For several generations, apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been known to cure ailments and promote healthy living. But only a few know that it also helps to lose weight. If you want to find out more about how apple cider vinegar helps you to lose weight, then read further. Apple cider vinegar is a result of a two-step fermentation of apples. The apples are crushed in a container after which yeast is added. The yeast converts all the sugar in the apples into alcohol. After which healthy bacteria is added that turns alcohol into acetic acid (ethanoic acid). The traditional method of preparing apple cider vinegar takes about a month, but with advanced technology, this process is reduced to just a day. Today a single day is sufficient to produce apple cider vinegar in large quantities. The acetic acid is the main and active component of the resulting solution. It gives the vinegar a sour taste and a characteristic strong odor. This occupies about 5-6% of the vinegar, along with which you can also find traces of water and some other acids as well. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar contains just about three calories and almost no carbohydrates. Acetic acid is a short chain of fatty acids which help dissolve hydrogen and acetate in your body. This acid has been tested several times to understand how it helps in weight loss. Some of this is listed below. Helps lower blood sugar levels: The acid helps the liver and the muscles absorb more sugar from the blood to lower the blood sugar levels. Reduces insulin: A high production of insulin avoids the body from losing weight. Acetic acid helps reduce the production of insulin to allow fat to be burned off more easily. Increases metabolism: An enzyme called AMPK (Activated Protein Kinase) plays a major role in digestion and metabolism.

Diabetes and diets are closely linked; hence, they are one of the most important aspects to monitor. If you are diabetic, increase lean proteins and high fiber, while reducing processed carbohydrates in your diet. You must also increase your fruit, vegetable, and low-fat dairy food intake. Hypertension Stopping Diet This diet plan was designed to fight hypertension, but it is also found to be helpful in bringing down the risk of diabetes. Moreover, it may help in weight loss as this diet involves reducing portions and meal sizes. Blood pressure is the primary focus of this diet. It focuses on including nutrients like magnesium potassium and calcium, and includes the following foods. Seafood and poultry for protein Fresh vegetables (especially beans) and fresh fruits Nuts and seeds Fat-free or low-fat dairy products Whole grains Vegetable oils for healthy fats People on this diet should limit their sodium consumption to no more 1500 for a day. It is advisable to cut down on red meat and desserts. Mediterranean Diet The Mediterranean diet derives itself from the traditional Mediterranean cuisine and is one of the best diets for diabetes. This diet contains a high amount of naturally available oleic acid. It has been proven to reduce fasting sugar level and helps manage weight. Moreover, it lowers the risk of metabolic disorders. The following foods are included in the diet. Chicken, eggs, and fatty fishes like salmon Fresh fruits and vegetables Nuts and seeds Olive oil and nuts Paleolithic Diet This diet is created on the assumption that current-day chronic diseases are caused due to modern agricultural practices. This diet includes foods that are possible to acquire by hunting and gathering, just like our ancestors acquired them. It is also considered as one of the best diets for diabetes and includes the following foods.

Brain health and memory can be enhanced with the help of right vitamins. Memory loss is a great concern for many people as they age and, eminent doctors recommend increased intake of necessary vitamins to improve brain health. Here are some of the most effective brain & memory vitamins. Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin for brain health. Although you do not need it in large quantities, it is unavoidable. The human body requires less than three micrograms and it can be acquired by eating 6 to 8 ounces of animal flesh daily. If you eat one whole chicken breast or 2 eggs, you will get the needed quantity. Normally, supplementation is not needed if people consume meats. B12 plays a big part in creating new red blood cells and it also controls nerve transmissions. In DNA synthesis, this vitamin plays a big part as well. Other essential functions of vitamin B12 include efficient energy cycle of metabolism and improved blood functions. All these aspects have a big role to play in improving your brain health. The best source of B12 is naturally raised animal flesh. Folate It has been found out that B Vitamins are highly effective in enhancing alertness, focus, memory, and energy. Folic acid maintains the oxygen in your blood and it gets engaged in the process of producing healthy blood. Even a slight deficiency can lead to tiredness. Moodiness and distractedness follow it. If you miss a single meal, you may have to deal with folate deficiency because the human body does not store folate. If you have a folate deficiency, supplementation is needed to keep the levels normal. When it comes to memory recall, folate is a very critical vitamin. It helps your retrieve stored information from the memory. Vitamin E Although there is some debate on the effectiveness of vitamin E when it comes to treating heart health, nobody can disagree with the fact that it enhances the brain health.

