Top Health Tips on Everyday Healthy Living

Japan had the biggest mortality turn around post the world War 2 era. But, it has consistently topped the global charts in terms of living a longer and healthy life as compared to people of other countries. Although there is no one reason for this, scientists believe that there is a host of factors which has helped Japan to achieve this feat.

Vegetable intake: The Japanese, unlike the countries in the West, consume a lot of fresh vegetables, seaweed means, fermented soy, rice, and fish. It ensures adequate phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals. The eating habit surely adds the extra mileage as far as mortality is concerned.
Different style of cooking: Typically, the preparation of Japanese cuisine involves a lot of steaming, fermenting, slow-cooking, pan-grilling and stir-frying. Apart from this, the Japanese prepare small dishes and have the habit of drinking a bowl of soup before every meal. When a small amount of all vegetables along with rice and fish is consumed daily, the body gets enough fibre.
The tea culture: The tea drinking culture of Japan goes a long way in fighting diseases owing to its anti-bacterial properties. While coffee doesn t harm our body, tea varieties such as matcha are far more useful for the body.
Fresh Food: Japan is one of the few countries where people consume serious fresh food. Japanese are one of the fortunate ones who eat their food hours after production. The vast amount of arable land and not so big population helps the demand and supply to be in the balance. The fresh food helps the body to produce more energy and be active throughout the day.
Smaller plates: Portion control and etiquette are a big part of the Japanese culture. They eat from small pots, use chopsticks, garnish their food lightly, serve food in small dishes etc. Japanese never eat until they are too full to walk. Typically, Japanese eat till they are 8 percent full. This helps in easy digestion and more agility.
More body activity: Japanese love to commute in public transport. They get up, go to their nearest station, wait for the train, stand in the train and walk to their workplace from the station. Although there are an ample number of cars in the country using it is considered to be a luxury. Japanese also get a wake-up call for exercise every morning. This results in an increased level of energy, more focus at the workplace and better athleticism.
Healthcare: Japanese have got a full proof healthcare from the year 1960. They visit their doctors more than a dozen times a year. This is 4 times as compared to their US counterpart. What s fascinating is the fact that it costs the Japanese Government only 8 percent of the GDP. It goes without saying that Japanese get to know about any probable diseases that they might have well before any damage could happen. If you wish to discuss on any specific problem, you can consult a General Physician.

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.

Almonds Vs Walnuts

Whenever you peruse through snack options in a store, looking for a fulfilling yet healthy option often turns out to be really challenging. This is where you might consider nuts, such as almonds or walnuts. They are healthy snacking options with rich reserves of protein, fibre, and energy.

However, even in the choice between almonds and walnuts, there are certain things which need to be kept in mind.

Energy content:

Almonds contain 14 grams worth of fat, and 164 calories whereas walnuts contain approximately 18 grams of fat but give 185 calories. Thus, we find that walnuts contain a slightly higher amount of fat than almonds, but provide more energy in the form of calories.

Protein content:

Almonds and walnuts are both protein powerhouses - containing 13% and 9% of protein content respectively. Thus, both these nuts are great sources of protein.

Mineral content:

Both almonds and walnuts are rich in various kinds of minerals. When it comes to Iron, which is essential for muscle health and blood formation, both nuts contain very similar amounts (approx 5%). Almonds pack 19% magnesium - essential for strong bones, compared to the 11% in walnuts. Walnuts, however have very high amounts of copper (50%) and manganese (54%) which prove to be useful in reducing symptoms of PMS as compared to almonds.
Fibre content:

Fiber, which plays a vital role in completing the process of digestion, is another component that these nuts pack healthy amounts of. Almonds contain 16% fiber whereas walnuts have 8%.

Vitamin content:

While walnuts contain 12% Vitamin B6, compared to the 3% in almonds, the real point of difference between these two highly healthy nuts is in their content of Vitamin E - essential for healthy skin and eyes. Almonds contain almost 48% of it, whereas walnuts contain only about 2% of the same.

