Category: Health and Fitness

Mixing Animal and Plant-based Proteins

Mixing Animal and Vegetable Proteins

Many people often ask about separate meals. So – the need for a mixed or balanced diet is simply and clearly explained by the need to balance the protein.
No wonder the Greeks called it paramount, that is, the most important.

When we mix animal and plant-based proteins in one bowl, we get all the essential amino acids and create all the necessary proteins without destroying our own.
This is because plant sources contain some essential amino acids, while animal proteins have others.
For example, there is little methionine in cereals and more in fermented milk products, while lysine, on the contrary, is high in soy and low in dairy products.
By receiving both at the same time, we preserve or restore our health.

Why some people can’t stop running, according to sport psychology

Credit: lzf/Shutterstock

Alex has a problem with running; he has become addicted to it. “I have to get out and run, whether my family like it or not,” he says. “It’s just who I am.”

Running three times a week has become ten times a week, and when life gets in the way of his running, Alex becomes irritable and racked with guilt. He has gone from what was a healthy pursuit, to an unhealthy overindulgence. His body is shot to pieces and is mentally and physically exhausted. But still, he keeps running.

The physical and mental benefits of running are indisputable. But runners can have too much of a good thing. This is especially true for long-distance runners as they tend to increase their training loads and become increasingly competitive. They’re at risk of making a shift from healthy perseverance (“I want to run”) to unhealthy and pressured overindulgence (“I have to run”).

Here’s how it happens

Say you start running because you want to get fit and be a healthy weight. You try it and you like it, so you stick with it. After a month, you notice that your clothes fit better. Then colleagues and friends comment on how healthy you look lately, and your running buddies comment on your improved technique and speed. Your times are improving. You’re achieving things, beating others, and you get a rush when you run.

But it’s not enough. Five kilometres no longer gives you the same rush, so you move to ten. This added time means you no longer have time for a lunch break where you normally chat with colleagues. But who cares? People are saying that you look great, you are getting quicker, and you feel amazing. This snowballing can continue. Why not go from 10k to a half marathon?

The danger with this situation is that your self-worth is becoming attached to running. Running is now part of who you are. If you don’t run, who are you? If you quit or reduce running, then all of those nice things you are experiencing will drop away. People value you and you value yourself because of your running. Now you have to carry on running to maintain your self-worth. It makes sense to you that the more you run, the better you feel, you have greater social standing and with it more self-worth. A belief forms: “I have to keep running or I’ll be a worthless nobody.”

Research suggests that people who strongly identify with being an exerciser (including runners) and who are anxious about their physique are more likely to become exercise dependent. In our work as sport and exercise psychologists, we often come across people who become overly consumed by an athletic identity and who form the idea that their success as an athlete reflects their worth as a human being. So, I succeed as an athlete, therefore I am valuable. I fail as an athlete, therefore I am worthless. So I have to succeed because my self-worth is on the line.

Runners can’t guarantee success, so they put themselves in a precarious position. Our research shows that people whose self-worth depends on success or achievement are more likely to have poorer psychological well-being.

Illogical

Beliefs like “I have to” and “I’d be worthless if I didn’t” are considered to be illogical in some psychotherapies, especially rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT), which is used a lot in sport and exercise. Evidence tells us that people who have these illogical beliefs are at greater risk of developing a dependence, such as alcoholism, internet addiction and exercise addiction. And although these illogical beliefs may sound motivational, they come with considerable emotional and physical exhaustion.

There are three main reasons these beliefs are illogical. First, they hinder well-being rather than help it. Second, they reflect short-term and guilt-based motivation, where people run to avoid guilt, rather than running for its own sake.Third, they are not consistent with reality. You have to breathe, eat, hydrate and sleep. You don’t have to run.

Helping Alex

Our work helping athletes using REBT particularly distance athletes, shows that by encouraging people to think logically about their goals leads to healthier motivation and increased resilience. They are also able to achieve their performance goals and feel less socially anxious.

This work involves understanding people’s deeply held illogical beliefs, challenging these beliefs and helping them develop logical alternatives. So “I have to” and “I’d be worthless if I didn’t” become “I want but I don’t have to” and “if I didn’t I would be disappointed, but I wouldn’t be worthless.”

Our work with elite athletes shows that when faced with stumbling blocks, such as an injury, these logical beliefs will lead to more helpful emotions and actions that can help people achieve their goals.

