11 Proven Health Benefits of Quinoa

Quinoa is the world’s most popular “superfood.”

It is loaded with protein, fiber and minerals, but doesn’t contain any gluten.

Here are 11 proven health benefits of quinoa.

1. Quinoa is Incredibly Nutritious

Quinoa is a grain crop that is grown for its edible seeds. It is pronounced KEEN-wah.

It technically isn’t a cereal grain, but a pseudo-cereal (1).

In other words, it is basically a “seed” which is prepared and eaten similarly to a grain.

Quinoa was an important crop for the Inca Empire back in the day. They referred to it as the “mother of all grains” and believed it to be sacred.

It has been consumed for thousands of years in South America, although it only became trendy and reached “superfood status” a few years ago.

These days, you can find Quinoa and products made with it all over the world… especially in health food stores and restaurants that emphasize natural foods.

There are three main types of quinoa… white, red and black.

This is what they look like:

Here is the nutrient breakdown for 1 cup of cooked quinoa, or 185 grams (2):

• Protein: 8 grams.
• Fiber: 5 grams.
• Manganese: 58% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 28% of the RDA.
• Folate: 19% of the RDA.
• Copper: 18% of the RDA.
• Iron: 15% of the RDA.
• Zinc: 13% of the RDA.
• Potassium: 9% of the RDA.
• Over 10% of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B2 and B6.
• Small amounts of Calcium, B3 (Niacin) and Vitamin E.

This is coming with a total of 222 calories, with 39 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fat. It also contains a small amount of Omega-3 fatty acids.

Quinoa is non-GMO, Gluten Free and usually grown organically. Even though not technically a grain, it still counts as a “whole grain” food.

NASA scientists have been looking at it as a suitable crop to be grown in outer space, mostly based on its high nutrient content, ease of use and how easy it is to grow (3).

The year 2013 was actually called “The International Year of Quinoa” by the United Nations (UN), based on its high nutrient value and potential to contribute to food security worldwide (4).

2. Quinoa Contains Potent Bioactive Substances Called Quercetin and Kaempferol

The health effects of real foods go way beyond the vitamins and minerals we’re all familiar with.

There are thousands of trace nutrients in there… and some of them are extremely healthy.

This includes interesting molecules called flavonoids, which are plant antioxidants that have been shown to have all sorts of beneficial effects on health.

Two flavonoids that have been particularly well studied are Quercetin andKaempferol… and they happen to be found in large amounts in Quinoa (5).

In fact, the quercetin content of quinoa is even higher than typical high-quercetin foods like cranberries (6).

These important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects… at least in animal studies (7, 8, 9, 10).

By including quinoa in your diet, you will significantly increase your total intake of these (and other) important nutrients.

Bottom Line: Quinoa contains large amounts of flavonoids, including Quercetin and Kaempferol. These are potent plant antioxidants with numerous health benefits.

3. It is Very High in Fiber… Much Higher Than Most Grains

Another important benefit of quinoa is that it is high in fiber.

One study that looked at 4 varieties of quinoa found a range of between 10 and 16 grams of fiber, per every 100 grams of uncooked quinoa (11).

This equals 17-27 grams per cup, which is very high… more than twice as high as most grains. Boiled quinoa contains much less fiber, gram for gram, because it absorbs so much water.

Unfortunately, most of the fiber is insoluble fiber, which doesn’t appear to have the same health benefits as soluble fiber.

That being said, the soluble fiber content is about 2.5 grams per cup (or 1.5 grams per 100 grams), which is still decent.

There are numerous studies showing that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness and help with weight loss (12, 13, 14).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is much higher in fiber than most grains, with one source finding 17-27 grams of fiber per cup of uncooked Quinoa.

4. Quinoa is Gluten Free and Perfect For People With Gluten Intolerance

According to a 2013 survey, about a third of people in the U.S. are currently trying to minimize or avoid gluten.

A gluten-free diet can be healthy, as long as it is based on foods that are naturally gluten free.

The problems arise when people eat “gluten free” foods made with refined starches instead.

These foods are no better than their gluten-containing counterparts, because gluten free junk food is still junk food.

