For a healthy tummy

 Belly buster 1

Forget cookies, instead fill your platter with nuts, pomegranates, dark chocolates, dried cranberries. Take out at least 10 minutes daily for relaxation, as it calms heartburn & IBS.

Belly buster 2

As sitting for long hours in a place leads to constipation & IBS flare ups, also triples your risk of serious heart burn. So, even while flying move around as often as possible, while waiting anywhere, don’t sit, in stead walk around, as it also helps to burn your calories, walking stimulates various nerves, as the pressure points are in the legs, which get pressed while we walk !

Belly buster 3

We all know that a overload of dairy products causes bloating, gas & diarrhea. It is because of lactose, a milk sugar, which many can’t digest. So skip dairy fat year around, as its saturated fat only clogs your arteries, increases your waistline & burdens your digestive systems. Stick to ½ servings of low or no fat dairy a day for its calcium. We get 600 mg from food, 600 mg from supplement.

Belly buster 4

Best way to satisfy your sweet tooth is by poaching pears with a cinnamon stick & some slices of ginger. Chill, drizzle with melted dark chocolate, garnish with mint & walnuts. Ginger helps your digestion, walnuts gives you healthy fat.

Belly buster 5

While partying, best to start with salads, then taste, only taste what pleases you & finish with high calorie stuff on the side, as then you won’t feel bloated, also your taste buds will feel satisfied !

Vitamin D 3 deficiency

Normally in winter, as there is  hardly any Sun light, most people face the problem of Vitamin D 3 deficiency. We all know that this Vit. is very essential for the absorption of calcium. It protects us from brittle bones, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, certain cancers & more.

Here are some foods that are a good source of this Vitamin.

Canned salmon has 500 IU of D in 3 ounces.

Canned tuna’s good too- 200 IU in 3 ounces.

Each glass of D-enriched OL & non-fat milk adds another IU.

Take a supplement, swallow 1,000 IUs of D 3 a day, 1,200 after the age of 60. taking it with Omega 3s boosts absorption.

The only way to know if you’re low on D3, is through blood test. If it is below 50, adjust & recheck in 3 months.

Advantages- adults with the highest D3 have the fewest “cardio metabolic disorders”, a cluster of nastier that include heart disease, diabetes & metabolic syndrome.

For sinusitis

 Sometimes the stuffy, pressured, my-head going to explode feeling is triggered by heated air & humidity, not actual congestion. When this happens, the rules get tossed.

Shut off the humidifier, turn down the thermostat, cool air helps. Cold, dry air helps the best. When you go back inside, back comes the stiffness. Sucking on a menthol drop helps too, just the sensation of coolness clears your sinuses. Of course, if it’s the real deal, you can tell from tissues that your head is a mucus fiesta & you feel like you’re breathing through a mask, don’t let it get worse.

Take a deep breath, even if it is through your mouth & do this. Wash out your nose with a neti pot. It looks like a genie lamp. Just fill it with salt water & rinse your sinuses, pouring the water in one nostril & letting it run out through the other if you’ve never tried this, it may sound weird, but it is not uncomfortable & above all it will relieve your of your problem !

Short crochet scarf

I designed this short crochet scarf in cotton thread, it can be worn in anyway, either with button & just knot
 it ! My grand daughter was kind enough to model it for me.

5 foods for a healthy digestive system

It is important to include those precious fibers in your diet in order to keep your digestive system healthy.

 The digestive system is strengthened, not by tablets, but by a healthy food chart. The following 5 foods that will result in a miraculously healthy digestive system.

Avocados

A normal avocado is said to contain 15 grams of fiber . The fruit is rich in healthy raw fat which aids in the digestion process. 

Spinach

Easily available all over, spinach has always been known to be a master-food with regards to a healthy digestion.  Apparently, half a cup of spinach has about 3.5 grams of fiber, hence, making it a great choice. It is rich in Vitamin A, iron, when taken often along with gooseberry ( amla) will prevent one from getting anemic.

Oats

Oats are good for digestion because they are rich in soluble fiber. They also contain Vitamin E, thiamine and zinc, and whole oats are the best variety. When choosing between quick oats and rolled oats, it is better to choose the rolled variety as they have more of their nutrient value intact.

Ginger

 Ginger aids in the digestion process by quickening the movement of thefood from the stomach to the intestines. Either add it to your daily cup of tea or include its products in your diet. It helps to reduce cold & cough, also useful in certain types of cancer & its prevention.

Water

The goodness of water is something we can never deny. Water plays a vital role in improving the digestive system of our body. Drinking more water means making the navigation of food through the system a lot more easier. Also, certain foods contain vitamins and minerals that are soluble only in water. Therefore, increase your daily water content and see yourself getting healthier by the day. 

Triangular crochet shawl

This pattern starts from a single block in the end & kept increasing one block each row till the desired size, then with black made the edging in single crochet. I basically used all the left over wool in this & also made it look quite colorful ! my grand-daughter loved it, as it is cold here in India & model for me !