If you feel you are at risk of developing an unhealthy relationship with running, remind yourself of the following: running is a choice. Not achieving a goal or missing a training session might feel bad, but it isn’t terrible. Also, your running achievement does not define you – you’re more than just a runner. Detach your self-worth from your actions. Being a good runner doesn’t make you a good person, just as being a bad runner doesn’t make you a bad person.

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Assessments could reduce end-of-life hospital stays for seniors

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Better use of standard assessment tools could help long-term care homes identify which new residents are at risk of hospitalization or death in the first 90 days of admission.

A study from the University of Waterloo and Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging has found that newly admitted residents’ history of heart failure, as well as their score on the interRAI Changes to Health, End-Stage disease, Signs and Symptoms (CHESS) scale, can accurately determine which residents are most at risk.

“Being able to identify at-risk residents early can help long-term care homes ensure they have the necessary care and management strategies in place,” said George Heckman, associate professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems at Waterloo and Schlegel Research Chair in Geriatric Medicine. “These assessments can also help health providers determine which conditions require a trip to the hospital or which would be better managed as a hospice-type condition within the homes themselves.”

He added, “It is not always advisable to take someone who is closing in on the end of life out of their home and put them into a hospital setting. These residents are very complex and frail, and not only might they not benefit from the hospital visit, the transition itself can lead to harms such as delirium and further disability.”

The study examined data collected from 143,067 residents aged 65 years or older, admitted to long-term care homes in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, between 2010 and 2016.

It found that over 15 percent of residents had a history of heart failure. Residents with heart failure were more likely to be hospitalized than those without (18.9 percent versus 11.7 percent). Residents with a history of heart failure were also twice as likely to have higher mortality rates than those without, 14.4 per cent versus 7.6 per cent. At the one-year mark, residents with a history of failure had a mortality rate of more than 10 per cent higher, at 28.3 percent compared to 17.3 percent.

The CHESS scale identifies frailty and health instability, and is embedded within the MDS, an interRAI instrument mandated in almost all long-term care homes across Canada. Higher health instability, identified through higher CHESS scores, were associated with a greater risk of hospitalization and death at three months. Most notably, residents with high CHESS scores were more likely to die even when sent to hospital, regardless of whether they had or not. Mortality rates for the highest CHESS scores were 80 percent; most of these residents died in hospital.

“Together, these two factors independently identified this increased risk,” Heckman said. “By making clinical assessments early, advance care planning discussions can take place. Furthermore, by ensuring that the entire long-term care home care team, including personal support workers, understand these risks, they can help monitor resident health and optimize their quality of life in the long-term care home.”

The study, Predicting Future Health Transitions Among Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents with Heart Failure, appears in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

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How many calories do you burn? It depends on time of day



Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers reporting in Current Biology on November 8 have made the surprising discovery that the number of calories people burn while at rest changes with the time of day. When at rest, people burn 10 percent more calories in the late afternoon and early evening than in the early morning hours.

The findings reinforce the important role of the in governing metabolism. They also help to explain why irregularities in eating and sleeping schedules due to shift work or other factors may make people more likely to gain weight.

“The fact that doing the same thing at one time of day burned so many more calories than doing the same thing at a different time of day surprised us,” says Kirsi-Marja Zitting of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, lead author of the paper.

To determine changes over the course of the day in metabolism apart from the effects of activity, , and diet, the researchers studied seven people in a special laboratory without any clues about what time it was outside. There were no clocks, windows, phones, or Internet. Study participants had assigned times to go to bed and wake up. Each night, those times were adjusted four hours later, the equivalent of traveling westward across four time zones each day for three weeks.

“Because they were doing the equivalent of circling the globe every week, their body’s internal clock could not keep up, and so it oscillated at its own pace,” co-author Jeanne Duffy, also in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, explains. “This allowed us to measure metabolic rate at all different biological times of day.”

The data showed that resting energy expenditure is lowest at the phase the researchers designated as ~0°, corresponding to the dip in in the late biological night. Energy expenditure was highest at circadian phase ~180°, about 12 hours later, in the biological afternoon into evening.

The researchers found that participants’ respiratory quotient, which reflects macronutrient utilization, varies by circadian phase, too. This measure was lowest in the evening and highest in the biological morning.