Well… many researchers have been looking at quinoa as a suitable ingredient in a gluten-free diet, for people who don’t want to give up staples like breads and pasta.

Studies have shown that by using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free ingredients like refined tapioca, potato, corn and rice flour, it can dramatically increase the nutrient and antioxidant value of the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is naturally free of gluten and using it instead of typical gluten-free ingredients can increase the antioxidant and nutrient value of a gluten-free diet.

5. Quinoa is Very High in Protein, With All The Essential Amino Acids That we Need

Protein is made out of amino acids. Some of them are termed “essential” because we can not produce them and need to get them from the diet.

If a food contains all the essential amino acids, it is seen as a “complete” protein.

The problem is that many plant foods are deficient in certain essential amino acids, such as Lysine.

However… quinoa is an exception to this, being particularly high in in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It has both moreand better protein than most grains (17).

2. Quinoa Contains Potent Bioactive Substances Called Quercetin and Kaempferol

The health effects of real foods go way beyond the vitamins and minerals we’re all familiar with.

There are thousands of trace nutrients in there… and some of them are extremely healthy.

This includes interesting molecules called flavonoids, which are plant antioxidants that have been shown to have all sorts of beneficial effects on health.

Two flavonoids that have been particularly well studied are Quercetin andKaempferol… and they happen to be found in large amounts in Quinoa (5).

In fact, the quercetin content of quinoa is even higher than typical high-quercetin foods like cranberries (6).

These important molecules have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-cancer and anti-depressant effects… at least in animal studies (7, 8, 9, 10).

By including quinoa in your diet, you will significantly increase your total intake of these (and other) important nutrients.

Bottom Line: Quinoa contains large amounts of flavonoids, including Quercetin and Kaempferol. These are potent plant antioxidants with numerous health benefits.

3. It is Very High in Fiber… Much Higher Than Most Grains

Another important benefit of quinoa is that it is high in fiber.

One study that looked at 4 varieties of quinoa found a range of between 10 and 16 grams of fiber, per every 100 grams of uncooked quinoa (11).

This equals 17-27 grams per cup, which is very high… more than twice as high as most grains. Boiled quinoa contains much less fiber, gram for gram, because it absorbs so much water.

Unfortunately, most of the fiber is insoluble fiber, which doesn’t appear to have the same health benefits as soluble fiber.

That being said, the soluble fiber content is about 2.5 grams per cup (or 1.5 grams per 100 grams), which is still decent.

There are numerous studies showing that soluble fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness and help with weight loss (12, 13, 14).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is much higher in fiber than most grains, with one source finding 17-27 grams of fiber per cup of uncooked Quinoa.

4. Quinoa is Gluten Free and Perfect For People With Gluten Intolerance

According to a 2013 survey, about a third of people in the U.S. are currently trying to minimize or avoid gluten.

A gluten-free diet can be healthy, as long as it is based on foods that are naturally gluten free.

The problems arise when people eat “gluten free” foods made with refined starches instead.

These foods are no better than their gluten-containing counterparts, because gluten free junk food is still junk food.

Well… many researchers have been looking at quinoa as a suitable ingredient in a gluten-free diet, for people who don’t want to give up staples like breads and pasta.

Studies have shown that by using quinoa instead of typical gluten-free ingredients like refined tapioca, potato, corn and rice flour, it can dramatically increase the nutrient and antioxidant value of the diet (15, 16).

Bottom Line: Quinoa is naturally free of gluten and using it instead of typical gluten-free ingredients can increase the antioxidant and nutrient value of a gluten-free diet.

5. Quinoa is Very High in Protein, With All The Essential Amino Acids That we Need

Protein is made out of amino acids. Some of them are termed “essential” because we can not produce them and need to get them from the diet.

If a food contains all the essential amino acids, it is seen as a “complete” protein.

The problem is that many plant foods are deficient in certain essential amino acids, such as Lysine.

However… quinoa is an exception to this, being particularly high in in all the essential amino acids. For this reason, quinoa is an excellent source of protein. It has both moreand better protein than most grains (17).

Sleep Management: How much Sleep do you Need?

The night time ritual of shutting the eyes to enter the world of dreams has often been considered to be one of the most important things. This is because the body needs rest, but the question is how much?

