Posts Tagged ‘Advantages’

What are the health benefits of Vitamin D and how do you get Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans, vitamin D is unique because it functions as a prohormone. Also, the body can synthesize it (as vitamin D3) when sun exposure is adequate. It is also known as the “sunshine vitamin”.

Health benefits of Vitamin D
1. Maintains Your Calcium Balance.
- Narrow range is vital for normal functioning of the nervous system.
- Vitamin D is required for bone growth, and maintenance of bone density.
- Vitamin D is essential for absorption of calcium by the body.
2. Aids Your Cell Differentiation
- Differentiation of cells leads to a decrease in proliferation.
- Cellular proliferation is essential for growth and wound healing.
- Uncontrolled proliferation of cells causes diseases like cancer.
- Proliferation inhibition and stimulation of the differentiation of cells is done by Vitamin D.
3. Boosts Your Immunity
- Active vitamin D is a potent immune system booster.
4. Has a Role in Insulin Secretion
- Insufficient vitamin D levels may have an adverse effect on insulin secretion.
- It also effects glucose tolerance in type 2 diabetes.
5. Blood Pressure Regulation
- Adequate vitamin D levels is important for decreasing the risk of high blood pressure.

Vitamin D and Diseases
- Osteoporosis
- Cancer
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Autoimmune Diseases
- Diabetes
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis

Vitamin D overdose
- Hypercalcemia
- Bone loss
- Kidney stones
- Calcification of organs like the heart and kidneys
- Primary hyperparathyroidism
- Sarcoidosis
- Tuberculosis
- Lymphoma

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for Vitamin D
- Infants 0-12 months- 1000 IU
- Children 1-18 years- 2000 IU
- Adults 19 years and older- 2000 IU

Vitamin D Deficiency
- Rickets
- Osteomalacia
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Certain cancers
- Multiple sclerosis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Juvenile diabetes
- Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease

How do you get Vitamin D?
- Sunshine (natural)
- Foods are artificially fortified with vitamin D
- Vitamin Supplements

Dietary sources of vitamin D
- Fatty fish species, such as:
- Catfish, 85 g (3 oz) provides 425 IU (5 IU/g)
- Salmon, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz) provides 360 IU (3.6 IU/g)
- Mackerel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 345 IU (3.45 IU/g)
- Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 50 g (1.75 oz), 250 IU (5 IU/g)
- Tuna, canned in oil, 100 g (3.5 oz), 235 IU (2.35 IU/g)
- Eel, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), 200 IU (2.00 IU/g)
- A whole egg provides 20 IU if egg weighs 60 g (0.33 IU/g)
- Beef liver, cooked, 100 g (3.5 oz), provides 15 IU (0.15 IU/g)
- Fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil, 1 Tbs. (15 ml) provides 1360 IU (90.6 IU/ml)
- UV-irradiated mushrooms and yeast are the only known vegan significant sources of vitamin D
- Exposure of portabella mushrooms to UV provides an increase of vitamin D

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What are different benefits and types of oats?

Oats are super food because of the vast array of essential nutrients that are not only needed by the body but also boost overall health. The cereals that contain oats are supposed to have the property of lowering the cholesterol level. Recent study has found that:

- Oats have compounds that also reduces inflammation inside the artery walls.
- These compounds are called avenanthramides and they contain anti-inflammatory properties and they help in reducing inflammation.
- These compounds inhibits the action of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
- Cytokines are small proteins that are released by cells to repair tissues.
- Few cytokines triggers inflammation which can also lead to atherosclerosis in response to an infection.
- Oats and other cereal grains helps in a gradual rise in the level of sugar in the blood as they are digested slowly. Less insulin is needed to control blood sugar after eating plain, unadorned cereal grains than after eating some other high-carbohydrate food.
- Oats are rich in soluble fibre and it helps in reducing hypertension, or high blood pressure.
- The high content of fibre in oats keeps the bowel movements regular.
- Oats contain iron which helps to boost the immunity of the human body.
- Oats are a good source of magnesium, selenium, manganese and phosphorous.
- Oats are also a good source of vitamin B1 and dietary fiber.

