Recipes For Pregnant Women

Pregnancy brings new joys for a mother. The experience of having a new life within her is simply overwhelming. However, pregnancy also entails many new responsibilities on her, one of which is providing proper nutrition for her yet-to-be-born baby. 

In this context, most of the women make the mistake of going for recipes that contain more calories, but not necessarily extra nutrition, while the latter is much more important for them. To help all the pregnant women out there, we have listed some nutritious, but easy recipes, in the lines below.

Healthy Recipes For Pregnancy

Porridge

Ingredients

• 2½ cups Water
• ½ cup Wheat Dalia (porridge)
• ½ cup Oats
• ½ cup Milk
• ¼ cup Raisins
• ¼ cup Almonds
• 3 tsp Sugar

Instructions

• First of all, you need to half-fill a pan with water and place it on flame.
• As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium and stir in oats and wheat dalia.
• Mix the oats and dalia well and let them cook for 5-7 minutes, in boiling water.
• Add raisins and almonds to the water and mix well. Cook for a few seconds.
• Add sugar to the pan, followed by milk, making sure to mix well every time.
• Your porridge is ready. Let it cool down a bit and start eating.

Yogurt Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Packed Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Butter
• ¼ cup Shortening
• ½ cup Nonfat Yogurt (any flavor)
• 1½ tsp Vanilla
• 1¾ cup Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips

 Instructions

• First of all, sieve together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Take a bowl and combine both the sugars in it.
• Add butter and shortening to the pan and mix well.
• Add the butter mixture to the flour and beat well.
• Now, mix in yoghurt and vanilla.
• Knead the mixture, to form dough.
• Roll out the dough to even thickness and with the help of cutters, cut out the cookies.
• Grease a baking dish with butter and place the cookies on it.
• Heat oven to 375 deg F and bake the cookies in it, for 10-15 minutes.

Cutlets

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 medium-size Onion
• 1½ tsp Finely Chopped Ginger
• 1½ tsp Green Chilies
• 1 cup Carrots
• 1 cup Beans
• 3 tbsp Fresh Chopped Coriander
• 2 tsp Sesame Seeds
• ½ cup Soya Granules
• 2 Mashed Potatoes
• 1 cup Kabuli Chana, boiled and mashed
• 2 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1 tsp Pepper Powder
• ½ tsp Black Salt
• 1½ tsp Lemon Juice

 Instructions

• Place a pan over medium heat and put the oil in it.
• After the oil becomes hot, add onion, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook until they turn brown.
• Stir in chilies and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add rest of the ingredients, except sesame seeds, to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool down a bit.
• Now, mash the mixture and make small, even balls from it.
• Flatten the balls and add sesame seeds on top.
• Heat oil in a pan, enough for frying, and fry the cutlets in it.
• Eat the cutlets with chutney, while they are still hot.

How To Lose Water Weight

Do you experience a bloated feeling all the time? Have you noticed that your wrists, ankles, hands and feet look swelled and your face seems puffy? If the answer to these questions is yes, it means that you are suffering from the problem of water retention or water weight. Yes, you read that right, the body can suffer from excessive water retention also. However, remember that it’s excessive water retention and not water consumption. 

Water weight can be gained due to many reasons like: high intake of calorie rich diet, lack of physical exercising, hereditary reasons, taking high levels of sodium, consuming alcohol, excessive sugar intake etc. We gain water weight when our body starts to retain water instead of normally flushing it out of the system. Water starts to buildup in the circulatory system and tissues of the body. In the following lines, we will tell you how to get rid of water weight.

>> My Secret Weight Loss Tips And Tricks <<

How To Lose Water Weight 

Potassium & Magnesium Rich Diet: Take potassium and magnesium rich diet; bananas are the rich source of potassium, which helps in maintaining body fluid balance. Apricots, avocados and raisins are also rich in potassium. Magnesium also helps in avoiding bloating of the body; nuts, green vegetables, seeds, tofu, yogurt, orange juice are rich sources of magnesium.

Keep Your Body Hydrated: Keeping your body well hydrated will help you to keep off consuming calories unnecessarily. You will feel less inclined towards eating snacks as your body will feel full all the time. Also, you should take a glass of water before having a meal since it helps in avoiding water retention.

>> My Secret Weight Loss Tips And Tricks <<

Physical Exercise: Leading a lifestyle with no physical exercise can lead to serious retention of water. Keep your body active if you want to lose your water weight. Exercising will lead to better blood flow in your body which will help eliminate the excessive water from your body tissues. Indulge in exercises like bike riding, tennis, walking or running, on a daily basis. These exercises not only burn fats, but also make you sweat. As you sweat, the excess water in your legs and ankles decreases. At the same time, you get rid of surplus salts. The best way to get rid of the water weight is to exercise 2-3 hours before the bedtime so that the excess water is shed and all night your body will efficiently burn the calories.

