Thursday 24 April 2014

how much water...

Should You Drink Eight Ounces of Water
Daily?
By ethnichealth on September 22, 2013
1
We hear it all the time. We should drink
eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. EHC
makes an attempt to explore the facts and
myth behind this eight-by-eight rule. It is
important to drink water according to
your lifestyle rather than follow the 8-
glass water rule, say nutritionists.
Water is your body’s principal chemical
component and a natural detoxifier but
not many are aware about how much
water should we ideally drink every day.
Moreover, the popular 8 by 8 rule which
says that one should drink eight glasses,
each consisting of eight ounce of water,
may not suit every individual. While the
general belief is to drink eight to 10
glasses of water, it is advisable to drink 12
to 15 glasses of fluids which includes
water, tea, buttermilk, soup, etc. This
would amount to an intake of around 2.5
liters of fluids every day.
One’s lifestyle plays an important role in
deciding the amount of water that one
should consume. If you have a sedentary
lifestyle and work in an air-conditioned
environment where there is no scope for
water loss via sweat, drinking more than 2
to 2.5 liters of water is not advisable. It
will end up accumulating in your kidney
and cause edema. For moderate workers
like salespersons, who are required to do
physical activity, it is important to drink
around three liters of water.
Seasonal Changes
Athletes, military recruits, or any one
force to work outside during the hot
summer time may require more fluids
than generally recommended. So, it is
necessary to change water consumption
habits with the change in seasons, and
obviously it is important to keep oneself
hydrated during summers. If you do not
suffer from diabetes or blood pressure,
you can have electrolyte or glucose water
or drink lemonade. It is not only
refreshing but also increases your energy
levels. Moreover, it is important to drink
maximum amount in the morning. After
waking up, it is important to drink around
two to four glasses of water within the
early part of the day. You could also add
some amount of lemon, honey and
cinnamon in it.
Points to Remember
Drink around two to four glasses of
water (roughly amounting to 800 ml)
after waking up.
If you work in an air conditioned
environment and follow a sedentary
lifestyle, do not drink more than 2 to
2.5 liters of water per day.
For moderate workers, for instance
salespersons, it is important to drink
around 3 liters of water.
During summers, keep yourself
hydrated by drinking water at regular
intervals. If you don’t suffer from
diabetes or blood pressure, having
electrolyte or glucose water is also
advisable.
Water & Weight Control
We all have heard this advice a million
times. Drink 8 to 10 glass of water a day.
Experts say that if you are overweight or
tend to get most of your calories from
processed and salty food, 8 to 10 glasses
of water could actually help you reduce
your weight.
Water could lower your BMI. If you drink
8 to 10 glass of water every day, you will
end up eating less and also drink fewer
calorie-laden beverages. Drinking about
500 ml of water before meal can cut the
calories and help in losing weight and as a
result lower body mass index (BMI).
Water helps in burning fat. You can burn
about 50 per cent more fat after drinking
water compared with a higher calorie
beverage.
Water helps you play your sports better.
Sweating away just 2 percent of your
body’s water content affects the
performance of a sportsperson to a great
extent. Drinking enough water can
improve your game and save you from
the risk of dehydration.
Water can fight hangovers. Being
adequately hydrated is the best way not
to feel lousy and grouchy after a late
night party. Drink a couple of glasses of
water hours before the event. Even when
you are flying a long distance flight,
staying hydrated helps you fight
hangover.
Most of us healthy folks get enough water
in the foods and liquids we consume
which includes any liquid we drink. Our
kidneys work to perfectly balance and
regulate our water requirements so that
we take in and retain as much fluid as we
need. Healthy people can let thirst be
their guide to their fluid requirements.

Wednesday 23 April 2014

beauti tips...

