Smoking has similar adverse effects. The nicotine in tobacco smoke constricts the blood vessels and interferes with circulation. This can gradually reduce the number of brain cells, increasing free radicals. These in turn, damage the whole system, due to oxygen deprivation. Again this can make feel sluggish and will also be a burden on your immune system.

Acute or chronic stress can also result in the inability to concentrate and thus reduce the effect of short-term memory. Likewise, high blood pressure is linked to reduced attention span and memory loss. Concentration can further be affected by lack of physical exercise and obesity.

Smartening up your diet

If you want to restore you concentration and memory skills then a good place to start is with your diet. Mental performance and relaxation can both be improved by choosing the right combination of foods.

Foods rich in iron include whole grains, beans, and fortified cereals. Though these are generally more difficult to absorb than animal sources, vitamin C will help enhance your intake, so you should consider including sources such as citrus fruit, strawberries, red peppers, broccoli, potatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, cauliflower, and kiwis in your meal.

There are two amino acids in the brain (L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine) which compete with each other to control brain function. The brain uses L-tyrosine to synthesize neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. Both these chemicals are essential to the processes of alertness, clear thinking and concentration. L-tyrosine production is stimulated by protein rich foods such as beans, nuts and soya. The brain uses L-tryptophan to synthesize the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is responsible for relaxation and satiety and slowing down reaction time. L-tryptophan production is stimulated by foods such as sunflower seeds, milk and carbohydrate rich food. Because these chemicals compete with each other, if you want to stay focused and alert throughout the day, then the best thing it to eat protein rich foods. That way L-tyrosine will reach the brain first, thus keeping your mental performance at maximum potential.

If you don’t allow your body a chance to self-cleanse then poor concentration and fatigue can become daily problems. You can help your body relieve itself of toxins by adjusting your dietary routine. Including alfalfa sprouts soybeans, brown rice, sesame salt, miso, and sea vegetables can help to clear toxins from your body and enervate your digestive and metabolic processes.

Adding friendly microflora to your digestive system by eating yogurt or probiotic supplements can also help to detoxify your system and prevent buildup of damaging bacteria in the intestines.

There are also a number of herbal drinks, which are nutritious as well as helpful for detoxification processes. Dandelion, licorice root, yellow dock root, milk thistle, red clover and burdock root taken in extract or tablet form will each help to remove toxins from the body and boost the immune system. Lemon, beet, carrot, wheat grass and the juices of all leafy greens are the best juices for purifying the blood because as they help to build up essential nutrients.

Several mini-meals and snack throughout the day rather than a few large meals with long intervals will help your metabolism function better by balancing nutrients and keeping the brain supplied with oxygen. A moderate meal every four hours is adequate to balance brain chemical and improve mood and blood sugar levels. But don’t be tempted to nibble, this will lead to craving and gorging and will disrupt concentration further. It is also beneficial to increase your water intake to at least 6 glasses daily, and to limit caffeine (coffee, tea, and coke) to two beverages per day. Remember, if you are consuming less than 2,500 calories daily then it is advisable to at least consider taking a moderate vitamin supplement, but don’t be tempted to use supplements as replacements for nutritious foods.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at  magazine@innovatiocuris.com

Read all the issues of InnoHEALTH magazine:
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 1 (July to September 2016) – https://goo.gl/iWAwN2 
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 2 (October to December 2016) – https://goo.gl/4GGMJz 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 1 (January to March 2017) – https://goo.gl/DEyKnw 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 2 (April to June 2017) – https://goo.gl/Nv3eev
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 3 (July to September 2017) – https://goo.gl/MCVjd6
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 4 (October to December 2017) – http://amzn.to/2B2UMLw
InnoHEALTH Volume 3 Issue 1 (January to March 2018) – https://goo.gl/fksdQx

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Congratulations, you are pregnant. However, if you are like most women, who have concerns running through your mind, how can I eat healthy for both my baby and my self? In addition, how can I gain the right amount of weight so that it does not take me until my child is in preschool to fit back into my jeans again?

Between cravings and morning sickness, eating well during pregnancy may not always be a piece of cake. However, prenatal nutrition is a serious business. It is necessary for you and your baby’s growth, brain development, reduced risk of birth defects and a strong immune system. Since it is not how much, but what you eat that makes the difference, here is how the healthy pregnancy diet can help. During pregnancy, the body requires extra calorie, protein, vitamins, mineral in order to support the baby’s growth and to allow for changes in mothers body.

