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!

Dealing with Dysmenorrhoea (Painful Periods)

Dysmenorrhoea is a medical condition where a woman has extremely painful periods. While menstruation is normal, it is very painful. This is caused by disorders like fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, use of intrauterine contraceptive device or endometriosis. Many women assume that pain is normal and must be tolerated.

Few ways to deal with dysmenorrhoea are:

1. It’s Ok To Take Pain Relievers: To relieve the pain, simple analgesics like paracetamol and aspirin can be taken.

2. Anti-inflammatory Drugs Can Taken: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed to deal with dysmenorrhoea and most women are known to feel relief from the pain.

3. Fish Oils Capsules: Fish oil capsules which contain Omega 3 fatty Acids are also a good option to use when troubled with severe menstrual pain.

4. Prefer Light Diet: A few minor dietary changes can also help. Eating low fat vegetarian food especially on the days of the periods can prove to be helpful.

5. Avoid Sedentary Lifestyle: It is said that exercise can reduce the pain of dysmenorrhoea. Sedentary lifestyle is not good for the uterus region and it is advisable to indulge in regular exercises.

6. Use Heat Therapy: Heat therapy is a common and effective way to deal with dysmenorrhoea. Keeping a hot water bag on the region of the pain is known to soothe the pain and help relax the muscles.  

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Why Do Some Girls Have Extremely Painful Periods?

Ovarian cysts are fluid-filled sacs that develop on a woman's ovary. A patient might experience abdominal and pelvic pain, abnormal bleeding, menstrual irregularities, pain during intercourse or irregular bowel movements. These symptoms indicate an ovarian cyst developing inside you. Ovarian cysts are common in women and may develop during menstruation. In many cases, symptoms are not observed, and you may get ovarian cysts without knowing. Usually being harmless, ovarian cysts may sometimes lead to severe health conditions.

Here are 7 important things you should know about ovarian cysts:
1. You should know the reason behind the formation of ovarian cysts. When the follicle does not release the egg, it may grow bigger in size and take the form of a follicular cyst. A corpus luteum cyst may also develop, which is a cavity that gets formed after the egg is ruptured and released from the follicle. The cysts may bleed and cause pelvic pain.

2. It is important for you to know if you have an ovarian cyst. Many ovarian cysts do not show symptoms and go away by themselves. Follicular cysts do not change your menstrual cycle, but corpus luteum cysts may cause bleeding.  

3. You should know how to detect an ovarian cyst. You should visit a gynecologist regularly for diagnosis. Bigger cysts can be diagnosed via a pelvic examination. Ultrasound is also used for detection.  

4. You should have an idea about all the symptoms associated with ovarian cysts. These include fever, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms indicate that you have an infection. Sometimes, a cyst might twist an ovary, which may cut off blood supply to the ovary, causing permanent damage.

5. In case you are at a risk of twisting of the ovaries, you have to undergo a surgery. Surgery is also considered when the cyst lasts longer than three menstrual cycles and it is bigger than four inches in size. The cyst may also pose the risk of being a tumor. The common surgical procedures for ovarian cysts are laparoscopy and laparotomy.  

6. You can prevent ovarian cysts be taking birth control pills, which help in suppressing ovulation and prevent the formation of a cyst. Birth control pills may help only if you are not pregnant.

7. Ovarian cysts are more common in premenopausal women. However, these are possible in postmenopausal women as well, especially in the early postmenopausal stage.  

Sometimes, there might be chances of an ovarian cyst being cancerous in nature, which may lead to ovarian cancer. The risk of cancerous ovarian cysts increases with age. It is recommended to consult a gynecologist for the proper diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cysts in women. Pain medications and heating pads are used as alternative treatment methods for less serious ovarian cysts.

7 Things You Should Know About Ovarian Cysts

There are many food items which would become stale after a few hours, but there are certain foods which may last forever without the need to can them or freeze or dehydrate. If an individual is new to the field of food storage, these staples can be an excellent way to begin.

