Health Benefits of Soybean

Soybean is hailed as the most protective bean. Soy contains 40 percent protein. It has the highest protein content amongst plant products. “Soy protein” refers to the protein found in soybeans. As animal protein contains all the essential amino acids, lacking in pulse protein, soy is often used to replace the animal proteins in an individual's diet. Soybean is the only vegetable food that contains all eight essential amino acids. Soyabeans are processed to various soya products namely soy flour, soy milk, cottage cheese like tofu, fermented products like tempeh and miso.

Macronutrients-

Protein

Soyabean is the richest plant source of protein. It contains 43 percent protein as compared to other legumes which contain 20 to 25 percent protein. Soy protein is also of the highest quality amongst all legumes. Under guidelines adopted by the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization for evaluating protein quality for children and adults, soy protein isolate receives a rating of 1, which is the highest possible score. This means that the quality of soy protein is equal to that of meat and milk proteins.

Most plant proteins are considered "incomplete" proteins because they are low in one or more essential amino acids. Levels of one amino acid or another are insufficient for human needs. Grains are typically low in lysine; beans are typically low in the sulfur amino acids, methionine and cysteine. However, the level of sulfur amino acids in soybeans is higher than in other beans, and therefore soy protein is equivalent to animal protein in quality. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Food and Drug Administration use an alternative method for evaluating protein quality called the protein digestibility corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS). The PDCAAS for soy protein isolate is 1.0, which makes soy equivalent to animal proteins in quality and higher than other plant proteins foods. Soy foods if used smartly contribute significantly toward meeting protein needs, and could be an excellent addition to a diet for a variety of reasons.


Fat

Like protein soybeans are high in fat too. Most legumes (except peanuts) contain between 2 to 14 percent fat, whereas soybean contains 19 percent fat. 

At the same time, most of the fat in soybeans is unsaturated and beneficial. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated fats make up 63 percent, 23 percent, and 14 percent respectively of the fat in soybeans with saturated fat being the lowest. The polyunsaturated fat content of soybean includes linolenic acid or Omega-3 fatty acid. The presence of omega–3 fats makes it special as soybeans are one of the very few plant sources of this essential fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids form an essential nutrient which helps to reduce risk of both heart disease and cancer. 

Soybean oil can be used in cooking. Some soy foods have the fat removed. Defatted soy flour is commonly available. Reduced-fat tofu and reduced or non-fat soymilk also form some low fat alternatives.

Fiber

A serving of soybeans provides approximately eight grams of dietary fiber. However, some soy foods are processed in ways that decrease the fiber content significantly. Tofu and soymilk contain very little fiber, while soy foods that utilize the whole bean such as tempeh, soy flour and textured soy protein are high in fiber. 

Micronutrients-

Calcium

Soy foods are a good source of calcium in comparison to the commonly used legumes. Processing affects the calcium content of soyfoods considerably. Tofu due to its processing methods can contain between 120 and 750 mg of calcium per 1/2 cup serving. Soymilk contains around 93 mg of calcium per one cup serving. The calcium-fortified soymilk could often contain between 200 and 300 mg of calcium per serving and a good amount of vitamin D.

Although soyfoods are high in both oxalates and phytates that inhibit calcium absorption, the calcium from soyfoods is well absorbed and has an absorption rate equal to that of milk.

Iron

Soya is rich in iron too. However, both phytate and soy protein reduce iron absorption which leads to the iron in soyfoods being poorly absorbed. Iron could be better absorbed from fermented soyfoods like tempeh and miso.

Other nutrients-

Like other whole grains, soyfoods are rich in B-vitamins, particularly niacin, pyridoxine and folacin. Soymilk is well fortified with vitamin B12 which makes it a prominent source of this essential nutrient.

