Bottle gourd (is also called Calabash). It has a green, smooth texture and white flesh inside when peeled, this fruit is harvested young to be consumed as a vegetable, other ways of cooking this are sauteed and soup recipes. According to our health food source:
This vegetable is helpful to the urinary system, it helps to reduce burning sensation from acidic urination, it may also reduce the chances of urinary tract infection.
Helpful in reducing high blood pressure and helpful in keeping the heart healthy.
It contains vitamins and minerals such as: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins A and C and folate.
Contains fiber which supports healthy digestion and helps to combat constipation.
This post will tackle about premenstrual syndrome which affects most women. Gentlemen, you should also read this for you to better understand what ladies are experiencing before menstruation! Specially if you have a wife or a partner who is dealing with this every month, she needs your supportive care in managing this, do not judge her as it affects her emotional health. Ladies do you often feel mood swings before your monthly period? Like sadness, unexpected crying spells, being very sensitive and irritable, headaches, breast tenderness etc? Maybe it’s because of premenstrual syndrome. The exact reason aren’t known yet, but according to experts what triggers this syndrome was the drop in the women’s hormonal levels (estrogen and progesterone– the hormones of women) which often occurs after ovulation. Lucky for those few who doesn’t experience this and for some who only experience few of the symptoms, because some women consider it as something very disturbing as to the point that they already need to seek a doctor’s consultation to relieve and manage the symptoms.
According to our health source it has a few of the following symptoms:
For emotional and behavioral symptoms, it may include:
Moments of sadness
Mood swings
Anxiety
Crying spells
Irritability
Easily gets angry
Changes in appetite
Food cravings
Problems in falling asleep
Social problems
have poor concentration
For physical signs and symptoms, it may include:
Tiredness
Fatigue
Muscle and joint pains
Abdominal cramps
Headache
Weight gain due to fluid retention
Breast tenderness or pain sensations to the breast area
Acne
Constipation
Diarrhea
Feeling of fullness
These are some of the common symptoms that many women are experiencing after ovulation and before menstruation, but don’t feel too anxious about it because you can do something to manage or reduce the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome by making changes regarding your diet, activities and the way you approach your daily life.
For your diet:
Limit or avoid salty foods to reduce fluid retention.
Eat small frequent meals to reduce bloating.
Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Consume or drink calcium rich foods.
Avoid caffeinated drinks and avoid drinking alcohol.
Try also this lifestyle activities:
Do brisk walking and other aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes daily.
Get enough rest and sleep
Do deep breathing exercises, yoga or meditation.
Listen to relaxing and calming music, maintain a positive attitude.
Do an activity which makes you happy to combat stress.
Don’t be shy to open up your feelings and ask for emotional support.
You may also want to make a note regarding all the symptoms you encountered and list the interventions you did which alleviated the symptoms, so that next time you already have a basis, and you already know what to do to manage it.
Note that if you are still experiencing the worst symptoms, and you think it already disturbs or affects your daily activities and to the extent that you can no longer perform some of your chores you may want to consider visiting your doctor. She may prescribe medications or do an intervention that can help to alleviate the symptoms of yourpremenstrual syndrome.
Are you struggling to get some good sleep or experiencing too hard falling asleep during the night? This post will tackle about why it’s important to give at least a few hours of a no gadget or television before bedtime, and some helpful tips on how to promote a better sleeping pattern during the night.
According to studies watching television, using laptops, tablets, computers, smartphones and any other screen related objects before bedtime aren’t good and really a bad idea that could bring harm or bad effects in your body. These gadgets can emit blue light, which can harm or destroy the quality of your sleep. They added that blue light delays the release of the sleep inducing melatonin (the hormone which is responsible for your sleep-wake cycle). The delay will reset the body’s internal clock to a later time, bringing a disrupted sleep pattern.
The following are the important tips to consider before bedtime to promote a better sleep:
Reading books, it helps you achieve a better mindfulness, it reduces stress therefore helping your mind and body to relax making it easier for you to fall asleep.
If you have children read some bedtime stories to them, children love fantasizing and listening to stories, pretty sure they will like this idea too.
It is also helpful to take a warm shower before bedtime. It helps you to fall asleep quickly.
Avoid thinking too much, specially negative thoughts that could bring emotional and mental stress.
Do some deep breathing exercises, yoga, or meditations.
Listen to relaxing music, it calms your nervous system and other organs and help your body to relax and fall asleep.
