Sit at the dinner table, and you'd find yourself invariably extending your hand to the glass of water on the side of your plate. While you may think it's absolutely necessary to have a glass of water during your meals, the truth is this habit of yours might be damaging your health. Read on to find out how.

1. It dilutes your gastric juices -
When the digestive acids (acids responsible for the digestion and breakdown of food as well as for killing infectious agents ingested with food) present in your stomach are diluted with water, they bring about a slowdown in the functioning of your entire digestive system. This slowdown results in food remaining lodged in your stomach for a longer period than normal, thereby causing indigestion.

Additionally, the reaction caused by the dilution of water and stomach acids can give rise to cramps in your tummy.

2. It reduces the saliva in your mouth -
The same thing that happens to the acids in your stomach, happens to your saliva as well. Water dilutes the saliva, which stops the breakdown of food in your mouth. Also, your saliva is responsible for stimulating your stomach to release digestive enzymes and prepare itself for the process of digestion. By drinking water with your meals, such signals sent by your saliva to your stomach become much weaker. All these together can make digestion very difficult.

3. It causes acidity -
Studies show that drinking water with your meals not only leads to the dilution of digestive enzymes, but also brings about a reduction in the secretion of digestive enzymes. This causes the undigested food in your stomach to leak into the lower part of your oesophagus (food pipe), causing acidity and heart burn. 

4. It increases insulin production -
Sipping on water in the middle of lunch (or any other meal for that matter) causes a spike in your insulin levels just as glycaemic foods (foods with high starch or sugar content such as honey, potatoes, white bread, rice to name a few) would. When your body is unable to digest food properly, it usually tends to convert the glucose filled part of that food into fat and stores it, reason why your blood sugar levels see an upsurge.

5. It adds to your weight -
Since drinking water causes an increase in insulin levels in your body (as the food you eat is converted to fat), it can result in the piling of extra weight on your body. This is because a weak digestive system is one of the major causes behind obesity.

Try having your meals with less salt and drink water 30 minutes before each meal to control your thirst when you're eating. This can help you in controlling the negative effects that drinking water with your meals can have on your health.

Make a wise choice and stay healthy. Feel free to ask me more questions you might have.

Watch What Happens When You Drink Water Along With Your Food. It'll Leave You Thinking!

Kissing your loved one not only feels great but also is phenomenally great for your overall health and wellbeing. Did you know that deep kissing can boost your immunity, reduce your blood pressure and can help in maintaining your physique? Kissing has some surprising health benefits you would not have known. Read on to find how kissing ensures a healthier lifestyle for you.

1. Burns calories
Kissing is known to increase your metabolism rate up to 2 times more than usual, thus helping you to burn more calories. In fact, studies suggest that kissing your partner for more than 1 minute can help you burn almost 25 calories. 

2. Lowers stress
Kissing can be a great stress buster as it is known to reduce levels of cortisol,  the stress hormone,  in your body. Kissing also helps in boosting your immune system and as a result aids in overcoming post-work exhaustion to a great extent.

3. Ensures more sexual pleasure
Kissing has positive effects on your heart as well as self-esteem, and it is also usually the first step towards sexual intercourse. Kissing also plays a vital role in foreplay, and hence makes sex a more pleasurable and enjoyable experience.

4. Strengthens the bond of love
Research shows that couples who kiss more often and whose kisses last longer may have a better relationship. Kissing helps in increasing the connection between two individuals and ensures the partners of each other s feelings of commitment and compassion, which consequently helps in building a stronger and long lasting bond.
 
5. Makes you happy
Endorphins are known to be the hormones responsible for happiness. Locking lips initiates the release of endorphins, which make you feel happy. Studies suggest that kissing helps to curb depression better than psychologist treatments or anti-depressants.

6. Reduces pain
Engaging in a heated kissing session triggers your body to release adrenaline, which is known to reduce pain. 

7. Gives you healthier teeth
An intense passionate kiss results in more saliva secretion in your mouth. Researchers are of the opinion that this helps in washing away plaque from your teeth, resulting in less cavities, and whiter and healthier teeth.

8. Tightens your facial skin
A kiss requires the use of almost 30 muscles of your face together. This ensures a workout of your facial muscles and keeps them strong for a long time, leaving you both with a younger look and feel.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Checkout 8 Surprising Health Benefits of Kissing!

Health Benefits of Banana Peel

Bananas have multiple health benefits and are commonly available fruit. They possess a wide variety of vitamins and minerals like vitamins B6, A and C, Manganese, Potassium, dietary fiber, protein, iron, magnesium etc. What many people don't know is the banana peel which is usually thrown away, has multiple health benefits too. It's interesting to know what they are:

1. Whitens Teeth: If you rub banana peel for a minute, every day, for a week on your teeth, you will have naturally white teeth without having to visit the dentist.

2. Removes Warts: The cheapest and simplest method to remove warts and stop them from reoccurring is rubbing the peel of a banana on the affected area, or sticking it there overnight.

3. Treats Acne: Getting rid of pimples is as easy as massaging banana peels on the face and body for five minutes a day until acne disappears.

4. Rids of wrinkles: Mash banana peel and add an egg yolk to it. This mixture works as a great anti-wrinkle face pack. Apply it on your face and wash it off after five minutes. Banana peels are known to keep the skin hydrated.

5. Gives pain relief: This might come as a surprise but the banana peel is known to provide relief from pain. Just place the peel directly on the part that is paining and you'll get relief in about half an hour. You can also make a mixture of banana peel and vegetable oil to apply on the pain affected area.

6. Heals psoriasis: Applying the peel on the psoriasis affected area moisturizes the place and reduces itchiness.

7. Relieves of bug bites: It is advised to massage banana peel on mosquito bites to get immediate relief from pain and itching.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

You will be surprised to know of the many  benefits of a BANANA PEEL!