Nutrient Content of Soyfoods

Food	Calories	Protein grams	Carbohydrate grams	Fat grams	Saturated Fat grams
Soybeans 1/2 cup, cooked	149	14.3	8.5	7.7	1.1
Tempeh 1/2 cup	165	15.7	14.1	6.4	1.1
Textured Soy Protein 1/2 cup, cooked	59	11	7	0.2	fat free
Soynuts 1/4 cup	202	15	14.5	10.0	1.6
Tofu 1/2 cup	94	10	2.3	5.9	0.9
Soy flour, defatted 1/4 cup	81.7	12.8	8.4	0.3	.02
Soymilk, plain 1 cup	79	6.6	4.3	4.6	0.5

Food	Niacin mg	B6 mg	Folic Acid ug	Calcium mg	Iron mg	Magnesium mg	Copper mg	Zinc mg
Soybeans 1/2 cup, cooked	1.35	.20	47	88	4.42	74	.35	.99
Tempeh 1/2 cup	3.8	.25	43	77	1.9	58	.55	1.5
Textured Soy Protein 1/2 cup, cooked	.75	.12	---	85	2	86	.32	1.37
Soynuts 1/4 cup	0.6	.09	91	59	1.65	63	.35	1.35
Tofu 1/2 cup	0.2	.06	19	130*	---	127	.24	1.00
Soyflour, defatted 1/4 cup	0.65	.14	76	60	2.3	72	1	.61
Soymilk, plain 1 cup	1.4	.10	4	93	1.38	45	.288	.54
Miso 2 Tbsp.	0.3	---	10.1	23	.95	14.5	.15	1
Adult Recommended Daily Allowance	15	1.6-2.0	180-200	800	10-15	280-350	1.5-3.0	12-15

Recommended servings of soy: 1-2 servings per day 

There are various anti-nutritional factors in soybean as in other pulses. However most of them are heat liable and can be eliminated by suitable heat treatments.

Soybean in comparison to other legumes is far superior in terms of health benefits.

 Low in fat with no cholesterol

 Contains essential heart friendly omega-3 fats

 An excellent source of fiber 

 Is a good source of enriched Calcium and Vitamin B12

 Is a complete protein, containing all the amino acids essential to human nutrition

 Provides important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and selenium 

 Rich in probiotics in the form of fermented soy products, such as miso, tempeh, and soy yogurt

 Contains isoflavones which are beneficial in reducing risk of various cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis 

 Whole soy foods such as tofu and tempeh form a nutrient rich alternative to meat

How to Overcome Fear of Giving Child Birth

hild birth can be an immensely fulfilling as well as an equally overwhelming experience for a would-be mother. According to recent studies, an intense fear of child birth can often lead to miscarriages or C section deliveries in certain cases. Therefore, along with caring for your growing bodily needs, you would also have to keep your mind in control. A positive mind-set will certainly help to overcome fear of giving child birth.

Some Effective Tips to Overcome Fear of Giving Child Birth

Some of the following tips can help substantially to overcome fear of giving child birth.

1. Do not discuss the experiences you mother or anyone else might have undergone. Remember, no two deliveries are the same. Just because your mother had a painful experience to deal with, does not mean that history would repeat itself. Every pregnancyis unique.
2. Quite often, your subconscious fears might be causing the problem. In case you are extremely scared of the prospect of child birth and cannot put a finger on the underlying causes, consider visiting a counsellor. He will help in unravelling your hidden fears and provide remedies for them. Hence it would be easier for you to overcome fear of giving child birth.
3. Most often, the actual cause of fear and worry would beOf motherhood. Most expecting women are concerned about their capabilities. They also continue to worry about the several problems which might arise while nurturing the newborn and so on. If such is the case, you need to talk it out with your elders and friends and sort all misconceptions for effective respite.
4. You should assess all your options and discuss it out with the doctors, way ahead of time. If you have any doubts pertaining to the process of childbirth, have a discussion with your doctor.
5. Make sure, you have plenty of support around you when the bigday arrives. Having your partner around during the child birth process could be especially helpful. If you are keen on a natural delivery, make sure your midwife is around as well. Communicate with your doctor as often as you can. It is important to trust him completely.

Consider making childbirth an enjoyable experience by learning to overcome fear of giving child birth through simple yet effective measures.

Acupuncture May not be Easing your Knee Pain

If you have been undergoing an acupuncture therapy to eliminate knee pain from your life, the findings of a new study will reduce your belief to `sham’.
According to authors of the study "among patients older than 50 years with moderate to severe chronic knee pain, neither laser nor needle acupuncture conferred benefit over sham for pain or function. Our findings do not support acupuncture for these patients."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                      What is Sham Acupuncture?

Any form of fake acupuncture which is used so that the researchers can test the benefits of traditional acupuncture is known as sham acupuncture. The researchers wanted to check if the effect was created due to a placebo effect or it was a result of acupuncture. A placebo effect is when a person believed that his symptoms have improved despite undergoing a fake treatment or medication.

