7 Winter foods that keeps you feeling cosy, healthy and happy

This winter season, make yourself warm, healthy and get that cosy feeling from the inside of your body by having these foods. Let's fight this chilly and cold weather with the foods which keeps our body warm and healthy from within. These nutritious foods apart from making your body warm will also strengthen your body's immunity to fight all the diseases in winter especially frequent cold and cough. 


In winter most of us think, getting frequent cold or cough is common these days but sometimes even this common cold can cause some serious infections if left untreated for long time. So always eat all the winter foods especially the seasonal fruits and veggies to build your body's immunity to fight various infections. 


In winter, our body needs extra care and healthy diet to fight all the infections and keep ourself healthy by strengthening our body's immunity. Our diet and the food which we eat plays an important  role in making us healthy and disease free. 


Choose your food wisely according to local weather conditions. All the seasonal and local food is fortified with all the vitamins and minerals which our body needs to combat those harsh weather conditions and keep itself fit. Some of the best winter foods are discussed here, have them to make yourself feeling cozy and healthy.



1. Honey lemonade:

This simple honey lemonade is the best drink for winters. It is  very simple to make in few minutes. Always have it warm in winters. It strengthens your body's immune system and also help in relief from cold and cough in winters. Honey have soothing effect on your throat and lemon is full of anti-oxident and vitamin C which is helpful in building one's immunity. 


2. Hot chocolate:

Hot chocolate is one of the best alternative in winter to keep your body warm and it's delicious taste is loved by everyone, be it an adult or a kid. It contains milk which is rich in calcium and protein and is good for your bones and muscles. Chocolate is rich in anti-oxidents which is good for your brain and heart and also tastes great. So enjoy hot chocolate milk in winters for many health benefit it offers apart from its great taste which is loved by all.



3. Khichdi:

Hot Khichdi, enjoyed especially in India is basically a mixture of lentils and rice cooked in water with salt and some spices. It is very simple, nutritious and healthy food. It is also easily digestible and most nutritious. Enjoy hot khichdi with ghee (clarified butter) to get the strength to fight cold season. It keeps your body warm from inside and also gives essential nutrition to your body to keep it healthy.




4. Porridge:

Having a hot porridge in the morning is a good way to start your day. Porridge is made with  cereals like rice, oats or broken wheat etc which are high in fibre and rich in nutrients, boiled in milk with little sugar or for healthier option use jaggery to make it sweet instead of sugar. It is power packed with nutrition and provides a healthy dose of calcium, protein and carbohydrates, so you can start your day full of energy. It also helps you in keeping your body warm from inside in winters.  



  5. Hot soup:

Hot soups are best in winters for the whole family. Start your meal with a hot soup. It is full of nutrition and hot to give you warmth you need in winters and is also helpful in giving relief from sore throat and cold which is common in winters. Use variety of vegetables to make different types of soup in winter to make yourself feel warm and cosy in winters.



6. Turmeric Milk:

Having turmeric milk in winters strengthens your body's immunity to fight cold, cough and sore throat in winters. It's an old grandma's natural remedy for getting relief from cold and cough in winters. Hot turmeric which is also called turmeric latte is nutritious and healthy especially in winters. It gives your body warmth from inside and also help in fighting various diseases as turmeric is also a natural antibiotic.



7. Sweet potatoes baked or boiled:

Sweet potatoes are rich in fibre and potassium. They are more nutritious than our regular potatoes with fewer calories. They are overloaded with many vitamins and minerals and have innumerous health benefits. They are best consumed as boiled or baked. Have them in winters and protect yourself from many diseases.

How to Keep your Kids Safe and Protected in winters

It's winter time and is also a fun time for kids with christmas arriving in the corner. Winter vacation starts with lot of fun and celebrations. Playing in the snow, making a snowman with kids, skiing, hiking, sledding, snowboarding,  and many more activities to do in winter with kids, friends and family.

In winter kids need to be given extra protection as they have low immunity and are more vulnerable to getting sick in cold weather and missing all the fun in winter. Winter storms and cold weather can be hazardous to everyone. Staying safe and healthy is must for everyone in winters especially kids.

So don't let the dip in thermometer ruin your fun and outdoor activities in winter. Always keep in mind these safety precaution to keep yourself and your family safe in winter.