Magic Of Green Tea: A great way to lose water weight is to sip tea made of green tea leaf, all through the day. Green tea has all the essential antioxidants which help in increasing the body metabolism. The increased metabolism will then help in getting rid of the surplus water in the tissues of the body. Taking the supplement of Vitamin B complex has the same effect on the body.

How To Lose Water Weight Video : Play Now

Lifestyle Changes:  Perhaps the easiest way to get rid of the water weight is to bring in simple changes in your lifestyle. Adopt much healthier habits to help body from retaining excess fluid. Not sleeping for full 8 hours or keeping awake late in the night leads to water retention. Avoid taking carbohydrates at night as carbohydrates soak up the water of the body and causes bloating.

Medications: If you are taking medicines, check out whether they are amongst the ones that cause water retention, like steroids or estrogen replacement hormones. In case your medicines are causing excess water retention in the body, ask your doctor to provide you with different prescriptions.

Low Sodium Diet: One of the culprits behind water retention is sodium, in other words salt. When you consume too much salt, the sodium level in the body becomes high, leading to water retention. Lower your consumption of salty foods and purchase low sodium products.

Balanced Diet: A well balanced diet is very essential for getting rid of water weight. At the same time, make sure that your body is getting enough, neither too much nor too less, protein. This is because low protein levels can lead to water retention in the body. Fruits and vegetables also help prevent as well as treat water retention.

>> My Secret Weight Loss Tips And Tricks <<

Healthier Diet: Consumption of apple cider vinegar, celery, celery seed, cranberry juice, dandelion, green tea, dandelion leaf tea, fennel, juniper berries, nettle and parsley is known to be good for water weight loss. Diuretic foods like artichokes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, oats, tomatoes, watermelon and watercress help in the process of losing water weight.

How To Lose Water Weight : Read More 

Healthy Eating For Weight Loss

Many people resort to crash dieting to lose weight, wherein they stop eating abruptly. This puts a lot of stress on the system and leads to many problems. Though, initially the person tends to lose weight, after sometime it becomes stagnant. In effect, one should never skip eating but instead switch over to a healthy diet regime.  This should include all the natural and healthy food items, which provide nutrition to the body rather than calories. One of the prime sources of nutrition is fruits and vegetables. Apart from including the vital components, make sure you eliminate all the high calorie, junk foods and sugary products from your diet. For more on healthy eating for weight loss, read on.

Healthy Food for Weight Loss

Breakfast

• Take a glass of pure unsweetened fruit juice or skimmed milk in breakfast.
• Add some fresh sliced fruits over your breakfast cereal, along with a handful of dried apricots and raisins.
• You can make a banana sandwich prepared with wholemeal / granary bread, to provide fiber to the body.
• Fruit smoothie made from fresh fruit is another great option. Add some skimmed milk or low fat yoghurt for a creamy consistency. 
• Snacks
• Avoid fried snacks from outside. Substitute by portions of carrot batons, dried apricots, raisins and grapes.
• Make some crudités with carrots batons, celery sticks, baby sweet corn and asparagus to enjoy with a low calorie dip.
• A fresh fruit is always a better and healthy substitute for high sugar or calorie snack. 

Fast Weight Loss Tips : Click

Lunch

• Include tomatoes, cucumber, mixed salad leaves to your lunch so that you feel filled and eat less.
• Vegetable soup is also a great option for winter season, which will provide ample nutrition.
• Add low fat yogurt to your lunch to make the food interesting. 
• Evening Meal
• The evening meal should have at least one vegetable.
• Sliced vegetables can be added to stir fries and disguise grated carrot in homemade dishes to reduce the calorie intake.
• Make a fresh fruit salad for dessert for dinner, which is tasty as well as healthy 
• Healthy Eating Out
• While on the move have pure, unsweetened fruit or vegetable juice instead of soft drinks.
• Order a side salad or vegetables rather than high calorie food items.
• Order a fresh fruit salad for dessert for satisfying the hunger and adding that punch to the menu.

Read More : Healthy Eating For Weight Loss

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Juice Recipes For Weight Loss

Vegetables and fruits form an important and essential part of our daily diet. In order to receive all the important nutrients and vitamins, it is vital to consume the required amount of veggies and fruits every day. Apart from consuming them in their raw state, you can devour upon these nutritious supplements in their liquid form as well. Vegetable and fruit juices not only provide the body with strength, but also help in weight loss and hence, are highly recommended in all types of weight loss diets. 

>> My Secret Weight Loss Tips <<

Juices help you lose weight in an effective and healthy way. They allow you to lose some extra fat and assist your body to get rid of the toxins and various impurities, thereby assisting in proper functioning of the digestive and the immune system of the body. Various fruit juices are prescribed by health and fitness trainers for people seeking to get rid of their increasing waistlines and excessive fats. This article provides you with different juice recipes for weight loss.

