What Happens To Your Body When You Drink Okra (Bhindi) Water Every Morning

Okra is a healthy green vegetable with many other names like bhindi and lady’s finger. It has several health benefits attributed to its superior fiber and mucilage content. Drinking “okra water” is a popular new method of using okra. It’s alleviates asthma, lowers cholesterol, boost immune system, prevent kidney diseases and, the most important, it is very effective in fighting and preventing diabetes.
The drink is made by putting okra pods in water and soaking them overnight. Some of the valuable nutrients in the skin and seed pods will be absorbed into the water. If you don’t like the taste of okra, drinking this okra water solution is a quick and simple way to derive the benefits of okra without eating it.

How can it help treat diabetes?

Evidence of okra having anti-diabetic properties has increased in recent years, with multiple Vitro (laboratory) and Vivo (animal) studies confirming okra as a potent blood glucose-lowering (or anti-diabetic) food. The superior fibre contained in okra is believed to help stabilise blood glucose by slowing the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
In a study conducted in 2011(published in ISRN Pharmaceutics), research was done to find out the potential of okra in the treatment of diabetes. Results showed that the okra helped reduce the absorption of glucose, which in turn reduced blood sugar levels and manage diabetes. It may also help insulin function or even act as a substitute for insulin.

How to Prepare Okra Water for Diabetes

• Take two pieces of Okra and remove/cut both ends of each piece.
• Also put a small cut in the middle and put these two pieces in glass of water.
• Cover the glass and keep it at room temperature during night.
• In morning, drink that water 30 minutes before breakfast.
• Repeat this daily for two weeks and you should see the decrease in your blood sugar levels.
• If you are already on a treatment plan for your diabetes, you should let your doctor know before taking okra as a natural diabetes treatment.

Other health benefits of Okra

• Okra contains a lot of soluble fibers, which can help the body to lower the cholesterol level.
• Okra contains high amounts of Vitamin-C and powerful antioxidants, which help to improve the body’s immune system.
• The fibers in the okra facilitate proper absorption of water, lubricates the large intestines and ensure bowel movements. The works as a natural laxative and prevents constipation.
• The fibers in the okra also reduce the risk for colon and rectal cancer.
• Regularly drinking okra water can also be helpful for preventing kidney disease.
• Consuming even small amounts of fruits or vegetables rich in vitamin C, like okra (21 milligrams per cup), can alleviate asthma symptoms.

8 Common Contact Lens Mistakes You Should Avoid

The majority of contact lens users don’t use proper hygiene and that puts them at risk of eye infections. Sleeping with contact lens on, not washing your hands before touching your lenses and more bad habits can lead to serious eye problems. Below are 8 common contact lens mistakes you should avoid.

1. Wearing Contact Lenses All Day

Wearing contact lenses all day can damage your eyesight. The cornea (the transparent layer forming the front of the eye) gets its oxygen supply directly from the air rather than from the blood. But a contact lens acts as a barrier to that oxygen supply, so wearing them too long can potentially starve the cornea of oxygen. It is recommended to avoid wearing contacts for more than eight hours a day.

2. Sleeping with your contact lenses on

The most common infection related to contact lens use is microbial keratitis, an infection of the cornea. Research shows that sleeping in contact lenses overnight increases the risk of infection by about four times, irrespective of lens type.

3. Not Wearing Sunglasses

When you are out wearing lenses, even the tiniest dust particle is enough to irritate your eyes big time. These dust particles can result into itching and redness in the eyes. So, make sure to wear sunglasses when you step out.

4. Washing Your Face While Wearing Contact Lenses

Washing your face while wearing contact lenses can subject you to several risk factors if your lenses come into contact with tap water. An amoeba called acanthamoeba is found in tap water which can contaminate your contact lens and cause a serious cornea infection called Acanthamoeba Keratitis. Always take them out first to prevent infections.

