5 foods to relieve constipation
Diets & Meal Plans

5 foods to relieve constipation

Constipation commonly refers to infrequent or hard to pass bowel movements. When the food moves slowly through the digestive tract, the colon absorbs more water through the food, making the feces dry and hard. In such cases, it becomes difficult to expel them from the body. In such conditions, using laxatives should be a last resort. Constipation can be treated by consuming certain food items and following a balanced diet. There are many choices of food to relieve constipation like those that contain high fiber. Everyone responds differently to foods, but some are known to be effective regardless. Here’s a brief on the foods to relieve constipation: Prunes Prunes or dried plums are one of the most widely used foods to relieve constipation. Readily available in the market, they are high in fiber, containing as much as 2 grams of fiber for every 28 grams of serving. They also contain phenolic compounds and sorbitol that can help relieve bowel movements. A study found that consuming 100 grams of prunes per day has been known to aid digestion significantly. Prunes can be enjoyed in the natural form, or in smoothies, baked foods, salads, and cereals. Apples Apples contain pectin, which increases the beneficial bacteria in the gut, and they provide for about 17% of the daily recommended intake of fiber. They can be consumed in salads, juice, or baked dishes, but they are best when eaten raw and whole. The pectin found in apples can improve the symptoms of constipation and fasten the movement of stool. Apples are an easy and effective food to boost the fiber content in the diet and relieve constipation. Flaxseeds A tablespoon of flaxseeds meets 11% of the daily requirements of fiber and helps in bowel movements as they have a laxative effect and contain fiber.
5 energy-boosting foods for COPD
Diets & Meal Plans

5 energy-boosting foods for COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to a problem that restricts the flow of air, leading to breathing problems. COPD is caused mainly due to smoking. The other causes of COPD include inhalation of gases, passive smoking, or exposure to pollution. COPD can be classified into three types. The common signs shown by people suffering from COPD are frequent lung infections, cough, and shortness of breath. Although COPD is not curable, it is preventable. Quitting the habit of smoking is the best way one can get relief of COPD. Other options include maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating some energy-boosting foods that help lower the symptoms of COPD. Some energy-boosting foods which should be included for people suffering from COPD include: Whole grains Whole grains like millet, quinoa, and barley are a great source of energy-boosting foods for people with COPD. These grains are rich in vitamins, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates. Moreover, they do not have a high-calorie count. The carbohydrates present in whole grains help boost energy as they do not contain refined carbohydrates; these also provide a filling meal . Consuming whole grain foods help improve the digestion process and maintain a healthy weight. Fresh fruits and vegetables A healthy diet should include a good combination of fresh fruits and vegetables as it provides a lot of nutritional value. It is necessary to include fresh fruits and vegetables, especially if you have COPD, as it will help improve the symptoms. These are high fiber foods that possess antioxidant properties and help boost energy levels. Nuts Full of healthy proteins and unsaturated fats, nuts are perfect to boost energy for those suffering from COPD. Rich in calories, an intake of a handful of nuts helps to prevent COPD-related weight loss issues. Nuts are also rich in fiber and are a great source of vitamin E.
Effective Tips to Control Your Blood Sugar Level
Diets & Meal Plans

Effective Tips to Control Your Blood Sugar Level

Blood glucose levels are primarily controlled by the hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas. After a meal, blood glucose rises due to the digestion of the food. This triggers the release of insulin from the pancreas, which promotes glucose absorption until it reaches the normal level. But, in individuals with defective functioning of insulin, the blood glucose level remains higher for a longer period. Chronic uncontrolled blood sugar or hyperglycemia damages various body organs, nerves, and eyes. As a diabetic, it is extremely important to keep your blood sugar level always in check. Blood sugar range : In a healthy person, the normal blood sugar levels are below 100 mg/dL after fasting, but can spike to 140 mg/dL 2 hours post meal. However, in a diabetic, the fasting blood sugar itself can reach to up to above 200 mg/dL. How to keep the blood sugar under check? A proper diet and exercise plan is a must to manage a diabetic’s blood sugar level . Moreover, a diabetic must monitor the blood sugar level on a regular basis for effective management of sugar levels. A few common tips to keep the blood sugar under check are as follows: Diet : A well-planned diet is a must for the management of high blood sugar. Carbohydrates : The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a proper monitoring of carbohydrate intake in a meal to control blood sugar levels in diabetics. Include healthy carbohydrates such as milk, fruits, legumes, grains, and yoghurt, which do not cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. Avoid highly processed or refined carbohydrates like candy, white rice, and white bread because they rapidly increase the blood sugar levels. A well-balanced diet must be designed after consulting a doctor to maintain the healthy blood sugar levels. Offset carbohydrates with fat and protein :
Best Foods for People with Kidney Disease
Diets & Meal Plans

