Six shocking foods that are bad of your skin

Six shocking foods that are bad of your skin

1.Caffeine
Gulping down cups of coffee or cola might be something you enjoy doing. However, you must familiarize yourself with the damage it is causing to your skin. Experts state that excess caffeine dehydrates the skin and also expedites the process of ageing and result in damage to the overall appearance of the skin.

2.Fried Food

French fries, chips and dumplings are certainly a treat to the taste buds. These fried foods contain fractionated oils, which can injure the free radicals in your skin, which ultimately leads to premature aging. The fat also makes it difficult for the nutrients to be absorbed by the membranes that can lead to poor circulation in your skin and be the source of acne.

3.Salt
Salt is believed to bring about swelling and puffiness to your face. Also, eating salt in too much quantity can exacerbate the occurrence of acne. Canned, processed and ready-to eat packaged food contains a lot of salt and hence should be avoided to keep your skin away from increased sodium levels.

4.Sugar
Consuming too much sugar on a daily basis can result in your skin looking dull and with wrinkles. Sugar is known to destroy the collagen and elastin that make your skin look firm and radiant. This ultimately results in the skin to become listless and appear saggy.

5.Dairy Products

In the world where every product you consume is either adulterated or processed, even cows are not spared. In order to increase the production of milk they are given certain hormones which when you consume in the form or milk, curd, cottage cheese are transferred to you. Experts believe that these hormones can cause the occurrence of acne.

6.Processed meat
Processed meat like bacon, sausage, ham are certainly convenient to prepare and delicious to eat. However, it is important to note that the salt and preservatives that they contain end up making your skin look lackluster due the moisture absorbing property they have. Also, the nitrate they contain are known to cause cancer.

Benefits of cocumber

5 Amazing Superpower Foods

Tomatoes

If tomatoes were a superhero they would definitely be Superman because, like this spandex-wearing superhero, tomatoes have more than one superpower. A recent study conducted by the Tianjin Medical University found that people who ate tomatoes two to six times a week were 46 per cent less likely to suffer from depression than those participants who only ate tomatoes once a week. 

The researchers believe that the antioxidant called lypocene, which is found in tomatoes, might be the ingredient that helps protect against depression. However, the researchers also found that tomatoes could reduce people’s risk of developing heart attacks and prostate cancer. Therefore they could not conclude whether participants were less depressed as a result of the lypocene, or whether they were less depressed because they were not developing these fatal diseases.

How to eat: Add some fresh tomatoes to a stew, to your sandwiches or to a salad.  

Spinach

If you want to find a food with superpowers then look no further than spinach. This green stuff is low in calories but rich in nutrients and has a wealth of benefits for you and your body. Not only does spinach contain heaps of vitamin A and K, it also keeps you young. The green leaves contain iron and vitamin C and both of these nutrients encourage collagen production, which keeps your skin looking youthful.

Apparently spinach can also protect your brain from the ageing process because it stops the oxidation process, which can lead to age-related problems such as dementia.

How to eat: Swap the lettuce you normally add to your salads for spinach, or whip up a tasty spinach curry.   

Blueberries

When you hear that a food is full of antioxidants and phytoflavinoids you know that it is going to be a food with real life superpowers. Although small, blueberries are packed full of antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, which means they have many health benefits. One big health benefit you get from eating blueberries is that they can lower your risk of heart disease. 

Blueberries can help to protect your heart because they help to reduce inflammation, which can cause many serious chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. Research into the health benefits of blueberries lends support to this theory. Researchers found that women who ate more than one and a half cups (or three servings) of blueberries or strawberries were at a lower risk of a heart attack. It is thought that the berries improve ‘good’ cholesterol and reduce inflammation, which both help to reduce your risk of heart disease. 

How to eat: Make a blueberry smoothie or eat blueberries for breakfast with some nuts, natural yoghurt and honey.    