The findings offer the first characterization of a circadian profile in fasted resting and fasted respiratory quotient, decoupled from effects of activity, sleep-wake cycle, and diet in humans, the researchers say.

“It is not only what we eat, but when we eat—and rest—that impacts how much energy we burn or store as fat,” Duffy says. “Regularity of habits such as eating and sleeping is very important to overall health.”

Duffy, Zitting, and their colleagues next will look at how appetite and the body’s response to food varies with the time of day. They are also exploring how the timing, duration, and regularity of sleep influences those responses.

Journal reference:
Current Biology

Provided by:
Cell Press

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Translating Great Stem Cell Ideas Into Effective Therapies

CIRM’s Governing Board recently approved $15 million for four projects in translational awards program, which promises to offer support to invent novel stem cells transplants that can be applied to patients during clinical trials. Wondering what “translational” might mean in studies, involving stem cells? “Translational” implies to researches that take the basic results of a clinical study and then advance them in a way that they become ready to be tested in patients in various clinical trials.

The fund for translating stem cell studies into effective therapies is divided into four researches. They are:

· Alzheimer’s disease

· Sickle cell anemia

· Cartilage damage

· Osteonecrosis

Treating Alzheimer’s disease: Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco received $5.9 million from the fund to find out a way to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease has no long-term treatment or no known cure and it affects five million Americans.

In the process, the researchers are looking at generating brain cells by applying pluripotent stem cells in an induced form. Pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs are the adult cells that can be reprogrammed to give them the ability to modify into any other cell type.

Treating patients with sickle cell anemia: The second project involves patients suffering from sickle cell anemia. A fund of $4.5 million is approved to the researchers at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) for the trial.

Sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder. It involves severe pain and can even lead to organ damage and stroke. The disease has affected over 100,000 people in the US. Currently, the most effective and long-term treatment for this disease involves bone marrow transplant. However, the procedure requires a suitably matched donor, which may take months. Even though a donor is found, the surgery may still leave a life risk.

Researchers found out that the patient’s own blood stem cells can eliminate the complications and at the same time address the condition. To implement the technique, a new gene-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9 is used by the CHORI team. This technique helps to develop a way to edit the defective gene causing sickle cell and transform it into a healthy blood supply for the affected people.

Treating medically untreated cartilage damage: The third portion of the fund went to the University of Southern California (USC). The researchers of USC have been granted with $2.5 million, so that they can develop a full-proof technique to treat cartilage damage with stem cell transplant.

Cartilage damage might not be life-threatening, but it affects the lifestyle of millions of people to a great extent. And if remain untreated for a long time, it might result in severe conditions such as chronic pain, degeneration of joints and even arthritis.

Treating Osteonecrosis: The fourth part of the fund, $2.09 million, went to Ankasa Regenerative Therapeutics for a project, involving osteonecrosis. Regenerative Therapeutics researchers hope to discover a solution to the painful disease, which is caused due to inadequate blood flow to the bones. And as the result, the bones begin to rot and then die.

We hope that translational awards programs with stem cell ideas result into effective therapies. Stay tuned for more updates!

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Fetal Cells, Like Cord Blood and Cord Tissue Stem Cells, Wield Influence Long After a Baby Is Born

More and more parents are now considering cord blood banking for the simple reason that it has the potential to treat many diseases and conditions even after decades of birth. And not only the child, one cord blood unit can secure entire family’s future and how! We all know that the umbilical cord ties a mother with her child during birth. However, new studies and researches have shown that fetal cells travel through placenta and often rest in various body parts of the mother.

Arizona State University’s Department of Psychology researcher, Amy Boddy said, “Fetal cells can act as stem cells and develop into epithelial cells, specialized heart cells, liver cells and so forth… they are very dynamic and play a huge role in the maternal body.”

The presence of the cells of the fetus in mother’s tissue is known as fetal microchimerism. Microchimerism, the phrase originated from the Greek mythological term, chimeras that mean creatures created from various parts of different animals. So as the original phrase suggests, microchimerism means the process in which women get cells from different contributors, such as their parents, siblings and children. These cells have the potential to benefit the health of the mother or undermine her condition after years of birth.

Fetal cells that a mother acquires during birth can remain in the maternal tissue after decades of birth. Sometimes, these cells benefit the mother by protecting her from diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. However, in some cases, it’s also seen that these cells cause harmful effects in the mother. But no matter what the effects are, it’s clear that these cells have a long-lasting impact on women.