Best Foods for People with Kidney Disease

Due to an extremely fast-paced lifestyle which encourages bad habits, more than 10% of the world’s population is facing severe kidney problems. In order to keep your kidneys safe and healthy, you need to keep a check on your diet at all times. There are the certain foods that can help your kidney to function well that you must be aware of. Let’s take a look at some those foods that help you to adopt healthy kidney diet plans. Olive oil Olive oil is an excellent source of fat, and as it is free from phosphorous, it becomes a wonderful option for those people who have kidney issues. Generally, patients diagnosed with kidney problems experience a rapid loss in weight. Including a high-calorie food element makes for healthy kidney diet plans and this helps you maintain a suitable body weight Most of the fats in olive oil are monounsaturated which bear anti-inflammatory properties. One ounce or 28 grams of olive oil will provide you with: Potassium: 0.3 mg Sodium: 0.6 mg Phosphorus: 0 mg Buckwheat Most of the whole grains that are available in the market tend to be very high on the phosphorous content. However, buckwheat is a wonderful and healthy alternative to these grains. It is a food item rich in nutrition that provides the body with the required amount of iron, fiber, magnesium, and B vitamins. It is also free from gluten which makes buckwheat a great choice for those who suffer from celiac disease. One cup or 84 grams of buckwheat will provide you with: Potassium: 74 mg Sodium: 3.5 mg Phosphorus: 59 mg Garlic Generally, patients with kidney problems are asked to lower their sodium intake which includes the use of added salt. Garlic is a great alternative to that. It gives your dish a wonderful added taste and flavor.
12 High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Diet
Diets & Meal Plans

12 High-Fiber Foods to Add to Your Diet

Fiber refers to plant-based carbohydrates (not sugar or starch) that are digested uniquely in the large intestine. They are essential for people who consume more meat than vegetables. Fiber is an invaluable aid to the digestive system and helps in smooth bowel movements. Fiber is responsible for bulking up the stools, thereby making it softer and more pliable within the rectal cavity. Considering that constipation is the most common digestive problem in the country, eating a lot of fiber is not only a healthy option but also a necessary one, especially for people who suffer from chronic constipation. Given below is a list of high fiber foods that you can incorporate in your diet. Dark chocolate: Let’s start with something that everyone likes! Dark chocolates contain as much as 10.9% fiber. While chocolate is often called unhealthy, the trick is to go for dark chocolates with a cocoa content of over 90%. Make sure to pick the ones with very little sugar in them. Moreover, they are rich in nutrients and have a ton of antioxidants in them as well. Almonds: With around 12.5% fiber, almonds are full of many nutrients, healthy fats, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. These nuts are tasty as well as a healthy alternative to chips and other junk food. Legumes: Consider consuming this food item as a part of at least one meal in a day. Legumes are a rich source of fiber and quite nutritious too. In many countries, legumes are the primary source of nutrition. Be it black beans (8.7%), edamame (5.2%), lima beans (5.3%) or baked beans (5.5%), you cannot go wrong if you pick legumes to add fiber to your diet. To achieve the best balance of nutrition and taste, opt for chickpeas as they have 7.6% fiber. Lentils: Lentils are perhaps the most balanced item on this list of high fiber foods.
Top 8 Garcinia Cambogia Supplements for Effective Weight Loss
Diets & Meal Plans