Salmon

If you want to lose weight, you should think about tucking into some salmon. Salmon contains high levels of protein (in every 4oz serving you can get 58 per cent of your recommended daily intake of protein) and this protein helps the body to maintain the metabolism levels it needs to encourage weight loss. Also salmon helps you to shed the pounds because the high levels of protein keep you fuller for longer, which means you won’t feel the need to eat as much.

How to eat: Serve salmon with a squeeze of lemon, green beans and new potatoes. Or you can add salmon to a salad along with sweetcorn and new potatoes.     

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds taste amazing and are full to the brim of useful nutrients such as: phosphorous, iron, copper, zinc, protein, vitamin K and magnesium. Fantastically each of these nutrients is useful for something. Zinc, for example, improves your thinking skills and it is also great for your memory. The magnesium and phosphorous present in pumpkin seeds can help to keep your bones strong, whilst the protein present in pumpkin seeds has antimicrobial benefits, which means that it can destroy or limit the effects of those microorganisms that can cause disease.

How to eat: Add a handful of pumpkin seeds to your muesli or eat pumpkin seeds as a snack.

A 7-day weight loss plan

Monday
Breakfast: 3/4 cup bran flakes, any one fruit like apple or banana, 1 cup fat-free milk. 
Lunch: Replace white carbohydrates like rice, bread, potato or pasta with whole wheat bread or chapati, 1 piece of cheese, chicken, 1 teaspoon light mayonnaise, and salad greens or fruit. 
Dinner: Fish, steamed broccoli, grated cheese and fat free ice cream. 
Tip: Make sure to eliminate high carbohydrate foods and include fruits, vegetables and high protein food. Eating food in smaller portions rather than one big meal will be beneficial.

Tuesday
Start your day with a table spoon of lemon juice mixed with honey. 
Breakfast: Cereal with fat free milk. Lunch: 2 chapatis or a small bowl of rice with vegetables. 
Snack: Oat meal biscuits with tea (Try green tea, which is highly recommended for weight loss and health.) 
Dinner: Light dinner of salad or whole wheat bread sandwich. 
Tip: You can follow an easy diet plan in the following line. You are free to make minor changes to suit your tastes.

Wednesday 
Start your day with black coffee or tea. 
Breakfast: Cooked oatmeal in fat free milk, half apple or banana topped with a teaspoon of honey.
Lunch: 1 cup rice, and dal, vegetable curry, any fruits like grapes, or bananas. 
Dinner: Steamed shrimp, vegetable curry, chapatis, and baked or steamed potato. 
Tip: Include five small meals per day including breakfast, lunch and dinner along with two snacks in between. A meal should ideally contain 400 to 500 calories and snacks less than 200 calories.

Thursday 
Green tea is a good option to kick off your day. 
Breakfast: Fruits like apples, banana, and fat free yoghurt. 
Lunch: Tomato soup, roasted beef, radish, lettuce, tomato, pear and whole wheat chapatti with 1 cup of chopped vegetables. 
Dinner: Cooked brown rice and pineapple/apple/orange pieces. 
Tip: Eat your food slowly. For snacks instead of fried items or sweets, try nuts or fruits and protein shake, or salads. Settle for sugar free and low carb options while buying ice creams and cakes.

Friday 
Breakfast: 1/2 cup berries, a few almonds and 1 pint of fat free milk. 
Lunch: Fat free beans and 1 chapati with vegetables or cheese, cucumber slices. 
Dinner: Green salad with fat free dressing, chapati. 
Tip: Drink fresh water all through the day. Avoid soft drinks and soda instead includes tomato or lemon juice in your diet.

Saturday 
Breakfast: 1 Idli or chapati, with vegetable curry. 1/2 sliced banana, skimmed milk. 
Lunch: 1 chapati, 1 cup of rice, light yoghurt, fish curry, mustard, cucumber, tomatoes and onion slices. 
Dinner: Brown rice, steamed spinach and an apple. 
Tip: Spicy food containing chili pepper is thought to have weight reducing properties.

