red wine

One bottle wine a day keeps the doctor away!

bottle-wine

Scientists have revealed that a bottle of wine a day is not bad for the health and abstaining is worse than drinking.
Former World Health Organisation expert has claimed that alcohol is only harmful when it is consumed 13 units in a day, the Independent reported.

Kari Poikolainen, who has analysed decades of research into the effects of alcohol on the human body, revealed that drinking more than the current recommended daily intake may in fact be healthier than being a teetotaler.

Poikolainen added that the weight of the evidence shows moderate drinking is better than abstaining and heavy drinking is worse than abstaining, but moderate amounts can be higher than the guidelines say

Source: Yahoo news

 

8 foods for better sex life!

foods for sex

We can’t live without food, and we can’t love without food. Eating the right foods can improve your romantic life in a variety of ways – it can make your skin glow, it can improve blood circulation in your body and infuse you with happiness and energy. Here are some foods that you should eat in order to give your sex life a boost.

1. Walnuts
A new study has shown that walnuts could keep the fertility specialist at bay. According to scientists at the University of California, their research has found eating 75 gm of the nuts each day can increase a man’s virility and the health of his sperm.

2. Banana
Bananas are not only one of the most suggestive fruits of all times due to their phallic shape, they are also rich in nutrients that help produce sexual hormones. They contain male libido enhancing minerals and enzymes, and regulate secretion of serotonin which is known to be responsible for the euphoric feeling after intercourse. They also help replenish low levels of glucose in the body giving you an instant kick of energy after you’ve eaten it.

3. Blueberries
Eating a cupfull of blueberries once a day may help spice up your love life. According to nutritionist Dora Walsh, the berries contain proanthocyanidins, a plant chemicals that is believed to keep blood vessels flexible and blood flowing around the body that could work wonders in your romantic life.

4. Dark Chocolates
Filled with antioxidants, dark chocolate has health as well as sexual benefits. It has been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease and turning on the pleasure sensors in the brain. They contain feel-good chemicals and the ‘love chemical’ PEA (phenylethylamine). PEA peaks during orgasm and induces feelings of attraction and euphoria by releasing dopamine in the brain.

5. Basil
A symbol of love since the Roman era, basil has been regarded as an aphrodisiac for centuries now. Its leaves consist of various nutrients that enhance libido and are a rich source of vitamin A, C, magnesium and potassium.

6. Red Wine
Not only does red wine keep you looking young, it boosts sexual desire in both men and women. A research done at the University of Florence concluded that women who drank a glass of red wine regularly had better libido than others who did not. What’s more, flavonoids present in red wine reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases when consumed in moderation. Red wine is also known to release stress and make you happier.

7. Pomegranate
According to a research conducted by researchers from Queen Margaret University, a glass of pomegranate juice consumed daily helped boost testosterone levels in both men and women. This makes pomegranate a natural aphrodisiac that is great for your sex life.

8. Jeera

Yes, it’s true. The humble seed can up your sexual quotient. Packed with zinc that is important for sperm production and potassium that maintains a healthy heart rate and blood pressure, jeera is an all-rounder when it comes to upping your game in the bedroom. It takes care of fertility issues and helps avoid conditions like ED (erectile dysfunction), PE (premature ejaculation), low sperm count and virility of the sperm. Drink jeera tea on a regular basis on an empty stomach and watch things steam up between the sheets, naturally!

Source: The Health Site

10 Tasty Anti-Aging Foods

There are so many products that claim to combat aging, and many of them aren’t cheap. But a simpler and potentially more effective way to look and feel youthful is to take control of what you put in your body. Here are nutritious foods that research has found to have anti-aging qualities.

Carrots

Carrots are a sweet and crunchy snack that contains loads of beta carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. That stimulates skin cell growth (for healthy scalp and shiny hair) and builds collagen. Beta carotene also is packed with antioxidants, which protect the skin from free radicals–molecules associated with aging. Carrots are also nature’s toothbrush because they clean and whiten teeth with each munch.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are also rich in beta carotene, which helps balance the skin’s pH and combats dryness, resulting in improved skin texture and tone. As an added benefit, sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a nutritional winner.

Nuts

Nuts are an excellent source of protein, calcium, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids – all of which promote healthy, youthful skin. Essential fatty acids also help reduce swelling and inflammation, which is a common side effect of many skin conditions. Nuts also are packed with the mineral selenium, which helps repair cell damage and slows down the skin’s aging process.

Red wine

Yes, it’s true that a glass of red wine a day can protect you from heart disease. To sweeten the benefits, red wine also contains the antioxidant resveratrol, which can help prevent blood clots and soaks up free radicals that can damage your both your appearance and your health.

Avocados

This delicious fruit is packed with vitamin E, which protects against free radicals, and potassium, which helps maintain heart and bone health. It also contains antioxidants, which can ward off disease and slow the aging process.

Garlic

Garlic packs quite a healthy punch as it is an anti-viral, antibacterial food that can boost your immune system, and may also help reduce the spread and growth of cancer cells and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

Blueberries

Blueberries contain more antioxidants than all other berries which makes them excellent for fighting free radicals. They also have strong anti-inflammatory properties that reduce skin redness and wrinkles. Perhaps most surprising is that they may also help reduce the mental effects of aging because of the ingredient anthocyanin, which can slow the deterioration of mental function.

