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Showing posts from April, 2017

How Much Sugar Is In Your Food And Drink?

In our modern and fast-paced lives, it can be difficult to keep a healthy balance of nutrients in our food. Sugar is one of these nutrients, and the cells in our body would die without it. Consuming too much sugar, however, raises the risk of several problems, including poor dental health, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. To keep control of sugar levels, it helps to know just how much sugar there is in the food we eat. Here, we list the sugar content of numerous everyday foods, both processed and natural. Contents of this article: What is sugar? Sugar content in common foods and drinks Why should I monitor my sugar intake? Video - Sugar: The bitter truth Video - Sugar: What are added sugars? What is sugar? Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that belongs to a class of chemically-related sweet-flavored substances. It comes in many different forms. The three main types of sugar are sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Even though our cells need sugar (glucose) t...

Vitamin C can target and kill cancer stem cells, study shows

Vitamin C can target and kill cancer stem cells, study shows Cancer is currently one of the top killers worldwide, and the number of cancer cases is only expected to rise. Although there are a number of therapies available, most of them are toxic and cause serious side effects. New research examines the impact of the natural vitamin C on cancer cell growth.   Cancer is the second leading cause of death and disease worldwide, accounting for almost 9 million deaths in 2015, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The global number of new cases of cancer are expected to grow by around 70 percent in the next 20 years. In the United States, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimate that almost 40 percent of U.S. men and women will have developed cancer at one point during their lives. There are various treatment options available for cancer, but they are not always effective; most of them are toxic, and they tend to have a variety of side effects....

Here’s how air pollution kills 3,450,000 people a year

Air Pollution kills. A study released yesterday in the journal Nature found that in 2007, air pollution lead to the premature deaths of 3.45 million people worldwide—a number equivalent to the population of the state of Connecticut. And to add insult to injury, air pollution doesn’t respect borders. Twenty-two percent of the deaths were linked to pollution created by products consumed elsewhere. For example, a significant percentage of the deaths in China were caused by air pollution released while creating baubles later bought and sold in the West. “Air pollution can travel long distances and cause health impacts in downwind regions," said study co-author Qiang Zhang, a researcher at Tsinghua University, Beijing. “Our study revealed that international trade has greatly extended the distance of such impacts by separating the locations of consumption and production.” Being located outside of the most heavily polluted regions offers no respite, because ...

How many hours of sleep do you actually need?

Sleep is a time suck. If you multiplied the average recommended number of hours we should sleep in a day—eight for a typical adult—by the number of days in an average lifespan (78.8 years in the United States), that would amount to about 9,587.3 days. That’s one third of your life spent unconscious. From an evolutionary standpoint, sleep is quite literally a waste of your time, yet it’s fought its way through countless years of adaptation in nearly every living animal on Earth. So it must be important, right? In fact, researchers have found that sleep plays a vital role in the functioning of nearly every organ system in the body. At the same time, medical conditions, a busy schedule, and even the simple unavoidable act of aging constantly challenge the number of hours we allow ourselves. But that begs the question: how much sleep do we actually need? And can we train ourselves to need less? First, let's talk about that eight hour figure that gets tossed around. I...

People who sleep longer twice as likely to develop dementia

Alzheimer's disease affects millions of Americans, and the numbers are expected to grow. New research suggests there may be a link between prolonged sleep and the risk of dementia. New research suggests those who sleep for more than 9 hours each night are at a higher risk of developing dementia. Over 46 million people are living with dementia worldwide, and the number is expected to almost triple by 2050. In the United States, over 5 million people are currently estimated to have Alzheimer's disease. The disease risk increases with age, as 1 in 3 seniors die with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. The financial burden of the disease is also great. American families are believed to spend over $5,000 yearly on caring for someone with Alzheimer's, and the national economic burden is estimated at $236 billion. A new, large-scale study suggests people with prolonged sleeping patterns may have an increased risk of developing dementia. The researc...

