Cut down the Coffee

We all know that there's really nothing to beat that curiously intoxicating smell of freshly ground coffee beans as well as that addictive first cup to jump-start your day. But it's not just the morning a steaming cup always comes in handy while driving negotiations, initiating great conversations or even kicking back next to a log fire.

It even gets a nod from researchers like Thomas H. Lee, a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston. Attributing the benefits to large, long-term studies, Lee says that "long-running research shows that drinking coffee cuts the risk of dying early from a heart attack or stroke, and the bean improves productivity, too.

Now, before you make a manic sprint to the nearest store for a cappuccino machine, you may want to listen to what Upasna Kamineni, Vice Chairman, Apollo Charities, and an active campaigner for health issues, has to say. "Coffee is both a health and a social hazard, and the cons far outweigh the pros, she says. Kamineni, also the Director of Lifetime Wellness RX, an Apollo Group body that conducts health talks, assessments and camps and also undertakes research-based projects on lifestyle disorders, thinks that it's best one stays away from the brew altogether.

"The excessive caffeine in coffee can boost your blood pressure and can leave you dehydrated. Add milk and sugar, and it becomes a recipe for disaster, that is bound to add extra pounds, she adds. Aerated drinks and canned fruit juices also get a thumbs down from her. "Aerated drinks and canned fruit juices have a high concentration of sugar and should be avoided in the mornings. Try jasmine and green tea or even lemon water as the three are rich in antioxidants. Kamineni recommends switching over to juices and lemon soda by afternoon.

"Buttermilk is easy on your digestive system, too, and goes well with most Indian foods, she says. And for those of you who just can't kick the coffee habit, she suggests skipping milk. "Taken black, both coffee and tea are calorie-free and full of antioxidants. Not a bad option for the coffee-crazy but health-conscious folks out there.

Reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity

A medium frame Indian man of 165 cm height, should weigh 62 kg, and if he were sedentary, would require 1,800 kilocalorie to maintain a healthy weight. A woman of same frame should weigh between 55 and 58 kg and would require 1,600 kilocalorie. According to the new guidelines, the daily carbohydrate intake should not be more than 50 per cent of the total energy requirement. The total dietary fibre intake should be 20 gm and 40 gm for women and men respectively - one small apple weighing 100 gm gives roughly one gm of fibre. As far as possible reduce the intake of trans fatty acids available in the form of vanaspati, bakery food products, ready-to-use-soups and gravies, margarine, and food prepared with vanaspati or margarine, the guidelines advise.

"We believe application of these guidelines will help in preventing and halting diabetes and obesity epidemic in India," said Dr Anoop Misra, HoD of diabetes and metabolic diseases, Fortis Hospital, and director, Diabetes Foundation of India.

Daily Choices Of Habbits and Diet To Live Strong

Only a few everyday choices about diet, exercise and tobacco use can dramatically reduce a person's risk of cancer, according to a Special Report on Cancer Prevention.

The Special Report examines the science and latest findings on 10 approaches that can make a real difference in preventing cancer.

Here are some highlights from the list:

1. Don't smoke: Quitting smoking reduces the risk of lung and other cancers, regardless of the number of years of smoking.

2. Eat fruits and vegetables: The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily because they are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other substances that lower the risk of cancer.

3. Limit fat in the diet: Current guidelines recommend keeping fat intake between 20 and 30 percent of total daily calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

4. Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer as well as cancers of the colon, endometrium, esophagus and kidney. There's evidence that obesity increases the risk of cancers of the prostate, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, stomach, ovary and cervix.

5. Be physically active: From 45 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a day, on most days of the week, is considered optimal to reduce the risk of breast and colorectal cancers.

6. Curb alcohol consumption: Women should limit themselves to no more than one alcoholic beverage a day. Men should have no more than two.

7. Limit exposure to radiation: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which comes from the sun, sunlamps or commercial tanning beds, is the primary cause of skin cancer, the most common of all cancers.

8. Protect against infection: Infections caused by viruses are recognized as risk factors for several types of cancer.

9. Consider chemoprevention: Chemoprevention is the use of natural or synthetic compounds to reduce the risk of cancer or its recurrence. Tamoxifen, prescribed to prevent breast cancer in high-risk women, is the best known chemoprevention agent.

10. Get recommended screening exams: Pap tests, mammograms, colonoscopies and other routine screenings cannot prevent cancer. But screenings can help find cancers early, when treatment is most likely to be successful.

The study has been published in the November issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. (ANI)

Causes and symptoms of Diarrhoea

Popularly known as loose stools, diarrhea is the condition wherein the body experiences frequent passage of watery, unformed stools. Generally, the intestine absorbs the water secreted by stomach, liver and pancreas as well as the water present in the food we consume. When a person gets affected with the disease, the intestine is not able to absorb excess of water. This results in the passage of loose stools. Right from young kids to the aged people, diarrhea can strike everyone. It may either be in a mild form, acute or even chronic. Though not a very serious ailment, If left untreated, diarrhea can lead to major complications in the body functioning. In the following lines, we have provided some of the causes and symptoms of diarrhea.

Causes Of Diarrhea

* Overeating
* Incomplete digestion of the food consumed
* Putrefaction in the intestinal tract.
* Viral and bacterial infections
* Food allergies
* Bowel disorders
* Organic diseases
* Nervous irritability
* Use of antibiotic drugs
* Excessive intake of laxatives
* Emotional stress
* Anxiety
* Excessive consumption of alcohol
* Infected water
* Wrong combination of foods
* Intestinal parasites
* Radiation or chemotherapy

Symptoms Of Diarrhea

* Stomach ache
* Nausea
* High temperature
* Loss of appetite
* Increased frequency, volume and weight of stool
* Frequent loose stools
* Abdominal cramps
* Vomiting
* Fever
* Bloating

For more info refer : http://www.iloveindia.com/home-remedies/symptoms-diarrhoea.html