10 Health Benefits of a Low Carbohydrate Diet

Low-carb diets have been controversial for since a long time.

People believed that these diets would raise cholesterol and cause heart disease because of the high fat content

But after many human studies conducted on low-carb diets, low-carb diets come out ahead of the diets they are compared to.

  

Not only does low-carb cause more weight loss, it also leads to major improvements in most risk factor such as cholesterol.

The 10 Health Benefits of a Low Carbohydrate Diet are

1. More weight Loss with low carb diet

Cutting carbs is one of the simplest and most effective ways to lose weight. Studies show that people on low-carb diets lose more weight, faster, than people on low-fat diets, even when the low-fat dieters are actively restricting calories.

One of the reasons is that low-carb diets tend to get rid of excess water from the body.

Since they lower insulin levels, the kidneys start shedding excess sodium, leading to rapid weight loss in the first week or two.

In studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets, the low-carbers sometimes lose 2-3 times as much weight, without being hungry.

Think of low-carb as a lifestyle, NOT a diet. The only way to succeed in the long-term is to stick to it. However, some people may be able to add in healthy carbs after they have reached their goal weight.

2. Low-Carb Diets Kill Your Appetite (In a Good Way)

Hunger is one of the main reasons why many people feel miserable and eventually give up on their diets.

One of the best things about eating low-carb is that it leads to an automatic reduction in appetite

The studies consistently show that when people cut carbs and eat more protein and fat, they end up eating much fewer calories.

So when we cut carbs, the appetite tends to go down and we often end up eating much fewer calories without trying.

3. Abdominal Cavity Fat a.k.a Visceral Fat

 Not all fat in our body are the same. The place where it is stored determines how it will affect our health and risk of disease. Most importantly, we have subcutaneous fat (under the skin) and then we have visceral fat (in the abdominal cavity).

Visceral fat tends to lodge around the organs. Having a lot of fat in that area can accelerate inflammation, insulin resistance and is also believed to lead to metabolic dysfunction.

Low-carb diets are very effective at reducing the harmful abdominal fat. Over time, this would lead to a drastically reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

 4. Triglycerides Tend to Go Way Down 

Triglycerides are fat molecules. It is a well known fact that Triglycerides is also one of the risk factor for Heart disease.

Perhaps the main driver of elevated triglycerides is carbohydrate consumption, especially the simple sugar fructose.

Low-carb diets are very effective at lowering blood triglycerides.

5. Increased Levels of HDL (the “good”) Cholesterol 

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) is often called the “good” cholesterol. It is not actually cholesterol.

HDL and LDL refer to the lipoproteins that carry cholesterol around in the blood.

Whereas LDL carries cholesterol from the liver and to the rest of the body, HDL carries cholesterol away from the body and to the liver, where it can be reused or excreted.

The higher your levels of HDL, the lower your risk of heart disease will.

One of the best ways to increase HDL levels is to eat healthy fat and low-carb diets include a lot of fat.

Therefore, it is not surprising to see that HDL levels increase dramatically on low-carb diets, while they tend to increase only moderately or even go down on low-fat diets.

The triglyceride to HDL ratio is another very strong predictor of heart disease risk. The higher it is, the greater your risk of heart disease is.

Low-carb diets lead to a major improvement in this ratio.

6. Reduces Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels, Benefits people with Type 2 Diabetes

 When we eat carbs, they are broken down into simple sugars (mostly glucose) in the digestive tract. From there, they enter the bloodstream and elevate blood sugar levels. Because high blood sugars are toxic, the body responds with a hormone called insulin, which tells the cells to bring the glucose into the cells and to start burning or storing it.

People with Type 2 Diabetes have an impaired system of Glucose uptake and storage.

But there is actually a very simple solution to this problem -  by cutting carbohydrates, you remove the need for all of that insulin.

Thus with Low carb diet blood sugars and insulin go way down

If you are currently on blood sugar lowering medication, then talk to your doctor before making changes to your carbohydrate intake, because your dosage may need to be adjusted in order to prevent hypoglycemia.

7. Reduces Blood Pressure 

Hypertension (Elevated Blood pressure) is an important risk factor for many diseases.

This includes heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and many others.

Low-carb diets are an effective in reducing Blood pressure which eventually reduces the risk of various diseases.

8. Low-Carb Diets Are The Most Effective Treatment Known Against Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a medical condition that is highly associated with the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

It is actually a collection of symptoms:

Abdominal obesity

Elevated blood pressure

Elevated fasting blood sugar levels

High triglycerides

Low HDL levels

It also leads to Polycystic Ovarian Disease which is an important cause of Infertility in women.

The good news is… all symptoms improve dramatically on a low-carb diet .

