We have for ages seen our parents and our grandparents reach out for a piece of jaggery at the end of every meal. Jaggery is healthier compared to refined sugar because of its deposition of phytochemicals and other important minerals. While many people do not choose jaggery because of its no-so-good-appearance, it is perhaps more sensible to consume it considering the host of health benefits it offers.

Here is a list of benefits that can be extracted from the consumption of jaggery.

Skin benefits: Jaggery nourishes the skin in the true sense of the word. Owing to the numerous amount of mineral and vitamin, it can eliminate common skin problems such as pimples and acne. It can negate dark spots, wrinkles delay the common signs of aging.
Digestive benefits: Jaggery plays a huge role in ensuring smooth digestion. It stimulates secretion of digestive enzyme. It, therefore, makes it easy for the body to quicken the process of digestion. It can also help to stabilize the bowl movement by keeping common digestion related disorders such as constipation, intestinal worms, indigestion at bay.
Blood: Jaggery does a great job in purifying the blood. It acts as a cleansing agent by filtering the blood from the toxic agents. It also keeps the hemoglobin count normal and help the body refrain from blood-related disorders such as anemia. Since the quantity of iron content in jaggery is plentiful, it successfully helps the body to stay healthy and negate deadly diseases. Furthermore, jaggery can help women to stay away from complicated menstrual related disorders, beat weakness and fatigue.
Weight loss: Jaggery s rich potassium content helps the body balance the electrolyte, build muscles and improve the metabolism of the body. Potassium also helps in managing water retention in the body. Both the factors coupled together helps in weight loss and beat fatigue, obese etc.
Blood pressure: The sodium and potassium content of jaggery helps the body maintain an effective adequate acidic level. This ensures that the blood pressure remains in the balance and the body refrains from undue blood pressure related disorders.
Antioxidants: Jaggery contains selenium, the latter is a rich source of antioxidants which can help the body to fight the free radicals and keep it at bay. The antioxidants also help the body to stay away from other ailments.
Respiratory health: Jaggery is a great source of food that can effectively fight various respiratory problems of the body. It can fight diseases such as bronchitis and asthma.
Body temperature: Jaggery helps to keep a normal body temperature. This is extremely beneficial for patients suffering from asthma since maintaining a steady body temperature is sacrosanct for patients suffering from this disease.

Jaggery (Gur) - 8 Amazing Reasons Why You Must Eat It!

A heart attack is caused if the blood flow to the heart is somehow obstructed by fat deposits, cholesterol or other substances, thereby, forming a plaque in the arteries. The disruption in this flow of blood destroys a part of the heart muscle and may prove to be fatal if not treated right on time.

Not every heart attack starts with a sudden crushing pain in the chest. In fact, about 30 per cent of the cases haven t yielded any such symptom. However, the signs may vary from one person to another:

Heart attack might start slowly causing only mild discomfort or pain initially. The symptoms happen to be sudden and intense, persisting for several hours.
Mostly heart attack induces pain on the left side or the center of the chest. The discomfort generally persists for a few minutes. It can even result in a feeling of indigestion or heart burn, fullness, squeezing and pressure which can turn from mild to severe.
One might also experience an aching sensation in the upper stomach, jaw, neck, shoulders, back or both of the arms.
Shortness of breath is one of those very common symptoms.
Other common symptoms include excessive sweating, exhaustion, vomiting, nausea, sudden dizziness or light-heartedness.
How can you tell a heart attack from a mere panic attack?
Panic attack occurs even more suddenly and induces intense fear, extracting extreme reactions for something relatively harmless. Once the attack subsides, one usually feels week on the knees and tender near the gut. Some of the symptoms exclusive to a panic attack include a feeling of detachment, numbness, hot flashes, chills and tightness experienced in and around the throat, tremors (primarily of the hands) and a constant fear of losing control or of an impending danger.

Although many indications of a heart attack might happen to overlap with those of a panic attack, there are still a few noteworthy differences between the two. Watch out for those signs and get yourself diagnosed properly.

Heart Attack - Signs to Watch Out For!

When blood supply to the brain is interrupted, a person suffers a stroke. The brain cells do not receive the oxygen and glucose needed to survive and so they die. A stroke can be fatal and life-threatening. The brain can be permanently damaged. Many surveys reveal that 50% of people who suffer a stroke do not live for more than a year. A stroke usually happens to people aged 65 years or above.

How does a stroke occur?

There are two types of stroke caused by two different reasons-

1. Ischemic stroke: Clots are formed in the brain s blood vessels or in the vessels in any part of the body which travel to the brain. These clots obstruct the flow of blood to the brain. The chief reason for the development of clots is deposition of fatty acids and cholesterol.

