Health Benefits of Barley

In today’s fast and hectic life, it becomes very difficult to take care of our health and fitness. In such a scenario, an oft-forgotten whole grain like barley is very beneficial to fight a lot of ailments. It is available in the form of barley water as well and it is okay to consume barley without the doctor’s prescription. Here we’ve put down some health benefits of barley.
1. Controls blood sugar level
The amino acids present in barley keep a tab on blood sugar level. It is advised to consume breakfast consisting of barley on a daily basis as it lessens the glucose reaction that is experienced after eating a meal. This helps to keep the diabetes levels in check.
2. Helps in weight management
100gm of barley contains 16gm fiber which is extremely beneficial. This helps in effective bowel movement and also makes you feel full for a longer time, thus keeping a tab on the urge to eat again and again. It is indeed a very simple and healthy way to manage your weight and stay fit.
3. Reduces blood pressure
Barley is a whole grain food that has high fiber content. This helps to reduce blood pressure. It also helps to control cholesterol level, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases.
 4. Helps fight various ailments
Barley water is rich in nutrients and fiber and is very helpful to fight various ailments. The juice has to ability to disengage and wash away the thick sticky plaque found in the arteries. It helps to fight asthma, constipation and heart related concerns too. Diarrhea and nausea are amongst other problems that barley water helps to fight against.
5. Reduces the risk of colon cancer
The dietary fiber present in barley protects against various forms of cancer. Barley contains insoluble fiber that helps in maintaining essential bacteria in the large intestine. These bacteria help in pushing out disease-causing bacteria out of the system, thus reducing the risk of colon cancer.
6. Beneficial for postmenopausal women
The presence of nutrients, vitamins and fiber in barley is very beneficial for women who have had their menopause. It helps to control and fight cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure. It also reduces the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women.
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Health Benefits of Parsley

Parsley is not meant only for garnishing as what the common belief might be. Parsley has plenty of health benefits, so much that it can help you avoid some very serious health issues. Also, parsley has medicinal qualities – the reason why it is used as a medicinal herb in many countries. And you do not need copious amounts. Even a small amount used only as garnishing is enough to give you all the benefits it provides. Listed here are the 6 health benefits of parsley.
1. It contains antioxidants
Parsley is a rich source of antioxidants. It contains luteolin which is a flavonoid and it eradicates free radicals from your body. Luteolin also improves the metabolism of carbohydrates in your body. Parsley also contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C which are strong antioxidants.
2. It acts as an anti-inflammatory agent
The luteolin found in parsley also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent. Parsley also contains Vitamin C which is an effective anti-inflammatory agent. They do not allow inflammatory diseases to get hold of your body and prevent osteoartharitis and pain in the joints of your bones.
3. It improves immunity
Parsley contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C which help to improve the overall immunity of your body. Vitamin C enables the production of collagen which helps to protect the connecting tissues of your muscles and helps maintain a healthy skin. It helps your body to combat diseases more easily and effectively.
4. It strengthens bones
Parsley contains Vitamin K which is responsible for the synthesis of a protein called osteocalcin which improves the density of your bones. Thus, parsley helps you to have stronger bones and teeth. It also prevents calcium to disrupt the normal functioning of your heart and help prevent heart related diseases.
5. It protects the heart
Our body produces an amino acid called homocysteine which can disrupt the normal functioning of your blood vessels. Parsley contains Vitamin B9 or folate which prevents homocysteine from being responsible for cardiovascular diseases. It converts homocysteine into simple molecules and thus protects you from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular ailments.
6. It helps to avert cancer
An organic compound called myristicin is found in parsley which prevents cancerous tumors from developing in your body. Myristicin also activates an enzyme and helps neutralize certain harmful compounds which can result in prostate and colon cancer.
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Health Benefits of Litchis

Litchi or lychee is a tropical fruit that has been consumed for a long time now for its marvelous health benefits. Being rich in several minerals and nutrients, litchis are helpful in fighting several diseases as well as providing skin care. In addition, it also aids in fetal growth and strengthening of body. Here are 7 health benefits of litchis.
1. Helps to prevent cancer

The pulp of litchi contains flavonoids, which is extremely effective in fighting cancer and other such fatal diseases. The presence of powerful compounds such as flavones, quercitin and kaempferol helps in reducing the propagation of cancer cells.
2. Maintains a healthy heart

