Obesity is often associated with an increased risk of more than 20 chronic illness and health conditions that can have a devastating effect on a person’s health. It is a risk factor for a variety of chronic diseases including diabetics, high cholesterol, hypertension, heart and related ailments, some cancers, and arthritis. According to a study published in 2014, India is the third most obese country in the world. Hence, obesity and obesity-related health complications are driving up the health care costs in India. This article highlights risk factors associated with obesity and how you can fight them. What is Obesity? Obesity means having too much fat in the body which can have a negative effect on your overall health. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. And if it is 30 or above, you are considered obese. Related: Check Your Health with our BMI Calculator Factors Leading to Obesity Different factors lead to obesity, some of them are: Eating too many calories Sedentary lifestyle Lack of sleep Smoking Certain medications Obesity or FTO gene Obesity-Related Chronic Illness Obesity and diet-related chronic diseases are largely preventable, but the complex systemic factors causing them make it … Continue reading Obesity: An Open Invitation To Chronic Diseases →

The summer heat can cause many annoying skin problems, such as dry skin, boils etc. So here are 9 simple tips to treat skin rashes: Coconut oil Coconut oil has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and helps soothe rash and treats inflamed skin. Water Drink a minimum of 8 to 10 glasses of water every day to cleanse your body off harmful toxins and chemicals. Fruits Eat at least 3 coloured fruits rich in antioxidants every day such as pomegranate, black grapes, cherries, and strawberries. They are loaded with antioxidants and prove to be helpful for avoiding skin problems. Oatmeal Oatmeal is another familiar skin treatment option. Besides being a gentle exfoliate, oatmeal will also alleviate inflammation. Mix 2 tablespoons of oatmeal with 6 tablespoons of milk and apply the mixture on areas affected with skin rash. It helps reduce inflammation and soothe the rash. Aloe Vera Aloe vera has many nutrients and properties which are beneficial to the skin. Aloe vera is used as an anti-inflammatory agent and also provides anti-bacterial and anti-fungal aid. Apply the gel from a leaf of the aloe vera plant directly to the skin rash. If you are not able to find one or do … Continue reading 9 tips to treat skin rashes →

There are numerous lifestyle and diet related factors which could be causing a spike in our Blood pressure levels. Here is a list of the most common causes of high blood pressure. Age: The older we get, the higher we face the risk of having HBP Family history: If close members of our family have hypertension, our chances of developing the condition become higher. Obesity or overweight: Overweight refers to a condition where we have extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat and/or water. Obesity generally refers to a condition of just having a high amount of extra fat in our body. Overweight and obesity are more likely to cause high blood pressure compared with people who possess normal weight. Physical inactivity: Lack of exercise coupled with a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of hypertension. Smoking: Smoking causes our blood vessels to narrow, which results in higher blood pressure. Moreover, it reduces the oxygen content in our blood and thus, our heart has to pump faster to compensate for this, which causes a rise in our blood pressure level. Alcohol intake: People consuming alcohol regularly have higher systolic blood pressure compared with those who do not. High salt intake: People who do not consume much … Continue reading Causes of High Blood Pressure →

We have to drill a major fact into our minds that stress, anger, and negative emotions have a major impact on our heart.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are pivotal for the normal growth and development of our body. However, the fact is that makes them crucial is that the human body does not manufacture them. Thus, the only way to acquire them is through our diet. The essential fatty acids Two major classifications of EFA include Omega-6 and Omega-3. The ideal ratio between the two categories is 4:1. The general Indian diet has Omega-6 in abundance (without the addition of oil in the cooking process). The invisible fat present in cereals, grains, vegetables, and dals ensures around 10-15 grams per day of Omega-6 fatty acids.  Foods which are rich in Omega-3 include fish, walnuts, soybeans, almonds, leafy vegetables, and flaxseeds. The imbalance The bad news is that majority of us do not eat as much of these as they  should be eating, therefore this makes our body Omega-3 deficient. Further, we add approximately 35 grams of vegetable oil to our food while cooking. These vegetable oils can further disrupts the balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Moreover, a low HDL level tends to pose a bigger threat to the heart than high cholesterol levels. The only way we could boost our HDL … Continue reading What are Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) →