MERRY CHRISTMAS FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!

 The festive season is here, with us all sharing its love with friends and family all over the world. While we are celebrating Christmas love with our loved one, let us not forget the reason for the season which is the celebration of the birth of our saviour JESUS CHRIST.

Christmas is an expression of True Love, its not all about giving and receiving gift items, but more about sharing and extending love and hope to the needy among us. Let us remember people out there who are lonely, needy, poor and extend our love to them as well. May we experience the joy that comes with this season in Jesus name Amen.

Wishing you all Prosperous New Year in Jesus Name Amen.

Thank you

WEDDING GOWN SALES AT MARYLINKS BRIDAL!!!!!!

Wedding Gown sales at Marylinks Bridal.... Check out the following pictures. You can order your quality and affordable wedding gown and accessories. Whatever your style, we will meet and exceed your expectations. 

Cheap and Nutritious Food to Combat Dry, Flaky and Itching Skin!!!!

Dry skin is a very pronounced condition that many people experienced at this particular time of the year, mostly because of change in weather and some other factors. Dry and flaky skin is mainly associated with insufficient moisture in the superficial layer of our skin. Our hands, face, arms and lower legs are the most affected part of the body. There are certain factors that predispose us to dry, flaky and itching skin which could be frequent bathing, use of harsh soap for bathing, deficiency of certain vitamins and minerals, age, genetics, family history, as well as medical condition such as asthma, allergies, eczema,  diabetes  and atopic dermatitis.  There is this popular saying that “You are what you eat”, which is true, treating dry skin is more of what you eat than what you apply on it. Today we will be discussing on foods which are not expensive and are easily accessible to us that we can add to our diet for improve healthy and glowing skin.

1.   Your number recipe for dry skin is Water – It has been proven scientifically the health benefit of water, drinking 2 litres (6-8 glasses) of water everyday hydrates our skin and body, it flushes out toxic substances from our system, so as to give us a clear skin. Our skin uses nutrient from the various foods we consume and water is a major carrier of this nutrients and even oxygen. Water play a key role in our digestion, circulation, absorption and excretion of waste products from our system.

     Consumption of fruits and vegetables with high water content cannot be overemphasized here, daily consumption of any of the following fruits and vegetables (melon, apple, oranges, pineapple, celery and cucumber) will go a long way to hydrate the skin and also provide essential vitamins and mineral to maintain glowing skin.

3.       Food rich in selenium and Zinc is another great ingredient to smooth, soft and glowing skin. Selenium is a trace mineral which help to eliminate free radicals from the body, while zinc helps heal wound by repairing damaged skin and protecting it against further damage. These minerals are found in food such as Salmon, tuna, shrimps, cooked beef, bean, turkey, halibut fish, oysters, crabs, sardines and whole-wheat pasta. Two (2) to three (3) times consumption of these foods will show an improved result in skin elasticity and moisture.

4.       Food rich in essential Fatty-acids such as Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids help to keep dry skin and blemish away, they are healthy fats which when consumed provide our skin with the required natural oil  barrier against dryness by retaining moisture, thus giving us smooth and younger-looking skin. Extra virgin olive oil and canola oil are great sources, fish such as sardine, mackerel and salmon, walnuts and flaxseed also provide us with good amount of these essential fatty acids.

5.   Food rich in essential vitamins such vitamin A, C and E- Vitamin C helps in collagen and elastin formation which keep skin firm and healthy, protect us against skin cell damages caused by free radicals. Vitamin E serve as antioxidants which also protect us against UV effect and helps skin retain its natural moisture. Vitamin A has an important role in soothing dry flaky skin by repairing damaged skin cells, the supplements are usually prescribed for people suffering from acne, and other skin condition such as wrinkles, it is a known vitamin for combating early aging. These essential vitamins are popularly found in dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin, avocado, flaxseed, broccoli, papaya, kiwi, citrus fruits, red bell peppers, egg and low-fat dairy.

  Green Tea and Green Juice- Green tea is a powerful antioxidants which help to stop skin inflammation, delay DNA damage and protect our skin against the effect of sun. Drinking a green juice at least five (5) days in a week will give you a clear and glowing skin, this can be done by blending spinach, cucumber, kale, and few drops of lemon together, you will be amazed at the result you will get after few weeks. You can also check online for further recipes of green juice so as to have varieties to choose from.