High Cholesterol levels are injurious to health. They increase the potential risk of cardiac diseases such as heart failure and attacks. It is better to control the cholesterol levels. No doubt, medication works wonderfully to improve the cholesterol. But it is wise to make specific lifestyle changes to keep the cholesterol under control. The lifestyle changes keep you at bay from the cholesterol-lowering medications. Even if you take those drugs, these changes increase the effect of the prescribed medicines. Here are some of the ways to lower cholesterol levels in the body: Eat heart-friendly food: Foods that contain saturated fats increase the cholesterol amounts. Avoid dairy products and red meat as they result in the bad cholesterol. Try to reduce 7% of the total calories you take per day. Choose low-fat milk products and leaner meat cuts for a healthy diet. Bring small changes to your diet and make it a heart-healthy diet. Fried foods contain trans-fats. These trans-fats are injurious to health as they boost the bad cholesterol and decrease the good cholesterol levels. Such condition results in possible chances of heart diseases. Food products with less than 0.5 grams are known as trans-fat-free. Stay away from foods that contain trans-fats and hydrogenated oil. Omega-3 Fatty acids are good for health. They boost the lipoprotein and lessen the blood pressure and are beneficial for the healthy heart. Eat food products rich in omega-3 fatty acid. Include almonds, walnut, salmon, herring, and flaxseeds in your diet. Increase the intake of soluble fiber. Add oats, brand, fruits, vegetable, and lentils to your diet for heart-health benefits. Whey protein is another essential ingredient which is a must-add for a healthy diet. Regular exercising: Adopt the habit of daily exercising. Increase the hours of physical activities and workout. Proper levels of physical exercising increase the high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

It is common knowledge that cancer is one of the most formidable ailments known to humankind. What makes this ailment so dreadful is the fact that there aren’t many treatment options available for cancer. Cancer in any form can be cured if it is detected in its initial stages, and this holds true for every type of cancer. This is because cancer in the initial stages doesn’t spread to the other part of the body, i.e., it isn’t metastatic. Metastatic or the final stage of cancer is fatal and the chances of survival once the individual reaches this stage is quite thin. Lung cancer is one of the top causes of increasing deaths of men and women alike in the U.S. However; it is also one of the easily preventable forms of cancer. All an individual has to do is stop smoking and avoid people’s second-hand smoke. What are the causes of lung cancer? In a nutshell, the major cause of lung cancer is smoking and passive smoking. Other causes of lung cancer include air pollution, lung disease, family history of lung cancer, exposure to asbestos fiber and radon gas. What is metastatic lung cancer? In the initial stages, the cancer tumor develops in one part of the body. The cancer cells multiply at an uncontrollable rate but haven’t spread to the different parts of the body yet. However, in the later stages, the cancer cell metastasizes, i.e., it spreads to the different parts of the body and affects those areas as well. Metastatic lung cancer is the lung cancer that originates from the lungs and spread to the different parts of the body. The metastatic lung cancer survival rate is around 26% which is indicative of the severity of this condition. It is imperative to understand that irrespective of the new location of the cancer tumor, it is still named after the part of the body it originated from, for instance, the lung cancer that spread to the brain would still be referred to as metastatic lung cancer.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder that hampers with a child’s ability to move by affecting motor nerve cells that control voluntary muscle movement. This disease is progressive in nature and is caused by the loss of specialized motor neurons in the spinal cord and the brainstem. This affects a child’s ability to perform motor activities such as sitting up, jumping, walking, crawling, and controlling head movement. SMA mainly causes muscle wasting and weakness. Moreover, some people who suffer from severe cases of SMA face difficulty in breathing and swallowing as the muscles used for these functions are also affected. Below is some information on different types; diagnosis and treatments of SMA that can help families of the affected children understand the disease better. Types of SMA SMA can be classified into five different types: 0, I, II, III, and IV. Each type is categorized on the basis of different symptoms, and physicians often determine the type by understanding the symptoms. Type 0 Type 0 SMA is one of the most severe types. It is identified on the basis of symptoms such as decreased fetal movements, joint abnormalities, inability to swallow properly, and respiratory failure. This type occurs in a child before birth or within the first few months of birth. Type I Type I SMA is also called the Werdnig-Hoffman disease. It is one of the severe types of SMA that affects a person since their birth or within the first few months after birth. It is quite similar to the type 0 SMA as type I affected infants also face delayed physical developments. Children with this type exhibit symptoms such as breathing and swallowing problems that can cause choking. Other symptoms include diminished limb movements, fasciculation, tremors, hypotonia (severely reduced muscle tone), and lack of tendon reflexes.

