Benefits of Eating Bananas

DEPRESSION:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

ANEMIA:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

BLOOD PRESSURE:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

BRAIN POWER:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

CONSTIPATION:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

HANGOVERS:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

HEARTBURN:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

MORNING SICKNESS:
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

MOSQUITO BITES:
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

NERVES:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system..

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

ULCERS:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL:
Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has FOUR TIMES the protein, TWICE the carbohydrate, THREE TIMES the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around .

Health benefits of rice

Regular rice is much maligned and is fast being dropped in favour of its unpolished avatar. But are the charges valid? Sports nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar separates the grain from the husk 

The Chinese eat rice with every meal, breakfast included, and the average Chinese on the street is thin, if not skinny. In our country, however, we are getting skeptical about rice and yes, we are all getting fatter. We either give up rice or replace it with wheat or 'brown' rice. What is wrong with this approach? 

Replacing rice with wheat is not a good idea since it means reducing your intake of amino acids (protein's building blocks) and Vitamin B. As for brown rice, it has the outer layer (husk and bran) intact thereby making it high in fibre. Now of course we want fibre but if your rice has more fibre than you can digest, brown rice will only cause indigestion. On the other hand, rice that emits blinding whiteness may not be the best source of nutrients either. 

Thus, to get the best of both worlds, polish your rice to the extent that helps it retain its nutrients (proteins, Vitamin B and fibre) and looks brownish or reddish. Remove the outer bran but allow the rice grain to show off its brown/red strains. Don't worry, this won't compromise the taste and yes, you can eat basmati rice with the brown/red strains as well. 

The protein in this rice (red-rice or hand-polished rice) is absorbed much better by your body than in brown rice. It is also way easier to cook and digest as compared to brown rice. It is easy to digest, easy to absorb, easy to assimilate proteins from and easier on your excretory system too. This is exactly how the farming community of India eats its rice. 

In fact, Ayurveda uses ricebased diets in treating various imbalances in the body. Dal-chawal is a nutritious meal, possessing the entire spectrum of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. It also accelerates fat burning. In fact, the essential amino acid methionine found pre-dominantly in rice helps mobilize fat from the liver. As India is dominantly vegetarian, getting proteins from rice, especially the essential amino acid methionine and the conditionally essential amino acid (becomes essential under conditions of stress) tyrosine is crucial for us. Diabetics should also eat rice since they need these proteins. 

Know that rice is not a bad thing. The bad thing is when we mindlessly decide if one thing is good for us and that if we do it a lot, it becomes only better. We do that with rice so often now. A humble dal chawal meal is so satiating that it makes you eat slower and improves your chances of eating the right amount (the cornerstones of fat loss or accelerated metabolism, good digestion and health itself). 

Rice is auspicious in both China and India: the dead are offered rice to wish them good health for life outside their physical selves. It is sad then, that in India, even when we are still in our bodies, we make fads out of rice.

Family history no clue to risk of breast cancer

No family history of breast cancer should not make Indian women aged 40-49 to stop yearly screening the disease.

More than half the women aged 40-49 diagnosed with breast cancer on screening mammography report no family history, a new study shows. The study, conducted at Rochester of all breast cancers diagnosed between 2000 and 2010, found that 228 out of 373 cancers (61%) were found in women, aged 40-49 with no family history of breast cancer.

"Out of 211 women we looked at finally in this study, 135 (64%) who did not have a prior personal history of breast cancer or abnormal cells and had no family history of breast cancer, had the disease," said Stamatia Destounis , study's lead author.

Screening mammography rate in India is abysmally low. WHO's latest World Health Statistics (WHS) said less than 5% women, aged 50-69 years, underwent screening by mammography in India between 2000-2003 .

Among women, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality, accounting for 16% of cancer deaths globally. "Less than a quarter of women globally undergo breast cancer screening. In India, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. One in 26 women in India are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime," WHO said.

Dr Bhavana Sirohi, breast cancer specialist said screening should actually start from age 45 on Indian women. "Indian women attain menopause five years before the women in the West making the former more susceptible . That's why women in Indian should be screened from age 45."