Dress kids and babies in layers:

Always dress infants and kids warmly for outdoor activities. Dress them in layers. The first layer should be soft and thin as it touches our skin, so skin sensitivity and comfort should be kept in mind while choosing the first layer of clothes in winter. The other layer should be of sweaters or other warm clothes to keep your body warm in winters. The last layer should be jackets and pants that protect you and your kid from the extremities of weather like snow, water droplets or winds.

Several thin layers will keep your baby or kid warm and dry in winter. Don't forget to make them wear socks, gloves or mittens and boots when taking them out in winters. Cover their head with a warm cap available for winters to protect their head and ears from cold.

The thumb rule for dressing a baby or kid for winter is, always keep your baby or kid covered in one extra layer than yourself to keep them protected and warm in winters.



Always gear up for safety first :

Always make your kids wear safety helmets for winter sports like sledding, skiing, snowboarding etc. to protect them from any head injuries. Also helmets provide extra protection and insulation from cold.

Gloves and boots are essential to wear for winter sports to protect their hand and legs in winter. Do not forget to wear them eye goggles especially while engaging in winter sports. Eye goggles are important to wear while engaging in winter sports activities to protect your eyes from any debris entering into it while playing and causing harm.



Always supervise snow activities:

With small kids and children, it is  essential to supervise them when they are playing in the snow as they tend to forget their safety while playing. So atleast one parent should be there with the kid to ensure kids safety while playing. Also childrens tend to try out new things or ways to play without knowing the safety, so it's best to supervise them while playing. Always take some time to be with them when they are playing outside in the snow to make sure they are playing safely.


Watch signs of hypothermia or frostbite :

Pale, grey or blistered skin on the fingers, toes, nose or ear are some of the warning signs of hypothermia or frostbite. If you see your child is in danger of frostbite, bring the child immediately to home and keep the affected body part in warm water not hot water. You can slightly keep on increasing the temperature of water from luke warm to little higher slowly with time. Signs of hypothermia are slurred speech, shivering, unusual clumsiness. If you think your child has symptoms of hypothermia, call or consult a doctor immediately.


Keep Hydrated:

Not only in summer we need keep ourself hydrated in winters too, as in the drier winter season kids tend to loose more water while playing. So keep them hydrated by offering them more liquids and water to drink. Also it's equally important for adults to keep themselves hydrated in winter especially if they are engaging in winter sports and outdoor activities.



Drink lot of warm water and warm liquids: 



Keep yourself and your kids warm as well as hydrated in winters. Drink lots of warm liquids to keep yourself and especially your kids protected from getting cold and cough in winters. Having hot soups and hot milk, or hot chocolate milk for kids help build their immunity in winters and also keep them hydrated and warm from the inside of their body.



Use sunscreen:

Always use sunscreen while stepping out of the house in the sun to keep yourself and your kids skin protected from sunburns and tanning. Sunburns do not occur only in summers but in winter's too you can get sunburns when exposed to sunrays. Keep your skin protected  by applying sunscreen especially in the exposed parts of the body.



Eat all the seasonal fruits and vegetables :

All the seasonal fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients that keep us protected and increase our immunity to fight diseases of that particular season. This is natures way of protecting us in its harsh conditions.

So having these seasonal fruits and veggies are best for your whole family to make every member of your family healthy from inside. Have them in any form cooked, steamed or in the form of soups or any other delicacy, but you should make everyone in your family to eat them to keep them protected and healthy in winters. 

So stay safe, healthy and have fun in winters.

Cure persistent Cold and Cough by this home remedy...Very effective and safe for Kids and Adults..

This is very simple yet very effective home remedy for treating cold and cough. It is made from just two easily available ingredients from the kitchen and works from inside of your body in the treatment of cough and cold. 

Apart from treating cold and cough it also strengthens one's body's immunity and prevents frequent occurance of cold and cough.
This home remedy is equally effective for kids as well as adults. It is very old grandma's home remedy and  is really effective in treating cough and throat irritation. It soothes your throat and gives quick relief from throat pain and irritation.

You need jaggery and dry ginger powder from your kitchen for making this effective home remedy for treating cold and cough.The therapeutic properties for ginger and jaggery help in treating cough and also improves body's immunity to stop cough from occuring again and again.