White rice: There are numerous researchers who have found that polished or white rice keeps up their nutrient content and flavour for almost 30 years if it can be stored in oxygen-free containers in temperatures that range below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown rice, on the other hand, doesn t last more than six months owing to the availability of natural oils in the bran layer.
Honey: Honey is preferably the only food that would last forever due to the perfect chemistry and the handiwork of the bees. The nectar extracted from the flower gets mixed with the enzymes present in the bees  bodies which alter the composition of the nectar. The nectar is further broken down into simple sugars and is accumulated in the honeycombs. The processing, as well as sealing of the honey, is primarily responsible for the incredible shelf life.
Salt: Since sodium chloride is a mineral which is taken from the natural components of the earth, its shelf-life should come as a natural consequence. It is used for centuries as a means of preserving other food products as it can extract out all the moisture. But this doesn t indicate that the table salt would last forever. Experts say that the addition of the iodine to the table salt reduces the shelf life of the salt which means that if the label says that it is an iodized salt, it will not last over five years.
Soy sauce: When left unopened, a container filled with soya sauce would last for a significantly long period. But it is also dependent on the type of soy sauce and the additives used. Even if the soy sauce has been opened, this salty condiment will last for many years if stored in the refrigerator.
Sugar: Quite similar to many items, the storage process of the sugar determines whether the sugar is going to last for long or not. Granulated and powdered sugar must be kept under an airtight condition to steer clear of moisture. Although retailers are needed to provide the manufacturing dates of the sugar, manufacturers say that the sugar remains edible even if it has hardened and become brown.
Pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup, as well as commercial sugars such as granular sugars and honey, has an irresistible life owing to its shield against any kinds of microbial growth. Unopened maple syrup shall last forever, and in case there is the formation of mould, boiling it to a certain degree and skimming the surface and ultimately pouring it to a clean and air-tight container would eliminate all the problems.
Clarified butter: This kind of butter is boiled unless the total moisture is extracted which is the reason that it doesn t go bad. As long as the clarified butter or ghee is stored in sealed container under cool temperature, it would last for about 100 years.

7 Foods That Never Expire!

Polycystic ovary disease or PCOD is a kind of hormonal disorder in which a woman produces a surplus of male hormones like testosterone.
High levels of male hormones produce symptoms like irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all. In simple words, women with PCOD or PCOS don t release a mature egg from their ovaries every month resulting in infertility. PCOD affects one in 10 women worldwide.

Women suffering from PCOD suffer from symptoms like heavy vaginal bleeding. This is because, as they don t ovulate and produce the hormone Progesterone like normal women do and have normal periods, the lining of their uteri becomes thick leading to heavy bleeding and sometimes uterine cancer.

The other common symptoms of PCOS are:

Acne
Weight gain
Oily skin
Heart problems
Irregular periods
Migraines
Hirsuitism
Infertility
Mood swings and depression
There is a propensity for developing diabetes as well in PCOS affected, as a number of women with PCOD are resistant to the action of the hormone insulin used for sugar metabolism. This means that it takes larger than normal amounts of insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Though fairly common, PCOD has no surefire cure in mainstream allopathic medicine but Ayurveda can help alleviate PCOD symptoms in a big way.

PCOD - How Ayurveda Can Help?

In Ayurveda, PCOD is caused due to an imbalance of any of the two doshas - Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (Water). Aggravated Pitta causes contamination of the dhatus or tissues like blood and plasma. This causes a buildup of toxins or ama in the body.
In PCOS patients, these toxins get accumulated in the channels of the mind, leading to an imbalance of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland. This results in an imbalance of female hormones and causes the formation of ovarian cysts which is nothing but a collection of fluids within the ovary, anovulatory periods or periods with no ovulation etc.