Litchi contains a high degree of polyphenols which promotes the betterment of the heart. It normalizes blood pressure and heart rate and hence protects against strokes and coronary heart diseases.
3. Promotes digestion

Litchi is extremely effective in dealing with digestive and other stomach problems. It improves appetite and helps in better digestion of the food you eat. The seed of litchi has astringent properties, due to which it is clears out any intestinal worms. It also helps in clearing bowel movement, thereby keeping your stomach clean and free from toxic elements.
4. Strengthens bones

Litchi is a rich source of phosphorus and magnesium which helps to maintain strong bones. The small traces of copper and manganese helps in strengthening brittle bones. The zinc and copper content in litchi also helps in the better assimilation of calcium, providing stronger and healthier bones.

5. Nourishes skin

Litchi works wonders for the skin too. It nourishes the skin oil and helps to get rid of acne and pimples. It also aids in smoothening the skin, providing a glow and making it look younger.
6. Enhances immunity

Litchi is an excellent source of vitamin C. This vitamin helps to increase immunity and fight infectious diseases such as cold, fever, and the likes. Vitamin C also provides nutrition to the skin, bones and tissues, and hence is extremely important for a healthy living.
7. Fosters metabolism

Litchi also happens to be a good source of vitamin B. It aids the body to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It also contains a high level of beta carotene which improves liver function and increases immunity.

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Ways to Decrease Cholesterol in Diet

Cholesterol is essential for the functioning of your body. It becomes dangerous only when your cholesterol levels go high. High undetected cholesterol levels are the single important reason for heart attacks in many people. Contrary to popular belief, your size does not correlate with the amount of cholesterol you have in your body. A big person can have normal cholesterol while someone thin can have dangerously high levels of cholesterol in their body. A proper diet is needed to control and maintain optimum levels of cholesterol in your body ad here are some ways to decrease cholesterol in your diet.
1. Avoid fatty and greasy food

Deep fried fatty foods are good to taste but they come loaded with saturated fats and oil which when taken on a regular basis can shoot up your cholesterol to dangerous levels. Have these foods once in a while if you really have to indulge your taste buds and even then make sure that you exercise well to burn all the extra calories.
2. Replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat

Natural foods such as oily fish, nuts such as almond and cashews, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, vegetable oils and spreads are great sources of unsaturated fat. Bring these into your diet and get rid of the French fries and fried chicken.
3. Lower the amount of salt in your diet

Irrespective of the cholesterol levels in your body, try to limit the amount of salt that you add to your food. It may taste a little different but after a few days you will get used to little amounts of salt in your food. High sodium levels are a main cause of worry for people with cholesterol levels.

4. Add cholesterol lowering products to your diet

Research now supports the fact that certain cholesterol lowering products actually do the work. The products include plant sterols and stanols which can be found in specially developed products such as yoghurt and vegetable spreads.
5. Increase the amount of soluble fibers in your diet

Fibers come in two forms, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibers get digested by the body and insoluble do not. Soluble fibers are good as they reduce the amount of cholesterol in your body. Sources of natural soluble fibers include oats, beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, fruit and vegetables.
6. Go for lean meat and stay away from red meat

Baked chicken and lean meat should be on your plate instead of red meat and stakes which increase your cholesterol levels.

Add a lot of greens and fruits to your diet, get rid of the fatty stuff, eat a lot of spices and you will see your cholesterol levels dropping. A bit of physical activity and exercise also helps.
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Little Investments for Good Health

Fruits provide various health benefits. Fruits are loaded with nutrients which are important for the good maintenance of your body and health. Hence, make sure you don’t forget to buy fruits daily and consume them regularly.
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Many women face the problem of acne breakouts which are known to occur because oily skin combines with dead skin cells which block hair follicles. Bacteria start developing under these follicles and eventually break out as acne on skin. Here are a few everyday remedies that you can use to control your acne.
1. Increase Vitamin A rich foods in your diet

Changing your diet to increase Vitamin A in your body is something that you can do on a daily basis to get rid of acne. Vitamin A is known to boost skin health and control acne and other skin blemishes like blackheads or pimples. Include Vitamin A rich foods like leafy vegetables, fish, cereals, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupe and dairy products in your daily diet.
2. Exfoliation and face cleansing

Since acne occurs because of oily skin and dead skin cells that pile up on the skin tissue, you can easily prevent such a bacterial build up by exfoliating regularly. Go to the salon for a deep skin cleansing facial or exfoliate at home by rubbing a face wash with granules in circular motions on your face. Doing this on a regular basis may ensure that your skin remains bacteria and acne free.
3. Change your face napkins and pillow cover daily

If you use the same face napkin or pillow cover every day, your face is likely to roll over in the same pool of bacteria and oil that your skin has left on your linen since the previous time you used it. Use disposable face wipes and throw your pillow covers for a wash regularly. Taking care of small things like this may help in reducing acne.

