Health Tips

 

Tips reduce bad breath:

Brush your teeth after you eat. Keep a toothbrush at work to use after eating. Brush using a fluoride-containing toothpaste at least twice a day, especially after meals. Toothpaste with antibacterial properties has been shown to reduce bad breath odors.

 Floss at least once a day.

Proper flossing removes food particles and plaque from between your teeth, helping to control bad breath.

 Brush your tongue.

Your tongue harbors bacteria, so carefully brushing it may help reduce odors. People who have a coated tongue from a significant overgrowth of bacteria (from smoking or dry mouth, for example) may benefit from using a tongue scraper. Or use a toothbrush that has a built-in tongue cleaner.

 Clean your dentures or dental appliances.

 If you wear a bridge or a partial or complete denture, clean it thoroughly at least once a day or as directed by your dentist. If you have a dental retainer or mouth guard, clean it each time before you put it in your mouth. Your dentist can recommend the best cleaning product.

 Avoid dry mouth.

 To keep your mouth moist, avoid tobacco and drink plenty of water — not coffee, soft drinks or alcohol, which can lead to a drier mouth. Chew gum or suck on candy — preferably sugarless — to stimulate saliva. If you have chronic dry mouth, your dentist or physician may prescribe an artificial saliva preparation or an oral medication that stimulates the flow of saliva.

 Adjust your diet.

Avoid food and beverages that can cause bad breath. Avoid sticky, sugary foods.

 Regularly get a new toothbrush. Change your toothbrush when it becomes frayed, about every three to four months, and choose a soft-bristled toothbrush.

 Schedule regular dental checkups.

See your dentist on a regular basis — generally once or twice a year — to have your teeth or dentures examined and cleaned.

================================================== 

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

·         Excessive thirst and appetite

·         Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)

·         Unusual weight loss or gain

·         Fatigue

·         Nausea, perhaps vomiting

·         Blurred vision

·         In women, frequent vaginal infections

·         In men and women, yeast infections

·         Dry mouth

·         Slow-healing sores or cuts

·         Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area

 

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Exercise and Lose Weight by Turning Everyday Household Chores into an Exercise Routine

 

I know we are very busy with work from Monday to Friday and some of us Saturday but create a habit of making time for household chores…especially kama wewe ni mvivu wa gym kama mimi…and don’t forget to drink at least two litres per day and eat fruits..no excuses huu ni msimu mzuri wa matunda, maembe kila sehemu,mananasi

1.Squeeze in your stomach and oblique muscles as you sweep. Keep your back straight, bring the broom bristles as far away as possible and pull in. Do this for 5 minutes in each room up to 3 times per day.3

2.Dance while cooking dinner. Turn on your favorite music and move while you stir. Do spins and walk in place while you wait….weka gospel music and dance, sing along…simply have fun

3.Increase the pace of any household activity. Just like dancing while you are cooking, you can turn on upbeat music and try to achieve a pace where you are slightly out of breath. You can do this as you clean up, wash windows or sweep the floor.

4.Wash the windows inside and out. This is a great shoulder conditioning workout as long as you use a cloth in a circular motion. Do this for at least 30 minutes to work your shoulders and arms and burn approximately 150 calories.2

5.Do a deep squat as you clean your toilet. Instead of sitting on your knees and leaning forward, you can stand straight and squat, trying to stay balanced. Apply your cleaning product, brush the toilet and wipe clean.

6.Rake your yard for at least 30 minutes. Just like sweeping the floor, you should flex your stomach and oblique muscles and keep your back straight. Pull as far away as possible and squat, rather than bend, to pick up the leaves.

7.Move your furniture each time you plan to vacuum the house. Moving furniture in good form, by bending your knees and straightening your back, is a form of weight lifting. Move each piece of furniture slightly and vacuum behind and replace it again.

8.Scrub your floors each week by hand. Use a knee pad or do deep squats while you reach the corners with a cleaning product and a brush. Mopping the floors burns just a portion of the 190 calories you can burn by hand-cleaning 1 floor.

9.Wash your car by hand every week. Grab a sponge, some mild liquid detergent, water and a bucket and wash all areas of the car. Use long sweeping motions to get hard to reach places and squat down to clean tires and the running board.

10.Do some laundry by hand every week (my favorite chore) 9

Choose 2 to 4 activities to engage in everyday, in order to attempt to burn between 300 and 400 calories, what many people aim to burn during a gym workout.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

15 Health Benefits of Cucumber

 

Cucumber is often regarded as a healthy food because it is low in calories and fat. Cucumber also contains many vitamins and minerals that make them a healthy choice for cooking and snacking. Here are 15 health benefits of cucumber:

1.       Keep body hydrated

Cucumber has 96% water content that is more nutritious than regular water, which helps in keeping the body hydrated and regulating body temperature. It also helps in flushing out the toxins from the body.

2.       Skin care

The high water content, vitamins A, B & C and the presence of certain minerals like magnesium, potassium, and silica make cucumbers an essential part of skin care. Facial masks containing cucumber juice can be used for skin tightening. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid present in cucumbers can bring down the water retention rate which in turn diminishes the puffiness and swelling under the eyes. Cucumber skin also can bring relief to the skin caused by sunburn or windburn.

3.       Fight cancers

Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol – three lignans that have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer.

4.       Control Blood Pressure

Cucumber juice contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber that work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumber good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

5.       Beneficial for teeth and gums

Cucumber juice is also beneficial for people with teeth and gums problems, especially in cases of pyorrhea. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums.