I always make this ayurvedic medicine at home in winters when catching cold and cough is very common to strengthen my family members immunity in winters.

 It is very helpul for children for boosting their immunity especially in winters when they are most susceptible to cold and cough due to their weak immune system. When your kid craves for sugary item, offer them this ball of jaggery for boosting his immunity.


You and your kids can also have this as a sweet or dessert after dinner or lunch to boost your family's immunity in winter. It does not have any side effects. It does all good things for your body especially in winters because of its innumerable health benefits.


Health benefits of jaggery :

• It is anti-allergic and relax the respiratory muscles.

• It boosts one's digestive process.

• It is great for constipation and clears the body of toxins and any excess mucus.

• Excellent healer for people with breathing disorders like asthma.

• It strengthens your immunity to various diseases as it is loaded with minerals, anti-oxidents and other nutrients including selenium and zinc which removes excess free radicles.

• Excellent and healthier alternative for sugar for satiating your sweet tooth.

Health benefits of ginger:

• It is a natural decongestant which help in treating cold and cough. 

• It act as a natural anti-histamine and help in treatment of allergies.

• It aids in digestion process.

• It has anti-inflammatory properties which are helpful in reducing pain and are helpful in treating arthritis.

• It is anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties.

• It is full of anti-oxidents and help in removing free radicals in body.

• It is helpful in fighting cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases.

• It is also helpful in treating nausea, motion sickness and digestive problems.

• It is good for heart as it improves lipid profile.

How to make this home remedy for treating cold and cough

Ingredients :

100g jaggery powder

50g dry ginger powder



You can get dry ginger powder and organic jaggery easily in your  nearby store or market. You can also buy dry ginger and then make a fine paste of it in a mixer grinder. 

You can also dry your regular ginger in the sun for few days and when it is completely dry, you can powder it the mixer grinder.


Also powder the jaggery by breaking it into small pieces in a mortal pestel or in a mixer grinder.

Now mix these two powder ingredients together in a bowl throughly. Make small balls or laddos of it with the help of your palms not more than 1cm in diameter. Store these laddo or  balls of jaggery and ginger in an air-tight container and it can be used for weeks.

How to use it for treatment of cold and cough

Take one laddo or ball of ginger and jaggery powder in the morning after breakfast and one after the dinner in the evening. If you are coughing a lot then you can have it three or four times a day.



Have these jaggery and ginger laddo's or balls regulary for few days to treat your cold and cough effectively. They can be also taken as a sweet to satisfy your sweet tooth and also to improve your family's immunity to fight various diseases and improving digestion process.

Shed off those extra pounds and stubborn belly fat, follow these simple tips..!

All the people who are obese or trying to loose inches from their waistline or struggling to lose that stubborn belly fat, you can follow these simple tips to become fit and slim. Obesity is not good for your overall health as it increases the risk of  many health problems like type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. Being fit and slim not only makes you look smart and attractive but also increases your overall health quotient as it keeps you fit and decreases the risk of many health problems.

Belly or abdomen is a region in your body where fat gets accumulated very fast and don't go off easily. This is the most stubborn fat in your body. Women tend to gain easily on their belly region and the main culprit is our modern lifestyle and eating habits. Many people lose hope as they don't see any results even after following a strict diet, but with some patience and strong determination you can definitely lose inches from your waistline.

All you need is, follow the right healthy fibre rich diet and a healthy lifestyle. Include some physical exercise in your daily routines and nobody will stop you from getting back to your old jeans and wearing all those your favourite clothes which you wanted to wear from a long time.


1. Strong determination and patience :

This is the first thing required if you are trying to lose your belly fat. You should have strong determination as this is the most stubborn fat in your body and it don't go off easily. Strong determination keeps your efforts going and doing your bit to lose weight. The next thing which is equally important is, you need a lot of patience to see the desired result. You can get your desired weightloss result with your continuous efforts and not losing your hope easily even if you don't see any changes within few days. So if you are keen to lose your belly fat, you have to stay positive, have strong determination and need a lot of patience to get your desired result and see the difference.