5. Using water to clean your lenses

Avoid using tap water to rinse or store your soft contact lenses. Water can cause your contact lenses to change shape, swell and stick to your eyes when you apply them, often causing significant discomfort and blurred vision. Always use solution that is meant to clean and store reusable soft contact lenses.

6. Not washing your hands before touching your lenses

If you touch your contacts without washing your hands, you transfer bacteria to the lens. Always wash your hands with soap and water and dry them well with a clean towel—every single time—before you touch your contact lenses.
Before applying, always check to see if lens is inside out. Place the lens on the tip of your finger and view its shape from the side, as shown below. If the lens is the correct shape then the edges of the lens will appear to be curved like the edge of a bowl. If the lens is inside out then the edges will flare out like the edge of a plate.

7. Wearing your lenses way past their expiration date

Lenses get worn out and have to be changed before their shelf life expires. The solution containing the lenses can also go bad over time, it can become more acidic or more alkaline (basic). With an unstable pH (acidity), the lens, when the solution expires, can cause infection and become very uncomfortable.

8. Not cleaning out your lens case after each use

Every single time you use your contact lens case, you need to rinse it out with fresh solution and let it dry. otherwise, a little layer will build up on bottom called biofilm, this could put your eyes at risk for infection. You should also not use a contact lens case for longer than three months. Every three months, the case should be changed with a new one.

9 Things Your Hands Say About Your Health

Did you know your hands can reveal clues to your overall health? From fingernail color to grip strength, our hands can indicate risk factors for a number of health conditions. Below are the 9 things your hands say about your health.

1. Grip strength

More recently, studies have linked grip strength and overall health. According to one research, grip strength is actually a better predictor of cardiovascular disease than blood pressure. A weak grip is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Grip strength is an indicator of overall muscle strength and fitness. Whole-body strength training and aerobic exercise can reduce heart disease risk.

2. Shaky hands

Shaky hands is commonly referred to as a hand tremor. Hand tremor could be the result of something as simple as too much caffeine or a side effect of certain medications like asthma drugs and antidepressants. But it’s a good idea to see your doctor if the issue recurs. A tremor in just one hand can be a first symptom of Parkinson’s disease, or it can indicate essential tremor, a disorder that causes uncontrollable shaking.

3. Bony Lumps On Fingers

Bony pea-sized lumps that are painful to the touch around the joints of the fingers can be a marker for osteoarthritis elsewhere in the body, such as hips or knees.

4. Club Fingers

If the tips of your fingers are dome-shaped or look like small clubs, it could be a warning sign of serious diseases such as Lung cancer. This sign found in around 29% of people with lung cancer.

5. Sweaty palms

Overly sweaty hands may be a symptom of thyroid conditions, as well as hyperhidrosis, a condition in which overactive sweat glands produce sweat in excess of what is considered normal. Most people with the condition sweat from only one or two parts of the body, such as the under arms, palms, or feet.

6. Red Palms

If your palms remain reddened over a long period of time, this may be a condition called liver palm or palmar erythema. It is thought to be caused by blood vessels which are dilating in response to the hormone imbalance caused by the damage to the liver. The redness is more prominent on the outer edge of the palms from the wrist to the little finger.

7. Two-tone Nails

Nails that are a pale white on the bottom half, nearest the skin, but a brownish shade on the top half, could be a sign of chronic kidney disease. The condition is known as half-and-half nails and it’s thought to be due to a build up of urea – a waste product normally processed by the kidneys but which here crystallises under the skin and nails.

8. Pale or White Nail Beds

This type of discoloration can be a sign of anemia, which means your body is not making enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. A routine blood test can check for anemia, and treatment generally consists of iron supplementation.

9. Blue Fingernails

Nails that have a blue-ish look about them usually indicate that the body is low on oxygen. Respiratory problems, like pneumonia, often cause the nails to have a blue-ish tint. Heart conditions called cyanosis can also give the nails a blue discoloration.

