Healthy Substitutes

We are what we eat and more so because we are consuming unhealthy processed foods more and more. Unfortunately, due to habit or lack of experimenting, we often fall into a rut with cooking methods and staple dishes. Additionally, our tastebuds are wired a certain way and we can't go two days without craving for the very foods we need to banish from our lives. But do not despair help is near in the form of lighter and healthier substitutes in the market, so cooking healthy meals is no rocket science anymore. 
Here are some simple substitutions that will make meal times healthier, while giving you what you want.Conjure up your own healthy substitutes for recipes, and tell us what you found!

Substitute ice cream with custard 
If you've got a sweet tooth that hankers for ice cream every single day, then keep a reserve of custard in the freezer. When the craving kicks in, simple add pieces of bananas, and add any flavour , essence you want. The result will be a smooth, creamy, almost-ice cream like texture. You can add peanut butter, nuts, honey, cinnamon powder, even a single ice cream scoop to this dessert and satisfy your sweet craving.

Substitute mayo with butter
If you are hooked on to the mayonnaise taste which that unhealthy burgers, potato wedges and zero-nutrient sandwiches have. This worrisome association with 'fun' food and 'mayo' enter our kitchens and before long you're eating 1-2 teaspoons with store-bought mayo with every breakfast.  Curb this habit by substituting mayo with butter for that  perfectly healthy sandwich!

Substitute refined flour with whole grain flours like millet, soy or barley
Whole grain comes packed with dietary fibre, protein and other essential nutrients. Begin with substituting your regular roti dough with these flours, and move on to cake batters, cookie doughs and pastas. You can even use whole wheat as a great thickening agent instead of cream or refined and processed flour.
 You will need to make some sacrifices on the road to fitness. But these healthy substitutes will help you realise that how you dont need to despair about avoiding the stuff you like to eat. And don't stop here - experiment with more foods. Conjure up your own healthy substitutes for now and chill out!

Good luck and God bless.

Salt.....A Miracle

Salt is an important ingredient in our diet as it plays a vital role in water retention, muscle contraction, and contains nutrients that are vital to the digestive system. Too little sodium in the body can result in dehydration because the cells are unable to retain water. On the other hand, too much sodium in one’s diet from salty foods may increase the risk of high blood pressure. So the primary question is -

How much salt is too much for your body?

Rock salt is superior to table salt because of its high quantities of minerals and also lack of chemicals and additives. However, it is coarse to touch and also does not mix in food easily as table salt. Hence, people use latter than the rock salt. Now a days, due to pollution that are flushed into sea water, quality of rock salt is questionable. This results in using refined salt.
Good quality rock salt can be obtained from certain places. This has many health benefits and also helps in treating many disorders. The following are some health benefits of rock salt :

·         This salt kills  bacteria which is present in the airway and aid in removal of mucus present.

·         Sinus inflammation is  reduced with rock salt.

·         Rock salt contains many minerals that are essential for the body. These minerals increase the immune system.

·         It contains iron, magnesium, copper and, calcium that are essential for many organs of the body. It also contains more than 50 additional minerals that are beneficial for the body.

·         Rock salt stimulates digestion and also improves appetite.

·         Bowel functioning is improved and also acidity is reduced.

Good luck and God bless.

Acne

Coconut oil for acne is the best way to get out of rough and acne prone skin. In today’s world, almost every person is suffering from acne. The main reason behind is increase in environment pollution. 

A most common belief is that acne is a problem of oily skin and one must stay away from skin care products which are oily. Yet, coconut oil may be used for acne prone skin. This is due to certain reasons listed below:

• Coconut oil has two important acids called, lauric acid and caprice acid. These acids covert the infective acids present on the skin into monolaurin and monoaprin, therefore protecting the skin from infections. This makes the skin youthful and flawless.

• It contains another important component, vitamin E. This vitamin also regulates the production of sebum and also unclogs the pores of the skin for preventing acne and pimple breakouts.

• It even reduces the redness and pain on the skin.

• The most important exceptional reason is the coconut oil helps in balancing the hormones and improves the metabolic rate.

• It even prevents skin cancer
  

Coconut oil along with apple cider vinegar is very effective. Many dermatologists suggest this combination to cure serious acne conditions.

Apply Coconut Oil for Acne---

One has to clean the skin completely with a gentle cleanser. This opens up the pores of the skin such that coconut oil penetrates into the skin and nourishes it. Usually, virgin or organic coconut oil is beneficial when compared to ordinary coconut oil. Apply a thin coat of coconut oil on the face and massage gently. Now, let the oil stay on the skin for nearly 15 – 20 minutes such that it may be absorbed by the skin. Then rinse the face for removing excess oil from your skin. This helps in unclogging and cleansing the pores and also in eliminating waste products from your skin. Thus, it controls acne breakouts and also diminishes acne scars.

Which Coconut Oil ----

You need to pick up the best oil to use on acne. Do not use crude, unrefined oil as it may contain dust and therefore aggravates acne. The best choice is the Virgin Coconut Oil.

Coconut oil for acne cannot be considered as a permanent cure. It just improves healing process. But, it is better than    many other lotions and creams. It is a safer and cheaper option and thus, anyone can afford it.

Take care and God bless.

Woman Heart

This is probably one of the biggest health myths: that it's just men who are at risk of heart disease. Researchers have now busted that myth. Doctors note that statistics prove that women, especially those who have attained menopause, are prone to heart ailments, and also less likely than men to recover.

When it comes to numbers, the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in men is still higher than women, but it is increasingly becoming common in the latter and the consequences much worse.More women have died from heart disease than men, since women are twice as likely to die within the first few weeks of suffering a heart attack than men.

 

The number of cardiovascular diseases in women in India is increasing rapidly and accounts for 17 percent female mortality. Heart disease kills twice as many women as all cancers combined.
One of the biggest reasons for women becoming victims to heart ailments is lifestyle-related.

In the US and Europe, more women are taking up smoking, while men are quitting. In India too, you see a lot more women smoking these days. You have these fancy hookah bars which are also popular. Smoking again strips you of a protective cover and is a big contributing factor to heart ailments.

One of the reasons for it is smoking. To add to that is the increase in the level of stress that women face - work-related or whatever.

Obesity, hypertension, diabetes and depression are other risk factors.

Unlike in men, where chest pain in the centre is one of the symptoms, in women, the signs are much more subtle. There is no severe chest pain, but a general weakness and discomfort. This leads to women ignoring the problem until late.

Also, in women, coronary artery disease usually affects the smaller arteries, which causes less severe symptoms. But the outcome is much worse.
 

Another feature of women - that of high tolerance for pain - may also act against them in this case.

Women have a tendency to underplay the symptoms. If there is a mild pain, they will ignore it as gas. If a man has a pain, he is more likely to seek help, and that helps detect the problem. So there needs to be an attitudinal change.

 
For women in the menopausal age and others, the only way out to cut the risk factor is keeping fit. It could be through regular exercising, controlling cholesterol levels, diabetes and hypertension, cutting down on alcohol and salt intake, and kicking the butt.

Since Indians are so prone to heart diseases, more care should be taken to cut the risk factors. 

 

Take care and God bless.