It is known that drinking plenty of water,
using SPF, and having a daily cleansing
routine are essential for good skin care.
Who doesn’t crave for that perfect look
with long hair, fair skin, and a flawless
glowing complexion?
EHC brings you an exhaustive list of
beauty tips for skin at home. This will
include face packs, foods, and other
basics that are often ignored in the realm
of skin care.
Every human is born with beautiful skin
and you need to realize that protecting
our skin from damage is of utmost
importance. Otherwise all our attempts
will be of no use as skin will keep
sustaining damage and you will keep
wondering why none of the treatments
are showing any results.
Essential Skin Care
Our skin needs time and care for it to
regenerate. Without this, improving our
skin condition is an absolute impossibility.
This is why we need to ensure the below
basics to make time for the skin to heal
itself.
Drink a lot of water
Sleep well
Exercise
Follow a good skin care routine. There
are many options like exfoliation,
scrub, etc.
Remove your makeup before you sleep
every night.
Healthy Diet for Healthy Skin
Our skin is what we eat! Without the right
nutrients, our skin cannot undo the
damage that it sustains on a daily basis.
The right quantities of all the ingredients
need to be consumed for the skin to
portray health and the fairness to show.
Eat fruits with vitamin C for the
antioxidants. Balance your diet to get the
right amount of proteins and unsaturated
fats along with vegetables to get the right
portions of nutrients for your skin to
naturally care for itself.
Sun Protection and Care
The basic lesson here is not to step out
into the sun without protection. The
effects of the harsh sun rays and the UV
radiation that we are exposed to when
you step out of your home are tragic to
the skin. That is why you need to use a
sunscreen.
Always apply a sunscreen before stepping
out. An SPF of at least 30 or more
depending on your skin type. UV rays
darken and damage your skin. So make
sure you reapply every four or five hours.
Easy & Extensive Skin Care
Face packs go a long way in protecting
your facial skin and make it radiant and
flawless. Lather on these lovely face packs
and relax as they work their magic. We
will look in to some of the oldest and
most popular homemade beauty tips for
face.
Turmeric face pack
This is an all-time favorite. The results
have always been so stunning that this has
now become a must ritual for a bride
before the wedding day.
Ingredients: Gram flour, pinch of
turmeric, and milk.
Mix all the above and apply the mask.
Scrub the paste gently on your for 5
minutes and let it dry for 20 minutes.
Once it is dry, clean your face.
Turmeric and lemon face pack
Ingredients: Gram flour, turmeric, lemon
juice, and milk.
Mix all the above ingredients and apply
evenly on the face. Scrub the paste gently
on your for 5 minutes and let it dry for
20 minutes. Once it is dry, clean your
face.
Banana face pack
Ingredients: One ripe banana, 1
tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Mix all the ingredients to make a smooth
paste, apply all over the face and rinse
with water after 10 minutes. Honey helps
in locking the moisture, while banana and
olive oil help remove and neutralize the
bad effects of free radicals on the skin.
You can also try some honey face masks
individually.
Oat almond face pack
Ingredients: 5-6 almonds, 2 tablespoon
oats, 2 tablespoon yogurt, 1 teaspoon
honey.
Grind almonds and oats to get a powder
like consistency. Further add yogurt and
honey to make a smooth paste out of it.
Apply the pack and rinse it after 15
minutes. Almond nourishes the skin, oats
moisturizes the skin, and yogurt tightens
it along with making it soft and soothing.
Coco mask
Ingredients: Half tablespoon cocoa
powder, half tablespoon honey, 1
teaspoon grounded oatmeal or besan, 2
teaspoon of coconut milk.
Mix all the ingredients to make a smooth
paste, and apply it on the face and rinse it
after a while. The antioxidant and
cleansing properties of chocolate freshens
the dull and tired looking skin.
Cucumber Face Pack
Ingredients: One peeled cucumber, 1
tablespoon of sugar.
Mash cucumber, add sugar, and re-fridge
it for some time. Apply it on the face,
leave it on for ten minutes, and rinse it
with cold water. Cucumber gives skin a
cooling effect making it soft and supple,
thus soothing it.
Tea water and honey face pack
Ingredients: One cup of tea water (cooled
down), 2 spoons of rice flour, ½ a spoon
of honey. The rice flour acts as a very
good scrub and honey moisturizers the
skin.
Mix the above ingredients and apply on
the skin. Leave it on till the mask dries
completely for 20 minutes or more.
Before cleaning the mask with water,
make sure you massage the facial skin in
circular motions, this is very important as
it removes the dead skin and evens the
skin tone. Then wash your face with cold
water .This gives you a lighter and even
skin tone.
Oats and lemon face pack
Ingredients: One tablespoon of oats;
cooked and mashed (helps reduce
inflammation and heals skin), one table
spoon of lemon juice (lemon helps lighten
skin tone). If you have sensitive skin, then
you can dilute the lemon juice with water.
Mix the above ingredients and apply on
the face by massaging the skin. Let it dry
for 20 minutes. Wash it and pat dry.
Yogurt and dried orange peel
Ingredients: Dried orange peel, fresh and
unflavored yogurt.
Grind the dried orange peels to powder.
Mix 1 tablespoon of it with 1 tablespoon
fresh and unflavored yogurt to make a
paste. Apply and keep on cleansed skin
for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse it off.
Potato
Ingredients: Potato slice, in pulp or juice
form.
Use slices or paste of potato as a mask or
even just the juice on tanned portions of
the skin. This can be applied twice to your
skin. After 15-20 minutes, wash off with
plain water.
The biggest advantage for these home
remedies for skin health is that these are
organic, natural products that you use
over the skin and they are gentle on your
skin leaving no side effects to take place.
So, go ahead, and try these at home for a
flawless skin.