Easy Juice Recipes For Losing Weight

Morning Smoothie

Ingredients

• ½ Banana
• 2 large Oranges
• 6 Strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 Peaches
• Crushed Ice (optional)
• Method
• Extract the juice of the oranges with the help of a blender. You can add crushed ice to the orange juice. 
• Now, add banana, strawberries and peaches to the orange juice and blend the mixture well until smooth.
• A perfect morning smoothie to give your day with a kick start!
• Berry Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen Strawberries
• ½ Banana
• 1 cup Orange Juice
• ½ cup Blackberries/ Blueberries/ Raspberries
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• Crushed Ice (optional)
• Method
• Combine strawberries, banana, orange juice, blackberries, lemon juice and crushed ice in a blender.
• Blend well until smooth.
• The berry berry smoothie is ready to be gulped down.
• Strawberry Raspberry Blend

Ingredients

• 1 cup Strawberry, washed and chopped
• 1 glass Mineral Water
• 1 cup Raspberry, washed and chopped
• Crushed Ice
• Method
• Blend strawberry, raspberry and water together in a mixer.
• Put in the crushed ice and blend again.
• Pour into individual glasses and serve.
• Blueberry Blast Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 Banana
• 2/3 cup frozen Blueberries
• ½ cup cold Fruit Juice
• ½ cup Organic Vanilla Yogurt
• 1 tbsp Wheat Germ
• Method
• Place banana, blueberries, fruit juice, vanilla yogurt and wheat germ in a food processor.
• Blend the contents until smooth.
• For a thicker shake or if you are using fresh berries, add a few ice cubes.
• Carrot Cleanser Juice

Ingredients

• 4 large Carrots
• 1 Apple
• 1 stalk of Celery
• 1 handful of Spinach
• Method
• Blend carrots, apple, celery and spinach in a food processor.
• Pour the juice in tall serving glasses.
• You are ready to drink the most nutritious juice.
• Cucumber Juice

Ingredients

• ½ Cucumber
• 3 stalks of Celery
• 2 tbsp Protein Powder
• 1 Apple
• Ice Cubes (optional)

Method

Place cucumber, celery, protein powder and apple in a food processor.

Blend the contents until smooth.

Pour in ice cubes, if required, and serve in individual glasses.

Read More : Juice Recipes For Weight Loss

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Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss

You might have heard of the phrase ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Well, the phrase is now being associated with snacks, like nuts, popcorns and crust breads as well. Though it is astonishing to learn and difficult to believe that consuming snacks can help people lose weight and attain the desired mark, it is but true in all respects. 

If you are on a weight loss diet but find it difficult to cut down on the fillers, here is a favorable solution for you. Losing weight is just about choosing the right kind of food, along with regular exercise and adequate water intake. However, there are people who get so used to their unhealthy eating habits that they find it impossible to give up on bingeing oily snacks and three large meals a day. If you too yearn to lose weight without compromising on the food, here’s good news. This article provides a list of few recommended low calorie snacks that will help you to lose weight, without getting used to the strict diet chart.

Healthy Low Calorie Snacks

Popcorn

Popcorn is one of the best snacks that you can stock up, while trying to lose some extra pounds. However, make sure that the popcorns you pile up should be devoid of any butter, sugar or salt, unlike the ones which you get in multiplexes, supermarkets and in quick and easy microwave sachets. Popcorn is light and rich in fiber. A cup of popcorn contains only 31 calories and comprises of only half a gram of fat. Air popping method is the best way to prepare popcorn and keep away all the fat at bay. Make sure you stay away from cheese flavored, sweet, buttery or salty popcorns.

Crisp Breads

Crisp bread is another snack that can save fast food lovers from putting on more weight. It is mostly made out of rye and is available in many flavors and textures. It is a nutritious snack to have when you are on a weight loss diet. Each slice of crisp bread contains 32 calories, 0.2g of fat and is rich in wholegrain and fiber, which is good for the body and even helps in reducing weight.

Olives

Olives are tasty and piquant supplement to all the other snacks full of calories. Rich in vitamins and antioxidants, olives have the capability to fight back different diseases and infections such as osteoporosis, cancer and arthritis. Olives can be consumed ducked in lime juice, seasoned with herbs and spices or in their natural form. An oz of green olives contains 41 calories and has less than 5g of fat, whereas an oz of black olives contain 3.8g fat and 47 calories.

Veggies & Dips

Though your dietician must have said this a hundred of times, here's a Repitition. You just cannot ignore veggies when talking about healthy low calorie snacks. Consuming vegetables, like carrots, celery and cucumber is the simplest of all methods to lose the desired amount of weight. You can consume these vegetables with dips such as hummus. Avocado and artichoke dips are great snack options to include in a diet repertory. These dip options are low in calories and fat content.