Use dim light because it will help you to sleep better, bright lights can disturb the sleep inducing melatonin, making it hard to fall asleep earlier.
Be sure that your stomach aren’t too full before bedtime or avoid large meals because the quality of your sleep throughout the night can be disrupted as your digestive organ is working too much, and as a result, it will interfere with falling asleep.
Avoid longer naps during the day, it will cause you to stay awake longer at night.
Avoid drinks that could stimulate your body before bedtime such as caffeinated drinks (coffee), energy drinks (chocolate), sodas or soft drinks instead you better drink milk because it contains tryptophan (an amino acid) that will help you to sleep better at night.
During a storm, there are many lives, trees, animals, houses, and material possessions that are being damaged. That’s why preparation and alertness are important in times like this.
But, what are the things and important reminders you need to know before a storm?
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Food products (easy to open and ready to eat foods like canned goods, cup noodles, biscuit, precooked rice and dish, safe drinking water, hot water dispenser or thermos with hot water).
Health kit or first aid kit that includes over the counter medications to relieve unexpected sicknesses like fever, headache or vertigo, stomach problems like diarrhea or constipation, and maintenance medications if ever a family member is currently taking it. You also need vitamins to boost your immunity and to be able to fight this stressful event. Also include in your health kit personal hygiene essentials like tooth brush, toothpaste, wipes, soap, alcohol etc.
Prepare a family bag kit that includes clothing, towels and blankets for family members.
Alertness and prayers! We need to be vigilant enough, listen to the authorities and news regarding the storm updates. We also need to keep calm and pray!
Teach family members, specially the young ones, on the proper actions if ever there is an emergency.
During a storm expect to experience disconnected electricity power, so make sure to charge your cellphones or anything you can use as a mode of communication, if possible have a battery operated radio to stay updated regarding the storm news.
You may also want to secure your important documents in a plastic envelope and other valuables like money, jewelries and other gadgets.
In life, there will be countless storms, but always remember that there will always be a new beginning! The sun will shine brighter than what you expected.
Honey is a naturally sweet food that is commonly used as an ingredient in cooking or baking.
It has attractive chemical properties and unique flavor that is chosen by most cook and bakers as an alternative to sugar or any sweeteners. Aside from this, it is great for medicinal use, especially if prepared with other herbal ingredients. Though it’s very beneficial and useful, just be reminded that it shouldn’t be given to infants in any way because of the bad effects to their immature intestinal tracts. If you are interested to read about it, here’s a separate post regarding this matter: Why you shouldn’t give honey to infants?
Honey bees transform nectar into honey by a process of regurgitation and evaporation, they then store it as a primary food source in a honeycomb inside the beehive.
Honey ranges from nearly colorless to dark brown. The taste or flavor varies from mild to delectable taste depending on where the bees thrived. According to research, the darker the honey, the healthier.
Here are the important health benefits of honey in our body, according to our health food source:
Contains antioxidants (flavonoids) which helps to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers and heart diseases.
Has an antibacterial content, some varieties have large amounts of friendly bacteria (helpful to those who have mature intestinal tracts, except to infants).
May help in ulcer treatment and bacterial gastroenteritis.
It can help in treating cough (helps in relieving nocturnal coughs), therefore promotes proper sleep at night.
It has an anti-inflammatory property which can help in wound healing.
Can use as an ingredient to moisturize and nourish the skin.
Useful in improving eyesight and helpful in dealing with male disorders, UTI (urinary tract infection), weight loss, bronchial asthma, nausea, and diarrhea.
It may help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Disclaimer: The list shown above is merely for information purposes only.
Infants are young children who are under one year of age and defined as the first year of life and the period wherein most rapid growth is happening after their birth or delivery. Their immune system is weak and that’s why you have to be careful on the things, materials, and foods that may come in contact with their mouth. Their feeding bottles should be sterilized well before mixing the milk to ensure a clean and safe milk consumption.
The materials or things that they are using must also be cleaned well, to avoid harmful microorganisms. Introducing solid foods to them was very exciting. But be cautious enough to the kind of food that you will be giving. Your food preparation matters a lot, be sure that they are clean, safe to eat and soft (for better food digestion and absorption), also to avoid the dangers of choking.
Children at this stage of life are prone to get cough and colds, and sometimes home interventions are one of the few actions that some parents will take. You probably heard that honey are good and very therapeutic in dealing with cough and colds, and they also have a lot of health benefits to offer? Yes, it’s one of the most beneficial substances to go through specially as medicinal products, but be informed that it should not be given to infants because it contains dormant endospores of the bacterium clostridium botulinum. According to our health food source, the endospores can transform into toxin which are very dangerous to infants immature intestinal tracts leading to serious illness and even death.