Thus, we get a fair idea about the high nutritional content for both these nuts. They are both essential, especially if they can be incorporated into our diets in the correct proportions.

High blood sugar occurs when the insulin in the body fails to metabolize the sugar from the food, which raises the amount of glucose in your blood. It is a metabolic disorder which can be managed effectively with the help of lifestyle modifications such as exercise and food. This article is going to focus on the foods that you can eat to lower your blood sugar levels.

Here are 9 foods that you can use to reduce blood sugar levels:

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is a herb which is very effective in getting your blood sugar down to manageable levels. You can simply sprinkle cinnamon on your food before eating it.

Fenugreek (methi): Fenugreek is a common spice which is used in almost all Indian cuisines. It has a number of health benefits, one of which is reducing blood sugar levels. Soaking fenugreek in water and then drinking it the next day is a very effective remedy in combating sugar problems.

Garlic: Not just for sending away the vampires!, it is also very effective in blood sugar control. Extracts of garlic have been shown to increase insulin in the body which is required to metabolize the sugar in the body.

Heart Healthy Fats: Heart healthy fat based foods such as nuts and seeds are good for increasing the good cholesterol levels (HDL) in the body. Avocadoes contain nutrients which lower the risks of various diseases such as diabetes. In a nutshell, these fats make the cells of the body less resistant to insulin.

Blueberries: Blueberries contain anthocyanin (water soluble pigments) which is very good for your health. They also contain fiber in large amounts which make you feel fuller faster. This fruit has also been shown to improve insulin sensitivity in the body.

Vinegar: Vinegar is an age old remedy to control blood sugar levels; it contains acetic acid which causes a reduction in certain harmful enzymes in the stomach. Vinegar is also known to prevent blood sugar spikes when consumed with food.

Complex Carbohydrates: Complex carbohydrates raise your blood sugar but not like its cousin, simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates cause an immediate spike in your blood sugar levels where as complex carbs provide a steady stream of energy. So drop that packet of refined flour and get that whole wheat variant.

Cherries: Cherries, especially tart cherries and dark sweet cherries, are full of anthrocyanins. Insulin resistance prevents insulin from working properly to control blood sugar in normal ranges. Eating a diet high in anthrocyanins can mean improved use of insulin and lower blood sugars.

Nuts: People who eat nuts regularly have lower rates of heart disease than people who don't eat them. Even among the healthiest eaters, the ones who also eat nuts boast the best health record.

Aloe vera is one of the most popular medicinal plants that have been in use for thousands of years. It is particularly famous for the treatment of skin injuries although it offers a host of health benefits. This short stemmed shiny plant stores moisture in its leaves and is widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. The gel within the aloe vera stem contains bioactive compounds found in plants such as vitamins, antioxidants and amino acids.

Some of the notable health benefits of Aloe Vera include the following,

It contains antibacterial and antioxidant properties: Aloe Vera is known to contain the most beneficial antioxidants called as polyphenols. These polyphenols, as well as other similar compounds found on aloe vera, can prevent the growth of bacterial infections in human beings.
Helps in healing cuts and burns: Aloe Vera can also be used as a topical medicine by applying the gel on the skin. It has been used since ancient times for the treatment of sores, cuts and burns which also includes sunburns. Aloe Vera is the first FDA approved ointment that got the status of an effective over-the-counter medication in the year 1959. It can, therefore, be used in first and even second degree burns.
Prevents dental plaque: Tooth decay, as well as gum diseases, affect almost all individuals over the world. One of the best ways to steer clear of the oral infections is to prevent plaque buildup which is the bacterial biofilms on the teeth. The aloe vera mouthwash is as effective as chlorhexidine solutions in reducing the problems of dental plaque by killing the harmful yeast called Candida albicans and bacterium named Streptococcus mutans.
Aids in the treatment of canker sores: Most people have experienced mouth ulcers or canker sores at least once in their lifetime. It mostly affects the area underneath the lip or inside the mouth and can be very painful at times. Several studies show that aloe vera gel helps in accelerating the healing process of canker sores.
Reduces constipation: The latex of aloe vera has been found beneficial in the treatment of constipation. The latex is the sticky yellow residue underneath the leaf skin and contains aloin and barbaloin which offers effective latex effect.
Prevent formation of wrinkles: Topical aloe vera gel assists in slowing down the ageing process with regular usage. Using aloe vera gel regularly helps in boosting the production of collagen and improves skin elasticity within three months of regular usage.
Lowers down blood sugar levels: There was a time when aloe vera was used as a conventional remedy for diabetes. Aloe vera helps in enhancing insulin sensitivity as well as managing blood sugar levels. It has been used in numerous animals and humans affected with type 2 diabetes and the results are impressive enough to regard it as an alternative treatment option.
Along with these benefits, aloe vera juice is regarded as a sustainable way of weight management which has made it a well-favoured choice of overweight people all over the world.

