You must not let the cold and dry air worsen your asthma symptoms. The air that blows during winter time greatly affects people with sinus and respiratory troubles, and all these factors contribute to worsening asthma attacks. But thankfully, there are a few tips that can be followed to curb down asthma and enjoy a lovely winter.

Washing your hands: Doing this frequently with soap and water is one of the easiest and most effective ways of avoiding the spread of cold and other diseases. You must also inculcate this habit among your children, and when you are outside, you should practice using a hand sanitiser and sanitising wipes.
Getting a flu shot: The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that all people over the age of 6 months should get their dose of the annual flu shot for protecting themselves against the flu virus. This will help keep your asthma in check.
Avoid sitting by the fireplace: Though it sounds cosy, you should refrain from sitting by the fireside if you have asthma. Burning wood is quite similar to burning tobacco and it can irritate your lungs to a great extent.
Keeping your mouth closed: Though most people are taught this since they were children, they tend to forget it or ignore it. Keeping the mouth opened is more than a social disgrace, and it even affects your lungs adversely. You can wear a scarf for covering up the nose and mouth as it would help in making the air you breathe warm.
Replacing filters: The heating system of your home may be blowing out dust and debris throughout the house, particularly when you operate it after a long time in winter. Therefore, it is imperative to clean and check the condition of the filters and replace them if necessary.
Exercising indoors: The days when it is bitterly cold outside, it is recommended to exercise indoors in a fitness club or a gym instead of doing it in the open air.
Warming up before exercising: People who are affected with asthma are able to recover faster and have a greater lung function after working out when they are warmed up. Therefore, you should try to warm up for at least 15 minutes before exercising.
Preventing asthma flares: Before you head outside, take a dose of your asthma medication and your inhaler as these will help in opening the airways and give you the necessary protection.
Having an asthma action plan: Regardless of whether it is summer or winter, you should be aware of what you should be doing in times when the symptoms flare-up.
Taking your medications: Finally, you should work with your doctor towards understanding the cause and symptoms of your asthma conditions and follow his recommendations closely to avoid recurrence of such problems.
With all these tips, you can expect to spend a happy winter. But if anything goes wrong, seek medical assistance immediately.

Asthma - 10 Ways You Can Control It!

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!

The liver is a vital body organ (the second largest) that helps in detoxification of the harmful substances and chemicals, in addition to participating in various metabolic pathways. It is normal for the liver to contain some amount of fats. The problem arises when there is an excess deposition of fats (accounting to nearly 7- 10% of the total liver weight), a condition referred to as Steatosis or Fatty Liver. Fatty liver often interferes with the normal functioning of the liver triggering serious consequences.

Types of fatty liver

Alcoholic Fatty Liver: As the name suggests, the condition is an outcome of excessive alcohol consumption.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFL): Here the problem or the trigger is not alcohol. The excess fat deposition in NAFL (~10 % of the total liver weight) results from the inability of the liver to break down the fat molecules.
Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH): In NASH, the liver tends to swell up due to excess buildup of fats in the liver tissue (alcohol is not the trigger in NASH)
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy: Some pregnant women may suffer from this fatal condition (extremely rare).
Causes of fatty liver
Fatty liver is a common condition that often results from unhealthy diet and lifestyle practices. In this context, it is important to mention that unlimited alcohol consumption plays a pivotal role in various liver disorders, with fatty liver being one of the most common consequences. In fact, steatosis is one of the earliest stages associated with alcohol related Liver disease. However, fatty liver is a reversible condition that can be successfully treated if diagnosed at an early stage.

The excess deposition of fats in the liver cells can be an outcome of medical conditions such as
Besides alcohol, obesity is one of the biggest factors responsible for fatty liver. As per a survey, 1 in every 50 obese people suffers from fatty liver and other related complications (scarring, liver hepatitis or liver cirrhosis).

In addition to obesity, hyperlipidemia (a medical term used to define increased levels of lipids in the blood), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus may have a significant role in triggering fatty liver.
Rapid weight loss or malnutrition can, more than often, give rise to fatty liver and its related disorders.
The use of certain medications such as carbon tetrachloride, tetracycline, and corticosteroids may be a contributing factor in fatty liver and associated complications.
Genetics can also play a significant role in triggering steatosis in some people.
Though fatty liver can affect children and young adults, people in the age group of 40 - 60 years are more susceptible to the condition.
Symptoms associated with fatty liver
There are no characteristic symptoms associated with fatty liver. However, in general, a person may experience
  Abdominal discomfort
  Extreme tiredness

With time, a person left undiagnosed and untreated, may exhibit the following symptoms
  A changed appetite (there is often a loss of appetite)
  Sudden weight loss (unexplained)
  Weakness
  Abdominal pain

Fatty Liver - 4 Common Types Of It!

It s been long known about the numerous health benefits of beetroot. Surprisingly though, beetroot has some not-so-known qualities such as increasing stamina, removing skin blemishes and increasing the glow of the face. Apart from this, it can fetch benefits to the skin, hair and the overall health. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of beetroot consumption in vivid detail.

