Health Tips
Stay healthy by reading wellness advice from our top specialists.

Today, our lifestyle is a serious threat to our health. We live in a way in which we do not provide the right food to the body, nor do we exercise right. Taking into account the fact that we consume so much processed food and even more unhealthy food, is there anything that can be done? Well, of course! Without having to put much effort, follow some simple steps, which will result in plenty of benefits.

Remember, the main area of focus in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle is your diet. After all, it is true that this has massive effects on the health of any person, regardless of the stage of life he or she is in.

Sleep better: Over the longer run, it is impossible for a person to prosper health-wise if he or she does not get a sufficient amount of sleep, according to what is actually needed. A few simple things which can be done to improve a person’s sleep are cutting out caffeine and alcohol from one's diet. While it may seem that alcohol helps a person sleep better, it does throw the sleep cycle out of whack. Similarly, caffeine has properties which contribute to keeping a person up for long hours.

Eat a balanced diet: When it comes to the ideal diet for a healthy person, it should contain an adequate amount of nutrients and should also be balanced, so as to not overload on any one set of nutrients. Comprehensiveness has its much required advantages. So, adequate portions of fresh fruits and vegetables is a must, while you should keep a check on the consumption of sugar, fast food and starchy food items.

Quit smoking: Smoking is one of the worst habits any person can have and it does no favours for any individual, regardless of the situation that is faced. If no problems are faced, it can create its own! Apart from the repercussions on the heart, what also occurs when a person smokes is that the bones are weakened and the bladder is irritated. Additionally, the risk of cancer increases. So, who would want to compound the normal troubles of life with the misery all these things can provide?

Focus on fitness: Regular exercise is something which is quite underrated. Consistency is said to be the key. As a matter of fact, it improves sleep and does wonders for a person’s mood, apart from other health benefits such as keeping the weight in control. It not only protects joints, but also helps overall health, and can go a long way in letting you lead a healthy life.

The above discussed lifestyle changes can do wonders for your overall health. These will surely help you in living a healthy as well as happy life forever.

Hair fall is a very common phenomenon that plagues millions of people around the globe. Most of you take supplements of vitamin on a regular basis as it aids the buildup of new hair and skin cells. Read on to find out how exactly do the various vitamins help your hair:

1. Vitamin A: This vitamin controls the production of retinoic acid in your hair follicle. It is not only helpful for skin care but stimulates hair growth. It is immensely fruitful in moisturizing your hair and keeping it healthy. Vitamin A is usually found in sweet potatoes, carrots, tuna, lettuce, mango, sweet red peppers, green leafy vegetables and spinach.

2. Vitamin B: Variants of this, such as B12, aid in hair growth by managing stress. Vitamin B is found in fruits such as oranges and papayas, and beans.

3. Vitamin C: This vitamin helps you absorb iron from the food you eat which is an absolute essential for hair growth. It also boosts the synthesis of collagen that is required to repair the damage and sustain the structure of your hair. Fruits such as papayas, guavas, lemons, sweet lime, orange, kiwi, vegetables such as broccoli, yellow bell peppers and leafy vegetables are replete with Vitamin C.

4. Vitamin D: This vitamin rejuvenates the hair cells in order to form new shafts of hair. Vitamin D is found in dairy products, mushrooms, soy milk, tofu, and cheese. Vitamin D is also naturally made by your body when you expose your skin to the sun, and is called the sun-shine vitamin.

5. Vitamin E: This aids in stimulating capillaries and enhancing blood circulation on the scalp. This additionally contributes to hair growth due to its high anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant content. Certain foods loaded with Vitamin E are pumpkin, broccoli, olive oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, avocado, tofu and spinach.

6. Vitamin B5: It is also known as Panthenol, is a vital ingredient that is used in medicines to regulate hair fall. Foods enriched with Vitamin B5 are sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, avocados, cheese and mushrooms.

Other Ways to Help Hair-
We have gone over the vitamins that may be important for the health of your hair. But lifestyle changes can help just as much. Try:

1. cutting back on gels, blow-drying, and brushing hair when wet
2. lowering your stress by exercising at least 30 minutes a day
3. drinking enough water, 6-8 glasses a day

Being mindful of the foods and drinks you consume, the products you use, and the way you manage stress, can all help improve the well-being of your hair.

A lime may be one of the smallest things when you go shopping for fruits and vegetable shopping, but it is one of the richest. The health benefits that a lime carries are just too many, and it packs in too much of goodness. While the vitamin C is what immediately comes to our mind, there is more to it. Read on to know some of the most common benefits of the small, powerful lemon.

1. A powerhouse of essential vitamins and minerals: A lime is a source of various vitamins and minerals, including potassium which is essential for heart health, good nerve function, and maintaining blood pressure levels. It also reduces cancer as it contains antioxidants and bioflavonoids.

2. Fights infection: We all know lime to be very good at fighting cold and cough. Not just that. It even is useful in more severe infections like cholera and E.coli infections. As cholera is transmitted by food, adding lime to foods helps prevent this transmission.

3. Heart healthy: Lime is rich in antioxidants which keep the arteries healthy and improve blood circulation. They also reduce the buildup of plaque in the walls of the arteries. This also reduces hardening of the arteries, reduces the onset of blood pressure, and improves overall heart health. Including lime peel and lime oil in the diet can provide these benefits.

4. Drink to your health: Starting the morning with a glass of lime juice (with some honey added to taste) can be the best way to start the day. It provides energy and boosts you to begin the day like nothing else can.

5. Glowing skin and hair: After squeezing out the juice from the lime, rub the lime onto your face and see the skin glowing. If that sounds not feasible, apply lime oil to your face to keep the skin elastic and youthful. Applying lime to the hair is a natural way to keep the hair shiny and black.

