Why drinking beer is good for you.....

We all know that red wine is rich in heart-friendly antioxidants. But did you know that your favourite beer could be healthier than you realise. Beer can help you lower the risk of heart diseases, strokes, gallstones and kidney stones! Beer – The bitter-better drinkGone are the days when beer was associated with sagging bellies; your favourite pint is now gaining a status of a drink with health benefits – of course when consumed in moderation! This means, while men can consume about 710 ml of beer per day, women should limit it to 355 ml, to reap the health benefits. If you overdo it, just like any alcohol, beer too can take its toll on your health. So let’s look at the benefits and risks of drinking beer. Benefits of drinking beer Helps protect bones: Beer, when consumed in moderation, is said to protect your bone health as it is high in silicon content. Several studies have shown that beer may help in preventing bone loss and also rebuild bone mass in men and young women. However, no benefits have been seen in women in the post-menopausal stage. Healthy heart: Just like an apple a day keeps the doctor away, a beer a day may help you keep heart diseases away. Moderate consumption of beer has many benefits and one of them is the significant increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. The good cholesterol has anti-clotting effects which keeps the blood vessels clear and healthy. Healthy kidneys: A study conducted by Finnish researchers found that people who consumed beer were at a lower risk of developing kidney stones when compared to those who drank other types of alcohol. And this benefit could be due to the high water content in beer. In addition, the beer’s hops – a flower which gives beer its bitterness and also acts as a preservative — is said to prevent kidney stones as it slows down the release of calcium from bones. Apart from this, beer is also a rich source of vitamins, minerals such as magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and plenty of B vitamins. Risks of drinking beer Beer belly: Everyone says that drinking beer makes you fat or at least develop ‘beer belly’. The fact is that beer contains almost no fat or nutrition. However, it does contain a lot of calories. And if you are trying to lose weight, you must know that alcohol does not let your body burn a lot of stored fat for energy. Actually, when you drink beer, your liver produces a substance called acetate with the help of the alcohol in the beer and your body, instead of using the fat stored on your hips and belly, burns this acetate for energy. Heartburns: Drinking too much beer can cause heart burn as it contains powerful stimulants of gastric acid secretion leading to gastro-esophageal reflux. Dehydration: You would do anything for a mug of beer after a long day outside in hot weather. Though beer is 95 per cent water, it is a diuretic. And since the alcohol in the beer interferes with the release of an antidiuretic hormone in your body, it makes you rush to the bathroom more often than you like. So if you drink beer, you will lose fluid through sweating as well as urine, dehydrating you completely. Also, make sure never to drink beer instead of water. In addition, beer can affect your blood sugar levels despite being low in sugar. As beer contains alcohol, it has the ability to drop the level of sugar in your blood. This will lead to low energy levels and if you end up drinking too much beer, you will surely hit the sack in minutes! Well, we conclude that drinking beer might be good for you if it’s done in moderation. In fact most of the negative effects of drinking beer are due to excessive drinking. So if you actually want to gulp down a crate of beer at one go, do so, but at your own risk.

GINGER TEA...why is it good for you?

Going herbal is the new trend and if the health pundits are to be believed, it is for the best. For a large chunk of the Indian population, diet is primarily what they have been eating so far traditionally. Beverages happen to form an important interest, especially tea. So, let’s take a look at what ginger tea, in particular, has in store: 1. Builds Immunity The elemental advantages of ginger are numerous, and one of them is the power of building immunity. Come winters and you will realize how ginger adds that extra warmth to your body. A cup of ginger tea keeps cold and cough at bay. 2. Beats Stress The daily pressure of work-life balance may leave you wishing for a magical stress buster. Well, you have it. A piping hot aromatic cup of ginger tea helps in bringing down the stress level and keeping you energised. 3. Fights Motion Sickness No one is really prepared for a disaster like motion sickness. It just turns the world upside down but thankfully for ginger tea, one can fight the vomiting sensation. A few small sips of ginger tea before a trip can help you relax. 4. Relieves Heartburn Indigestion can lead to acute conditions of heartburn and this is where ginger tea really helps. It aids in the normal digestion process, releasing gastric juices that help with food absorption. 5. Prevents Inflammation Aching bones, as a result of medical condition such as arthritis, can cause severe and even intolerable suffering. Ginger tea is a solution to rheumatoid arthritis. Also, in case of minor accidents, a swelling can be reduced with the help of soaking the area with this miraculous beverage. 6. Supports Blood Flow A cup of ginger tea activates the mineral acids to help improve the circulation of blood throughout the body. Enhanced circulation, of course, results in better flow of blood to various parts. 7. Improves Respiratory Issues People with cases of acute Sinus tend to have phlegm that clogs up the lung area. A nicely brewed cup of ginger tea helps in loosening the clogs and allows you to breathe easy. The above-mentioned areas are the most observed beneficial consequences of ginger tea. Research on other areas continues, with the hope of cancer treatment forming a part of the list as well. Thus, if nothing else, keeping company with a cup of ginger tea is sure to do away

