Why Drinking A Glass Of Milk Everyday Is So Important

We have heard so many good things about milk in commercials. Have we ever sat and thought through the real benefits of milk? Apart from being a healthy drink and the backbone of the dairy industry, this calcium-rich drink has innumerable benefits. In this article, we will discuss some not so known pros of milk:

1.     Complexion: If you want your complexion to lighten, instead of buying cosmetics, drinking 2 glasses of milk will fetch more benefits. Milk helps the skin to supple, glow and soft. Owing to its countless nutrients and vitamin contents, milk can be your best friend, if you are seeking a fair complexion.

2.     Strong Teeth: Being a tremendous source of Calcium, consumption of milk ensures strong teeth and help a person refrain from the decay of tooth and cavities. Care should be taken that Vitamin D is also consumed along with milk. The former helps the body to absorb calcium.

3.     Healthy Bones: Bone health and milk has a direct co-relation. It is, therefore, advised that kids consume milk to ensure proper growth. In the case of an adult, milk makes the bone strong and mitigate the risk of osteoporosis. A daily serving of one glass should do the trick for any individual.

4.     Weight Loss: Studies in the past have shown that women who consume milk daily can shed weight quicker compared to those who do not drink milk. A glass of milk can be drunk as a fulfilling appetizer, evening snack etc. It makes sense that milk is drunk during the night just before sleep.

5.     Stress Reduction: A study conducted by the Stamford Medical School in the year 2002 revealed that a warm glass of milk can go a long way in relieving stress. Daily consumption of milk after a hard day’s work can not only relax the nerves but calms the mind as well.

6.     Energy Buster: While milk is a great health drink, one can always turn to it when the body needs an energy boost. Milk can instantly revitalize the body. It is advisable that an ice-cold glass of milk should be consumed when there is a need for instant body revitalization.

7.     Eliminator of Diseases: There have been countless studies performed over the last few decades about the health benefits of milk and its capability to fight critical diseases. For instance, milk can mitigate the risk of strokes, keep blood pressure down, reduce cholesterol production of the liver, improve the eyesight, negates the chances of many types of cancer etc.

Ayurvedic Remedies For Hair Fall

Hair problems were never so common. There are hair care chemicals, changing food patterns, and increasing pollution. Issues relating to hair loss, hair thinning, premature greying, roughening are all on the rise. Conventional treatment measures would again go the chemical way, adding to the vicious cycle.

Here is where Ayurveda helps. There are proven, safe, and effective ways to a healthy hair, which have been used for centuries now. According to Ayurveda, hair and bone are very similar and so what is good/bad for the bones is good/bad for the hair too. Hair problems are due to excessive pitta, which needs to be addressed.

Healthy hair is the result of a combination of diet, Ayurvedic herbal oils, exercise, sleep, and meditation. Some of the popular herbs are listed below along with other changes that can promote healthy hair growth.

1.     Bhringaraaja: It translates into “king of the hair” and is useful for most hair problems including hair fall, premature balding, calming the mind, and promoting sleep. It can be used both internally and externally.

2.     Brahmi: Another wonderful chemical for the hair, it can be mixed with curd and applied on the hair to prevent hair fall and promote hair growth.

3.     Amla: Hair packs made of amla powder and curd or water along with henna have been used since ages to ensure healthy hair.

4.     Ritha: These are natural soap nut powders without the use of chemicals and can be used for regular hair wash. The natural oils from the scalp are preserved and therefore hair remains healthy.

5.     Natural oils: A combination of oils including coconut, almond, olive, mustard, sesame and brahmi are popularly used on the hair. These promote hair growth, improve texture, and prevent greying. Massaging warm oil on the scalp and hair and leaving it overnight before washing gives great results.

6.     Aloe vera: Either in juice form or gel form, consuming aloe vera is useful in controlling hair loss.

7.     Sesame seeds: Consume a spoonful of white sesame seeds which is rich in magnesium and calcium. As noted above, these are essential (like for bone) for hair growth and useful in maintaining healthy hair.

Fresh fruits and vegetables like juices of carrot and lettuce, vitamin and mineral rich products like sprouts, nuts, soybeans, yeast, milk, and whole grains should be part of the diet to improve overall hair health.

Stress is another major reason for hair loss and premature greying. While stress is an inevitable part of our lives, we need to learn to manage it. Try meditation, yoga, music, or exercise to beat the stress.