When it comes to being fit, soldiers set the best examples. There are so many habits followed by soldiers that can be incorporated into our daily lives like waking up on time, following a proper meal routine and doing enough physical exercise. We must also try and eliminate all the bad habits like mindless snacking, poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. Eliminating such habits will not only keep us fit, but will also help us lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are few habits that you could imbibe to stay fit like a soldier:

Wake up early: A soldier s day begins at dawn. Starting your day early will give you more time to get things done and will eliminate the excuse of not having enough time to exercise.
Maintain a daily schedule: Set a time to wake up, eat, work, exercise, sleep and follow it diligently. This helps you stay physically and mentally fit.
Don t skip breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat a proper breakfast that will give you enough energy to get you through the day.
Eat on time: Don t delay a meal and maintain regular intervals between each meal. This helps stabilize your metabolism and helps prevent unnecessary weight gain.
Eat a balanced diet: Skipping out on carbs may help you lose a little weight temporarily but will not keep you healthy. Eat a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins and milk.
Spend time outdoors: If you can t exercise outdoors, walk to and from office or while grocery shopping to give yourself a chance to breathe in the open.
Avoid junk food: Avoid all kinds of processed foods. These foods have very low nutritional value but high-fat content. Instead, snack on fruits or nuts between meals.
Limit alcohol intake: Alcohol not only harms your body but can interfere with your schedule as well. Excessive drinking can keep you from waking up early the next day and throw your entire day off schedule.
Get adequate sleep: You should ideally get 8 hours of sleep so if you re going to wake up early, go to bed early as well. Drinking a warm glass or milk or chamomile tea can help you get a restful sleep.
Make exercise a part of your daily schedule: Along with work, exercise needs to be made a priority as well. The best time to exercise is early in the morning before starting with the day s work.
Mix it up: Make exercise fun by mixing up your exercise routines. If you go for a run on one day, go swimming the next or hit the gym.
Drink plenty of water: Stay hydrated to ensure that your body can absorb nutrients well and to optimize your circulatory system.
Play a sport: Playing a sport is not only a way to exercise but also boosts your mental health.

Dry fruits undoubtedly are great energy foods that are loaded with vital nutrients like minerals and vitamins. Anjeer or fig is one of the most popularly used dry fruit, and has multiple benefits. So, it's essential to include this fruit in your diet. Anjeer or fig can be consumed in multiple ways.

First is, by sun drying it and having it raw. You can even store this dried fig throughout the year. People across the country love the milk shake of Kaju Anjeer. For which, you need to soak some figs and add them along with cashews to the milk. Alternatively, you can even roughly cut them and add to your salads. The most delicious way to have figs is by adding them in your desserts. You can also make sweets like barfi and peda (milk sweet) with this healthy ingredient.