To achieve the best results, it is advisable to moisturize the skin at least 2-3 times daily with petroleum jelly, glycerine, emollients and any other good moisturizers especially when the skin is still damp.

Should there be no significant improvements, please consult your doctor for proper medical check-up.

Thank You

MedicineNet

Oral Health!!! How to maintain Fresh and Healthy Breath

Have you ever noticed how irritating and embarrassing  it can be to have a bad breath, most especially when someone is talking to you or vice versa and all you can perceive is fetid mouth breath, your attention will never be on the topic of discussion but how you can easily leave the vicinity or get out of the conversation. This creates and leaves an impression with the listener not considering how gorgeous the speaker with bad breath dressed. This may ruin relationships, job interview and other important meetings.

“Bad breath is as a result of the action of bacteria forming in the mouth, sulphur produced by decaying bacteria in the mouth makes it reek” says Dr. Dunlap

Today we will be talking about how to maintain healthy breath. There are few ways to detect our oral health, if you want to know may be you have mouth odour or bad breath, try to do the following:

1.      

You can place your hand close your mouth and breathe out into it; whatever smell you can perceive will tell you if you have offensive mouth breath

2.      

You can also lick the back of your hand with your tongue and leave for few minutes; let say after one minute you can perceive the back of your hand, if what you perceive is not fresh then there might be evidence that you have bad breath.

Causes of Bad Breath

Studies around the world confirms that bad breath could be as a result of some underlying hygiene issues or medical problems such as cavities, food remains in your broken teeth which are not properly removed while brushing your teeth, gum disease and filthy dentures. Certain infection and disease may also predispose to bad breath such as chronic acid reflux, liver disease, diabetes and respiratory tract infections. Breath test are been taken now to screen for medical conditions like Diabetes, lung cancer, kidney disease, heart disease and digestive disorder.

Tips for curing bad breath

Following the under-listed tips and remedies will not only improve your oral health but will also reduce risk of developing certain diseases:

Baking Soda  

Information has been made available on the effective use of baking soda for teeth whitening, it can also be used to cure bad breath. You can either look for toothpaste with baking soda as part of the ingredient for brushing your teeth or make a solution of warm water with baking soda (½ teaspoon) and gargle with in the morning and evening before going to bed.

Avoid Refined Sugar 

Limit or avoid totally the amount of refined sugars you consumed, this can be replaced with brown sugar because refined sugar is major culprit leading to cavities. Sugar based candies, cookies and sweets treat should be avoided.

Drink Plenty Water

Drinking clean water regularly about 2 litres (6-8 glasses) per day is the recommended allowance, this keep your body and mouth hydrated and fresh for the day. Studies have confirmed that waking up to drink water reduces the effect of bacteria over the night; thus giving a fresh breath in the morning.

Rinse with Lemon or Salt

In some developing countries, people tend to use salt in place of toothpaste for brushing their teeth, gargling your mouth every night before going to bed with salt and warm water solutions does not only cure bad breath but it also help to prevent gum infection and disease and also improves oral health. Lemon may also be used as a substitute in place of salt, lemon has an anti-bacterial effect on our gum and tongue, and they are also good for detoxification.

Regular Consumption of Fruits and vegetables

Having a diet high in fibre, fruits and vegetables also aid in curing bad breath, they support regular bowel movement which form a contributing factor for bad breath(anyone with constipation have a chance of having bad breath).

Yogurt

Consumption of yogurt on a regular basis cures bad breath because of its probiotics (acidophilus) content. Yogurt, rich in good bacteria provide beneficial effect which help to prevent the growth of odour causing bacteria.

Maintenance of oral hygiene is the best routine to cure bad breath; this can start from brushing your mouth twice daily, flossing after meal and gargling with warm water and salt solution every night. Trust me there will be a noticeable difference, even in your gum bringing out the bright pink colour of your gum which is a sign of good oral health.

Should there be no significant difference in one to two weeks, please kindly consult your doctor for proper medical check.

Thank you

My Healthlist

Defying Aging and Look 10 years younger !!! trust me it works!!