Leafy greens

Leafy greens are packed with lutein, an antioxidant which protects skin from sun damage and wrinkles. Leafy greens, including kale and spinach, are also rich in vitamin C, which is essential in building collagen. That can break down as we age, giving skin a gaunt, dull appearance.

Citrus

As with leafy greens, citrus fruits are high in vitamin C which boosts collagen production. Citrus fruits such as blood oranges and lemons are also rich in bioflavonoids that help defend the skin from sun damage.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene,  which reduces skin redness and prevents UV damage. Tomatoes can make an excellent face mask, but will still work for your skin if you choose to just eat them.

 

Source: health central

How to manage your cholesterol

Excess bad cholesterol can lead to heart disease or stroke, so take into account a few steps to manage your cholesterol levels.

Superfruits: Following recent nutritional studies, several fruits have been labelled ‘superfoods’ due to their ability to combat harmful fats and reduce bad cholesterol. For instance, it was recently revealed that strawberries have the ability to reduce LDL (low-density lipoprotein), the harmful form of cholesterol, by nearly 14 per cent, according to research carried out by Universita Politecnica Delle Marche in Italy.

* Unsaturated fats: Consuming omega-3 essential fatty acids, found in unsaturated fats, will help to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Unsaturated fats include oily fish, nuts and seeds, ground flax seeds, olive oil and certain vegetables and fruits such as avocado.

* Fibre: Beans, pulses, vegetables, cereal and whole grain breads all have a high fermentable fibre content and are therefore difficult for the gut to digest so they attach to bad cholesterol and then remove it from the body via waste.

* Red wine: Red wine contains a plant compound called saponin which blocks the body’s absorption of bad cholesterol, LDL. This news is not an excuse to drink large quantities of red wine and I do not recommend adding red wine to your diet purely for health reasons since alcohol consumption can lead to further health complications such as high blood pressure and liver disease.

Source: the hindu

Top 12 foods for brain and nervous system

Your brain ages with time, it is important to improve the functioning and health of the brain along with the nervous system. These top 12 foods can prevent brain deterioration, blood pressure, mental disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, and prevents nerve damage.

Spinach: Spinach is a magical vegetable, that has innumerable health benefits.

No matter the disease or health problem, spinach is a power house of nutrients. Besides, the antioxidants present in spinach gives slows down the aging of the brain and nervous system, hence improves cognitive functioning. Cognition simply means mental functioning – concentration, decision making, problem solving abilities, reasoning and learning.

Dark green leafy vegetables: Homocysteines is a chemical responsible for dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and break down of arterial walls, when present in high amounts. But dark leafy vegetables break down homocysteines with the help of folate and vitamin B and B6.

Whole grains: Whole grains and brown rice contains vitamin B6 which can break down high levels of homocysteines that is responsible for mental deterioration. Whole grains also contain magnesium that enhances cognitive functioning.

Cocoa: Cocoa is a powerful antioxidant that prevents the brain from oxidative stress that can cause Parkinson’s Disease, atherosclerosis, heart failure, Alzheimer’s Disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Nuts: Nuts like almond and walnuts are a great ingredient for maintaining blood vessels. The Omega 3 fatty acids present in walnut also enhance the mind and the antioxidants present in nuts lowers cholesterol.

Garlic: Garlic can prevent aging of the mind and improves the cardio vascular system too. Garlic too contains antioxidants that fight infections.

Olive oil: Olive oil contains antioxidant polyphenols that lowers high blood pressure and reduces cholesterol. This oil is perfect for maintaining the health of the nervous sytem.

Red wine: Red wine is a potent source of antioxidants that improves the brain and clears the cholesterol too. Red wine can increase longevity but drink red wine in moderation to reap the health benefits.

Tea: Tea not only increases metabolism but also spikes your mind and cognitive abilities. Tea contains antioxidant, catechines that enhances blood flow.

Sardines and herrings: Omega 3 fatty acids is the key component in the fish that improves the functioning on the brain and nervous system. These fishes are known to prevent mental disorders and beneficial for heart health.

Blueberries: If you get your hand on blueberries that’s great! It is loaded with antioxidants that fight free radicals. It is the ingredient to enhance your cognitive skills.

Pomegranate juice: Pomegranate is available all year round and we should reap the benefits to keep our minds active. Antioxidants present in pomegranate fights free radicals.
source: UNB Connect

Sip red wine for healthy heart, brain

Drinking red wine can help protect the heart, and it may boost brain power too.

According to beauty magnate Liz Earle, creator of Liz Earle Beauty Company, drinking red wine in moderation may prevent blood clots and strokes, and hence keep the heart healthy.

The drink can even help in warding off certain cancers including colon and prostate, reports contactmusic.com.

A glass of red wine contains high amounts of antioxidants which not only help our cells fight against free radical damage, but also increase cholesterol levels in a positive way. It also contains procyanidins which help reduce blood pressure and protect against hardening of the arteries.

Earle also said that red wine may boost brain power, especially for older women.

But keep your intake to a glass or two, not a whole bottle!

Source: The new Indian Express