Simple 2 Ingredients Recipe Which Melts Belly Fat & Lowers Cholesterol Levels

Maintaining healthy weight and cholesterol levels is essential to your overall health and wellness. One simple way you can reduce belly fat and lower cholesterol levels is by including low-calorie, high-fiber foods in your regular diet. Here are the 2 simple ingredients and the recipe to lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce belly fat.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Studies have found that the nutrients, enzymes, and acetic acids in apple cider vinegar cause weight reduction by acting as an appetite suppressant, by raising the body’s natural metabolic rate, by reducing water retention, and by producing a feeling of satiety sooner.
Apple cider vinegar could also lower cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in the apple cider vinegar, in the form of pectin, attaches itself to cholesterol and carries it out of the body.

2. Dried figs

Dried figs or anjeer are an ideal snack for those who want to lose weight. They is rich in dietary fibre, particularly soluble fiber. In fact, figs have the highest fiber content of any dried fruit with 7.3 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup, that’s 29% of the daily requirement. They’re also low enough in calories that you won’t ruin your diet.
Dry figs contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and phytosterol compounds, which help lower cholesterol levels and preserve the flexibility of your arteries which can decrease the risk of heart disease.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Dried figs
• Organic apple cider vinegar

Preparation:
Prepare this remedy in the evening, and take it in the morning. Take three dried figs and prick them well using a toothpick. Put them in a glass container filled with 15 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar. You can leave it overnight so the figs absorbs the vinegar well. In the morning eat the figs and don’t throw away the rest of the vinegar, but use it to prepare the remedy in the same manner the following night. Use the same vinegar for seven days. On the eighth day take new vinegar and repeat the procedure for another week. This procedure lasts 14 days. You must also eat healthy foods and exercise regularly.

4 Surprising Ways To Use Eggshells For Health

Eggshells are considered waste by most, but they have amazing health properties and uses. Egg’s shell is natural source of minerals and contains 90% calcium. Calcium in eggshells is easily absorbed by our body because its chemical composition is almost identical to human’s teeth and bones. Below are the surprising health properties and uses of Eggshells.

Health properties of eggshells:

• High-quality eggshells contain 27 essential microelements but they’re mostly composed of calcium carbonate, a form and structure that’s very similar to our bones and teeth.
• A dentistry school in the Phillipines did a study comparing various leading toothpastes along with their own compounded toothpaste from eggshells. They found that over a period of time, the teeth cleaned with the eggshell toothpaste had less plaque build up and stronger enamel. This is due to the fact that eggshells have calcium and other trace minerals which are essential for healthy enamel, thus preventing cavities.
• Many studies have also shown the effectiveness of eggshell calcium in improving bone mineral density, reducing arthritis pain, and stimulating cartilage growth.
• Eggshells also contain mineral elements: magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sodium, potassium, iron, sulfur, aluminum, etc.

A few SURPRISING uses of egg shells for health:

Make Your Own Powdered Calcium Supplement

Boil the eggs in water for 5 minutes. This way you will eliminate the pathogens that might be found on the shell. Allow the shells to dry and then turn them into powder using a coffee grinder. 1 tsp. contains approximately 800-1,000 mg. of calcium. Consume 1 tsp. daily by mixing in a small amount of water with a meal.

Heal cavities using eggshell toothpaste

If you want to get rid of cavities, prepare your own eggshell toothpaste. Take a quarter cup of powdered eggshells prepared using the method described above. Take 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and a tablespoon of baking soda. Mix the ingredients in a bowl until you obtain a paste that you can store in a jar. You may also add a few drops of peppermint oil for the usual minty flavor of toothpaste. Use this composition to brush your teeth.

For a Nourishing Facial

For a healthful, skin-tightening facial, mix the eggshell powder with some egg white and whisk properly. Spread the mixture over your face and allow it to dry. Then, wash off with fresh cold water. It will nourish your skin and make it firmer.

Treat Skin Irritations

Drop an eggshell into a small container of apple cider vinegar and let it soak for a couple of days. Then, dip a cotton ball in this concoction and apply it to the affected parts of your skin.

