Love Yourself! - Zartaj Shaikh (reading the story of the .TXT) 📗

such as heart disease and joint pain.

 

Bone strength

Pineapple may help you keep standing tall and strong. The fruit contains nearly 75 percent of the daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue, according to the. One 1994 study suggested that manganese, along with other trace minerals, may be helpful in preventing osteoporosis in post-menopausal women.

 

Eye health

“Pineapples can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants it contains,” Flores said. 

 

Digestion

Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is essential in keeping you regular and in keeping your intestines healthy. But unlike many other fruits and veggies, pineapple contains significant amounts of bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, possibly helping digestion.

 

Anti-Inflammatory benefits

“Due to a complex mixture of substances that can be extracted from the core of the pineapple, well known as bromelain, pineapples can help reduce severe inflammation ... and can reduce tumor growth,” Flores said. A variety of studies have indicated that bromelain may be helpful in treating osteoarthritis, though more research is needed. 

Excessive inflammation is often associated with cancer, bromelain and other proteolytic enzymes have been shown to increase the survival rates of animals with various tumors. There is not yet, however, clinical evidence to show that such results will happen in humans.

 

Blood clot reduction

Flores noted that because of their bromelain levels, pineapples can help reduce excessive coagulation of the blood. This makes pineapple a good snack for frequent fliers and others at risk for blood clots.

 

Common cold and sinus inflammation

In addition to having lots of vitamin C, pineapple’s bromelain may help reduce mucus in the throat and nose. So if your cold has you coughing, try some pineapple chunks. Those with allergies may want to consider incorporating pineapple into their diets more regularly to reduce sinus mucus long term.

 

Caution:

Pineapple fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme bromelain that may cause excessive uterine bleeding if consumed in large quantities during pregnancy. 

“Because pineapple is a great meat tenderizer, eating too much can result in tenderness of the mouth, including the lips, tongue and cheeks,” Flores said. “But, [it] should resolve itself within a few hours.” If it does not, or if you experience a rash, hives or breathing difficulties, you should seek a medical help immediately. You could have a pineapple allergy.

Flores pointed out a possible negative to pineapple’s high levels of vitamin C. “Because of the high amount of vitamin C that pineapples contain, consuming large quantities may induce diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or heart burn,” she said. 

Additionally, extremely high amounts of bromelain can cause skin rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive menstrual bleeding. Bromelain can also interact with some medications. Those taking antibiotics, anticoagulants, blood thinners, anticonvulsants, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, insomnia drugs and tricyclic antidepressants should be careful not to eat too much pineapple.

Eating unripe pineapple or drinking unripe pineapple juice is dangerous. In this state, it is toxic to humans and can lead to severe diarrhea and vomiting. Eating a great deal of pineapple cores can also cause fiber balls to form in the digestive tract.

 

Some interesting facts!

 

The word "pineapple," derived from the Spanish wordpiña, was first used in 1398 to refer to a pinecone. This changed about 300 years later, with the word "pinecone" being introduced so pineapple could be used exclusively for the fruit. Pineapples were discovered by Europeans in 1493 on the Caribbean island of Guadalupe. Early attempts by Europeans to cultivate the fruit failed until they realized that the fruit needs a tropical climate to flourish. By the end of the 16th century, Portuguese and Spanish explorers introduced pineapples into their Asian, African and South Pacific colonies. Because pineapples are very perishable, fresh pineapples were a rarity for early American colonists. Glazed, sugar-coated pineapples were a luxurious treat, and fresh pineapple itself became a symbol of prestige and social class. Pineapples were first cultivated in Hawaii in the 18th century. Hawaii is the only U.S. state in which they are still grown. Other countries that commercially grow pineapples include Thailand, the Philippines, China, Brazil and Mexico. It takes almost three years for a pineapple to mature. Pineapple canneries use every bit of the pineapple. The skins, core and end portions are used to make a variety of products, including vinegar, alcohol and animal food. Top diet trends!

Basically I don't support Fad Diets but these are some that are worth trying and won't harm you if you follow them for some time. This article is extracted from Times Life Newspaper. When I read it I felt that the readers should know about this one article so here it goes!

 

2015 will be the year of liberal diets-no food curfews or flavorless regimes. Just Learn to make right choices. Here are the best five you need to know about.

