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

Do you grab the first edible thing you see in the morning and stuff your face with it? Well, many of us who are rushed for time tend to make these terrible breakfast mistakes but eating the wrong food on an empty stomach can wreak havoc on your system the entire day. From cramps, acidity, bloating and gas, it’s not a pretty picture. Just being a little careful about what you eat in the morning can help you feel better and be more productive all day. Here’s a list so that you can be more discerning in the future!

Coffee: Can’t function without coffee on an empty stomach? Well, you might just have to break this habit because it increases acidity and gives you a case of heartburn and indigestion. Coffee is known to reduce the secretion bile and gastric juices, making it difficult for you to digest the other food that you eat. It also ups the production of hydrochloric acid in the digestive system which may give you a nasty case of gastritis.

Spicy food: Love your parantha with a generous dollop of mango pickle first thing? Well, all that spice and heat in the pickle is going to make you writhe in pain because spices and chillies on an empty stomach irritates your stomach lining and causes indigestion and acidity.

Bananas: you are probably eating a banana every morning and feeling very virtuous about it with reason, because it is a food power-packed with nutrition. However, on an empty stomach it can affect your heart, no less. Bananas are rich in magnesium and potassium and eating them on an empty tummy can overload your bloodstream with these two nutrients and harm your heart.

Tomatoes: Some people eat tomatoes first thing in the morning as they are considered a source of many essential nutrients. However, the high amounts of tannic acid will give you acidity that will ultimately lead to gastric ulcers. Even, cucumbers are hard to digest on an empty stomach so as a thumb rule, so avoid raw veggies and rustle up a salad later in the day.

Citrus fruits: This is something that your mom must have told you and she was absolutely right. Citrus fruits increase acid production with very uncomfortable consequences if you haven’t had anything to eat. The glut of fibre and fructose in fruits also slows down digestions and messes up your system all day.

Processed Sugar: Love drinking a large glass of sugary fruit juice in the morning? Well, maybe you will change your mind when you know that excess sugar on an empty stomach can harm your liver and pancreas over the long run. It’s as bad as drinking a bottle of wine first thing in the morning. All that sugar can also give you gas and make you feel bloated. And sugar in processed foods like pastry and doughnuts is doubly bad because some kinds of yeats used in these inflame your stomach lining and cause flatulence.

Coriander leaves and seeds are common in most Indian kitchens. The fragrant leaves give flavour to dishes and make it more appetising. These can provide flavour to many dishes and salads. Most people use the seeds for tempering and adding flavour to various food items. This culinary herb is also common in many international cuisines. Coriander essential oil is extracted from the seeds of this herbs. It comes with many health benefits. This is an amazing oil that can be consumed and also used topically to get relief from many conditions. You can consume it to get relief from digestive problems, lose weight and for its many other benefits.

Many of us look for natural remedies to heal different conditions. Coriander essential oil come with many benefits and perks that boost proper function in the internal organs as well as the external parts of our bodies.

WHAT IS CORIANDER ESSENTIAL OIL?
Coriander is a popular spice known for its culinary purposes. Like coriander, its essential oil not only has a wonderful aroma and taste but also possesses several medicinal properties. Coriander essential oil is taken from the seeds of coriander through the extraction process of steam distillation. The oil is pale yellow and has a sweet woody fragrance.

Coriander oil blends with other essential oils such as cinnamon, ginger, orange, bergamot, grapefruit, lime, neroli and other citrus fruit oils. Coriander oil is a powerful essential oil that has a healthy influence on both body and mind.

USES OF CORIANDER ESSENTIAL OIL
Coriander essential oil can be used in the following ways:

As a flavouring agent in confectionary and seasonings

Ingredient in gins, tobacco and liquor

As a deodorant

As a mouth freshener

In pain balms

In aromatherapy

BENEFITS OF CORIANDER OIL
Coriander oil benefits are due to its depurative, fungicidal, stimulant, stomachic, lipolytic, analgesic, aphrodisiac, deodorant, digestive, carminative and antispasmodic properties. The health benefits of coriander oil are listed below:

Aids Weight Loss
Those who are looking to lose weight can resort to coriander essential oil. Coriander oil has lipolytic properties that promote lipolysis, which causes hydrolysis of cholesterol and fat. The quicker the process of lipolysis, the sooner you can lose weight.

Blood Purification
Coriander oil acts as a blood purifier due to its detoxifying properties. It helps to eliminate toxins like heavy metals, certain hormones, uric acid and other foreign toxins from the blood.

Decreases Pain
Coriander oil is rich in components like terpinolene and terpineol, which act as an analgesic to decrease pain. It reduces the pain by desensitizing the affected area. The oil helps in treating muscular pain, joint pain, headaches and toothaches. It also reduces pain from surgeries and injuries.

