9 yoga poses to reduce tension and back pain

1. Supports Digestion: Corn is high in both soluble fiber- helps in blocking cholesterol absorption by turning into a gel like consistency, and insoluble fiber-prevents constipation and intestinal problems by promoting soft and bulky stool, thus reducing the chances of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, diarrhea, constipation, hemorrhoids as well as colon cancer.

2. Eye Care: Lutein and Zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids detectable in our eye lens, which protect the clear proteins in the lens from oxidation causing them to become cloudy (cataract), and in reducing the risk of macular degeneration i.e. impairment of vision at the center of your line of sight. Beta-carotene, in corn, helps in producing vitamin A, thus supporting better vision.

3. Prevents Atherosclerosis: The carotenoid, Lutein, a potent antioxidant in corn, helps prevent hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) that can lead to heart attack and stroke.

4. For Stronger Bones: Corn contains beta-cryptoxanthin, a natural carotenoid pigment, which slows age related bone loss, reducing the risk of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis as well as various forms of cancer.

5. Prevents Anemia: Vitamin B12, folic acid and iron deficiency are known causes for Anemia. Corn contains a significant amount of all these vital nutrients.

6. For Instant Energy: Corn is a complex carb, so it gets digested at a slow pace, providing balanced energy levels. Pantothenic acid, an energy enhancing B vitamin, is used by the mitochondria to transform more complex carbs into glucose, a form of usable energy. Beta-carotene, which increases supplies of hemoglobin, a protein that delivers oxygen to cells, preventing fatigue.

7. Lowers LDL Cholesterol: Vitamin C, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids, control cholesterol levels and increase blood flow. Corn oil has anti-atherogenic effect on cholesterol levels by reducing cholesterol absorption by the body, thus preventing atherosclerosis and scavenging free radicals throughout the body.

8. Prevents Diabetes and Hypertension: Phytochemicals regulate and manage non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Pantothenic acid, a B Vitamin, helps in carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism, preventing stress by supporting the functioning of adrenal glands.

9. Strengthens Connective Tissue: Manganese strengthens the connective tissues (bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and cartilage.) by keeping blood sugar levels stable, and breaking down carbs and fat to provide energy. Other abundant minerals like magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus also assist in development of healthy bones.

10. Anti-Cancer: Also ferulic acid, a phenolic compound found in corn is effective against liver and breast tumors. Fiberaids alleviate digestive problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids, as well as lower the risk of colon cancer. Beta-cryptoxanthin, an orange-red carotenoid, has antioxidant properties that are linked to significantly lowering the risk of lung cancer.

11. For Pregnancy: Deficiency of folic acid in pregnant women can cause miscarriages and also cause neural tube defects at birth. Corn is a rich source of Folic acid.

12. Beneficial for Heart: Corn oil has an anti-atherogenic effect on cholesterol and an optimal fatty acid combination, enabling omega-3 fatty acids to remove the damaging bad cholesterol and replace them at the bonding sites. This prevents clogging of arteries, reduced blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. Corn grain is high in folate, a type of B-vitamin that is known to reduce homocysteine, an inflammatory marker attributed to heart diseases.

13. Prevents Alzheimer’s disease: Thiamine, also called the brain nutrient, helps synthesize acetylocholine, a neurotransmitter that helps strengthen the memory, delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and development of age related senility.

14. Youthful Skin and Hair: Corn starch can be used to soothe skin irritation and rashes and is a rich source of beta-carotene, which forms vitamin A, vital for healthy hair and skin. Vitamin C and lycopene are potential antioxidants, providing UV protection and increased collagen production, critical to maintain elasticity and suppleness in the skin, and for lustrous hair.

15. For Weight loss: Nutrients in corn stimulates the thyroid gland, to produce more triiodothyronine(T3) hormone, that spikes the body’s fat burning metabolic rate. Insoluble fiber also lowers binge eating by increasing a sense of fullness and satiety.

16. Rich source of vitamins: Corn is rich in vitamin B constituents, especially Thiamin and Niacin. Thiamin is essential for maintaining nerve health and cognitive function. Niacin deficiency leads to Pellagra (symptoms of diarrhea, dementia and dermatitis). Pantothenic acid, which is an essential vitamin for carbohydrate, protein, and lipid metabolism in the body. Folic acid for fetal neural development and vitamin E, an essential growth natural antioxidant.

17. Minerals Store: Corn contains abundant minerals phosphorous, along with magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron and copper are found in all varieties of corn. It also contains trace minerals like selenium. Phosphorous is essential for regulating normal growth, bone health and optimal kidney functioning. Magnesium is necessary for maintaining a normal heart rate and for increasing bone strength.