Tuesday 22 April 2014

weight loss and ginger

Aromatic, pungent, and spicy –
ginger adds a special flavor and zest
to many dishes. Ginger is a herb
widely used throughout the world for
treating loss of appetite, nausea,
stomach upset, motion sickness, etc.
But do you know that it can help
you lose weight also?
Working out creates body heat that
helps you burn calories. Ginger also
creates internal heat that revs up
your metabolism. Ginger is nearly
calorie-free, and when used in
cooking or brewed in tea, it can give
you a slight advantage in meeting
your weight loss goals. Ginger is not
a replacement for a calorie-reduced
diet, but it may augment a sensible
eating and exercise plan.
Studies show that ginger creates
thermogenesis, an action that boosts
metabolism. While a great deal of
anecdotal evidence also shows a
connection between ginger
consumption and weight loss in
humans, scientific studies on the
subject remain unpublished.
The dry, fibrous ginger rhizomes are
the ones commonly used as spices,
preservatives and flavoring agents.
The characteristic odor and flavor of
ginger are due to different groups of
phenol compounds such as
gingerols, shogaols and zingerone.
The gingerols are volatile oils which
have been shown to be responsible
for the analgesic, anti-inflammatory,
antibacterial, antipyretic,
gastrointestinal motility and sedative
effects of ginger. These oils also
show promise as anti-cancer drug
candidates in different preliminary
studies.
Fresh ginger contains 80.9%
moisture, 0.9% fat, 12.3%
carbohydrate, 2.3% proteins, 2.4%
fiber and 1.2% minerals. Ginger root
or rhizome contains B vitamins,
vitamins A and C as well as iron,
potassium and phosphorus. It is
also rich in dietary fiber.
Ginger Serves as a Digestive Aid
Ginger can improve digestion by
increasing the pH of the stomach
and stimulating the digestive
enzymes. Because ginger also has
high fiber content, it increases
gastrointestinal motility. The
combination of these two effects
means that essential nutrients are
absorbed quickly while the non-
essential foods that cause bloating
and constipation are excreted
quickly. An efficient digestive system
can help process ingested food more
efficiently, and this can contribute to
weight loss because the bulking
parts of ingested foods can be
efficiently processed and eliminated
from the body.
Ginger Improves Metabolism
A number of studies suggest that
ginger is also a thermogenic agent
that can help burn fat. There are
reports that ginger can boost
metabolism by up to 20%. By
increasing the rate of metabolism,
ginger can help burn off some of the
fat stored up in the body. This not
only translates to weight loss but
can also help reduce cholesterol and
triglyceride levels as the body burns
all the fat it is provided.
Ginger for Weight Loss
Ginger is available both as fresh or
dried roots. These can be used in
various ways including in the
preparation of food or to make
ginger tea. As an herbal
supplement, ginger is also supplied
in the form of extracts, capsules,
tinctures and oils.
Ginger should not be given to
children under the age of 2 and
even adults should consult with
their physicians first before taking
ginger especially if they are
currently placed on other drugs or
supplements.
There are no standard doses of
ginger for weight loss. However, the
maximal daily dose is 4 grams.
Pregnant women should not take
more than 1 gram per day of the
herb. A common way to take ginger
is to make ginger tea by adding ½
teaspoon of the powdered herb to 4
– 6 ounces of hot water. Once
dissolved, the tea can be sweetened
as needed.
Honey and Ginger Juice
The combination of honey and ginger
is excellent to lose weight. Taking
this mixture twice a day will help to
reduce your weight. Ingredients here
are 3 tablespoons of honey and 2
tablespoons of ginger. Extract the
juice from ginger and add 2
tablespoons in a bowl. Add 3
tablespoons of honey to the juice.
Mix it well and drink it twice a day.
Notice the change in your body in a
month’s time.
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is used for weight
because it increases metabolism,
stimulates circulation and excretion
of toxins.
Ginger tea has a number of
contraindications. You should not
use ginger tea for weight loss if:
You suffer from inflammatory
diseases of the skin
You have a very high temperature
and fever
You suffer the aggravation of
gastric ulcers
You have a wound in the process
of healing
Other health benefits of ginger
It treats respiratory problems,
nausea and vomiting, prevents
morning sickness and loss of
appetite. It is an anti-flatulent,
reduces menstrual pain, relieves
headache. It is used as a treatment
for arthritis. It removes stress, is
good for sleep, is anti-inflammatory,
and improves immunity.

Sunday 20 April 2014

45 daily help tips

We've done the legwork for you and
here they are: the 45 best health
tips. Make that 46 - taking the time
to read this tops the list.

1. Copy your kitty: Learn to do
stretching exercises when you wakeup. It boosts circulation and
digestion, and eases back pain.

2. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies
show that eating a proper breakfast
is one of the most positive things
you can do if you are trying to lose
weight. Breakfast skippers tend to
gain weight. A balanced breakfast
includes fresh fruit or fruit juice, a
high-fibre breakfast cereal, low-fat
milk or yoghurt, wholewheat toast,
and a boiled egg.