Here are 9 health benefits of this super fruit:

Controls blood pressure and ageing: Figs are rich in potassium, which negates the effect of sodium and helps in controlling blood pressure. They can also help in controlling ageing effects by providing you enough iron, estrogen, etc. This keeps your hormones in check and boosts your energy as well. Figs are also great for skin and hair and nails. Mashed figs applied on the face can prevent acne.
Helps in weight management: Moderate amount of figs can help in controlling weight. They are rich in fiber, and therefore eating figs is a good way to keep junk and fried foods at bay. When in the mood for a light snack, pick figs and they will make you feel full, at the same time, but in a healthy way.
Heart healthy food: Figs reduce the amount of triglycerides in the blood. Triglycerides are the culprit for inducing heart disease as they are fat particles which accumulate along the blood vessel and cause heart attacks.
Reduces chances of cancer: Figs are rich in antioxidants and therefore help in controlling release of free radicals and chronic inflammation. The free radicals are the ones responsible for chronic inflammation including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Figs are therefore believed to have a preventive effect on these chronic health conditions.
Controls blood sugar: The chlorogenic acid present in figs helps in reducing blood sugar levels in diabetics. Potassium which is found in abundance in figs also plays a good role in control of blood sugar levels.
Improves bone health: Calcium is the main ingredient required for healthy bones, and figs are a good natural source for this. While dairy products are a good source, they are not alone sufficient, and figs can be a good second-line supplement.
Aids in constipation: Being rich in fiber, figs are good for intestinal motility and can prevent constipation. The fiber provides roughage, aiding in good bowel movements
Keeps the reproductive system in check: Figs are rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, and manganese which contribute to vitality and fertility. Figs can be soaked in milk and consumed or eaten in other forms as mentioned above. So, if you're pregnant or planning a baby, do include this super food in your diet.
Prevent kidney stones: Boil some figs in water and once cool, this water can be consumed for a few days to prevent kidney stones.

Day in and day out human body battles with the repercussions inflicted upon it by inappropriate eating habits, lack of exercise, excessive stress and a number of other unhealthy practices, thus body cleansing is crucial for healthy living.

When it comes to body cleansing, there are a number of ways through which it can be done. For most people, the easiest way to detox their body is to pop a pill or two. But is it really the right way to do it? Well, the answer is a resounding 'NO' since there are various ways in which a body can be cleansed naturally!

Also, it is important that one must take specific guidance from an Ayurvedic doctor, before they opt for any type of detox regimen as it can pretty much go the wrong way. Also, one should ensure not to go on extreme detox all of a sudden as it can make the body unstable and the results can be bad.

Keeping in mind the above risk factors, there are a few natural detox practices that one can follow on day-to-day basis:

Avoid coffee and cigarettes: Coffee and cigarettes must be avoided or restricted. As a matter of fact, they are probably a major reason why a person needs a detox in the first place! In case, a person is craving for coffee then he or she can try replacing it with a cup of green tea. As not only it will help in curbing the craving, but also offers a number of benefits to the body.
Switch to brown rice: If someone enjoys eating rice then as a part of detox regimen, one should switch to brown rice from white rice. The fiber content of brown will help in improving the bowel movement, which eventually aids the detox process. Also, as part of the detox diet, it is important that one should restrict the consumption of processed food or foods that are laced with chemicals.
Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is very important even under normal circumstances, but it can be said that it takes on a bigger role when a person is on a detox. So, it is pertinent that one must consume at least 2-2.5 liters of water on a daily basis.
Go for a spa: A spa is the place to go to when it comes to a detox. In addition to a great massage, which can improve the blood circulation, sauna is really beneficial as the perspiration helps in releasing toxins and body waste.
When your body needs to be detoxified, choose from one of the many good ways and feel refreshed. In case of a concern or query consult an expert & get answers.

Ashwagandha is one of the most powerful Ayurvedic herbs and is commonly known as the Indian ginseng. Ashwagandha can be loosely translated to mean the strength of ten horses . It can be used to treat a number of diseases, relieve stress and fatigue, helps heal injuries and may also be used as an aphrodisiac and can help prevent male infertility.