How to Eat & Exercise Correctly According to Your Body Type

There are 3 distinct body types: ectomorphs, endomorphs, and mesomorphs. Everyone falls into one of these three categories. Each of these 3 types need slightly different exercise and diet plans to fit their body types in order to achieve desired results. Below are some tips to help you eat and train according to your body type.

1. Ectomorphs

They are your classic “hardgainer” and tend to be thin, long-limbed and have fast metabolism. In general, they have a tough time putting on fat and muscle.

Exercise for your body type

The ectomorph training focuses on muscle building and strength over cardio and interval training. They need to give their muscle more time to recover between training sessions, more so than other body types. The workout session must be completed within 45 minutes to 1 hour. Train each bodypart once per week.

• Lift Heavy: Since the ectomorph needs strength, they need to train heavier with 4-6 sets in the 5-10 repetitions range. Use the heaviest weights you can handle and increase training intensity with each workout. This mean more weight, reps, and sets.
• Take longer rest periods: Take 2-5 minutes of rest between sets if lifting heavier weights and really overload to stimulate muscle fibres and growth.
• Reduce Cardio: Cardio is an important part of training. But ectomorphs should lower their cardio workout in order to avoid burning too much calories.
• Big compound exercises: Ectomorphs need to focus their efforts compound-based workouts like the bench press, shoulder press, dips, bent over rows squats, leg presses and deadlifts.

Nutrition

Ectomorphs have fast metabolism, which can turn food into energy quickly. To build muscle, increase the daily carbohydrate intake, as well as a higher caloric intake overall. Increase daily protein intake to 1 – 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight. Recommended macronutrient ratio for an ectomorph is Carbohydrate 50% – Protein 30% – Fat 20%

2. Mesomorph

Mesomorphs have an athletic physique, broad shoulders, lots of muscle mass, and are relatively lean. Mesomorphic individuals gain muscle and lose fat very easily. Their bodies respond well to nutrition and training regimens. They are somewhere between the endomorph and the ectomorph.

Exercise for your body type

Mix Compound And Isolation Movements: Training of a mesomorph should be composed of both compound and isolation movements. They are suited to classic muscle building workouts and muscle group splits during a training week.
Use classic muscle building splits such as:
Legs: Leg press, Leg extension, Leg curl, Lunges, Squats etc.
Back: Bent over row, pull downs, Bent over rows, Low rows, Pull ups, Deadlifts etc.
Chest: Chest Fly, Chest press, Cable flys, Bench press, Push ups, etc.
Arms: Bicep curls, Tricep extensions, Tricep pull downs, Hammer curls, Tricep kickbacks etc.
Shoulders: Shoulder press, Side lateral raises, Barbell rows, Military Press, Front raises etc.
For each exercise, do 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps, using the same weight for each set.
Moderate Session: Since mesomorphs have more strength and energy, they can perform longer workouts than ectomorphs.
Focus on endurance Mesomorphs have poor endurance abilities and consequently their cardiovascular health needs work. Cardio training 4 days per week for 30 minutes a session will be of tremendous benefit to the mesomorph.
Incorporate stretching exercises
As mesomorph build muscle quickly, so their muscles can get really tight. Incorporate stretching exercises into every workout session to avoid injury by increasing your flexibility. Do a variety of stretches so you stretch each of your major muscle groups.

Nutrition

As mesomorph tends to turn food into muscle really easily, so they need high amount of protein. Intake of carbohydrates should be moderate, since they can easily be stored as fat.
Recommended macronutrient ratio to build muscle:
Carbohydrate 40% – Protein 40% – Fat 20%
Recommended macronutrient ratio to lose fat:
Carbohydrate 30% – Protein 40% – Fat 30%

3. Endomorph

The Endomorphs gains weight easily and usually carry extra fat around the lower abdomen, hips and thighs. Endomorphic individuals generally have slow metabolism, store fat easily and have a harder time than other body types in losing body fat. They should focus on moderate caloric intake, add cardio exercises and weight lifting so they can burn more calories and boost metabolism.