2. Hemorrhagic stroke: This kind of stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures. The blood from the ruptured vein flows into the brain and damages the brain cells. The chief cause of hemorrhagic strokes is high blood pressure and aneurysm (thinning of the walls of the vein)

What are the symptoms of stroke:

The following are the usual symptoms that can tell you if are about to or just have suffered a stroke-

  The arms or legs on either side or the face feels numb
  Loss of vision in one or both eyes
  Difficulty of speech
  Sudden and splitting headache
  Disorientation and feeling unbalanced while walking
  Altered consciousness

Risk of strokes:

High blood pressure is the most common cause of strokes. If your blood pressure exceeds 140/90 you are at a risk of suffering a stroke. Diabetes or people with a family history of strokes have higher chances of suffering a stroke. More men suffer a stroke than women. Certain lifestyle choices like excessive smoking or alcohol consumption can actually increase the risk of strokes.

Ayurveda and the treatment of stroke

In the ayurvedic parlance, stroke is called paksha pakshaghata. The cause is Vata dosha (Vata is responsible for the sensory and motor activities of the body)

Ayurveda treats strokes by easing or relieving the symptoms or effects of a stroke. The most popular course of treatment consists of a combination of Basti, Nasya and Shirodhara-

  In Basti, a person goes through an enema to cleanse the body of internal toxins
  Nasya aims to clear the sinuses, nose and head.
  For a Shirodhara treatment, a person has to lie on her/his back and liquids mixed with medicins are poured down her/his forehead which the bloodstream absorbs through the skin.
  Dhanadanayanadi Kashayam, Dhanwantara Kashayam, Ashtavarga Kashayam, Bala Arista treatment restore the motor and sensory functions of the brain.
  Balaswagandhadi taila,Ksheerabala taila, Dhanvantara taila help rejuvenate the damaged brain cells.
  Some other forms of treatment include Ashwagandharishtaa, Brahmi Vati and Ashwagandhachurna.
  An effective home remedy is boiling 3-4 garlic cloves in 100ml of milk. Keep boiling till the mixture is reduced to half its original volume. This concoction should be taken right before going to bed. It helps to keep blood pressure and cholesterol under check.

After the treatment is completed, a person can expect relief from the symptoms of stroke.

Ayurveda can treat the effects of stroke efficiently with a combination of physical therapies and medication.

Stroke And Ayurveda!

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a term which is used for a large collection of disorders that can cause scarring of the lungs. The scarring gives rise to stiffness in the lungs that make it troublesome for breathing. Some of the examples of ILDs include Asbestosis, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Sarcoidosis, and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.


Causes -
ILDs could be caused by being exposed to dangerous chemicals, medical treatments, and certain medications. In nearly all cases, the result is unspecified. In several cases, it can be reduced by certain medications. Many drugs can harm the lungs, especially heart medications which are used to treat irregular heartbeats and hence might damage the lung tissue. Chemotherapy drugs that kill cancer cells, can also harm lung tissue.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and some antibiotics can also cause lung damage. The desecrate of the lung from many ILDs is progressive and irreversible which means it gets adverse over time. So, doctors often recommend lung transplant for the people having interstitial lung disease.

Symptoms -
The earliest symptoms and signs of interstitial lung disease are dry cough and shortness of breath at rest.

Risk Factors -
  Chemotherapy and Radiation: Using therapy drugs or having radiation treatments to chest makes it more likely to develop lung disease.
  Age: Interstitial lung disease affect adults more, although children and infants sometimes develop this disorder.
  Smoking: It occurs mostly in people who have a history of smoking. Active smoking might make the condition worse.
  Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: If a person is having indigestion or uncontrolled acid reflux, he or she may be at risk of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD).

Treatment -
The lung scarring or the lung fibrosis that occurs in interstitial lung disease cannot be changed and therapy will not every time be effective in stopping or finishing the ultimate development of the disease. Some treatments might slow the progression of this disease or improve symptoms temporarily. Others may help to improve quality of life. Many different scarring disorders have no proven therapies.

  Oxygen Therapy: Lung damage cannot be stopped by the oxygen therapy, but it can improve the sense of well-being and sleep because when sleeping, one receives more oxygen. It can also relax blood pressure in the right part of the heart. It can make breathing easier. Oxygen therapy can also lessen or prevent difficulty from low blood oxygen levels.
  Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Pulmonary rehabilitation not only improves daily functioning but also helps in live life fully to the people who are suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs focus on breathing techniques which enhance lung efficiency, physical exercise to enhance endurance, nutritional counseling, and emotional support.

Take Away -
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is a group of disorders that can be the cause of scarring of the lungs, which ultimately lead to lung damage. This condition affects more adults than children. The progression of this condition can be curtailed by adopting certain therapies.

What Is Interstitial Lung Disease?

Eye Strain is an umbrella term that denotes a number of symptoms that relate to the extended use of eyes as well as discomfort that may come from excessive smartphone and computer use. This condition may or may not lead to significant eye damage and is usually characterised by blurry vision, headaches and a feeling of dryness in the eye as you blink less which creates less tears. This may happen due to the extended use of the eye when you are following objects on a screen or staring at a screen for too long. So, is eye strain the cause of your headaches? 

Find out more in this article.

