Health Tips and Benefits of Coconut Water

Antimicrobial Benefit
Coconut water is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. A research study showed that coconut water contains peptides or small proteins that can kill bacteria. So if you want to fight infection, coconut water can help. It can also help relieve stomach upsets. It also protects against the bacteria H. pylori that cause ulcer by infecting the stomach lining.

Hydration for Athletes
Coconut water contains several antioxidants and essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. If you drink this fresh from the young coconut, you will also avoid extra sugar added in sports drink or soda. It is better to drink fresh coconut water instead of drinking from a can. Usually processed coconut water is pasteurized, and it contains added sugar and preservatives.

Healthy Heart
If you are suffering from hypertension, potassium from this drink will help lower your blood pressure. It also contains several electrolytic minerals that can be easily absorbed by the body. It does not contain any fat or cholesterol.

 Elimination of Kidney Stones
Natural health practitioners believes that coconut water helps dissolve kidney stones. Potassium plays a key role in alkalizing urine and prevents kidney stones from forming.

Stress Relief
Drinking coconut water lowers your stress because it contains several minerals and small amounts of B-vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B-6 and folate. Research shows that several B-vitamins play a crucial role in lowering anxiety, depression and stress.

Hangover Relief
If you like to have fun drinking at a party but do not like hang-over, some people claim that this also effectively relieves hang-overs. Since it is a fluid with the same five electrolytes found in human blood, it helps cure hang-over by hydrating your body.

Weight Loss
Coconut water is nutritious with only 50 calories per cup and it also has a low glycemic load. Since it is a natural isotonic beverage, it helps increase your metabolism. It also helps to detoxify your body, which helps you lose weight. Some people have a hard time losing weight because of the toxicity in the body.

Best Healthy Stomach Filling Foods

Hunger pangs are the major deterrent to our calorie-limiting schedules, making it hard to lose those unwanted pounds. 

However, if you can eat healthy, non-fattening foods that keep you feeling fuller for a longer time, chances are that you will snack less through the day. Some of the healthier food choices that help to sustain the fuller feeling and prevent hunger pangs. 

Food Habbits that may lead to Cancer

Boost your Brain with best foods

A brain-healthy diet is mainly effective when combined with physical and mental activity and social interaction. According to the most current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain, and is low in fat and cholesterol. 

There are some foods with boost your brain health: 

Ca - Calcium for Bones

Calcium is very important for maintaining the necessary level of bone mass to support the structures of the body. The body is constantly using calcium for the heart, blood, muscles and nerves. 

Calcium is also lost through normal bodily processes such as waste and the shedding of hair, fingernails, sweat and skin. Osteoporosis is a common bone disorder that causes a growth loss in bone density and mass.

 As a result, bones become thin, weakened, and easily fractured. A bone-healthy diet may not help rebuild your bones if you are experiencing age-related bone loss, but it can slow bone loss. 

Good nutrition is important at all ages to keep the bones healthy.

 • Taking calcium reduces bone loss and decreased the risk of fracturing the vertebrae (the bones that surround the spinal cord). 

• Consuming calcium during childhood (eg, in milk) can lead to higher bone mass in adulthood. This increase in bone density can reduce the risk of fractures later in life.

• Calcium also has benefits in other body systems by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

• Calcium and vitamin D supplements have been shown to help prevent tooth loss in older adult.

Health Tips - Buttermilk for Better health

Buttermilk is a drink that digests easier than regular milk because it contains even more lactic acid than can be found in skim milk. Buttermilk is a Probiotic food. These contain living microorganisms, which can survive the passage through the stomach and become active in the intestines.

 Here are some healthy things these bacteria do to your body:

• Manufacture vitamins
• Improve digestion 
• Boost Immunity 
• Manufacture nutrients
• Reduces body heat 
• Helps in weight loss. 
• Benefits to the heart. 
• Protect against cardiovascular diseases 
• Protect against carcinogens 

Buttermilk is lower in fat than regular milk, because the fat has been removed to make butter. It is also high in potassium, vitamin B12, calcium, and riboflavin as well as a good source of phosphorus. Those with digestive problems are often advised to drink buttermilk rather than milk, as it is more quickly digested. Buttermilk has more lactic acid than skim milk.

Now buttermilk is made by adding cultured bacteria to low-fat or fat-free milk, just like yogurt. The live cultures provide its distinctive rich, creamy texture–and a host of health benefits. Hence drink buttermilk for better health!!!

Health Value of Taking Dates Daily

Dates are delicious dessert fruits with much needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy! Dates fruit has many health benefits which improves energy in our human body. Benefits of dates.

