Posts Tagged ‘Zinc’

Cold Prevention – Ways to make common cold less common

Typical cold is relatively mild misery maker that goes away without special treatment after about a week. The upper respiratory tract which includes mouth, nose, and trachea is attacked by viruses which causes cold. It is a viral infection, antibiotics will not make it feel better. The medicines available can only relieve symptoms, not cure it.

- Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep keeps you healthy and may keep colds away. Research suggests that a person sleeping for less than seven hours were almost three times as likely to get infected as compared to a person who is getting eight or more hours of sleep.

- Exercise
A moderate regular exercise or physical activity strengthens the immunological defenses. A study suggests people who have exercised five days a week had 43% fewer respiratory symptoms as compared to people who exercise one day a week or less.

- Zinc
Studies suggest that there is no benefit from zinc lozenges or zinc nasal spray but results of using zinc gel are better but these gels have also been linked to the loss of the sense of smell.

- Empathy
Doctors have varying standards on the level of empathy to be exhibited towards patients so in a study at the University of Wisconsion, two clinics were trained to exhibit different levels of empathy. These patients were studied over a period of 14 days. Results indicated that empathy does make a difference in getting over with the cold.

- Echinacea
Studies suggest that a preparation based on aerial parts of Echinacea plant might be an effective early treatment of colds in adults but prevention and treatment trials of echinacea have not been too encouraging.
Tests of nasal fluids showed that an empathic encounter seem to boost the immune system.

- Vitamins
It is a common belief that Vitamin C, when ingested in high enough levels, will prevent common cold. Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling had written a classic work in 1970 called Vitamin C in common cold; this book further added to this belief. But, medical research has not supported this belief; this was not shown in studies where large doses of thousand to two thousand milligrams per day did not prove effective. Another area of prevention of the common cold is being somewhat substantiated by studies – this is doing hard exercising in cold weather.

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What are different health benefits of whole peppercorns ?

Peppercorns, scientifically known as Piper nigrum, is a very popular seasoning used throughout the world. It is indispensable from our kitchen and the dinning table. Since ancient times, pepper has been used to add that extra bit of taste to food not just because of its taste but also because of it innumerable health benefits.

Peppercorn is rich in proteins and minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc. Pepper is also rich in Vitamin A, B, C, E and K. Pepper also contains some amount of fats and dietary fiber. All of these components of pepper make it invaluable for maintaining good health. Some of the important reasons why pepper is a must in our diets are discussed below.

Anti inflammatory
Peppercorns have been used since ages as anti inflammatory agent. One of the commonly known health benefit of whole peppercorns is that it helps in reducing pains and is a popular medication given to cure throat infection and cough. Due to its strong and spicy taste it helps immensely in treating colds and flu.

Digestion
The presence of pepper in the food allows easy digestion and absorption of nutrients. It has been observed that pepper increases the absorption of selenium and Vitamin B and Vitamin A from food, these are essential nutrients required by the body. Moreover, easy absorption of food allows easy motility in the gastro intestinal tract. Pepper is also know for its carminative property and helps in avoiding gas or flatulence.

Cardiovascular heath
Pepper is rich in potassium, one of the various minerals found in pepper. Potassium is an essential mineral required by the body to maintain the fluid levels. Potassium helps in maintaining blood pressure and also helps in controlling the heart rate.

Blood
Pepper is also a rich source of iron which is an important mineral required to maintain hemoglobin level in blood. Deficiency of iron may lead to anemia causing breathlessness and weakness. Hemoglobin is that part of the blood which carries oxygen to different parts in the body.

Antioxidant
Pepper is a rich source of Manganese. Manganese is an essential cofactor required by the enzyme superoxide dimutase which helps in removing free radicals. Apart from manganese, peppercorns are also rich source of vitamin A and C which are again active antioxidants which in getting rid of the harmful free radicals from the body which may otherwise lead to the formation of cancer cells in the body.

Anti microbial
The pepper corns are popularly used for their antimicrobial properties. They are anti bacterial in nature which helps in getting rid of any bacterial infection in the body .Pepper also helps in removing intestinal parasites. Due to the anti inflammatory and antiseptic nature of pepper corns it is also used in dental treatment for tooth decay and gum swellings or ulcers.

Sinusitis
Pepper corns are also used in the relieving sinusitis. Peppercorns help by drying the mucus membranes and stopping the further build up of mucus thus reliving of blocked sinuses.

There are various other heath benefits of whole peppercorns which through the ages have helped in keeping health disorders at bay. Although research is being conducted to understand it further, many health claims are baser on clinical experiences rather than scientific data.

What are different health benefits of eating brown rice over white rice?

Rice is eaten in nearly every country. There are three main types of rice available: white rice, brown rice, red rice. Rice is considered as the most important staple food for a large part of the world’s human population. After rice is harvested, it is cleaned and the outer covering, called a hull or chaff, is removed. The remaining rice is brown, red or sometimes black, depending upon the seeds it originated from. If the layers of bran are then removed, white rice remains.
The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids.

Replacing white rice with brown or red rice has benefits like:
- It reduces risk of Type 2 diabetes as white rice has a higher glycemic index than brown rice which raises blood glucose levels. The high glycemic index of white rice is attributed to the change of its original structure during the polishing process and this also includes the loss of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
- Brown and red rice is better than white rice. Brown and Red has a greater nutritional value than white, since the outer brown coatings contain the proteins and minerals.
- Brown/Red also has nutrients like magnesium, manganese, and zinc.
- Brown/Red rice is more flavorful, chewy and nutty taste than white rice.
- Whole brown rice lowers cholesterol.
- Brown rice, at least 6 times each week is an especially good idea for post-menopausal women with high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other signs of cardiovascular disease.
- One type of phytonutrient especially abundant in whole grains including brown rice are plant lignum protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease.
- Magnesium, found in brown rice, is helpful for reducing the severity of asthma, lowering high blood pressure, reducing the frequency of migraine headaches, and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as brown rice, can help women avoid gallstones.
- Eating whole grains, such as brown rice, has been linked to protection against atherosclerosis, ischemic stroke, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and premature death.

Brown rice does take a little longer to cook than white rice, but the time is not much longer if you pre-soak the rice for a while and cook using the absorption method.