A high-fat diet affects the 'biological clock', a study

Eating only a few foods with high amounts of fat could be enough to descalibrar the biological clock and get into a vicious cycle that could lead to obesity and diabetes, U.S. researchers reported. They found that a group of mice fed high-fat meal showed significant changes in their diet and sleep patterns, as they slept and ate more when they should be resting.

"The effect can be quite fast, in a matter of days," said Dr. Joe Bass of Northwestern University and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois, whose study appears in the journal Cell Metabolism .

The researcher said the study suggests that overeating alters a central mechanism of the biological clock, modifying the internal signals that control appetite. "What we see is that the ticking clock slowed," the author in a telephone interview.

Known as circadian rhythm, the internal clock runs daily rhythms and regulates body when to sleep, wake up and eat, among many other body functions.

Risk of obesity and diabetes

Previous studies led by Bass found that a faulty clock could raise the risk of obesity and diabetes. The latest research showed that overeating can encourage this process. However, the effect would not be automatic. Humans have demonstrated in many studies to have more complex reactions that mice to changes in diet.

"If you give a mouse a diet of high fat, eat excessive amounts," said Bass. "It's like a person who eats at McDonald's or eat too much food at Thanksgiving dinner," he said.

Dietary changes include the genetic mechanism of the internal clock.

"What we found was that the expression of genes that encode the clock is altered by high-fat diets. Diet is as if the clock wore out or rust," said the author. "It erodes the abundance of proteins in cells," he added.

The study suggests that the circadian rhythm and metabolism would be closely related, so disturbing the biological clock could have a negative effect.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health grants U.S. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co.

Coconut Water and its Health Benefits (Nariyal Pani)

Coconut water (Nariyal Pani) is found in the coconut fruit that is native to the coastal parts of the Asian nations, mainly South India. This water is one of the best refreshing drinks of the nature. Its famous throughout the world because of its superb health benefits. This drink is clear in appearance and sweet in taste. Its composed of some unique ingredients like sugar, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, cytokine, vitamins, minerals and phyto-hormones. Know its main health benefits here:

Hydration- Coconut water is one of the best drinks that soothes the problem of dehydration. It contains two minerals called sodium and potassium. They help to restore the deficiency of salt in the body.

B vitamins- This drink is highly rich in B vitamins. They give energy to the body and decrease the symptoms of anxiety and depression. This nutrient series even helps in the proper functioning of the muscles and builds a strong immunity.

Vitamin C- You will find an abundant amount of vitamin C in this drink. Its important for fighting with the movement of free radicals. They can cause damage to the body and initiate the problems of cancer and various heart diseases.

Healthy digestion- This water helps to ease digestive upsets and nausea problems. It contains two elements saline and albumen. They treat the symptoms of kidney stones, urinary tract infections and dysentery.

Boosts energy- You will be surprised to know that coconut water is more nutritious than milk. It contains no fat and cholesterol content. And as its naturally filtered from its husk, so there is no need to purify it.

Universal donor- In certain emergency conditions, this drink can be used as a universal donor. Its make-up is same as that of the blood plasma. Its solutions have been used in the third world. And it got the credit to save many lives.

Other benefits- It cools your body, helps in maintaining oral hygiene, raise the rate of metabolism, promote weight loss, detoxifies the body and fights against viral infections like flu herpes and AIDS, controls diabetes and reduces high blood pressure problem.

*Drinking coconut water can interfere with blood pressure during and after a surgery. It can also cause latex allergy. So do not drink it during this phase.

How Banana Benefits your Skin Health

Banana (Kela) is a highly nutritious fruit which helps to make your skingrow and look healthy. Banana peels contain a lot of antioxidants which help to restore the natural balance of your skin, especially the facial one. So its used as a wonderful home remedy to treat various ill skin conditions. It mainly includes allergies, bruises, dry skin, wrinkles, acne and many more problems.

The main compounds in banana peels are potassium and antioxidants which help to make your skin supple and soft. So here are some of the main banana remedies to treat your distressed skin conditions. Have a look!!

Ways to Use Banana for Various Skin Problems

Psoriasis- Psoriasis is the problem of red, irritated and flaky skin. And banana forms a very fine remedy to treat this illness. For this, rub the inside part of a banana peel gently on the affected area. Leave it for around 5 minutes and then clean it by using a wet cotton pad.

Acne- Acne is a condition in which some pus filled pores develop on the outer part of your skin as small extensions. Just rub the inside of a banana peel on your acne spots and leave it for about 5 minutes. After that, wash it off with water.

Poison ivy- Poison ivy is also called contact dermatitis. In this illness, the skin becomes red, sore and inflamed. Just rub the inside of banana peel on the affected area of the skin. Leave it for 5 minutes and then clean it with a wet cotton pad. This remedy will reduce the symptoms of itching and irritation.

