Health Trends
A to Z
of health
THIS MONTH: D
HEALTH BRINGS YOU
TIPS ON HOW TO
SAFEGUARD YOUR
HEALTH AND GENERAL
WELL-BEING.
Health Tips
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
• Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish including clams
and shellfish.
• Fish with high levels of mercury, including shark,
swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish
• More than one serving per week of canned solid white
tuna.
• Undercooked meat or poultry.
• Refrigerated meat of any kind including roast beef, hot
dogs, bologna, and pâté unless heated until steaming
to 165° F.
• Uncooked sausages, such as salami and pepperoni,
unless heated until steaming hot.
Why We Should All
Be Eating More Chocolate
Dates:
Mini powerhouses of nutritional
goodness, dates contain vitamins A and K. Vitamin A
protects the eyes and even protects the lungs and mouth
from developing cancer. Vitamin K is a blood coagulant
that also helps with optimal bone health.
Dill:
The herb dill can help with diabetes and the
management of insulin levels. Studies have shown that
this herb can help lower the fluctuations of serum lipids
and insulin levels in corticosteroid-induced diabetes.
The most widely talked about health benefit of
chocolate is its very high level of antioxidants in the
form of flavonoids which are naturally-occurring
compounds found in plant-based foods that offer
certain health benefits. Flavanols are a type of
flavonoid specifically found in cocoa and chocolate.
When cocoa is processed into your favorite chocolate
products, it goes through several steps to reduce
its naturally pungent taste which are provided
by chocolate’s flavanols. But before you grab any
chocolate bar, remember that dark chocolate
appears to retain the highest level of flavanols. One
bar of dark chocolate contains 200 calories alongside
vitamins B1, B 2, and B12.
The Dangers of Yo-yo Dieting
• Yo-yo dieting involves periods of very low calorie intake
and weight loss followed by the weight lost gained
back in an even bigger amount.
• Studies have shown that a high risk of heart disease
is linked to yo-yo dieting. Three cycles of losing and
regaining as little as five kilograms increases the risk by
12 percent.
• Yo-yo dieting reduces levels of good cholesterol ‘HDL’ in
the blood as well as the immune function, in addition
to increasing the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes
and gallstones and various nutrient deficiencies.
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