Ashwagandha helps rejuvenate the body: This herb not only calms a person down, but also restores the balance of their body. Hence, it is also known as rayasana or a herb that rejuvenates. Ashwagandha stimulates the immune system and boosts the production of white blood cells thereby, elevating levels of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. The effects of this herb on a person s nervous system and endocrine system can also harmonise the body, mind and spirit.
It increases positivity: Stress and anxiety can lead to negative thinking and ultimately to depression. By fighting stress Ashwagandha helps negate these problems and instead boosts positive thinking. It may also be used to treat depression itself.
It helps regenerate nerve cells: Along with diseases such as asthmatic bronchitis, emphysema and gynaecological disorders, Ashwagandha can also be used to treat neuro-degenerative diseases such as Parkinson s disease or Alzheimer s. It helps regenerate nerve cells and dendrite growth and even improves communication between nerve cells. This stimulates the body s ability to heal any damage to the nervous system.
It enhances memory and treats insomnia: Ashwagandha is one of the best Ayurvedic remedies to treat insomnia. It not only helps you fall asleep faster but can also improve your sleep quality. A restful sleep increases a person s ability to concentrate and prevents drowsiness through the day. Ashwagandha also increases the levels of acetylcholine in the brain. This has a direct effect on boosting memory and elevating brain functioning and intelligence. Ashwagandha also increases the production of nitric oxide that helps regulate blood flow and blood pressure thus elevating the brain s oxygen levels.
It boosts libido: Ashwagandha helps optimise the functioning of the thyroid and adrenal glands and helps deal with both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Similarly, this Ayurvedic herb also benefits the adrenal glands and thus influences the overall mental and physical health of a person. The functioning of the thyroid and adrenal glands have a direct effect on a person s sexual health and libido. Thus by enhancing the functioning of these glands, Ashwagandha improves sexual health and boosts libido. The nitric oxide produced by Ashwagandha also helps improve fertility.

Have you heard of a controversy over, whether to drink milk standing or sitting? There are some scientific reasons, according to which, drinking milk in a sitting position is better and healthier than having it while standing. According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be a vital and precious food item, and hence, you must ensure that you are drinking milk in the right posture.

You should sit while drinking milk
Scientifically, drinking milk while standing causes the fluid hit the lower part of your esophagus. Over time, this may result in the dilation or relaxation of the sphincter which connects the stomach to the esophagus. This may lead to a health condition known as GERD or Gastroesphegal reflux disease.

From Ayurvedic point of view, drinking milk or any fluid in a standing position is forbidden and advised against. Many scholars suggest that this norm exists because of health reasons. Moreover, drinking milk in a standing position may cause another issue. If you gulp down half a liter of milk, it goes into your stomach. The stomach s capacity is between 900 to 1500 millimeters and on the consumption of the milk, it gets half full all of a sudden. This may cause the stomach to pulsate because of the volume of milk and it will also distend the stomach capacity because of weight. This may cause colic shock resulting in intense abdominal pain.
If you sit down and drink milk, sip by sip, the stomach will not distend because of the support it gets from the stomach cavity, which is in turn is supported by your thighs.

Benefits of drinking milk
In Ayurveda, milk is a highly beneficial food, having several benefits. They are as follows:

Milk is calming and cooling, which helps in balancing Vata and Pitta.
According to Ayurveda, milk is considered to be the most calming and nourishing food.
It is a natural food for human beings, which they are accustomed to right from birth.
Milk is an aphrodisiac and helps in vitalizing the reproductive system, improving your sex drive and quality of sperms in men.
When you want to correct obesity, it is a perfect food for satisfying hunger and thirst.
Milk causes a sense of soothing and satisfaction in many different types of illnesses and diseases.
Milk is essential for your mind, for children and is also used for treating depression.
Although many people argue that there is no scientific reason associated with sitting and drinking milk to be safe, it has been scientifically proven that it is better to eat or drink anything while sitting, instead of standing.