 

1 Good Fat: Blanket bans have never worked. So how could an absolute veto on fat survive? First of all, fatless food is flavorless. Secondly, the body needs some amount of good fats to function properly; finally, weight gain isn't always about fat consumption. It could be high salt or sugar diet too. So, this year will be the year of fat resurgence. Food Writers, chefs, restaurants and health experts will go back to golden age when fats were not at all that bad. You may still be wary of a binge, but it won't harm to dig into fatty meats, ghee, coconut oil, creams, creamy yogurts or full fat cheeses once in a while. Just watch out for good fats on the market shelves.

 

Various theories suggesting 'saturated fats are bad for you' have been given a serious simmering by counter researches. The biggest blow to these was journalist Nina Theicholz's book The Big Fat Surprise, establishing that fat intake is not solely responsible for cholesterol and heart disease. In fact, a study in reputed journal Annals of medicine stated that lack of saturated fats in the body could be damaging.

 

No wonder Indian chefs are going back to greasing their dinner plates-from lacing their foods with cocoa butter, grapeseed, avocado and pumpkin oil to stir-frying in natural fats. "You just can't cook without fats. Most cuisines involve oils and fats for either cooking or dressing to extract the best flavor out of the ingredients. Good quality unsalted butter, flavored butters and oils with high smoking point will be extensively used along with duck or chicken fats this year for French and Italian preparations," says chef Sujan S of Olive.

 

Chef Vikram Khatri of guppy by al, a specialitist in Asian cuisine, insists that every meal must comprise at least 8-10% fats. In order to get this balance right in your daily diet, he cites the example of Indian, Asian and European cuisines that anyway use oil, cheese and even animal fats in the preparation. Khatri also recommends extra virgin linseed and sesame oils as healthy options.

 

2 DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension): This diet plan was originally developed as an eating style to help lower blood pressure. Soon, it emerged as a viable and popular plan for weight loss that could be followed for life. High on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy and nuts, it is a diet plan that lets you lose weight without making you feel you are on strict diet.

 

3 Paleo Diet: Want to stay lean, strong and energetic? Then why not eat like a caveman? An acronym for the Paleothic Age or the Stone Age, when man first used tools, a true Paleo diet helps cleanse the body of Trans fats and sugars. Lean and undercooked meats, seafood, nuts and seeds, lots of wild plants and healthy natural fats from the core of this diet. Processed food, Starch, grains, legumes and alcohol are a complete no.

 

4 No Fixed Diet: This is a diet plan you'd love to follow. No forbidden food or perfect cuisine. One diet doesn't suit all body types. The safest bet is just to eat seasonal produce and local ingredients.

 

5 Ingredient Vacation: Do you also give up salts and fats when your doctor asks you to avoid sugar? This diet plan lets you give up or cut down on only that one ingredient which is affecting your health or metabolism. This lets you eat without making drastic changes in the diet.

Salads!

 

Just because there are fresh fruits and vegetables on your plate doesn't mean you're eating healthy. We all know its health and well-being tossed in a bowl. But how to get that right balance, proportion, color and flavor out of your crunchy meal is a question that still daunts most of us. Here are some salad basics...

 

Think outside the bowl! Give up on predictable staples like chickpeas and sprouts and spruce up your salad with new entrents every week. Go for fresh herbs, beet slices, avocado, low fat goat cheese or power packed pumpkin seeds. This will not only keep you interested in the salad regime but also pack in different nutrients and flavors.

 

Darker the better: Not all salad greens are equally healthy. Iceberg lettuce is crunchy and attractive on a salad plate but not very high on the nutrition meter. Go for darker leaves instead, like baby spinach, rocket leaves, red and green leaf and Romaine lettuce or kale as they pack in more vitamins and minerals. There plant-based wonders may help protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even cancer.

 

Don't fall for crunch: Adding those crispy noodles or croutons to your Thai or Asian salad might up the yummy quotient but it doesn't favor your waist-line. Croutons are made from processed white bread, which equates to empty carbohydrates and high calories. Walnuts or water chestnut are a much healthier way to get the crunch you want. For those who cheat at time in their diets I would say that once in a month adding the crispy noodles or croutons to your salad won't harm you.

 

Eat salad for desert: There's an ongoing debate about when to have your salad...before or after the meal? Well, in Italy and France, they have it after aperitifs and main course. Not bad, since salad improves digestion after a long and heavy meal. If your after-dinner snack is high in fat, it can lead to indigestion that makes it difficult to sleep soundly. Salad, however, is lighter and less likely to affect the quality of your sleep.

 

Don't pile on mindlessly: Keeping the ratio right in a salad is the key thing. Try to take up about three-fourths of your plate with greens, so you'll have less calorie stuff.

 

Munch before a run: Salad in the morning helps your body rehydrate after a mad night out