Fruits

Nothing can be a more refreshing way to lose weight than eating a plate full of fruits. You will be surprised to learn how effective a handful of grapes or few strawberries can prove to be in fighting off hunger pangs, until it is the right time for the meal. Apart from grapes and strawberries, other fruits such as watermelon, apples, berries, oranges and figs can also help you achieve the desired weight loss.

Yoghurt

Consuming no-fat or low fat yogurt is healthy, filling and a nutritious way to deal with your hunger pangs. Yogurt contains other nutritional benefits as well. It is a good source of calcium, protein and potassium, which helps to combat the digestive problems by promoting ‘good’ bacteria. You can also consume yogurt along with berries or granola to have a filling bite.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is the member of legume family and contains almost the same properties like that of nuts and is good filler. Couple of teaspoons of peanut butter will definitely hold you back until the next meal. Consume it with fruits, crackers or smoothies and help yourself in attaining desired weight.

Almonds And Other Nuts

Almonds and other nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, which are very beneficial for the body and can help in clearing your arteries. Nuts also keep you contented until your next meal. They also are rich in vitamin E, fiber and magnesium. The vitamin E present in the nuts act as an antioxidant, helping your immune system fight back diseases like cancer, asthma and other inflammations.

Read More : Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss

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Turmeric Side Effects

Turmeric has been used as an ayurvedic medicinal herb from ancient times to cure diseases. Turmeric is a perennial shrub that grows in tropical areas of Asia. In India, it is used as one of the hot spices in the food and is considered as a symbol of prosperity. Apart from that, it is also used for treating many health problems and is considered a cleansing herb for stomach. It is also taken as a home medicine for various diseases like fever, common cold, and so on. In China turmeric paste is made to stop bleeding and heal wounds. 

While turmeric consumed in small quantity has healing properties, excess of it can lead you towards its side effects. Consuming it for a prolonged period can result in gastrointestinal and stomach problems. Therefore, turmeric should be used only in a required amount. In the following lines, some of the adverse effects of turmeric are given.

Adverse Effects Of Turmeric

Consuming turmeric for a long time causes gastric problems. This happens because of its spicy nature. To overcome this problem, a supplement is taken that uses an enteric coating which allows nutrients to get absorbed in the small intestine itself and keep the stomach problem free.

Turmeric has platelet aggregation properties. Due to this, the blood clot formation is deceased. This leads to bleeding. Take pharmaceutical supplement which has natural nutrients and turmeric extracts ensuring the right amount of turmeric intake.

Turmeric is a uterine stimulant, which induces menstruation. So, pregnant and lactating women must take care of its intake. It may harm the baby.

Do not take turmeric if you are consuming any anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines. It might be reactive and cause unnecessary reaction.

Studies say that turmeric has an ill effect on the chemotherapy. As such, avoid taking turmeric, both naturally and in supplement form in the diet, if chemotherapy is going on.   

Turmeric when absorbed orally does not absorb well.Take vitamin supplement containing piperine. It promotes absorption.

Continued application of turmeric powder on skin may cause skin problems. Some sensitive skin might experience allergy and irritation on the skin. If the problem is not solved, then it may lead to skin rashes.

It can cause indigestion and also diarrhea. Mild cramping in the stomach can also be one of the effects of turmeric consumption.

Due to high consumption of turmeric, it may encourage liver and gall bladder-related problems.

Intake of turmeric supplement for a long time can cause severe problem like unstoppable bleeding. It promotes congestive heart disease, if taken in large quantity

Consuming a large amount of turmeric, apart from that present in the dish, may also lead to nausea and sweating. Turmeric may also cause contact dermatitis.

If you intake over 1000 mg of turmeric in a day then, it may lead to heart burn and may have laxative effect.

Now that you have browsed through the side effects of turmeric, make sure that you stay away from large quantity of turmeric intake, lest you face any of the above mentioned adverse effects.

Natural Cures For Kidney Stones

One of the best ways in which you can get to know if you are having kidney stones is if you have excruciating pain in the lower back and abdomen along with pain during urination. In most cases, the pain is because of the formation of stones, which settle in the urinary tract. 

To understand why and how the kidney stones form, it is necessary to know the function of the kidney. Its main function is to excrete the various wastes that get generated from metabolism. These include urea, uric acid and various others. The minerals and salts in the kidney are dissolved by a substance that is found in the urine and so they are prevented from being solids. However, sometimes due to dehydration or other factors, the concentration of the salts and minerals exceeds the solubility level and results in the formation of stones. The size of the stones varies from grit, sand size to the size of a bird’s egg and it generally occurs during the middle age. 

To cure yourself, you can adopt the natural remedies and these are very effective, if the kidney stones are not large in size. Natural cures also strengthen your kidney and improve its overall function. However, you should not miss on professional consultation. To know more on the various natural cures for kidney stones, go through the article given below.

