When we think of a light evening snack, we often think of a packet of fried chips or Kurkure. However, it is time to think of something healthier, as we are already aware of the ill effects of these snacks all around us. This is where snacks like fox nuts are gaining popularity. Grown in the wetlands of Asian countries, they are also known as phool makhana (because of their flowery appearance) and lotus seeds. 

They are a great snack and have multiple benefits. Read on to know about this wonderful, economical, tasty, and healthy dish.

They are low in calories, fat, and sodium. They are therefore the perfect in-between-meal snack. They also make you feel full, so further cravings for binge eating are reduced
Their low sodium and high potassium and magnesium content makes them very useful for people with high blood pressure
The high calcium content is good for bone and teeth health
Their sugar content is low, and so are highly useful for diabetics, who have the urge to eat at short intervals
The fox nuts have astringent properties and are useful for kidney ailments
People looking for weight loss should try makhana, as they are very low in calories but can fill the stomach. This helps control hunger pangs and intake of high-calorie foods
It is rich in fiber and so can be used in weight loss as well as for digestion problems like constipation
Fox nuts are rich in antioxidants and therefore useful in fighting ageing and chronic inflammation and stress in the body
In both men and women, makhana is believed to improve fertility rates. The sperm quality and quantity is believed to improve when makhana is consumed
Given its multiple benefits, especially calcium and iron, pregnant women are given makhana. It also helps prevent hypertension and diabetes in the pregnant mother
Fox nuts are believed to help get rid of insomnia
If addiction to coffee is your problem, try some fox nuts to get rid of the addiction
Methods of use:

The seeds are actually tasteless and so whether it is salt or sweet, they take on the added taste
Roast the seeds with a little ghee on a light flame. Sprinkle salt, and the yummy snack is good to go
Other spices like cinnamon or oregano can be added to suit one s taste
They can also be used in sweet dishes like kheer and other desserts
If you are looking for a super snack that is highly healthy, economical, and has little hazards on your health, grab a bowl of fox nuts.

Fox Nuts (Makhana) - 12 Reasons Why You Should Eat Them!

Chickenpox or varicella is a type of viral infection that causes itchy rashes accompanied by tiny fluid-filled blisters. It is highly communicable to those who have not experienced this disease earlier or have not been immunized against it through vaccination. 

The vaccine against chickenpox is a shot protecting anyone, who has already contracted the disease. It is known as the varicella vaccine since chicken pox is triggered by the virus called varicella-zoster. The vaccine is prepared from a living but a weakened virus.

Why would you require a chicken pox virus?

The risk behind the condition aggravating into something life threatening is high among adults, infants and people possessing a weak immunity system as they are prone to developing serious complications as well. There is no way you can predict who would be the next prey.
The illness is extremely contagious and can get transmitted either through air while coughing or sneezing or by direct contact especially with the fluid present in the chicken pox blisters. For this reason, you need to stay segregated until and unless all your blisters have dried up or crusted over. The illness may induce itchy rashes all over your body along with fussiness, cough and headaches.
The vaccine is recommended for all adults and adolescents who have not been infected by chicken pox ever earlier. A vaccine called MMRV offers a combined protection against varicella, rubella, mumps and measles.
The vaccine has to be administered in two shots. However the medicines are not devoid of mild side effects,for instance, swelling in the region where you have been injected alongside mild rashes.
Who should not opt for the vaccine?

Pregnant women, since the effect of the vaccine on your fetus is yet to be unraveled
People who are allergic to neomycin and gelatin ( a gelatin-free varicella vaccine is actually available)
People suffering from diseases caused due to a weak immunity system or taking high dosage of steroids
Cancer patients who have to be treated with chemotherapy, drugs and X-rays
People who have had a blood transfusion in about five months before receiving the shot.

Chicken Pox - Should You be Immunized Against it?

Chickenpox is an airborne illness, which spreads effortlessly through sneezes and coughs of an affected individual. The disease is highly contagious and is caused due to an infection by the varicella zoster virus (vzv). The characteristic features are skin rashes that form small, itchy blisters. It may also spread through contact with the person affected with blisters.

Symptoms
The early signs in teenagers and adults (loss of appetite, nausea, pain in muscles and headache) followed by the trademark rash or oral sores and mild fever that indicate the presence of the ailment. In children, there is an absence of the early signs. The rashes begin as red spots on visible areas of the body and thereby increases in severity as time progresses.

At the stage of blister, intense itching occurs. Visible symptoms develop in the oral cavity and tonsil in the form of ulcers, which can be extremely painful. These symptoms appear between 10 to 21 days of contact with the infected person. Since the nasal excretion contains the virus, the infected person becomes infectious around 2 days before the visible symptoms appear. Usually, the condition self resolves in around 2 weeks.

Prevention
Chicken pox can be prevented by:
1. Maintaining proper hygiene standards. The infected person should be kept in isolation. The virus is susceptible to disinfectants, heat and detergents.
2. In most top countries, compulsory vaccination is followed to prevent chicken pox. After the first immunization, the second dosage is recommended after 5 years.

Treatment
Easing the symptoms is the main focus of treatment. The infected are advised to remain at home, in isolation, in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Measures should be taken to avoid scratching so that secondary infections are prevented. Good hygiene and using of warm water to clean the skin daily, is mandatory. Paracetamol might be used to reduce fever. Treatment using antivirals (with 24 to 48 hours of onset) is recommended for adults, but not for children. Water intake to reduce dehydration and headache is advised. 