Consumption of oats is an optimal way of lowering health risks. The three instants of oatmeal – regular, quick or instant have same amount of beta-glucan, a kind of fibre, which gives oats their cholesterol claim to fame.

TYPES OF OATMEAL
- Plain oatmeal groats i.e. whole kernels take a very long time to cook.
- Steel cut oats groats are cut into 2 or 3 chunks and they cook a little quicker as the piece is smaller and water gets penetrated more easily.
- Rolled oats are first steamed, then rolled and dried. Since they are already steamed and rolled, water penetrates more easily and they cook more quickly. Rolled oats come in three varieties:
regular oats – whole groats rolled.
quick oats – oat in pieces and then rolled thinner.
instant oats – oats cut even smaller and rolled even thinner.

What are different health benefits of Dandelions?

Dandelions are also known as Taraxacum Officinale. The meaning of the name is that it is the Official Remedy for Disorders. Dandelion is commonly known as a flower which is used in decorations but its medicinal values and health benefits are unknown. Although there are many varieties of dandelion present but the one which is most commonly used is the Taraxacum Officinale. Dandelions originate from Greece and since ancient times it is used as a very useful herb for curing many purposes. Dandelions contain components like beta carotene a great source of Vitamin A, iron, calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, Vitamin B, phosphorus, riboflavin, thiamine and proteins. Following are some useful health benefits and medicinal properties of dandelion:

- Dandelions are very nutritious and help in maintain a very good health. Dandelions contain sodium in a rich amount and therefore it is beneficial for liver problems especially the liver inflammations. There have been researches done, which indicate that the nutrition content of dandelion is excellent and is very beneficial for the human organism. The content of vitamin C and Luteolin in dandelion is good for the proper functioning of the liver and prevents liver from suffering from hemorrhage.

- Dandelions are great supplements for maintaining a healthy skin. They are used to treat many skin problems like rashes on skin, eczema, ringworms and acne. For treating these skin problems, the milk of the dandelion is used. The milk of the dandelion is alkaline in nature and has properties of an anti fungal, anti germicide and anti insecticide agent. For treating acne dandelion juice is used.

- The juice of dandelion contains properties to act like a diuretic, anti oxidant, stimulant and also a detoxifier, therefore applying the dandelion juice or the sap on the acne affected skin can cure it very effectively and quickly.

- Dandelion can be used for the treatment of cataract. For this treatment a mixture of the leaves, flowers, roots and stalks of the dandelion plant is boiled in some water for about 20 to 25 minutes and then with this water after being cooled down, wash the area surrounding your eyes. This can be done for about 5 times in a day.

- The tonic extracted from dandelions can be of great help for health. Dandelion is also helpful in increasing your appetite as it helps to stimulate your hunger and it also acts as a good remedy for the patients suffering from dyspeptic problems.

- Dandelion is very helpful in weight loss management. Dandelion helps us to excrete the extra fats stored in our urine through urination. It stimulates the urination process and therefore makes us frequently urinate and as a result all the fats stored in our urine are thrown out of the body. When the fats are removed from the body then automatically the body will lose weight. Hence dandelion is a great source of weight loss.

- Dandelion is very rich in fibers. Fibers are very essential for maintaining the cholesterol level in your body. It helps lower the cholesterol level and also helps in treating diabetes. The juice extracted from dandelion is very good for diabetic patients and it lowers the blood sugar level in a diabetic patient by maintaining a balance in insulin production. As a diuretic agent, dandelion makes the diabetic patient urinate frequently which results in the excretion of extra sugars from the body.

- Dandelions are very good for treating many heart diseases and also different types of cancers. The high content anti oxidants in dandelion help the body reduce the free radicals which cause cancer in a person.