Eliminates Gas
Gas can cause severe pain in the chest, stomach and intestines. Coriander oil contains stomachic properties that help eliminate gas from the chest and digestive system. Regular consumption of coriander oil helps prevent gas formation.

Treats Spasms
Spasms and cramps are excruciating if left untreated. Coriander oil contains antispasmodic properties that provide relief from spasmodic cramps related to a cough, intestines and limbs. It helps reduce convulsions and relaxes the body and mind.

Inhibits Fungal Infections
Coriander is an effective fungicide that prevents the growth of fungus and helps treat fungal infections. It helps treat other diseases like dysentery.

Stimulates Hormonal Production
Hormones play a significant role in carrying out the essential functions of the body. Coriander oil warms up the organs and stimulates hormones necessary for brain functions, digestion, nervous system and excretion. Using coriander oil also helps to uplift the mood and fight depression.

SIDE EFFECTS OF CORIANDER OIL
Used in the right quantities, coriander oil poses no side effects. Pregnant and breastfeeding women must not to use coriander oil. Those having sensitive skin must do a patch test before using this essential oil.

The National Institute of Health estimates that 18% of Americans suffer from anxiety. Anxiety is caused by many factors and can be treated in some people by medication.

Did you know that foods can cause anxiety and anxiety like symptoms? Some of the most popular foods we enjoy might just be causing your anxiety.

With your doctor’s help and an elimination diet, you may be able to stop taking medications by eliminating one or all of these 11 anxiety-causing foods.

You won’t believe what foods make the list. In fact, you might be eating or drinking one of them right now.

1. Caffeine
Caffeine might make you feel wide awake and full of energy, but it can also lead to anxiety. First, caffeine depresses serotonin in your brain, and this makes you feel depressed and irritable. Second, caffeine makes you urinate more frequently.

This can cause dehydration, leading to depression. Third, caffeine can interfere with sleep cycles and that causes stress.

Avoid coffee, soda, and hot chocolate as much as possible. You may sleep better and won’t feel as jittery.

2. Sugar

Sugar causes anxiety as it spikes your blood sugar. Your body increases insulin production and that makes you feel tired.

Fruit juice is just as bad as soda when it comes to adding sugar immediately into your system. Once you lose fruit from fruit juice, you are drinking sugar water.

Sweets, cakes, and other treats might make you feel good while you are eating them, but afterwards, you’ll be dropped and feel anxious afterward. Do yourself a favor and try to avoid sugar.

3. Hidden Sugar
While you are avoiding sweets and sodas, don’t forget that sugar hides under a dozen different names. Almost every processed food on the shelf contains sugar.

Spaghetti sauce, catsup, lowfat yogurt, granola, and vitamin water are just a few examples.
Sugar increases your cortisol and adrenaline levels. Cortisol is associated with your body’s stress response and adrenaline makes you feel jittery. Both add up to feelings of anxiety. Read labels to help your anxiety levels.

4. White Flour
Speaking of sugar, white flour is included as a hidden sugar. It is basically a starch and your body processes that into sugar.

Eating sandwiches, cakes, donuts, and other foods made of white flour will spike your blood sugar, increase cortisone and adrenaline and bring on feelings of anxiety.
Many of these products add insult to injury with lots of sugary fillings and toppings, trans fats and chemicals that make it shelf stable. Eat whole grains to keep down your anxiety levels.

5. Alcohol
Since alcohol is a depressant, you can expect alcohol to cause anxiety. It might make you feel temporarily better, but…. Alcohol causes insomnia. You fall asleep easily but as the alcohol wears off, sleep quality declines. You might have bad dreams or panic attacks.

Alcohol causes dehydration and that, as we know, leads to depression.
You might feel more social if you drink, but alcohol depresses serotonin levels, increasing anxiety.

Drinking won’t help your anxiety and it will make it worse.

6. Proccessed Food
Processed foods are linked to depression. Trans fats like hydrogenated oils are linked to depression and anxiety. You’ll find trans fats in baked goods and snacks, fried food, refrigerator dough, non-dairy creamer and margarine.

Read labels since companies don’t have to include trans fats if their levels are below 0.5g per serving. Look for the terms “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” in the ingredient list. Also try to use reduced fat dairy instead of full fat dairy as it is lower in naturally occurring trans fats.

7. Energy Drinks
How about a boost of energy with a side of depression and anxiety? Energy drinks fit that bill exactly. Loaded with caffeine, sugar, and chemicals, these drinks can cause abnormal heart rhythms and sleep issues. Both those increase feelings of anxiety and depression.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that artificial sugars are any better for you. Research suggests there is a link between sugar and artificial sugars and depression. Plus, artificial sweeteners make you crave calories, and the cycle continues.