It’s worth a mention that fetal cells play an important role in a specific organ, female breasts. Apart from the fact that fetal cells actively participate in lactation after birth, it’s also seen that poor lactation might be a result of lower count of the these cells in breasts. In case of breast cancer as well, studies suggest that fetal cells largely influence the condition. It’s seen that the women with breast cancer carry fewer cells in their breast tissue. However, there are some researches as well that would suggest that these cells might increase the chance of breast cancer immediately after pregnancy.

Apart from that, fetal cells have a wide impact on the emotional and physical state of a mother. It may range from depression to morning sickness. This is the reason that these fetal cells could be used in therapies in the future to address issues like poor lactation, wounds, tumor and various psychological disorders during pregnancy in women. Athena Aktipis, a fellow ASU researcher said, “If future research bears out the predictions of this framework, it could transform the way we approach, treat and prevent a variety of diseases that affect women, especially new mothers.”

Stem cells that have the ability to cure many diseases can regenerate new cells. Fetal cells, like stem cells, have the potential to protect maternal tissues from many diseases and conditions. Both of them leave a long-lasting impact after a baby is born. No wonder, more and more researches are now focusing on fetal cells.

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An Understanding of Hiatal Hernia

The term “Hernia” draws origin from the Greek latin word which means “tear” or “rupture”. Anatomically it refers to any abnormal protrusion of the abdominal contents.

A “Hiatal Hernia” therefore refers to the abnormal protrusion of the Gastrointestinal Tract through the opening (hiatus) within the diaphragm.

There are two main types of hiatal hernias: sliding hiatal hernias, and paraesophageal hiatal hernias.

Sliding hiatal hernias form when the stomach and the adjoining oesophagus slide up into the chest cavity through the diaphragm. It is more common.

Paraoesophgeal hernias are less common and it occurs when a portion of the stomach squeezes past the diaphragm and is lodged and strangulated in place beside the oesophagus. Such hernias can be asymptomatic but dangerous because the portion of stomach that is strangulated above the diaphragm will have a compromised blood supply.

In most cases, hiatal hernias are asymptomatic but sometimes patients might experience heartburn or reflux. While the two conditions appear to be linked, they do not independently cause the development of the other.

In some cases of heartburn, patients might experience chest pain instead and this can be confused with chest pain caused by cardiac issues.

Causes

Often, the cause remains unknown. However, any condition predisposing to an increased pressure within the abdomen such as pregnancy, obesity, coughing or straining during bowel movements, and/or congenital situations such as a larger hiatal opening will predispose a person to developing one.

Population at risk for developing Hiatal Hernias

There’s a predisposition for women, overweight individuals, and patients above fifty years of age to develop this condition.

Diagnosis

A hiatal hernia can be diagnosed with a specialized X-ray called a barium swallow that allows a doctor to see the esophagus or with endoscopy. The procedure involves the patient swallowing a radio-opaque liquid and having X-Rays of the chest and abdomen taken while in the erect posture. The radio-opaque liquid will outline the stomach lining and oesophagus, thereby demonstrating the presence/absence of the condition.

Treatment

If asymptomatic, no treatments are necessary. However, should the stomach become strangulated and there is a risk of vascular compromise to the stomach, surgery is usually needed to rectify the problem.

Other associated symptoms such as reflux disease, heartburn and chest discomfort should be treated accordingly.

When is Hiatal Hernia surgery necessary?

Surgery is indicated when the hernia becomes strangulated and the blood supply becomes compromised.

Surgical intervention for hiatal hernias is often performed laparoscopically (ie keyhole surgery) and is a day procedure. A camera and surgical tools are inserted via keyhole incisions into the abdomen and the surgeon will manipulate the surgical tools to reduce the hernia and possibly tighten the diaphragmatic hiatus. The procedure is usually done as a day procedure, involves smaller incisions, and has less pain and scarring compared to open surgery.

Most patients will be able to ambulate and walk around the next day. There are no dietary restrictions post surgery and patients resume regular activities after a week or so. Complete recovery will take up to a month and the patient should avoid hard labour and heavy lifting.

When Should I Call the Doctor About a Hiatal Hernia?