"Subjective measurements such as pain are particularly subject to placebo responses," said study co-author Kim Bennell, a professor of physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne in Australia. "This can be attributed to factors such as the treatment setting, patient expectations and optimism, the physician's confidence in the treatment, and how the physician and patient interact."

The Study

Around 300 adults who suffered from chronic knee pain received either needle acupuncture, laser acupuncture, sham laser acupuncture or no treatment at all. Participants who did not receive any treatment were categorized as the control group. For sham treatment, a machine was pre-programmed to not to deliver the laser. Nor the patient neither the acupuncturist knew that it was a fake treatment.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      These participants were given 20-minute sessions up to twice a week for three months. They were made to fill questionnaires about their knee pain at the beginning of the study, after three months and one year later.

Three months later, the participants undergoing the needle, laser and sham acupuncture experienced similar reductions in knee pain while walking compared to the control group. According to the authors, the pain improvement was not there after a year and the short-term improvements were too small to make significant changes in the study.

Also, neither the needle nor the laser acupuncture gave significantly higher relief than sham laser acupuncture, says the study.

The patients who underwent needle acupuncture also experienced little improvement in physical function in their knees after three months compared to the control group. However, this improvement did not last a year and a similar improvement was seen in the sham group.

So, what kind of treatment you must receive to alleviate the knee pain is easy to comprehend now.

Special Care for this Diwali

The festive season is here again, so this Diwali again one needs to take care of the Skin to let the skin glow and also be cautious of the crackers so that you make your Diwali a special one avoiding accidents.

It’s true that everyone wants to look good for the occasion but for that one also needs to follow some simple tips says Dr. Anup Dhir, Senior Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon, Apollo Hospital. By eating fewer sweets, using soap free cleansing moisturizer, proper intake of water, and continuous exercises can help your skin glow for this Diwali.

One also need to take care while enjoying the joyous mood of Diwali and should not forget to have with them the First - Aid Box too. Dr. Dhir says that 98% of burns are accidental and most of them are women and children below the age of 18. With a little care those injuries on face, hand and arms can be avoided.

Buy fireworks of authorized/reputed manufacturers only. Lighting a fire cracker may seem very easy and fun but if one is not careful it can cause serious damage. One should never attempt to re-light a dud because it can go off. You should douse it with water instead, advises Dr. Dhir. Children and adults must know how to carry  fire crackers with them, carrying in the pockets could be a bit dangerous as we must not forget that they are explosives and we should not have a friendly relation with them because it may go off prematurely even without being lit, he added. It is required to read those instructions written on those packets.

Not only that we need to take care of those electric lights which should never be tied to any metal poles as any current leak can energize the pole and give a shock to anyone who touches the pole, so in this case we need to check small children. If anyone's clothing does catch fire, follow the rule:

• Stop - Don't run.
• Drop to the ground.
• Roll to put out the flames, use fireworks only outdoor.
• Don't wear loosely hanging clothes; secure all clothes properly.

Dr. Pritam from New look says "One should hold the burn area under running water which is cool, not cold and not use ice since that will take the wound longer to heal. Also one shouldn't use ghee on the burn area as it increases the risk of infection."

If you are not careless, negligent and ignorant then you can actually avoid accidents, so this Diwali you are safe and can enjoy the pleasure of light and sound both.

Delhi-based plastic surgeon Dr. Anup Dhir and New look Cosmetic Skin Laser Clinic has launched the emergency helpline number which will put one through to the doctor himself.

The 24-hours helpline will start functioning November 3rd and will be operational for eight days. Diwali will be celebrated on November 5.

So, Remember “Precaution is better than cure”!

Health Tips this Diwali

Diwali shouldn’t become a time for sweet surrender. Now, don’t cry foul! Yes, we know that you must have been waiting for this time of the year to quench your sweet-thirsty taste buds but never forget to keep a strict watch on what you eat.

We list a few health tips in which you can stay away from sweet harm that you might risking yourself to.

Diabetes and sweets

Dr Archana Dayal Arya, Consultant Endocrinologist & Diabetologist for Children and Adolescent at Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, says, “If you are a diabetic then you will have to put in an extra effort to minimize the risks of complications. Too much of sweet can lead to high blood sugar and can cause organ damage.”