To sleep means to throw away all worries and care and rest, unfettered, and undisturbed, and opinions vary on the amount of sleep that a human body requires. The most important thing to understand here is that you need to find your own ideal sleep and wake cycle. Therefore, you have to set your body clock in accordance to this and make sure that you allow your body to have the most of it. But generally speaking, adults need about seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Then again just like less sleep, spending too much time in bed could mean that something has gone amiss in your body.

Results of Lack of Sleep

You do not really require findings from a study to tell you that you will be in poor health if you do not sleep well. You can in fact feel thins every time you have a bad sleep. A British study however found that people who are consistently deprived of sleep, by which we mean sleeping five hours or less each night, are at a greater risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.
Additionally, insufficient sleep could raise your risk of obesity, diabetes, depression, alcoholism and automobile accidents. You will find yourself not very focused, and may experience mood swings. There are very many other problems that occur due to lack of sleep, such as kills your sex drive, ageing your skin, you tend to forget more, and you will gain unwanted weight.

Results of Good Sleep

Now all that we have pointed out above can be reversed if you sleep well, and the best part is that your brain is working even while you are asleep. The truth is that sleep makes you feel better and you boost your health by sleeping well, also improving your looks by reducing dark circles from under your eyes! By getting adequate sleep you will help your heart, weight, mind and all the organs in your body. Here are some sure health benefits of sleeping well at night:

• 

- You may live longer; as a 2010 study of women aged 50 to 79points out that more deaths occurred in women who got less than five hours or more than six and a half hours of sleep per night.

•  You can reach your creative best by getting a good night’s sleep, as your emotional and components get strengthened.

•  You could improve your grades if you sleep well, and therefore remember that late night studies never work. Less sleep could lead to functional impairment in school.

•  Every diet and exercise will fail if you do not get good sleep, and so sleeping well will help you to lose weight.

•  Stress is a major concern for cardiovascular disease, and sleeping well can make you stress free and allow you to feel good.

Remember that for all the good things your body gives you, you owe your body a good night’s sleep. Never wake up before six hours of sleep, keep it within six to nine.

Top 5 Shopping Tips for Men

Men who buy into the image of being non-fussy shoppers often end up buying the wrong clothes. It is wise to keep in mind a few things before you hit the stores to benefit the most from merchandise.

Body Type

Are you tall and lanky; or muscular; or slightly rotund? Every man is different and must invest in a bit of Googling over what prints, style and fabrics suit you the best. For eg: Short men should avoid nautical stripes as it makes them appear even smaller. Muscular men would want to get shoulder pads removed from readymade formal jackets to appear less stiff. Those who are lean and tall should stay away from narrow vertical stripes that make them appear even slimmer.

Classics

Wardrobe must haves such as white shirts, blue jeans, black Oxford shoes and black V neck tee shirts are classics that never go out of style. The question is, do you have too many of the same? Most men don’t realise that they keep shopping for the same stuff over and over again. Break the habit and experiment a little. The next time you reach for those Aviators or Wayfarers ask yourself if you really need another pair. If you take stock of your stock you might discover an undetected pattern.

Compartmentalise

Before setting out to buy yourself new clothes and accessories divide your wardrobe into categories and sub-categories. This will help you decide how much you need to spend. Broad sections will be casuals, formals, casuals bending towards formals, vice versa, sports, and club wear. Each category will speak of its requirements. If you’re more the outdoorsy person you will want to invest in that department. Maybe it is vital to choose another pair of sports shoes over a formal shirt.

Brands

It’s never a good idea to appear like a page from a particular brand’s Look Book. If your shirt, jeans and accessories were all bought from one store you are more likely to end up as an mannequin for the same. Be bold enough to trust your own instincts about what might go with what. It would be doubly refreshing to pair a cheap, off the footpath tee shirt with expensive shades and designer jeans. A little bit of creativity goes a long way.

It's most convenient to head straight to the mall where you have a variety of brands under one roof. However, you might miss the real pleasure of finding a great bargain from the ever burgeoning markets that sell factory rejects with unnoticeable defects such as a single loose thread. If you have a little patience you can even find a tailor who makes by measure. Let’s face it; mass produced clothes do not fit everybody after all. A compulsion to wear ill fitting clothes can be disheartening. It’s time to listen in on this piece of shopping advice and change.