Speak with your doctor if you are symptomatic. It is difficult to diagnose and symptoms include chest pain, recurrent nausea and vomiting, poor bowel movements and non-specific symptoms like a funny sensation in the middle of the chest.

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Recommended Video:

Hiatal Hernia: Causes & Symptoms

Medical Technologies – Are They a Good Idea?

It is 2017 so I guess we shouldn’t be surprised with all the advancements that are being made. Every time we think we are learning one piece of technology the newest model shows up.

In terms of medical professionals this is no different, we also have to get used to new technologies and advancements being made all the time. These technologies are put into place with the idea that they are making the lives of medical professionals easier.

Some of these technologies are proven as beneficial to medical professionals and their patients. While other technologies are questionable to whether they are beneficial or not. I am going to discuss three of these technologies and give my opinions on them.

The question I ask here is do they really make the lives of medical professionals easier or are medical professionals spending more time learning how to use these technologies than on patient care?

The first medical technology is Electronic Health Records, also known as EHR. This system allows all patient information to be added into a database and be reviewed by medical professionals. The information that is added into this system includes:

Basic patient information

Past medical history

Patient medications

Lab and x-ray information and results

Notes on patient visit

Patient diagnoses

Vital signs

Benefits of this system include:

Cutting back on paper since all patient information is entered on this database instead of being hand written.

Allows patients to review their records online through the patient portal.

Allows medical professionals to coordinate care by sending patient information to each other.

Saves space that is required to store paper medical records and allows this space to be used in better ways.

Allows 24 hour 7 days a week access.

It saves time and money.

Some cons of this system include:

Not all patients are tech savvy and won’t benefit from this system.

Like with all online systems EHR systems are at risk in regards to cyber hackers and malicious hackers. This means extra diligence is necessary to prevent patient information from being accessed by unauthorized users.

If the system is not updated regularly it can cause issues with the use of the system.

If the internet goes out in a facility than this system is useless.

In my personal opinion I feel this technology is beneficial to medical professionals, as well as patients. It allows patients to be involved in their care by having access to their information instead of feeling they are in the dark and not know what’s going on with their care.

This system also has many advantages for medical professionals. One big one is they have more time to communicate with their patients instead of having to spend a lot of time reviewing and charting patient care. I also feel it prevents clutter that may that happens with paper records and reducing the mistakes or errors of medical professionals.

The second medical technology is Infusion Pumps. Infusion pumps are used to deliver fluids, nutrients, and medications to patients. This device helps deliver controlled amounts of fluids to the patient’s body.

Some of specific uses for an infusion pump include delivery of:

IV fluids if a patient is dehydrated.

Chemotherapy drugs.

Insulin or other hormones.

Antibiotics.

Pain relievers.

Some specific benefits to these pumps include:

The can be set so the patient only gets the amount of fluid, medication, or nutrition need.

They are easy to use.

They provide wireless drug library and pump data.

Some cons to these pumps include:

There are insufficient updates and upgrades.

Weight based dose checking only allows maximum weight to be entered.

I feel that these infusion pumps are good for patients. On the other hand I feel there needs to be some improvements made to these pumps to reduce error and to offer more update and upgrades.

The third medical technology is the Unique Device Identification Tracker, which is also known as the UDI. This technology is an implant and implantable device tracking software designed for use in an operating room. This device is Internet based and is used to manage and track of all implants.

Some specific implants that this device tracks includes:

Tissue

Orthopedic

Cardiovascular

Any other type of implant

Some specific benefits of this device include:

It allows hospital system integration, which improves workflow.

Provides expiration date alerts, which improves patient safety and reduces waste.

Provides supplier regulatory status, which allows you to view AATB, FDA, and state licenses.

Provides barcode scanning and labels to save time finding what you’re looking for and eliminates error prone data entry.

Provides notifications on recalls.

Some cons of this device include:

If a professional scans the wrong item it can lead to major issues.

If the facility using this system does not offer proper training on this device it can lead to major issues or misuse of this device.

I feel this technology is very useful to medical professionals and their patients. It allows for the medical professional to focus more time on patient care and less time on paperwork.

Which makes patients feel they are a priority and that their medical teams truly cares. This device also improves safety for patients since it helps make sure any implants being used meet all requirements for safe implantation.

So my overall analysis on medical technologies is they are a good idea. They are beneficial to medical professionals, as well as their patients as long as they are used properly. I feel these medical technologies do help improve patient care and help make the job of the medical professional easier.