6.       Aid digestion

Digestive disorders like acidity, heartburn, gastritis and even ulcers can be cured by the daily consumption of fresh cucumber juice. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumber are very effective in driving away the toxins from the digestive system and hence aid digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.

 

7.       Promotes Joint health

Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues.

8.       Treat tapeworms

Cucumber seeds are used as a natural remedy for treating tapeworms. Bruised cucumber seeds mixed with water are also effective in the treatment of swellings of the mucous membranes of the nose and the throat.

9.       Nail care (Ladies you will love this)…

The high silica content of cucumber also helps to prevent splitting and spoiling of nails of the fingers and toes.

10.     Relieve gout and arthritis pain

Cucumber is rich in vitamin A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium, when mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.

11.     Cures diabetes

The cucumber juice has been found to be beneficial for the diabetic patients. This vegetable contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.

12.     Reduces cholesterol

Researchers found that some compound called sterols in cucumber may help reduce cholesterol levels.

13.     Stimulate hair growth

Cucumber contains silicon and sulphur and thus a regular intake of cucumber can help promote healthy hair growth. For best results, mix cucumber juice with the juices of carrot, lettuce or spinach.

14.     Acts as a diuretic

The water content of Cucumber acts as a diuretic. It encourages the elimination of waste products from the body through urination. Regular intake of cucumber helps to dissolve bladder or kidney stones.

15.     Aid in weight loss

Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who looking for weight loss.

 

October,18 2012

 

Baobab fruit oil (Mafuta ya ubuyu)

 

 

Health benefits of Baobab fruit

No matter how much the one dislikes the taste of Baobab fruit, it is now called the new “superfruit” thanks to its high content of vitamins and minerals

Did you know that…?

Baobab fruit has more vitamin C than oranges and exceeds the calcium content of cow's milk

Baobab is also the rich source of iron, potassium, and magnesium

Baobab contains almost six times more potassium than banana, frequently recommended by nutritionists for its potassium content

*This is important for those who want to lose excess water or have impaired kidneys

Baobab fruit is an amazing antioxidant

It has a stronger antioxidant capacity than most “super fruits” – in fact, baobab’s antioxidant level more than double that of goji berries, and is more than six times that of cranberries, blueberries and blackberries

Beauty benefits of Baobab fruit

Baobab oil is extracted from the seeds of the baobab fruit. Baobab oil is easily and quickly absorbed by the skin leaving no oiliness or greasiness. This oil is known for its anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties; it encourages cells regeneration without clogging up pores.

Baobab fruit oil improves skin elasticity and skin regeneration and contains up to 35% omega-6 and 3% omega-3 essential fatty acids. It also contains important vitamins A, D, and E.

Baobab fruit oil is very emollient, with soothing, softening and restructuring effect on the skin and hair. It rehydrates the skin to combat wrinkles. Baobab oil has amazing soothing properties which is very helpful for dermatitis, scaly skin disorders, and eczema and psoriasis treatments.

This oil is very effective when used on sunspots, stretch marks and scarring.

===========================================

Weight Loss with Cinnamon and Honey

 You can make it in minutes and store it in the refrigerator for one day, or until needed. Mix up one batch each morning before breakfast.
Try using different types and flavors of local honey as well as different types of cinnamon until you get the results you desire or to change the flavor and palatability of the drink.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 cup of water

Instructions

1. Combine the cinnamon and honey with the water in a small saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Filter the liquid into a cup and divide into two half-cup quantities.
4. Consume one half an hour before breakfast and the second half an hour before going to sleep at night.

Helpful Tips

Keep these helpful tips in mind:

• Some proponents recommend adding raw honey after the water has boiled to retain nutrients and thus the benefits.

The Effect It Has on the Body

According to materials and articles recommending this diet aid, this mixture of cinnamon powder and honey stops the body from accumulating fat.
Other explanations include the fact that honey is an antioxidant and does all kinds of good things for the body.
Cinnamon may influence blood sugar and the way it's processed, giving your body a better chance to break it down in such a way that it doesn't turn to fat. Some proponents of this diet claim that abdominal weight is more sensitive to cinnamon's effects than other body weight.

 ========================================

IMPORTANCE OF DRINKING WATER

Blood, muscles, lungs, and brain all contain water.
You need water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to your organs and tissues. It also helps transport oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. Taking in too litter water or losing too much water leads to dehydration. Symptoms of mild dehydration include thirst, pains in joints and muscles, lower back pain, headaches and constipation.
 
The following are main reasons why you should drink water:

• Weight loss
  Water is one of the best tools for weight loss, first of all because it often replaces high-calorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn't have any calories. But it's also a great appetite suppressant, and often when we think we're hungry, we're actually just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar. Drink plenty to help your weight-loss regimen.
• Heart healthy
  Drinking a good amount of water could lower your risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses.

 

• Energy
  Being dehydrated can sap your energy and make you feel tired -- even mild dehydration of as little as 1 or 2 percent of your body weight. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated -- and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and other symptoms.

 

• Headache cure
  Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. In fact, often when we have headaches it's simply a matter of not drinking enough water. There are lots of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a common one.
• Healthy skin
  Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won't happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin.

 

• Digestive problems
  Our digestive systems need a good amount of water to digest food properly. Often water can help cure stomach acid problems, and water along with fiber can cure constipation (often a result of dehydration).

 

• Cleansing
  Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

 

• Cancer risk
  Related to the digestive system item above, drinking a healthy amount of water has also been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.
• Better exercise
  Being dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic activities, slowing you down and making it harder to lift weights. Exercise requires additional water, so be sure to hydrate before, during and after exercise.

     

  Source (http://www.dumblittleman.com)