People rarely ask “how young are you”? But they rather put the question like this “how old are you”? There are stages and ages in life when we are so eager to tell people our age especially when we are in our teens but as we grow older we tend to hide our age because we are faced with life challenges. Some of us are gifted with a youthful face while some are not so lucky but the most important thing is that we all age biologically.

You can actually look younger and defy aging if you follow healthy eating habits and exercise regularly, the under-listed food will help you to look much younger than your age, trust me it works. There is no better time to start than now:

  

Olive Oil: Studies from around the world has confirmed the health benefits of olive oil when compared to other oil, olive oil has a powerful antioxidants called polyphenols which help to fight age-related diseases and increases healthy skin.

     

  

  

  Yogurt: Yogurt contain good amount of calcium and Vitamin D that helps our bone health, it also contain an active bacteria which promote our gut health and reduce age-related intestinal illness

   

Avocado: Avocado has been recognized for its anti-aging properties, it contain powerful antioxidants, monounsaturated fat (good fat), potassium and Vitamin E. These components help to promote skin health, lowers blood pressure while reducing cholesterol level.

    

Red Wine:  one glass of red wine per day is said to promote heart health, prevents diabetes and age-related memory loss. Red wine has strong antioxidants called resveratrol which help to prevent premature aging.

   

   

    Lemon- Start each day with one glass of warm water with lemon, it helps to cleanses our liver’s by-product and its vitamin C contents is said to promote healthy skin thus reducing wrinkles

  

   

   Turmeric – one teaspoon in our juice, rice and stir-fry during cooking and other regular healthy meal help us to fight against chronic inflammation.

 

Whole Grain: Having unrefined whole grain such as oat meal, brown rice and whole wheat  in our meal on regular basis provide us with essential vitamins and minerals to combat aging.

  

  

Dark Chocolate: Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a contributing factor to wrinkled skin, dark chocolate from cocoa beans contains powerful antioxidants called flavanols which protect our skin from inflammation caused by exposure to UV light. Dark Chocolate contains anti-aging properties.

9

   

Garlic: Studies have confirmed the anti-aging properties of garlic, it is also known for its anti-viral and anti-bacterial effect, adding garlic to our everyday diet boost our immune system and also protect against cancers such as breast, intestinal, and pancreatic cancers.

  

Beans: Beans such as pinto, red beans, kidney beans, soy beans and small red beans contain powerful antioxidants and are rich source of protein. They contain vitamins and minerals such as Iron, potassium and Vitamin B.

   

Fish: We are advised to include fish such as Tuna, salmon, sardine, herrings and coldwater fish in our diet at least 2 -3 times per week. They help to promote health and are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

   

Nuts: This is a nutrient packed food, it contain high unsaturated fat (good fat) help to improve heart health, potassium (help to lower high blood pressure) and essential vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E which help to promote skin health and reduce cell damage

1

 Blueberries and Beetroot

  

 

   Deep Coloured Fruits and Vegetables

  

   

Foods to Avoid

The under-listed must be consumed in a very little proportion if you must maintain youthful look and grow gracefully with sound health

Salt- About 2.4g per day is the daily recommendation of salt and even lower for people with high blood pressure, too much salt raise blood pressure and may damage some important organ in the body such as the kidney, eyes and even the brain. Please be mindful of packaged foods (such as the frozen, canned or boxed foods); they tend to have more sodium (in form of salt) in them.

Sugar- Too much consumption of sugar increases blood sugar level thus leading to insulin resistant which may further predispose to type 2 diabetes (diabetes destroy  blood vessels)

High Fat Dairy, Meat and Bakery Treat- Most of these food groups are made of saturated fat (bad fat).

 
 



 Eating Well
Discovery Health


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The Cancer Fighting Veggie "Broccoli"

Have we ever wondered why so many emphasis and adverts is laid on the consumption of “5 a day” i.e we should try as much as possible to consume minimum of 5 fruits and vegetables per day, this is because of the benefits associated with eating them on a regular basis especially with the level of fast food and inorganic food we consumed. Today we will be talking about broccoli and its health benefits. Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family and it is normally cultivated in Italy, Italians usually refer to it as Broccolo which means cabbage sprout. Broccoli contains numerous amounts of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients when consumed in an appropriate manner and on a regular basis.