                                                                                                                                                                         

Avoid cheap sweets

You have truckloads of relatives but are a little tight on budget. So, you decide to buy cheap sweets for distant relatives. But wait. You will be at the receiving end too. Give and take of adulterated sweets will not only prove to be a health hazard but also dig deep holes in your pocket through hospital bills.

Do not eat variety of sweets

Dr Vaibhav Gupta, consultant, internal medicine, Rockland Hospital says, “If you have a sensitive digestive system then you must avoid eating variety of sweets in one go. Give it an adequate amount of gap rather than eating them consecutively. It would lead to stomach ailments, discomfort in the abdomen and sometimes loose motions too.”

                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                   

Hygiene at home

If it is a tradition to make sweets at home then you have to make sure that you do so under strict hygienic conditions. Avoid using excessive ghee or oil.

Indulge in handful of dry fruits

Diwali is not synonymous with sweets only; dry fruits too are rich in sweet quotient. Do not overdo dry fruits. Instead, a handful of nuts are a healthy option.

Adhere to the guidelines of your doctor and eliminate the risks of further complications.

Sealing Out Tooth Decay

When you eat or drink foods that contain sugar, germs in your mouth use the sugar to make acids. Over time, the acids can cause tooth decay, or cavities.

Fluoride in toothpaste and drinking water can protect the smooth surfaces of teeth, but back teeth need extra protection. Food and germs get stuck in their rough and uneven chewing surfaces, and toothbrush bristles can’t always get them clean. That’s where sealants come in.

Sealants are thin, plastic coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of back teeth to keep out germs and food. They prevent cavities from forming. And if a small cavity is accidentally covered by a sealant, the decay won’t spread because new germs are sealed out and germs trapped inside are sealed off from their food supply.

Many people still don’t know about sealants. In fact, only 30% of children in the United States have sealants on their teeth.

Children should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as the teeth come in, before decay attacks them. Teenagers and young adults who are prone to decay may also need sealants. Sealants can save you time and money in the long run by helping you avoid the fillings, crowns and caps used to fix decayed teeth. Talk to your dentist about sealants for your family.

OCD can be Deadlier than you Thought

As a preteen, you may have started realizing yourself to be a potential candidate for OCD when you checked the door’s lock at least thrice before leaving home or imagined there was more dirt on a pen you shared with your classmate than on a toilet seat. Such is how OCD generally manifests, but sometimes, it can turn you into the most detested enemy you can ever have.

At its worst, you may literally begin to obsess over a pile of dust on your desk at the workplace that you saw two times in three years; you might begin to start hallucinating with the passage of time so much that the only resolve your parents would have is to get you therapy. This surprisingly common medical condition that starts with quirks may indicate a more serious problem. Right when you put it off as general OCD, it would actually be more than that.

Schizophrenia

Despite of OCD being a very common condition that is popularly assumed to not cause any damage except for irritable quirks, its diagnosis in all the reported cases is said to be linked to higher rates of schizophrenic spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Children of parents suffering from OCD are at a greater risk of developing the said conditions, states a new study that was published in JAMA psychiatry. The researchers added that there is a need for more researches to identzify risk factors that are common to OCD, schizophrenic spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

Eating Disorders

13 percent of people with OCD develop an eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa that share the same characteristics with OCD. Experts have also examined the similarities. It is in such a scenario important to speak to a mental health professional, who is experienced with both the disorders.

Depression

A study that was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders discovered that major depressive disorder was likely to be 10 times more common in OCD patients than those who did not have OCD. The symptoms of depression include feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, loss of interest in everyday activities and changes in weight as well as appetite.

Some people may find that their OCD symptoms get worse when they experience depressive episodes. The occurrence of OCD along with depression can have negative effects on the treatment. A study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry had found that those people who only had OCD were likely to have a better outlook post treatment compared with those people who had both OCD and depression.

Substance Abuse

OCD is one of the anxiety disorders that go hand in hand with substance abuse. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 20 percent of people with an anxiety disorder tend to also have substance or alcohol abuse disorder. A person who has excessive drug or alcohol abuse may take to them to self-medicate, but this can actually worsen the symptoms of OCD.

OCD can be treated with medications, cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychotherapy, but it is important to know the warning signs as well as ways to get help to get the right treatment.