Natural remedies for Diabetes

Diabetes is among the most debilitating of lifestyle diseases, often the precursor to many other types of health disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and chronic illnesses of the eye. Most diabetics tend to depend upon taking medications, many of which include hormone supplementation injections and drugs for controlling the sugar levels. Though these aids are often critical for managing cases where diabetes seems to have turned into an incurable condition, it is always better to seek natural cures. These natural remedies don’t put forth the kind of side-effects associated with stronger medications and can be resourced from our everyday supplies.

Using Methi Seeds

Fenugreek or Methi seeds are considered the most effective of natural cures that can help alleviate typical symptoms of diabetes. Methi seeds should be soaked in water overnight. The water concentrated with the seeds’ juices should be consumed early in the morning on an empty stomach. For making this natural concoction stronger, you can crush the seeds and sieve them through a cloth or filter paper.

Using Natural Juices

Some juices have been found to be effective in controlling high sugar levels that can prove fatal for diabetics. These are juices of fruits and vegetables that are further enriched with antioxidants and many rare micronutrients. The most recommended variety here is the Bitter Gourd or Karela juice. Other options include grape juice or the juice-like extract made from boiling mango leaves in water.

Aloe Gel Remedy

An effective, natural concoction for diabetes can be prepared by adding a few teaspoons of ground Bay Leaf (Tejpatra) with one teaspoon of turmeric. This mixture should be mixed with an equal amount of aloe vera gel and consumed daily, before
lunch and dinner.

Using Chapattis to Your Advantage

Another useful way of managing diabetes is increasing the daily intake of fiber in the natural form. This includes increasing the fiber content in chappatis that tend to be eaten with regularity in Indian homes. The refined flour should be mixed with a combination of flours procured from different cereals, particularly those high in soluble fiber. This includes flours of barley and lentils like Chana Dal and  soya bean.

Using Jarul or Banaba

Diabetics can use Banaba or Jarul plant extract. Banaba is among the lesser known of herbal plants in India. Along with India, it is grown in only a handful of other nations. The herbal powder of Banaba extract can be used to make herbal tea. This plant contains high concentrations of contains Corosolic acid—the most potent of biochemical compounds that stimulate faster glucose metabolism and help to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels that is very useful for combating diabetes.

Easy Natural Remedies for Diabetes

Jamun is one of the rarest plants where nearly each part, the leaves, berry and seeds are known to help in controlling blood sugar levels. Neem leaves are useful in a similar manner. Amla or the Indian goose Berry is similarly effective in managing sugar levels. Instead of using only Neem leaves, you can also add leaves of Tulsi and Bel Patra. All these leaves can be boiled together for increasing the potency of the filtered extract. 

Scarves/ Mufflers

My Own Crochet Doilies

I loved creating esp. the last 2 doilies, the 5 & 4 petal ones, some were given away to my friends in the new place where we're going to settle down, the rest for my daughter !

Lemon vs Cancer

The surprising benefits of lemon! 
Read carefully & you be the judge.
Lemon(Citrus) is a miraculous product to killcancer cells. It is 10,000 times stronger thanchemotherapy.
Why do we not know about that? Because there are laboratories interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits. You can now help a friend in need by letting him/her know that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. How many people will die while this closely guarded secret is kept, so as not to jeopardize the beneficial multimillionaires large corporations? As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc... It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors. This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders. 

The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that:It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas ... The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells.

SEND TO EVERYONE ... ! ! ! ! !

 

Stress reduction and mindful eating may help curb weight gain

Mastering simple mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques could help prevent weight gain even without dieting, according to a new study.

UCSF researchers found that women in the study who experienced the greatest reduction in stress tended to have the most loss of deep belly fat.

To a greater degree than fat that lies just under the skin, this deep abdominal fat is associated with an elevated risk for developing heart disease or diabetes.

"You're training the mind to notice, but to not automatically react based on habitual patterns - to not reach for a candy bar in response to feeling anger, for example," said a researcher.

"If you can first recognize what you are feeling before you act, you have a greater chance of making a wiser decision," .

The women who participated in the study were not on calorie-counting diets. Instead, 24 of the 47 chronically stressed, overweight and obese women were randomly assigned to mindfulness trainingand practice, and the other 23 served as a control group.

Although no diets were prescribed, all participants attended one session about the basics of healthy eating and exercise.

The training included nine weekly sessions, each lasting 2 1/2 hours, during which the women learnedstress reduction techniques and how to be more aware of their eating by recognizing bodily sensations - including hunger, fullness and taste satisfaction. At week six they attended an intensive seven-hour, silent meditation retreat.

Those who had greater improvements in listening to their bodies' cues, or greater reductions in stress or cortisol, experienced the greatest reductions in abdominal fat.

Among the subset of obese women in the study, those who received the mindfulness training had significant reductions in cortisol after awakening and also maintained their total body weight, compared to women in the waitlist group, who had stable cortisol levels and continued to gain weight.

