Body Care Kits

Would like to share this article from Mind Your Body, written by Monica Reinagel.

It is said to be able to help you lose weight, cleanse your kidneys and even cure that hangover. MONICA REINAGEL reports

There has been a lot of buzz about coconut water lately. It is said to help with muscle performance, energy, weight loss, heart health, stress reduction, skin, hair and nail health, mental acuity and kidney cleansing. It is also thought to be a natural hangover cure.
But let us take a closer look at this seemingly miraculous drink and see what is behind all these amazing benefits.

Different from coconut milk
First, let me quickly clarify the difference between coconut water and coconut milk. Coconut milk is made by scraping coconut flesh and pressing out the liquid. Like the coconut flesh itself, coconut milk is very high in fat and, therefore, calories. One cup of coconut milk contains about 550 calories, most of them from fat.
Coconut water is the fluid that is found in the cavity of the coconut when you crack it open. It contains no fat and is very low in calories, about 50 calories for one cup, most of them from natural sugars.
In addition to water and sugar, coconut water also contains some minerals such as potassium and magnesium. In fact, according to many websites, the water of one coconut has more potassium than a banana.
As far as I can tell, many of the health claims made for coconut water are based on its potassium content. And potassium is certainly a good thing. It is involved in all kinds of essential bodily functions - and I suppose you could parlay that into a list of benefits like the one above. But virtually all fruits and vegetables are good sources of potassium. When you think about it, that list of benefits would apply to any diet that is high in fruits and vegetables.
People who eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables get about twice the recommended intake of potassium on average. One of the advantages of getting your potassium from fruits and vegetables, instead of coconut water, is that you also get fibre and a whole range of other important nutrients.

Why drink it?
Basically, coconut water is like a sports drink. It contains water, simple carbohydrates (or sugar), and electrolytes (or minerals). Compared to a sports drink made with refined sugars, artificial flavouring and food colouring, I would say coconut water represents a solid upgrade. However, the benefits of sports drinks - whether natural or artificial - tend to be somewhat oversold.
Most sports drinks are consumed by people who are not exercising hard enough to need electrolyte replacement or benefit from additional carbohydrates. They end up consuming more calories than they are burning.
Here are my general guidelines for sports drinks: If you are exercising very hard for more than 60 minutes, or under extremely hot conditions, a drink containing sugar and minerals can enhance your performance. Otherwise, plain water works just as well - and saves you some calories.

Some of the other claims
It prevents dehydration. In Third World countries where clean water is scarce and children regularly die from infections and dehydration, coconut water can indeed save lives. But the coconut water sold in developed countries is probably too pricey to be of much help in that scenario. Among those who can afford to pay $2 for a bottle of coconut water, deaths from cholera and typhoid are fairly rare.
It promotes heart health. Consuming foods or beverages rich in potassium, including coconut water, may help reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke.
It promotes kidney health. Diets high in potassium, magnesium and fluids are thought to reduce the risk of kidney stones so it is not surprising that coconut water is reported to help prevent or resolve kidney stones.
At the end of the day, coconut water is a reasonably nutritious and natural beverage that appears to have health benefits similar to those available from fruits and vegetables.
It does not replace fruits and vegetables but if you just like the way it tastes, there is nothing wrong with including it in your diet. Just remember to account for the sugar and calories it contains.
Finally, if you exercise hard or long enough to benefit from an electrolyte replacement drink, coconut water is an excellent alternative to sports drinks.
Monica Reinagel, a licensed nutritionist, writes the Nutrition Diva column for QuickandDirtyTips.com

Featurewell

Labels: coconut water, healthy drink, potassium

# posted by Leo @ 10:55 AM 0 comments

Study shows hostile men put on more weight than their more laid-back peers

Are you an angry young man? Or even an angry older one for that matter? If you are, you might want to think about taking it easy then.
A new study suggests that hostile men may put on more weight over time than their less hostile, more laid-back peers.
Researchers studied data on 6,484 men and women who participated in a British study of socio-economic status and health which stretched over 19 years.
The participants ranged in age from 35 to 55 years at the beginning of the study. They completed a standard test which measured hostility at the beginning of the study, while their body mass index (BMI) was determined at four points over the years.
The more hostile a man's personality, the more his BMI increased over the following two decades, Dr Hermann Nabi of Hopital Paul Brousse in Villejuif, France, and his colleagues found.
BMI is the ratio of height to weight, used to determine if someone is within a normal weight range or is underweight, overweight or obese.

Less likely to follow health guidelines

At the beginning of the study, the researchers found that both the men and women with higher hostility levels also had higher BMIs. Their BMIs rose over time.
While the relationship between BMI and hostility remained constant for women, hostility seemed to accelerate weight gain over time in men.
Hostility could affect BMI in many ways, Dr Nabi and his colleagues noted in a report of the study appearing in the American Journal of Epidemiology. For example, hostile people may be less likely to follow health guidelines on diet and exercise, or be more likely to be depressed.
Prior studies have linked hostility to heart disease, high blood pressure and a greater overall mortality risk, the researchers also noted.

Reuters

Labels: angry, bmi, fat, obese, overweight, underweight

# posted by Leo @ 12:02 PM 0 comments

Dear Readers,
Health is Wealth. Make Keeping fit one of your New Year's resolutions with some simple ways to good health!

1. STOP AND WALK.

Alight from the bus or train one stop earlier and walk to your destination.

2.TAKE THE STAIRS.

Skip the lift and escalator and take the stairs. The rule of thumb is "three up, four down"-If you're going up three floors or fewer, or going down four floors or fewer, take the stairs and give your heart a lift.

3. USE A PEDOMETER.

The average person takes an average of 4,000 to 7,000 steps daily. Your aim should be 10,000 to 12,000 steps daily. A pedometer will help you count your steps as your walk your way to better health.

4.GET MOVING DURING COMMERCIALS.

Instead of channel surfing, get off the couch and do crunches,push-ups or jumping jacks in the few minutes before your favourite television show resumes.

5.PARK FURTHER AWAY.

Do not circle the car park looking for lot closet to the lift or escalator. Instead, park as far away from your destination as possible and take a walk.

6.DITCH THE DISPATCH.

Why send documents through internal mail when you can drop them off in person? Not only will you get some exercise, you'll get to know your colleagues better.

7.PLAY WITH KIDS.

Get your heart rate going with a game of tag soccer with kids. They'll benefit from being outdoors and you'll feel younger too.

8.DO HOUSEHOLD CHORES.

Fifty minutes of tidying up around the house burns 200 calories, so get out your vacuum cleaner and mop, and start cleaning!

9.HEAD TO THE PLAYGROUND.

The monkey bars and swing set are fun ways to get a good upper and lower body workout. You can also walk or jog around the park to burn extra calories.

10.GO FOR A LUNCH WALK.

Stretch your legs at lunchtime with a 15 to 20-minute walk that will keep the extra kilos and post-lunch drowsiness at bay.

Labels: better health, keep fit, new year resolutions, pedometer

# posted by Leo @ 5:08 PM 0 comments