Health experts do believe, and are promoting the same nowadays, that eating right is the best step to control high blood pressure other than regular medications. Who knows, if you are strong enough to control your lifestyle and eating habits, you may not need a long term medication after some time. The blood pressure may lower down naturally with improving health and weight.

Factors that elevate blood pressure in the body.

Before suggesting the right eatables for lowering the blood pressure, let s look at the conditions which actually increase the blood pressure. They are:

A coronary heart disease
Stress
Anxiety
Work pressure or family and relationship troubles
Obesity
Cholesterol
Other medical conditions like diabetes, depression, etc.
Pregnancy
Each one has a toll on the body with resultant High Blood Pressure. With eating right you may gain a lot of control on the body.

Eating Right

Here are some quick tips on eating right:

Avoid excess salt intake. The more salt you take, the more sodium your body gets, and as a result BP elevates. When you eat readymade snacks, packaged foods and drinks with preservatives, check the nutritional information. Most of them contain high sodium. You may stop the intake of such foods or restrict them completely.

Avoid oily and junk food. Avoid food with unsaturated or trans fats. These kinds of foods straightaway add to the fat deposits of the body, and make you obese or more obese. In such cases, the obesity and increased weight build a pressure on the heart to pump more, thus elevating blood pressure.

Avoid excess caffeine. Caffeine comes in the body through coffee, tea, and aerated drinks. These beverages when restricted to only 1-2 intakes per day may help you lower the BP.

Quit smoking, as this puts excess pressure on the lungs to breathe and thus the heart to pump.

Reduce alcohol intake: Avoid alcohol intake in excess amounts. Drinking more alcohol or frequent drinking can elevate blood pressure.

Besides there are some good foods that can always help to lower or control BP. They are:

Plain, fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt
White beans
Pork tenderloins
Small fishes like Tilapia
Bananas
Oats
Broccoli
Bell Peppers
These food items are designed by nature to reduce blood pressure or normalize blood pressure in the body. Hence, if you are trying heart and soul to eat right, then try these in your daily food to see positive results. Besides, exercising and reducing weight are the two other important steps to take, which complement the healthy diet and eating habits to lower the blood pressure with or without medication.

High Blood Pressure - Control it by Eating Right

Why it's more important to brush your teeth in the night than in the morning

Most people wake up every morning and stumble to wash their teeth first thing. Do you believe that brushing your teeth in the morning is sufficient to keep your mouth healthy?

While it is important to brush your teeth in the morning for good oral hygiene, what goes on in your mouth all night is even more important. Brushing your teeth once a day is barely enough to maintain perfect oral hygiene. By brushing twice a day you can make the difference.

Do you know why it can be important to brush at night since you are only about to sleep?

Here are a few things that brushing before bed does.

1. Reduces acid build up

Everyone has acid being constantly produced in their mouths. The saliva secreted contains calcium which neutralizes the acid being built up. At night the saliva secretion slows down which allows the acids to get accumulated. The acids keep corroding the teeth all night. When you brush your teeth, the fluoride present in the toothpaste stimulates saliva secretion. So by brushing before bed you ensure that the saliva secretion does not fall drastically. In the process you prevent your teeth from getting corroded.

2. Reduce bacterial multiplication

The saliva in our mouth not only neutralizes the acid it reduces bacteria from multiplying as well. During the reduced saliva production, as you sleep, the bacteria in your mouth multiply manifold and attack your teeth and gums. This is why keeping your saliva secretion regular by brushing before bed is of utmost importance.

3. Reduce the decay of food particles

After you have your dinner just rinsing your mouth is not enough. Tiny food particles that get stuck in your teeth rot overnight. It is best to go to bed with a clean mouth rather than a mouth with tiny decaying food particles.

No matter how much of a task it might seem like, brushing at night is as important, if not more important, than brushing in the morning.

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

Is it More Important to Brush Your Teeth in the Night Than in the Morning?

The world celebrates World Pneumonia Day on 12 November. As we all know, pneumonia, the world's greatest killer of children under five, is a respiratory illness. Pneumonia is a type of lung infection that may affect one or both lungs. In this condition, the air sacs, also known as alveoli, fill with pus or fluid, which makes it difficult to breathe. Moreover, pneumonia is known to cause inflammation in the air sacs. This disease may range from mild to life-threatening and the severity depends on the cause of inflammation, the organism fostering your infection, your age and general health. 