COLA raise for 2015 to stay historically low for 70 million on Social Security

Those collecting social security and disability benefits can expect only about a 1.7%-2% increase in their COLA (cost of living adjustment) next year. For most people this translates to around $20 more a month. 2015 will be the third year in a row that the government will be doling out historically small increases, which are based (by law) on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W. This is “a broad measure of consumer prices generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” which measures price changes for food, housing, clothing, transportation, energy, medical care, recreation and education from July-September from one year to the next. Simply put, if prices rise over the course of the year, benefits go up, beginning with payments delivered in January.

Automatic increases for Social Security beneficiaries were enacted by Congress in 1975, when inflation was high and there was a lot of pressure to regularly raise benefits.

Among the costs examined are medical and lower fuel costs. Yet, while overall prices for food have risen by less than 3%, the prices for meat, fish, dairy and eggs has risen by nearly 9%. Still, many older Americans relying on Social Security are feeling the squeeze of minute benefit increases year after year, and advocates for senior citizens claim that the government's measure of inflation “doesn't accurately reflect price increases faced by older Americans because they tend to spend more of their income on health care. In addition, although the rise in medical costs seems to have slowed in recent years, that may be little comfort to someone who is suddenly hit with a serious illness.

"You lose that increase, not only in the short-term, you lose the compounding over time," said Mary Johnson of The Senior Citizens League. "For the middle class, for people that don't qualify for low-income programs, they are dipping into savings or they are borrowing against their homes."

Top five: surprising health benefits of cranberry juice

Cranberries do more than just look pretty.

The top five health benefits of Cranberry Juice are surprising.

 

History of the cranberry

A native American plant, cranberries were first harvested by native Americans and quickly thereafter, European settlers. Though the health benefits of the cranberry were not scientifically understood, sailors of those times consumed cranberries while aboard ship to ward off “scurvy” (a disease now understood to be an extreme deficiency in vitamin C.)

 

Real juice, not "juice cocktail"Studies for unsweetened (NOT sugar-free), not-from-concentrate cranberry juice have shown many surprising health benefits. But keep in mind, real cranberry juice is the dark red, unsweetened juice made from whole cranberries. You can find it in most stores that sell organic vegetables and other health foods. It is not “cranberry juice cocktail.” Be sure to always read the labels before you purchase any juice. You might be buying what amounts to be little more than sugar-water, labeled as a healthy juice drink.

For those who have never tasted the “real stuff,” real cranberry juice might taste quite strong and very tart. I recommend diluting the juice with water to your taste. When mixed with half a glass or more of regular water, it is much less tart, and tastes almost exactly like the sugar-sweetened unhealthier “juice cocktail” varieties.

Top 5 Health Benefits of the Cranberry

1. Prevents painful urinary tract infection 

Did you know that modern preservatives in foods have been linked to the rise in urinary tract infections? Cranberry's anti-adhesion properties—or the proanthocyanidins minerals found in the fruit—helps to avoid such infections.

2. Reduces Dental Plaque

This natural beverage has nothing but good news for the teeth and gums. Experts say cranberry juice inhibits the growth of mouth bacteria that causes plaque. So, drink up!  A healthy dose of cranberry juice ensures your teeth are fresh and clean all the time.

3. Kidney Stone Prevention 

This is still under active medical research, but the presence of quinic acid have experts saying it is possible for cranberry juice to help prevent the development of kidney stones. It makes sense since the cranberry helps rid the body of wastes and bacteria—anything that doesn't belong there.

4. Deter Cancer

Cranberry juice is a good source of polyphenol antioxidants and phytochemicals, both of which are possible deterrents against cancer and disorders of the cardiovascular and immune systems. That's a lot of benefits coming from a small fruit.

5. Yeast Infection

What is yeast infection?  It is an overgrowth in the body of a type of naturally occurring bacteria. Yeast infection and fungi overgrowth in Americans has been estimated by the experts to be present in 85% of the population and goes largely undiagnosed, especially in men and children. Surprisingly, doctors estimate that up to 85% of men are affected. They usually suffer in the form of digestive problems and other symptoms and later in life, prostateproblems.

Doctors and scientists believe that the cranberry and its juice are very effective in preventing yeast infection. Cranberry juice contains substances that render bacteria unable to cling on the walls of the mouth, intestines, and even the urinary tract. Fresh cranberry juice is effective in flushing out Candida yeasts and other excess cells and fungi from the body.