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Maybe I Should Reiki And Not Photograph My Food

So many social media friends photograph a special piece of cake, steak and chips, a sundae, cake with ice cream, or pizza that they are eating out. Nobody criticizes their choice of food. But when I photograph a very special juice that I am enjoying, I often get the Food Police onto me.

I used to Reiki my food and give it a blessing. When I was little, I sometimes used to pray over my food. Now I made the few mistakes of photographing it and sharing it with my social media friends instead. And why the double standards that my friends show? Why do they “Like” pictures of cake, sundaes drizzling with sugary syrup, French Fries that almost fill a large plate, but when it comes to a litre of water mixed with half a tiny beetroot, one kiwi fruit,, quarter of a cucumber, a thin slice of ginger, and a sprig of mint, why oh why do they jump on me with both feet, saying I’m having too much sugar?! What about their cakes, why are they OK and not my small indulgence as part of my meal? I don’t like cake much, I cannot stand the texture of sundaes, and I would only eat vanilla ice cream if you paid me a lot of money, I just can’t stand the taste, why attack me for my own luxury food?

What about their French Fries cooked in rancid oil, full of both carbohydrates and horrid fatty greasy oil? I never would dream of criticizing their choices. Why do they feel they have to criticize mine, and so very harshly? I actually had to take time out for two hours and give myself healing with Reiki and EFT, until I stopped shaking and crying. Then I carried on till I reached a point of calm. Then I got an insight.

This is how I think it goes. People view fruit and vegetables as healthy and cakes and chips as unhealthy. They also view me as a healthy eater (I try but it is not something I rigidly stick to by any means). So, when someone posts about something perceived to be healthy, such as fruit or vegetables, then exactly how healthy that is becomes the subject of scrutiny that people feel entitled to do. If I had posted a picture of a cake, I bet nobody would say “that’s fattening”. But if I say my drink has one tiny slice of beetroot or apple in it, I am immediately given a lecture about their sugar content. In other words, if you eat fruit and vegetables in a public place such as social media, you will be scrutinized and attacked.

I am now going back to doing Reiki and prayer over my food. My enjoyment and gratitude will be between me and God/The Universe. God never judges.

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79-year-old couple secretly trains for 5K to surprise family, wins age group

Ruth and Allan Willman had one request for their family before the Barnyard Dash 5K last April in Montgomery, Illinois—show up to the finish. So, the four children and 11 grandchildren did as they were told, having no idea that for the past several weeks, the Willmans, both 79, had trained to complete their first road race.

“We didn’t tell any of our family, because we wanted it to be a surprise,” Ruth Willman said. “But we trained ourselves every day by walking more miles. We started by walking a mile, and then a mile and a half and so on—all the way up to three.”

As first reported by WGN 9, they didn’t just finish. They came home with some hardware—and more than just participants’ medals.

“We both won our age groups for female and male, but overall she just beat me by a hair,” Allan said, chuckling.  

More on this…

How to End Sugar Craving

How do I end sugar cravings?

Most individuals have fought the sugar cravings challenge. Even after getting information about negative impacts of sugar, the thought of eliminating or reducing your sugar consumption seems to be an impossible and outrageous feat.

Phasing out sugar from your diet can be easy with the support of nourishing whole foods plus an array of alternative natural sugars. Withdrawal symptoms will pass once the sugar is completely gone. This will make the body achieve health and balance. When your immune system lacks sugar, it will be stronger, your moods and energy will be more stable, and the cravings will fade away.

Phasing the Sugar Out

Even though getting freed from the sugar addiction is challenging, it is deeply rewarding. Phasing sugar from your diet improves both the immediate and long-term health, moods and energy stability. This will help your enjoy tastes and pleasure of nourishing foods.

It is imperative to approach elimination of sugar from your diet for the sake of self-care and self-love rather than punishment. Naturally, human beings have a preference of sweetness when it comes to food. However, as sugar addiction reduces, the body re-establishes its natural harmony.

Tips for phasing out sugar craving

1. Adjusting to milder sweets

The use of excessively refined sweets increases your desire and tolerance for sweets to unhealthy standards. Making a choice of mild natural sweeteners allows your body readjust and free you from the cycles of sugar. The adjustment will help you start enjoying natural sugar-free desserts.

