9 Health Benefits from Eating Tomatoes

1. Tomatoes are good for your skin.
Tomatoes contain a high level of Lycopene, which is a substance that is used in some of the more pricy facial cleansers that are available for purchase over-the-counter.
If you want to try tomatoes for skin care, you need to start with about eight to twelve tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes and then place the skin on your face with inside of the tomato touching your skin.
Leave the tomatoes on your face for a minimum of ten minutes, then wash. Your face will feel clean and shiny. Some redness may occur, but should fade with time.
2. Tomatoes help prevent several types of cancer.
A number of studies have been conducted that indicate that the high levels of lycopene in tomatoes works to reduce your chances of developing prostate, colorectal and stomach cancer.
Lycopene is a natural antioxidant that works effectively to slow the growth of cancerous cells. Cooked tomatoes produce even more lycopene, so go ahead and cook up a batch of your mom’s famous tomato soup.
3. Tomatoes help maintain strong bones.
Tomatoes contain a considerable amount of calcium and Vitamin K. Both of these nutrients are essential in strengthening and performing minor repairs on the bones as well as the bone tissue.
4. Tomatoes help repair damage caused by smoking.
No, eating tomatoes is not the most recent fad to help you quit smoking. However, tomatoes can reduce the amount of damaged done to your body by smoking cigarettes.
Tomatoes contain coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid that work to protect the body from carcinogens that are produced from cigarette smoke.
5. Tomatoes provide essential antioxidants.
Tomatoes contain a great deal of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. This is primarily because these vitamins and beta-carotene work as antioxidants to neutralize harmful free radicals in the blood.
Free radicals in the blood stream are dangerous because it may lead to cell damage. Remember, the redder the tomato you eat is, the more beta-carotene it contains. In addition, you also want to keep in mind that cooking destroys the Vitamin C, so for these benefits, the tomatoes need to be eaten raw.

6. Tomatoes are good for your heart.
Because of the Vitamin B and potassium in tomatoes, they are effective in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure. Therefore, by including tomatoes in your regular balanced diet you can effectively prevent heart attacks, strokes as well as many other heart related problems that may threaten your life.
7. Tomatoes are good for your hair.
The Vitamin A in tomatoes works perfectly to keep your hair shiny and strong. In addition, it also does wonders for your eyes, skin, bones and teeth.
8. Tomatoes are good for your kidneys.
Adding tomatoes without seeds to your diet has been proven in some studies to reduce the risk of kidney stones.
9. Tomatoes are good for your eyes.
The Vitamin A found in tomatoes is fantastic for improving your vision. In addition, eating tomatoes is one of the best foods to eat to prevent the development of night blindness.
Tomatoes are packed full of the valuable mineral known as chromium. It works effectively to help diabetics keep their blood sugar levels under better control.

Best Ways To Use Garlic.

There is something irresistible about the aroma of roasted garlic. It is so captivating with its powerful notes, that it has long been used as a flavour booster in curries, stir-fries, pizza toppings, pastas, meat preparations, dips - you name it! It has the power to instantly liven up any dish and treat some of the most common ailments.
Here are benefits of garlic and what they can do in your body:
1. The Blood Purifier
Tired of covering up those zits with concealer every morning? It's time to tackle the root cause of acne by purifying your blood from inside to get healthy skin on the outside. Take two cloves of raw garlic with some warm water everyday, early in the morning and consume a lot of water the entire day. If you're looking to shed some pounds, squeeze the juice of half a lemon in a glass of luke warm water and have it with 2 cloves of garlic in the mornings. Garlic will help to cleanse your system and flush out toxins.
2. Cold and Flu

Garlic is going to provide you relief from that stubborn cold and flu. Taking 2-3 cloves of raw or cooked garlic a day or sipping some garlic tea (with a touch of honey or ginger to lift up the taste) is not only going to relieve a stuffed nose and cure the cold but also build your immunity against these frequent visitors over time.