Causes: Eye Strain or Asthenopia is caused by concentrating on visually intense tasks like reading from texts that have a fine print, the use of computers and other screens for prolonged periods, and trying to focus on objects in the dark. This can lead to distress of the muscles in this area which can also cause eye strain leading to a variety of symptoms including double imagery and even headaches and mild migraine like conditions.

Eye Muscle Imbalance: When there is eye strain which leads to headaches, it can also give rise to eye muscle imbalance which makes it difficult to concentrate with both eyes at the same time. In such cases, one may need bifocal glasses so as to fix the issue and prevent such debilitating headaches to remain on a persistent basis.

Diagnosis: Digital eye fatigue and ocular eye strain leading to headaches can be diagnosed by a doctor with the help of regular eye examinations. In any case, one should have the eyes checked at least once a year. This is especially important if your job involves sitting in front of the computer screen for prolonged hours.

Symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms of these headaches that are caused by eye strain. Apart from blurry vision which does not allow the patient to see properly and clearly without glasses, it can also cause headaches with symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light. Retinal or eye migraines do not necessarily have to come with headaches, but the pressure can be painful enough.

Treatment: To begin with, the best form of treatment for headaches born from eye strain includes prevention which can be done by getting plenty of rest and sleep even as we limit the hours spent in front of the screen. One can also lower the resolution of the screen and make it more ambient. Also, the screen should be placed at a considerable distance from the eyes. The doctor can also prescribe glasses and eye drops for better eye lubrication.

Headache - Can Eyestrain Be the Reason Behind it?

The past couple of days have witnessed trending news in the form of the stunning transformation of Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, MD of Reliance Industries Limited. Anant, who had previously been burdened with excessive body weight due to intake of some strong medications, has achieved an unbelievable target of losing 108 Kgs of body weight in just 18 months!

Many people suffer from obesity and many other conditions as an aftereffect of excessive body weight, but don't know how to address the issue to attain a healthy weight. In this regard, the story of Anant is an inspirational lesson for all those who want to lose weight and follow a strict diet plan and exercise regime continuously to achieve their goals. Just like him, now you too can attain a healthy body weight and a fit physique too through the techniques mentioned below:

1. Following an Appropriate Diet Plan -
A healthy diet is the key to a good weight loss regime besides the implementation of an effective exercise plan. Anant had opted for a strict low-carb diet without the presence of sugar. This type of diet has a lot of benefits including weight loss in a healthy way. This type of diet requires you to avoid all types of processed food items including breads, soft drinks, cereals, pastas, sweets etc. And increase the intake of foods rich in healthy fats and proteins.

2. Weight and Functional Training -
Weight training is known for burning calories and functional training helps in increasing your core stability through exercises like squats, stretches, lunges etc. A combination of these two in your exercise regime will not only help you lose weight, but will also enable you to do it in a healthy way.

3. High-intensity Cardio Exercises -
High-intensity cardio exercises are recommended by most gym instructors to people who want to lose weight as they increase your heart rate and consume lesser amount of time to eliminate the extra fat from your body.

4. Yoga -
There's no better way to stay fit and healthy than making yoga a part of your daily lifestyle. This ancient tradition not only tones your muscles and burn calories, but also gives you a healthier life by helping you relax your mind and body both. This was also one of the techniques followed by Anant to reach his destination of a having a healthy body.

We've put together a sample diet plan exclusively for you, which can help you lose weight in a healthy natural way:

Early Morning (6:30 am - 7:00 am) - a glass of warm water + 1/2 lemon juice + pinch of salt; walk for 30 minutes.

Breakfast (8:00am - 9:00 am) - 1 cup milk/tea, with fruit, oats with milk/namkeen oats, veg. Dalia, veg. Upma, veg. Poha, veg. Sandwich, 2 egg whites/1 whole egg and toast.

Mid-Morning (11:30 am) - fruit/sprouts

Lunch (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm) - 2 chapattis with vegetable, salad, dal/curd/idli + sambhar (alternatively, if you want to have 1 bowl rice, have it with 1 katori rajma/kadhi/dal/chhole + salad)

Tea-Time (4:30pm - 5:00pm) - tea/coffee + 2 biscuits/rusks

Evening Snacks (6:00 pm - 6: 30pm) - roasted chana, sprouts, popcorn, veg sandwich, sometimes 4-5 almonds, walnuts, pista, raisins

Dinner (8:00 pm - 8:30 pm) - 1-2 chapattis with vegetable, salad or 1-2 veg sandwiches, or roasted chicken/grilled fish (if non-vegetarian)

Post-Dinner (if required, at 10:00 pm) - 1 cup of milk.

We hope the above suggestions and the sample diet plan will inspire you to embark on a journey of transforming yourself into a healthier and happier person! There/s no happiness better than feeling good about yourself!

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If you would like a more comprehensive and customized diet plan for yourself or your family, along with a 7-day unlimited text chat, just click on 'Consult'!

How To Successfully Lose Weight Like Anant Ambani + A Sample Diet Plan!

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