Best Sources of Calcium

You may already know and have heard enough about the importance of calcium in our body and how it helps in maintaining stronger bones and teeth. But what you may not know is that you do not need to take calcium supplements for getting that much needed extra calcium. There are enough foods which you can include in your everyday diet and still be able to augment your calcium intake on a daily basis. Listed below are some of the best sources of calcium which you can include in your diet.
1. Milk
The best source of calcium is, of course, milk. It is a natural source of calcium and has immense benefits. The milk which you get in tetra-packs nowadays is also good as far as the calcium content is concerned. And you can include milk in your diet in a number of ways: you can have it at any time during the day – for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can have it with cereals in the morning and you can have a glass of hot milk even before going to bed as well.
2. Spinach
Another good source of calcium is spinach. Many edible leaves like lettuce have calcium but spinach has a good amount of it and it is also otherwise beneficial in a number of ways. Include spinach in your diet and have stronger bones!
3. Fish
Fish like sardines, tuna and salmon are very rich sources of calcium because they contain very small and soft bones which you can easily digest and in the process, take in abundant calcium. Additionally, fish are also good sources of Vitamin D. Include canned fish in your diet and rest assured about the calcium requirement of your body.
4. Yogurt
Yogurt is a good source of calcium because it is a dairy product. All dairy products are good sources of calcium and it is more easily and extremely well absorbed by our bodies. Moreover, dairy products are also sources of essential minerals like magnesium and phosphorus.
5. Cabbage
Green leafy vegetables, especially those in the cabbage family like broccoli, cabbage and turnip are good sources of calcium and they are also very economical. Include a lot of green vegetables in your everyday diet and the additional nutrients (Vitamin K) present in them would also benefit your body in a number of ways.
6. Nuts
Nuts, seeds and grains are also moderate sources of calcium and they are worth being included in your diet because like all other foods they also provide additional nutritional benefits.

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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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