Home Remedies For Kidney Stones 

Basil leaves strengthens the kidneys. It is also very effective in curing kidney stones. Mix one tablespoon of basil juice with one tablespoon of honey and take it for a period of six months, daily. It removes the stones from the urinary tract.

Regular intake of celery prevents the chances of formation of stones in the kidney.

Daily intake of a ripe fresh apple is very effective in treating the stones in the kidney. This is based on the fact that in countries where cider is a common beverage, the cases of kidney stones are nearly non-existent.

Grapes have a high water and potassium salt content and so it has exceptional diuretic value. It also has low albumin and sodium chloride content. This makes it very valuable in case of kidney troubles and so is an excellent cure for stones in the kidney.

The seeds of sour and sweet pomegranates are very good in curing kidney stones. Grind a tablespoon of pomegranate seeds into a fine paste. Then make a soup using two tablespoons of horse gram and into it, mix the paste. Drink this soup regularly to dissolve the stones in the kidneys.

The concentration of water in watermelon is the highest among all fruits. It is also a rich source of potassium salts. Eat watermelon or drink its juice everyday to cure yourself of kidney stones.

Another effective home remedy for kidney stones is dried French beans. Remove the seeds and then slice the pods. Take four liters of water and set it to heat. To the water add sixty grams of the pods and then boil in low heat for six hours slowly. Now strain the liquid in fine muslin and then cool for eight hours. Strain the liquid again in another piece of muslin. Take a glass of this solution every two hours throughout the day.

You can also boil two figs in a cup of water and drink it in an empty stomach the first thing in the morning.

Take a cup of radish leaves as a salad twice a day to get cured from kidney stones.

Drink a glass of tomato juice with a pinch of salt and pepper in the morning to bolster the kidney and also to rid yourself of kidney stones.

Whole-wheat bread is a rich source of magnesium, which prevents the formation of stones. Add whole wheat bread in your regular diet to steer clear from kidney stones.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day. It is the best home remedy for preventing kidney stones. 

Mushrooms Effects

Mushrooms are edible fungi that are high in nutrient content. Mushrooms are used in many cuisines around the world due to their high nutritional value and scrumptious taste. However, not all mushrooms are edible. There are many poisonous mushrooms as well that can cause serious health hazards if consumed. Moreover, there are many mushrooms that have a psychedelic nature. 

The “magic mushroom” is one such psychedelic mushroom which is known to induce hallucinations more like the effect of LSD drugs when consumed. Hallucinogenic mushrooms cause your mind to go on a "trip" that can be either good or bad, but is impossible to stop. These magic mushrooms are also known as “shrooms” and can distort one’s perception of reality and make the person enter an altered state where he/she is at the risk of harming him/herself. Plus, these mushrooms can also have side effects on your physical health and can cause nausea, tension in the neck muscles, and your pupils can also get dilated. 

So, before you experiment with mushrooms you should be very clear about mushrooms that are edible and mushrooms that are not edible and potentially fatal, if consumed. If you are interested to learn what effects certain mushrooms have on your body, then read through the next sections.

Side Effects Of Mushrooms

Effects Of Psilocybin Mushrooms

1. Psilocybin mushrooms also known as “magic mushrooms” have effects similar to ‘lysergic acid diethyliamide drugs’ popularly known as LSD. Consuming magic mushroom can take you to a “trip” where your perception of reality is altered for some time.
2. Depending upon your perception and how you feel at that time, the “trip” can be either good or bad.
3. Within 20 minutes to one hour of consuming the magic mushroom, you start feeling its effect. The first signs are usually a sense of euphoria and expectation along with a tingling sensation in the body.
4. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes for the effects of this mushroom to reach its peak.
5. Many people also complain of feeling revolted at this time.
6. The peak effect lasts for one to two hours when people reach a state of visual hallucination. Surfaces may ripple and simmer; and all colors will seem more vibrant.
7. Many people also experience hearing sounds louder than usual.
8. Magic mushroom also cause people to feel delightful.
9. Other hallucination symptoms may include experiencing time distortion; body dissolving, see objects merging into one another, etc.
10. Magic mushrooms usually take you to an enjoyable state. However, many people may have a “bad trip” as well. In a “bad trip” people experience a state that is similar to their worst nightmare.
11. Other physical side effects of consuming magic mushroom include stomach problems like nausea, cramping, vomiting, etc. Many people also experience bouts of diarrhea after consuming magic mushrooms.
12. Effects Of Reishi Mushrooms
13. The Reishi mushroom is also known as “mushroom of immortality”. This mushroom helps to boost the immune system and is a rich source of vitamin B and amino acids.
14. The most common side effect of Reishi mushroom is nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
15. Other side effects of this mushroom include nose bleeds, skin irritation, and skin rashes.
16. Many people also suffer from dizziness, dry nose and dry throat after consuming excess amounts of this mushroom.
17. It is recommended that you see a physician if you experience any of these mushroom effects before your condition worsens.

