How to suppress your appetite naturally

There are healthy methods of keeping your appetite in check that will also help you lose weight.

Overeating and eating the wrong foods are the main reasons behind weight-gain. Many people struggle with nutrition because they do not understand the holistic nature of the concept. They generally do not have the desire nor the discipline to eat healthy food. As a result, they end up establishing unhealthy eating habits. Many of these unhealthy habits include emotional eating and indulging food cravings.

Many people adopt dieting as a form of weight-loss. However, eventually the fitness plan goes for a toss as the food cravings and the hunger pangs set in. It is very difficult to control hunger, especially when you are surrounded by appetizing delicacies at mealtimes. But if you managed to remove hunger pangs and food cravings from the equation, wouldn't dieting be so much simpler? That is where 'appetite suppression' comes into the picture.

Appetite is both a mental and a physical phenomenon. One of the simplest ways of controlling your body fat is to curb your appetite. By eliminating hunger and the desire for food, your daily calorie intake will drop below your maintenance level. This allows you to drop those excess pounds or to maintain your existing weight.

There are many strategies that help reduce hunger. In the following pages are a few things you can do to decrease your appetite naturally.

Kick the junk food habit

The easiest thing to do when you get hunger pangs is to reach for a bag of chips. Sometimes you might just get a food craving because your fridge is full of chocolate and ice cream. So do your body a favour and get rid all those snacks, candies, doughnuts and other bad foods that are making you gain weight. Just say 'no' to junk food

Start your day with fiber and protein

Fiber, when mixed with water, forms a bulk in your stomach that makes you feel less hungry. It also kills all your sugar cravings.

Protein, on the other hand, is a slow digesting food, which keeps you going for a longer period of time. Also, studies have shown that when protein is eaten at breakfast, it keeps you satisfied longer than when eaten at other meal times.

Thus, the best way to start your day is with oatmeal and some milk. Oatmeal will keep you fuller for longer

Drink lots of water

Water is calorie-free and an easy way to suppress your appetite.

Drinking water throughout the day and anytime you start to feel hungry deceives the brain into thinking the stomach is full. A recent study of people following a low-calorie diet found that people who drank two cups of water prior to their meals lost about 7 kgs in 12 weeks, as compared to the 5 kgs lost by those who did not.

Researchers say that water may be so effective simply because it makes people feel fuller and they then eat less calorie-containing foods during meals.

Drinking water deceives the brain into thinking the stomach is full

Sip green tea through the day

Don't like water? Have some green tea. Green tea is rich in nutrients and has been shown to help reduce the appetite. Like water, it also fools the brain into thinking that your stomach is full.

Green tea helps reduce the appetite

Exercise

Get enough sleep

Drink your meals

Eat small but frequents meals

Brush your teeth or use mouthwash

Disgust yourself

Blue all the way

People think that exercising increases hunger pangs, but it not only helps you burn calories, it also helps you consume less of them. Both aerobics and weight-training alter your body's hormone levels in a way that temporarily suppresses appetite.

A study published in the American Journal of Physiology showed that 60 minutes of high-intensity cardio three times a week can reduce the appetite for up to two hours afterwards. The study found that aerobic exercise lowers ghrelin (appetite-stimulating hormone) levels and increases the peptide YY (appetite-suppressing hormone) levels in your body. Weight training, on the other hand, lowers only the ghrelin levels.

Aerobics can actually help control your appetite

Get enough sleep

A shortage of sleep lowers the level of leptin in your body, which makes you feel hungrier. Make sure you get eight to nine hours of sleep each night to keep your energy high.

The more adequate your sleep, the less you'll need to eat to stay energetic

Drink your meals

Research at Pennsylvania State University shows that men and women who consume their meals in the form of drinks like whey milkshakes, soy milkshakes or even soups are 50 percent less likely to suffer hunger pangs during the day, as compared to their counterparts who eat the same amount of calories in the form of snack food.

Pass up snacks for soups

Eat small but frequents meals

Instead of having huge meals three times a day, you should have smaller but more frequent meals. This way, hunger does not build up and cause you to eat excessively.