Ayurvedic herbal remedies for PCOD

Ayurveda works on these problems:
-Correcting hormonal imbalance
-Reducing obesity
- Reducing high cholesterol levels
-Treatment for insulin resistance
Herbs like Ashoka (saraca asoca), Dashamoola are amongst a group of herbs which are used to prepare Sukumara Kashaya like Ashwagandha, Eranda, Shatavari etc for correcting hormonal imbalance.
Other drugs for curing PCOS are-
1. Shatavari or Asparagus racemosus
This helps mainly in promoting normal development of ovarian follicles. It also regulates periods and aids in revitalizing the female reproductive system. Shatavari also helps in controlling high levels of insulin due to PCOS, due to its phytoestrogen or natural plant based estrogen levels.
2. Guduchi
Guduchi is a powerful anti- inflammatory herb. We know that chronic inflammation in body tissues is the root cause for insulin imbalance and ovarian cysts in women. This herb helps in revitalizing body tissues and lowering insulin resistance.
3. Shatapushpa or fennel
Fennel seeds are used as a supplement as the phytoestrogens in them bring down inflammation and control insulin resistance.
4.Triphala
Triphala is rich in vitamin C- a powerful natural antioxidant that helps in reducing inflammation by reducing free radicals. Hence this remedy is excellent for cleansing and detoxifying systems and is therefore best taken prior to taking any other Ayurvedic medicines to improve outcome.
5. Aloe Vera- Kumari (Aloe barbadensis)
Aloe Vera is yet another Ayurvedic herb that is extremely beneficial in treating PCOS as it helps in regularizing menstrual cycles and promote normal menstruation. It also normalizes hormonal imbalance.

PCOD - How Ayurveda Medicines & Treatment Is Beneficial For You?

It is a known and proven fact that eating while consuming alcohol is necessary. One tends to grow hungrier, the more he or she drinks alcohol. This is because alcohol has the attribute to stimulate one s appetite in such a way that one would have you craving for food that is rich in salt and high in fibre. Consuming only alcohol ignoring the hunger would lead to several diseases like pancreatitis and issues with the liver.

Though the appetite of an individual during alcohol consumption tends to incline towards snacks like pizza, french fries, nuts and cheese cubes, it is wise to opt for healthier food choices. Salty food can worsen the dehydration effects of the body. And as the body tends to be dehydrated during drinking, it is better to avoid salty food. High-fibre food items are not good for the health either. It delays the digestion process, which is not a good sign for the body. Also, it is also not advisable to eat food in large portions before going to bed, especially after alcohol intake.

There is a variety of healthy food that one can eat along with alcohol

Soup: A clear soup, like chicken clear soup or vegetable clear soup, which has a broth-like texture, is a healthy choice. Creamy soup with cream of chicken or cream of mushroom should be avoided as it would make one heavy, thus delaying the digestion process.
Rice: Plain rice is said to be one of the best food that is easy to digest, paired up with a light vegetable dish. It is very nutritious as well.
Chicken sandwich: Grilled chicken sandwich without cheese and mayo is a healthy food tip as it contains sodium.
Popcorn: Popcorn does not contain fat, neither is it high-fibre. It is the best low-calorie food to go along with alcohol and it tastes really good too.
Wheat crackers: Wheat crackers contain whole grains. It is full of complex carbohydrates, which help the alcohol to absorb easily. It also consists of Vitamin B, which like potassium, gets reduced with the consumption of alcohol.
Banana: It is rich in potassium. Though an individual would never have a banana along with alcohol, it is healthy as the level of potassium should be taken care of while drinking alcohol.
Wheat bread: Wheat bread toast can be consumed with alcohol without butter or cheese. It is an alternative to wheat crackers for those who do not prefer it.
Oats: Cooked food is easy to digest with alcohol, so a pot of cooked oatmeal can be a healthy accompaniment. It can be spiced up a bit to add flavour.
Salad: Salad is refreshing and healthy at the same time. It can be bland, but it is better to have healthy salad as an accompaniment than having salty food with alcohol.
Milk cereal: Cereal, especially whole grain cooked with low-fat milk, is healthy.
By being aware of the right eatables, the ill effects of alcohol can be mitigated to a large extent.

Alcohol - 10 Healthy Foods that You Can Eat With It!

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