• Constipation: Date is termed to be a laxative food. This is the reason that dates are beneficial for people suffering from constipation. For getting the laxative effect from dates, you need to soak dates for one full night in water. You should consume these soaked dates in the morning like syrup to get their actual advantages.
 • Intestinal Disorders: The nicotinic content that is present in the dates is said to be beneficial for curing any kinds of intestinal disorders. Continuous intake of dates helps to maintain a check on the growth of the pathological organisms and thus, helps in the rise of friendly bacteria in the intestines.
• Weight Gain: Dates are said to be a part of healthy diet. They consist of sugar, fats, proteins as well as many essential vitamins. If the dates are consumed with the paste of cucumber, one can easily come out from the problem of over-slimming. One kilogram of dates contains almost 3,000 calories. These calories alone are sufficient to meet the daily requirements of a human body.
• Healthy Heart: Dates are quite helpful in maintaining your heart in a healthy condition. When soaked for a night and crushed in the morning and consumed, they prove to be quite advantageous for weak hearts. They help in fortifying the heart, if taken twice in a week.
 • Sexual Weakness: Dates are even beneficial for increasing sexual stamina in the human body. A handful of dates, when soaked in fresh goat's milk for the night and then grinded in the same milk with the mixture of cardamom powder and honey, becomes a very useful tonic for increasing sex endurance and sterility caused due to functional disorders.
• Diarrhea: Ripe dates contain potassium. Potassium is beneficial for controlling diarrhea. They are easily digestible, which helps to cope up with the problems of diarrhea.
 • Intoxication: Dates are known as an excellent remedy for alcoholic intoxication. Dates provide quick relief in the case of alcoholic intoxication. They should be rubbed and soaked overnight for getting more nutritious values from them.
 • Abdominal Cancer: Dates are beneficial for curing abdominal cancer. They work as useful tonic for all age groups. They work as better as the medicines, and are natural and do not bear any side effects in the body. They can be easily digested and used for supplying extra and needed energy.

Health Tips - Foods to Reduce Belly Fat

Good exercise, lifestyle choices and nutrition can help reduce stomach fat. Here are some foods that will help beat the bulge.

Eggs
Eggs contain vitamin B12, which the body needs to metabolize or burn fat. Eggs also provide lean protein and increase energy for more activity and exercise to work the abdominal muscles and reduce fat.

Olive Oil
The right fats are healthy and help to reduce hunger. Olive oil and canola oil contain monounsaturated fats as well as omega-3 fatty acids. These help to lower cholesterol levels, prevent heart disease and they satisfy hunger cravings for carbohydrates which add to fat on the stomach.

Beans
Beans have low calories and high fiber and protein content. This helps to reduce weight around the waist and tone the body’s muscles. Add chickpeas, black, lima, kidney beans and all types of lentils to your weekly diet.

Barley
Barley has excellent cholesterol lowering effects due to its high content of beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. Eating barley also reduces the risk of heart disease and adult onset diabetes, and obesity. Replace rice with barley to reduce stomach bloating and fat.

Vegetables
Vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants as well as fiber that reduce fat around the middle. Their high fiber content also causes feelings of fullness so overeating unhealthy food is avoided. Have a salad before your meal for best results.

Dairy Products
Calcium in dairy products helps to break down fat around the stomach and may even prevent it from forming. Try low fat milk and plenty of yogurt which also has probiotics for healthy digestion and to decrease bloating.

Tea
Tea is rich in antioxidants, improves cardiovascular health and speeds up metabolism to burn more fat. Green tea and white tea are less processed and have higher levels of antioxidants.

Oatmeal
Oatmeal contains the highest amount of protein of any grain. It also has more healthy soluble fiber than whole wheat, rice or corn.

Eating the right foods along with a regular fitness plan will help to reduce belly fat and tone muscles.

Health Tips and benefits of Natural Honey

The benefits of honey go beyond its great taste. A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its value in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes.

Its natural sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar.

Immunity System Builder

Most impressive to me is that honey can be a powerful immune system booster. It's antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease.

Honey is Anti-Cancer!

Honey does not cure cancer but what many people don't think enough of or have unnoticed is - honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumor properties.

Honey Remedy for Ailments

• For cuts and burns
• For sore throats
• For sleeplessness

Health Tips | Reducing the Rate of Cancer Risk

Cancer is a cluster of diseases characterized by the growth and spread of abnormal cells. This can occur in any part of the human body.

If you're concerned about cancer prevention, take comfort in the fact that small changes in your daily life can make a big difference. Consider seven real-life cancer prevention tips.