1. Cardamom fight against gas. It helps to relieve gas and heart burn.
2. Cardamom gives instant relief from the headache.(applying the paste over forehead gives the relief.)
3. Cardamom is useful for the protection against heat stroke. One should chew a cardamom while going outside home in sun.
4. Aromatic cardamom acts as breath freshener because of its fragrance.
5. Cardamom is very good refinement spice against caffeine. (detoxifies caffeine).
6. Helpful in balancing all the three doshas that’s why termed as “tridoshic”Little quantity of cardamom is beneficial in balacing kapha”.
7. Useful in various kinds of respiratory disorders. In sore throat beneficial.
8. Cardamom also helps in asthma and whooping-cough. Make a paste by adding cardamom powder and honey. Regular use of this mixture will give you relief from asthma and whooping-cough.
9. Cardamom has very good anti-spasmodic abilities so it is very helpful in stopping spasms and tremors.
10. Cardamom helps in the stimulation and regulation process of discharge of gastric juices and balances stomach acids.
11. Cardamom helps greatly to cure teeth gum and tooth infections.
12. Cardamom supports the detoxification process of the body and helps to filter the entire body.
13. Cardamom is useful in the problems of urinating. You just have to eat cardamom added in to amla, curd, or honey.
14. Cardamom warms the respiratory tract and by doing this, it increases the circulation to the lungs.
15. It helps those suffering from stomach cramps (cardmom +long pepper+clarified butter).
16. Cardamom is a boon for vocalists as it helps in improving voice.
17. It has some role in relieving hiccups.
18. It is one of the antidepressant in Ayurveda.
19. Good remedy in vomiting.
20. Cardamom’s aroma has encouraging effects on the nervous system. It gives healthy feelings during the period of weakness.

Obesity:
• Fat is stored in the body as a reserve of energy
• Excessive fat in the body leads to obesity
• A useful measure of body weight is BMI or Body Mass Index
• When a person weighs 20% over the ideal body weight, he or she is obese

Causes:

• Excessive intake of high calorie food
• Genetic factors
• Metabolic disorder
• Certain medications

Natural home remedy using honey and lemon juice:
1. Take 1 glass of warm water
2. Add 1 tsp of honey
3. Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice
4. Mix well
5. Drink in the morning on an empty stomach

Natural home remedy using lemon juice, black pepper and honey:

1. Take 1 cup of water
2. Add 3 tsp of lemon juice
3. Add a pinch of powdered black pepper
4. Add 1 tsp of honey
5. Mix well
6. Drink 2 times everyday for 1-2 months

Natural home remedy using triphala powder:

1. Take 2 tbsp of triphala powder, a commonly available ayurvedic herb
2. Mix it in 500 ml water
3. Heat for 5 min
4. Strain the liquid
5. You may add honey to taste
6. Drink this 2 times everyday

Tips:

• Eat 2 ripe tomatoes first thing in the morning
• Have a bowl of cabbage once everyday. Cabbage contains tartaric acid, which restricts the
   conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat

These remedies are based on the principles of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of healing, and are completely natural, non-invasive, and can be prepared at home. Consult your doctor if the symptoms persist.  Refer to the terms of use.

If you find that you are needing to drink coffee just to get through the day, or you can’t begin to function without a cup, then you might be lacking sleep or something in your diet.  As much as I love the stuff, I wouldn’t mistake coffee for being a healthy food!

However coffee has joined the ranks of unlikely foods with health benefits (like wine and dark chocolate).  A growing body of research shows that coffee drinkers, compared to nondrinkers, are:

less likely to have type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia
have fewer cases of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems, and strokes
“There is certainly much more good news than bad news, in terms of coffee and health,” says Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, nutrition and epidemiology professor at the Harvard School of Public Health.

However please be aware that it isn’t proven that drinking coffee will prevent these health conditions!  Drinking coffee excessively will increase levels cortisol (of the stress hormone) and probably cause a dependence on caffeine,  Here are 10 ways coffee may benefit you, however you should cut out or at the very least, limit the sugar and milk!

1. Gallstone Prevention
Harvard researchers in 2002 found that women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were at a 25 percent lower risk of gallstones. An earlier study found similar results for men.

2. Depression Prevention
Women who drank two to three cups of daily coffee were 15 percent less likely to develop depression, and those drinking four cups were 20 percent less likely, according to a 2011 report in the “Archives of Internal Medicine.”

3. Memory Improvement
Coffee can help with both long- and short-term memory. In a 2005 study presented at the Radiological Society of North America, researchers found that consuming two cups of caffeinated coffee improved short-term memory and reaction times.

Interestingly, a 2007 study found that women — but not men — who were 65 or older who drank more than three cups of coffee each day performed better on memory tests and were less likely to show memory decline than those who drank just one cup a day.

