Impact of drinking water in plastic bottles

We store water in all sorts of plastic bottles, jugs or containers. It can be low grade or high grade, but plastic is plastic! This is a very harmful daily practice as plastic containers carry lot of chemicals and bacteria. 

Let s see the harmful effects of drinking water in plastic bottles:

1. Harmful substances: Apart from harmful chemicals in plastic, water when get stored in plastic bottles also produces harmful substances like fluoride, arsenic and aluminium which can be poison for human body. So, drinking water from plastic bottles would mean drinking slow poison that will slowly and steadily deteriorate your health.

2. Dioxin production: Plastic does melt in hot environment. And we, often store water in plastic bottles while driving and so many times leave it in the car where it is in the direct exposure of sun. Such heating releases a toxin called Dioxin which when consumed can accelerate breast cancer.

3. BPA generation: Biphenyl A is an estrogen-mimicking chemical which can lead to lot of health problems like diabetes, obesity, fertility problems, behavioural problems and early puberty in girls. It s better not to store and drink water from a plastic bottle.

4. Liver cancer and reduced sperm count: Because of presence of a chemical called phthalates in plastic, drinking water from plastic bottles can also lead to liver cancer and reduction in sperm count.

5. Vitamin based bottled water: Nowadays, we get water mostly in plastic bottles and to increase its health content, manufacturers make it vitamin-enriched to attract buyers. But this is even more harmful as it carries health-harming additives like food dyes and high fructose corn syrup.

6. Impact on immune system: Our immune system is immensely affected when we drink water in plastic bottles. The chemicals from plastic bottles are ingested and tend to  disturb our body s immune system.

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Nothing s more dangerous than drinking water in plastic bottles!

Diabetes is something which has become so common over the past few decades and this is said to be a cause of worry as most people don't understand how to prevent and manage it. This has led to some myths, gaining more than their fair share of popularity. So, wouldn t it be a good idea to get to know a little more so as to separate the myths from the facts?

Weight & watch: One of the most common myths when it comes to diabetes is the belief that a person is going to have his or her life adversely affected if he or she is overweight. While it is true that being overweight happens to be one of the risk factors related to diabetes, it is important to keep in mind the fact that there are other risk factors which are responsible, as well. Some of these factors are age and family history, as well as the ethnicity of the person. Taking this into account, it should not come as too much of a surprise to know that there are quite a few people who are not overweight, but are still fighting diabetes.
Packaged tricks: Considering the rise in the number of people who are suffering from diabetes, this has led to food being marketed specifically for their consumption. However, in reality, whatever represents a healthy diet is sufficient for a person who is diabetic. So a diet which does not have a high amount of saturated fats and trans fats and does not go overboard with starch and sugar, but features a fair amount of lean protein works well too. All the fancy diabetic food, which a person buys, is only likely to drive a great hole in the wallet and not have any additional health benefits. Therefore, the extra spending is nowhere close to being worthwhile and should be avoided.
Fruits punch: Many people are of the opinion that it is the processed and sugary food items, which cause diabetes and this is true to a significant extent. However, some people are of the view that since fruit is natural, diabetics can eat as much of it as they like. This is where the thinking gets dangerous. Some fruits are rich in carbohydrates and so it should be consumed in a reasonable quantity, as part of the daily meal plan. After all, too much of any good thing is bad!

Diabetes - 3 Myths Decoded!

Do you feel bloated like a whale? Do you have a burning sensation in your stomach that makes you want to bend over constantly? This inflammation of your stomach could be caused by a number of reasons. One of the most common scenarios can be that you may have had a little too much to drink the last night, eaten too much spicy food or just eaten something that may have inflamed your stomach. Worry not, because you can treat your stomach inflammation easily with these quick fixes.