Over 300 research studies have been conducted to understand the important role of broccoli against cancer and our health in general. Broccoli is a very good source of immune-supportive vitamin C, anti-inflammatory vitamin K, and heart-healthy folate. It is also a rich source of free-radical-scavenging vitamin A (because of the high amount of carotenoid phytonutrients in it), enzyme-activating manganese and molybdenum; very high fibre content which help to support our digestive system; heart-healthy potassium and vitamin B6; and energy-producing vitamin B2 and phosphorus. Broccoli contain large amount of this water soluble and energy-producing vitamin B1, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, protein, and iron; bone-healthy magnesium and calcium; and antioxidant-supportive vitamin E and selenium.

There are 3 main metabolic problems which predispose us to cancers which include: (a) Oxidative stress (b) Chronic Inflammation (c) Inadequate detoxification.

One of the recent research on broccoli confirm that it contain 3 dynamic phytonutrients (Glucoraphanin, gluconasturtian and glucobrassicin) which support our body in all the process of detoxification. The phytonutrient content of broccoli assists in activating, neutralizing and eliminating all the detrimental contaminants in our body.

Do you that broccoli may help to combat the problem of osteoporosis (weak and fragile bone) because of vitamin D deficiency? Broccoli contain a useful amount of Vitamin A in form of beta-carotene and Vitamin K, these 2 vitamins can help to keep our vitamin D metabolism in balance proportion. So if you would like to build your bone health and increase the vitamin D level in your children’s body for stronger bones, consumption of broccoli is the answer rather than getting vitamin D supplement.  

Broccoli has an anti-inflammatory phytonutrient (a flavonoid called kaempferol). In our digestive system, this phytonutrient has the ability to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances (by lowering the immune system's production of IgE-antibodies). By lessening the impact of allergy-related substances, the kaempferol in broccoli can help lower our risk of chronic inflammation.

It also has special cholesterol-lowering benefits; the fiber-related components in broccoli join together with bile acids in our digestive tract, this process further lead to excretion of bile acids from our system, resulting into low cholesterol level. It is advisable to have our broccoli steamed rather than being fully cooked or in a microwave. The vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and carotenoids contained in broccoli work to lower risk of oxidative stress in the body.

Another major benefit of broccoli is its cancer fighting content: studies done concluded that regular consumption of broccoli reduces our risk of developing prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer. This is because broccoli contain a distinctive combination of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and pro-detoxification components which protect us against the afore-mentioned type of cancer. Further studies are on-going for other types of cancer.

Advice: Many of us do not consume broccoli on a regular basis, I would suggest that broccoli should be part of our regular diet; consumption of it twice or thrice a week will go a long way to improve our health and reduce our risk of developing diseases such as cancer and certain vitamins and mineral deficiency. An average of 44 calories i.e about full cup of broccoli per two (2) days is enough to provide us with a quantifiable benefit. Broccoli should be steamed for about 5 minutes so as to enjoy the flavour and other health benefits, if it is too soft or mashed most of the nutrient might have been lost during cooking.

WHFood

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What Is Your Body Shape Saying About Your Health

In my home country those days, anyone with extra body fat (overweight or obese), having access to eat as much as they like with varieties of assorted meats and different fatty foods is seen to be healthy and wealthy, but in developed world this is a different story entirely, obesity and overweight is seen as a medical problem which poses greater risk to health, longevity and health care system. Fat is stored in different parts of our body mostly around the vital organs in the abdomen and under the skin, depending on where the fat is stored the higher its risk to health . Visceral fats also known as belly/abdominal fat increase our risk to heart diseases and type 2 diabetes when compared to fats around our hips or bottom. Find below the ideal waist measurement for good health

	Men in cm ( Inch)	Women in cm ( Inch)
Ideal	≤ 94cm (37)	≤ 80cm (31.5)
High	94 – 102cm ( 37 – 40)	80 - 88cm (32 – 35)
Very High	≥ 103 (40)	≥ 89cm (35)

There are basically 2 types of body shapes described scientifically in relation to health; these are pear (fat is stored around the hips) and apple (fat is stored around the waist/middle) body shapes, anyone who is overweight with apple-shaped body has a higher risk of health problems when compared to pear-shaped overweight individual.

We can determine our health status by calculating our body mass index (BMI). BMI is an appropriate way of knowing if one is overweight or obese. It is calculated using our weight and height ratio (weight/height²). BMI provides us with an assessment of our body fat and predict our risk to diseases that come with extra body fat.