3. Brush up on hygiene. Many
people don't know how to brush
their teeth properly. Improper
brushing can cause as much
damage to the teeth and gums as
not brushing at all. Lots of people
don’t brush for long enough, don’t
floss and don’t see a dentist
regularly. Hold your toothbrush in
the same way that would hold a
pencil, and brush for at least two
minutes. This includes brushing the
teeth, the junction of the teeth and
gums, the tongue and the roof of
the mouth. And you don't need a
fancy, angled toothbrush – just a
sturdy, soft-bristled one that you
replace each month.

4. Neurobics for your mind. Get
your brain fizzing with energy.
American researchers coined the
term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which
activate the brain's own biochemical
pathways and to bring new
pathways online that can help to
strengthen or preserve brain
circuits. Brush your teeth with your
‘other’ hand, take a new route to
work or choose your clothes based
on sense of touch rather than sight.
People with mental agility tend to
have lower rates of Alzheimer's
disease and age-related mental
decline.

5. Get what you give! Always giving
and never taking? This is the short
road to compassion fatigue. Give to
yourself and receive from others,
otherwise you’ll get to a point
where you have nothing left to give.
And hey, if you can’t receive from
others, how can you expect them to
receive from you?

6. Get spiritual. A study conducted
by the formidably sober and
scientific Harvard University found
that patients who were prayed for
recovered quicker than those who
weren’t, even if they weren’t aware
of the prayer.

7. Get smelly. Garlic, onions, spring
onions and leeks all contain stuff
that’s good for you. A study at the
Child’s Health Institute in Cape
Town found that eating raw garlic
helped fight serious childhood
infections. Heat destroys these
properties, so eat yours raw, wash it down with fruit juice or, if you’re asissy, have it in tablet form.

8. Knock one back. A glass of red
wine a day is good for you. A
number of studies have found this,
but a recent one found that the
polyphenols (a type of antioxidant)
in green tea, red wine and olives
may also help protect you against
breast cancer. It’s thought that the
antioxidants help protect you from
environmental carcinogens such as
passive tobacco smoke.

9. Bone up daily. Get your daily
calcium by popping a tab, chugging
milk or eating yoghurt. It’ll keep
your bones strong. Remember that
your bone density declines after the
age of 30. You need at least 200
milligrams daily, which you should
combine with magnesium, or it
simply won’t be absorbed.

10. Berries for your belly.
Blueberries, strawberries and
raspberries contain plant nutrients
known as anthocyanidins, which are
powerful antioxidants. Blueberries
rival grapes in concentrations of
resveratrol – the antioxidant
compound found in red wine that
has assumed near mythological
proportions. Resveratrol is believed
to help protect against heart
disease and cancer.

11. Curry favour. Hot, spicy foods
containing chillies or cayenne
pepper trigger endorphins, the feel-
good hormones. Endorphins have a
powerful, almost narcotic, effect and
make you feel good after exercising.
But go easy on the lamb, pork and
mutton and the high-fat, creamy
dishes served in many Indian
restaurants.