Warts- Warts are rough and small growths on the skin. Since banana has the ability to make your skin soft and supple, so it helps to ward off the sign of roughness. For reaping this benefit, rub the inside of banana peels over the troubled part. Leave it for around 5 minutes and then clean it with water.

Wrinkles- Wrinkles are a part of aging process, so almost everybody has to face this skin condition. Mash a banana till it turns creamy and then apply it over your face as a mask. Leave this application for around 15-20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. This remedy will help to reduce wrinkles and aging lines from your skin.

Apart from this, bananas are highly rich in skin benefiting nutrients. So, you can also add them to your diet. This way, they will make your skin condition look better, both from inside and outside. But use them only in moderate amounts to get the desired and effective results.

Health Benefits of Buttermilk | Natural Probiotic

Buttermilk is one of the strongly recommended Natural Probiotics, popular for savoring multiple health benefits. Its indicated to a number of dairy drinks. Primarily, it is a liquid, left behind after churning butter out of milk cream. This product is called traditional buttermilk. However, its also indicated to a wide range of fermented milk drinks, highly used in warm places, like India, Middle East, Pakistan and Southern United States, where the fresh milk turns sour easily. However, the fermented form of this drink is called cultured buttermilk. Its basically made by cow's milk. Its sour in taste which is caused by lactic acid bacteria. So, lets find out some of the main aspects and health favors of buttermilk here ..

Why Buttermilk is Thicker than Milk?

Buttermilk is tart in taste due to the presence of acid in milk. This acid is formed by the lactic acid bacteria during the fermentation of lactose, the main sugar in milk. This results in the reduction of pH level and casein protein in milk. So there occurs a curdling or condensation of milk particles. This makes the buttermilk thicker than the normal milk. The traditional milk is less thick in comparison to the cultured milk.

Important Health Benefits of Using Buttermilk

Calcium benefits- Buttermilk is rich in calcium and helps to fulfill your daily recommended dose of this mineral. Its fine amount helps to benefit your health in many ways. It mainly forms strong bones, nerves and heart health. So buttermilk helps to prevent the problems ofosteoporosis and weak heart muscles and functions.

Carbohydrate benefits- Carbohydrate is a nutrient which posses simple sugars that your body can easily break into glucose and energy. It helps in carrying out a proper digestive process. Just one glass of buttermilk contains opium amount of carbohydrates. So it provides enough energy to your body to carry out your daily activities.

Rich in vitamins- This dairy product contains a range of important health benefiting vitamins. It mainly includes vitamin C, A, B12, B6 and folate. Vitamin C and A help to form better skin health. Vitamin B12 enhances the health of red blood cells. Vitamin B6 promotes the fine functioning of the nervous system. And folate helps to prevent birth defects from an unborn child.

Protein benefits- Buttermilk is highly rich in protein amounts. This nutrient contains some amino acids which help in the proper growth and development of your body, mainly the skin organ.

*However, some people suffer from milk allergy and buttermilk's prime ingredient is milk. So avoid its use if you suffer from such an allergy. Some of the main signs of milk allergy are the outbreak of hives, eczema and swelling around lips, mouth and neck. Also, if you are suffering from any severe disease then consult a good medical expert before starting the use of buttermilk. It will prevent the outcome of any negative health condition.

How to Use Vegetable Scraps for Making Vegetable Stock

Do you often throw vegetable scraps into dustbin?? Well, then don't do so as these portions can be used to make a stock. Its a flavored water preparation. This liquid forms the base of many recipes, like soups and sauces. Its made by simmering some raw ingredients in water which leave a thin solution.

For this, you can use various vegetable scraps like carrot peel, green leaves of cauliflower, onion skins and garlic peel. So let's find out the method of preparation of this natural stock here..

Method of Preparation of Vegetable Scraps Stock

Save these vegetables- Save the scraps of any of these veggies- Onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, asparagus, parsley, cilantro, winter squash, lettuce, chard, ginger, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini and bell peppers.

Storage- Collect around 4-6 cups of vegetable scraps to make about 2 quarts of stock. Store them in an air-tight container in the fridge. But if you are collecting them for more than a week then store them in the freezer.

Preparation method- Just put 4-6 cups of veggie scraps into a saucepot and add around 1-2 bay leaves and a few black peppercorns.

Cover all these ingredients with cold water and bring it to boil. Low the heat and let it simmer for about one hour. Do not overheat this recipe as it may start deteriorating.

After this, strain the liquid by using a strainer and then let it cool down a bit. Shift this solution into a glass jar or clean yogurt container.

Place this stock in the fridge to keep it fresh for use for around one week.

Garnishing- For garnishing purposes, you can finely chop certain herbs like mint, coriander leaves, thyme, oregano or any other you like!! You can also add noodles or boiled egg slices to this delicious vegetable stock!! One more way to add variety to it is including chopped vegetable of your choice, like carrots, onions, broccoli or anything else!!