Sunday 
Breakfast: Muesli with skimmed milk or chapati with cheese, tomato slice. 
Lunch: Rice, salads, vegetables. 
Dinner: Grilled chicken, chapati, pineapple slices. 
Tip: Drink lots of water to lose weight fast. Make sure to consult your doctor before starting any diet plan. Denying food to your body is not the solution to lose weight. Instead choose your menu carefully and see the pounds drop slowly yet steadily!

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Top 12 foods that help FIGHT cancer

Top 12 foods that help FIGHT cancer…. 

According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), plant-based foods offer protective effects against a variety of cancers, including that of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, ovary, endometrium and the prostate gland.
Experts suggest that a person suffering from cancer should focus on healthy foods that are high in protein and calories to provide energy. During the cancer treatment which includes procedures like radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy and surgeries, it is very important to maintain energy and a healthy immune system to fight against the disease. The chances of success may increase if cancer fighting foods are included in the diet.

1. Dietary fiberFiber protects and helps in clearing off the disease causing wastes and toxins from your gastrointestinal tract. It promotes weight loss by making you feel fuller for longer. Being obese or overweight will put you in a greater risk for cancer.

2. AvocadosThese fruits are rich in glutathione, a powerful anti-oxidant that attacks the free radicals in the body by blocking the intestinal absorption of certain fats. They also supply potassium (more than bananas) and are strong sources of beta-carotene.

3. VegetablesVegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts contain cancer fighting anti-oxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have a chemical component called indole-3-carbinol that can combat breast cancer by converting a cancer-promoting estrogen into a more protective variety.
Broccoli and especially sprouts have the phytochemical called sulforaphane, a product of glucoraphanin, which is believed to aid in preventing some types of cancer, like that of the colon and the rectum. Scientists have recently estimated that approximately 30 to 40 percent of all cancers can be averted if people eat more fruits, vegetables and plant-based foods while minimizing the intake of high-fat, high-calorie edibles.

4. CarrotsResearch have found that falcarinol, a fatty alcohol, found in carrots can reduce the risk of cancer. Moreover, beta carotene present in carrots helps to reduce the risks of a wide range of cancers including that of the lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestine, bladder, prostate and the breast.
According to the researchers at the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (DIAS), isolated cancer cells grow more slowly when exposed to falcarinol.

5. Chili Peppers and JalapenosThese vegetables contain a chemical called capsaicin which may neutralize certain cancer-causing substances (nitrosamines) and may help prevent stomach cancer.

6. Allium VegetablesA 2002 study published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute," stated that the intake of allium vegetables like garlic, onions, chives and leeks can significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer. These vegetables contain immune-enhancing allium compounds (dialyl sultides) that appear to increase the activity of the immune cells that fight cancer.
These compounds help in blocking carcinogens from entering into the cells apart from slowing down the development of tumors. Another study in china has shown the protective effect of the immune-boosting allium vegetables against both stomach and esophageal cancers. A study of 41,000 women in Iowa found that eating garlic for at least once a week reduced the risk of colon cancer by 35 percent.

7. TomatoesTomatoes contain Lycopene, an anti-oxidant known for its anti-cancer properties. Recent studies have proved that an increased intake of lycopene can help reduce the risk of breast, prostate, pancreas and colorectal cancers.
One such study at Harvard University found that men who include tomatoes in their meals twice a week can reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by one-third compared to men who do not consume tomatoes.

8. Soy ProductsThese foods are rich in nutrients especially in several types of phytoestrogens -- weak, non-steroidal estrogens -- that can help prevent both breast and prostate cancer by blocking and suppressing the cancerous changes. A study has shown that the intake of soy protein by cancer patients can lead to the lowest mortality rate along with the lower probability of recurrence.

9. Turmeric (Haldi)Turmeric, containing curcumin, is the main ingredient in Indian cooking. And curcumin is a potential cancer fighter. Studies have shown that it can suppress the transformation, proliferation and the invasion of cancerous cells.