12. Cut out herbs before ops. Some
herbal supplements – from the
popular St John's Wort and ginkgo
biloba to garlic, ginger, ginseng and
feverfew – can cause increased
bleeding during surgery, warn
surgeons. It may be wise to stop
taking all medication, including
herbal supplements, at least two
weeks before surgery, and inform
your surgeon about your herbal use.
13. I say tomato. Tomato is a
superstar in the fruit and veggie
pantheon. Tomatoes contain
lycopene, a powerful cancer fighter.
They’re also rich in vitamin C. The
good news is that cooked tomatoes
are also nutritious, so use them in
pasta, soups and casseroles, as well
as in salads. The British Thoracic
Society says that tomatoes and
apples can reduce your risk of
asthma and chronic lung diseases .
Both contain the antioxidant
quercetin. To enjoy the benefits, eat
five apples a week or a tomato every
other day.
14. Eat your stress away. Prevent
low blood sugar as it stresses you
out. Eat regular and small healthy
meals and keep fruit and veggies
handy. Herbal teas will also soothe
your frazzled nerves. Eating
unrefined carbohydrates, nuts and
bananas boosts the formation of
serotonin, another feel-good drug.
Small amounts of protein containing
the amino acid tryptamine can give
you a boost when stress tires you
out.
15. Load up on vitamin C. We need
at least 90 mg of vitamin C per day
and the best way to get this is by
eating at least five servings of fresh
fruit and vegetables every day. So
hit the oranges and guavas!
16. No folly in folic acid. Folic acid
should be taken regularly by all
pregnant mums and people with a
low immunity to disease. Folic acid
prevents spina bifida in unborn
babies and can play a role in cancer
prevention. It is found in green
leafy vegetables, liver, fruit and
bran.
17. A for Away. This vitamin, and
beta carotene, help to boost
immunity against disease. It also
assists in the healing process of
diseases such as measles and is
recommended by the WHO. Good
natural sources of vitamin A are
kidneys, liver, dairy products, green
and yellow vegetables, pawpaw,
mangoes, chilli pepper, red sorrel
and red palm oil.
18. Pure water. Don’t have soft
drinks or energy drinks while you're
exercising. Stay properly hydrated
by drinking enough water during
your workout (just don't overdo
things, as drinking too much water
can also be dangerous). While you
might need energy drinks for long-
distance running, in shorter exercise
sessions in the gym, your body will
burn the glucose from the soft drink
first, before starting to burn body
fat. Same goes for eating sweets.
19. GI, Jane. Carbohydrates with a
high glycaemic index, such as bread,
sugar, honey and grain-based food
will give instant energy and
accelerate your metabolism. If
you’re trying to burn fat, stick to
beans, rice, pasta, lentils, peas, soya
beans and oat bran, all of which
have a low GI count.
20. Mindful living. You've probably
heard the old adage that life's too
short to stuff a mushroom. But
perhaps you should consider the
opposite: that life's simply too short
NOT to focus on the simple tasks.
By slowing down and concentrating
on basic things, you'll clear your
mind of everything that worries you.
Really concentrate on sensations
and experiences again: observe the
rough texture of a strawberry's skin
as you touch it, and taste the
sweet-sour juice as you bite into the
fruit; when your partner strokes
your hand, pay careful attention to
the sensation on your skin; and
learn to really focus on simple tasks
while doing them, whether it's
flowering plants or ironing your
clothes.
21. The secret of stretching. When
you stretch, ease your body into
position until you feel the stretch
and hold it for about 25 seconds.
Breathe deeply to help your body
move oxygen-rich blood to those
sore muscles. Don't bounce or force
yourself into an uncomfortable
position.
22. Do your weights workout first.
Experts say weight training should
be done first, because it's a higher
intensity exercise compared to
cardio. Your body is better able to
handle weight training early in the
workout because you're fresh and
you have the energy you need to
work it. Conversely, cardiovascular
exercise should be the last thing
you do at the gym, because it helps
your body recover by increasing
blood flow to the muscles, and
flushing out lactic acid, which
builds up in the muscles while
you're weight training. It’s the
lactic acid that makes your muscles
feel stiff and sore.
23. Burn fat during intervals. To
improve your fitness quickly and
lose weight , harness the joys of
interval training. Set the treadmill
or step machine on the interval
programme, where your speed and
workload varies from minute to
minute. Build up gradually, every
minute and return to the starting
speed. Repeat this routine. Not only
will it be less monotonous, but you
can train for a shorter time and
achieve greater results.
24. Your dirtiest foot forward. If
your ankles, knees, and hips ache
from running on pavement, head for
the dirt. Soft trails or graded roads
are a lot easier on your joints than
the hard stuff. Also, dirt surfaces
tend to be uneven, forcing you to
slow down a bit and focus on where
to put your feet – great for agility
and concentration.
25. Burn the boredom, blast the
lard. Rev up your metabolism by
alternating your speed and intensity
during aerobic workouts. Not only
should you alternate your routine to
prevent burnout or boredom, but to
give your body a jolt. If you
normally walk at 6.5km/h on the
treadmill or take 15 minutes to walk
a km, up the pace by going at 8km/
h for a minute or so during your
workout. Do this every five minutes
or so. Each time you work out,
increase your bouts of speed in
small increments.
26. Cool off without a beer. Don’t
eat carbohydrates for at least an
hour after exercise. This will force
your body to break down body fat,
rather than using the food you
ingest. Stick to fruit and fluids
during that hour, but avoid beer.
27. ‘Okay, now do 100 of those’.
Instead of flailing away at gym,
enlist the help – even temporarily –
of a personal trainer . Make sure you
learn to breathe properly and to do
the exercises the right way. You’ll
get more of a workout while
spending less time at the gym.
28. Stop fuming. Don’t smoke and if
you smoke already, do everything in
your power to quit. Don’t buy into
that my-granny-smoked-and-lived-to-
be-90 crud – not even the tobacco
giants believe it. Apart from the