Although researchers have known for some time that coffee can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of South Florida in 2011 found that a distinctive interaction between caffeine and coffee might be why. They recommend drinking four to five cups daily, starting in middle age, to increase GCSF, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, which is decreased in Alzheimer’s patients and improves memory in mice.

4. Less Risk for Diabetes
Studies suggest that coffee drinkers are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, with those putting away four or more cups daily 50 percent less likely. A January 2012 report in the ‘Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry” might explain why. It attributes the effect to compounds in coffee that block hIAPP, a polypeptide that can result in abnormal protein fibers, which are found in people with Type 2.

5. Decreases Cancer Risk
Coffee consumption has been associated with decreased risk of breast, endometrial, prostate and liver cancers, and those linked with obesity, estrogen and insulin. A 2008 Swedish study found that drinking at least two to three cups a day reduced the risk or delayed the onset of breast cancer.

A 2011 study in “Breast Cancer Research” found that drinking five or more cups could translate into a 20 percent less chance of developing estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer. And, citing research on coffee’s effect on diabetes, researches also found that drinking more than four cups a day was linked with a 25 percent reduced risk for endometrial cancer.

But it’s not just the women who luck out. A recent study out of the Harvard School of Public Health found that both regular and decaf coffee resulted in reduced risk of prostate cancer.

6. Metabolism Boost
Coffee might help you maintain — or even lose — weight. A study as far back as 1980 found that the caffeine found in coffee stimulates the metabolism, but that only “normal,” rather than obese, subjects experienced greater oxidation of fat.

When you think of coffee, you usually think of the beverage. However, if your focus is weight loss, green coffee extract could be an effective aid. Following a 6 month study of 16 overweight adults, researchers discovered that participants given green coffee bean extract had undergone significant weight loss with 37.5% of them transitioning from being at a pre-obesity weight to a normal weight range. If you’re battling the bulge, consider complementing your workouts by looking at the green bean capsule aisle of your local health nutrition store.

7. Lower Risk for Parkinson’s Disease
The “Journal of the American Medical Association” in 2000 found that the caffeine intake associated with coffee translated into a lower risk of developing Parkinson’s. A 2010 study found that drinking two to three cups of coffee daily can mean up to a 25 percent less chance of developing the disease.

8. Antioxidative Properties
Harvard researcher Edward Giovannucci, in research published in “Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention,” noted that coffee has more antioxidants than most vegetables and fruits. In fact, a 2005 study found that coffee is the No. 1 source for antioxidants in the American diet. That’s a reflection of the volume of coffee consumed in this country, and how much is making it into the bloodstream is unclear.

9. Performance-Enhancing Benefits
Coffee — and the caffeine in it — has been shown in multiple studies to increase both endurance and short-term performance. A 2008 study concluded that the benefit of caffeine before exercise occurs during endurance events, stop-and-go events and long-term high-intensity activity. It also can help athletes perform better during strength training — even when sleep-deprived — if taken one hour before exercise at the rate of 4 mg for every kg of body weight.

10. Gout Prevention
A 2007 study of men older than 40 linked long-term coffee consumption with a lower risk of gout, an inflammatory condition caused by elevated levels of uric acid. Decaf and regular both had an effect, and those drinking six cups a day experienced as much as a 60 percent lower risk of gout.

Diabetes:
• Sugar or glucose in our diet, provides energy to the body
• Diabetes occurs when the sugar concentration in the blood increases

Causes:

 Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It facilitates the movement of glucose from the blood to
 the liver, muscles and fat cells.

The causes for diabetes are:

• Type 1 Diabetes: Body is incapable of producing insulin
• Type 2 Diabetes: Body becomes resistant to insulin
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also result in temporary diabetes

Natural home remedy using bitter gourds:

1. Remove the skin and seeds of 4-5 bitter gourds
2. Crush them to a make a paste
3. Press this paste on a sieve an extract the juice
4. Drink this juice on an empty stomach every morning

Natural home remedy using cinnamon powder:

1. Boil 1 L of water
2. Let it simmer for 20 min on low flame
3. While simmering, add 3 tsp of cinnamon powder
4. Strain the mixture
5. Drink entire amount of this water everyday

Natural home remedy using fenugreek seeds:
1. Take 4 tbsp of fenugreek seeds
2. Soak them in 250 ml water overnight
3. Crush them in the morning
4. Strain the mixture and collect the water
5. Drink it everyday for 2 months

Tips:
• Eat 8-10 black berries daily
• Lower the consumption of sugar in your diet. Avoid sugary foods like sweets and cakes

These remedies are based on the principles of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of healing, and are completely natural, non-invasive, and can be prepared at home. Consult your doctor if the symptoms persist.  Refer to the terms of use.

Try out natural hair masks the next time you want to give your hair a deep treatment.

Treating your hair to a deep, nourishing mask every few weeks will make the world of difference. Women have been looking after their locks for decades - way before famous brands were around - so what did they use to use to give wonderful shine and soft-to-touch finish?