2. Cut off sugar completely from your diet :

The biggest culprit is sugar in your diet which stops you from losing weight. Sugar foods or sweetened drinks must be completely avoided.  As per studies, sugar drinks cause an increase in the level of fat in your liver. A research has proved that people who consumed sweet liquids or sweet beverages, had significant abdominal fat gain. Sugar rich liquids are said to be more harmful than sugar rich foods since the brain does not process the two in a similar manner . So cutting down sweet beverages, sweet puddings, and sweet in any form is advisable if you are struggling to lose weight.


3. Eat more fibre rich foods :

Eating a lot of fibre rich food makes your tummy full for long time and reduces your hunger pangs, so you don't end up eating more. Adequate intake of soluble fibre is highly effective in losing belly fat. It absorbs water and forms a gel that slows down the process of food particles passing through your digestive system. According to studies, this method prevents belly fat from increasing in your body because it makes you feel full and naturally reduces your appetite. So have foods rich in soluble fibre like flaxseeds, chia seeds, sprouts, berries, avacados etc.


4. Have lots of protein rich food :

Protein influences your metabolic rate and thus help in weight loss. Protein helps to sustain muscles during weight loss. It improves muscle fitness. Protein also help in increasing body immunity and had antioxidant function. It helps to build HDL cholesterol and enhances insulin and leptin function. All of which contribute towards optimal weight management efforts over time. So increase your protein intake, they also help you in making you full for long time and reduces your urge to eat often.



5. Avoid processed and ready to eat food completely :

All the processed and ready to eat foods are rich in transfat, transfat are hydrogenated fats and are formed when unsaturated fats are hydrogenated to convert it into saturated fats. All the processed foods like cookies, margarines, spreads, packaged food  and ready to eat foods are found to be rich in transfat. Transfats are known to increase abdominal fat, so the next time when you go to market, be careful while buying processed and packaged foods as they are not compatible with your weight-loss diet.
   

6. Have lots of fruits and vegetable in your diet :

Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Include lot of them in your weight loss diet. They keep you fit and full for long time. They are good for your overall health. Have fruits as a whole instead of fruit juice or smoothie as the fibre is lost in fruit juice. Same is said for vegetables. Indulge in lot of vegetable salad in your diet if you are trying to reduce belly fat.
  

7. Have green tea:

Instead of sweet beverages, switch on to green tea as it is rich in antioxidents. The flavonoids in green tea increases body's metabolism and this inturn help in weight loss. It is also effective in burning abdominal fat, the most stubborn visceral fat and thats why, is advised by dieticians in the weight loss diet. So having 2-3 cups of green tea daily assist in burning belly fat.
  

8. Have detox water in the morning : 

Start your day with the detox water in the morning like honey lemonade as it removes harmful toxins from your body, supplies you with the essential nutrients to kickstart your day and also assist in weight loss. You can also have a glass of detox water before meal to reduce your appetite and make you full for long time. To know more about how to make different types of detox water and their health benefits and how they help in weight loss, click this link, Detox water for weight loss. 
  

9. Include physical exercise or hit the gym:

You must start doing some physical exercises to lose weight as only dieting won't help much. Go to the gym regularly atleast 4-5 days a week. If you are the one who don't like to go to gym then you can do some physical exercises like walking, jogging and some exercises which focus on your abdomen region like cardio excercises, push ups , crunches, lying down and doing some cycling exercise, lifting your legs up and down repeatedly etc.


10. Reduce stress :

Reducing stress can have a major impact on your waistline. Stress causes hormones to be released that tell the body to hold on to weight. But by meditating, getting out in nature, and just taking it easy, you can support your body as you work to lose weight. So a stressfree mind plays an important role in losing abdominal fat.

   

11. Practice Yoga :

Practice yoga if you are not much fond of going to gym. There are some yoga asana that focus on your abdomen region for reducing belly fat like bhujangasana (cobra pose), Dhanurasans (bow pose), Naukaasana (boat pose), Kumbhakasana (Plank pose), Pavanmukhtasana (wind relieving pose) etc. help in losing belly fat and also strengthens abdomen muscles. Practice these yoga poses daily to lose belly fat.


12. Have adequate sleep :

Having adequate sleep is important for our mind and body. You should have atleast 8 hour sleep to keep yourself physically and mentally fit. Lack of sleep also result in weight gain. A study has found that lack of sleep is directly associated with obesity and diabetes. So adequate sleep is important to keep you focussed and active physically and mentally and this inturn help in losing weight also.  
  