STAND UP PLEASE

Stand up! Ill-effects of sitting for long hours Did you know that a new research indicates that sitting for long hours may lead to early death? Sitting a lot does not mean you will die early but it definitely increases the risk. A research conducted by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge has reported that “sitting is a dangerous factor for early death” and in fact on par with smoking and being obese! We’ve all been told time and again that sitting for long hours comes with several health risks. You may develop serious health problems such as increased risk of heart disease and diabetes and not just stiffness and muscle fatigue. Here are a few ill-effects of sitting down for long hours: Stiffness and exhaustion Sitting for long hours without moving or changing your position can lead to stiffness in your muscles, neck and shoulders. Hours of sitting still means squeezed blood vessels and reduced blood flow to these parts of the body, leading to fatigue. This muscle fatigue in turn contributes to stiffness and also exhaustion. Poor blood circulation As sitting down for a long time lowers blood circulation to your lower body, the electrical activity in your leg muscles come to a standstill. In addition, blood pools in your lower legs contributing to numbness and varicose veins. Obesity Yes, we said obesity. Sitting all day instead of moving around is a major contributing factor to obesity. Sitting does not burn any calories and sedentary lifestyle slows down your metabolism, changes how your body functions and leads to weight gain. Heart disease If you think exercising for an hour every morning or evening will compensate the seven to eight hours of sitting behind your desk, you are wrong. Experts suggest that an hour’s exercise or walking or gym does not make up for sitting all day. Even if you work out every day and then sit all day, you are just as likely to develop heart disease as those who don’t exercise and sit all day. So, make sure you move out of your desk once every hour, stretch, take a small walk around the office and then get back to your desk. Diabetes In addition to increased risk of heart disease, not moving from your desk also increases the possibilities of developing diabetes. This is because sitting for prolonged periods slows down your body and results in increased blood sugar and insulin resistance leading to developing diabetes. Slipped disc You should know that your body is not made for sitting down all day. Sitting for long periods will put a lot of pressure on your hip and spine and will lead to injuries such as herniated disc. Constant pressure to your spine due to long hours of sitting may lead to compression of spinal discs which is not just painful but might require long-term treatment and in some cases surgery. Pain in the knees Most of us sit for eight to nine hours at our desks and most of the time end up sitting in the same position. Same position means pressure on your kneecap contributing to pain and swelling, resulting in having to wear a knee brace. To avoid this, move from your desks and flex your muscles. Depression Not moving around and working away all day can make you depressed. In addition, there is a scientific reason as well. Less movement means less blood flow. If the blood flow into your body decreases, the movement of feel-good hormones in your body also reduces, making you more depressed. And those who are prone to depression are at a higher risk if they sit still all day. Hence stand up, move around and let the blood flow through your body and be healthy!

Coconut Crab & Sweet Potatoes

Last Christmas I went home to a very homely diet. And one thing I just did not get enough of was the Coconut Crab!!! Accompanied by sweet potatoes oh boy! It was delicious!!!

Ever Seen a Coconut Crab?? Check this out!!

First up we have the sweet potato!!!Or Kumara!!



Here is the uncooked one:)!!!!



And....The Coconut Crab itself.....YUM!!!!

Eating to destroy harmful germs...

Garlic is known as “the poor person’s” antibiotic. I call it the smart person’s adaptogen. Not only will it help you live young, but it will also protect against a whole host of biological “nasties” including TB. A new infection of TB occurs at a rate of one per second! Western Medicine contributes to this by yielding drug-resistant strains.
Garlic is different. Thanks to its adaptogenic effects, the active ingredients provide super powers to the whole immune system, allowing us to eradicate “nasties” as they enter our system — and before they can replicate into resistant strains.
And garlic can be made even more potent when it is enhanced with the adaptogenic herb, andrographis.

Citrus Magic

An apple keeps the doctor away, but an orange a day may keep fine lines and flaky skin at bay. Researchers discovered that women 40 and older who had great amounts of C were 11% less likely to develop wrinkles. The recommended dosage amount is 75 milligrams, which is the equivalent of a glass of grapefruit juice.

Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Don't just slap anything with fins onto your plate: You want fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, and lake trout. They contain the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which many studies show help prevent sudden death from heart attack. Omega-3s may also help ward off depression, Alzheimer's disease, and age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness—and maybe some cancers. For better skin take 1,000 mg of omega-3 oils a day—this is also the recommended dosage to keep your heart in tip-top shape.