Do you have a dog/dogs at home? Do we need to treat them as one of our family members too? Just like human beings, we also have to take good care of our pets. They need to be treated also as a part of a family, not just as a pet that serves as a happy companion in the house. They are a blessing from above. So, we have to love them as well. Furthermore, they all have something to impart in our life.
Here are some of the health benefits that a dog can give to the owner:
According to studies, the bond between the dog and the owner can increase physical fitness. Brisk walking with your dog early in the morning can help your blood to circulate well. They motivate you to exercise and can help you achieve overall health.
A dog can boost your mental health, relieves your stress and anxiety in life.
They can help with your emotional health too, they lessen or removes your feeling of loneliness. Gives you comfort and love, thus making you happy daily.
They also can help with your social well-being, when you walk around with your dog in the park, there are high chances that you can also meet other pet owners who can talk and socialize with you.
A dog can also help you with the feeling of security, they have a heightened sense of hearing and smelling which can alert you of a danger.
Do you really prepared the food clean and safe to eat? Foods are the fuel of a human body to make its daily function and activities. We have to eat nutritious food because they are essential in bringing natural vitamins and minerals that are needed in order for our body to gain energy. To achieve a good immunity as we go all day long, but we also have to make sure that our food preparation and cooking is right.
There are many cooking methods out there like baking, frying, broiling, stewing, braising, simmering, roasting, grilling, frying etc. Cooking methods depend on what the recipe need, but whatever you are about to prepare, make sure to consider these tips below about food preparation and cooking:
Cleanliness- to start with a healthy food preparation, always wash carefully your ingredients such as vegetables, fruits, fish, meat products etc. Wash your hands to eliminate germs and harmful microorganisms before cooking.
Buy fresh ingredients or food products- because they contain a good amount of health benefits compared to those stored in the refrigerator for a few days or a long time already.
Know your ingredients- What are the nutrients you can get from it?
Follow your recipe- to achieve the desired recipe outcome, do not be rushing in cooking your recipe.
Read food labels and consider using those with health benefits on it. Example, cooking oil (you may want to consider vegetable oil and other types of healthy oil), salt (you may want to consider iodized salt) and you may also want to consider those organically made products.
Enjoy and be happy while cooking- some says that if you are happy while cooking, you can get a good result or outcome of the recipe. It will also lessen your stress points, we all know that cooking in the kitchen have numerous things that you have to do, from cleaning the ingredients, to cooking, washing of the dishes and serving the food.
Serve food with an art- to make the food more enjoyable to eat, you may want to serve it in a nice bowl or plate with your creative touch.
A good note to remember: “Excessive consumption of food is not good to our health and can bring a negative result or bad effects on our body. Always eat the right kind and the right amount of food”.
We live in a stressful environment, there are lots of personal, environmental and socio-economical challenges that we have to face.
How do you handle all of these? Sometimes how we fight with our daily battles are related to how we perceive and handle every situation. Are you a cheerful type of person? Or a serious one? If you are that type of person who is very cheerful, just continue it because there are lots of health benefits that it can give to you. If you’re a serious type of person, you may want to start producing more smiles now in order to gain the benefits.
One way to make our day feel good is to smile. According to studies when we smile our brain releases types of neurotransmitters (like endorphins, natural painkillers, serotonin) that are beneficial in making us healthy.
What can a smile give to our body?
It reduces stress and pain levels.
Decreases heart rate and blood pressure levels.
Helps to increase your immunity, if you are a happy person, it will be easier for you to combat those illnesses related conditions.
It makes you more attractive, beautiful or good-looking.
Furthermore, it enhances your emotional well-being.
Not only that, but it leaves a good impression to other people that you are a good person.
You look inspired, positive and full of life.
You are often described as friendly and sociable.
Makes other to trust you easily, because it shows that you are willing to interact and communicate.
It improves your mood, and you are less likely to develop depression.
May slow aging, because it makes you look younger.
Whatever benefits it will give you, just treat yourself with that beautiful smile, it is free, and it’s a natural way of helping your body.
Are you one of those who are experiencing headaches from time to time? Headaches are very disturbing and can cause disabling you to do your daily tasks and duties. According to our health source, headaches can lead to sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and psychological and physical problems.