Healthy chocolate lifestyle scheme

 

Humors have it that military ruler Napoleon Bonaparte who shaped European politics in the early 19th century carried chocolates along with him during his military campaigns. Satiating his taste buds or even restoring carbohydrates, satisfying brain cravings for ‘feel good’ nutrients, the chocolate bar did it all!

Chocolates altogether have changed the way we eat, romance and live. The world of chocolate is one of pure happiness that can please your palate and raise your spirits.

However, along with so many other things in our diets, the supposed negative or positive aspects of eating chocolate are the subject of much controversy.

Many experts have noted that chocolates are unhealthy and continuous eating often results in tooth decay.

Some medical experts have stated that chocolates contain sugar substances and thus add calories to the body and increase the sugar levels in the blood.

The truth is that chocolates will not damage your joints but being overweight will hurt your joints.

There is, however, the possibility that a person could be allergic to some ingredient in a chocolate candy bar which could cause some amount of swelling. In fact chocolate is lower in caffeine than tea, coffee and coca cola. Doctors suggest that one ounce bar of chocolate contains about 6mg of caffeine, whereas a five ounce cup of regular coffee contains over 40mg.

Nevertheless, chocoholics may unite in celebration, for the news is good: dark chocolate possesses the maximum amount of antioxidant content present in any variety of food.

Dark chocolate: Heart-healthy benefits

Stick to the dark chocolate and there's a group of heart-healthy benefits. Experts suggest that consuming dark chocolates reduces your chance of heart problems. Chocolate is an anti-inflammatory agent too. Darker ones contain cocoa butter to some extent and this helps in regaining the lost elasticity in the body.

Eating dark chocolate lessens damage to the blood vessels of cirrhotic patientssuggest a new research presented at the International Liver Congress 2010, the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Liver in Vienna.

Various researches shows that a small serving of dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content which dilates blood vessels, allowing for better blood flow.

It is because of its antioxidant properties and antimicrobial properties that dark chocolate can lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. The antioxidants also help in the anti-ageing process.

Doctors suggest that a daily portion of 100 grams of dark chocolate reduces blood pressure and occurrence of cardiovascular incidents by 21%.

The Feel Good Factor

Chocolate interestingly acts as a medication for depression. Researchers suggest that munching a chocolate can really help you in a very interesting way.Phenylethylamine (PEA) present in chocolates is responsible for some of the pleasurable feelings you get after eating chocolate because it releases natural feel-good chemicals called endorphins in your brain.

Tasty chocolaty suggestions

Kids are the all-time lovers of chocolate. There is a chocolate for every occasion in our lives. While dark chocolate will give you various health benefits, don't overdo it. The best way to eat chocolate is to eat good quality dark chocolate with at least 70 per cent of cocoa in it in small portions.

White Chocolate - The Little White Lie

Dark chocolates can legitimately claim to be "healthy food", on the other hand this is definitely not true for the manufactured candy which is called "white chocolate". We must face the truth that only raw cocoa and certain kinds of dark chocolate provide the many health benefits which modern research studies have attributed to, however consumption of white chocolates have zero health benefits.

Skip the Nougat 

Caramel, nougat or other fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate and should be avoided. It is advisable to look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings.

Sugar-laden chocolate candies and syrups can pose health risks to your body.

So, here are enough reasons for chocolate lovers everywhere to celebrate. And, if health is your excuse for eating chocolate, remember the word "moderate" as you nibble. Now what are you waiting for, go for your chocolate bar now!

How To Get Pregnant Faster

There are a variety of reasons you may want to get pregnant fast. Maybe you want to space your children a certain number of years apart, or maybe you are trying to beat your biological clock. You might want to get pregnant because your partner is in the military and you'd like to conceive before deployment, or you may not have a specific reason for getting pregnant quickly -- you are just eager to become parents!

The tips below will help you learn how to get pregnant faster, but it's important to realize they will not work for everyone, and "faster" for some may mean conception in a month or two, while "faster" for another may mean pregnancy within a year or two.