Top 8 Garcinia Cambogia Supplements for Effective Weight Loss

Staying healthy and fit is one of our biggest priorities that need regular efforts. Maintaining the ideal body weight is a stepping stone to a healthy and fit lifestyle. Weight loss or maintenance can be quite intimidating without the right support system. The good news is there is a popular weight loss supplement that decelerates fat production in your body and cuts down your appetite! Garcinia cambogia is the key to accelerated weight loss and prevention of weight gain, but, is it really the “wonder” weight loss supplement most people consider it to be? Read on to know more. Pure garcinia cambogia is essentially a tropical fruit, also known as brindleberry. It is usually available in its pure form in bottles or combined with other ingredients as a dietary supplement. This fruit has been used for many generations as a preservative and for holistic healing in many cultures. Let us now look at how garcinia cambogia functions as a weight-loss supplement. The active ingredient is the hydroxycitric acid (HCA) present in the rind of the fruit. Studies have shown that this acid accelerates burning of body fat and help in curbing one’s appetite. Citrate lyase is the enzyme responsible for generating body fat. Garcinia is known to block the production of this enzyme, resulting in less fat production in the body. Serotonin is a brain chemical associated with appetite. Higher the levels of this chemical, the less hungry you feel. Garcinia Cambogia is known to increase the levels of this chemical; thus, curbing your appetite. Apart from helping in weight loss, this tropical fruit is capable of improving your cholesterol levels by lowering bad cholesterol levels and increasing the HDL levels. However, those who are already on prescription medications for cholesterol should avoid this supplement. Listed below are 8 of the best Garcinia cambogia supplements in the country:
Healthy Diet Plan for Patients with Crohn’s Diesease
Diets & Meal Plans

Healthy Diet Plan for Patients with Crohn’s Diesease

You can use bacteria for fighting bacteria! Confused? Some health disorders that are caused by bad bacteria can be directly treated or the symptoms can be eased to a large extent by consuming good bacteria, commonly referred to as probiotics. Before you know how they can help manage Crohn’s disease, you must know what it is all about. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the functioning of the intestines. The immune system of those affected by this disease starts attacking the good bacteria present in the gut, resulting in a steep depletion of good bacteria. The term probiotics can be split into “pro” meaning for, and “biota” meaning life. Probiotics play a key role in the replenishment of good bacteria in the gut, which in turn improves digestion and overall health. Hence, consuming probiotics for Crohn’s disease may be considered as an effective treatment method. The role of good bacteria The bacteria present in our digestive system play a key role in digestion and immunity. A healthy gut maintains a delicate balance of good bacteria. This balance is essential for proper digestion and assimilation of food. Digestive disorders like Crohn’s or intake of antibiotics tend to upset this balance, resulting in inflammation of the intestines and poor digestion. Due to the depletion of naturally occurring good bacteria in the gut, there is a need for external replenishment by consuming probiotics. Probiotics for Crohn’s Disease A typical symptom of Crohn’s disease is alternating periods of flare up and inactivity. This is an autoimmune disease that has no cure, but symptoms can be managed by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Consuming probiotics for Crohn’s disease helps in managing the symptoms effectively. Ensuring a good supply of nutrients to the stomach and intestines helps bring about remission. Crohn’s disease diet plan must include probiotics, which have proven digestive benefits.
Top 10 Supplements That Can Help Boost the Brain
Diets & Meal Plans