There are an astonishing amount of items in your kitchen which are great to use on your tresses. One which may surprise you is the banana, which is high in potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
Pop the mushy filling into a bowl or food processor and mix into a smooth paste. You want to make sure it's lump free as any small bits may prove tricky to rinse out.

Once easy to handle simply apply it to your hair and cover with a shower cap or plastic bag to stop the dripping. Or, if you wanted to really stimulate your roots to absorb extra nutrients, use your hair dryer after around 20 minutes to allow the banana to set.
Then all you have to do is rinse out the fragrant mixture, using a fine-toothed comb if needed as well as your regular shampoo.
If dry hair is your problem you may be brave enough to try out the next option.

Mayonnaise is a cheap, easy to purchase beauty treatment for your dehydrated locks. The gloopy white mixture is packed full of oil, which is guaranteed to add an extra shine and moisture to your hair. You don't need to go out and buy a whole new jar - a little amount will go a long way for this process.

Pop a small dollop of mayonnaise onto your hand and work it through your hair from roots to the tips. If the eggy smell is too much for you add a drop of scented oil to the mixture before applying.

You can leave this on for up to an hour to ensure your hair soaks up the oil before rinsing out thoroughly and shampooing.
Not all old-fashioned hair masks are made up of squidgy ingredients. One suggestion aimed at getting rid of dandruff is lemon and olive oil. Make sure your oil is plain - a flavoured one won't leave the nicest of smells!

All you need to do is squeeze two table spoons of fresh lemon juice into a small bowl with the same amount of olive oil and water. Mix thoroughly and rub into your hair, wrapping a warm damp towel over your hair to make sure no excess liquid evaporates. The good thing about this method is that it can be done once or twice a week as it's easy to make, apply and doesn't leave you with banana or mayonnaise smeared hands.

• Cardiovascular Health – If you enjoy eating Mediterranean or Far Eastern food you’ll notice that garlic is used a lot.The good news is that people from areas also have low incidences of cardiovascular disease.

• Cholesterol can be a confusing area of health. On one hand it is essential whilst on the other hand it can kill us. This is because there are two types of Cholesterol – HDL and LDL. The latter type is considered bad. Modern medicine has found that garlic contains allicin which scavenges hydroxyl radicals (OH). This is turn is thought to prevent LDLs from being oxidised. Unfortunately a number of studies that have been carried out have shown mixed results. It only goes to show how much more seriously natural remedies needs to be taken. Of course, we all know that there’s no incentive for drug companies to research natural products due to the lack of financial reward. If you have problems with high cholesterol go ahead and take some garlic. Just make sure it’s part of a balanced diet and you don’t ignore your doctor’s advice.

• Antioxidant – Allicin naturally increases antioxidant enzymes atalase and glutathione peroxidase in your blood. It can help against the damaging effects of nicotine and slows the aging process of your liver by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

• Anti-Bacterial – Garlic has 1% of the potency of penicillin and can ward off a number of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptococcal meningitis, Candida albican and Staphylococcus. The problem with most antibiotics is that bacteria develops resistance to them, however this is not the case with garlic. These benefits were first realized back in the early 19th century when English priests caught infectious fever. The French priests, who ate garlic every day, didn’t.

• Blood Clots – Clinical trials, which were published in the Journal of Hypertension, showed that the blood pressure of volunteers was reduced 1 – 5% after taking garlic supplements. This may not sound a lot but this small reduction can reduce the chance of a stroke by 30-40% and heart disease by 20-25%.

Some Pointers about Garlic:-

• Garlic is most effective when crushed or chopped and when raw.
• One clove a day will improve your health and 2-3 cloves will help prevent a cold.
• When cooking garlic wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking to add the garlic.
• Be careful about taking too much as it can irritate your digestive system.
• Don’t microwave garlic as this kills the active ingredients.
• Don’t take garlic instead of a healthy balanced diet.
• Always consult a doctor if you are unsure about anything.

• Juice of Drumstick when mixed in milk and obtainable to children greatly helps by strengthening their bones as it is said to be a huge source of Calcium. Also drumstick is said to be a great blood cleanser.

• Pregnant women must often eat drumsticks as it helps relieve any kind of pre and post delivery problem.

• Drumstick soup helps easiness any kind of chest congestions, coughs and painful throats.

• Inhaling vapor of water in which drumsticks have been boiled helps ease asthma and extra lung problem.

• Finally drumstick juice deeply adds to the flush on one’s face. Make a mix of drumstick and limejuice and pat it on your face. You will put your face glowing greatly.

• Drumstick increases starvation in a human being. Cures stomach ache, heals headache, cures blood consumption by motion, cleanses urinary water, Weekly take 2 times drumstick, it removes the high temperature in the body, gas problems.