8. MSG and Gluten
Gluten and MSG have been linked to anxiety in sensitive people. MSG is a gluten derivative. Gluten is found naturally in wheat products (see white flour). MSG is a flavor enhancer and is found in processed foods, Asian food, and frozen meals. Soy sauce often contains both gluten and MSG.

Researchers have found that people with untreatable anxiety respond very well to a gluten-free diet, suggesting that there is a direct correlation between the two.

9. Preserved Foods
The time-honored practice of aging, fermenting, curing and smoking foods has provided humanity with food through lean times and some really tasty meals.

The process of preserving foods creates biogenic animes. These byproducts of bacterial action include histamine. In some people, histamine increases adrenaline levels and causes anxiety and insomnia.
If you notice problems with digestion, your heart, or nervous system after eating or drinking preserved food, you may be sensitive to histamines. Avoid these foods to keep down your anxiety levels.

10. Dairy
Dairy contains a protein called casein. Casein provides baby mammals with amino acids, carbohydrates, and two essential elements, calcium and phosphorus. You’ll find it in high protein dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream.

Casein has been linked to several conditions including depression. Not everyone is sensitive to casein, so you’ll need to try a 30-day elimination diet to see if high-protein milk products increase your anxiety. You may be able to reintroduce it later with no side effects!

11. Nightshades
If you’ve eliminated everything above from your diet and still feel anxious, you may be sensitive to plants in the nightshade family. Edible nightshade plants include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and goji berries.

These plants contain a natural pesticide called glycoalkaloids. A side effect of eating these plants is an overstimulation of the nervous system.
It takes five days to clear glycoalkaloids from your system. Edible nightshades are found in a lot of products, from potato starch to spices like paprika.

Conclusion
Some of the triggers of anxiety are directly related to food. Dehydration, depressed serotonin, and increased cortisol and adrenaline levels can contribute to or mimic the signs of anxiety.

Caffeine has caused panic attacks in people with panic disorder. Adrenaline can make you sweaty, lightheaded and your heart pound. Even changing blood sugar levels can make you feel bad.

By eliminating some of these foods, you might be able to decrease or even eliminate your anxiety symptoms. A simple elimination diet may make you feel better, and even if it doesn’t, getting rid of many of these foods will improve your overall health.

If you’re going to get hooked on any spice, make it ginger. Of course, there are tons of great spices that offer significant health benefits, but it’s tough to top ginger for the sheer number of positive attributes. And unlike other popular daily supplements, it tastes great, too. (We’re looking at you, apple cider vinegar.)

The reason that ginger is so good for you is down to a compound called gingerol. This substance is anti-inflammatory, which means it can relieve pain and swelling. It is also an antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals in the body. This can reduce your lifetime risk of cancer.
We think you’ll be surprised by what happens and how good you can feel. From the lifetime goal of #4, to the support that #8 offers for a really difficult undertaking, ginger can seriously be like your best friend.

1. Conquer Acid Reflux
Acid reflux can occur based on the type of meal you ate, or simply due to your particular anatomy. Some people are especially prone to it. In any case, it is painful and disruptive! Ginger is so good at reducing acid reflux that its active substances are used in acid reflux medications.

Some research indicates that consuming ginger every day, whether in a special tea or in your food, can eliminate acid reflux all together.

2. Reduce Inflammation All Over Your Body
Inflammation is a defense mechanism that is useful when an injured or infected portion of the body needs to be isolated to limit damage to other areas. However, the inflammatory process isn’t very good at recognizing when that inflammation is helpful and when it just hurts.

So people with chronic inflammatory conditions like arthritis can experience a lot of relief from eating ginger. This same capacity makes ginger good for healing after injuries of all kinds.

3. Minimize Your Cancer Risk
Ginger is being studied extensively for its effect on cancer cells. Research has shown that it kills ovarian cancer cells more quickly and safely than chemotherapy drugs. That’s incredible news, as chemotherapy tends to cause as many health concerns as it solves.

Ginger has also been found to prevent colon and intestinal inflammation, which is a risk factor for cancers of those body parts. Watch for the results of ongoing studies on ginger and cancer!

4. Improved Digestion
Ginger doesn’t just quell acid reflux and reduce inflammation in your intestines. It can also soothe nausea. Part of the reason is that ginger is a natural antibiotic that can knock out the harmful bacteria that cause stomach upset.

Ginger is also good for stimulating saliva, which is an integral part of the digestive process. Whether you have a bug, are pregnant and experiencing morning sickness, or simply ate something that didn’t agree with you, ginger can be a real lifeline.

5. Relieve And Avoid Headaches
The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger are also helpful in treating the most common complaint of the human condition – headaches. Many over-the-counter headache medicines are in fact simply anti-inflammatories rather than actual pain relievers.