Top 10 Supplements That Can Help Boost the Brain

Everyone goes through an average level of stress and hardships every single day. After the day’s work is done, everyone needs an average sleep time of 7-8 hours in order to prepare the brain and body for the next day. Our brain has a massive influence on our day-to-day activities and hence training our brain to tolerate the high pressure and stress level is a must in order to succeed in what we do. But how do we train our brain? That must be the question for you right? Well, there are both natural and artificial products available in the market known as Nootropics that not only benefit our body but these supplements also enhance our thinking capability, focus and energy, and also have a positive effect on our mental performance. They help by restoring the support for memory and recalling pieces of information. So, take a look at the products that feature on the list of top 10 brain supplements that can boost our brain power. Resveratrol It is an antioxidant that is a rich source of red and purple fruits like grapes, raspberries, and blueberries and is considered to be one of the top 10 brain supplements. Consuming Resveratrol on a daily basis can slow down the deterioration of the ‘hippocampus’ of our brain which is related to memory functions. Taking an average of 200 mg of Resveratrol per day for 26 weeks can relatively increase your memory power. Caffeine It acts as a natural stimulant for your brain and is found mainly in tea, coffee, and dark chocolates. Caffeine is best known for stimulating your central nervous system as well as your brain to enhance your energy and alertness of your body. An average amount of 200-400 mg of consumption of caffeine daily can improve your memory, reaction times as well as your general brain function.
Vitamins Harmful and Useful to Kidney Health
Diets & Meal Plans

Vitamins Harmful and Useful to Kidney Health

Kidneys are bean-shaped organs present behind the abdominal cavity in the human body. These play a vital role in the filtration and excretory functions of the body. In humans, the left kidney lies at vertebral level T12 and L3 and the right kidney sits below the diaphragm, slightly lower than the left due to asymmetry caused by the position of the liver. Kidneys are complex waste removal systems which sort waste from the body while purifying the blood. Every day, kidneys process around 200 liters of blood and make urine from surplus fluid and unwanted chemicals in the blood. This urine passes out of the body through a narrow tube called urethra. How to maintain healthy kidneys Kidneys are important organs that filter blood and keep the body chemically balanced. Hence, taking good care and eating a balanced diet to keep kidneys healthy is of utmost importance. The human body requires various vitamins for kidneys to help them perform their functions. Vitamin D helps in the renal reabsorption, which is the removal of water and solutes from pre-urine, and returning them to circulating blood. Another one of the important vitamins for kidneys is B complex, which are water-soluble vitamins and good for renal health. Drinking plenty of water is the easiest way to keep kidneys healthy, as this helps them perform the most important function of removing toxins. Exercising, limited intake of alcohol and no smoking is also recommended for further care of kidneys. Kidney conditions Due to the various crucial functions the kidneys perform and the toxins they encounter, kidneys are prone to various conditions or ailments. In most of these conditions, kidneys are unable to remove or filter waste. These conditions include Kidney stones Chronic kidney disease Kidney failure Acute nephritis Polycystic kidney diseases Under such circumstances, it becomes important to supplement your daily diet with certain beneficial vitamins for kidneys.
10 High-Protein Foods that are Effective for Weight Loss
Diets & Meal Plans

10 High-Protein Foods that are Effective for Weight Loss

Protein is the most essential nutrient when it comes to weight loss. Consuming a high-protein diet boosts the body’s overall metabolism and helps in controlling hunger pangs. Also, it helps prevent muscle loss and makes you burn more calories. Increasing your daily protein intake is simple. You do not have to restrict anything but just add some natural high-protein foods to your diet. Couple it with a healthy workout regimen and witness the amazing transformation in your body. To get the best results, here is a list of high-protein foods that can be added to your everyday diet to lose weight. Almonds when it comes to high-protein foods, almonds undoubtedly top the list. This delicious nut is a storehouse of protein. One almond contains 0.3 grams of protein and a substantial amount of fiber. Munching on this protein-rich snack can provide a feeling of satiety, which in turn improves appetite control and leads to a reduced calorie intake. Broccoli Usually a nightmare for every kid, broccoli secures the second top spot on our list of high-protein foods. One cup (91grams) of raw and chopped broccoli contains 2.6 grams of protein. Besides, it is also rich in vitamin C and K, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Chickpeas Chickpeas are a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, and potassium. One cup (200 grams) of chickpeas contains 39 grams of protein, which helps in suppressing hunger for longer durations. Also, they are cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, making it a perfect addition to your heart-healthy diet. Eggs Eggs are among the healthiest high-protein foods you can consume for weight management and gaining muscle strength. They are incredibly nutrient-dense and filling, with every single egg containing 6 grams of protein. Eggs also contain several essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, which ramps up your metabolism and make you feel fuller for longer.