4. Food masks

Making food masks out of baking soda, honey, oatmeal, yogurt or potato slices are considered to be common remedies to treat acne. You can apply either mashed eggs, cold pressed olive oil, yogurt or potato slices directly on your skin, leave for 10 minutes and then wash your face off. You can also make face masks by making a mix of one part of baking soda with one part of water. Leave it for ten minutes and wash your face off. You can make face masks in the same way by mixing oatmeal or apple cider vinegar.
5. Relax

Meditating and relaxing are the things you can do on a daily basis to reduce stress, which is one of the major factors causing acne. Have you noticed a breakout on a random day just before you have an important exam, presentation or a date? That’s because the body releases hormones to combat stress which in turn cause more oil production on skin. So one of the things you can do to reduce stress and acne on a daily basis is to relax and rejuvenate.
6. Wear makeup only when you need it

Women who are prone to acne should bid makeup goodbye, using it only when it is extremely necessary. Makeup contains chemicals which block pores of the skin and make it more prone to growth of bacteria. It does not allow the skin to breathe and accelerates the growth of dead skin cells if it is not removed in a timely manner. Many beauty experts say the mineral or organic makeup has less negative impact on skin. If you must use makeup, remove it as soon as you don’t need it.

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Foods to Help You Stay Awake

Do you find yourself becoming sluggish, sleepy and lazy in office after lunch? Do you always reach out for coffee every time you start yawning? Well, for all those times when you need to start your day very early, or need to pull an all-nighter, you require foods that help you stay alert, active, and most importantly, awake. Food has a direct impact on how sleepy or lazy we feel, so it is essential for us to train our body to consume foods, which help us stay awake. This is especially important for those who work on night shifts, or are involved in professions where work hours are long and sleep is at a premium. So here are some foods to help you stay awake for long.
1. Wheat-Bran Cereal

This is a good choice for breakfast, as opposed to heavy sandwiches filled with mayonnaise and cheese. The fiber in the cereal helps to fight fatigue and drowsiness. Moreover, it is a healthier option as compared to most other breakfast choices that people tend to make in a hurry. Combine it with ample milk and fruits, and it will sure act as a great start to the day!
2. Pumpkin Seeds

This is a great all-time snack that you can keep handy in your bag. It has magnesium, which is reportedly important for everyone involved in a lot of physical activity. This is because the more physical activity you engage in, the more oxygen will be used, thereby tiring your body. To help replenish that flow of oxygen and keep the metabolism going strong, magnesium is needed. That’s why your post lunch snacks should be pumpkin seeds, which help you stay up.
3. Watermelon

It is not only refreshing, but also is the easiest way of combating dehydration in the body, which is one of the major causes of people feeling tired and sleepy. So a nice, big bowl of watermelon in the evenings can help you stretch your working hours a little more, and will also build up your appetite well for a good dinner.
4. Peanut Butter and Apple

Peanut butter gives you the protein, while apple alongside helps to digest it quickly. This is a great snack for your 11 am hunger, and will keep you going on till lunch. Moreover, fruits in general take lesser time to digest on an empty stomach, and hence, give a boost to your body.

5. Yoghurt

Yoghurt with a little amount of fruits is a great snack. Yoghurt helps to fight fatigue and stress, and gives an immediate boost to the body. Since it works directly on improving your metabolism, it fights against CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and keeps you more active and alert for a longer period of time.
6. Cottage Cheese with Fresh Vegetables

This is healthy, and can be consumed at any time of the day. Ideally, Caesar Salad is a good choice for those with refined taste buds. However, cottage cheese is important for the protein, and for making the body more active.
7. The 8 Essential Glasses of Water

Consuming the right and adequate amount of water is also important, on a daily basis, as it combats fatigue and keeps the metabolism going smooth. It avoids dehydration, and also keeps the body cool, which eventually helps one to feel less drowsy, and more alert.

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