We often tend to ignore our diet. Every day we carefully separate the greens on our plate and eat only what we like. We eat all kinds of fast food and then claim that we will burn it in the gym, but soon when the weighing scale shows no change or shows an increase, we tend to get agitated and claim, “Even after I go to the gym daily, I am unable to reduce my weight”.

Now this line is the most common thing, which comes out of your mouth, and others mouth too. It is indeed sad that people tend to ignore the fact that ‘health is 80% dietary control and 20% physical exertion’, this is the reason why it is said you are what you eat. So now, let me tell you about some of the foodstuff you ought to eat to maintain health.

Hence some healthy options for your platter, health and looks are:

Turmeric

Turmeric or ‘Haldi’ is a fine yellow powder, which is used to add color and taste to your dishes. Turmeric is also an antiseptic and is often applied on wounds and cuts. Some other benefits of Turmeric are that they help to combat stomach troubles, sore throat, skin problems, cough, ear and eye problems.

Onions

Onions are almost added to every dish to make it tasty and add a flavor and an aroma to it. Onions are very useful to cure to stomach related problems. Onions also are rich in Vitamin C and riboflavin.

Fenugreek

Many often dislike the vegetable fenugreek or ‘methi’, but people fail to realize that it is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Fenugreek is a cure for stomach problems, respiratory disorders, body odor and is also very effective in controlling diabetes.

Watermelon

 Now that summer is in the air and every ones sweating profusely, it is natural that your body is going to be devoid of water. Well watermelon provides more than hydration, it is also effective in curing erectile dysfunction, skin problems, preventing cancer, etc.

Eggplants

Eggplants are rich in nasunin, phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin C, sulphur, fiber and potassium, which help in shielding your brains cells from harm due to old age. They also help to prevent stroke and dementia. Eggplants are very good for health and it to be made a part of your diet.

Hence, these are some of the ingredients, which you ought to add to your diet.

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Hot and spicy foods can numb your senses, quite literally! In every nook and corner, you will find people salivating over hot and spicy foods. For long, people were of the belief that such foods only harm your system, inviting unwanted health complications and disorders. Most parents try their best to keep their children away from such foods. But every cloud has a silver lining. Hot and spicy foods are not only about the cons.

Unfortunately, not many people are aware of the health benefits of hot and spicy foods. This article is an attempt to aware the readers of both the pros and cons of hot and spicy foods.
Health benefits associated with hot and spicy foods:

Hot and spicy foods, when consumed in moderation can work wonders for your system. Chillies, peppers, spices, the main ingredients which spice up a dish have many health benefits.

1. Endorphins are your feel-good hormones. Together with serotonin, the hormones help to keep stress, anxiety, and depression at bay. They are great mood enhancers. Chilli peppers tend to elevate the levels of both these hormones in the body, helping you to fight stress better. Capsaicin, an important active component of chilli peppers has many advantages.
   • It plays a pivotal role in lowering the flu symptoms.
   • It has anti-carcinogenic properties.
   • It comes as a relief for people suffering from stomach ulcers. Capsaicin effectively gets rid of the bacteria H.pylori, which causes stomach ulcer (in most cases).
   • It also helps in lowering and maintaining the blood cholesterol level.
   • If you have been struggling to lose weight, then capsaicin is what the doctors have just advised. It acts as a catalyst, accelerating the metabolism, thus enabling the body in rapid burning down of calories.
2. In general, having spices in your diet elevates the HCl secretion in the stomach, thereby improving the overall digestion process.
3. Research suggest spicy foods can bring about a remarkable improvement in the circulation process.
4. Spicy foods may be a blessing for your heart. As per research, spicy foods go a long way in lowering the cases of strokes or heart attacks.

An excess of anything is bad. With merits come the demerits.

1. Heartburn is common in people who eat very hot and spicy foods.
2. Very spicy foods can cause stomach problems, including a stomach upset, stomach pain, and in extreme cases, even diarrhea.
3. If you are a night owl by force (sleep does not come easily to you), spicy foods will only worsen the situation. Having hot and spicy foods for dinner, or just before retiring to bed is sure to doom your sleep.
4. Extremely spicy foods can cause inflammation of the lining of the stomach, resulting in Gastritis.
5. People who love eating very spicy foods are more likely to suffer from acid reflux problems. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.