7 ways to stay healthy this rainy season

The rainy season may have its charms: the cool weather, the reason to wear jackets and the magnified pleasure of a cup of hot coffee or a bowl of hot soup.

But it has dangers as well, primarily in the form of diseases like dengue and in infectious bacteria and viruses that become active due to the high humidity brought about by repeated spells of rain.

Luckily, there are simple precautions we can take to stay in peak health condition during this tricky season. Here are some tips gleaned from IndiaParenting.com:

1. Wash your hands

Bacteria and viruses come alive during the monsoon and you can come into contact with them just by crossing the road or holding on to an infected railing or bench.

Wash your hands as frequently as you can with soap and warm water.

2. Don't touch your face

The flu virus commonly enters our body through the eyes, nose and mouth.

Resist the urge to scratch your eye or wipe your sweaty forehead. Bring a clean napkin or handkerchief instead.

3. Protect yourself from dirty water

Clogged gutters and dirty puddles are a common sight during rainy season. Unfortunately, they are sources of water-borne diseases like diarrhea, influenza, cholera and fungal skin infections.

Covering up is the best way to protect yourself from these diseases and still maintain your active life. Aside from a jacket, invest in a good pair of rain boots. In the Philippines, many commuters prefer wearing rubber slippers because, unlike most closed shoes, they dry fast and are easy to move around in.

But slippers leave your feet at the mercy of contaminated elements.

Rain boots are now available for a very cheap price and can be found in a range of styles and designs to suit anyone. They can be taken indoors and stored in lockers or in a bag underneath your office desk.

Rubber ones are light enough to carry in a backpack.

4. Avoid eating street food

While fish ball, kwek kwek and kikiam sold in the streets sound like a good idea any time of the year, the rainy season is when you should stay away from them. Food cooked and sold in the open air are likely to come in contact with airborne and waterborne diseases and bacteria.

Better to eat fresh, home-cooked meals. Why not cook fish balls at home?

5. Keep mosquitoes out

The mosquito population grows during monsoon because stagnant water — their choice breeding ground — becomes more common.

To keep mosquitoes out of your life, do some housecleaning. Look through flower pots, fountains, ditches, nooks and crannies that may be holding stagnant water. Clean them out and cover them until the end of the season.

Slather mosquito repellent over your body, especially when you go outdoors.

6. Drink herbal tea

Herbal tea has curative properties for coughs, colds and sore throat — common ailments during the rainy season.

To make it extra good for your body (not to mention pleasant and delicious), you can add body warming ingredients like cloves, ginger, pepper, basil and mint.

7. Make eucalyptus oil your best friend

The aroma of eucalyptus oil helps us breathe easily; this, in turn, relaxes the entire body. This substance can be your best friend during the rainy season when the nose gets clogged from flu and the body is maxed out from other diseases or even when dealing with just the extra strain of commuting in the rain.

There are several ways to breathe in its healing and calming aroma. You can dilute it in water and use it to steam your face.

rappler.com

Amazing Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Have you ever tried drinking coconut water? If not, then it’s about time you did. There’s a perfectly good reason why the coconut tree is called the tree of life and subsequently, the coconut as the fruit of life. Coconut can give the body lots of nutritional and health benefits that no other single fruit can. Coconut water, in particular, is very low in carbohydrates, sugars and fat. No wonder lots of people consider substituting it for their usual mineral water or energy drink. Here are the most amazing health benefits of coconut water.

Coconut water is probably the healthiest liquid that you can ever take in your entire life. It can give you much more than the health benefits that a commercially-produced thirst quencher can give. Here are some of the health benefits of coconut water that you might want to take note of:

1. Coconut water can help you loose fat

For weight conscious people, this one is one of the most important health benefits of coconut water. Because it is very low in fat, you can drink as much as you can without worrying about ingesting a lot of fattening agents, such as milk and the like. It can also help you feel full thus, decreasing your cravings for excessive foods.

2. Coconut water can help prevent diabetes

As mentioned before, it is also very low in sugar so you’re actually preventing the onset of diabetes if you drink it.

3. Coconut water can aid digestion

It has more hydrating properties than the average tap water so drinking it can certainly help your digestion well. Thus, you’ll be able to absorb food nutrients better and have easier bowel time when you drink it.

4. Coconut water can help fight viruses

Flu and herpes are some of the sicknesses caused by different kinds of viruses that attack the body. Coconut water has anti-viral and anti-fungal properties that can help you steer clear from these diseases and more!

5. Coconut water can help revitalize your cells and boost your metabolism

It contains less sodium and more potassium than the average energy or sports drink that’s why it is a highly recommendable substitute for these expensive and artificial products. You’ll instantly feel rejuvenated and refreshed after you’ve had a fill of this “miracle water.”

Do you now see why coconut water is exceptionally recommendable for everyone? With the multitude of health benefits of coconut water, there is no reason why you should not start drinking it. So how about it? Care to drink a glass of ice-cold and refreshing coconut water?

Source : goodrelaxation.com

Health : Maize And It's Benefit To Us

They call it maize,but we the Ghanaian's call it Ebro....Well I learn it is very nutritious....lets see what it can do

Maize is a widely used ingredient in the food industry but its whole grain maize that is really responsible for the health benefits of maize. The rawest form of maize is corn on the cob. Popcorn and polenta are also good forms. Maize can also be found in the form of

Maize Nutrition

1 cup of cooked yellow corn contains about 177 calories. It is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C and the B vitamins folate, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and manganese. Yellow corn contains lutein and zexanthin, powerful antioxidants. Maize is a good source of low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrate.

Maize for Heart Disease Prevention

Maize is a good source of the cholesterol lowering B vitamin niacin and the blood pressure lowering mineral magnesium. Wholegrains, like maize are a good source of fibre. A meta-analysis of 7 studies showed that people with the highest dietary fibre intake had the lowest cardiovascular risk.

Maize for Diabetes Prevention

The mineral magnesium forms part of the glucose-regulating compound (known as glucose tolerance factor), along with chromium and vanadium, which are also found in wholegrains. Studies have shown that regular consumption of wholegrains lowers Type 2 diabetes risk. In one 8-year trial of over 40,000 subjects, risk of Type 2 diabetes was found to be 30% lower in women who frequently consumed wholegrains compared to those who ate the least of these foods. The low GI of maize helps to create a more sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream, which prevents sugar spikes and puts less stress on the pancreas that needs to pump out less insulin to deal with the glucose load.

Maize and Cancer Prevention

Wholegrain compounds in barley may help with cancer prevention. A study of over 35,000 participants showed that those consuming the most wholegrains had a significant reduction in breast cancer risk compared to those with low wholegrain intakes. The main reasons for wholegrains offering protection have to do with their high fibre content as well as their high nutrient and antioxidant content. In addition, wholegrains contain special compound called lignans, which are converted by good bacteria in the gut into useful substance that can help prevent cancer.

Maize Helps Improve Eyesight

 One of the health benefits of maize is related to its protective effects on eyesight. The antioxidants lutein and zexanthin help prevent and slow macular degeneration, a type of age-related loss of eyesight. Supplementing with these antioxidants is now standard practice for this condition. There is also evidence that compounds in spinach can help prevent cataracts.

Maize for Digestive Health

Another of the health benefits of maize is its ability to aid digestive health. Wholegrains are a rich source of insoluble fibre, which increases stool bulk and decreases the transit time of waste through the intestines. 

Source : healthbenefits-of.org