	BMI
Underweight	Below 18.5
Normal	18.5 -24.9
Overweight	25 – 29.9
Obese	Above 30

Although BMI has been recognised globally to be accurate but it has some limitations such as:

·         Overestimating the body fat of athletes and others who have a muscular build.

·         Underestimating the body fat of older people and others who have lost muscle.

As our BMI increases from the normal range, our risk for certain diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers also increases.

The good news is that every small effort counts, we can change our lifestyle by being mindful of what we eat and doing regular physical exercise, this will help lower our risk to developing this disease.

You need to read this!!! Consumption of Walnuts Linked to Heart and Brain Health

Walnuts belong to the tree nut family such as cashew nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecan, macadamia, pine and Brazil nuts, and are popularly grown in California.  It takes about a decade and half (15years) to grow before producing fruits and last for an average of 45years. Virtually all these nuts have health benefits but walnuts have twice the amount of antioxidants when compared to others. Walnuts is said to be high in protein, vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, trace minerals, lecithin and oils. Walnuts stands out because of the type of fats found in them (polyunsaturated fatty acids i.e good fats), the amount of Omega 3 and are cholesterol free with very low amount of sodium.

Calories in Walnuts: About 28g will give us 183 calories of which 153 is fats (the good fats) 

Vitamins and Minerals:  Walnuts possess a large amount of vitamins B6, folate, thiamine and useful amount of vitamin E; It is also rich in magnesium, phosphorus and Iron.

Fatty acids in Walnuts: Omega 3 and Omega 6 are the two essential fatty acids required by our body for cell growth, immune functions, blood clotting and also play an important role in disease prevention. This fatty acids can only be gotten from our diet because our body can't make them.

The health benefits of walnuts

I am sure most of us rarely consume this nut; but by the time you finished reading this, you will see the health benefits in them and why it is important to include them in our diet.

Walnuts is exceptionally good for Heart Health
Studies done around the world such as in Spain, New Zealand, United State and Australia found out that consuming a useful about of  walnuts lowers the cholesterol level by decreasing the LDL level (bad cholesterol) and increase the HDL (good cholesterol ) level, thus reducing our risk to heart disease. Walnuts also contain a large amount of alpha-linoleic acid, which is beneficial for sustaining heart health.

Improves Brain Health and Functioning 
According to a study done by Purdue University, it was discovered that eating a useful amount of walnuts boost brain functioning, because of the high content of the Omega 3 fats in them. Low level of Omega 3 was linked with depression, decline in cognitive function behavioural problems and learning disorder in children. So it is very important for us to always include this nut in our diet

Walnuts aid sleep 
I am sure many people suffer from insomnia (lack of sleep), it has been discovered that taking about 6 walnuts after dinner would give you a sound sleep because it elevate the level of melatonin (the hormone that induces sleep) instead of taking sleeping pills which poses side effects to your system, why not try improving your diet by adding walnut and check out the difference.

Prevents Breast and Prostate Cancer
A study conducted by Marshall University school of medicine, West Virginia discovered that consumption of 14 whole walnuts can supply enough phytosterol and antioxidants to combat breast cancer. The antioxidants properties of walnuts and its anti-inflammatory properties help to lower risk of chronic oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation, which when combined, pose the greatest threat for cancer development. It also helps to combat aging and neurological diseases.

Prevents Diabetes
A research conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health, proved that 30% women who ate 30 g of walnuts 5 times a week were at a lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Help reduce stress
A published journal of the American College of Nutrition reports that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts help in reducing and managing stress, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and lowers blood pressure resulting from stress.

 Benefits for skin
The walnut’s oil protects the skin from dryness and returns its natural moisture. It is also used as base oil in many cosmetics and massage oils used for aromatherapy and massage therapy. The vitamin E found in walnuts is also very beneficial for the skin.

Warning- Anything done in excess poses its own risk, it has been discovered that excessive consumption of walnuts could lead to risk of developing kidney stone because of the oxalate contents in it (oxalate contributes to kidney stone formation).
Daily Recommendation: For healthy consumption, 5- 7 whole walnuts or 10 -14 halves of walnuts has been recommended for daily consumption.

Thank You

Healthlist, WHfoods and MeD India