How To Grow Taller Naturally

While some people are lucky enough to be tall, there is a large percentage of population making endless efforts to increase their height. Believe it or not, the fear of being short is one of the most common problems faced by most people today. Short height can be a huge stumbling block in life as it can largely affect a person’s both social and working life. 

Moreover, it reduces their confidence, especially those who are trying to attract the opposite sex. Though science has been successful in introducing some artificial methods for growing height, such as bone surgery and human growth hormone stimulants, these methods are likely to harm the body in the long run. So, why not try out some natural methods for growing taller! Scroll through the lines below to find some natural ways to increase your height. Take a look!

Natural Ways To Grow Taller

Balanced Diet

Diet plays an essential role in increasing height. The normal rate of growth of a person is reduced if he is deprived of the essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Hence, including a healthy and balanced diet is important to grow taller. Include fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, low fat dairy products, fish, eggs and lean meat in your diet. Try avoiding sugary and fatty foods, caffeine, excessive alcohol and smoking. Most importantly, calcium and vitamin D plays a vital role in the growth and maintenance of body bones.

Proper Exercise

While a balanced diet is important for increasing height faster, physical activities should not be left behind. Since exercises and other physical activities play a crucial role in stimulating muscle and bone growth, they should be included along with a healthy diet. Certain exercises induce the bone to grow thereby increasing your height. One of the most effective ways to stimulate bone growth is by doing stretching exercises. Exercises not only loosen the joints, but also add flexibility, thereby creating space between the joints. Some useful stretching exercises include leg stretches, cobra, super cobra, bridge, cat stretch, bowl and acrobats. Spine exercises too contribute to increasing the thickness of the cartilage in the spine. Some of them are swimming, pole hanging and rope skipping.

Good Sleep or Rest

Apart from following a healthy diet and growth exercises, body should be given adequate rest to grow faster. Make it possible to give your body at least 7 to 8 hours of proper sleep and rest failing which, it would not be able to rejuvenate and repair itself. This, in turn, can affect the overall growth and health of our body. Hence, to successfully stimulate faster growth, it is essential to take rest and sleep properly, else all diet and exercises will fail to work. For a sound sleep, use a comfortable firm mattress that will keep your spine straight. Avoid using a pillow while you sleep. If required, opt for a very thin pillow.

How To Gain Height

You know you are courageous, cultured, strong, sophisticated, fit, capable, generous, funny and intelligent. However, at times you can’t help feeling that the most important thing in the world seems to be the fact that your head is a few inches closer to the ground than the average man’s. It frustrates, depresses and baffles you no end. Mostly, you truly realise your value and know that you are worth your salt but many a time, others don’t see it that way. Why? Because your short height tends to eclipse all your lofty attributes. Willy-nilly, a great importance is attached to one’s height by today’s society. 

As a result, a lot of shorter people often become the butt of others’ ridicule and an easy target for bullies. Research has indicated that people who are taller generally have an edge over their shorter counterparts. Their tall stature contributes greatly towards an increased happiness index as they fare relatively better in personal, social and professional lives. Things such as not being taken seriously, not being able to reach high shelves, not being able to wear off the peg clothes and not being able to reach even kitchen cupboards because of being short dents a person’s confidence and self-esteem. There’s an adage that height brings honor. If you too want to improve your personality by gaining height, do not stop short of going through the article below. Read on.

How To Increase Height

Healthy Diet

The importance of healthy diet cannot be undermined in our overall well-being including our personality and height. Ensure that you have a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat, especially if you are in the adolescent stage. Having healthy meals is the only way your body can get the proper amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates so very essential for the growth and development of your muscles and tissues. Hence, heredity apart, a balanced diet also plays a part in determining your height.

Pilates To Push Your Height

You must have heard many actors, sportspeople and many others swearing by Pilates. It is not for nothing that they religiously incorporate them in their daily regimen. Pilates, a form of exercise that stresses a balanced development of the body through core strength and flexibility, was developed by the late Joseph Pilates. It can also help you increase your height by achieving the most out of your body through extending, strengthening, lengthening and stretching.

Catch some Z’s           

Like your diet, the advantages of your shut eye too must never be ignored for your overall health. Adequate amount of sleep is mandatory for gaining height. This is because your brain needs some relaxation through sleep so that it can buck up to release the growth hormone when you are awake. Height is the lookout of your pituitary gland. A brain deprived of sleep results in a sluggish pituitary gland which then hampers the release of growth hormone in the body. Come what may, you must be careful never to compromise on precious sleep lest you end up compromising on your height.

Alexander Technique

The late F. Matthias Alexander developed the Alexander Technique. This technique teaches one to become more cognizant of their balance vis-à-vis their bodies. Though it is still not clear to what extent this technique can foster height, it can certainly improve your posture if it is faulty. Rectification in one’s posture often makes you gain some extra height.