According to Dr. Shikha Sharma, Delhi-based Health and Wellness Expert, and founder of Nutrihealth says," One of the earliest uses of garlic was by meat-eaters because it was believed that meat could cause infection which garlic could fight off from the body. More commonly used by labourers who are exposed to infections and disease-friendly environments till recently, its plethora of health benefits has made white-collar workers also take to it."
She added, "Garlic can be added to hot stews, broths and soups to fight sinusitis, cold and flu. And garlic is best had in its raw state."
3. Prevention of Heart Disease

Consuming garlic on a daily basis (in food or raw) helps to lower colestrol levels because of the anti-oxidant properties of Allicin. It is also immensely beneficial to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It is essential to remember that the sulphur-containing compound Allicin tends to lose its medicinal properties when garlic is cooked whole. It is imperative to consume garlic raw or semi-cooked to derive any of its benefits.
4. Anti-bacterial and Anti-parasitic
Garlic is one of the best kept medicinal treasures of the past era - it has been used as an antibiotic to treat bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections for the last 7,000 years. Studies suggest diluted garlic extract helps children with tapeworm infections. A garlic-based mouthwash may not sound like fresh, minty breath but a very small quantity of its extracts is sufficient to ward off cavity-causing bacteria.
5. Cancer Prevention
Several studies have indicated an association between daily consumption of garlic and prevention of stomach and colorectal cancers. It is said to strengthen the immunity of the body against cancer.
6. For Skin and Hair
The invigorating properties of garlic protect the skin from the effect of free radicals and slow down the depletion of collagen which leads to loss of elasticity in aging skin. Applied topically, garlic does wonders to skin infected with fungal infections and  provides relief from skin ailments like eczema. It is also an effective remedy for fungal infections like athlete's foot and ring worms.
All of us know about the wonders of onion for hair but its brother, garlic is no less of a hero for your thinning mane. Well, its surprise time. Rubbing crushed garlic extract on your scalp or massaging with garlic-infused oil is known to prevent and even reverse hair loss.
7. Splinters
Many of garlic's astounding uses were forgotten in the folds of time but users (and believers) still vouch for the lesser-known benefits. One of them is against stubborn splinters. Place a piece of cut garlic over the splinter cut and cover with a bandage- and voila! Bye-bye splinter.

Caution
1. Asthma patients should not consume garlic as it may have side-effects.
2. Garlic should be avoided before surgeries or medical operations.
3. Do not consume more than 2-3 garlic cloves in a day without consulting a doctor.

3 Facts You Should Know About Yogurt

Strawberry yogurt

 Many people love drinking yogurt because it is very sweet and it still satisfies one if hungry. Yogurt has very many different brands like strawberry and vanilla which are the best known brands. Recently, there are other brands of different fruits that have been introduced. They include mangoes, pineapples and passion. Here are some of the facts you need to know about what yogurt can do in your body.

1. Yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.

Every day 70 percent of us consume more than twice the recommended amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and heart disease. The potassium in yogurt, almost 600 milligrams per eight ounces, may help flush some of the excess sodium out of your body. In fact, adults in a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition who ate the most low-fat dairy — two or more servings daily — were 54 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who ate the least.

 2. A daily serving of yogurt keeps colds away.

Dig into four ounces each day and you may find yourself sniffle-free in the months ahead, according to a study at the University of Vienna. Women eating this amount had much stronger and more active T cells, which battle illness and infection, than they did before they started consuming it. "The healthy bacteria in yogurt help send signals to the immune-boosting cells in your body to power up and fight off harmful bugs," says lead study author Alexa Meyer, PhD, a nutrition researcher at the university. Allergy sufferers, who typically have low levels of certain T cells, may also find relief by adding yogurt to their diets. In a study in the Journal of Nutrition, people who ate seven ounces a day had fewer symptoms than those who opted for none at all.