The general signs and symptoms are as follows:
There is a moderate to severe pain
Presence of pulsating and throbbing sensation.
It is aggregated by physical activities
Nausea
Vomiting
You can feel light and sound sensitivity.
Pressing or tightening around your head.
Pain around eyes
Restlessness
This common symptoms usually go away on its own even without medications, but you should seek a doctor’s consultation if:
Your headaches seem worsening over time.
Disabling you to do daily chores and activities already.
You have two or more headaches in a week.
You needed an increase dose of over the counter medications to relieve headaches.
Furthermore, you are taking pain medications to relieve headaches on most days and your headache won’t go away without medications.
If your headache comes with double vision, seizure, confusion, stiffness, fever, weakness, numbness, or difficulty in speaking.
Headaches worsen despite rest and home intervention.
Risk factors of headaches includes: anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, caffeine, chronic pain conditions, obesity, snoring etc.
You can use over the counter medications like analgesics (naproxen and ibuprofen) to relieve headaches, be sure to ask the pharmacist regarding the medication that is effective and suitable for you. Possible causes of headaches are infection, stroke, inflammation, meningitis, traumatic brain injury, brain trauma.
Note: you better seek a doctor’s consultation to better check your condition and to take actions regarding it. The doctor will perform tests to diagnose your headache’s problem. Some of the tests that the doctor may perform are imaging tests like: CT scan and MRI to look for underlying medical condition. After recognizing the problem, the doctor will prescribe certain medications for your treatment.
Here are some lifestyle and home remedies that you can do to help relieve headaches:
Exercise regularly
Avoid headache triggers
Avoid medications overuse
Get enough rest and sleep
If you are obese, you may want to lose weight.
Reduce stress
Avoid too much caffeinated drinks
Don’t skip your meals
Headaches are really a problem that you have to resolve to continue your daily activities. Always take control and seek an understanding about your situation. It’s a healthy action to talk to someone and share your feelings about it, accept counselling and support from other people, it will really help.
Are you in loved? Brokenhearted? Looking for someone? Smiling or crying because of somebody? Well just think of this, “Love should never hurt you”. You already found that true love when you are in a satisfying relationship, meaning you are happy and contented having each other.
There was a belief that someone is already out there destined for us. Do you believe in what they called destiny? For some, they believed that we are the one making and finding it. Do you agree? Whatever it is, you will know and feel it when it’s already what they say “the one”.
How to achieve a fulfilling and healthy relationship? Consider these “COUPLE GOALS” tips.
Complete trust is needed- it is a very essential component of a healthy relationship. Without it, you cannot build one. Trust means you commit to the person by words and deeds. You believed in him or her and is comfortable and safe for you to be with that person.
One and only- means you must be faithful, commit yourself to your partner. Cheating by words, thoughts and actions aren’t in your preference. You choose to focus on your relationship.
Understanding your partner’s emotions- having a substantial amount of respect on his or her feelings is necessary, respect and listen to what he or she is saying before talking, consider the opinion of each other.
Pray together- you are meant to be soulmates. In order for these two souls to bind forever it should be nourished with God’s guidance and protection.
Love unconditionally- as the word says, it is a love without condition. It is a love without limits and restrictions. You love the person for whom he or she is, and not for what he or she has.
Eliminate jealousy- because it may kill your relationship and always watch your words- whenever you have problems or arguments it’s better to talk about it, never think of bad words to utter because it will live into their mind.
Gift from God- a precious gift that should be taken care of, a lifetime gift that you are excited to open every day.
Offer an open arms- when things are tough, give him or her a hug, this ensures that he or she is not alone whatever challenges you have in life.
A love with a genuine honesty — telling the truth and leaving no lies or hidden agendas under your head. Be open on what you feel.
Look out never be out of their mind- communicate with him or her always, never leave a gap between the two of you (but of course you may want to eliminate obsessing your partner, just the right amount for it to work). Specially if you are far from each other. Talk without limits, talk about what you are eating or will eat for lunch or dinner, if you already have kids- you can talk about them, about shared moments when you’re together, about your dreams etc.
Show your feelings- never hide what you feel, express your emotions. When you are happy show him- smile and laugh together! When you are sad, angry and disappointed let him or her know, just talk calmly and offer a solution or help to your partner.
It’s a matter of love and understanding, give more and receive more, a healthy and fulfilling relationship is like a treasure in a box of golds and diamonds that you want to keep for a lifetime. When you already have it, appreciate and take good care of it.
MOMSOTHERSIDE
HealthCare 