Back Stretches

Our backbone has undeservedly taken a beating in our sedentary lifestyles. This does not stand in favor of gaining good height as the spine, more often than not, remains hunched. This makes you look shorter than what you really are. For this, you must engage regularly in back stretching. It helps lengthen the spine and relieve tired muscles that may contribute to poor posture. You can search the internet to learn various types of backstretches that can enhance your height and personality.

Say Yes To Yoga

Research has shown that yoga helps one become flexible while stabilizing the mind and senses. It has been practiced in India since ancient times and today many people are known to resort to this age old regimen as it promotes personal health, spirituality and wellness. However, when it comes to its influence on height increase, you can hope to gain height only if you are in your growth phase. It elongates your spine thus developing your spinal muscles that can make you look taller with proper posture.

Now that you know some tips on how to gain height, you can try one of the methods mentioned in the information above. Additionally, you must stay away from smoking, alcohol and drugs if you really wish to gain height and improve your health because these habits tend to adversely affect the growth hormone.

How Kids Should Lose Weight

It is nice to hear compliments about your child, but for that, you need to take care of their food habits from childhood. If you want your kid to stay healthy and feel good about him/her, you need to take initiative measure in their food habits. Child obesity is on the rise. A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that increased rates of overweight and obesity could lead to high cholesterol and Type II diabetes in children. 

The best way to overcome is to start at the earliest when your kid is at the age of two. Making him/her conscious about his/her food habits and disciplining him/her about food timings, you can guide him/her to a healthy life. So, if your kid is overweight, you will require long-term modifications in lifestyle and eating habits. It is necessary to incorporate it into the family structure or take it as a ritual of every day’s life to maintain your child’s fitness and avoid consequences of obesity. A pound a week weight loss is a good goal for more overweight or obese children. Therefore, you need to burn more calories a day to maintain lifetime modifications. Read on to know weight loss tips for kids. 

Weight Loss Tips For Kids 

There are different types of aerobic activities, to help motivate your child to expend calories. Walking, jogging, bike riding and rollerblading are all great ways to burn calories.

Encourage your child to stay active in other ways, like using the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking instead of driving to a friend's house or the local store.

Offer low fat foods like skimmed milk and low-fat yogurts or cheeses. Rather than potato chips, cakes and cookies, low-fat snacks like popcorn or pretzels are better choices.

Encourage your child to eat only when she/he is hungry and not as a ritual. Serve family meals only in the kitchen or dining room without any other distractions like the television.

A glass of fresh juice has fiber that can help your child feel more full and satisfied, and it has fewer calories. Encourage your child to have more juices and reduce the consumption of colas and other aerated drinks.

In order to make a child successfully lose weight, you need to pack a nutritious lunch for school. Learn different ways of packing extra nutrition for lunch without making the food boring.

Kids love display of color and if you experiment on their food with natural colors they would rather enjoy eating their food. Fruits and vegetables can create a rich color palette with full wide range of flavors and textures.

Fill up half of the plate with fruits and veggies at each meal, because kids are often fascinated by oddly shaped fruits and vegetables.

Foods that have a higher fiber content take longer for the body to digest and keep the body feeling full longer. So you need to choose foods that have got bulk of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants without being removed from the grain, to help nourish the growing body.

Eating every three hours helps to regulate blood sugar, decreasing the hunger sensation. Keep fresh fruit where kids can easily access. Keep a container with sliced vegetables for a quick and easy snack.

Healthy Diet For Kids

A well-balanced diet, comprising of all the required nutrients and having just the right amount of calories, is vital for the proper growth of children. While planning the diet for your children, never ever concentrate on one type of food items only. They should be made to consume a wide variety of food stuff, to make sure that they get all the essential nutrients and have a balanced diet. Keep a check on their fast-food intake and make sure that they never skip their meals. To get some more tips on healthy diet for kids, go through the following lines.

My Secret Wight Loss Tips For No Workouts 

Planning Healthy Diet For Children

Carbohydrates

A major portion of your kids' diet should comprise of carbohydrates, providing them the energy needed for their growth and development. Carbohydrates also boost the immune system, aid various developmental processes and are essential for storage and transport of energy. Make rice, wheat, maize, bread, pasta, and the like, a part of your children's daily food.

Fruits & Vegetables (Various Nutrients)

Include lost and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your kids' daily diet. They will provide them with vitamins, minerals, fiber and lots of other nutrients. Since they are low on calories, you will not have to worry about you child's waistline as well. It is suggested that you give 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables to your kids, on a daily basis, in the form of salads, juices, puddings, smoothies, milk shakes, etc.