2. Eating whole fruits and sweet veggies

A fresh ripe fruit is a good example of a sweet, whole food. When eaten this was, the natural sugars in the fruit possess the exact minerals, vitamins, enzymes and fiber combinations that the body requires for digestion and utilization. Natural vegetables like parsnips, yams, beets and carrots also offer similar benefits. When you eat them regularly, the mellow sweet flavors helps in curbing sugar cravings.

3. Chewing well

Always eat complex carbohydrates and grains well. They usually release natural sweetness for calming the nervous system which alleviates the excess desire for sweets.

4. Balancing yin and yang

In China, the Yin and Yang are the main elements for balancing your body. Everything we eat will affect the balance. Eating foods from the middle of the spectrum ensures that the balance remains stable. Cheese, meat, and salty foods are always on the yang end of the range while sugar, alcohol, and coffee are yin. Many people struggle to balance the two ends of this spectrum. Vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and beans are in the middle of the range. A steady diet will support the yin/yang balance of the body and help in freeing the sugar cravings.

5. Drinking a lot of water

The most common cause of cravings is dehydration. Whenever you have an urge to grab something sweet, take a glass of water instead. Rehydrating is an excellent way to intercept cravings and bring back a healthy balance.

6. Exercise and breathe intensely

Sugar cravings can result from having too much acid in your body. Exercising and breathing intensely changes the PH of the body to alkaline. This technique is helpful by keeping the blood in motion and taking your mind off cravings.

Sugar craving is a way of informing you that the body is out balanced or is missing something. The sugar craving is very common as a result of the modern food supply. The key to getting out of this craving is stopping to think about sugar, and starting to think of other activities such as playing and taking whole foods.

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How To Use Ayurveda As Pigmentation Treatment

The melanin pigments that are produced by the skin help in identifying the color of your skin. More than hundreds of genes affect the skin color and the natural pigmentation of your skin cannot be corrected. Ayurveda suggests Pigmentation Treatment for those with excess or less melanin secretion.

When does pigmentation become a problem?

Pigmentation occurs when there is too little or too much of melanin produced by your skin. The skin will either appear dark or discolored due to the melanin secretion. The root cause of the pigmentation is due to the internal factors of the body like hormones and pregnancy. External factors like burning, chemicals, ultraviolet rays, stress and dietary issues also cause skin pigmentation. The good news is Ayurveda has pigmentation cure for every condition.

Implementing Ayurveda as Pigmentation treatment

Drink water

Your body and skin need water to get rid of the toxins. The toxins in your body cause pigmentation so it is advisable to fight with the pigmentation by drinking a lot of water. Lukewarm water is best for pigmentation cure as it keeps the digestive track under control. Drink two to three liters of water a day to stay hydrated and keep all diseases away.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a great disinfectant and it has antibiotic features that keep skin diseases away. A powerful aid is used in Pigmentation cure. It controls inflammation on the skin and lightens the skin tone. Applying turmeric paste on your face and body keeps your skin healthy and it also controls the discoloration of the skin.

Manjishtha

It is a blood purifier mostly used in Pigmentation treatment. It is used to treat various skin disorders. The herb has a lot of medicinal value that eases the trouble caused by pigmentation.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera has a lot of medicinal value and it is used to treat various conditions, skin and hair care treatments. It moisturizes the skin and cleanses the skin. The aloe vera has the medicinal property that softens the skin and it fights aging. As a pigmentation treatment, it helps in exfoliating, skin tightening and lightening.

Sandalwood

An aromatic ingredient is widely used in Ayurveda to treat various illnesses. It regulates the secretion of melanin that triggers pigmentation. Sandalwood paste should be applied on the face and body every day to correct skin disorders and to improve the skin color. Wounds on the skin get cured and it is an effective pigmentation treatment that is easily available.

Fenugreek

Yes, Fenugreek plays a vital role in Pigmentation treatment. It combats pigmentation and eases the condition. It has the chemical component diosgenin that controls melanin and regulates pigmentation. Apart from skin care, Fenugreek also provides immediate effects on weight loss and constipation.

Try these ayurvedic remedies to treat it and keep skin disorders away. Ayurveda is always best to treat any kind of problems and it has effective pigmentation treatment that works for all. Consult the expert and get suggestions to improve the pigmentation before it’s too late.

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