Since chickenpox is more severe in adults than it is in children, parents usually favour their wards receiving the virus at an early age. This is countered by doctors who believe that children are safer using vaccination, which is the virus in a weakened form, rather than the disease that may prove to be fatal.

All About Chicken Pox

Sneezing is a necessary evil. It is the way through, which our body removes irritants from the nasal tract or throat. It is an involuntary activity. It can disturb your daily life and dealings with people. You can face major embarrassment in the public due to sneezing. It happens uninformed or without warning. The other name for sneezing is sternutation. There are a number of factors due to which sneezing can occur. Be it cold or an allergy, you can sneeze at any time. In common cold, a viral infection causes sneezing, runny nose and headache. Your body s response to some allergens can also cause sneezing. It can be coupled with itchy eyes and other irritations.

The inflammation of the nasal cavity can also cause sneezing. This condition is termed as Rhinitis. It is caused due to certain external factors like pollution, weather conditions, stress and infections. Common colds are infectious and can be passed on to others. Sneezing can also be accompanied with nosebleeds, which can be an indication of some serious medical problem.

Ways to deal with sneezing

Squeeze your nose: It is advisable that you squeeze your nose. Hold the tip of your nose and stretch it. Stretch the nose outward from your face. It must be remembered that you shouldn t cause pain to the nose. You stretch the cartilage gently.
Blow your nose: It is advisable that you use a tissue and blow your nose at the time of sneezing. You must get clear of your sinuses.
Pinch your upper lip: You can use your thumb and forefinger to press your nostrils upwards and pinch your upper lip. Your thumb should face toward the nostril.
Use your tongue: You will have to press your tongue behind the front teeth. It should be pressed at the area where the roof of your mouth meets the gum palate. Use your most powerful muscles against your teeth. It should be done until you get a tickling sensation.
Stop, drop, and wait: Get a small table and hold your face over the top of it. Stick your tongue out and see how the sneezing stops.

Sneezing - 5 Ways You Can Deal With It!

Chicken pox is a highly contagious viral infection which is generally characterised by intensely painful and itchy red sores all over the body.

Common causes behind it

Chicken pox is caused mainly due to contact with the infected person and Varicella-zoster, the virus responsible for the infection which spreads very quickly. It gets transmitted mainly through coughs, saliva, and direct contact with the sores. Little children, pregnant women, new-born baby and the mother, people with low immunity system and adults who were not vaccinated for chicken pox in their childhood have considerable chances of getting the infection. 

Also, they might result in other serious complications which might include pneumonia, skin infections, dehydration, and encephalitis. Chicken pox rarely occurs twice to the same person once in their lifetime. Chicken Pox is generally considered a mild disease which, after diagnosis, generally improves within one or two weeks.

Symptoms

The symptoms of chicken pox appear within 10 to 21 days after exposure to the virus. The symptoms include sores throughout the body which includes the eye and mucous membrane, high fever, severe headache, fatigue and loss of appetite before the appearance of the sores.

Treatment: If you are suffering from chicken pox, you should adopt the considerably easy-to-follow methods that will provide you comfort during chicken-pox.

You should drink a lot of water to avoid complications from dehydration.
Prescribed dosage of paracetamol might reduce the symptoms of high fever and headaches. Also anti-viral dosage of medication like acyclovir might be prescribed for people suffering from weak immune system, pregnant women and infants.
You can apply calamine lotion on the rashes and use antihistamines which might reduce the itchy sensation. Also, hot-water baths can be very helpful to ease the pain and the itchiness caused by the sores.
You should not go back to your work place, college or school and take a whole lot of rest up until the last rash has healed, as that might risk the spreading of the infection.
If you get the chicken pox vaccine within 3-5 days of the infection, the symptoms will be mild.

Chicken Pox - Tips To Help You Take Care!

We know this very well how beneficial drinking water just after getting up is and so many of us practice is too. But when we add honey and lemon in warm water and drink it daily, the benefits gets multiplied. Let's see how it is achieved.

1. Helps in losing weight - Drinking warm water mixed in honey and lemon is very good for health. It helps in losing weight and for this simple reason, people who want to lose weight should take it for sure.

2. No Constipation - This combination of warm water, lemon and honey is so good for health that if taken on an empty stomach it is helpful in keeping constipation at bay. It stimulates the digestive system, infuses water in dried stool which removes constipation completely.

3. Cleanse lymphatic system - Lack of water in the already dehydrated lymphatic system leads to problems like fatigue, disturbed sleep and blood pressure level and hinders mental development. But when you take water in lemon and honey, the lymphatic system gets hydrated and your body functions properly.

4. Keep bad breath at bay and improves oral health - Taste of honey and lemon removes any kind of bad breath in your mouth. Also, these keep your mouth bacteria-free and that's how without direct care, mouth gets benefited indirectly.

5. Boost immune system - Vitamin C helps in fighting cold. As it is high in potassium, it controls blood pressure as well as stimulates brain function.

6. Clears skin - Presence of Vitamin C removes blemishes and wrinkles from skin. Also, it gives a brighter and glowing look. As a result of drinking lemon and honey in water, your skin gets cleared giving your face a cleaner and fairer look.

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

The Good That LEMON+HONEY Early in Morning Does to Your Body

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