Piling up a heavy plate thrice a day is not a good idea

Brush your teeth or use mouthwash

A lot of people don't feel like eating once they have brushed their teeth. Brushing gives your teeth a fresh and clean feeling, deterring you from wanting to eat immediately after.

Also, certain foods (especially foods that contain citric acid) react with the flouride to create a bad taste in your mouth. This flavour change has been shown to help deter people from wanting to eat more.

You won't want to eat immediately after brushing

Disgust yourself

This is a bit extreme, but the last thing that will be on your mind when you are disgusted is food. So the next time you feel hungry, look at an image of something that is unattractive or gross. You can even think of or smell something gross!

The terrible smell of a stinkhorn mushroom is sure to leave you without an appetite!

Blue all the way

The colour blue naturally decreases the appetite. So the next time you want to purchase dinner plates, go for the blue ones.

There are various appetite-suppressing supplements available in the market that can modify your brain signals to reduce hunger, but these will have a negative impact on your health in the long run. You'd rather stick to the natural ways.

A blue dining set will ensure you eat less

Health Tips

 

·          Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

 

·          Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

 

·          Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

Disable accidental clicks while typing on your laptop

 

If you've ever worked on a laptop computer with a touchpad it is inevitable that you will mistakenly touch the touchpad while typing, causing the mouse to jump or cursor to move and interrupt your typing. Download and install Touchpad Blocker, a fantastic free utility that can run in the background and detect and block any time you mistakenly touch the touchpad (or your computer thinks you have.) As can be seen in the picture to the right, this utility can be customized to help make sure it only blocks the real mistakes and can be easily turned on and off with a shortcut key.

Paracetamol Toxicity

Paracetamol toxicity is caused by excessive use or overdose of the

analgesic drug paracetamol (called acetaminophen in the United States). Mainly causing liver injury, paracetamol toxicity is one of the most common causes of poisoning worldwide. In the United States and the United Kingdom it is the most common cause of acute liver failure.

Many individuals with paracetamol toxicity may have no symptoms at all in the first 24 hours following overdose. Others may initially have nonspecific complaints such as vague abdominal pain and nausea. With progressive disease, signs of liver failure may develop; these include low blood sugar, low blood pH, easy bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy. Some will spontaneously resolve, although untreated cases may result in death.

 

Damage to the liver, or hepatotoxicity, results not from paracetamol itself, but from one of its metabolites, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine (NAPQI). NAPQI depletes the liver's natural antioxidant glutathione and directly damages cells in the liver, leading to liver failure. Risk factors for toxicity include excessive chronic alcohol intake, fasting or anorexia nervosa, and the use of certain drugs such as isoniazid.

 

Treatment is aimed at removing the paracetamol from the body and replacing glutathione. Activated charcoal can be used to decrease absorption of paracetamol if the patient presents for treatment soon after the overdose. While the antidote, acetylcysteine, acts as a precursor for glutathione helping the body regenerate enough to prevent damage to the liver. A liver transplant is often required if damage to the liver becomes severe. Patients treated early have a good prognosis while patients who develop major liver abnormalities typically have a poor outcome. Efforts to prevent paracetamol overdose include limiting individual sales of the drug and combining paracetamol with methionine, which is converted into glutathione in the liver.

Health benefits of dates

• Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
• Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being used to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times.
• The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.
• They contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
• They are moderate sources of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision. Additionally, it is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
• They compose antioxidant flavonoids such as ß-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. These antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, eating dates found to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
• Zea-xanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus offers protection against age-related macular degeneration, especially in elderly populations.
• Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
• Further, they are very good in potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
• They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
• Further, the fruit has adequate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