Reduces the impact of aging: Beetroot being a great antioxidant successfully blocks free radicals and helps to fight the symptoms of aging. All it requires is a medium slice beetroot. The juice should be extracted from it and the pulp needs to be removed. The juice then could be applied to the face using cotton balls. Applying this simple solution once in a week can fetch dramatic results.
Reduces blemish and pigmentation: Beetroot is one of the few vegetables that have a large amount of vitamin C embedded in it. It helps the skin to retain its original color, reduces blemishes and pigmentation. 3-4 cubes of beetroot serving twice a week should do the trick.
Hair loss: Beetroot is a great source of food to stay away from hair loss. Being a good source of potassium, beetroot can prevent hair loss and enhance hair growth. A weekly serving of 3-4 cube of beetroot over a span of few months will show visible results.
Improves liver function: Beetroot contains glutathione that is known to be a great agent for the liver. It acts as a detox diet and helps in functioning of the liver. This liver, in turn, helps the body to detox. Beetroot also helps in the regeneration of cells of the liver.
Boost hemoglobin: Beetroot is an excellent source of iron and folate. These are the nutrients that are required for the body to maintain an adequate amount of hemoglobin in the body. A deficiency in the hemoglobin level can lead to anemia. Regular consumption of beetroot can ensure that a person refrains from deadly diseases such as anemia.
Fight inflammation: Some typical symptoms of inflammation include infection, trauma etc. This is a sign of the immune system not acting efficiently against sudden panic. Some typical symptoms include pain, redness, swelling etc. Beetroot in known to have a super-efficient anti-inflammatory response. Injection of beetroot is often suggested by medical practitioners.
Cancer prevention: Beetroot can elevate the level of oxygen in the blood. Since cancer cells are acidic in nature, beetroot can successfully neutralize them due to its alkaline nature. Owing to this anti-cancer properties, oncologists often suggests the intake of beetroot juice on a regular basis to patients suffering from liver, rectal, colon and various other types of cancer. 2 glasses of beetroot juice are often recommended for cancer patients.

Beetroot (Chukundar) - 7 Reasons Why You Must Eat Them!

Water is the life giving source of the planet and we would do well to remember to have our daily dose of at least seven to eight glasses of water a day. Besides it many health benefits, water is also a great partner to have in the weight loss process. As per many scientific studies, you can actually lose up to 2 kilograms of fat by taking your daily intake of water to ten glasses a day, at least. So, let us find out how we can actually lose weight by drinking more water.

1. Appetite: When you drink more water before a meal, you are actually taking care of something called mental hunger, which is the reflex of the brain around mealtimes and during boredom, inducing you to eat more. So, to avoid eating a heavy meal, you may want to have plenty of water before you sit down to eat. 

2. Calories: It has been scientifically proven that greater water intake can actually help in the weight loss process by creating an increase in what is known as resting energy expenditure. As we all know, there are various ways in which calories may be burnt throughout the day, including sitting standing and even sleeping. The resting state may induce more calorie expenditure with the help of increased water consumption.

3 . Long Term Weight Gain: The intake of more water helps in bringing down your weight by 0.13 kilograms at a time, which goes a long way in your weight loss journey. Further, the results are also more sustainable and long staying. You can add a cup of water after each glass and you can also replace your other beverages with water. 

4. Better Results in the Gym: Your workout sessions and that gym outing could actually benefit from more water intake. The way this works is that your joints and muscles are better lubricated which reduces the chances of stiffness due to intense and prolonged movements. This will actually help you in working out for longer periods without getting drained or tired too soon. So remember to drink plenty of water at least half an hour before you hit the gym or go running.

While water can be your best weight loss partner, it can also be a futile ingredient if you do not eliminate the things that lead to weight gain, or hold you back as far as optimum weight loss is concerned. So, you may want to ditch the sweetened and carbonated drinks and let go of fried and fatty food to let your body make room for lots of water instead!

Will Drinking More Water Help Me Lose Weight?

When you get a compliment'smart thinking or you are intelligent or that was intelligent of you, you definitely feel good. These comments fill us with confidence, admiration and pride and we want it to happen to us again and again. But owing to a busy schedule and long working hours it might not be possible. Having said this, it does not mean that a person cannot stay intelligent throughout. This can be easily achieved by regular meditation. Regular meditation and yoga helps the mind to be more reflective and efficient.

Here are reasons how yoga and meditation lead to an intellectual learning and growth:

 Utilizes the brain: almost everyone uses one half of their brain more and this leads to imbalance. Meditation is believed to sync the left and the right hemispheres, thereby allowing neural connection and great processing power. When logical left and creative right brains start working in harmony, then solving problems becomes easy; and it also increases creativity, deep thinking comes to be known of and concentration and focus magnifies. Highly successful people usually display whole brain synchronization.
 Functional capabilities of brain enhance due to meditation: research backs it that meditation increases the gray matter thickness of the brain regions, thus making the brain smarter, bigger and faster. This is very similar to doing physical exercise which makes the muscles denser and stronger. The increase in functional capabilities of brain is based on the concept of neuroplasticity, which states that our intelligence is not based on genetics and there are some things which can be done to improve the way our brain works. Meditation is a good brain enhancer with an ability to increase intelligence.
 Beneficial brainwave patterns can be seen: meditation can help to guide the brainwaves into beneficial frequencies. The frequencies: alpha, theta and delta when guided can show case a myriad of benefits including idea generation, creativity, cognitive functioning, and intellectual capacity. Meditation helps to transform these beneficial states of mind and help boost the iq.
 Develops intuition and insights: these are generally obtained through listening and developing to the inner voice. Thus meditation forms to be the basic key to tap these latent abilities. The intelligence can be mapped through tests and quizzes and is valuable at each level to stimulate insights and creativity. As per some people, inner intelligence, is considered to be the most important and best success in the world. Successful people including steve jobs have stated that their super revolutionary ideas and business acumen came through their intuition.
 Meditation helps in improving both short and long term memory: the key memory areas hippocampus and frontal lobe show increase in activity during meditation. By stimulating these areas, the short and long term memories are improved.

Can Yoga Improve Your IQ?

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