Are Dates Healthy?

There are lots of speculations if dates are healthy or not? Calling it healthy or not so healthy depends on whether you should include it in your diet for its health benefits or you can use it as a substitute for sugar incase you are trying to lose weight. Dates are the fruits of the date palm which can be eaten fresh or dried though both the forms are nutritious. It helps in lowering cholesterol and and has anti-oxidation properties that protect the body against free radicals.

Dates are high in fiber which relieves constipation and the high amount of carbohydrates in it provides high calories. The one drawback with dates is that it is high in glycemic index and contains a lot of sugar which can increase blood sugar levels. It is often substituted for sweets, candies or to control sweet craving as it is healthier than processed sugar and carries a lots of minerals and vitamins for the body to nourish with health benefits. But due to its high glycemic properties dates are associated with foods that can result in weight gain.

Dates have an average gylcemic index (GI) of 103, which is very high and not recommended for people on a weight loss program or suffering from high sugar levels. More and more health experts promote food that have low GI as the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and also beneficial for sustainable weight loss.Foods with GI index less than 55 are considered Low Glycemic Index food (GI < 55). Foods with GI index between 55 and 70 are considered intermediate (55< GI <70). High Glycemic Index foods are with GI index more than 70 (GI >70).

Besides its single but important drawback dates have many other health benefits. They are high in potassium which maintains blood pressure and maintains nerves and muscles.The magnesium in dates help relive muscles, fatigue, nerves and reduces tension. Dates are rich in calcium, iron, copper and manganese with B vitamins to better enzyme activity. All the nutrition of the dried fruit promote better health.

You can eat the fruit raw or use yor culinary skills in making delicious combinations with in in your diet. You could include it with milk, fruits, salads or bread. Its sweet and can be eaten when we are overburdened with work and mind seems wandering as it relives stress and anxiety with instant energy. Read more

Pilates Exercises

Pilate is a form of exercise that works the abs and hips for a better balance in the body and to develop strength, flexibility, endurance and right spinal posture. It is a unique style of flowing stretching exercises that can be done with equipments, especially designed for pilates exercises, or even without any equipment using body weight for best results. It is controlled exercise where the mind controls muscles.

Doing pilates makes helps improve cordination between your legs, arms back and hips. Performing pilates requires a lot of concentration and requires focus on muscles being exercised. Pilates are easy to begin with as have been categorised in different routines for beginners, intermediate and experts. It is liked by dancers, gymnasts, celebs for better flexibility and strength in the body. It focuses on breathing and works the entire body for compounded results.

Benefits of Pilates

Builds Muscles: If you want lean and muscular body like some of the celebrities then pilates is the option for you. It works on the whole body rather than one muscle. It also helps build strength in the muscles for more power.

Mind Body Workout: It involves exercises and movements along with deep breathing. It tones the mind and improves concentration and better body awareness. It helps to reduce stress, anxiety and depressions.

Strengthening the core: Pilates strengthens the core and hips bringing about a straighter spine and posture to the body. It involves the abs and back at large and benefits in generating power in the body. A well built core give a good balance to the body making normal movements easier.

Getting Efficient: As pilates works on the whole body rather than a single part it develops muscles all over decreasing the possibility of injuries in the body. The pilates workout helps people with joint pains, back pains and muscle stiffness and is a complete whole body exercise.

It could seem difficult in the starting as it involves a lot of core exercises but as the saying goes no pain, no gain. It works your body for fitness and mind for daily life.

Think Before You Drink!

You stay away from the most obvious signs of sugar in your food,. Avoid desserts, don’t take sugar in your tea/coffee. But sometimes you ignore the not so obvious forms of sugar that might be harming you. To start the damage control right away here are a few ways how sugar is finding way to your system.

Cola drinks(Regular and diet): The cola drinks are soda and added sweeteners and artificial colors present in it. The soda present in it increases the level of co2 in the body which results in the reduction of anti-oxidants in the body. It contains a high amount of sugar in it which is not good for the health Read more

Are Diet Pills the Best Option!

Diet pills are getting more popular for fast weight loss. There are many successful as well as not so successful stories about these fat loss pills.  Lets explore more about these pills and how they really work. Quick weight loss without diet and exercise has created the hype around diet pills which is increasingly finding its space in drug stores & superstores. But the questions remains the same, is it a healthier
option and does it help in weight loss.

What is most commonly seen is that some diet pills work and some don’t depending upon the constitution of chemicals in the pills. Probability of effectiveness of the diet pills also varies with body type Read more

Iced Tea or Green Tea

You’ve heard that tea is good for health. So, many people drink tea any its variations instead of carbonated drinks, etc. Now tea variations are like iced tea, green tea, black tea, milk tea, etc. Some are healthy, some are not. We’ll tell you which ones to go for between iced tea and green tea.

Iced Tea is a popular choice as a daily beverage for refreshment. But most iced tea options contain Read more

Manage Menopause Weight Gain

Weight gain during menopause is a big concern for women. The menopausal phase triggers changes in body shape resulting on an average weight gain of about  5-10 kg. This weight is primarily  hormone related and has a direct impact on appetite, metabolism, and fat storage.  Therefore controlling weight during this time becomes extremely difficult due to fluctuating estrogen, testosterone, and androgen levels. These added kilos further aggravate depression and anxiety which in turns can bring on the hot flashes and disturbed sleep.

Estrogen plays a big role in menopausal weight gain especially as the estrogen levels decline with age as the body stops ovulating. Due to the decrease in estrogen levels produced by the ovaries, body searches for other sources to substitute the shortage of estrogen in the body. Meanwhile fat cells in our body have the natural capability to produce estrogen, hence the body starts restoring to these cells  to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels. Unfortunately fat cells don’t burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes this unwanted Read more