13. Drink plenty of water :

Drink plenty of water throughtout the day as it help to remove toxins from the body and also help in reducing weight. Drink water half an hour before the meals, this helps in reducing your appetite and stops you from over eating. Drink water in the morning in empty stomach to hydrate your body, remove toxins from your body, cleansing your digestive system and it also increases your metabolism and thus help in reducing body weight too.
  

14. Stay motivated :

Hang your old pic on the wall or your favourite jeans in which you want to get fit to keep yourself motivated. Motivation works best to achieve your goal and keeps you going to get the desired weightloss result.


15. Treat yourself once in a while :

Going on a healthy diet and physical exercise to lose weight does not mean you should deprive or starve yourself of your favourite food. You can treat yourself once in a week with your favourite food but don't stop your daily physical excersice or yoga or workout in the gym. Keep active and keep fit.

Drink water stored in copper vessel for amazing health benefits and weight loss...!

Drinking water stored in copper vessel was quite popular with our ancestors due to its many health benefits and also because it purifies water by killing the harmful bacteria in it. The water stored in copper vessel does not stale due to this and is fit for drinking even when stored for long time. 

 In Ayurveda it is mentioned that drinking water stored in copper vessel has the ability to balance all the three doshas in our body (vata, kapha and pitta).

As per Ayurveda, drinking water from copper vessel reduces ageing by stimulating the production of collagen protein that helps in connecting tissues. Also when copper gets mixed with water, then copper kills viruses, and other such micro-organism making water fit for drinking. All this is backed by science now, lets see how it works.



How does it work?


When water is stored in copper vessel, copper in very small quantities gets dissolved in water. This process is known in science as the  “oligodynamic effect”. It  has the power to destroy a wide range of molds, fungi, algae and harmful microbes due to its toxic effects on living cells. The copper content of water which reaches levels of about 190 µg/l is well within the permissible limits set by the World Health Organization and thus remains safe for drinking.

Copper  is essential macronutrient required by our body, though our body needs it in traces but it is very essential for our brain, health and wellbeing. We can also get copper from foods like whole wheat, beans, green leafy vegetables, honey etc. but the best and easy source for meeting our body's daily requirement of copper is by drinking water stored in copper vessel for 8 hours or overnight. Let's see some amazing health benefits of drinking water stored in copper vessel.



 
Health Benefit of drinking water stored in copper vessel:

•  It cures Anemia.

•  Stimulates the Brain.

•  Regulates functioning of thyroid gland.

•  Promotes bone strength.

•  Aids in digestion.

•  Help in weight loss.

•  Good for digestion system.

•  Maintains good heart health

•  Can fight off cancer.

•  Helps wounds to heal faster.

•  Slows down ageing of skin.

•  helps in improving fertility and conception.

•  Prevents joint pain.

•  maintains acid alkaline balance in our body.

•  help cleanse and detox stomach.

•  Beats hypertension.

•  Makes our skin healthy.

How to store and use it?

The first thing you need to do is, clean the copper jug properly before storing water in it.

1. Fill the jug with filtered water and cover the lid. Store this water overnight or for 8 hours so that some of the copper get dissolved in the water. Do not fill hot water in the copper jug for storing. Always make sure the water is filtered and at normal room temperature for storing in the copper jug.

2. Drink a glass of this stored water in the morning daily to get all its amazing benefits. 

3. Use separate glass for warming the stored water if you want to drink warm water. Do not use copper vessel for warming the water or the same copper jug in which the water is stored.



How to use it as natural detox water and for weight loss?:

1.To detox your stomach naturally, have a glass of water stored in copper vessel overnight in empty stomach in the morning. This will cleanse your stomach of harmful toxins and help in weight loss too. This will also help in maintaining good digestion system.

2. You can also make this water little warm in separate vessel. Do not use microwave for warming the water. Add a spoon of honey and juice of a lemon in it to make tasty and healthy detox water to remove toxins from your body, for healthy weight loss and also to boost energy. Have this drink in the morning in empty stomach to get maximum health benefits.


After knowing all these amazing health benefits, you must be thinking of starting to drink water stored in copper vessel. You can easily buy a copper jug online if you don't find one in your nearby shops or market. Click this link to buy copper jugs from amazon. 



