WAYS TO IMPROVE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS

1.Decrease all oils and cooking mediums that solidify, such as vanaspati, ghee, oil or butter in your diet.

2.Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables they reduce the effects of  harmful cholesterol on the blood vessels.

3.If you are a non-vegetarian, try to take more of fish. Eat lean meats. Eat chicken without the skin. They should not be fried. Meat should be consumed only in small quantities and less frequently (prefer fish to fowl and fowl to flesh).

4.Eat 20-40 gms of unsalted, nonfried nuts or fruit seeds everyday.Restrict all forms of refined sugars.Restrict refined flours preparations, for example, biscuits, breads, naans, kulchas, cakes, pastries, mathris, other confectionaries, vegetable patty available in market.

5.Avoid tobacco. If you consume tobacco or smoke it then give it up.Work towards an ideal body weight. 

Skincare for the Summer

1. Stay hydrated. 

Your body tends to lose a lot of moisture in the summer, so it’s important to regularly replenish the H2O. Drink a lot of water and liquids and your skin will stay soft and moisturized as well.

2. Sun protection.

 If you can, try and stay indoors between 11am and 3pm. That’s when the sun’s rays are the strongest and can have an adverse effect on your skin. Also, don’t forget to apply that all-important sunscreen 30 minutes before you step out. If you’ve been out in the sun for a few hours, touch it up again so you’re well protected.

3. Use a toner. 

It’s important to keep your pores closed and skin cool by using a toner. Look for a brand that suits you or try rose water. Its natural cooling properties make it an excellent toner for the hot season.

4. Go for a water-based moisturizer. 

Don’t make the mistake of skipping the moisturizing routine altogether as it’s essential for your skin to remain hydrated. However, if you find your regular moisturizer too oily, go for a water-based one.

5. Ditch those aerated drinks. 

Most people have the tendency to reach out for an ice cold aerated drink to quench their thirst on a really hot day. However, it’s important to remember that these drinks are full of sugar that is not good for your skin or your figure. Instead drink some water, fresh lime, fresh fruit juices, aam panna (green mango drink) or coconut water to stay hydrated. It’s also best to minimize the intake of diuretics like alcohol and caffeine as they reduce the water from your system.

6. Cleanse your face twice a day. 

At least! This is important to do even if you’ve been home all day and feel like your skin is clean. Cleansing and moisturizing your skin before sleeping is an absolute must.

7. Exfoliate. 

More than the rest of the year, it’s really important to exfoliate your skin in the summer to remove dead skin and improve blood circulation to the face. Choose from any of the cosmetic scrubs available in the market or make one at home. Try this simple one using 4 to 5 tbsps of gram flour, a pinch of turmeric, 5 – 6 drops of rose water and milk or yoghurt. Mix it into a paste and use it to exfoliate your face. Follow it up with a facemask and moisturizer.

8. Don’t like your tan? 

Gram flour can also be used as a facemask to get rid of an uneven tan. Mix it with curd and a few drops of lemon and apply and leave it on your face till it’s dry. The citrus properties of the lemon are very effective in removing the tan.

9. Get that warm, summer glow.

 Papaya is full of natural goodness and you can even use it as a homemade pack. Just mash 2 tbsp of papaya with a tsp of honey and 1 egg white. Leave the mixture on your face for about 15 minutes and enjoy the glow you get afterwards.

10. Cool your skin. 

Blending half a cucumber and 1 tbsp of curd in the mixer can make another simple and effective homemade face pack. Apply this to your face for 15 minutes and feel completely pampered.

Bonus tip. Eat healthy, exercise and sleep well!

The holy trinity of good health and glowing skin holds true for the whole year. So along with all the tips above, don’t forget to eat a balanced diet, work out for at least 45 minutes every day and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

FOOD FOR GOOD SLEEP

Cherries

As per various agricultural surveys, cherries are one of the very few natural food resources of melatonin. It`s a chemical that regulates the internal clock of human body to control sleep patterns. Cherries, however, are not available round the year and hence, you can find a good substitute in dried cherries or its juice. To get more effects, one must eat cherries about an hour before bedtime. Grapes are another source of melatonin chemical, but is found in lesser amount as compared to cherries. So, if you are eating grapes instead, you have to eat more so as to get the same effect as cherries.