Unfortunately, pregnancy isn't something that can be planned exactly. So many factors come into play, including the fertility of you and your partner, your menstrual cycle and ovulation, your overall health, and your current life style.

If you can't get pregnant as quickly as you'd like, don't blame yourself. Keep in mind that while 62% of couples will get pregnant after three months of serious trying, and 92% conceive within a year, one in 10 will experience infertility and need help.

Tip #1 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Have Lots of Sex

You probably already know you need to have sex to get pregnant, and you may even know that you need to aim for ovulation to increase your chances. What you may not know is that having sex often, every other day or every two days, for the entire month is good for baby making.

Having sex at least three to four times a week boosts your chances for success because...

• It increases the possibility of having sex on your most fertile days. If you're only aiming for ovulation, and you make a mistake, you may totally lose that month. If you have sex every other day or every two days, you're likely to have sex at least once, if not twice, during your most fertile time.
• Frequent sex improves sperm health. Healthier swimmers means you'll be more likely to conceive.
• Sex after ovulation may even help with conception. To be clear, you can't conceive if you only have sex after ovulation. But some preliminary research has indicated that semen exposure may play a role in the implantation stage of the embryo.

You could even aim to have sex every day of your cycle, but for most people, this will lead to burnout. Not to mention it's really not necessary.

Tip #2 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Optimize Your Baby Making Sex

You may be able to get pregnant faster if you optimize your conception sex. One important thing to be aware of is that regular personal lubricants, like Astroglide and KY Jelly, are harmful to sperm. They prevent some of the sperm from swimming to their destination and the chemicals in these lubricants kill many of them off. (Note, however, that these lubricants cannot be used to prevent pregnancy.)

The best lubricant for conception is your own cervical fluid. But if this is an issue for you, there are sperm-friendly options available.

• Are Personal Lubricants Like Astroglide and KY Jelly Sperm Friendly?
• Top Sperm Friendly Lubricants

It's debatable whether sexual position or lying down after sex will help you conceive. However, research on IUI treatment found that lying down after insemination boosts pregnancy rates. Could this apply to sexual intercourse? It's impossible to say, but if you're trying to conceive faster, you may want to at least try out lying on your back after sex for a few minutes. Just in case.

• What Sexual Positions Can You Get Pregnant With?
• Does Lying on Your Back Help with Getting Pregnant?

On the other hand, if missionary position is a big turn off for you, maybe more creative positions would help. Research has found that sexual arousal plays a role in how much sperm is ejaculated. Female orgasm may also help with conception.

Having passionate sex may help you get pregnant faster. So have fun and enjoy yourselves!

• Is Female Orgasm Important for Getting Pregnant?
• Conception Sex vs Just-for-Fun Sex

Tip #3 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Use an Ovulation Predictor Kit or Ovulation Monitor

There are a number of ways to detect your most fertile days, the two days prior to ovulation. For example, you can chart your body basal temperature, check for fertile cervical mucus, track cervical changes, or use a saliva ferning microscope.

The problem with all these methods is they have a steep learning curve. For BBT charting, figuring out how to get your temps right in the morning and interpreting your chart is an issue, and another big issue is that a BBT chart only shows you when you ovulated after it's already happened (and it's too late to have sex to make a baby on those days.) BBT charting can work wonders when you're open to trying for a few months, but not if you want to get pregnant now.

You may have an easier time using ovulation predictor kits or ovulation monitors if you're trying to get pregnant fast. OPKs are like pregnancy tests, in that you pee on a stick or strip of paper. Unlike pregnancy sticks, they are a tad tricky to interpret, but most women figure them out. Ovulation monitors take much of the learning curve out of OPKs, as a digital device tells you when you're most fertile. No interpretation of lines involved! They are more expensive, though.

You may want to combine charting with OPKs, as there are advantages to charting besides detecting ovulation. However, when it comes to pure ovulation detection, if you're going for speed and you're not an experienced charter, OPKs or ovulation monitors are your best bet.

• All About Ovulation Predictor Kits
• How and Why to Keep a Fertility Calendar
• Seven Signs of Ovulation

Tip #4 for Getting Pregnant Fast: Do What You Can to Optimize Your Health and Fertility

In the short term, things you can do to optimize your health and fertility include...