10. GrapesGrapes contain bioflavonoids, the powerful anti-oxidants that work as cancer preventives. Grapes are also rich sources of resveratrol, a natural phenol, which inhibits the enzymes that can stimulate cancer-cell growth and suppress the immune response.

11. Berries and RaspberriesThese fruits are rich in ellagic acid, one of the most powerful anti-oxidants which help in preventing the growth of cancer cells. Studies at the Ohio State University showed that animals whose diets are supplemented with black raspberries had a 60% reduction in the tumors of the esophagus and up to 80 percent reduction in colon tumors.

12. Green Tea and Black TeaThese teas are rich in polyphenols (catechins) which are known for preventing cancer cells from dividing. According to a report in the July 2001 issue of the Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, these polyphenols -- abundant in green tea, red wine and olive oil -- may protect against various types of cancer.
A healthy diet and inclusion of these specific cancer fighting foods may help an individual in his recovery process. But side by side, he has to adopt a healthy lifestyle as well! This will require him to stay away from smoking and drinking. These are the two practices which increase the risk of cancer.

5 strange fitness tips that work

5 strange fitness tips that work

1.Keep your hands cold

Ever thought about adding ice to your water bottle? If you haven’t and you want to improve the amount of time you can exercise for, it might be worth giving a go. A study conducted by a researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine found that obese female participants held a hand-cooling device they were able to exercise for longer, compared to other obese women who did not hold onto a hand-cooling device.

It has been suggested that those women who held onto the hand-cooling device were able to stick at their workouts for longer because the speed that their internal temperature raised was reduced. This meant that the women did not store as much heat and were therefore more comfortable. 

2.Ditch your shoes

One strange fitness tip that is thought to work is to ditch your shoes and go barefoot. Going barefoot has been a hotly debated topic since the publication of a running book called Born to Run back in 2009. Since then, many people have begun to think that exercising without your shoes on is beneficial to both your training and your health; especially for injury prone runners. Yet the research is limited and the debate ongoing.

Those that support barefoot training, such as the group called Barefoot in Toronto, claim that going barefoot gives you better circulation, stronger bones and can even improve poor posture. Another study that lends support to the benefits of barefoot training found that running barefoot led to a decrease in energy expenditure by four per cent. This suggests that running barefoot could help improve the amount of time you spend running and possibly your race time.

3.Drink coffee or take caffeine supplements

If you’re a coffee fan this fitness tip is for you. Research has found that caffeine taken before a training session can help to burn more fat during your workout. Incredibly caffeine can also decrease the amount of pain you feel in your muscles when training. This is great news for those who want to work out for longer or for those who want to do more reps.

The study behind this theory comes from the University of Nebraska, which found that those participants who took a caffeine supplement pre-workout increased the maximum weight they could bench press by five pounds.

4.Get vocal

Getting vocal could be very beneficial to your workouts. A fitness program called IntenSati asks its participants to shout out encouraging phrases when exercising, such as ‘I can do this’ and ‘I am strong’. Whilst saying these positive affirmations, class members perform a variety of exercises including yoga postures, dance moves, martial arts and interval training.

The theory behind IntenSati is that by shouting out these mantras people alter their mental attitude towards their training, which in turn makes them feel positive about their abilities. As well as receiving a boost in motivation, shouting out these phrases is thought to distract class members from the pain or tiredness they might be feeling during their workout.

5.Drink chocolate milk

Although not the healthiest of drinks, chocolate milk is thought to help you recover after a workout. A study conducted by Indiana University found that those athletes who drank chocolate milk did not become as fatigued in their second intense workout, compared to those athletes that drank a sports drink. Similarly, researchers at the University of Texas found that those participants who drank chocolate milk had improved race times compared to those participants who were given a sports drink.

It is thought that chocolate milk has such a positive effect on athlete’s recovery because it is full of protein, calcium and antioxidants (the antioxidants are the result of the chocolate). If you want to make this drink healthier you could always swap the cow’s milk for soy or goat’s milk and add dark chocolate, which contains more antioxidants than regular chocolate.