How to Run - Jogging Tips

Running incorrectly can injure you. Fitness expert Leena Mogre tells you how to step right 

If you are planning to participate in the marathon, or want to just include running in your daily fitness routine, congratulations on your decision. Good on you for picking a easy, low investment, high returns and most of all, highly effective form of exercise. 

Running is great cardio and it improves the body's immunity while reducing the risk of stroke and cancer. It's a complete exercise that tones calves, thighs, abdominal, back and shoulder muscles. It strengthens the heart's capacity to pump more blood and lungs' capacity to extract oxygen from the air, relieving stress. Best of all, it slows down the aging process. 

But before you take flight, you've got to get your posture and form right to save yourself from injury and get the most out of your jog. Leena Mogre helps you gear up for the dream run. 

The right way to run 
Posture 
Keep your body straight while running. A slouching posture leads to deactivation of muscles in parts of the body, especially the back, causing injury. An upright posture puts less pressure on the knees and facilitates a swifter run. Some people clutch their fists too tight and transfer the rigidity to rest of the body. Keep you arms enough so that even if you were holding a wafer, it wouldn't break. 

Don't stomp 
Hear the sound your feet are making to know if you are running right. If there is absolutely no sound then you are running perfectly. You must land on the peds of your feet, below your toes, putting pressure neither on the heel nor on the toes. Letting your feet fall loose on the ground with a stomping action sends shock waves to the shin bone, the knees and the back, causing injury. 

Hydrate your body 
People experience pain on the one side of the stomach after running for sometime. Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for the same. Having a glass of water (at room temperature) 30 minutes before running can help avoid the pain. Dehydration can also cause muscle crams. If your routine lasts more than 30 minutes, sip water or sports drinks that have glucose and essential salts lost through sweating. Running on an empty stomach may lead to dizziness. Having a banana 15-20 minutes before. 

Breathe through the nose 
Breathing through the mouth dehydrates and tires you quickly. Breathe through the nose if you want to run for a longer time. 

Over running is harmful 
Build stamina gradually by starting to run for at least five minutes. Your muscles take time to get used to running. Pay attention that there is no strain on your lungs or leg muscles while running. If you feel any kind of cramp, it's better to stop and take rest. Stretch your schedule by five minutes every two to three days and see if you are comfortable completing the target. 

Preparation 
Get the right shoes 
Many people run in casual sneakers which are not meant for running. It could cause serious harm to the knees because the shoes are not designed to support body weight while running. Buying a branded pair which has been designed for the specific purpose after scientific research. People with flat feet should opt for shoes with an orthotic insole, which provides an artificial arch to supplement better body posture and feet co-ordination. 

Warm-up 
Running should start with warm-up, followed by stretching, running, cool down and stretching again. Breaking into sweat is a sign that your body is ready for strenuous physical activity. 

Strengthen calves and shin 
After the heart muscle, which works the hardest while running, the calf muscles are the most used. They help regulate blood flow from bottom to top. Standing and sitting calf raises help strengthen them. » Stand on a raised surface such that the heels are lower than the toes. Put your weight on the toes and raise you heels as far as you can. Fall back again and perform three sets of 20 repetitions. » Sit on your toes on a platform, raise your heels and bring them down again. Flex your calves at the top of this movement for one count. Return to the start position and repeat. » The shin muscles take the weight of the body when the foot lands on the ground. To strengthen it, rest your heel on a raised surface such that the toes are on a lower level. Raise the toes up and down for 20 repetitions. Do three sets. 

Quit smoking 
The heart and lungs come under immense stress while r u n n i n g . S m o k i n g before running reduces the capacity of lungs to pump oxygen. 

Diet 
- The running body burns muscle, so the activity has to be supplemented with proper diet so that you don't lose muscle mass. Include a lot of carbohydrates, protein and calcium content in your diet. 

- To strengthen shins, rest your heel on a raised surface such that the toes are on a lower level. Raise the toes up and down for 20 repetitions. Do three sets 

- Stand on a raised surface with heels are lower than the toes. Come up on toes and fall back. Do 20 repetitions in three sets to strengthen calves

Health Vs wake up time