Ozempic® injections are recommended to type 2 diabetes patients as a last resort to bring their blood sugar level under control after all other medications have failed to show any positive result. For those who are not acquainted with Ozempic®, you must know that it is a non-insulin subcutaneous injection that acts as a natural hormone in our body and lowers glucagon secretion. It helps to improve glycemic control in adults who are suffering from diabetes mellitus. Though using the Ozempic® injection pens is easy, there are some official instructions that you need to follow to ensure that you are taking the injection the right way. Here are a few things that you need to know about Ozempic® dosage: Instructions to use Ozempic® Ozempic® does the work of a glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonists and helps to manage the blood sugar levels of patients who are suffering from type 2 diabetes. At the start of the treatment, the doctor will recommend a dosage of 0.25 mg of the subcutaneous injection, once a week. The patient must continue this for four weeks. In the first four weeks, though the medicine will not bring down your blood sugar level dramatically, it will kickstart the treatment process. It lowers the blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin production and lowering the secretion of the peptide hormone, glucagon. After the first four weeks, the doctor might advise you to increase the dosage to 0.5 mg, once every week. If the doctor observes that your body does not show any significant signs of glycemic control even after taking a 0.5 mg dosage once in a week, then he or she might tell you to increase the dosage to 1 mg per week. Generally, doctors don’t recommend a higher dosage of Ozempic® than 1mg. When should one take a dose of Ozempic®?

We often exercise caution when we are maneuvering our way in the dark to the kitchen, because stubbing our little toe against the table or TV stand will be incredibly painful. Though the throbbing dull ache will subside, there are injuries worse than a swollen little toe where the pain keeps getting worse. The pain one experiences when injured in an accident or after undergoing a surgery isn’t something that will eventually fade away on its own. For this very purpose, doctors prescribe opioids to the patient. Opioids are medications that are used to treat moderate to severe acute pain like the ones people experience due to injuries or surgery. These synthetic medications are engineered to mimic the effects of natural opiates like opium and morphine, from which they are partially derived. The commonly prescribed opiates include codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine, meperidine, and even include the banned drug, heroin. Though opiates are effective in relieving pain, these are considered to be extremely dangerous, as they have a high potential of dependency, misuse, and overdose. The various components in the opioids can have a great impact on the neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine, which is responsible for producing a feeling of euphoria and reward. This sudden feeling of elevation is what drives people to get addicted to opioids. Opioid addiction is quite rampant, and even famous Hollywood celebrities fell prey to the exalting effects opioids had on them. However, instead of succumbing to opioid addiction, these celebrities fought back and recovered and are celebrating their sobriety by leading an opioid-free, healthy life. Take a look at the famous Hollywood stars who waged a battle against opioid addiction and came out victorious. Robert Downey Jr. The “Iron Man” star wasn’t always the suave, self-assured gentleman we have all come to know.

Not all cholesterol is bad for your health. HDL (High-density lipoprotein) is also known as “good” cholesterol, and this type of cholesterol is actually better for your health. High HDL cholesterol levels in your body will help to carry cholesterol from the arteries to the liver, which in turn, helps in excreting it from the body. Also, if your HDL cholesterol level is high, you face a lower risk of heart disease. Moreover, high levels of high-density lipoprotein have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which are great for your health. To check your cholesterol levels, you need to go for a blood test. Most healthcare professionals recommend having a minimum blood cholesterol levels of 50 mg/dl in women, and for men, the minimum level is 40 mg/dl. If the HDL level is lower than this, your LDL level might build up, increasing the risk of heart diseases. If you have high LDL cholesterol levels, then treatment is necessary to lower the risk of a stroke or heart attack. Thus, to lead a fit and healthy life, maintaining the right levels of HDL is vital. If you are wondering how to treat high LDL cholesterol levels or how to raise HDL cholesterol levels, then you can go through these effective and healthy tips. Follow a ketogenic or low-carb diet A ketogenic and low-carb diet provides several health benefits such as reduced sugar levels in the blood and weight loss. If you are looking for ways to raise the levels of good cholesterol, you need to maintain a healthy weight. Losing a few extra pounds can go a long way in increasing your HDL cholesterol levels. You need to control your eating habits too. Along with having low-carb foods, try to include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in your diet. These fats are mostly available in tuna or salmon fish, nuts, and plants.