Important considerations in pregnancy

The extra food you eat should not be just empty calories, it should provide the nutrients your growing baby needs. For example, calcium help makes bones and teeth strong, while you are pregnant; you still need calcium for your body plus extra calcium for the developing baby. Similarity, you require the all-essential nutrients than you did before become pregnant.

Here are some of the most common nutrients you need and the foods that contain it:

Food craving during pregnancy

Food craving during pregnancy is normal. Although there is no widely accepted explanation for food cravings, almost two thirds of all pregnant women have it. If you develop sudden urge for a certain food, go and indulge your craving, it provides energy or an essential nutrient. However, if your craving persists and prevents you form getting other essential nutrients in your diet; try to create more of a balance in your daily diet.

During pregnancy your tastes for certain foods may change, you may suddenly dislike foods you were fond of before your pregnancy. In addition, during pregnancy, some women feel strong urges to eat non-food items such as ice, laundry starch, dirt, chalks, ashes, paint chips, clay.

This is called pica and may be associated with a mineral deficiency like anaemia. Do not give in to theses non-food cravings; they can be harmful to both you and your baby.

Foods to avoid

Some foods make you and your baby sick, avoid these foods as they can cause food poisoning or certain harmful diseases.
• Raw fish, especially shellfish
• Soft scrambled egg and food made from raw or lightly cooked eggs
• Un-pasteurized juices
• Un-pasteurized milk and foods made from it
• Herbal supplements and teas
• Raw or uncooked meat, poultry, seafood and hotdog
• Never eat non-food items like clay , starch, coffee grounds
• Avoid alcohol during pregnancy; alcohol has been linked to premature delivery, mental retardation, birth defects and low birth weight babies
• Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tile fish (also called white snapper), because they contain high levels of mercury.

What to eat and when

During pregnancy, you may have morning sickness, diarrhoea or constipation, you may find it hard to keep foods down or you may feel too sick to eat at all. Here are some suggestions:
Morning sickness: Eat crackers, cereal or pretzel before getting out of bed, eat small frequent meals throughout the day and avoid fatty, fried, and grassy foods.
Constipation: Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, drink six glasses of water.
Diarrhoea: Eat more foods that contain pectin and gums to help absorb excess water such as apple, applesauce, banana, white rice, oatmeal, boiled potatoes.
Heartburn: Eat small frequent meals throughout the day. Try drinking milk before eating and limit caffeinated foods and beverages like tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks.

Unveiling myths with reality

Pregnancy produces a host of physiological and emotional changes in women. Advice seems to pour in from all sources, well-meaning friends, family member, and colleague at work and even perfect strangers tend to comment on a pregnant woman’s health. In the face of often-contradictory advice, especially concerning ones diet, it may be hard for a mum to achieve a comfortable and healthy balance. Eating a healthy diet is one of the most important things any pregnant women can do to enhance her health as well as the health of her baby. Here are some nutrition myths followed by information to get you and your baby off to a good start.

Myth#1: You are eating for two

In reality, you are eating for one plus one very small being. Most women only need to consume an extra 300 calories per day. Far from being a tome to overindulge, pregnancy is a time to eat sensibly and healthily. The suggested weight gain during the pregnancy is approximately 24-35 pounds (10-15 kg). However, this weight may vary depending upon each mother-to-be, pregnancy weight and the number of babies she is carrying. An under weight woman may gain up to 40 pounds, while an overweight woman may be asked to gain just 15 pounds, your doctor will specify an appropriate weight gain for your height and body build.

Myth#2: Eat low carbohydrate, high protein diet

In reality, weight loss diet, high protein – low carbohydrate, is not recommended during pregnancy. According to the daily food guide pyramid, grains, fruits and vegetables should compromise more of your diet than the meat groups. In fact, 2-3 servings of protein are required each day for pregnant women. This is easily achieved by consuming an egg/ 2-3 oz of poultry or meat/ ½ cup of dried beans or peas in the course of one day. Extra calories consumed during pregnancy should be evenly distributed among five major food groups.