Here are the tips:

• Stop smoking and using tobacco
• Limit alcohol intake – some alcohol is okay
• Follow recommended intake of fruits and vegetable (daily!)
• Decrease the amount of fat in your daily diet
• Lose weight if you’re too heavy, try to gain weight if you’re too thin
• Move! Get active
• Watch your skin (from the sun and don’t use tanning beds)
• Don’t take chances when having sex. Protect yourself.
• See your doctor regularly and take part in recommenced screening tests
• If you have had cancer or are at particularly high risk, speak with your doctor about chemoprevention, which is taking medications to reduce the risk of new cancers

Flight diseases -Lemon

Lemon is a versatile citrus fruit that is used for its tart and slightly sweet flavor in entrees, appetizers, desserts and beverages. Lemons and limes were commonly transported on ships and in mines during the 19th century to prevent scurvy, which is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C.

A single medium lemon contains approximately 17 calories, 5 g of carbohydrate and no fat. Despite these seemingly sparse values, lemons are effective in the treatment and prevention of a wide variety of health conditions.

• Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Scurvy
• Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke
• Wound and Bruise Healing

How to Talk to your Doctor

Today, patients take an active role in their health care. You and your doctor will work in partnership to achieve your best possible level of health. An important part of this relationship is good communication. Here are some questions you can ask your doctor to get your discussion started:

About Your Disease or Disorder

• What is my diagnosis?
• What caused my condition?
• Can my condition be treated?
• How will this condition affect my vision now and in the future?
• Should I watch for any particular symptoms and notify you if they occur?
• Should I make any lifestyle changes?

About Your Treatment

• What is the treatment for my condition?
• When will the treatment start, and how long will it last?
• What are the benefits of this treatment, and how successful is it?
• What are the risks and side effects associated with this treatment?
• Are there foods, drugs, or activities I should avoid while I'm on this treatment?
• If my treatment includes taking a medication, what should I do if I miss a dose?
• Are other treatments available?

About Your Tests

• What kinds of tests will I have?
• What do you expect to find out from these tests?
• When will I know the results?
• Do I have to do anything special to prepare for any of the tests?
• Do these tests have any side effects or risks?
• Will I need more tests later?

Understanding your doctor's responses is essential to good communication.

Here are a few more tips:

• If you don't understand your doctor's responses, ask questions until you do understand.
• Take notes, or get a friend or family member to take notes for you. Or, bring a tape-recorder to assist in your recollection of the discussion.
• Ask your doctor to write down his or her instructions to you.
• Ask your doctor for printed material about your condition.
• If you still have trouble understanding your doctor's answers, ask where you can go for more information.
• Other members of your health care team, such as nurses and pharmacists, can be good sources of information. Talk to them, too.

Water Gives a Healthy Day

Water: Meeting Your Daily Fluid Needs

Ever notice how lifeless a house plant looks when you forget to water it? Just a little water and it seems to perk back up. Water is just as essential for our bodies because it is in every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. That's why getting enough water every day is important for your health.

Healthy people meet their fluid needs by drinking when thirsty and drinking fluids with meals. But, if you're outside in hot weather for most of the day or doing vigorous physical activity, you'll need to make an effort to drink more fluids.

Where do we get the water that we need?

Most of your water needs are met through the water and beverages you drink.
You can get some fluid through the foods you eat. For example, broth soups and other foods that are 85% to 95% water such as celery, tomatoes, oranges, and melons.

What does water do in our body?

Water helps your body with the following:

• Keeps its temperature normal.
• Lubricates and cushions your joints.
• Protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues.
• Gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

Why do we need to drink enough water each day?

You need water to replace what your body loses through normal everyday functions. Of course, you lose water when you go to the bathroom or sweat, but you even lose small amounts of water when you exhale. You need to replace this lost water to prevent dehydration.

Your body also needs more water when you are—

• In hot climates.
• More physically active.
• Running a fever.
• Having diarrhea or vomiting.

To help you stay hydrated during prolonged physical activity or when it is hot outside, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommend these two steps:

1. Drink fluid while doing the activity.
2. Drink several glasses of water or other fluid after the physical activity is completed.¹

Also, when you are participating in vigorous physical activity, it's important to drink before you even feel thirsty. Thirst is a signal that your body is on the way to dehydration.

Some people may have fluid restrictions because of a health problem, such as kidney disease. If your healthcare provider has told you to restrict your fluid intake, be sure to follow that advice.

Tips for Increasing Your Fluid Intake by Drinking More Water

Under normal conditions, most people can drink enough fluids to meet their water needs. If you are outside in hot weather for most of the day or doing vigorous activity, you may need to increase your fluid intake.

If you think you're not getting enough water each day, the following tips may help:

• Carry a water bottle for easy access when you are at work or running errands.
• Freeze some freezer-safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
• Choose water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. This tip can also help with weight management. Substituting water for one 20-ounce sugar-sweetened soda will save you about 240 calories.
• Choose water instead of other beverages when eating out. Generally, you will save money and reduce calories.
• Give your water a little pizzazz by adding a wedge of lime or lemon. This may improve the taste, and you just might drink more water than you usually do.