Symptoms:

Most common symptoms associated with the condition are:

Chest pain
Difficulty in breathing
Shaking chills
Rapid heartbeat
Fever
Rapid breathing
Dry cough
Vomiting
Wheezing
Nausea 
Muscle aches
Bluish skin tone due to oxygen deficiency 
Blood in sputum that is coughed up mucus
Labored breathing
Confusion 
High fever
Causes: 

Bacteria: One of the most common causes of pneumonia is the bacteria named as Streptococcus pneumoniae. This type of pneumonia may occur after you have had flu or a cold or maybe even on its own. Moreover, it may affect only one part of the lung i.e. the lobe and is also known as lobar pneumonia. 
Viruses: Viruses are one of the main reasons why children below 5 years of age suffer from pneumonia. Viruses that cause pneumonia may also cause cold or flu. Viral pneumonia is usually mild and may be treated at home itself. However, in some cases, it may be very severe and life-threatening. 
Mycoplasmas: Mycoplasma is a type of bacteria that doesn't have a cell wall around the cell membrane which is why they are usually unaffected by most antibiotics which target cell wall synthesis. The symptoms of pneumonia caused by mycoplasmas are mild and the patient does not require bed rest. This type of pneumonia is known as 'Walking Pneumonia'. 
Fungi: People with weakened immune systems or chronic health problems usually develop pneumonia due to fungi. You may also develop fungal pneumonia by inhaling large doses of it mainly found in soil or bird droppings.
Prevention against Pneumonia

It is important for all of us to prevent ourselves from pneumonia and for that we can follow the below mentioned steps:

Know about the symptoms of pneumonia first: It is difficult to detect or diagnose pneumonia, especially in people over the age of 65. In older patients, the common symptoms such as fever, chills, cough may not be experienced. You should watch out for non-respiratory symptoms like weakness, dizziness, delirium and confusion. It is even more difficult to diagnose pneumonia in people who are suffering from preexisting conditions.
Practice good hygiene: Common respiratory Infections, influenza and cold may cause pneumonia. You should follow hygienic habits. Wash your hands regularly before meals and use hand sanitizers in order to prevent the illness from spreading. You should also maintain proper oral hygiene as several oral infections may also lead to pneumonia. You should also keep away from people who are affected by pneumonia or any other illness like flu, cold and serious diseases such as measles or chicken pox. All these factors may cause pneumonia.
Get vaccinated: It is recommended for people of all ages who may be at a risk of getting pneumonia to get vaccinated and immunized against pneumonia causing virus called pneumococcal pneumonia. This is a one-time vaccine, which prevents and reduces the severity of pneumonia. A booster vaccine after every five years may also be prescribed. Elderly people should be vaccinated against all diseases which cause pneumonia.
Quit smoking: Smoking accounts for being a major cause or risk factor for pneumonia. It increases a person s chance of getting pneumonia as the lungs  ability to defend themselves from the infection is reduced. By quitting smoking, you will be able to prevent pneumonia.
Maintain a good general health: Maintaining an overall good health and following healthy habits will help you in preventing pneumonia. This is because your immune system stays strong and is able to fight efficiently against pneumonia-causing infections. A proper diet with all essential nutrients is also recommended along with regular physical exercise and proper rest.
Severe cases of pneumonia are capable of making you suffer and you may be admitted to a hospital. According to studies, it has been estimated that more than 60% of people over the age of 65 need to be hospitalised because of pneumonia. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pulmonologist.

World Pneumonia Day - How Best Can You Prevent Yourself?

Chronic cold is caused by a variety of virus. They attack the mucous membrane to start with and go on replicating with every passing hour. Typical symptoms are sore throat, cough, sneezing and fatigue. There are enough home remedies that can successfully address the symptoms of chronic cold and get the stalwart immune system works faster. 


Ginger tea: A cup of freshly prepared hot ginger tea will instantly show results for a chronic cold. The compound gingerol found in ginger can sharply cut down inflammation of the mucous membrane. It also creates a safe passage for the mucus to flow out of the body. The tea not only tastes good, but adds the much needed fluid that the body requires during the cold. 2 cups of ginger tea in a day is good enough to drive the cold away.
Steam: Steam in any form is a great agent to eradicate cold and cough from within. Be it in the form of tea, a hot bath or simply breathing in and out from a hot bowl, steams are wonder agent for chronic cold and cough. Certain agents such as peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus leaves can be mixed with hot steam and the same can be inhaled for quick relief from a stuffy nose. The antiviral effects of the above mentioned agents can dislodge congestion, make way for the mucus and give relief from throat relief.
Syrup of honey and onion: If the chronic cold is accompanied with a nasty cough and with yellow sputum, a combination of honey and onion juice can be a wonder agent. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of this mix help to loosen the phlegm from the chest. It also reduces the swelling of the throat and can keep the fatigue down.
Cough syrup: This syrup is not the ones that are available over the counter. It is prepared from liquorice root, ginger, marshmallow root and cinnamon. This syrup will readily arrest sore throats, soothe the mucous membrane and clear the phlegm from inside. For some test improvement, one spoon of honey can be added to make the syrup drinkable. 2 tablespoons of this syrup should be consumed twice in a day before any meal.
Salt bath: A salt bath comprising of scented salt, hot water, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil can ease the body from tiredness and congestion. It is a welcome relief from the nasty cold. A bath of 15 minutes can relax the body and reduces body pain if any.
Gargle: The old fashioned gargle is one of the best remedies for getting over from chronic cold and cough. Warm water along with salt, cider vinegar, and dried sage is necessary to make the solution. Gargle helps to clear the mucus, fixes voice and gives relief from chest uneasiness.