• Getting enough sleep. Odd sleep and wake cycles can throw off your menstrual cycle, which is unlikely to lead to infertility but could make getting pregnant fast more difficult.
• Eating a balanced diet and drinking enough water. Shun extreme diets or binging when you're trying to conceive.
• Lowering stress, if at all possible. It's debatable whether or not stress leads to infertility, and the current research indicates it likely doesn't. However, acute stress can throw off your cycle. If you want to get pregnant in a month or two, one off cycle can put a serious dent in your plans.
• For the men, keeping the family jewels away from the heat. Hot tubs, laptops placed directly on the lap, seat warmers, and sitting too long with the legs close together can all increase the scrotal temperatures, which can negatively impact sperm counts.
• Washing your hands and staying away from sick people. Illness can throw off your cycle.
• Cutting back on caffeine. It's unclear what, if any, effect caffeine has on fertility, but if you want to conceive quickly, cutting back to 300 mg per day (that's one cup of brewed coffee or two cups of black tea) may be worth it.
• Quit smoking and cut down on alcoholic drinks, and this is for the men and the women. Not an easy one for some, but something that may not only improve your health now but also help you have a healthier pregnancy and be a good example to your future child.

There are other things you can do to improve your fertility and overall health that take more effort and time. A big one is making sure your weight falls within healthy limits. Being just slightly overweight has been shown to decrease fertility.

Health Checklist for Women Over 40

Dress, check! Make-up, check! Shoes, check! Office presentation, check! Home chores, check! But did you check your health yet? Well, you must! Women in their 40s need to be proactive to stay fit and healthy beyond middle age.

A few health check-up for your overall health can help you detect any problems early and getting the right treatment for it. You must know what to look out for in terms of health to feel in the prime of your health and heave greater self-confidence than ever before.

Make a health checklist and paste it to your refrigerator for a gentle reminder about your health updates.

                    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Weighty Issues

40s is a cruel age-range. Women who have been slim all their lives, may find themselves putting on pounds in their 40s. Ageing makes you to gain an average of a pound a year. With weight gain comes high blood pressure and diabetes.

The cons of weight gain don’t end just here. The hormones fall, this alters the fat distribution around the buttocks, upper thighs, and abdomen. You may call it the middle-age spread.

Do prevent weight gain, do not cut out on meals but make sure your calories work in the form of lean proteins, fruit and vegetables, and whole grains.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Exercise Regularly

The 40s make your testosterone levels to fall- it is the hormone that helps maintain muscle mass. So, you need to challenge your muscle mass in order to prevent losing five pounds of it per decade as you age.

Cardio exercise can help you shed excess pounds or maintain your weight. But also include strength training too to build up lean muscle tissue. The general goal is to include at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day in your routine.

Build You Bone Strength

The biggest health risk for women in their 40s is osteoporosis; you can feel your bones going thin because of lower hormone levels.
The lifetime risk of osteoporosis for women is almost 50 per cent and in men is 20 per cent. Eating a balanced diet and doing regular weight –bearing exercises can help treat the condition and possibly reduce its effects.

To detect osteoporosis, one must get a bone mineral density test done which is an indicator of bone strength and osteoporosis risk. Women with previous fragility fractures; a family history of osteoporosis; on medications that cause bone loss; or have problems with calcium absorption should get this test done for sure with their doctor’s discretion.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Control Stress and Anxiety

Age brings in stress with it. Women in their 40s need to need to be supreme jugglers, often balancing the needs of a job, children and ageing parents.

Make time for yourself to beat stress and anxiety. Relax and take good care of yourself like you care for your dear ones.

Keep Your Heart Healthy

It is important to keep coronary risk factors as low as possible because heart disease is the biggest killer. Quit smoking if you so; smoking is the biggest risk factor for heart disease. With this, maintain an ideal weight, follow a healthy diet and take regular exercise.

To make sure you do not suffer from any heart ailments, take the following tests:

Blood cholesterol test- High cholesterol is associated with increased risk of heart disease. This test measures amount of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL, and "good" HDL cholesterol circulating in the blood. Levels of triglycerides, another blood fat, are also usually checked. It should be taken every 5 years starting at the age of 20.

