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Good morning... Have a nice day...

Foods for healthy heart

Heart diseases are emerging as an increasing health concern due to our unhealthy lifestyle. A balanced diet and regular exercise helps in keeping heart diseases away. Here are some of the foods that you should add to your diet for a healthy heart

Green leafy vegetables: Vegetables like spinach, methi (fenugreek), radish leaves and lettuce are extremely low in fat, calories and high in dietary fiber. They also contain folic acid, magnesium, calcium and potassium. These minerals are beneficial for the optimum functioning of the heart.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and acts as a blood purifier. Regular consumption of tomatoes is known to reduce the risk of heart diseases. Add tomatoes to your salads and sandwiches or have them cooked.

Apples: Apples contain quercetin a plant pigment with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps in prevention of blood clots. Add sliced apple to your breakfast cereal or have it as a snack.

Almonds: Almonds when eaten in moderation are known to lower cholesterol levels in the body and thus prevent heart diseases. They also contain vitamin B17, E and minerals like magnesium, iron, and zinc and are a good source of monounsaturated fats. Add almonds to your cereals or have 7-8 almonds a day to keep your heart healthy.

Walnuts: walnuts are packed with mono-saturated fats and help lower bad cholesterol ( LDL) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL) These are also rich in Omega-3 fats. Munch on a handful of walnuts daily to give your heart a boost of good health.

Garlic: Consuming raw garlic every day can help to reduce the production of bad cholesterol (LDL), increase the production of good cholesterol (HDL)and also keep blood pressure within normal limits. Have 1-2 cloves of raw garlic daily to reap the benefits.

Ginger: Ginger is believed to be capable of preventing formation of clots, improving blood circulation and lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Make ginger a part of your daily cooking. You can add it to tea or lemonade also.

Stay healthy...
Keep smiling always...

Lower cholesterol with dietary changes

Studies suggest that cholesterol problems can be addressed with simple dietary changes. And aerobic exercises further enhance the cholesterol lowering effects of a healthy diet.

Here are some quick tips to lower cholesterol without drugs:

1 . Say no to trans fats

Food manufacturers use trans fats because they extend the shelf life of packaged baked goods. They raise LDL (bad cholesterol), lower HDL (good cholesterol), and increase risk of developing heart disease and stroke. They’re found in fried foods, baked goods (cakes, pie crusts, frozen pizza, and cookies). Follow this rule: choose fats and oils with 2 grams or less saturated fat per tablespoon.

2 . Switch to olive oil

Substituting olive oil for ghee or butter may reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 15%, which is similar to the effect of a low dose of medication The “good” fats in olive oil benefit your heart. Choose extra-virgin olive oil.

3 . Add lots of fiber to your diet

Research suggests that increasing soluble fiber intake by 5 to 10 grams each day may result in a 5% drop in LDL cholesterol. Foods like oatmeal, apples, prunes, and beans are high in soluble fiber, which keeps your body from absorbing cholesterol.

4 . Choose colorful fruits and veggies

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with ingredients that lower cholesterol—including fiber, cholesterol-blocking molecules called sterols and stanols, and eye-appealing pigments. These include leafy greens, yellow squashes, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, plums, blueberries.

5 . Add spices to your cooking

Spices like garlic, curcumin, ginger, black pepper, coriander, and cinnamon can improve cholesterol. Research shows that eating half to one clove of garlic each day could lower cholesterol up to 9%. Find more cholesterol reducing foods here.

6 . Lose those extra kilos

If you’re overweight, drop of just 4-5 Kg will reduce your LDL by up to 8%.  Having 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day (for women) and 1200-1600 calories/day (for men) will help in losing  weight safely.

7 . Exercise regularly

Exercising at least 2 1/2 hours a week (around 20 minutes per day) is enough to raise HDL (good cholesterol) and improve LDL and triglycerides. Start with a 20 minute brisk walk daily!

8 . Have a handful of nuts

Almonds and walnuts contain sterols, which, like fiber, keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. Go for unsalted ones and keep the quantity in check.

9 . Quit smoking

Smoking can raise LDL and lower HDL, and quitting often improves those numbers. Breathing secondhand smoke every day can also raise levels of bad cholesterol.

10 . Stay happy

Studies suggest that when you are stressed, your cholesterol levels rise in the body. Engage in hobby like gardening, join a book club or try meditation or yoga classes to keep your spirits high.

Stay healthy..

Keep smiling...

Saluting Womanhood

When I heard the story of Gautam Buddha, my question was always about his wife and son that he left behind...this write-up by Vikram Bhattacharya touches that part of the story 😊
---------------

He left her in the middle of the night, the night their son was
born. When she heard the news
she was devastated.

Yet, she did not complain but her
life lost all meaning. The only
reason for her to live now was
her son. She wanted him to grow
up to be a man that the world
would look up to.

Her friends and relatives came
around and asked her to forget
about the man who had left her
and start life again.

They asked her to marry again
but she refused. She was young
& beautiful & suitors queued up
outside her door, but she refused each one of them.

Then one fine day he came back !

He stood in front of her and she could hardly remember him as the man who had left her. “They call you the Buddha now?” she asked him gently.

“I hear they do,” he answered in
a calm fashion.

“What does it mean?” she further inquired.

“I think it means the enlightened one, a knower,” he informed.

She smiled and then a silence.
“I suppose we have both learned something. Your lessons O Buddha, will make the world richer in spirit, but my lesson will unfortunately remain largely unknown.”
she reflected deeply....

“ And what lesson is that ? ”
  The Buddha probed.

Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, “That a courageous woman does not need anyone to complete her.....
SHE IS COMPLETE ON HER OWN ”

Saluting womanhood for the Yashodhara spirit. !!! 🙏

Vitamin - D & Oral health

VITAMIN-D AND ORAL HEALTH

A Canadian study indicates that low levels of vitamin D in pregnant women may increase the possibility of their children developing cavities.

The lack of vitamin D may result in problems with enamel, which directly results in an increase in cavity risk. Enamel starts to form when the fetus is in the womb and a deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy can certainly have an adverse impact on a baby’s oral health before the teeth begin to erupt.

women with regular levels of vitamin D are significantly less likely to have children with cavities.

Smile