9. Low-Carb Diets Improve The Pattern of LDL Cholesterol

 Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol (again, it is actually a protein). It is known that people who have high LDL are much more likely to have heart attacks. However scientists have now learned that it is the type of LDL that matters. Not all of them are equal.

In this regard, the size of the particles is important. People who have mostly small particles have a high risk of heart disease, while people who have mostly large particles have a low risk.

It found that low-carb diets actually turn the LDL particles from small to large, while reducing the number of LDL particles floating around in the bloodstream.

Thus, with a low Carb diet, small LDL(Bad) is converted to Large LDL(Better) reducing the risk of diseases

10. Low-Carb Diets Are Therapeutic For Several Brain Disorders

Glucose is necessary for proper functioning of Brain which is derived from carbohydrate. But a large part of the brain can also burn ketones, which are formed during starvation or when carbohydrate intake is very low.

This is the mechanism behind the ketogenic diet, which has been used for decades to treat epilepsy in children who don’t respond to drug treatment.

In many cases, this diet can cure children of epilepsy.

(BEWARE: It is only of Historic use, though not practiced nowadays.)

Very low-carb/ketogenic diets are now being studied for other brain disorders as well, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

10 Home Remedies That Work

Want to calm a cough or prevent a cold? Here are some tips that work

We spend billions every year on over-the-counter health remedies for everything from canker sores to aching muscles, but in some cases there's no need to shell out a lot of money to find relief. All you need to do is check your cupboards for some surprising home remedies.

We spend so much money on medicines and visit to doctor for simple illnesses, Here are few remedies which can lessen your burden on healthcare expenditure

The 10 we picked are cheap, easy to find, and there's actual scientific proof that they work.

1. Honey. 

Just one spoonful can help quiet a nighttime cough better than over-the-counter cough syrups or suppressants.

Honey coats and soothes an irritated throat to help calm repeated coughing. It is recommended to take two teaspoons . But patients need to be cautious and be sure that their reason for cough is common cold
Also, honey does have a high sugar content, which may be harmful to people with Diabetes

2. Liquid dish soap. 

If you come into contact with poison ivy or poison oak, washing the affected area with liquid dish soap within two hours of contact may prevent you from getting an itching red rash.

3. Ginger. 

Ginger can help reduce nausea and relieve motion sickness. Take a small piece of ginger few hours before the journey. BEWARE Ginger capsules contains high concentration and may cause stomach problems

A large National Cancer Institute-funded study found that people undergoing chemotherapy who take as little as one-quarter of a teaspoon of ginger daily for three days before chemo cut their nausea by 40 percent.
The study found that a small amount of fresh or powdered ginger worked better than a larger dose, and that ginger taken with anti-vomiting drugs worked better to control nausea than drugs alone.
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4. Baby shampoo. 

A half-and-half solution of baby shampoo and warm water is a simple, effective way to clean eyelids that are itchy, red or crusty. The condition could be blepharitis, a common eye problem in older adults. It can cause scaling and crustiness along the base of the eyelashes.
Gently cleaning the eyelid with a baby shampoo wash helps get rid of oil and bacteria but won't sting your eyes.

Try diluting a little baby shampoo with an equal amount of water twice a day, then gently rubbing the mixture with clean fingertips on the closed eyelid and along the eyelashes for one minute. Rinse well with water.

5. Menthol rub. 

Applying mentholated ointments such as strong-smelling Vicks VapoRub has been shown to be a safe, cost-effective treatment for toenail fungus, often more effective than over-the-counter products.

6. Tart cherry juice. 

 Drinking tart cherry juice can help prevent gout attacks, relieve muscle soreness after exercise, and possibly help with arthritis pain because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties.

The juice seems to reduce the joint inflammation that gout causes. It is recommended to take a tablespoon of tart cherry juice concentrate twice a day 

Other studies have shown that drinking tart cherry juice daily helps runners reduce muscle soreness and reduces inflammation in overweight patients.

Tart cherry juice is also rich in anti oxidants

7. Witch hazel. 

Witch hazel is derived from the leaves and twigs of a flowering shrub.

The refined extract has been used as an astringent to help tighten the skin and relieve inflammation.

It is the main ingredient in commercial hemorrhoid pads, used to relieve mild itching and irritation, but you can do the same at home with pads you moisten with witch hazel. For even more relief, use chilled witch hazel.

8. Water. 

 Daily gargling with plain tap water can help cut the number of colds and respiratory infections you get, as well as relieve symptoms if you're already sick.

Gargling, whether with salt water or water with lemon and honey, as a safe, effective way to soothe and cleanse a sore throat.