Actinic Cheilitis (Farmer's Lip)

This picture shows dry, scaly & cracked lips.
Actinic cheilitis is significantly more common in men, the elderly, and fair-skinned individuals. There is also a strong association with tobacco use.


Actinic cheilitis, sometimes known as "farmer's lip" or "sailor's lip," is a precancerous condition related to cumulative lifetime sun exposure. The lower lip is most often affected. Individuals with actinic cheilitis often complain of persistent dryness and cracking of the lips. They will frequently exhibit other effects of sun-damaged skin, such as precancerous lesions on the skin called actinic keratoses and extensive wrinkling.

A certain type of skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) develops in 6–10% of cases of actinic cheilitis. 

Signs and Symptoms

Actinic cheilitis is located on the lips, most often the lower lip. Persistent redness, scaliness, and chapping are among the symptoms noted. Erosions and cracks (fissures) may be present as well.

Preventive Tips

 Wearing  wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen-containing lip balms can aid in preventing actinic cheilitis. 

When to Get Medical Help

See a dermatologist when persistent scaling of the lips is noted. A biopsy of the lip may be needed to rule out squamous cell carcinoma.

Treatments 

In severe cases without evidence of malignancy, a lip shave procedure (vermilionectomy) may be performed. In less extreme cases, your doctor may recommend ablation of the damaged cells with a carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser.

Alternative treatments include the use of electric current to destroy the precancerous cells (electrodesiccation) and a facial sanding technique (dermabrasion). Topical therapy with a chemotherapeutic agent (fluorouracil) or a topical immunomodulator (imiquimod) may be prescribed.

Actinic keratosis

Solar keratosis; Sun-induced skin changes - keratosis; Keratosis - actinic (solar)

Last reviewed: October 8, 2010.

Actinic keratosis is a small, rough, raised area found on skin that has been exposed to the sun over a long period of time.

Over many years, some actinic keratoses may develop into a type of skin cancer.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Actinic keratosis is caused by sun exposure, but it takes many years or decades to develop.

Risk factors for actinic keratosis include:

• Having fair skin, blue or green eyes, or blond or red hair
• History of kidney or other solid organ transplant (people who take medicines that suppress the immune system)
• Long-term, daily sun exposure (for example, if you work outdoors)
• Multiple, severe sunburns early in life
• Older age
  On the arm, this is how it looks like

  Symptoms

  Actinic keratosis is usually found on the face, scalp, back of the hands, chest, or other sun-exposed areas.

  They may be gray, pink, red, or the same color as the skin. Often, they have a white or yellow scale on top.

  • They begin as flat and scaly areas
  • Later they develop a hard and wart-like or gritty, rough, and "sandpapery" surface -- may develop a horn-like texture

  The skin lesion may be easier to feel than to see.

  Signs and tests

  The health care provider makes the diagnosis based on the appearance of the skin growth. A skin biopsy may be done for larger and thicker actinic keratoses to make sure no cancer is present.

  Treatment

  Because about 5% of actinic keratoses go on to develop into squamous cell skin cancer, have them examined promptly. Follow your health care provider's advice for treatment.

  Growths may be removed by:

  • Burning (electrical cautery)
  • Scraping away the lesion and using electricity to kill any remaining cells (caled curettage and electrodesiccation)
  • Cutting the tumor out and using stitches to place the skin back together (called excision)
  • Freezing (cryotherapy, which freezes and kills the cells)

  When many actinic keratoses are found, treatments that cause irritation and redness over a larger area are used:

  • A laser treatment called photodynamic therapy
    • Chemical peels
    • Creams such as 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and imiquimod

    Expectations (prognosis)

    Actinic keratosis itself is harmless ( benign), but about 5% develop into skin cancer.

    Removal of the growth is usually effective.

    Complications

    • Irritation and discomfort of the skin growth
    • Scarring from the treatment
    • Squamous cell carcinoma

    Calling your health care provider

    Call for an appointment with your health care provider if areas of persistent roughness or scaliness develop in sun-exposed skin.

    Prevention

    Reduce sun exposure and protect your skin from the sun:

    • Wear protective clothing such as hats, long-sleeved shirts, long skirts, or pants.
    • Try to avoid sun exposure during midday, when ultraviolet light is most intense.
    • Use high-quality sunscreens, preferably with a sun protection factor (SPF) rating of at least 15. Pick a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB light.
    • Apply sunscreen before going out into the sun, and reapply often.
    • Use sunscreen year-round, including in the winter.
      • Avoid sun lamps, tanning beds, and tanning salons.
      Other important sun safety facts to keep in mind:
      • Sun exposure is stronger in or near surfaces that reflect light, such as water, sand, concrete, and areas painted white.
      • Sun exposure is more intense at the beginning of the summer.
      • Skin burns faster at higher altitudes.
        Some of the symptoms in different parts of the body

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