Here are a few home remedies that can help:

Probiotics: Ever wondered why your grandmother told you to eat a bowl of curd if your stomach was out? Because, curd is rich in probiotics and probiotics are known to introduce good bacteria to your digestive system and help improve digestion. They also aid in regulating bowel movements and speed up the healing process. Apart from curd, foods such as kefir, Kimchi, and kombucha are also rich in probiotics and can help relieve stomach inflammation to a great extent.
Green tea: Amongst other things green tea also helps soothe your digestive system. It also improves digestion. Studies have shown that drinking a cup of warm green tea even just once a week can make a significant difference for gastritis patients. To improve the taste, you can add a spoonful of honey to the tea, as honey also has a number of potential health benefits for your digestive system.
Eat smaller meals: Eating heavy meals with large gaps between them can be one of the major causes of stomach inflammation. So, if you ve been suffering from recurring gastritis attacks, consider eating smaller meals with shorter gaps between them. Also, pay attention to what you re eating, avoid foods that make you feel bloated and are difficult to digest. If you do not know what foods trigger such a response, start maintaining a food journal. This will help you in identifying the foods that don t suit your digestive system.
Garlic Extract: Garlic has a number of health benefits. This herb is also great for an upset stomach. Garlic extract can help remove H. pylori from your stomach. This is the strain of bacteria most commonly responsible for stomach inflammation. In order to get the maximum benefit crush a few pods of raw garlic, extract its juice and drink a teaspoon of it. Alternatively, you can buy garlic extract from an Ayurvedic store for the same purpose.
Ginger: Ginger also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat stomach inflammation. To benefit from this chew a piece of raw ginger followed by a glass of water. Alternatively, boil a piece of ginger with water and milk; drink this tea to get relief from inflammation.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Stomach Inflammation - 5 Quick Ways To Get Relief!

Fresh fruits vs. Dehydrated fruits - what's better?

It is said that dehydrated fruits offer same health benefits as that of fresh fruits, but differ slightly in mineral and vitamin content. Both fresh and dried fruits will provide you with fiber and antioxidants, which are beneficial for your health; however dried fruits usually lose a small percentage of their vitamins during the process of dehydration.

When you compare fresh and dried fruits, it's great to make use of the standard serving sizes, which are 1 cup of fresh fruit and quarter cup of dried fruit.

But when fruits lose their water content and eventually volume during the drying process, their sugar, calorie, and nutrient content become concentrated. So when you consume a handful of dried fruits, there is an intake of more calories than you would if you consumed that same quantity of fresh fruits.

Besides giving you a variety in taste and health benefits, both fresh fruits, and dehydrated fruits have their own significance.

For instance, whereas dry fruits can offer you portability and a longer shelf life; fresh fruit as opposed to dry fruits contain a higher amount of minerals and hence is a more nutritious choice than dried fruits.

If you are keeping a close watch on your weight, then dried fruits should not be eaten much as they contain considerably more calories in each serving than the fresh fruits. Dried fruits that contain sugar additives are high in calorie content, but the ones with low-calorie content offer numerous health rewards:

- antioxidants

There are some dried fruits which are a rich source of antioxidants, the journal of the American college of nutrition revealed. For instance, phenol an antioxidant-type is found more in dried fruits such as figs and dates than in fresh fruits.

- high fiber

Dried fruits are usually high in fiber content than the equal-sized serving of the fresh fruits. Fiber helps in running our digestive system smoothly and prevents obesity as well as cancer and heart disease.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: Whole Fruit vs Fruit Juice - Which Is Healthier for You?

Fresh Fruits Vs. Dry  Fruits

How to use bananas to melt stomach fat?

Banana is one fruit that is available in all the seasons and is extremely nutritious because of presence of fibre, mineral and potassium in it. Its taste and ‘easy-to-eat’ quality makes it everyone’s favourite. It also helps in flushing out toxins from the body and enhances metabolism too. But did you know that as a result of these qualities, banana helps you with melting stomach fat also. Yes! Banana is one of those very few fruits which have a tendency to melt the stomach fat. Let’s see how and why?

1. Fruit: Banana is an excellent source of energy because it has glucose, fructose and sucrose in it. Consumption of banana decreases the feeling of hunger. So, when we take banana, we will not be hungry for a long time which will also help in lessening the stomach fat.

2. Banana Smoothie: Banana prevents retention of water in the body and because of this quality, it helps in melting the stomach fat. A banana drink is a great idea for that. Not only by adding few other ingredients it becomes tastier but also helps in melting the stomach fat easily and faster. You just have to mix things like an orange, ¼ table spoon ginger, 2 table spoons of flax seeds and whey powder, yoghurt, along with a spoonful of coconut oil in one banana. It will give good results if it’s taken on an empty stomach. It can also be taken after drinking a glass of lukewarm water early morning. But taking it just once won’t serve the purpose. You have to take it regularly to get the desired results.