Precaution:

Some precaution needs to be taken while using a copper vessel as copper is a reactive metal.
 
1. After buying a copper jug, please clean the jug with a lemon juice and rinse it before storing water in it. Cleaning the jug once daily is important before storing water in it.  You can store water for overnight and have it in the morning to reap all its health benefits.


2. Copper reacts with certain food which are slightly acidic in nature and may lead to health related issues and even cause poisoning of food. Therefore copper vessels should never be used to store or cook pickles or acidic food. Also milk and milk products such as curd, butter, ice creams react very quickly with copper so never store these in such vessels. Never keep honey, citrus juices, citrus fruits in copper vessels.




Warnings:


1.Though copper is essential for our body but too much of anything is harmful for our body, so having optimum quantity of this water to meet out daily copper requirement is important.

2. Some people might be sensitive to copper, adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, headache and diarrhoea could occur in sensitive individuals. In the event of such adverse reactions, it is better to avoid its use and consult a physician in such cases or take his advice before starting to drink this water.




 

How to make Multipurpose healthy Flaxseed dry chutney Powder for daily health boost..!. | step by step Receipe with pics..|

Everybody knows the health benefits of  flaxseeds but how to include it in our daily diet is a big question in everyone's mind, as there are hardly any receipe with these seeds. So I have come up with this multipurpose dry chutney powder! Yes, it is called multipurpose chutney because you can use it as it is or you can mix it in various recepies to include it in your daily diet to get daily health boost of flaxseeds nutrients, fibre and omega-3 fatty acid.

Flaxseeds are superseeds with super health benefits and also help one in natural weight loss. Include them daily in your diet to get the health benefit of plant based omega-3 fatty acid and soluble fibre in your diet. Make this dry chutney and relish its taste along with health benefits. 

This chutney is really simple to make and can be kept in an airtight jar or container for a month to use. So no need to make it daily, just make it once in a month, store it and use it as a chutney with your daily meal as a side dish or you can also mix it in various curries or  dals to thicken the gravy and also to enhance the taste of your curry. You can also use it as a seasoning for salads or sprinckle it in your sandwiches or pasta.  It's uses are multipurpose in various receipes , have it as you like. Try this simple tasty dry flaxseed chutney powder for your good health daily to keep yourself and your heart healthy.



Step by step receipe:

Ingredients:

250g flaxseeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp kalaunji or onion seeds
6 dry red chillies
20 garlic cloves
salt as per your taste
1tbsp dry mango powder (optional, add if you want it little tangy )


 1. Roast flaxseeds in a deep kadai or pan in a low heat till it starts giving you nice flaxseed aroma or when it starts to give crackling sound.

Caution: Don't roast it too much, because too much roasting will burn it and also too much exposure to high heat will make it loose it's natural omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy nutrients. So always roast in slow heat by continous stirring it to avoid it burning. Continous stirring will also give uniform heat exposure to all the flaxseeds, so they will be uniformly roasted. After roasting keep them aside in separate plate or vessel to cool.


2. Roast all the garlic cloves in slow heat till it starts giving you nice aroma and you can see some black spots are formed in garlic due to heating. Keep them aside in a plate to cool. Peel  the skin of the garlic cloves when they are cooled.

3. Roast together dry chillies, coriander seeds, onion seeds for some time till you get nice aroma of all these spices, dont overheat them otherwise they will get burnt.

4. Wait till all the spices and flaxseeds are cooled to normal temperature.

5. Put all the ingredients includings flaxseeds and all the spices in the mixer grinder. Add salt as per your taste. Grind all the ingredients to a coarse paste. 

 The coarse chutney powder look like this.

6. Your flaxseed dry chutney powder is ready to eat now. You can store this powder in an airtight jar or container and can be used for a month.

Relish this chutney with idli, dosa, chappati or any Indian bread or include in your meal as a side dish. Add this chutney powder to your curries to thicken it and also for enhancing and giving new flavour and taste to it or use it as seasoning in various salads or pasta daily to get the health benefit of omega-3 fatty acid and soluble fibre in flaxseeds.

Have this drink as first thing in the morning to detox your body and for healthy weight loss!