Do sugar-sweetened beverages should be counted?

Although beverages that are sweetened with sugars do provide water, they usually have more calories than unsweetened beverages. To help with weight control, you should consume beverages and foods that don't have added sugars.

Examples of beverages with added sugars:

• Fruit drinks.
• Some sports drinks.
• Soft drinks and sodas (non-diet).

Super Food & Health Food, Sprouts, Nutrition by Natalie

Eye Health & Optometry : How to Prevent Blindness

Five Ways to Get a Healthy Weight

Diets aren't the way to go when it comes to losing weight. That's because they create temporary eating patterns — and, therefore, temporary results. Most dieters gain back any lost weight when they go back to their old eating habits. So what's the best way to drop excess weight? Create a new normal!

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviors. Here are 5 ways to make that happen:

1. Exercise. Regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle — both of which help you look and feel good and keep weight off. Walking the family dog, cycling to school, and doing other things that increase your daily level of activity can all make a difference. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity of your workout and add some strength exercises to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren't exercising.
2. Reduce screen time. One reason people get less exercise these days is because of an increase in "screen time" — the amount of time spent watching TV, looking at the computer, or playing video games. Limit recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day. If you're with friends at the mall, you're getting more exercise than if you're IMing them from your room.
3. Watch out for portion distortion. Serving sizes have increased over the past 10 years, and these extra calories contribute to obesity. Another key factor in weight gain is that more people drink sugary beverages, such as sodas, juice drinks, and sports drinks. So choose smaller portions (or share restaurant portions) and go for water or low-fat milk instead of soda.
4. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Fruits and veggies are about more than just vitamins and minerals. They're also packed with fiber, which means they fill you up. And when you fill up on fruits and veggies, you're less likely to overeat when it comes to high-calorie foods like chips or cookies.
5. Don't skip breakfast. Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, burning calories from the get-go and giving you energy to do more during the day. People who skip breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later on. So they get more calories than they would have if they ate breakfast. In fact, people who skip breakfast tend to have higher BMIs than people who eat breakfast.

Telehealth Clinic

On the day, a nurse or health professional at the Queensland Health facility will be in the room with the patient. Before the clinic starts, the nurse will outline what the patient can expect during the consultation and may even take some preliminary patient readings (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate etc.)

Once the videoconference starts, it will be as if the patient, nurse and doctor are sitting in the room together. They can ask each other questions, review history and even see real-time images of a specific area of the patient if required.

Telehealth patients can expect to:

• Receive care in person if they do not wish to have a telehealth appointment.
• Be respected if the patient refuses a telehealth appointment.
• Have a carer, friend, family member or guardian present at the appointment.
• Have the option of having an interpreter, health worker or multicultural worker present if required.
• Always be introduced to everyone in the telehealth appointment and have the right to decide whether the patient wants them involved.
• Choose to end the appointment at any time and ask for an appointment in person.
• Get the equivalent standard of care that the patient would be received in an in-person appointment.
• Receive health care that respects your privacy and confidentiality.
• Receive care from health care providers who are educated and trained to use the telehealth equipment and to conduct telehealth appointments.

When the telehealth appointment is finished, the nurse will complete forms, scripts or other paperwork for the patient and may even organise the next appointment.

National Vaccine Program Office

About NVPO

The National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) has responsibility for coordinating and ensuring collaboration among the many federal agencies involved in vaccine and immunization activities. The NVPO provides leadership and coordination among Federal agencies, as they work together to carry out the goals of the National Vaccine Plan. The National Vaccine Plan provides a framework, including goals, objectives, and strategies, for pursuing the prevention of infectious diseases through immunizations.

NVPO functions

• Coordinate and integrate activities of all Federal agencies involved in immunization efforts
• Ensure that these agencies collaborate, so that immunization activities are carried out in an efficient, consistent, and timely manner
• Develop and implement strategies for achieving the highest possible level of prevention of human diseases through immunization and the highest possible level of prevention of adverse reactions to vaccines
• Ensure that minimal gaps occur in Federal planning of vaccine and immunization activities.

NVPO Partners

• Agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); CDC, NIH, FDA, HRSA
• Other Federal agencies (e.g., Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID))
• NVPO's Inter-Agency Vaccine Group (IAVG)
  • Inter-Agency Vaccine Communications Group (IAVCG)
• The National Vaccine Advisory Committee
• U.S. commercial vaccine industry
• Global organizations, including the World Health Organization (http://www.who.org/)
• Non-governmental organizations, the Gates Foundation, GAVI (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm)
• Consumer groups
• Academic institutions