3. Yogurt can help you smile.

Despite its sugar content, yogurt doesn't cause cavities. When scientists at Marmara University in Turkey tested low-fat, light, and fruit flavors, they found that none of them eroded tooth enamel, the main cause of decay. The lactic acid in yogurt appears to give your gums protection as well. People who eat at least two ounces a day have a 60 percent lower risk of acquiring severe periodontal disease than those who skip it.

Vanilla yogurt.

Values Of Arrowroots

Arrow roots are one of the best local foods that many of us prefer and love to eat for breakfast. Many people nowadays have shifted from taking bread in the morning to taking arrow roots rather. When a scientific study was conducted, arrow roots were found to have very many benefits in our bodies. Here are the benefits:

i)They aid in weight loss.

ii)  They improve heart health.

iii)Boosts energy levels in body. 

iv)  They are beneficial in managing diabetes.

v) Prevents anemia and improves blood circulation.

vvi)They aid in eliminating constipation and diarrhea.

 vii)Beneficial in growth and development of body.

ü ix) Prevents neural tube defects.

üx)  Alleviates gastrointestinal discomfort and pain.

Arrow roots have nutrients such as; proteins, fiber, carbohydrates and calories. They also have vitamins which include; folate, vitamin B6, thiamin and niacin. Lastly, they have minerals which are; potassium, iron, phosphorus and manganese.

It is the high time we quit eating sausages in the morning and start eating arrow roots hence we will not have health issues because the arrow roots play a great role in our bodies.

Making Lemon Water for Weight Loss

 Calories from all sources count when you're trying to lose weight. To keep calories in check with your lemon water, it's best to keep it simple, making your refreshing drink with only water and lemons. The juice of one lemon has 11 calories. Squeeze half a lemon in 2 cups of water to make a 5.5-calorie drink -- which makes it essentially calorie-free. For each whole lemon you squeeze into your water, you get 20 to 25 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. If you prefer, add the cut and peeled fruit to your drink and muddle it, then remove any large pieces, for a natural beverage that includes the pulp.

You may be tempted to add sweetener to turn your lemon water into a type of lemonade, but adding 1 tablespoon of sugar bumps the number of calories in your drink up to 45. And honey isn't any better, adding 64 calories per tablespoon.

You may want to drink your lemon water with a straw to prevent the acidity in the lemon juice from affecting your tooth enamel.

This is how simple you can loose your weight without any struggle of going to the gym or performing exercises. No more worries you can now loose weight in your house.

A tall glass of ice water with fresh-squeezed lemon juice is a refreshing treat and a nice change from plain old water. It's also low in calories, so if you drink it in place of higher-calorie beverages, it may help you slim down. Drinking a big glass of water with lemon before meals might also help you eat less at that meal, another way to shave calories from your diet to aid weight loss.

Fight Cancer With Lemons

Many people don't like taking lemons as they are very bitter naturally. Despite the lemons being bitter or sour, they have very many benefits in our bodies if taken. According to observation and also listening to what people know about lemons is that they are very good in weight loss. Now you all need to know that not only do lemons cause weight loss but also fight cancer.

Lemon especially the peels contain terpenes such as d-limonene. Lemon terpenes are extracted solely from domestic lemon trees and leaves and no harsh chemical odors or residue. The primary health benefits of terpenes revolve around some impressive anticancer effects – both in prevention and possibly treatment. D-limonene has an anti-cancer agent.

In a study conducted at the University of Arizona Cancer Center 43 women with newly diagnosed operable breast cancer electing to undergo lumpectomy (surgical excision) were given 2 grams of limonene daily for two to six weeks before surgery. Blood and breast tissue were collected to determine the level of d-limonene and its metabolites as well as changes in systemic and tissue biomarkers of breast cancer risk or carcinogenesis.

