Knowing This Can Help You Prevent Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is the most common cancer to affect the female reproductive system. The exact cause of ovarian cancer is not yet known and the risk factors involved are numerous, the most prevalent of which are genetic defects and hereditary problems.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are not always clear and range from pelvic and abdominal pains to irregularities in the menstrual cycle. Women beyond the age of 50 are most at risk of developing this type of cancer and the risk factor increases in case of family history.

Prevention of ovarian cancer

There is no sure shot way of preventing ovarian cancer. Some factors such as genetics cannot be controlled at all. There are, however, ways to take precaution against it through some simple lifestyle choices. 

A few of those ways are as follows:

- Eat a healthy balanced diet which is rich in all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals that the body requires for boosting and maintaining immunity.

- Exercise regularly and stay active. Maintaining fitness is an important aspect of preventing the onset of all sorts of diseases and disorders.

- Go for frequent health checkups and make regular consultations with your gynaecologist so as to ensure early detection of the problem.

Another notable way of avoiding ovarian cancer is taking birth control pills which are known to reduce the risk levels. However, studies have shown that there are other health risks associated with taking birth control pills and hence you should always consult a gynaecologist for a proper prescription.




Knowing This Can Help You Prevent Ovarian Cancer

Nuts and dry fruits are probably the oldest and traditional superfoods which our mothers have diligently offered us for our good health. Packed with proteins, iron, magnesium, healthy fats, vitamin B and fiber, these nutritional powerhouses are a must in our diet, but only in a limited quantity. Yes, taking almonds, dates, cashews, pistachios, and walnuts in excess amount can lead to excessive body heat, giving rise to nasty pimples and rashes. Not more than 2 tablespoons of dry fruits are recommended in a day because of their sugar content, they can easily help to put on weight by adding excess calories.

But, how true is the claim or is it a myth? Let's find out.

Here is a brief overview of how overconsumption of dry fruit is detrimental to health:

Weight gain: Studies conducted by researchers over the years has revealed that it takes over 3500 calories to gain 1 pound of weight. However, consuming just 250 calories from dry fruits can result in over 2 pounds of weight in a single month. A sudden increase in weight can bring in other complications such as obesity, menstrual problems in women, high blood pressure, etc. It is therefore imperative to avoid excess intake of dry fruits. To ensure minimum intake of calories, we could focus on dates, apricot, cranberries, blueberries, etc.
Asthma: Sulphur dioxide is often used to process dry fruits. Studies revealed that this foul-smelling gas isn t very harmful when consumed in limited quantities. But, as per food safety experts, the permissible limit of Sulphur dioxide in humans should not be more than 20 mg per day as it can cause asthma, allergic reaction and skin rashes in an individual.
Gastrointestinal problems: Food items with high fiber content help in regular bowel movement and smooth blood flow. However, consuming too much fiber can lead to bloating, diarrhea, flatulence, cramps and constipation. This is exactly the case with dry fruits as well. They contain fiber and have the capacity to wreak havoc in the intestinal lining on overconsumption. Gradual and steady consumption of dry fruits over a period of time can mitigate this risk. 
Tooth decay: Dry fruits that are available in the market come with a thick coat of sugar so that they do not infuse moisture and stick to each other. This sugar significantly contributes to tooth decay. This is the reason why overconsumption of dry foot should be avoided.
Sugar crash: Most dry fruits have a high glycaemic index which can quickly surge blood sugar levels and spike energy levels. Therefore, patients suffering from high pressure should strictly refrain from dry fruits.
While the cons appear frightening, do not cross the nuts off the grocery list completely. Dry fruits when consumed under control, can be really helpful. So remember that moderation is the key. And in case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to all your questions!

Dry Fruits - 5 Reasons Why You Must Not Eat Too Many!

A great alternative to refined sugar, honey is packed with essential nutrients and is really delicious to eat. There are many health benefits of honey. It can be easily added to any diet as a topping, say for fruit salads, ice-creams or as a spread. But are you aware that the jars of this tasty golden liquid can sometimes not be honey at all but syrup that tastes exactly like honey? So, How do you evaluate if you are buying real honey?

In order to boost profits, honey manufacturers dilute their product with adulterants such as flour, syrup or molasses and even sand and chalk. If you want to get the most out of this tick liquid, you should buy only pure honey.

What Is Pure Honey?
Real honey is not produced in factories but from bees. Usually, organic and natural honey are referred to as pure honey. However, it is not always feasible to tell if the honey is pure by just looking at it. Natural honey is made only by honey bees and when these bees are fed only at organically grown flowers, the honey they produced is classified as organic.

What Is Fake Honey?
Also known as artificial, adulterated or impure, fake honey contains additives including corn syrup, glucose, molasses, sugar syrup, dextrose, invert sugar, flour or starch apart from the floral nectar.

How To Find Fake Honey?
Listed below are a few simple tips that you can carry out at the comfort of your home to determine whether the honey you are buying is genuine or fake.