well-known risks of heart disease
and cancer, orthopaedic surgeons
have found that smoking accelerates
bone density loss and constricts
blood flow. So you could live to be a
90-year-old amputee who smells of
stale tobacco smoke. Unsexy.
29. Ask about Mad Aunt Edith. Find
out your family history. You need to
know if there are any inherited
diseases prowling your gene pool.
According to the Mayo Clinic, USA,
finding out what your grandparents
died of can provide useful – even
lifesaving – information about
what’s in store for you. And be
candid, not coy: 25 percent of the
children of alcoholics become
alcoholics themselves.
30. Do self-checks. Do regular self-
examinations of your breasts. Most
partners are more than happy to
help, not just because breast cancer
is the most common cancer among
SA women. The best time to
examine your breasts is in the week
after your period.
31. My smear campaign. Have a
pap smear once a year. Not on our
list of favourite things, but it’s vital.
Cervical cancer kills 200 000 women
a year and it’s the most prevalent
form of cancer among black women,
affecting more than 30 percent. But
the chances of survival are nearly
100 percent if it’s detected early.
Be particularly careful if you became
sexually active at an early age, have
had multiple sex partners or smoke.
32. Understand hormones. Recent
research suggests that short-term
(less than five years) use of HRT is
not associated with an increase in
the risk of breast cancer, but that
using it for more than ten years
might be. Breast cancer is detected
earlier in women using HRT , as they
are more alert to the disease than
other women.
32. Beat the sneezes. There are
more than 240 allergens, some rare
and others very common. If you’re a
sneezer due to pollen: close your
car’s windows while driving, rather
switch on the internal fan (drawing
in air from the outside), and avoid
being outdoors between 5am and 10
am when pollen counts are at their
highest; stick to holidays in areas
with low pollen counts, such as the
seaside and stay away from freshly
cut grass.
33. Doggone. If you’re allergic to
your cat, dog, budgie or pet piglet,
stop suffering the ravages of animal
dander: Install an air filter in your
home. Keep your pet outside as
much as possible and brush him
outside of the home to remove loose
hair and other allergens. Better yet,
ask someone else to do so.
34. Asthma-friendly sports.
Swimming is the most asthma-
friendly sport of all, but cycling,
canoeing, fishing, sailing and
walking are also good, according to
the experts. Asthma need not
hinder peak performance in sport.
11 percent of the US Olympic team
were asthmatics – and between
them they won 41 medals.
35. Deep heat. Sun rays can burn
even through thick glass, and under
water. Up to 35 percent of UVB rays
and 85 percent of UVA rays
penetrate thick glass, while 50
percent of UVB rays and 77 percent
of UVA rays penetrate a meter of
water and wet cotton clothing.
Which means you’ll need sunscreen
while driving your car on holiday,
and water resistant block if you’re
swimming.
36. Fragrant ageing. Stay away from
perfumed or flavoured suntan
lotions which smell of coconut oil or
orange if you want your skin to stay
young. These lotions contain
psoralen, which speeds up the
ageing process. Rather use a fake-
tan lotion. Avoid sun beds, which
are as bad as the sun itself.
37. Sunscreen can be a
smokescreen. Sunscreen is unlikely
to stop you from being sunburned,
or to reduce your risk of developing
skin cancer. That’s because most
people don’t apply it properly, and
stay in the sun too long. The
solution? Slather on sunscreen daily
and reapply it often, especially if
you’ve been in the water. How
much? At least enough to fill a shot
glass.
38. Laugh and cry. Having a good
sob is reputed to be good for you.
So is laughter, which has been
shown to help heal bodies, as well
as broken hearts. Studies in Japan
indicate that laughter boosts the
immune system and helps the body
shake off allergic reactions.
39. It ain’t over till it’s over. End
relationships that no longer work for
you, as you could be spending time
in a dead end. Rather head for
more meaningful things. You could
be missing opportunities while
you’re stuck in a meaningless rut,
trying to breathe life into something
that is long gone.
40. Strong people go for help. Ask
for assistance. Gnashing your teeth
in the dark will not get you extra
brownie points. It is a sign of
strength to ask for assistance and
people will respect you for it. If
there is a relationship problem, the
one who refuses to go for help is
usually the one with whom the
problem lies to begin with.
41. Save steamy scenes for the
bedroom. Showering or bathing in
water that’s too hot will dry out
your skin and cause it to age
prematurely. Warm water is much
better. Apply moisturiser while your
skin is still damp – it’ll be absorbed
more easily. Adding a little olive oil
to your bath with help keep your
skin moisturised too.
42. Here’s the rub. Improve your
circulation and help your lymph
glands to drain by the way you
towel off. Helping your lymph
glands function can help prevent
them becoming infected. When
drying off your limbs and torso,
brush towards the groin on your
legs and towards the armpits on
your upper body. You can do the
same during gentle massage with
your partner.
43. Sugar-coated. More than three
million South Africans suffer from
type 2 diabetes, and the incidence
is increasing – with new patients
getting younger. New studies show
this type of diabetes is often part of
a metabolic syndrome (X Syndrome),
which includes high blood pressure
and other risk factors for heart
disease. More than 80 percent of
type 2 diabetics die of heart
disease, so make sure you control
your glucose levels, and watch your
blood pressure and cholesterol
counts .
44. Relax, it’s only sex. Stress and
sex make bad bedfellows, it seems.
A US survey showed that stress, kids
and work are main factors to
dampen libido. With the advent of
technology that allows us to work
from home, the lines between our
jobs and our personal lives have
become blurred. People work longer
hours, commutes are longer and
work pervades all aspects of our
lives, including our sexual
relationships. Put nooky and
intimacy on the agenda, just like
everything else.
45. Good night, sweetheart. Rest
heals the body and has been shown
to lessen the risk of heart trouble
and psychological problems