It is the salt in the water also draws out excess fluid from the throat's inflamed tissues, "and warm water may help cleanse them a bit better."

9. Milk of magnesia. 

Dabbing this milky liquid on mouth ulcers can temporarily soothe their pain. Milk of magnesia won't heal the sores, but it does give relief from the symptoms, till the body heals the

10. Cranberries. 

Drinking cranberry juice daily won't cure them, but it can help prevent them.

Unlike antibiotics, which kill bacteria, cranberries keep bacteria from attaching to the bladder walls.

Butbeware! It is not recommended if you are on any blood thinning medications such as aspirin, warfarin or heparin.

Since certain home remedies can interact with prescription medications, check with your doctor before trying something new.

Surprising facts about Fat and Oil

There has been rising trend to stop consuming fat or foods rich in fat or cholesterol. Eliminating dietary fats is not good for the body.

While it is impossible to eliminate them totally as fat is found in most foods, it is necessary to have fats in our meal

Oils are important part of food

Dietary fats help with many functions in the body:

• Protect your organs
• Help keep your body warm.
• Fats help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and stores them in the liver and in fatty tissues for future use.
• Cholesterol, produced by fat, is essential for production of important hormones like estrogen and testosterone.

Yes, we need fat but not as much as we usually eat.

Oils have many health benefits.

Every oil has different health properties.

There are different types of oil

There are three main dietary fats. Each fat has different chemical structures and physical properties.

                        Unsaturated Fats

                        Trans Fat

                        Saturated Fats

1. Unsaturated Fats (also called the good fats) are liquids at room temperature can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation and stabilize heart rhythms

There are two types of unsaturated fats:

·         Monounsaturated Fats : Rich sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, avocados, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

·         Polyunsaturated Fats: found in  sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, walnuts, flax seeds and fish. Omega-3 fats are one important type of polyunsaturated fat. The body can’t produce these, so they must come from food.

Liquid oils (polyunsaturated) go rancid quickly.

Most of us don’t get enough of these healthy unsaturated fats

           Trans Fat raises bad cholesterol and increases the risk of heart disease. Even worse,  it lowers   good cholesterol! 

The American Heart Association recommends limiting your trans fat daily consumption to less than 1 percent.

Scientists have now established that trans fats found in many fast foods, bakery products and margarines increase the risk of cardiovascular disease through inflammatory processes.

Saturated Fats, raises blood cholesterol levels. High blood cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. Foods containing saturated fat include: Lard, pork, regular ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, full-fat cheese, ice cream, whole milk, sour cream, butter, palm oil, coconut oil, chicken and turkey skin.

Butter is Better

Butter IS Better! Butter and other saturated fats don't have the health risks we once thought they did.

The Cholesterol Myth

Cholesterol is a natural part of our body; we have between 1,000 and 2,000 milligrams of cholesterol in our body at any time depending on our body size. Three quarters of it is produced our body’s liver, and one quarter comes from our diet, much of that is unable to be absorbed by our body. 

We have a sophisticated control system that controls the amount of cholesterol in the blood by controlling internal production. When there is not enough cholesterol coming in, your body creates more.  When there is too much coming in our body makes less.

Saturated fats like butter and coconut oil have a bad public image. Research studies in both animals and humans, done more than half a century ago, stated that saturated fats raise blood cholesterol and cause heart disease. Coconut oil research done in the past used hydrogenated coconut oil, which is a trans fat.  These studies were also only conducted for a few weeks, rather than long term. There are more recent studies of a higher quality that show different results.

Unsaturated Oil is Not as Good as We Thought!

Unsaturated oils in cooked foods become rancid within a few hours, even in the refrigerator. Once fresh unsaturated fats are inside the body, they oxidize (turn rancid). 

Coconut oil does not go rancid even after one year at room temperature. Even ghee, made from butter, will last for 3 to 6 months at room temperature. 

Most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easy to digest and converts into quick energy so people are less likely to become obese, as the fat is not stored.

Coconut oil has many health benefits

Coconut oil: the health benefits keep growing with more research.

Coconut oil has been used as cooking oil for thousands of years in some parts of India.

Stay Away From Trans Fats!

The real problem-fats in our diets are the trans fats also known as hydrogenated oils; they are found in most processed food, including margarine, potato chips, baked goods etc. They are toxic, blocking absorption of essential fatty acids and raising blood cholesterol.

Consume less oil but don't avoid

All Fat Have Calories!

Also, whether it is olive oil, ghee, butter or coconut oil … they are all100 percent fat! No matter how good the oil sounds…..remember that it is still a fat, with 120 calories per tablespoon. Consuming a high fat diet may lead to becoming overweight and that is not healthy!