Air pollution is one of the biggest threats to human health, triggering numerous ailments including breathing disorders. It causes the respiratory system to weaken and fall prey to allergies and ailments like asthma. According to WHO,

Pollution is responsible for exacerbation of asthma and increase in respiratory infections. Increased morbidity and mortality, due to cardiovascular diseases including stroke, chronic respiratory diseases and cancers have been attributed to air pollution.

The polluted air we inhale introduces nitrogen, ozone, nitrogen oxide, diesel exhaust particles, et al.

Here are foods that will help you build a stronger immunity against pollution and further strengthen your respiratory system.

1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is touted as one of the most important antioxidants that has the ability to repair and aid tissue growth. This water soluble vitamin is present throughout our body and eradicates the effects of free radicals. Foods like dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, berries, papayas, bell peppers and tomatoes among others.

2. Vitamin E
Vitamin E creates a defense mechanism against injury to human tissues. Making it a part of your daily diet will help fight against the damage of tissues and eventually build a stronger immunity. Vitamin E diet may include dry fruits like almonds, fish like salmon, eel and roe fish and various spices and herbs like chili powder, oregano, basil, parsley and cloves.

3. Beta-Carotene
Beta Carotene is full of antioxidants and plays a key role in controlling inflammation. Vitamin A is known to convert from beta-carotene which is generally found in leafy vegetables, pumpkins, carrots, spinach, radish, broccoli and coriander seeds.

4.Magnesium Rich Foods
Magnesium is a mineral that helps boost your natural defenses and relaxes your lungs from the excessive pressure. The magnesium rich foods include nuts, seeds especially pumpkin seeds and legumes, spinach, yogurt, avocado, figs and magnesium among others.

Alkaline water and it's benefits is one of the newer trends to have made its way into the already overcrowded wellness and healthy eating world.

Drinking Alkaline water, it is said, offers more health benefits than one. It helps slow down the ageing process, regulate pH levels of the body and prevent various chronic diseases.

Alkaline water refers to neutralising acid levels in the body, which normal water cannot do.

Benefits of Alkaline water

While there is still a lack of proven scientific research, various proponents of alkaline water claim to believe in the following benefits of alkaline water:

1. Alkaline water has ultra-hydrating properties as compared to normal water. This can be a beneficial drink for people who work out on a daily basis and require more amount of water in their body. Scientifically speaking, the water molecules in alkaline water are smaller and more readily absorbed by your cells, which help your body re-hydrate quickly.

2. Alkaline water benefits also include boosting immunity. Your immune system may help neutralise the acidity in your body, which is caused by poor diet, stress and environmental toxins.

3. Alkaline water is said to have various minerals like magnesium and calcium, both of which are important for maintaining healthy bones.

4. Alkaline water has many potent antioxidants that help prevent the growth of cell damaging free radicals in the body, which can further rush up the ageing process.

5. One of the most important benefits of alkaline water is that it neutralises the acidity in our body by lowering excessive acidic content in the stomach and gastro-intestinal tract.

Alkaline water side effects
Although alkaline water is considered safe for consumption, it may have negative side effects too. One of the side effects is that while it may be alkalizing your body, there is a chance that excessive consumption may ruin the natural acids of your stomach killing the good bacteria.

Sodium glutamate or monosodium glutamate is one of the most common additives in manufactured foods and is used widely in foods served at restaurants.

It is also present in some foods naturally. It is usually in the form of a white crystalline powder and looks very similar to salt and sugar.

Monosodium glutamate is a flavour enhancer. It enhances the meaty taste of food items, and actually makes the food item tastier, and has an excitatory effect on the nerve cells, hence inducing over-eating.

"By itself, MSG may be safe in very small doses but it could be harmful even in minute amounts for those who are allergic or sensitive to MSG.

Large doses are certainly harmful. The point noteworthy is that MSG is mostly found in large amounts in processed food items like chips, packaged soups, canned foods, which by themselves are unhealthy and thus they must be avoided (not just because they have MSG).

One must check food labels while buying any packaged stuff and avoid buying if MSG is listed", says nutritionist Pooja Malhotra.

According to her, "Chemically, there is no difference between the one found in natural foods and the one in processed foods. Yet as an additive, it may be harmful because of the large doses or the other components in processed foods."

Some of the food items which contain sodium glutamate are canned foods, sausages, chips, prepared soups, hot dogs, beer and many more. It is also naturally present in food items like cheese, tomatoes, peas, walnuts, wheat etc. An excess intake of sodium glutamate has been linked to increased cravings, overeating, obesity and other metabolic disorders.

It was late at night when I was about to go to bed with a cup of warm milk with honey in it, and a book tucked under my arm, when I got a call from my mother.

After making the usual small talk, she asked me what I put in my milk and when I told her, she asked me to throw the milk away.

Taken aback by this sudden reaction of my mother's, I asked her the reason. She explained to me that she had read in the newspaper that very day, that mixing it with hot beverages not only reduces health benefits of honey, but even makes it toxic!

Not entirely convinced about the veracity of this claim, I decided to probe it further.
Does Honey Become Toxic In Warm Milk?

Honey is used in a number of home remedies for beauty treatments for healthy skin and hair, and even for treating small wounds.

However, the ancient Indian practice of Ayurveda stressed on the fact that honey should never be cooked with or heated.

Some people are convinced that consuming heated honey can be fatal!

That's because heating anything with sugars can release a chemical called 5-hydroxymethylfurfual or HMF, which is believed to be carcinogenic in nature.

So it's established that heating honey can certainly increase its toxicity. But is it toxic enough to actually harm your body?

A study conducted by National Center for Biotechnology Information on the adverse impacts of heating honey as well as mixing it with ghee, advises against both. The study concludes, "..heated honey (>140°C) mixed with ghee produces HMF which may produce deleterious effects and act as a poison in due course." Note that the temperature increase allowed for honey is less than 140 degrees, which is far less than the optimum temperature at which your glass of milk is probably going to be.

The best way to enjoy milk with honey is to make sure the milk is cooled down a bit, before shaking in that spoonful of the natural sweetener in it.

The beautiful and bright colour of beetroot is hard to miss and so is its distinctive taste. Beetroot juice makes for the new superfood in the bay. Adding to its numerous health benefits, many like to add carrots in to the juice. These two wonder vegetables are responsible for increasing your blood flow, reducing blood pressure, detoxifying body and keeping health problems at bay; thanks to the presence of many essential nutrients and antioxidants. An addition of tomatoes, ginger, mint and a dash of black salt and black pepper makes it perfectly flavourful for many who may not like its taste. If you haven't included this juice in your daily diet yet, probably you must start soon. This has to be your wonder drink for reasons you must know!

1. Beetroot and carrot juice makes for a great detoxifier due to the presence of betaine in beets that helps support healthy liver function. Carrot juice helps excrete toxins from the body effectively.

2. Both of these superfoods help cure inflammation; thanks to the presence of anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that help cure inflammation.

3. Beetroots and carrots help relieve constipation by stimulating the metabolic system. The phyto-nutrients in these veggies help boost the digestive system. Carrots are loaded with fibre that not only balance blood sugar levels, but also keep the gut healthy.

4. This juice helps improve blood flow as beets are considered to be a nitrate food. These nitrates then convert into nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes arteries and improves blood circulation and oxygenation within the brain.

5. Both the veggies contain beta-carotene, a substance that is used to produce vitamin A. This vitamin is responsible for promoting healthy vision and reduces the chance of developing age-related eye problems like macular degeneration and cataract.