6. Moving the joints: Uric acid can accumulate in the joints and cause bone pain and discomfort. Citric acid from the lime ensures this uric acid accumulation is reduced, thereby reducing gout and inflammation.

7. Weight loss: The citric acid is an excellent fat burner, and drinking two glasses of warm lime water per day can show obvious results in a week’s time.

8. Add fragrance to your food: Lemon oil which is made from the peel can be used as a good flavouring agent to many dishes including curries and pickles. While the tanginess is not considerable like using a full lime, it still gives the fragrance and flavour of a lime.

With these benefits, the next time you go vegetable shopping, don’t forget to throw in a couple of lemons.

A detoxification diet can be mighty effective in losing weight as well as getting the system cleaned. While there is a lot of opinion about the diet itself, too much restriction on food can lead to monotony. The trick is to have a right mix of everything. The right balance of fibre, protein and other nutrient is necessary for the healthy functioning of the body. Here is a list of things to remember while following a detoxification diet:

1. The right amount of protein: Getting the right amount of protein is essential for the body to function properly. The body needs around 20-35 gms of protein in about every four-five hours. It boils down to 3 eggs, half a cup of chicken breast and half a cup of black beans as far as food consumption is concerned. It makes sense to stick to a light protein such as legumes, white portion of the egg, tofu, and poultry. An adult requires a minimum of 60-90 grams of protein on a daily basis. The right choice of protein in terms of taste and calorie will ensure that the detoxification diet can be stuck to.

2. Include carbohydrate: Carbohydrate should get a place in the detoxification diet. The body requires a minimum of 120 grams carbohydrates on a daily basis. It can be easily achieved with a balanced diet. Certain food elements such as legume and whole grain provides enough carbohydrate for the body to function throughout the day. Some other good sources of carbohydrate include berries, quinoa, and millet.

3. Keep a calorie count: In general, an adult woman needs around 1500 calories per day and a man requires around 1800 calories per day. An individual should aim for a calorie consumption of 350 during breakfast, 450 during lunch and 500 at dinner. Midday snacks should not comprise more than 150 calories on a daily basis. Fast foods containing processed fat and carbohydrate should be eliminated from the detoxification diet.

4. Water: While a good detoxification can show fast results, keeping the body hydrated is necessary for the detoxification to work. Apart from hydration, water helps the body to eliminate the waste and ensure the smooth functioning of the kidney. For detoxification to work the kidney should be in great condition. Water also helps to wash away certain unwanted element from the body. A minimum of 3-4 litres of water should be consumed on a daily basis for detoxification to work.

5. A healthy lifestyle: For detoxification diet125490 to work, it is necessary to follow a healthy lifestyle. Smoking and drinking should be stopped. 8 hours of sleep and a daily exercise schedule will help an individual to stick to the detoxification diet and get achieve immediate results from it.

If you are feeling lethargic, it’s time that you get sufficient amount of vitamin B12 in your regular diet. Vitamins are wonderful gifts of nature to keep your organs and body healthy and active. Your brain stops functioning properly in case of vitamin B12 deficiency. Not just that, it has a wide range of health benefits. It keeps you moving and energetic in life. In fact, for a healthy life, you must make it an indispensable part of your existence. Most of us often forget to take vitamin rich diet and depend on junk food a lot. This dependency on fast foods leads to vitamin deficiency. According to a report, about 40% Americans are tested with low vitamin B12 levels.

This is not good for a healthy life. Thus, it is advisable that you take care of your diet. But prior to that, you must know why vitamin B12 is so essential. Well, here’s all that you get from vitamin B12:

Provides energy: Vitamin B12 is needed for energy supply. It generates energy in your body and takes away lethargy from you. Your cells stay happy and healthy with the intake of vitamin B12. It balances your life by providing you the right amount of energy.

Saves your heart: The cardiovascular system requires vitamin B12 for proper functioning. It removes a harmful protein homocysteine from the bloodstream. This compound can damage arteries and cause inflammatory and heart diseases.

Strengthens your bones: Researchers have found that patients with osteoporosis have greater amounts of homocysteine in the blood. They have lower amounts of vitamin B12 in their bodies. Thus, sufficient intake of vitamin B12 protects bones. They help in calcium absorption and keep bones healthy.

Prevents nerve damage: Vitamin B12 safeguards your nerves by keeping them away from toxins and free and harmful radicals in the bloodstream. They form a covering on the nerves called myelin sheaths. Nerves get damaged completely or partially without these covering.

Keeps you away from depression: It regulates your mood by the production of a chemical called serotonin. Deficiency of vitamin b12 makes you feel lonely, irritated or frustrated always.

Protects health of brain: Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s patients have poor B12 levels in the blood. This vitamin helps in protection of nerve cells and their coverings. They also protect the myelin sheaths of brain cells. An adequate amount of vitamin B12 in the body keeps you away from dementia.

Dr. Pradnya Shirke
Dr. Pradnya Shirke
MS/MD - Ayurveda, Gynaecologist Infertility Specialist, 17 yrs, Pune
Dr. Akshay Biyani
Dr. Akshay Biyani
BDS, Dentist Root canal Specialist, 10 yrs, Pune
Dr. Anuja Lathi
Dr. Anuja Lathi
MBBS, Dermatologist, 13 yrs, Pune
Dr. Prashant S Mane
Dr. Prashant S Mane
BAMS, Critical Care Medicine Specialist, 10 yrs, Pune
Dr. Ajita Garud-Shinde
Dr. Ajita Garud-Shinde
MS - Allopathy, Ophthalmologist Eye Specialist, 4 yrs, Pune
Hellodox
x