Vegetables to avoid- The veggies you should avoid for this recipe are- potato, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, turnips, artichokes and rutabagas (a form of turnip).

One of the best benefits of using a homemade stock is that, it saves you from the harmful effects of the market variety. It retains more nutritional values as its made from fresh and clean vegetables. The only condition, the veggies have to be organic!

How to Use Egg as a Natural Hair Conditioner

An egg is a popular remedy for a fine hair care regime as it works as an awesome natural hair conditioner. It helps to make your hair soft by reducing the problems of frizzy and dry hair. There are many nutrients present in eggs like vitamin A, B, D and E. All these elements work to make your hair health strong and firm. For example, vitamin B and D help to strengthen your hair follicles and roots, and vitamin A and E help to prevent the problem of hair loss. Eggs are also rich in some fatty acids which give a high hand in conditioning your hair finely. So learn some fine egg remedies which work as a superb hair conditioner in this outlook!!

How to Use Eggs for Hair Conditioning

Egg white- Take around 2-3 eggs and separate their white parts from the yolk content and blend them to make a paste. Apply it over your wet hair while taking shower and then leave it for around 20 minutes. After that, clean your hair with water and use your regular shampoo. This remedy is particularly effective for improving an excessive oily hair condition.

Egg yolk- An Egg yolk works best to treat the problems of dry and rough hair. For this, just make a mixture of an egg yolk and 1tablespoon olive oil or castor oil. You can also add mashed avocado or banana to it. Apply it on wet hair after squeezing out the extra water. Leave it for about 15 min to 1 hour, with a shower cap covering your scalp and hair completely. Wash your hair completely with normal cold water. Do remember to shampoo again, if you have added oil to it, to get rid of the stickiness.

Whole egg- You can also use a whole egg for your daily hair care without separating its white and yolk parts. For this, just beat a whole egg and apply it over your hair after doing shampoo. Leave this application for about 15-20 minutes and then wash it with water and use a little amount of shampoo again. This remedy works best for a normal hair order.

Its important for you to note that any treatment, like the egg one, does not give an instant result. For getting the desired plumpy and shiny hair, use the above remedies for about one month. And for a long lasting effect, use them in every 4-5 days. You can also add eggs in your diet to improve the growth of your hair and make them look healthier.

Top 7 Health Benefits of Black Pepper in your Diet

Black pepper (Kali Mirch) is one of the most used and famous spicesacross the whole world. It bears an aromatic odor and slightly pungent and bitter taste. This one is often accompanied with table salt to spice-up various food recipes. It contains an element, piperine, which is the real cause of its utterly sharp spiciness. And its obtained from a plant which is native to a Southern state of India, Kerala.

In the old times, it was used for trading and as a token of money. And since its not a seasonal plant, its available throughout the year. Its rich in many nutrients like iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and K. So let's find out its main health benefits right here in this outlook!!

Health Benefits of Black Pepper

1. Upset stomach- The use of this pepper enhances the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the abdomen. So, it facilitates a healthy digestion process. This action is important to prevent the problems of diarrhea,constipation and colic. It also fixes the issues of excessive production of intestinal gas. And it clears body toxins by increasing the rate of sweating and urination.

2. Weight loss- The outer layer of this spice helps to break and dissolve the fat cells in your body. So, it forms a very fine remedy for losing weight, the natural way.

3. Skin health- It helps to treat the condition of vitiligo. In this problem, the skin loses its natural pigments and becomes white. The use of black pepper helps to stimulate the production of skin pigments and improve this illness. It also prevents the onset of a skin cancer issue.

4. Cough and cold- In Indian Ayurveda, black pepper is added to the tonics of cold and cough, due to its anti-infection values. It also gives relief from the problems of sinusitis and nasal congestion.

5. Antioxidant power- Due to the antioxidant rich content of this pepper, it helps to control the movement of free radicals. So, it prevents the troubles of cancer, various heart diseases and an ill-liver condition.

6. Respiratory disorders- Black pepper helps to control many respiratory problems, due to its anti-bacterial nature. It mainly heals the disorders of asthma and whooping cough by bringing out the blocked phlegm and clearing the nasal passages.

7. Dental health- As this spice can kill germs and plaque, so it helps to fix the problems of tooth decay and toothache, too.

Black pepper is one of the most used spices with amazing health benefits. It can treat the problems of upset stomach, obesity, vitiligo, cough, cold and respiratory and dental disorders. You can sprinkle its powder on your salads, smoothies and other food recipes for reaping all these advantages. But use it only in moderate amounts as its hot by nature.