Blood pressure check- It measures blood pressure, an indicator of heart risk. Check your blood pressure at least every other year starting at the age of 18.

Fasting plasma glucose- It measures blood sugar, an indicator of diabetes risk. Get it done every three years if in normal range or at your doctor's discretion at the age of 45, or younger if you are overweight and have other risk factors.

Keep a Tab on Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer is the 11th most common cancer among women in the UK but cervical screening saves approximately 4,500 lives per year in England. To get screened for cervical cancer take the following tests:

Pap smear and pelvic exam- It checks for cervical cancer and you should take it every three years, or as recommended by your doctor, starting from the age of 21.

Pap smear plus HPV DNA test and pelvic exam- Some experts recommend this test as more precise means to check for cervical cancer. You can get screened for it every five years after the age of 30.

Beware of Breast Cancer

One in eight women is at the risk of getting breast cancer and age 40 makes the disease more common. In fact, the majority of breast cancers (80 per cent) occur in women over the age of 50.

With a family history of breast cancer you should commence screening 10 years before the age your relative was diagnosed. Tests that diagnose breast cancer are:

Mammogram- It checks for breast cancer and should be taken every 1 to 2 years, depending on your risk. You should start at age 40-50 or earlier with certain risk factors.

                                                                                                                                                       Doctor’s Breast Exam- It may detect breast cancers missed by mammography. If you are in your 40s, take this test annually; if younger, you can get screened for it every three years.

Finally, being self-aware and doing self-health checks is the vital first stage as it will help detect symptoms which could indicate more significant health problems. Make a note if anything about your health doesn’t seem normal. Speak to your doctor early so that the symptoms can be fully assessed.

How to Sponge bath a Newborn baby

Bathing a newborn can be a challenging job for most parents. Some infants may cry continuously throughout bath time,  exacerbating the procedure for parents. Since handling a wriggly and slippery newborn during bathing may require practice, sponge bathing is a safe proposition. In fact, most doctors recommend a sponge bath for newborns as it is the safest and easiest way to keep them clean and fresh.

Newborn baby sponge baths are highly recommended by the American Academy of Paediatrics, especially during the initial weeks, until the umbilical area has properly healed. Sponge bathing is also suitable for premature babies as their skin may be sensitive to tolerate water splashes. The below guidelines can help new mothers sponge bath their newborn baby:

• Lay your baby in a cot or on a cushioned surface. You can place some pads or soft wash towels underneath to provide extra comfort. Remove the clothing and the diapers and cover the body with a light soft towel.
• Take a cotton ball moistened with water and clean his eyes carefully. Take another cotton ball and clean the inside of his nose. Similarly, with fresh moistened cotton balls, clean his cheeks, forehead and behind his ears. 
• In a tub of tepid water, dip a soft wash cloth and squeeze out excess water. Gently rub the cloth on the baby’s head to remove the cradle cap. This will not go in one day, but after a few sponging sessions, it will start falling off slowly. You can then use a soft baby brush to remove the cradle cap completely. Then wipe off the water from his head with a dry soft towel.
• With a wet wash-cloth, clean the neck, skin folds, genitals and the diaper areas slowly. Then wash the arms, legs, folds of fingers and toes, hands and feet clean. Wipe the wet areas gently with a dry towel.
• After final washing, place the baby in a big soft towel and dry off the residual water from the body.
• Clean the umbilical cord carefully by using a Q-tip and rubbing alcohol.
• Apply baby lotion all over the body, hands and feet barring eyes, mouth and ears.
• To wrap up the sponge bathing process, put on fresh diapers and clothing on him.

A sponge bath for newborns is ideal as it prevents the chances of catching a cold considerably. Also, since the area around the umbilical cord is prone to infection, it is important to avoid water seepage into that area. Newborns do not usually get very dirty so a daily sponge bath is sufficient to keep them clean. During a sponge bath, it is recommended to cover the upper part of the baby’s body with a cloth while washing the bottom and vice versa. The baby’s wash towels must be regularly disinfected to avoid any skin rash.