Ginger is a natural way of achieving the same end, but without the side effects of chemical formulations. In fact, studies show that eating ginger every day has the potential to stop you from getting headaches all together, even migraines.

6. Weight Loss
Weight loss is a tricky thing to accomplish. The body looks at stored fat as its emergency reserve, and really prefers not to burn it. Diet plays a big part, but a lot of the blame for your weight also goes to genetics. So it’s important to work with your body in the effort to lose weight, and ginger can be an excellent source of support.

Ginger is known to keep your metabolism chugging along, which is important because intensive dieting often slows it down. Once your metabolism slows, you are likely to regain all the weight you lost once you stop dieting. A daily dose of ginger can help prevent this problem.

7. Reduced Muscle Pain And Soreness
Another common kind of pain is muscle soreness, often caused by exercise or daily exertion. Studies have shown that ginger can help here, too. However, it doesn’t tend to immediately relieve muscle pain.

Rather, ginger taken daily can reduce the level of pain that develops and shorten the duration of healing when your muscles do become sore.

Conclusion
With all these incredible health benefits, we’re having trouble coming up with a reason NOT to eat some ginger every day. And what’s more, ginger can be effective whether raw or cooked, fresh or dried.

With a sweet and slightly spicy flavor, ginger is ideal for use in baked goods, stir fries, and fruit salads. It’s also tasty enough to stand on its own in an herbal tea. Any way you take it, ginger is a great daily habit to have.

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Coconut which is often regarded as the ‘holy’ fruit in Indian Hindu Mythology actually comes with many incredible health benefits. Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) whose meat and water has been used in almost every Indian ritual for decades. The South Indian state of ‘Kerela’ is blessed with the highest number of coconut trees and coconut production. Other major coconut growing states are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with more than 90 percent of area and production. Moreover, coconuts have been grown in tropical regions for more than 4,500 years but recently saw an increase in popularity for its flavor, culinary uses, and potential health benefits. But very few people know that coconut can actually help in controlling major diseases like diabetes, heart health and promote blood sugar control.

Let’s know about the unknown health benefits’ of coconut.

Coconut Benefits
It's highly nutritious than you think
The coconut meat and water contains protein, several important minerals, and small amounts of B vitamins. However, they’re not a significant source of most other vitamins.

Moreover, the minerals in coconut are involved in many functions in your body. Coconuts are especially high in manganese which is essential for bone health and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and cholesterol.

Here are the nutrition facts for raw and dried coconut meat.

Raw coconut meat Dried coconut meat

Calories 354 650

Protein 3 grams 7.5 grams

Carbs 15 grams 25 grams

Fiber 9 grams 18 grams

Fat 33 grams 65 grams

Copper 22% of the DV 40% of the DV

Selenium 14% of the DV 26% of the DV

Magnesium 8% of the DV 23% of the DV

Iron 13% of the DV 18% of the DV

Coconut is Good for Heart Health
As per reports, consuming virgin coconut oil, which is extracted from dried coconut meat, may reduce belly fat. This is especially beneficial because excess belly fat increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

As per reports, a study in 20 people with obesity found the waist size of male participants decreased by an average of about 1 inch (about 3 cm) after they consumed 1 ounce (30 ml) of virgin coconut oil daily for 4 weeks. The female participants did not experience a significant reduction.

Coconut Promotes Blood Sugar Control
As coconut is low in carbs and high in fiber and fat, so it may help stabilize your blood sugar. The report says that the high fiber content of coconut meat can also help slow digestion and improve insulin resistance which can help regulate blood sugar levels as well.

Coconut Contains Powerful Antioxidants
As per reports, coconut meat contains phenolic compounds, which are antioxidants that may help protect cells from oxidative damage. The main phenolic compounds identified include.

gallic acid

caffeic acid

salicylic acid

p-coumaric acid

Enhance Your Skin and Hair Health
It’s not a new thing to tell. Coconut water helps you to get healthy hair and skin and Malayali people are a bright example of that.


Dr. Sonali Chavan
Dr. Sonali Chavan
BHMS, Homeopath, 10 yrs, Pune
Dr. Suhas Shingte
Dr. Suhas Shingte
BAMS, Family Physician General Physician, 18 yrs, Pune
Dr. Gauri  Nerurkar
Dr. Gauri Nerurkar
BHMS, Dermatologist, 10 yrs, Pune
Dr. Surbhi Agrawal
Dr. Surbhi Agrawal
Specialist, Diabetologist General Physician, 8 yrs, Nagpur
Dr. Vishwas Takale
Dr. Vishwas Takale
BAMS, General Physician, 19 yrs, Pune
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