3. As a Combination Food: Apart from taking banana in its original form and in the form of smoothie, mixing bananas with cranberries, raspberries or blueberries along with ginger, honey and little water will also provide the same result. Likewise, in place of berries, if you add spinach, it will also help in reducing stomach fat making you look much slimmer.

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

3 Amazing Ways To Melt Belly Fat with Bananas

Diabetes is growing to be the epidemic of modern days. The challenge here is it is not just about managing your sugar levels, but the whole lot of symptoms that diabetes brings with it. From bones to teeth to kidneys to wounds, diabetes affects all body systems. It is therefore very essential to watch out for symptoms of diabetes and curb it in its early stages. This will help control diabetes significantly along with its effects on the whole body.

Diabetes Complications-

Long-term complications of diabetes develop gradually. The longer you have diabetes   and the less controlled your blood sugar   the higher the risk of complications. Eventually, diabetes complications may be disabling or even life-threatening. Possible complications include:

Cardiovascular disease. Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke and narrowing of arteries (atherosclerosis). If you have diabetes, you are more likely to have heart disease or stroke.
Nerve damage. Excess sugar can injure the walls of the tiny blood vessels (capillaries) that nourish your nerves, especially in your legs. This can cause tingling, numbness, burning or pain. Left untreated, you could lose all sense of feeling in the affected limbs. 
Kidney damage. The kidneys contain millions of tiny blood vessel clusters (glomeruli) that filter waste from your blood. Diabetes can damage this delicate filtering system. Severe damage can lead to kidney failure or irreversible end-stage kidney disease, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Eye damage. Diabetes can damage the blood vessels of the retina (diabetic retinopathy), potentially leading to blindness. 
Foot damage. Nerve damage in the feet or poor blood flow to the feet increases the risk of various foot complications. These infections may ultimately require toe, foot or leg amputation.
Skin conditions. Diabetes may leave you more susceptible to skin problems, including bacterial and fungal infections.
Hearing impairment. Hearing problems are more common in people with diabetes.
Alzheimer's disease. Type 2 diabetes may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 
The following are some of the basic must do's if you have diabetes. These can go a long way in preventing adverse diabetic side effects.

Diet: Whether diabetic or not, it is always important to watch your diet. You are what you eat. Eat what your body needs, reduce refined foods, processed foods and increase the amount of whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Eating small frequent meals goes a long way in managing sugar levels than binging at one meal and starving the rest of the day. Reduce intake of saturated fats; include more lean meats. Choose grilling and steaming over frying and roasting. Diet is very important in diabetes. Recommended foods - Healthy carbohydrates, Fiber-rich foods, Heart-healthy fish and Good fats. Foods to avoid - Saturated fats, Trans fats, Cholesterol and Sodium
Exercise: Every week, make sure about 2 hours is dedicated to physical activity. This could include any exercise of your choice, brisk walking, swimming, cycling, aerobics, hiking, jogging, skipping, gymnastics, or playing games like football or basketball. While in most cases, the person can do these on their own, in some people, supervision may be required.
Watch your weight: For a diabetic person, controlling weight to a desirable level of BMI of 18 and 23 is very important. Obesity is one of the predisposing factors for diabetes, and reducing weight controls the onset of diabetes and helps the progression of symptoms in diabetics.
Smoking: Another risk factor for diabetes onset, quitting is the best option. If not feasible, reducing smoking and gradually quitting should be aimed at. Not just diabetes, the effects on overall health will be evident almost immediately after quitting.
Stress management: One of the main risk factors for diabetes, there is no getting away from stress. Everybody has their stresses but the trick is to manage it well. Whether it is music or meditation or medication or counselling, make sure stress levels are managed. This also helps prevent diabetic complications like heart disease and stroke and promotes well-being.
Constant Checkups: Periodic check-up of blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, eye exam, dental checkup, foot checkup to test for nerve damage are all extremely important. Take your medications regularly without fail.
Diabetes requires a change in lifestyle, which may seem tedious initially. But after a while, it will become the norm and then diabetic control does not feel like something additional that is to be done.

Diabetes - 6 Ways You Can Prevent it

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