What influences the facial hair growth...?

What influences the speed of facial hair growth?
Everyman wants to be able to grow a thick beard or mustache from the age they realize they should be able to. When it comes to thick facial hair, there are a few major factors influencing how much you’ll have.

Hormones. If your hormones are improperly balanced, there’s a good chance you’ll have trouble growing hair.
Genetics. If your dad’s facial hair was thick and fast-growing, yours should be too. Likewise, if he couldn’t grow any, you may struggle with it.
Lifestyle Choices. If you’re not getting balanced nutrition or enough sleep, you may find all your hair is thinning, particularly that on your face.
Medications. Sometimes medicines can influence your facial hair growth.
Nationality. It is important to remember there are nations of people who don’t grow thick facial hair.
Injuries. If you’ve had a neck or head injury, you may have trouble growing facial hair.
How to promote faster facial hair growth?
There are some vitamins which can help your body’s hair production engine, and foods you can eat that have those vitamins.

Vitamin A: This vitamin stimulates the production of sebum, which keeps your hair follicles and skin hydrated – important for healthy-looking hair. You can find it in eggs, meat, cheese, liver, carrots, pumpkin, broccoli, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin C: Not only is it good for boosting your immune system, it keeps your hair and skin healthy too. Citrus is the standby for natural vitamin C, and you can also find foods such as green peppers, dark green vegetables, potatoes, and tomatoes rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin E: This has long been recognized as key for healthy skin, and can increase blood flow – leading to an optimal environment for hair growth. Foods rich in vitamin E include oils, leafy vegetables, nuts, and beans, and most people get plenty of vitamin E when eating a normal diet. Topical applications can also be beneficial.

Vitamin B3: This also helps boost circulation, which may have a positive effect on hair growth. Reports find that B3 is even more effective when taken with biotin. You can find vitamin B3 in beef, chicken, fish, and wheat germ.

Vitamin B5: Also known as pantothenic acid, B5 not only helps the body use fats and proteins, necessary for healthy hair, it also has been reported to help reduce stress; and stress can definitely inhibit hair growth. It occurs naturally in brewer’s yeast, broccoli, avocado, egg yolks, organ meats, duck, milk, lobster, whole-grain breads, and more.

Folic acid: This vitamin can help promote thicker hair, and is necessary for the growth and repair of hair. It can be found in whole-grain breads and cereals, leafy green vegetables, peas, and nuts.


More Hairy Tips…
Keep Your Face Clean
Hair is grown out of follicles and follicles can get blocked with dirt and grime. If you want to make sure you have nice facial hair, start with making sure to scrub your face twice a day and any time it gets dirty with sweat and oil.

Massage Your Face
Face massage stimulates the follicles on your face. To help get thicker facial hair, try massaging your face for ten to fifteen minutes twice a day.

Eucalyptus Oil
You could generously apply some eucalyptus oil over the chin, sides and the area above the upper lip at night. Eucalyptus oil has certain properties that induce hair growth and rectifies any nutritional deficiencies that may cause reduced facial hair growth.

Manage Your Stress
One of the noted side-effects of stress is hair loss. If your goal is to grow hair, you want to avoid stressful situations, as well as either eating the right foods, or taking vitamin supplements that help your body combat stress. Try yoga, or meditation. Listen to relaxing music. Play sports, work out, or do anything that you prefer for relaxation.

Shave Regularly
Sticking to a regular shaving schedule will help to stimulate follicles to continue producing new growth.

Quit Smoking
Smoking can lower your immunity which will also decrease your hair growth.

Amla Oil & Mustard Leaves
Mix one-quarter cup natural Amla oil

BRINGING HAND MUSCLE EASILY

Huge biceps are not built overnight.
Building and maintaining muscle
mass is detrimental to a successful
fitness program. Many people spend
years trying to stare at the non-
existent muscles or watch themselves
in the mirror hoping some muscle
would pop out! Some don’t know
where to start and some can’t be
persistent enough.
Obtaining bigger biceps can be done
with a strong commitment to diet
and weight training. Once you have
made your biceps huge, the hard
part of the journey is over, as
maintaining your huge bicep size is
much easier than making them big
from scratch. The following videos
will tell you how easy it is to build
hand muscles and get those
curvaceous biceps and hands.