Have you been battling with high cholesterol problems and are wondering how to lower LDL cholesterol levels? High cholesterol increases the risks of heart attacks and diseases. Although treatment may help improve your cholesterol levels, you still need to make essential lifestyle changes to boost the cholesterol-lowering power of the treatment. To help you make healthy lifestyle changes, some effective tips have been listed below on how to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Making some changes in the diet can help reduce the level of fat in the body and help enhance your heart’s health. The following changes can help you be on your way to having a healthy heart: Eliminate trans fats – Often labeled as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fats are used in store-bought crackers, cookies, cakes, as well as in margarine. They raise the levels of cholesterol in your body and that’s why most hydrogenated vegetable oils are not recommended for use when the LDL levels in the body are high. Reduce saturated fats – Primarily found in full-fat dairy products and red meat, saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels. By decreasing consumption of saturated fats, you will be able to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in your body. Increase the intake of soluble fiber – Foods that are rich in soluble fiber are great at lowering cholesterol levels naturally. The soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Therefore, consider eating more fiber-rich foods such as barley, yams, oats, sweet potatoes, oat bran, and other types of potatoes. Beans or legumes like black beans, peas, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, and kidney beans are also excellent sources of soluble fiber. Vegetables are also rich in soluble fiber so consider including beets, eggplant, carrots, okra, and Brussels sprouts in your diet. Some good fiber-rich fruits are oranges, passion fruit, berries, apricots, apples, pears, and nectarines.

If you suffer from a burning sensation or acute discomfort that travels up from your stomach into your chest and the regurgitation of food that you recently ate along with a sharp and sour taste of acid, these symptoms are native to acid reflux. While the occasional experience of acid reflux need not worry you, if it becomes regular, more intense, and disturbs your sleep, you must visit your doctor. Food that enters the stomach is retained by means of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is a muscular ring, and it must close immediately as it may become weak or damaged. If it doesn’t close fully or remains open too often, it causes digestive acids to move up into the food pipe or esophagus. This causes the typical symptoms of heartburn, sour taste in the mouth, regurgitation, dyspepsia or burning sensation in the stomach, nausea, upset stomach, bloated feeling, difficulty swallowing, burping, dry cough, and a sore throat. Sometimes, the symptoms are so severe that they can be mistaken for a heart attack. If symptoms persist and are left untreated, you can develop gastroesophageal reflux disease. Relationship Between Food and Acid Reflux Your diet has a significant impact on acid reflux. Foods that are acidic in nature contribute to the increase of acids in the stomach and there are more chances of these causing reflux through a weak or damaged LES. There are many such trigger foods, and along with the medication, exercise and lifestyle changes that your doctor recommends, avoiding such foods can help you manage and eliminate your symptoms. Eating heavy meals close to bedtime and lying down immediately after a meal can trigger an attack. Being obese or pregnant, bending over after a meal, snacking close to bedtime, smoking, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen and muscle relaxants, certain antibiotics, and blood-pressure medications can set off acid reflux symptoms.

Protein powders are gaining huge popularity—not just among weightlifters, six-packers and gym addicts. They’re a useful nutritional supplement for people who want to lose weight or gain muscle, convalescents, senior citizens, athletes, vegans, and vegetarians. Let’s find out what they’re all about. What are protein powders? These special nutritional supplements contain concentrated protein from animal or plant sources and can be consumed in the form of concentrates, isolates, and hydrolysates. They are often available with added vitamins and minerals, in various flavors. You can buy them at most pharmacies, health stores, supermarkets, and online in powder form or as pre-mixed drinks. Add them to your normal food, mix them into juices, or just make a simple shake out of them. The common forms of protein powder are soy protein, whey, and casein protein. Whey is the most popular form since it’s water-soluble and contains all the nine essential amino acids that are necessary for the complete human diet. Each protein source has its own characteristics and benefits. Benefits Since protein is essential for the health and growth of all parts of our bodies, we need to make it a part of our daily diet. Proteins give energy, help to repair and rejuvenate cells. They also contribute to bulking up muscle mass, reduce fat, and help to repair and maintain the muscles. They give you a feeling of fullness and prevent hunger pangs that send you hunting for food in your fridge. When to take them You should take them if you’re an athlete or a teenager, planning a drastic work-out program, preparing for an athletic event or competition, opting to become a vegan or vegetarian, recovering from an accident/injury/illness. How much do you need? According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the normal adult needs about 0.8 gm/kg body-weight every day.