Bananas

Bananas are a rich source of magnesium and potassium which contain L-tryptophan, the amino acid that turns into 5-HTP when gets to brain and changes to serotonin and melatonin which are relaxing neurotransmitters. The natural muscle relaxing qualities in bananas make them the perfect food to intake before going to bed.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate and has the same effect as toast, however, the good part about oatmeal is that it is easier to digest and comes with plenty of other health benefits. It`s a rich source of vitamin B6 which is an anti-stress and relaxing vitamin as well as melatonin. Oatmeal can be comfortably found in your kitchen shelf. Just like oatmeal, pumpkin seed powder also helps in inducing sleep.

HERBS FOR CHOLESTEROL CONTROLLING

Unhealthy lifestyle and eating outdoors regularly can increase your risk of heart diseases. One way to maintain a healthy heart is to increase good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol. 

Cholesterol is something that the body needs to build and maintain cellular health. 

There are two kinds of cholesterol and they are:

LDL - this is the "bad" cholesterol that can cling to arterial walls and create blockages that result in strokes and heart attacks.

HDL - this is the good type that is going to actually protect you from heart disease.

We get cholesterol from our foods, but our bodies can also make it too. Hence this leads to high levels of cholesterol in the arteries.

Certain herbs can lower high cholesterol. These are:

1.Garlic: 

Garlic is the most common herb that is used in Indian cooking and no dish tastes the same without it. Having two to three garlic cloves a day can break down bad cholesterol and free it from the arterial walls.

2.Coriander: 

This green herb adds freshness, flavour and colour to any meal. Coriander is a diuretic that will flush out waste and even excess cholesterol.

3.Tulsi: 

Tulsi disintegrates cholesterol from the arteries and washes it from the body.

FOOD TO PROTECT HEART

1. Black beans: 

Black beans are packed with folate, antioxidants, magnesium which are good for lowering blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. This in turn keeps your heart in safe zone. 

2. Salmon and tuna: 

These two fish are rich in anti-oxidants and omega-3, two important candidates who help heart.

3. Walnuts: 

A handful of them a day helps lower your cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the arteries. Replace them as mid-meal snacks instead of chips etc.

4. Oranges: 

They contain cholesterol-fighting pectin. The fruit is also rich in potassium that helps control blood pressure. Antioxidant hesperidin also helps lower blood pressure.

5. Carrots: 

Though sweet, they are good to control diabetes, which increases heart attack risk. They also help fight bad cholesterol.

6. Sweet potatoes: 

They are rich in vitamin A, fiber and lycopene making them a healthy substitute for the white brethren.

7. Oats: 

Oats in all forms help your heart by lowering bad cholesterol.

8. Chilli powder: 

Difficult to believe, but these Indian tasty spice actually protects heart and body from diabetes with its ability to spike up the natural insulin levels in the body.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEETROOT JUICE

Daily intake of beetroot juice can provide you with a variety of health benefits. It contains a host of nutritional compounds like magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and calcium as well as small amounts of copper, selenium, zinc, iron and manganese. It can be consumed easily either cooked, or in salad or in the form of juice as one wishes too.

Here are a few health benefits of the beetroot juice:

1.A cup of beetroot juice helps reduce blood pressure level.

2.Drinking a glass of beetroot juice daily actually aids blood flow to the brain and halt age-related ailments like dementia.

3.It is an amazing antioxidant and helps prevent the formation of cancerous tumors.

4.Beetroot juice detoxifies the liver and also cures diseases of the digestive system.

5.Beetroot juice could energise the elderly to lead more active lives as it widens blood vessels and reduces the amount of oxygen needed by muscles during physical activity.

6.It is a very good source of folic acid and hence helps in providing protection against birth defects.

7.Beetroot juice lowers bad cholesterol level.

WHAT IS LDL AND HDL CHOLESTEROL?

Cholesterol is an integral part of each cell in the body. It is a waxy substance made naturally in the body. Your body needs some cholesterol to work properly and it can make all it needs from some fats in the diet.

Cholesterol may cause problems if your body makes too much or if you consume too much in your food. The extra cholesterol can deposit in the arteries and lead to blocked arteries. If an artery that supplies blood to your heart gets blocked, a heart attack occurs. If an artery that supplies blood to your brain gets blocked, a paralytic stroke occurs. Higher the cholesterol, greater is the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Not all cholesterol is harmful. There is a "bad" kind and a "good" kind. The "bad" kind is called LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol, and the "good" kind is called HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol. The bad cholesterol tends to block the arteries, but the good kind helps to clean up this bad cholesterol inside the arteries.