How Quitting Smoking Is Good For Your Heart

If you are concerned about the health of your heart, one of the primary and most important things to do is quit smoking. Avoiding and abstaining from smoking will heal the nicotine damage caused to your heart. This will enable you to lead a long and healthy life. Here are the reasons why you should quit smoking for the sake of your heart:

1.     Reduced risk of heart attack: The benefits of not smoking start hours after you quit, and the heart rate and blood pressure get normalised slowly. By quitting smoking, your chances of having a heart attack are reduced by 50%.

2.     In case of women, quitting smoking has special benefits: Women generally have a smaller body frame than men, and the harmful effects of smoking on a woman’s heart are considered to be more dangerous and concentrated. Female smokers under the age of sixty are more likely to experience a condition known as cholesterol plaque erosion, which is a fatal blood vessel condition. Women smokers are likely (seven times more than men) to develop heart complications due to smoking.

3.     When you quit smoking, your heart is no longer exposed to harmful chemicals: Cigarette smoke contains toxins such as arsenic, formaldehyde and benzene. The chemical substances may be hazardous to the blood vessels in your body, and the heart muscles get damaged. Once you quit smoking, these chemicals will no longer enter your body, making your heart healthier.

4.     Quitting smoking benefits other people as well: When children and people are exposed to tobacco smoke, their chances of having plaque in their heart’s arteries are enhanced. This may cause a stroke.

5.     Quitting smoking reduces the chances of getting hospitalised: A smoker may be at the risk for getting hospitalised because of several conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, much more than a non-smoker. After quitting smoking, the chances of being hospitalised decrease within five years.

6.     Quitting smoking lowers the risk of having atherosclerosis: Atherosclerosis is a blood vessel disease which is caused due to inflammations all over the body. Because of this, the arteries may stiffen and thicken. Smokers face the risk of acquiring this condition three times more than non-smokers.

You can quit smoking most effectively by combining behavioural support along with prescribed medication. People using this type of multi-treatment are likely to become successful at quitting smoking.

Things You Can Do To Prevent Brain Stroke

As the famous quote says, 'prevention is better than cure', let us take you through some preventive measures to keep you and your loved ones away from the dreadful consequences of brain stroke. Brain stroke occurs due to an interruption in the regular blood flow to the brain or rupture of a blood vessel causing brain cells in the affected area to die or become disabled. Stroke is a vascular disease, so anything that keeps the blood vessels healthy can reduce the risk of stroke.

Top 8 things that will reduce the likelihood of having a brain stroke: 

1.     Eat well: Having good eating habits are not just good for a healthy outlook of the body, but also benefits the body in many other ways. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of fibre, reducing salt and saturated fat intake can keep blood vessels healthy and reduce the risk of stroke. 

2.     Stay Active: Regular exercising not just makes you feel and look good, but also reduces the odds of developing a brain stroke. Exercising regularly keeps the heart and brain vessels healthy. 

3.     Say no to Smoking and drugs: Yes! The more you smoke, the more are the chances of suffering a deadly brain stroke. 

4.     Control your blood pressure: The ideal blood pressure for a healthy person is 120/80 mm of mercury. Regular check-up of blood pressure is advisable to control the chances of suffering a stroke as high blood pressure can directly cause a brain hemorrhage. 

5.     Drink in limits: Limit the amount of alcohol you consume. Chronic alcoholics suffer from malnutrition and liver problems which compound the chances of stroke and its severity. Alcoholic liver disease causes blood clotting to be impaired, increasing the chances of stroke. Consulting a de-addiction specialist is the best option in case you are not able to control your alcohol intake. 

6.     Cholesterol: People suffering from high cholesterol are at higher risk of strokes as the cholesterol can deposit in the wall of arteries in the body making the arteries narrow and the body more prone to suffer a stroke. Reducing saturated fat like red meat, dairy fat etc., and increasing MUFA like mustard or olive oil can help reduce cholesterol. 

7.     Diabetes: uncontrolled high blood sugar over long periods is one of the most prominent reasons behind stroke. One should get his sugar level checked regularly, especially if there is diabetes in the family. 

8.     Stress: Prolonged stress generally leads to high blood pressure and reduced body immunity, and hence becomes a reason for stroke.