Health benefits of coconut water

• Coconut water is a very refreshing drink to beat tropical summer thirst. The juice is packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, and minerals to replenish hydration levels within the body.
• Research studies suggest that cytokinins (e.g., kinetin and trans-zeatin) in coconut water showed significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects.
• Coconut water has been generally offered to patients with diarrhea in many tropic regions to replace the fluid loss from the gastrointestinal tract and reduce the need for intravenous therapy. The osmolarity of tender coconut water is slightly greater than that of WHO recommended ORS (Oral Rehydration Therapy) osmolarity. Presence of other biological constituents like amino acids, enzymes, minerals, and fatty acids may account for this higher osmolarity. However, unlike WHO-ORS, its water is very low in sodium and chlorides, but rich in sugars and amino acids. This well-balanced fluid composition with much-needed calories would be an ideal drink than any other brand of soft drink beverages in dehydration conditions.
• Coconut water is composed of many naturally occurring bioactive enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, diastase, peroxidase, RNA-polymerases etc. In effect, these enzymes help in the digestion and metabolism.
• Despite very light consistency, its water has much better composition of minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc than some of the fruits like oranges. (Compare the mineral composition of oranges).
• Its water is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that the human body requires them from external sources to replenish.
• Coconut water contains a very good amount of electrolyte potassium. 100 ml of water has 250 mg of potassium and 105 mg of sodium. Together, these electrolytes help replenish electrolyte deficiency in the body due to diarrhea (loose stools).
• Further, fresh coconut water has a small amount of vitamin-C (Ascorbic acid); It provides about 2.4 mg or 4% of RDA. Vitamin C is a water-soluble ant-oxidant.

Hair Care

Hair clean-up 

An all-natural way to eliminate shampoo build-up and toxins in your hair is with apple cider vinegar. Rinse your hair once a week with one cup of apple-cider vinegar, found in grocery stores or health stores.

 

Hair styling fact 

Hair sets best as it is cooling, not when it is heated up from blow-drying. Whether using hot rollers or a blow dryer, apply hair spray after hair has cooled to maximize the style.

 

Salon style hair 

Want to achieve that salon style blowout at home? Separate your damp hair into several sections and blow-dry one at a time using a round or paddle brush. Taking the time to focus on each section will give you that overall salon look.

 

Hair helper 

Interested in trying out sculpting mud for your hair? Make sure you use a minimal amount of product to prevent weighing hair down. A good rule of thumb is to put a little bit on your fingertips and apply to the hair from the back of the head forward.

Treat Stress by Eating Bananas

Bananas contain nutrients that are good for health. Besides containing fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, bananas also contain nutritional stress reliever.

 

According to Genius Beauty, tryptophan Mino substances contained in the bananas are able to increase production of serotonin or known as the 'happy hormones'. The increase of this hormone is clearly a potent to improve your mood and stabilize emotions.

 

Bananas also contain vitamin B that help control the nervous system. Therefore, besides causing a sense of happiness, banana consumption also makes the body feel more relaxed.

 

Meanwhile, the content of potassium in bananas effectively stabilizes the heart rate so that oxygen supply to the brain is smooth. This is important, because in most cases the heart rate became irregular during stress.

Eye Care Tips for Computer Users

Changes to Computer Station

 

·         Keep the monitor at a distance of 20 to 30 inches or about an arm's length from your eyes.

·         Place the monitor in such a way that the top of the monitor is at a level slightly below the horizontal eye level.

·         Tilt the top of the monitor away from you at a 10- to 20-degree angle to create an optimum viewing angle.

·         Change your lighting to lower glare and harsh reflections. You can also use glare filters over your computer screen. A good test is to turn off the monitor and see what is reflected in the screen. Adjust the angle or position of the monitor to have no competing lights or reflections.

·         Background wall or structure behind monitor should not be too loud or shiny as it will distract you and cause more strain trying to focus on the screen.

·         Adjust the brightness to have a good contrast between letters and background. Replace the monitor if you notice any flickering.

·         Keep monitor screen clean from dust and finger prints.

·         Prefer an LCD over a CRT monitor as LCD screens are easier on the eyes and usually have an anti-reflective surface.

·         If you spend long hours entering data or reading long documents, try using a larger monitor so you can see the print on your computer screen better. You can also try increasing the font size to reduce eye strain.

·         Use proper adjustable chair to fine tune your eye level with the screen.

 

Eye Relaxing Exercises

 

·         People tend to reduce blink rate while working on computer. Blink your eyes often as it re-wets your eyes to prevent dryness and irritation. The more you blink the better it is for your eyes.

·         Look away from your computer at least every 20 to 30 minutes and gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds.

·         Close your eyes for a few minutes when your work requires prolonged data input into the computer.

·         Try to massage and relax the muscles around your eyes once in a while.