Chronic Cold - 6 Home Remedies To Help You Treat it

Struggling with extra weight and flab? Well, we are here to help! Remember to take it slow and easy with your weight loss journey so that the effects are more lasting. Reducing weight in a month is a matter of making the best use of dietary tweaks and a work out regimen. 

Here are a few tips to lose weight in a month. Set a realistic goal of about 5 to 6 kgs in a month and get set go!

1. Food Diary: What you eat is the first thing that affects how smooth and effective your weight loss journey is. Remember to take stock of what you are eating in a day. Maintain a food diary for at least a week and take a look at it at the end of the week to realise where you may be going wrong. Remember to report even a bite of a snack or that piece of chocolate you took! You will be surprised with your findings. 

2. Diet Alterations: Get your diet under control by dividing it up into five or six small meals. Include vegetables, fruit, grains, water and some amount of dairy. Try to eliminate meat and sugar from your diet for a month. Also, you can substitute white rice with brown rice or other grains like quinoa. Have oats for fibre and remember to drink plenty of green tea and water. 

3. Dietary Additives: Adding ingredients like almonds, prunes, blue berries, and even chia seeds will do wonders for your overall diet plan. When you are in the mood for a snack, reach out for these fat burning substances that will get your metabolism to work overtime. 

4. Mental Hunger: Do a quick check every time you get hungry out of turn. If it is not your meal time, there may be chances that you are suffering from emotional or mental hunger, which usually passes in a few minutes once you down a glass of water and distract yourself with an enjoyable activity and deep breaths. 

5. Exercise: This is one aspect that many people ignore. Work out everyday to support your diet and weight loss journey. Have coffee an hour before your workout session for quick fat burning. 

Tips to Reduce Weight in a Month

Nosebleeds can be frightening and dramatic. Luckily, most cases of nosebleeds can be dealt with fair ease. Nosebleeds can be classified into two types depending upon the origin of the nose bleed, namely anterior and posterior.

Anterior bleed is the most common, and the bleeding is from a blood vessel which is present in the front part of the nose. These bleeds can be easily controlled by simple measures taken by doctors or at home.
Posterior nose bleeds are usually indicative of something more complicated and occur mostly in adults or elderly. The bleed can be caused by a rupture in arteries in the posterior part of the nose. These nosebleeds can get severe and may require admission to a hospital for treatment and management. They are the most common in kids in the range of 2 to 10 years and adults older than 50 years.
What can cause nosebleeds?

The most common cause of a nosebleed is probably trauma or an injury to the nose. External trauma includes a sharp blow to the nose, whereas internal injury comprises of injury from picking your nose continuously or irritation from cold.
Less frequently, an underlying condition can also result in nosebleeds. These conditions include diseases that make clotting difficult. The inability of blood to properly coagulate and clot can be contributed by blood-thinning agents like aspirin and warfarin. 
Disease in the liver can also cause problems in the clotting of blood. Rarely, cancer in the nose or abnormal blood vessels present in the nose can contribute to bleeding. Another cause of nosebleeds can be high blood pressure, but it is rarely the only reason.
What are the symptoms of nosebleeds?

Nosebleeds usually occur from one nostril. Sometimes, if the bleeding is excessive, the nostril can get filled with blood and it can cross the nasopharynx and overflow into the other nostril and result in bleeding from both nostrils. The blood can also go into the throat and one may spit out blood from the mouth or vomit out blood (hematemesis).
Excessive blood loss can cause dizziness, confusion, lightheadedness, and can also cause fainting. Excessive blood loss from nosebleeds is not very common.
Although, nosebleeds are rarely a complication, it is advised to consult a doctor if the occurrences are too frequent.

Nose Bleeding - Things That Can Cause It!

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