Eating more fruits, vegetables boosts psychological well-being in just 2 weeks

Fruits and vegetables are a pivotal part of a healthful diet, but their benefits are not limited to physical health. New research finds that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption may improve psychological well-being in as little as 2 weeks.   Increasing fruit and vegetable intake may benefit psychological well-being. Study leader Dr. Tamlin Conner, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, and colleagues found that young adults who were given extra fruits and vegetables each day for 14 days ate more of the produce and experienced a boost in motivation and vitality. The researchers recently reported their findings in the journal PLOS One . According to the United States Department of Agriculture, adults should aim to consume around two cups of fruits and around two to three cups of vegetables daily. One cup of fruits is the equivalent to half a grapefruit or a large orange, and one cup of vegetables is proportionate to one ...

5+ Harmful foods for Joint Pain

Joint pain can be characterized from mild to severe, acute or chronic. It can cause discomfort, pain or inflammation from any part of a joint. The most common causes of joint pain include gout, arthritis, injuries, broken or dislocated bones, fibromyalgia, and lupus. If you suffer from joint pain, the foods you eat may be aggravating your inflammation. Here are eight foods you should avoid to help keep joint pain at bay: 1. Sugar As good as those donuts, chocolate bars and other desserts look, you’ll want to resist if you suffer from joint pain. Processed sugars trigger the release of inflammatory messengers known as cytokines. This includes sugar in candy, sodas and cereals and other snacks. Excess sugar in the body also puts pressure on the joints and can lead to weight gain. 2. Monosodium glutamate Monosodium glutamate or MSG is a flavor-enhancing additive that is most commonly found in soy sauce and Asian foods. But it can also be found in fast food meals, prepa...

5+ Things That Stop Children from Being Successful

1. Parents mistakes that make children unsuccessful Parenting. What does it mean? To teach your little ones how to grow up quickly? Make sure they know right from wrong? Become good citizens? Not such a good idea.. Lots of jobs are hard. But parenting might just be the hardest. 2 Major parenting mistakes Despite all of the books, pamphlets and research that parents can delve into before their child is born, parenting often ends up being a "learn as you go" process. It has been discovered that several major mistakes which parents often make when raising their children, can reduce their self-confidence from an early age and limit their chances of becoming successful in their careers and personal lives. 3. Committing the same errors To help you avoid making the committing the same errors, we’ve reproduced them below. Take a look. 4.1. We don’t let our children experience risk We live in a world that warns us of danger at every turn. The "safety first" preoccupatio...

The secret of Draupadi and her relationship with the Pandavas

1 A Timeless Story Whilst polygamy is no more in practice, India sure has a record breaking history in this department. I am not even talking about the Kings back in their days marrying more than one woman, rather, it is about an unsung war hero who was married to five men, not by choice. Yes, Draupadi it is. I would rather love to call her Panchali. So much has been written and talked about Mahabharata, not much is known about her relationship with her 5 husbands, though. 2 Cont. Panchali was a woman of great character and was a brave heart, however, she was hit by the patriarchal norms of the society like any other woman. Whilst the Kings had freedom to spend their time and night with their most beloved wife or whoever they wished to spend time with, same was not the case with her. 3 A little background Draupadi was the daughter of King of Panchal, King Drupad. She was born from the fire along with her brother and she was a beauty to behold. Arjuna had ...

Karna the unsung hero of Mahabharta and secret about his only surviving son

1 Who was Karna Whilst most of us see Karna as a tragic hero, he was sure beyond any such tags. Karna was Kunti’s eldest son who was born with the blessing of Lord Sun before her marriage. He later came to be known as Surya Putra Karna. He was born with golden earrings and a body armour as a symbol that he was born to be undefeated. 2 Story of Karna’s Birth Kuntibhoja was Kunti’s father. One fine day as Sage Durvasa graced their palace with his presence, Kuntibhoj knew better to appoint Kunti as his maiden, for Durvasa was known for his rampant temper. Durvasa stayed in their palace for some days and was touched by Kunti’s hospitality, who was just a little girl at that time. 3 Cont. At last, it was time for Durvasa to bid adieu. He was immensely happy with Kunti’s hospitality and regards for him. Before his departure, he called for Kunti and bestowed upon her a life changing Mantra. The Mantra was to manifest sons from whoever she wished to, even ...