Milk & Other Dairy Products (Calcium)

Milk is one of the food items that should be necessarily made a part of your kids' diet. Apart from direct consumption, you can give it to them in the form of dairy products, like milk, cheese, butter and yogurt, as well. Milk contains a lot of nutrients, right from proteins and fats to calcium and vitamins, making it beneficial in the growth and development of children.

Proteins & Iron

For a kid, who is at the growing stage of his life, it is necessary to consume the right amount of proteins. The nutrient helps aid the proper functioning of the body, apart from being useful in building muscles and forming a part of hemoglobin. So, make sure your kid eats protein-rich foods, like fish, eggs, meat, and pulses. Iron is another nutrient necessary for the growth of a child. It can be given in the form of green leafy vegetables, liver and rice flakes.

Fatty Foods

While some amount of fats is needed by children, make sure that you do not let them consume oily and fatty foods in excess. Keep them away from fast foods, which are high in calories and low on nutrients, as well as soft drinks, as much as possible. Do not forbid them altogether. Just make sure that your kids have it in moderation and never ever replace them for other important food items.

My Secret Wight Loss Tips For No Workouts 

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is a popular beverage that originated almost 4,000 years ago. This tea is consumed in many parts of the world due to its taste and various health benefits. Native to China, green tea has gradually grown to become one of the most popular beverages (hot and cold) and consumed by many around the world. Nonetheless, like other teas, green tea is also made of the leaves of ‘Camellia sinensis’, although the latter has medicinal properties. 

This is because; green tea is not fermented unlike most other teas, the antioxidant, epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG), remains intact in the tea dust or leaves. This is the main constituent that gives green tea its health benefits. The benefits of green tea are varied—right from treating a person suffering from a headache to that of curing someone suffering from depression. To know more about the health benefits of drinking green tea, go through the following lines.

Nutritional Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea

Green tea is helpful in lowering LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol. As a result, no blood clots are formed in the body, thereby reducing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

The greatest benefit of drinking green tea is that it assists the body in burning extra calories. It supplements energy in the body, thereby helping in the oxidization of fats.

A decrease in the inflammation across blood vessel walls is observed when a person drinks green tea regularly. This is mainly because of its antioxidant properties, which, in turn, helps prevent arthritis.

The advantages of drinking green tea include combating cancer, especially lung cancer.

Green tea prevents the formation of substances that lead to the narrowing of arteries, thereby, easing blood flow and pressure.

For those suffering from diabetes, consuming green tea proves to be very useful, as it helps in controlling the production of the enzyme ‘amylase’. This reduces the rate of conversion of starch to sugar. Green tea improves glucose and lipid metabolism and prevents in the extreme rise of blood sugar level in the body.

Green tea works as an antibacterial and antiviral agent and also helps in treating influenza and diarrhea.

Drinking green tea on a regular basis, is helpful in relieving a person from stress and tautness.

Consumption of green tea helps in delaying the onset of osteoporosis and also improves bone structure.

In the case of smokers and alcoholics, the antioxidants present in green tea protect the liver against toxins.

Prevention of dental plaque and tooth decay is another important benefit of green tea and its extracts.

Drinking green tea has been proven advantageous time and again, in treating impaired immune functions. 

Buying & Storing Tips

Good quality green tea is yellow-green or pale green in color.

Green tea is considered fresh if the aroma is slightly sweet, with a grassy scent.

Purchase green tea in small amounts to ensure that only fresh tea is consumed.

Store green tea in tight opaque containers to protect it from moisture, food odors and sunlight. You can use ceramic containers or dark glass containers for storing green tea.

Avoid using tins for storing green tea.

Make sure to store green tea in a container perfect for its size. The container must not be half-empty. This way the contents will be protected from oxidation.

Place green tea in a cool, dry and dark place, such as cupboards. Green tea is susceptible to odors from other foods and moisture when stored in refrigerators.

Green tea that is frozen loses its taste and fragrance upon condensation.

Cooking Tips

Infuse green tea in spring water or filtered water. Avoid using distilled water for making green tea. This is because the minerals in spring or filtered water will help the green tea release its flavor. However, distilled water only makes the green tea taste bland. You can prepare green tea in small teapots using 3 ounces of tea and 6 ounces of water. Likewise, you can brew 4 ounces of tea in 8 ounces of water for more people. 

If you are preparing loose tea using green tea leaves, remember that a teaspoon of small, dense leaves will possess a stronger flavor than a teaspoon of large leaves. Thus, you might require more teaspoons of large leaves to brew green tea when compared to a teaspoon of small, dense leaves.

How To Enjoy

Consume green tea with ginger, lemon or mint and add honey before serving.

You can prepare green tea with hot vanilla soy milk, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger or any other spice.

You can cook Japanese Udon noodles in green tea and then dress the noodles in soy sauce and sesame oil. Add mushrooms, scallions, tofu and cilantro for added flavor.

You can mix green tea with fruit juices such as papaya, pineapple or peach along with a spoon of honey.