Results showed that d-limonene was found to preferentially concentrate in the breast tissue, reaching high tissue concentration (average = 41.3 μg/g tissue), whereas the major active circulating metabolite, perillic acid, did not concentrate in the breast tissue.
Results also showed that d-limonene supplementation resulted in a 22% reduction in the expression of tumor markers. Specifically, d-limonene reduced the expression of breast tumor cyclin D1.
Cyclin D1 is one of the frequently over expressed proteins and one of the commonly amplified genes in breast cancer. The gene that leads to cyclin D1 formation is an estrogen-responsive gene. The over expression of cyclin D1 occurs in more than half of invasive breast cancers. Recent evidence also shows that cyclin D1 interferes with the anti-cancer effect of tamoxifen in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers – potentially accounting for treatment failure with tamoxifen therapy.

The benefits seen with d-limonene in this study should be followed up in women with breast cancer who are expressing cyclin D1.
 D-limonene is available as a dietary supplement, but it is easily obtained from the diet. In lemons the highest content of limonene is found in the peel and white spongy inner parts. A typical average-sized lemon has about 300 mg of d-limonene.
My feeling is that the best way to take advantage of the health benefits of lemons and achieve adequate d-limonene intake is by juicing them. But, since lemon juice is usually too sour on its own, I recommend mixing it with other juices. Fortunately, adding ½ or 1 whole lemon (complete with peel) is an excellent addition to just about any fresh fruit or vegetable juice including green vegetable juices.
If you are going to juice whole lemons, be sure to choose organic versions. If you can’t find organic lemons, soak or spray non-organic ones with a biodegradable wash, then rinse.
Other dietary sources of terpenes are other citrus fruits, berries, cherries, and volatile herbs such as peppermint, basil, thyme, and rosemary.

Healthy Living With Cabbages

Cabbage, which is often lumped into the same category as lettuce because of their similar appearance, is actually a part of the cruciferous vegetable family.

Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, kale and broccoli are notorious for being chock-full of beneficial nutrients. If you are trying to improve your diet, cruciferous vegetables should be at the very top of your grocery list. Cabbage can vary in colour from green to red and purple, and the leaves can be smooth or crinkled. With less than 20 calories per half cup cooked, it is a vegetable worth making room on your plate for.
Some of the benefits of consuming cabbages:

1) Protection from radiation therapy

A compound found in cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables known as 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) has been shown to protect against the harmful effects of radio therapy. es.
It is well-known that DIM has protective effects against cancer but this study shows there is also hope for using it as a shield to protect healthy tissues during cancer treatment in the future.

2) Cancer prevention

Another cancer-fighting compound found in cabbage is sulforaphane. Research over the past 30 years has consistently shown that consuming cruciferous vegetables has been associated with a lower risk of cancer.
Another natural chemical found in cabbage, parsley, celery and other plants known as apigenin has been found to decrease tumor size in an aggressive form of breast cancer in a recent study conducted at the University of Missouri. Researchers claim that their findings show that apigenin has potential to be used as a non-toxic treatment for cancer in the future.
Red cabbage contains the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin, the same compound that gives other red and purple-hued fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors. Anthocyanins have been shown to slow cancer cell proliferation, kill already formed cancer cells and stop the formation of new tumor growths.

4) Immunity and digestion

A popular way to consume cabbage is in a fermented form such as sauerkraut and kimchi. Chocked full of probiotics, fermented foods are one of the best things you can consume for your immune and digestive systems. Healthy microbes generate an acidic environment to preserve and develop flavor and enzymes in fermentation that make vitamins and minerals easier to absorb. The fiber and water content in cabbage also helps to prevent constipation and maintain a healthy digestive tract. Eating adequate fiber promotes regularity, which is crucial for the daily excretion toxins through the bile and stool.

Possible health risks of consuming cabbage

A popular fad diet known as the Cabbage Soup diet surfaced in the 1950s and is still moderately popular. Touted as a quick weight loss fix and centered on an unlimited amount of cabbage soup, any weight lost from following this diet will quickly return once the dieter returns to previous eating habits. If you do not want to eat cabbage soup daily for the rest of your life, you should not start a cabbage soup diet. Instead, focus on eating more whole, unprocessed foods and a variety of fruits and vegetables, including cabbage.