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?

A rising number of teenage girls in the country are getting affected with Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease or PCOD. Though an advanced menarche has become very rampant these days, there are many young women who are suffering from a delay in menarche which in turn is leading to PCOD as opined by gynaecologists. Obesity and sedentary lifestyle among young people have caused a rapid doubling of PCOD cases in the past five to eight years.

Occurrence and Symptoms:

Gynaecologists report that they get at least 15 fresh instances of PCOD cases, and a considerable number of teenagers aged 16-17 are not getting their menarche. Such patients are recommended to take a strictly balanced diet which will help them to lose weight. Initially, their mothers think that they would experience their menarche in proper time, but some girls are diagnosed with PCOD when taken to a family gynaecologist. Even worse, they could never imagine that their obesity can pave the way for such a grave health issue. PCOD can cause numerous other problems like delayed and irregular menses, rapid weight gain and tremendous difficulty in losing weight, developing acne and blocked skin pores.

Furthermore, it leads to thinning of hair and excessive growth of hair on chest, back and face. Infertility, continual miscarriage, high blood pressure and high blood sugar are also common with PCOD.

Help yourself with the right diet:

There is no proven evidence regarding the cause of PCOD though gynaecologists are of the opinion that some females possess a predisposition to this disease, and it may run hereditarily in the family. You can alleviate your PCOD symptoms to a considerable extent by regulating your diet properly.

Have loads of fruits and green leafy vegetables and try to abstain from dairy products as many experts believe that dairy products are a direct cause of an increase in insulin levels, which can aggravate skin troubles along with other PCOD symptoms. Avoiding red meat and eating lean meat instead will help the condition and reduce the chances of infertility. It is always recommended to avoid hydrogenated and saturated fats, which are normally found in animal and dairy-based food. Try to put a stop to cheese, cottage cheese, clarified butter, pork, lamb, beef, etc. and certain baked products like cookies, cakes and fudges as they will trigger a rise in your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

The following dietary tips can be helpful with the condition:

High levels of the insulin hormone causes PCOS symptoms like high blood sugar, increased hair growth, weight gain etc. So, refined foods rich in fat and carbohydrates should be consumed in small amounts.
Whole foods in their natural, uncooked form should be consumed fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans etc. These are low glycemic foods that reduce the glucose circulation by insulin.
Intake of salt should be very limited. You should not consume more than 3 grams a day.
Green vegetables have antioxidants. These are good for women with PCOS because they have a high amount of oxidative stress.
Your daily diet should contain at least 30 grams of fiber to improve the digestion process and remove toxins.
Milk and dairy products are best avoided because milk helps to increase the level of testosterone (male hormone) in the body.
Soy products should also be avoided, especially if you are trying to conceive, because they interfere with the ovulation cycle.
Processed fat is harmful but essential fatty acids found in avocado, fish, olive oil and nuts are important for the body.
High levels of male hormones also cause high cholesterol. So foods which have high saturated fats like butter, cream, coconut oil and fatty meat should not be included in the regular diet of women with PCOS.
Protein-rich foods like lean meat, fish, legumes, whole grains are beneficial as protein can stabilize blood sugar. These foods also keep you feeling full and prevent over-eating.
PCOD is such a condition which you can never afford to overlook. If you had been facing any of the common symptoms, then it is probably time to pay a visit to a responsive gynaecologist.

Diet For Poly Cystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) 

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!

Why you must opt for a homeopathic treatment for PCOS

PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome is a hormonal disorder that is very common among women, in their reproductive age. It is the condition in which cysts are formed in the ovary of the affected woman and/or the levels of the male hormone called androgen increases in her body.

As a result of these, she faces a variety of symptoms like late or no periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, the growth of facial hair, unintended weight gain, acne and pain in the pelvic region. It is also associated with problems related to conception and pregnancy in more complex conditions.

While the complete cure of PCOS is a time-consuming process since it demands thorough observation regarding the change of symptoms in the patient over a period of time; and the course of treatment follows these observations.

Although PCOS and its symptoms can be treated using conventional drugs, use of homeopathic medications is better to treat this condition for the following reasons.

Treatment addressing the root-cause

Using homeopathy for PCOS is a good idea because it offers permanent treatment for the condition. Homeopathy treats and cures the root cause of the condition rather than focussing on the external factors that cause the disease. Therefore, the treatment offered by homeopathy is more reliable. For example, the medicines prescribed for an interrupted period is different from the medicines prescribed for profuse bleeding.

No side effects

Homeopathic treatment is based on the belief that the human body was meant to remain disease free always. So it never tries to make use of drugs that can disturb the body's ability to function naturally. All that homeopathic medications do is to restore the vitality of the body so that it can find its way out of the disease all by itself. This kind of a treatment ensures that there are no side-effects whatsoever of homeopathic medicines.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: How to Ensure a Normal Period When You're Suffering from PCOS?

Does Homeopathy Offer a Permanent Solution for PCOS?

Cumin, also known as 'jeera' in the Indian subcontinent, is an ancient seed that has been prized for more than 3000 years. Ayurveda holds this spice in high regards and uses it for treating a host of health disorders including burning of excess fat.

Why are cumin seeds considered to aid in weight loss?

An effective detoxifier: Ayurveda considers the accumulation of toxins to cause weight gain and other medical conditions. While certain toxins are easily removed with water, fatty toxins stick to cells and disrupt cell metabolism resulting in weight gain. To detox such hard-to-remove toxins, cumin seeds are predominantly used in Ayurveda. The seeds remove excess kapha from the intestines and detox liver effectively.
Lowers cholesterol that aids in burning fat effectively: Black cumin is rich in phytosterols which are plant fats resembling cholesterol present in animal fats. When consumed, they limit the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. Taking a tablespoon of cumin seeds every day has been medically proven to lower the amount of cholesterol up to 10 percent and bad cholesterol up to 14 percent. This reduction in addition to the cholesterol-lowering measures that you may have adopted would be helpful in burning fat much faster. Taking about 2 grams of cumin seeds combined with light freehand or aerobic exercises can lead to subsequent weight loss in people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Lowers blood sugar levels and regulates metabolism: Any person with high blood sugar levels is aware that low insulin levels tend to create a craving for sweets and carbs while high insulin levels can cause extreme thirst and fatigue. Cumin seeds have been proven to lower the blood sugar levels. It lowers blood sugar levels by increasing insulin and glucose sensitivity. In this way, black cumin seeds can aid you to shed off extra pounds by improving the blood glucose levels as well as glucose absorption. In addition to all these benefits, black cumin seeds contain high amounts of oleic acid which is a fatty acid causing acceleration in the way in which the body burns fat.
Other benefits from cumin seeds: Constipation and indigestion are other common reasons for weight gain. An excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, and that has anti-flatulent properties, the cumin seeds can cure constipation, bloating and heaviness, thus, aiding in weight loss. Lack of sleep may also be causing weight gain. Cumin seeds can cure you of insomnia, thus. regulating your sleep pattern and metabolism.
Hence, cumin seeds are a simple and effective ayurvedic remedy for weight loss. Cumin seeds are more potent, and you can take a spoon of roasted or plain cumin seeds every day. Obese or normal, irrespective of your weight, taking cumin seeds regularly have quite a few benefits.

1 Tablespoon Of Cumin - Know How It Can Work Wonders!

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