Brain development in children-what to eat

You are what you eat – the saying is
all the more prominent in this age.
EHC goes a step further and says –
you will become what you eat.
Growing years need proper food for
overall growth and brain
development.
The foods consumed by children
affect their learning skills and
improves their ability to concentrate.
Studies have found that food
containing essential nutrients and
vitamins has the ability to boost the
brain power. EHC brings you some
tasty and healthy foods that will
energize your child’s brain for
learning activity. You should go
ahead and include these power
foods in their daily intake.
Berries
Include berries such as blueberries
and blackberries, which are high in
vitamins and antioxidants. Berries
ward off damage caused by free
radicals and may improve the
cognitive function of the brain,
improving memory and motor skills.
Dark Leafy Greens (Spinach & Kale)
Greens, such as spinach and kale,
pack an immune boosting punch
with their vitamin A and C. The
vitamin B-12 and folate in spinach
improves brain health and the
maintenance of cognitive
functioning, including memory. Kale
is rich in manganese, a trace mineral
that helps synthesize fatty acids
critical to healthy brain function. Try
Kale chips, and spinach brownies to
give children a nutrient boost in
foods they like.
Salmon, Tuna, & Mackerel
These fatty fish are full of essential
omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 rich
fish, such as salmon, tuna, and
mackerel are important for brain
development, heart health and
reducing inflammation. Your brain is
comprised of approximately 60% fat,
and by including Omega 3 fatty fish,
such as salmon and tuna, at dinner
you are providing the essential fats
your brain requires for optimal
functioning.
Eggs
Just one egg contains an amazing
amount of nutrition. With 6 grams of
protein per egg and more than a
dozen vitamins and minerals
including riboflavin, B12 and folate,
they are a rich super food. Eggs are
also an excellent source of choline,
an important nutrient for brain
development.
Whole Grains & Brown Rice
A simple switch to brown rice, whole
wheat pastas and whole grain
breads can increase brain health.
Filled with vitamins and magnesium,
important to cognitive health, whole
grains contain B vitamins including
folate and B12 that increase memory
and regulate energy levels to keep
kids alert in class. Add in fiber rich
oats and quinoa to get the benefits
of more fiber and added protein in
your casseroles, baking and morning
hot cereal.
Beans
A nutrient-rich food, beans contain
protein, complex carbohydrates,
fiber, antioxidants, iron and
important B-Complex vitamins. Try
adding beans to a wrap, soup, pasta
sauce or chili. Bean dips are a great
way to spice up raw veggies for an
after school snack. Puree chickpeas,
lentils or white kidney beans with
some garlic, lemon and extra virgin
olive oil for a brain healthy dip for
snacks.
Chocolate
Warm up with hot chocolate to help
your brain! Dark chocolate contains
more antioxidants than blueberries
and natural cocoa rates higher than
raspberries and blackberries for
these key nutrients. The antioxidants
in chocolate protect brain cells from
damaging free radicals and improve
cognitive function.
Almonds & Walnuts
Walnuts are the top nut for brain
health with their high concentration
of DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid shown
to improve cognitive performance.
Just a quarter cup of walnuts
provides almost 100% the
recommended daily intake of DHA.
Almonds are high in Vitamin E, also
shown to improve memory function
and make a great midday snack.
Milk & Yoghurt
Protein and B vitamins present in
dairy foods are essential for the
growth of brain tissue, enzymes, and
neurotransmitters. Milk and yoghurt
are packed with protein and
carbohydrate which is a source of
energy or the brain. If your children
refuse to drink their milk, try
substituting with yoghurt at
mealtimes. Nuts and berries could
be added.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is rich in fiber and protein
and helps to keep the arteries of the
brain and heart clear. It has been
found that children who eat oatmeal
were better at memory tasks and
map skills. Oatmeal digests slowly
and provides the children with a
steady supply of energy for a long
time.
Fortified Cereals
Fortified whole grain cereals are rich
in folate and complex carbohydrates.
The fortified cereals are a great
source of protein and vitamin B 12.
Vitamin B12 helps us to remember
things in a better way.
Water
Water is a highly overlooked food for
children. School going children drink
very little water and this can affect
the proper brain function. When the
children get dehydrated after
playing they will be irritable and
lethargic and will not be in a frame
of mind to listen or memorize.
Broccoli & Cauliflower
Broccoli and cauliflower also contain
choline which is essential for brain
development and for the effective
communication of the brain with rest
of the body parts. You may use raw
broccoli and boiled cauliflower in
salads or in various other
preparations.
Pumpkin Seeds
A handful of pumpkin seeds will
contain the daily required amount of
zinc. Zinc enhances the memory and
thinking skills. You can add roasted
pumpkin seeds into salads.