·         Strengthening your eye muscles with a series of eye exercises will go a long way to preventing eye strain.

·         Every 30 minutes, rub your palms against each other till they become warm and place them on your eyes making sure to block all light. Do this for at least a minute, longer if you have the time available to you. This exercise will give your eyes the much needed break from the brightness of the computer and your vision will be much clearer.

·         Take frequent breaks to stretch a little and to re-energize yourself. Get up from the chair and take a brief walk for a few minutes. A few minutes of walk will not only give your eyes a refreshing break but will also give your body and mind a break.

 

General Tips

 

·         Have a routine comprehensive eye exam every year with your certified ophthalmologist.

·         If possible, remove contact lens and use glasses while using PC.

·         Make your diet rich in vitamins (such as vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E) that keep your eyes healthy. Include foods like carrots, spinach, almonds, salmon etc.

·         Alternate computer activities with other tasks.

9 Health Benefits of Cheese

1.     Cheese is great for your teeth. Cheese is a food that is rich in calcium. Calcium is something that you need if you are going to have good, strong, healthy teeth. Cheese has been shown to reduce plaque and to stimulate saliva which helps to keep the mouth clean. If you dread going to the dentist because you don't want to hear that your teeth are getting bad then you might want to think about how cheese can help you out! (Of course, you do still have to brush and floss!!)

2.     Cheese is even better for your bones. For the same reason that cheese is great for your teeth, it's also great for your bones. Getting enough calcium means that you'll have strong, healthy bones. It may prevent osteoporosis and other bone problems associated with aging.

3.     Cheese helps pregnancy go more smoothly. Calcium-rich foods like cheese are great for pregnant women. One of the biggest benefits is that it can help stimulate contractions when it's time for the baby to come. It also helps to create proper milk production in the body to help feed the baby once it is born.

4.     Cheese can reduce problems associated with PMS. Women who aren't pregnant may find that cheese is good for them when their time of month comes around. That's because the calcium in cheese can prevent or reduce some of the symptoms associated with PMS.

5.     Cheese may be good for your skin. Cheese is a product that contains B vitamins. B vitamins are good for maintaining supple, healthy, glowing skin. You won't automatically get good skin because you eat cheese but it's one benefit to consider when including cheese in your diet.

6.     Cheese might prevent cancer. There are a lot of studies going on through which people are trying to determine how to prevent cancer. One thing that seems to be true is that CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid) may be a product that prevents cancer. Cheese contains CLA. Also, cheese may specifically help to prevent colon cancer due to its high calcium content.

7.     Cheese is good for people who suffer from migraine headaches. Getting enough calcium has been shown to reduce the problems that people have with migraines. Cheese, as has been noted here, is a terrific source of that calcium.

8.     Cheese can boost your immune system. Eating certain types of cheese has been found to actually have a positive effect on the immune system. This prevents many forms of illness and disease.

9.     Cheese is a leading product for people who need to gain weight. One of the reasons that cheese has a bad reputation as an unhealthy food is because it is a high-fat food and eating a lot of it can lead to weight gain. However, some people need to gain weight. Maybe you're an athlete that needs to bulk up or perhaps you're getting older and being too thin is starting to become dangerous for your health. Either way, cheese can be good for you. Of course, you need to eat in properly as part of a balanced diet and a lifestyle that includes exercise.

Honey and Cinnamon

CHOLESTEROL

¬  Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea, when given to a cholesterol patient, reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours.

¬  As mentioned for arthritic patients - If taken 3 times a day, it lowers the cholesterol level.

¬  As per the information received in a Medical Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

 

 

COLDS

¬  Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon of luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days.

¬  This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

 

TOOTHACHE

Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey, and apply on the aching tooth. This may be done 3 times a day (daily) till such time, that the tooth has stopped aching.

 

HEART DISEASES

¬  Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder. Apply on bread or chapatti instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast.

¬  It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from the risk of a heart attack.

¬  For those who have had an attack in the past, follow this process daily  and avoid the risk of another attack.

¬  Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat.

¬  In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have discovered that  the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged. Honey and Cinnamon improves blood flow.

 

PIMPLES

Take three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it the next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.