What is the first thing that comes in your mind when you get up in the morning, ....hmmmmm.... "to have a nice cup of coffee or tea". This is the answer of majority of the people in the world  to kick-start their day but do you these sugary drinks have many side- effects if consumed in empty stomach. They can cause dehydration, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, sleep disorder, nervousness, anexity and are addictive too!

These caffinated drink does more harm to our body if taken on empty stomach. The best drinks to be taken in the morning in empty stomach is water or water in the form of lemonade or detox water. 

Drinking water in the morning upon getting up has amazing therapeutic effects on various health conditions like pain, constipation, asthma, cancer, Diabetes, lung and heart  diseases and many more. It also help in weight loss for people struggling to loose weight.

In ayurveda, it has been long known as "drinking water in the morning in empty stomach purifies your body". It removes toxins from your body which is the main cause of many diseases and help you in natural weight loss. First we will discuss about the health benefits of water and then some best alternative to plain water as drink to be taken in empty stomach in the morning.

Best morning drinks that you can have after just waking up are:


1. Warm water:

Warm water is best to have in the morning as it cleanses your colon making it easier to absorb nutrients. Those who have constipation or digestive problem or weight loss issues, should have atleast 1litre of warm water in the morning on empty stomach. 

Those people who don't feel like making any beverage in the morning can have atleast 2 glasses of warm water for amazing health benefits. It improves your bowel movement, increases body metabolism and help in weight loss too. To get maximum health benefit, don't eat anything for atleast 1 hour after having warm water.



If you are not fond of having plain warm water in the morning on empty stomach, other alternative healthy drink which you can have are mentioned below

 
2. Warm water with honey and lemon:

To make your water drink more interesting, you can add a spoon of honey and juice of a lemon in it. Stir and your healthy morning drink is ready. This is the best morning drink to recharge your body and flush out toxins from your body in the morning. It eliminates harmful toxins from your body, rehydrates and re-energise your body, increases your metabolism, help in weight loss, purifies your blood system. 

Honey in water soothes your body, re- energise your body system and lemon is full of vitamins and antioxidents which increases your body immunity to fight infections, help in weight loss, act as a anti-aging agent in our body and makes your skin glow with health. It is the best health drink to be taken in the morning on empty stomach.

Precaution to be taken is after having this honey lemon water on empty stomach don't eat anything for atleast 1 hour to get all its health benefits. Just try this drink in the morning for atleast a month to see the maximum health benefit and the good changes in your body and your mood. 


3. Detox water or fruit/vegetable infused water : 
 

This is another healthy alternative of warm water in the morning. You can have this detox water which is infused with the goodness of fruits or vegetables of your choice to get the nutrients which your body needs. You can make it at night, leave it overnight and have it in the morning on an empty stomach. This has all the health benefits of water and the natural fruit or vegetable used to infuse it.


You can make as many combinations and flavours you like of detox water by cutting and putting the slices of different fruits, vegetables in different combinations of your choice. Leave it for overnight so that all the vitamin, minerals and nutritional content of natural fruit and vegetable get infused in the water. Have it first thing in the morning on empty stomach to get all the health benefits and don't eat anthing after it for atleast 1 hour.

These detox water are the best alternative healthy beverage for  people trying to loose weight.This drink help in natural weight loss and also recharge your body with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  It increases your body metabolism and removes all the toxins from your body. To know more details about detox water and how to make it, see my post on detox water or click this link to get more details.

These detox water have now gained popularity for the weight loss by the dieticians and nutritionist. Now a days you can also find detox water in the market as ready made fruit flavoured water but it is always best to make it yourself at home to get all the nutritional benefits, since your hand made detox water is free of preservatives and artificial flavours and sweetners. 

You can make them in the night in large quantity, leave it overnight, keep it in the refridgerator and can have it for the next whole day. You can sip it whenever you are thirsty or needs to re-energise yourself.

15 Healthy and Easy to make Study Time Snacks for Energy, Concentration and Boosting Brain Power

Study time especially during the exams can be really tiring and tough for all the students or those appearing for exams especially if you don't keep yourself and your brain boosted with energy and nutrients. Since study time involves long stretches of studying and continous mind work,your body and mind really does lot of hard work while studying. So  keeping yourself and your mind alert all the time while studying becomes really necessary to ace in all those exams. 