Myth#3: Pregnancy induced high blood pressure caused by too much salt

In reality, pregnancy induced high blood pressure is due to a variety of physiological changes in the body during pregnancy and is therefore not treated the same way as hypertension in non pregnant adults. Moderation is the key. While overindulging in processed foods, typically containing too much salt would be unhealthy, eliminating salt and consuming no salt or low sodium specific food will be inappropriate. Aim to get 6 grams of sodium as a table salt in your foods every day.

Myth#5: It is better to rely on vitamins rather than ones diet during pregnancy

In reality, Vitamin should never be a substitute for a healthy diet, while most obstetrician and midwives will prescribe a multivitamin for their patients, these vitamins are intended to supplement and not replace a sensible diet. The best sources of vitamin and minerals may be found in their naturally state as they are better absorbed and are accompanied by their other nutrients such as protein or fiber.

Myth#4: Now that you are pregnant, it is a good time to start thinking about folic acid and B complex vitamins

In reality, Folic acid is particularly important in the first days and weeks of fatal formation, for this reason it is recommended that women take multivitamin before becoming pregnant to ensure they have adequate folic acid during the early development of the baby’s brain and spina bifida. Optimal folic acid consumption should continue through out pregnancy and in every woman’s diet during the childbearing years. Beside vitamins, excellent sources of B complex vitamin include orange juice, beans, citrus fruit, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains.

Dietary guide

In order to achieve a well balanced healthy adequate nutrition during pregnancy, you should cover the daily allowances from the different criteria of food on a daily basis as following:

Repeatedly, it has been emphasized that reduced nutritional intake has a depressing effect on physical development. Malnutrition during the period of rapid brain growth will lead to some neurology impairment. Past studies of nutrition in women during pregnancy have shown a definite relationship of the diet of the mother and the condition of baby at birth.

To protect your self and your precious baby from any possible complications review your lifestyle and try to change any unpreferable behaviour related to your diet toward the better.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at  magazine@innovatiocuris.com

Read all the issues of InnoHEALTH magazine:
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 1 (July to September 2016) – https://goo.gl/iWAwN2 
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 2 (October to December 2016) – https://goo.gl/4GGMJz 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 1 (January to March 2017) – https://goo.gl/DEyKnw 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 2 (April to June 2017) – https://goo.gl/Nv3eev
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 3 (July to September 2017) – https://goo.gl/MCVjd6
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 4 (October to December 2017) – http://amzn.to/2B2UMLw

Connect with InnovatioCuris on:
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Take a look around your house. Does it look like a gym? No? Take another look. You might not see a pricey treadmill or a fancy set of free weights, but you’re probably looking at a number of everyday objects that can make terrific exercise aids. Got a gallon of milk and the yellow pages? Then you’ve got a workout!” Going to the gym isn’t the only way to stay fit,” says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise. You can stay home and still work up a sweat. Turning your humble abode into your workout spot makes fitting in physical fitness convenient, easy and, best of all, free! Denise Austin, your personal trainer and Lifetime’s exercise guru, says, “Make physical activity a part of your everyday life, whether you go out for a jog or work out with items available in your home! After you exercise, you’ll not only look great but you’ll feel wonderful too!” Roll over the objects in the virtual rooms below and get the prescription for your home gym workout, plus some inspiring words of encouragement from Denise herself.

(No matter what shape your are in, you can do the moves described here. Experts recommend that beginners start with three sets of 10 repetitions, then work up to three sets of 15 and, finally, 25. Just pick the exercise you like, and remember to stop anytime you feel faint or out of breath).

Living room
Object: A Wall
Exercise: Wall slides
Target: Thighs

Ready to feel the burn in your legs? Stand 12 to 18 inches from the wall, bend your knees and your upper body back until it’s touching the wall. Continue lowering your hips until your knees are bent at roughly a 90-degree angle (no lower), making sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. Hold for 10 seconds, then slowly stand up. Repeat.

Object: A coffee table
Exercise: Seated dips
Target: Triceps

Get rid of that arm flap! Sit on a sturdy coffee table (or the set of an armchair), hands gripping the edge with fingers pointed toward your behind. Extend your legs out in front you, keeping your knees slightly bent, then point your toes and plant your feet flat on the floor. Straighten your arms and lift your backside off the table. Then bend your elbows and slowly lower your hips; stop as soon as you feel pressure in your shoulders. Push back up until your elbows are almost straight (don’t lock them). Repeat.