Exercise for your body type

Endomorphs are more suited to full body, compound heavy, high volume and frequency resistance training teamed with regular cardiovascular exercise.

• Circuit training: Circuit training is ideal for endomorphs. Pick 3-5 exercises and go through each one with no rest between exercises. Rest 2 minutes between circuits. Full body routines focusing on large muscle groups e.g. back and legs to stimulate the most muscle and burn most calories.
• Rep Range And Superset: Keep your rep range in the 9-12 range for upper body and 12-25 rep range for legs and calves. During training, include supersets: do two different exercises in a row (bench press – pull ups), it helps burning more calories.
• High Amount Of Cardio Trainings: To lose a lot of weight, cardio has to be the core of your routine along with a few weight trainings. Do a cardio workout at least 30-40 minutes, several days a week.

Nutrition For An Endomorph

Endomorphs should be more strict on calorie intake. To lose weight, they must burn more calories than consume. Carbohydrates intake should be limited, whether it’s for building muscle or lose fat.
Recommended macronutrient ratio to build muscle: Carbohydrate 30% – Protein 50% – Fat 20%
Recommended macronutrient ratio to lose fat: Carbohydrate 20% – Protein 50% – Fat 30%

7 Common Habits That Can Cause Kidney Stones & How To Prevent It

Kidney stones are deposits of minerals and acid salts that form a hard mass in your kidneys and may also affect your ureters, bladder or urethra. Pain in the belly and side of the back is the dominant symptom of kidney stones. There are several steps you can take to avoid kidney stones, including avoiding dehydration and changing your diet. Here are some common habits that can cause kidney stones and how to prevent it.

1. Not drinking enough water

The most important factor for the prevention of kidney stones is to produce adequate volumes of urine. Strive to drink enough fluids to pass 2 liters of urine a day, which is roughly 8 glasses. Drinking extra water dilutes the substances in urine that lead to stones. Also include some citrus beverages, like lemonade and orange juice. The citrate in these beverages helps block stone formation.

2. Not emptying your bladder when there is a need/urge

Holding urine in the bladder for too long is one of the reasons that can cause kidney stones. It can cause toxins and minerals to accumulate and crystallize over the time to form stones. So, always empty your bladder when you feel the urge to urinate.

3. Too much salt Could Cause Stones

Salt contains sodium. When your diet is high in sodium, it causes over-excretion of calcium into urine by the kidneys. High concentrations of calcium in the urine combine with oxalate and phosphorus to form stones. No more than 5.8 grams of salt should be eaten daily.

4. Eating a high-protein diet can lead to stones

Animal protein has been linked to the development of kidney stones and if you have a high protein diet, then you are more likely to stress out your kidneys and this can contribute to their creation. Furthermore, seafood, meat and other proteinaceous foods are rich in compounds called purines. High purine levels increase the production of uric acid leading to uric acid stones.

5. Limit stone-forming foods

Oxalate is a substance that is present is several foods. It binds calcium to form calcium oxalate crystals or stones while urine is produced by the kidneys. Beets, chocolate, spinach, sweet potatoes, tea, and most nuts are rich in oxalate. Limit the intake of oxalate rich foods to prevent kidney stones.

6. Consume calcium and oxalate-rich foods together to Prevent Stones

Consume calcium and oxalate-rich foods together to avoid formation of oxalate crystals. When you do that, oxalate and calcium will bind in the stomach itself before reaching the kidneys. This way you will be less likely to suffer from kidney stones.

7. Eat a balanced alkaline/acid diet

High acidic diets create an environment that encourages kidney stones. A more alkalizing diet raises the pH of the urine and prevents kidney stones. The majority of fruits are alkalizing. Some of the best fruits are melons, lemons, limes, dates, figs and raisins. Coconut water has clinically been found to dissolve kidney stones. It is naturally rich in potassium, which plays a key role in urine alkalizing and preventing formation of kidney stones.