Monday, December 28, 2009

Food For Hair

We see thousands of advertisements daily recommending oils, shampoos, conditioner and various add ones like mousse (which I always thought was only something to eat and drool over), serum and what not. But the truth has always remained simple- 'What is inside is what is reflected outside'

Read on for the 6 top foods that should be the foundation of your healthy hair diet for those Rapunzel tresses:
1. Fish:
When it comes to foods that pack a beauty punch, it's hard to beat fish. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.
Essential omega 3 fatty acids help maintain scalp health.
Vegetarian???include a teaspone of flaxseeds in your diet.
2.Beans:
Legumes and pulses are great for hair not just because they have proteins, which promote hair growth, but also because the contain nutrients like iron and biotin. biotin deficiency although rare, leads to brittle hair.
3.Dark Gren leafy vegetables:
Yes the most dreaded food group by the majority. But when it comes to your hair this is one group you should not neglect.Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. The oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body's natural hair conditioner.
4.Nuts:
Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that may help condition your hair. They are also a terrific source of zinc, as are cashews, pecans, and almonds. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding, so make sure nuts are a regular on your healthy hair menu.
People will go nuts over your hair!
5.Milk and milk products:
excellent source of protein and calcium which promotes hair growth. But keep the milk low fat; after all we don't want great hair on a football!
6.Chicken:
Something to be happy about. protein protein and protein!Chicken is an excellent source of protein, so great for your hair.Poultry also provides iron with a high degree of bioavailability, meaning your body can easily reap its benefits.
So remeber the secret to healthy locks might just be locked in your fridge.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Some Facts...With A Twist!


Good habits are like wine...the more older..the stronger. But somehow we all feel that bad habits are more addictive! Was just thinking about some habits of ours and some bitter facts behind them.Try to take them with a pinch of salt, if they hurt real bad! Here they go.
People Burp....not because they don't have etiquettes!
…but because they eat too fast. Gulping down food without chewing it properly does not engage saliva causing poor digestion. You take in excess air which can lead to bloating and burping, which we think is an ugly habit!
Your stomach is not a dumping ground!
Overeating leads to obesity, CV disease and other lifestyle diseases which we all are aware of. But overeating also leads to production of toxins in the body. Lifelong overeating can lead to excessive toxin production and accumulation which will result to colon diseases.
Feed your body not your emotions!
A stressful day in the office, a breakup with the loved one, or a simply bad day doesn’t give you the privilege to binge on that calorie loaded huge bar of chocolate.Binge eaters report more health issues like stress, insomnia, and not to mention drastic weight gain.
When nature calls, answer before it’s too late!
Not listening to natures call on time puts extra load on your system, specially your vital organs like kidney and intestines.
Killer Practice: Self medication!
God made doctors for a reason. Keep them employed please! Self prescription of medicines even if it’s just a crocin can be fatal at times.
Faking can be beneficial!
Faking that you are full and satiated the is!.sometimes it’s all in the mind that you tend to feel hungry at the sight of food. If you have a tendency to eat mindlessly, it’s better to overlook such signs and tell yourself that you are full and happy1
If you think you’ll live longer…maybe you will!
Researches show that optimistic people are 14% less likely to die due to illness as compared to pessimists. Also they are 30%less likely to die of heart disease.
So think again what wrong are you doing and start talking a different route to life!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Good Skin- The secret is Your Refrigerator!

The simplest ways to get gorgeous may just be lying in your refrigerator.Get some healthy food to get healthy skin back:
LEMONS:
When life throws lemons at you, hunt out tequila and salt! But in the mornings, the old favourite is stil ideal: A glass of luke warm water with a twist of lemon and one Tsp of honey to flush out the toxins- also gives you a big boost of vitamin C to keep your skin baby soft.
JUICE UP:
Step up on fresh fruit and veggies juice. Top zit fighters include carrots, celery, and ginger; also factors in avocados (for vitamin E), and pomogranates (to fortify blood)
APPLES:
And no I am not talking in pie form. Apples pack a greater wallop of antioxidants (polyphenols). Remember polyphenols are 5 times intense in the skin of the apples than the flesh so don't peel off the skin!
SALMON:
Along with other fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseeds, salmon is amongst the highest in healthy fatty acids(omega 3) that does great things for your skin! Omega 3 also reduces the body's production of inflamatory agents that can damage the skin.vegetarian? Have flaxseeds.
YOGURT:
It has all the benefits of dairy foods + probiotics that help add healthy bacteria to the intestines (read: no acne). Plus it's an excellent skin food as it assists in the production of collagen, helping reduce the signs of ageing.
ORANGES:
An orange a day keeps those wrinkles away! The secret lies in that Vitamin C content of oranges, which is excellent antioxidant.
WALNUTS:
An easy, crunchy way to add extra nutrition and flavour to a meal, as they provide antioxidents and have healthy oil for skin suppleness.Will keep your skin young and glowing.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

What are functional foods?






The concept of functional foods was born in Japan. In the 1980s, health authorities in Japan recognised that an improved quality of life must accompany increasing life expectancy for the expanding number of elderly people in the population if health care costs were to be controlled. The concept of foods that were developed specifically to promote health or reduce the risk of disease was introduced. Functional foods, generally, are considered as those foods which are intended to be consumed as part of the normal diet and that contain biologically active components which offer the potential of enhanced health or reduced risk of disease. Examples of functional foods include foods that contain specific minerals, vitamins, fatty acids or dietary fiber, foods with added biologically active substances such as phytochemicals or other antioxidants and probiotics that have live beneficial cultures . As interest in this category of foods has grown, new products have appeared and interest has turned to the development of standards and guidelines for the development and promotion of such foods.
Why do we need functional foods?

Consumer interest in the relationship between diet and health has increased substantially. There is much greater recognition today that people can help themselves and their families to reduce the risk of illness and disease and to maintain their state of health and well being through a healthy lifestyle, including the diet. Ongoing support for the important role of foods such as fruits and vegetables and wholegrain cereals in disease prevention and the latest research on dietary antioxidants and combinations of protective substances in plants has helped to provide the impetus for further developments in the functional food market .Trends in population demographics and socio-economic changes also point to the need for foods with added health benefits. An increase in life expectancy, resulting in an increase in the number of elderly and the desire for an improved quality of life, as well as increasing costs of health care, have stimulated governments, researchers, health professionals and the food industry to see how these changes can be managed more effectively. There is already a wide range of foods available to today's consumer but now the impetus is to identify those functional foods that have the potential to improve health and well-being, reduce the risk from, or delay the onset of, major diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and osteoporosis. Combined with a healthy lifestyle, functional foods can make a positive contribution to health and well being.