Dangers of Re-Using Plastic Mineral Water Bottles

Do you often buy plastic mineral water bottles from the market?? And do you re-use them for carrying water for a long period of time?? Then wait!! You are inviting some serious dangers for your health. For this, we can't blame the companies, they have to sell water, not the bottles. So, its our duty to be fully aware of the products we use, and more than that, the ones we re-use. As bit of negligence can pose a life-threatening alert on your well-being. Here is the detailed study on this issue :

How Plastic Mineral Water Bottle Affects your Health?

The plastic used in these bottles is called PET (polyethylene terephthalate). It contains a carcinogenic element known asDEHA (diethylhydroxylamine). So, if you use these bottles by repeatedly washing them for many days, then this element leaks in the water. It puts you to the risk of a cancerous disease. This problem has happened to a 12-year old girl, in Dubai. She used a fancy SAFA mineral water bottle to her school for around 16 months and ended-up suffering from this severe disorder.

You can avoid this trouble by checking a number, in the triangle sign, on the bottom part of these bottles. If this figure is more than or equal to 5, then its safe for use. But if its less than 5 then it can release DEHA chemical. Remember, its not the water that causes danger, rather its the chemical which is the real culprit.

So, if you want to use a bottle for a longer span then buy the ones which are made for this purpose only. And avoid using mineral water bottles for this motive at all as precaution is always better than cure.

Try Yogurt for Vaginal Yeast Infection in Women

Yeast are basically some small organisms, candida fungus, which live on your body. They cause a yeast infection when they begin to multiply and spread to the nearby areas. Actually, your vagina is rich in mild acid pH environment which prevents the growth of these harmful microorganisms. But with a reduction in this pH level, the problem ofyeast infection tights its roots on your body. For treating it, the remedy of a probiotic rich food, yogurt ( Dahi), works like a true boon!! Its made from some healthy bacteria by culturing the milk. This food increases the amount of beneficial bacteria in your digestive and reproductive tract which help to remove the infection causing organisms. So learn that how you can use yogurt in various forms for this purpose right here..

How to Use Yogurt for Yeast Infection??

Insert yogurt- Just take some plain yogurt and apply it over a tampon and insert it into your vagina. Keep it in this position for 5-10 minutes to several hours, depending on the severity of your condition. This remedy will transfer many healthy bacteria in your vagina which will control the growth of yeast infection. Use this remedy for as long as you get rid of your distress.

Douche with yogurt- Take some plain yogurt and simply douche your vagina with it. This is a simple way of preventing the problem of yeast infection. Yogurt is highly rich in body friendly bacteria which help to kill all the infectious organisms.

Eat it- Along with the topical use of yogurt, you should even add it to your daily diet. This probiotic food will generate some healthy bacteria in your body which will fight with a yeast infection from inside. So it would be a double treatment for your illness.

Its important for you to know that, you should use only organic yogurt for healing your yeast infection problem. Also, avoid using flavored or sweetened yogurts as they can irritate your illness. Use only plain yogurt for this purpose. Taking this remedy will prove extremely fruitful and effective for curing a yeast trouble. But make sure you do not overdo with this remedy as excess of everything is bad. So use yogurt only in genuine amounts and get the desired results.

Get Naturally Glowing Skin with Egg Facial Packs

An egg is one of the richest sources of protein. Its a nutrient which is highly important for the fine growth of your body, especially for anaturally glowing skin. The protein found in eggs provide a good amount of amino acids which are important for the repair of dead skin tissues. These acids are also essential for the fine functioning of the skin cells. Almost all parts of an egg helps to benefit your skin. It mainly includes egg yolk, white and a whole egg. So here are some main egg facial packs for different skin types. They will help to make your skin glow and look better. So have a look at these natural recipes..

Wonderful Egg Packs for a Glowing Skin

Egg yolk for dry skin- Take an egg and separate its yolk part. Beat it until a frothy solution is formed. Now take a cotton pad and dip it in this solution and apply it over your face. Let it dry completely and then wash it off using warm water. This pack will help to make your skin soft and supple.

Egg white for oily skin- A basic egg white pack helps to tone your skin and make your face look cleaner and tighter. There are mainly two ways to use this basic pack. First, just massage the white part over your face and then let it dry out for sometime. Clean it with warm water. The second way is, blend an egg white and make its thick paste. Apply it over your face and let it dry-down for around 5-10 minutes. After that, wash it with warm water.

Whole egg for normal skin- Just beat a whole egg and apply it over your skin. Let it dry for around 15 minutes and then wash it off with warm water. This remedy will help to bring glow and shine to a normal skin order.

Apart from this, you can also add eggs in your diet. They are highly rich in protein and other nutrients. So their regular use will help to make your skin strong, both from inside and outside. However, avoid eating eggs during an extremely warm season as they are hot in nature and can cause some health troubles. So use them only in a cool or mild weather. And remember to keep their quantity in moderate amounts for better and safer results.