Cow Milk vs Buffalo milk - Which is healthier for you?

We can differentiate between the milk from a cow or a buffalo by looking at its color and thickness. While being different from one another in terms of composition and richness, both cow and buffalo milk possess properties that give them their unique nutritional value and health benefits. Including them in your daily diet can help you to stay fit and strong. Here's a look at what they offer, and which one can be the most appropriate for you:

1. Fat content - It's the fat content of these two milks that instantly make them different from one another. Of the two, buffalo milk has a higher percentage of fat content, which keeps your stomach fuller for a long time. On the other hand, cow's milk is easier to digest due to its low-fat content. When it comes to the fat percentage in buffalo milk, on an average it is two times more than that of cow milk. So, if the average fat content in cow milk is 3-4% that of buffalo milk is about 7-8%.

2. Protein content - Buffalo milk contains more protein in comparison to cow milk, which can make it more difficult to digest. It comes with a protein content that is in the range of 4.2%-4.5% and is 11% higher than that of cow milk.

3. Cholesterol content - Cholesterol levels differ in both the milk, with buffalo milk being significantly lower in cholesterol. While buffalo milk has a cholesterol content of 0.65 mg/g, cow milk records 3.14 mg/g of cholesterol.


4. Water content - Cow milk reports higher water content compared to buffalo milk. This is because it contains fewer solids with about 90% of the milk being composed of water. It's this high water percentage that gives cow milk its hydrating quality.

5. Calorie content - Since buffalo milk comes with more proteins and fat, it has more calories. For every 100ml of buffalo milk, you consume about 100Kcals. On the other hand, cow milk contains about 70 Kcals.

If you're on a diet to lose weight and improve your metabolic processes, cow milk would be the most appropriate option as it is low in fat, protein and calorie content. On the other hand, if you want to gain weight and strengthen weak bones, buffalo milk is what you should have daily.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

Cow Milk vs Buffalo Milk - Which is More Healthy?

Let's start with an interesting fact: all types of tea, be it green or black, comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference only lies in processing and oxidation. So how can one be better than the other you ask? Let's find out.

1. Fluoride content

When it comes to fluoride content both green and black teas score high, while milk tea sadly loses out. Green and black teas are good for your teeth and bones, although black tea has higher fluoride content (0.2-0.5mg as compared to 0.3-0.4mg in green tea). It is best to have your black tea with tap water as it increases the fluoride content up to 0.9mg.

2. Antioxidant content

Yet again green tea and black both have high antioxidant content that helps in preventing cancer, but green is the clear winner over. Milk tea loses again as the milk in it effects the absorption of these antioxidants by your body. Green tea is enriched with a particular type of catechin (flavonoid) called EGCG, which regulates gene activity in cancer cells, and may even prevent cancer growth.

3. Caffeine Content

Both black and green teas have different amounts of caffeine in them. Green tea has lesser caffeine content than black tea- 9-50mg/cup in comparison to 42-17mg/cup. So if you want to have an energetic morning then black tea is the one for you, but if you want to relax your blood vessels and just enjoy a soothing drink, choose green tea. Milk tea, unfortunately, does not have a calming or an energising effect.

Benefits for your heart:

Black tea is probably a healthier option if you want to derive cardiovascular benefits from your daily cuppa. While green tea has abundant EGCG which creates a lining along your blood vessels to reduce stress, black tea offers more benefits. Black tea can improve the function of your blood vessels if you suffer from coronary artery disease. Apart from that, both can lower the levels of harmful cholesterol. There's no evidence that supports that milk tea can be beneficial for your heart.

So, in the end, it's your call to choose black or green tea, whichever works best for you. Try avoiding milk tea as the milk steals away the essential health benefits of tea. Just remember to have no more than 10 cups of green tea a day, and no more than 4 cups of black.

Related Content: Try Auric skin radiance health drinks as an alternative for tea or coffee for glowing skin.

Milk Tea Vs Black Tea Vs Green Tea - Is Your Choice the Best?

Benefits of foods by colour

Did you know that foods can be divided into categories based on their colours and each category has a collective set of health benefits? this not only makes foods interesting, but also helps remember which food is good for which health aspect. 

Foods are broadly divided into six categories based on their colors.

1) white - these foods assist in immune support. Garlic, onions, white beans, potatoes, mushrooms and cauliflower fall under this category. While garlic &amp; onions help reduce the risk of cancer in stomach, colon &amp; rectum, white beans &amp; potatoes help lower blood cholesterol levels. Mushrooms are known to provide the important nutrients and cauliflower contains antioxidants &amp; is also beneficial for women who are pregnant.
2) green -these foods assist in detoxification. Peas, spinach, green beans, capsicums, kiwi, and green tea are some green foods that we can consume. They are good for your health, provide the required nutrients and also assist in detox.
3) yellow - these foods assist in beauty. Banana, yellow capsicum, squash, corn and bananas are some of the yellow foods that we eat. They are full of carotenoids and bioflavonoids which all help maintain our skin, bone and teeth health.
4) orange - these foods assist in cancer prevention. Carrots, oranges, etc are some orange foods that we eat. They are good for the heart, protect our eyes and also boost our immune system.
5) red - these foods support better heart health. They are packed with antioxidants and vitamins. Red chillies, red capsicum, cherries and tomatoes, apples, etc are some red foods that we eat.
6) purple - these foods assist in longevity. Few purple foods that we eat are onions, blackberries, grapes, etc. They fight ulcer, help kill cancer, prevent urinary tract infection and are good for the heart &amp; the liver.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on'consult.

From lybrate: if you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over whatsapp, facebook and other media.


How Does Food's Natural Color Decide Its Goodness?

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