Object: A Chair
Exercise: Semi-seated squats
Target: Thighs and buttocks

Bless that behind! Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your back toward a chair and your abdominal muscles tight. Squat! shifting your weight onto your heels as if you’re going to sit in the chair; keep your shoulders back and your chin up. Just before your backside reaches the seat, stop and hold the position for a second; then slowly straighten up again. Repeat.

Object: A couch
Exercise: Crunches
Target: Abdominal

Flatten that tummy! Lie on the floor on your back, with your hips a few inches from the couch, knees bent and heels resting on the couch’s seat. Press your lower back into the floor. Inhale, tighten your abs and lift your shoulder blades up and forward. Don’t lead with your head; keep your chin a few inches away from your chest. Pause for a second, then exhale and lower yourself back down. Repeat.

Object: Your baby
Exercise: Pelvic lifts
Target: Hips and abs

Strengthen your core! Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, with your wee one seated securely on your abdomen or lying across your hipbones (for safety, keep both hands firmly on her!). Straighten your right knee and extend your leg, keeping your thighs parallel and your knees together. Press your left heel into the ground and lift your pelvis a few inches. Hold for a few seconds, then lower. Repeat on the both sides.

Object: A fireplace mantel
Exercise: Standing side leg lifts
Target: Upper thigh

Get Rockette-like legs! Face the fireplace with your feet hip-distance apart; hold onto the mantel for balance. Maintaining a slight bend in both knees, slowly lift one leg to the side and hold for a second or two. Lower it slowly, without relaxing the muscles. Repeat, alternating on both sides.

Object: A framed photo of your mother-in-law or another problem person
Exercise: Karate-style kicks
Target: Buttocks, thighs and pent-up aggression

Give your rear a boost! Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly. Lift your knee so that its level with your hips, then kick your foot out toward the photo, contracting the muscles in your thighs and buttocks. Slowly lower your leg and return to the starting position. Repeat, alternating on both sides.

Object: A folded blanket
Exercise: Push-ups
Target: Arms and chest

Improve your bust by getting on your hands and knees on your blanket, with your palms down and shoulder-width apart. Extend your knees back as far you can. Keeping your back straight and your abs tight, inhale and bend your elbows, lowering your chest until it’s a few inches from the floor. Hold for a second, then exhale and push back up to the starting position (do not lock your elbows). Repeat.

Object: A pillow
Exercise: Lateral mule kicks
Target: Buttocks and outer thighs

Goodbye, saddlebags! Get down on your knees and place your elbows on the floor to prop up your upper body. Bend one leg behind you, holding a pillow between your foot and the back of your thigh. Lift that leg out of the side, squeezing the pillow and keeping your hips square. Hold, then lower. Repeat on both sides.

Object: A flight of stairs
Exercise: Staircase drills
Target: Cardiovascular fitness

Get fit for speed-walking or jogging! Stand at the bottom of the stairs, imagine a starting gun firing and book it upstairs as fast as you can. Come down, then climb the stairs slowly, taking two steps at a time. Keep working up to more and more repetitions. (To motivate you to stick with this exercise, use it as an opportunity to take the laundry, your kids’ toys, etc. upstairs)

FOOD AS MEDICINE

TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!

Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading….Green tea is great for our immune system)!

ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO !!

Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)

COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!

A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.

DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!

Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!

Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.

Want to write for InnoHEALTH? send us your article at  magazine@innovatiocuris.com

Read all the issues of InnoHEALTH magazine:
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 1 (July to September 2016) – https://goo.gl/iWAwN2 
InnoHEALTH Volume 1 Issue 2 (October to December 2016) – https://goo.gl/4GGMJz 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 1 (January to March 2017) – https://goo.gl/DEyKnw 
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 2 (April to June 2017) – https://goo.gl/Nv3eev
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 3 (July to September 2017) – https://goo.gl/MCVjd6
InnoHEALTH Volume 2 Issue 4 (October to December 2017) – http://amzn.to/2B2UMLw

Connect with InnovatioCuris on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/innovatiocuris
Twitter: https://twitter.com/innovatiocuris
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7043791
Stay updated about IC, visit: www.innovatiocuris.com