Read The Label: In addition to buying well-known and reputed brands of honey, ensure that you check the label for the logo and brand name. This will guarantee that the jar you pickup is not only good quality but also genuine. The label on the jar should list only one ingredient, honey, no additives, or flavourings.
The Warm Water Test: Add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of warm water. If the honey is pure, then it will sink to the bottom of the glass as a lump or stick to the spoon when the mixture is stirred. If the honey is adulterated with any kind of syrup, it will dissolve in the water.
The Thumb Test: Put a drop of honey on your thumb. If it spreads or spills, then it is not pure. Pure honey is thick in texture and would remain intact on your thumb.
The Flame Test: Honey is inflammable and easily catches fire. Dip a dry matchstick in honey, then strike the matchbox. If the matchstick lights with ease and continues to burn, then the honey is pure. Due to the moisture present as an adulterant in fake honey, a matchstick dipped in fake honey will not light easily.
The Foam Test: Add 2-3 drops of vinegar essence to the honey and mix well. If it becomes foamy within 2-3 minutes, then the product you have purchased is not pure and contains additives.
The Tissue Paper Test: Put a drop of honey on a piece of tissue paper. If it gets absorbed and leaves the paper wet or a watermark on the paper, then it is adulterated and not pure honey.
The Heat Test: If the honey is pure, then on heating, it will caramelize. However, fake honey tends to form bubbles on heating and does not caramelize.
The Bread Test: Pure honey when spread on the bread, makes the bread hardened within a few minutes. On the other hand, the slice of bread remains soft and moisturized if there are any additives present in the honey.
The Crystallization Test: Pure honey has a natural tendency to crystallize over time because of the presence of glucose oxidase, an enzyme that removes water/moisture from honey. Fake honey does not become thick, when stored.
The Egg Yolk Test: When honey is mixed will egg yolk in a bowl and both are blended together, the yolk looks like it is cooked. However, fake honey does not produce this effect on the egg yolk.
You might sometimes be able to spot fake honey by its taste and smell, though not always. Honey being a natural product and produced from the nectar of different flowers, it does not always taste or smell the same. It is also not possible to taste honey before buying it if as the product comes in a sealed bottle or jar. Therefore, it is recommended to only pick branded or organic honey to ensure that the honey you are buying is pure and genuine.

Honey - How To Spot If It Is Fake Or Not?

Why do you get PCOS?

Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the condition when a woman's sex hormone levels get imbalanced. This can cause women to have irregular periods and may also have an impact on their fertility. Women suffering from PCOS also tend to grow small cysts in their ovaries which can also lead to severe health problems like diabetes and heart disease, if left untreated.

What causes PCOS?

The exact cause of PCOS is not known. However, the condition may be triggered by hormonal imbalances and genetic factors. Women are more susceptible to developing this condition if their mother or a female family member also has the condition. Excessive production of androgen, which is a male sex hormone, may also lead to this condition. Women suffering from PCOS tend to have high levels of androgen. The formation of eggs and their release during ovulation can be delayed by high levels of androgen. High androgen levels may result from excess insulin present in the blood. Poor lifestyle and irregular eating habits contribute to obesity which intern leads to increased insulin resistance and hence delayed ovulation and irregular cycles leading to infertility.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?


The type of symptom in case of PCOS varies from person to person. Since PCOS is characterized by low levels of sex hormones, this condition may lead to symptoms such as:

- Excessive hair growth on stomach, face, chest, toes and thumbs
- The breast size starts to shrink
- There is a change in voice, making it deeper
- There is excessive loss of hair from your scalp
- Sometimes the face is filled with acne and the skin turns oily
- There are fertility problems like having trouble in ovulating or recurring miscarriages
- Frequent depression or mood swings
- Facing breathings problems while sleeping
- Obesity

Why do you get PCOS?

What is PCOD?

PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Disease is a disorder that causes innumerable hormonal disorders. It causes disruption in the normal menstrual cycle, often delaying it. Having been diagnosed with PCOD makes a woman prone to diabetes, cholesterol and cancer. A large number of cysts develop on the ovaries which enlarge when afflicted by this condition. PCOD can increase the chances of severe muscle spasms during one s periods.

Causes Of PCOD-

The cysts are mostly caused due to hormonal changes and fluctuations.

It could be genetic.

PCOD can also be a result of an unhealthy lifestyle that includes little rest, inadequate sleep and unwholesome diet lacking in the right nutrients.

Symptoms Of PCOD-

Acne

Excessive growth of facial hair

Weight gain

Difficulty in losing weight

Excessive hair on body as well, including chest, stomach and back

Irregular menstrual cycle. Women may miss their periods, or bleed more than once a month

Extremely heavy bleeding

Severe pain and muscular cramps during menstruation

Problems getting pregnant

Infertility

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Depression

Other serious hormonal disorders

It can lead to diabetes

It can lead to repeated miscarriages

A major risk of PCOD if left untreated, is that it can lead to endometrial cancer

Diet For PCOD-

A healthy diet along with physical activities and abstinence from smoking can help to reduce the symptoms of PCOD and prevent the disease.

Increase the intake of fresh, green vegetables.

Cutting down on junk, fried food and most importantly, processed food.

Abstaining from or greatly reducing the intake of alcohol.

Including lots of fibre, roughage in the diet.

Cutting down on sugary, aerated drinks.

Including lean proteins in the diet.

Reduce dairy products as milk may raise the levels of testosterones in the body.

Reducing or eliminating consumption of caffeine may help to increase chances of a fertile reproductive system.

Prevent yourself from giving in to unhealthy food cravings. Eat small healthy meals at regular intervals.

Include fruits, nuts and colourful veggies in your diet.

PCOD- Diet You Must Follow!

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!

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