Students preparing for exams generally reach out for easily available unhealthy snacks to beat the hunger pangs while studying which can make them drowsy and can also cause poor concentration while studying. These unhealthy snacks are not ideal for energy, good concentration and boosting your brain power. They inturn make you sleepy and lethargic during study sessions.


To overcome these feeling of lethargic during exams or during study hours and keep yourself boosted with energy and concentration, have these healthy in between study time snacks option to refresh youself and keep yourself studying for long hours to ace in all your exams.



1. Fresh boiled corn cob or Popcorn:

This is one of the healthy snack with low fat content. These are  the perfect substitute for salty patato chips and cookies. These corns are full of antioxidents and fibre. Have it as fresh boiled corn cob for more healthier option or otherwise in the form of popcorn which is easy and quick to make to overcome those in between study time hunger pangs.



2. Banana chips:

If you are the one having craving for salty potato chips, then have these banana chips instead as they are more healtheir compared to potato chips since they absorb less fat comparatively. Like whole banana, banana chips also contain many essential nutrients that nourish our body but its always good to have them in moderation for health benefits.



3. Vegetable salad:
  

Everyone knows the health benefits of vegetables, they are full of fibre to make you go long and packed with vitamins and minerals. So having these veggie salad in between study time is the healthier snack option. Also salads are easy and quick to make.




4. Nuts:

Nuts like almonds and walnuts are good source of protein and contain healthy fats. They are also called brain food as they are good for your brain function and help in improving ones memory. A handful of these nuts during study times is a healthier snack option. Always consume these nuts in moderation for good brain health.



5. Peanut:

Peanuts are actually legumes not nuts, they are full of protein and keeps you full for longer time. They also contain healthy fats so having roasted peanut while studying is good snacking option, its healthy for your body and is economically cheaper compared to other nuts.



6. Pumpkin seeds:

 


Since they are rich in healthy fat, antioxidents, fibre, vitamins and minerals, they provide overall health benefit to your body. You can have them in roasted form for healthy snacking between your study hours.




7. Fruit or fruit salad:

 

Health benefits of fruits are known to everyone, so having any fruit alone or making fruit salad with different fruits is always healthier and easy to make snacking option. They make you full and provides energy for longer period so that you can keep on studying for longer periods without feeling lethargic.





8. Dark chocolate:

They have antioxidents and are natural stimulators. They can also help you in overcoming exam time stress. They are also called mood boosters. So dark chocolates are good option as a snack while studying, but have them in moderation to get its health benefits. 



9. Berries:

These little berries be it blueberry, strawberry, raspberry or blackberry, all these berries are loaded with nutrients and antioxidents. They are low in calorie and high in nutrients often called as superfood. They help in maintaining brain function and also improves memory. So they are one of the best snacking option while studying!





10. Juices:

 


Fresh fruit Juices are  always a healthier drink to choose while studying instead of aerated ones as they provide you with energy and are also full of nutrients. So if you like sipping in between studying opt for fresh fruit juice and keep yourself away from artificial flavoured drinks which do nothing good to your body.






11. Smoothies or milkshake with chia seeds:

Having smoothie or milkshake with different fruits is always a treat for your taste buds and for your body too as they are packed with protein and goodness of various nutrients from the fruit and milk. So they make the best drink while studying to keep your mood fresh. Add some soaked chia seeds to it for more healthier option as chia seeds are super seeds and are loaded with soluble fibre, good fats and nutrients for healthy mind and body.



12. Hard boiled eggs:

  

It's really easy to cook hard boiled egg by anyone. Eggs are packed with protein and choline which help in both improving brain function and improving your memory. So have eggs to boost your brain and body.



13. Oatmeal:

Quick and easy to make, oatmeal are high in protein, fibre and low in fat and calorie. They are available in instant cook and eat options with variety of flavours, easy for students to make their tasty bowl of oatmeal full of nutrients to make them full and go long in their study time.



14. Yogurt:
 

It is good source of nutrients, calcium and protein, keeps you full for long time. You can add some fresh fruits and honey to it to suit your taste buds. It also boost your brain function and improves your mood too. So have them without any doubt during study time.



15. Whole grain toast: 

Whole grain toast or sandwich is also easy to make and have during study time. Add variety of  your favourite vegetables to it for your taste buds and health benefits. It is a good combination of fibre and various nutrients and can be easily made by the students.