or resort to using earplugs, one may be at a risk of having a weak heart. Restricted breathing during sleep is connected with a host of cardiovascular diseases. Sleep apnea, a condition where breathing stops for a brief span of time, is linked with higher cardiovascular risks.

3. Swollen, sore and bleeding gums

Swollen and bleeding gums are not only symptoms of dental conditions but also of cardiovascular difficulties. Medical experts believe poor circulation of blood arises due to underlying heart conditions. Recent studies are focusing on bacteria that are believed to cause gum disease as well as plaque inside the arteries of the heart.

4. Heart Arrhythmia

Irregular heartbeat or heart arrhythmia is a common sign of a weak heart. It is characterized by both fast and slow beating of the heart. Restricted blood flow to the heart strains the electrical signals that maintain the normal beating of the heart. This is one of the common causes of coronary artery diseases.

5. Chest pain

One of the most apparent signs of coronary artery diseases is chest pain. The cause of the sharp, clutching pain in your chest can be build-up of plaque in the arteries, which could lead to fatal consequences.



5 Signs of an Unhealthy Heart

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?

Ever wondered why you needed to share your family s health history at a doctor s clinic? Specific questions regarding health issues of your immediate family or close blood relatives give your doctor an insight into various health risks you might have now or in future. Those are medical conditions inherited by parents or grandparents through genes. Genes are passed from parents to children in DNA of eggs or sperms. Even a single mutation (fault) in gene can influence body systems and may lead to disorders. If any of the parents have a faulty gene, there are 50:50 chances of the child inheriting it.

Hereditary heart diseases are also a result of mutation in one or more genes and tend to run in families. Genes control almost all aspects of cardiovascular system including strengthening blood vessels, pumping capacity or communication of cells in the heart. A single genetic variation is enough to alter cardiovascular processes increasing the risk of developing a heart disease, attack or a stroke. Some of the most common hereditary cardiac disorders include; Arrhythmias, congenital heart diseases and cardiomyopathy. A family history of heart attack or stroke is also an established high-risk factor for the family members. High blood cholesterol, medically known as familial hypercholesterolemia also tends to run in families.

Unfortunately, many of these conditions cannot be prevented since they are acquired through genes. But there are many ways in which these could be managed before they become complicated or fatal.

Let s look at some ways by which we can deal with hereditary heart diseases and increase a patient s chances of survival:

Early Diagnosis And Treatment: When one person in the family is diagnosed with a heart disease, it is strongly advisable for other family members to go in for screening. An early diagnosis can help in better treatment and management of the disease and impacts positively on patients  life. Medical screening of siblings is highly recommended in case a person suffers a sudden cardiac death especially at a young age.

Watch out for these symptoms at a young age: Abnormal heart rhythm, asthma that does not get better with inhaler, seizures that do not improve with medication, extreme fatigue or shortness of breath are warning signals and need immediate medical attention.

Genetic Testing: Family members may opt for genetic testing to check if they carried genes of an inherited disorder.

Genetic Counselling: Genetic counselling deals with problems like anxieties and fear of attacks, confusion over disease and emotional difficulties in accepting the situation.

We may not be able to change the family history but we can surely change our environment, lifestyle and habits. Eating healthy and following an active lifestyle does help in prevention and management of such diseases.

How To Deal With Hereditary Heart Diseases?

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