Tag: Health Benefits

Indian PM writes President Buhari on health benefits of Yoga

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, on health benefits of Yoga, particularly in boosting immunity and helping recovery from COVID-19.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said the prime minister wrote the Nigerian leader as the world celebrates United Nations (UN) International Day of Yoga,

The Prime Minister’s letter, dated May 14, read in part:

“In 2014, the overwhelming response of the United Nations General Assembly to recognize June 21 as International Day of Yoga underlined the universal appeal of Yoga that transcends all barriers.

“Since then, the International Day of Yoga has been marked globally with great fervour.

“In a few weeks, the world will mark the seventh International Day of Yoga.

”Like the year gone by, this year’s International Day of Yoga will also be marked under the shadow of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“In the midst of this monumental challenge, our COVID-19 warriors have waged a remarkable fight against the pandemic.

”While the threat of the pandemic remains, there have been positive developments since the last International Day of Yoga.

”In addition to various treatment protocols, scientific understanding about the virus, we now also have several vaccines to protect our people from the pandemic.

”Vaccination drives are underway in several nations, including India. I remain optimistic that humanity shall overcome the pandemic very soon.

“The theme for this year’s International Day of Yoga is “Yoga for Wellness’’, which is particularly relevant in the current context.

“Yoga has many benefits for the body as well as for the mind. Despite all the efforts and precautions, COVID-19 may infect any person. However, a strong immune system can aid in the fight against it.

”Yoga can help build that immunity, for instance, through breathing exercises that strengthen the lungs.

”At the same time, across the world, millions of people have been forced to stay indoors for months.

”This has taken a toll on their mental health as well. Regular practice of Yoga can also help them recover.”

According to the prime minister, Yoga has an inherent power to connect, saying Yoga is good for community, immunity and unity.

He observed that the theme of International Day of Yoga celebrations this year reflected the concern for the good health and wellbeing of people across the globe.

”It is an endeavour to ensure that we focus on fitness as well as wellness.

“I wish to extend through your good offices, my deepest gratitude for the cooperation and efforts extended by one and all in making the International Day of Yoga celebrations a resounding success in your nation every year.

”I am sure that this year will be no different.

“Please accept my best wishes to you, your family and your citizens, for good health and well-being,’’ he added.

June 20, 2021
10 essential health benefits of drinking enough water
As with most things, the amount of water each person needs is very individual, but if your pee isn’t a light yellow color, you might not be getting enough H₂O.

How much water is enough? Always listen to what your body needs. Since 20% of total fluid intake comes from food, here’s the 80% we need from fluids (1 cup = 8 ounces):
Women: 9 cups

Men: 12.5 cups

Pregnant women: 10 cups

Breastfeeding women: 13 cups
If you don’t care much for the taste of water, then you can add a squirt of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a few sprigs of fresh mint or a cucumber or orange slice. You can even be so bold as to add a few berries or watermelon. What ever gets you to drink it up.

Speaking of benefits, the reasons to hydrate are numerous, but below are 10 of them. Cheers to your good health!

Top 10 Benefits of Drinking Water: Hydration for Health

1. Body Water Balance

Homeostasis of water content in the body is dependent on water gains and losses. Normal daily water losses occur through breathing, sweating, and urination. These losses are also a natural detox method to flush out toxins. Finally, through this delicate body water balance (which requires adequate, daily hydration), the body is able to maintain and optimize temperature control (i.e., thermoregulation).

2. Immune System Function

Getting enough water may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of immunity. It should. Higher water losses can occur when we are sick (e.g., diarrhea) fighting a bug, so pay close attention to fluids when you’re under the weather.

Hydration is involved in lubrication of mucous membrane barriers in our mouth and nose (our first defense against most pathogens), lymphatic draining, clearance of cellular waste, and transporting nutrients (I see you, vitamin D), antibodies, and much more. And 2020 research indicates that less-than-optimal hydration may even be a risk factor for COVID-19 severity and death.

3. Weight Loss

H₂0 = zero calories. So, there’s that. Also, drinking more water, swapping out calorie-laden beverages with water, and drinking water before a meal are all good strategies, and the research says they can achieve weight loss. Water intake has also been shown to increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation, especially in situations of obesity.

4. Kidney Love

Higher fluid intake reduces the risk of getting kidney stones and also helps them recur less if you’ve had them already. And although more research is needed, some studies indicate that higher fluid intake is effective in preventing urinary tract infections (UTI).

5. Skin Hydration

The most economical anti-aging strategy there is, water intake is linked to better skin hydration and less dryness, both key factors in beautiful, youthful-looking skin.

6. Digestive Regularity

There’s a reason it’s called a “bowel movement,” because the bowels should be moving. For some people, that’s not always the case. Inadequate water intake is associated with greater constipation, so hydration might be an easy answer to digestive woes.

7. Help With Headaches

Not getting enough fluids is thought to contribute to headache etiology. In a clinical trial where patients with headaches drank more water (1.5 liters more, which equals 6.3 cups), they experienced improvements in their symptoms.

8. Physical Performance

Inadequate water intake and repletion of losses during exercise (through sweating, for example) will mean worse performance. Failure to hydrate (and repletion of electrolytes is key here, too) can translate into less blood flow to muscles, reduced cardiac output, less endurance, and more fatigue.

9. Mood and Brain Function

Research demonstrates that dehydration has a negative brain impact, specifically on our mood, cognitive alertness, and fatigue.

10. Eye Health

Our eyes have a high water content, and dehydration is associated with eye conditions like dry eye, cataracts, and retinal vascular disease. If that’s not motivation to drink up, I don’t know what is.

Bottom Line, Drink Up!

Water is a critical, daily lifestyle choice that supports the health and function of every cell in our body. In addition to the 10 health benefits above, water is also involved in the metabolism of the foods we consume, the transport of various compounds across cellular membranes, the balance of many different cellular activities, and circulatory functions.

We are literally made up of water. Being mindful and intentional about hydration is one of the easiest strategies to improve your health and well-being. The good news is water is free. Even if you choose bottled/filtered water, it’s still cheaper than that high sugar and fat-filled latte!
January 31, 2021
15 unbelievable health benefits of bitter kola you may not know about

Garcinia Kola (bitter kola) also known as African wonder nut, is a species of flowering plants belonging to the family Guttiferae and grows in coastal rain forests in the South-Western and South-Eastern parts of Nigeria, and it also can be found in some African countries, such as Cameroon, Côte de Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Gabon, and a few others.

Bitter kola is widely known for its medicinal benefits, as the seeds, nuts, and bark have been and are still being used to treat varying degree of ailments.

Bitter kola has enormous health benefits as well as nutritive benefits that could be explored by adding it to both human’s and animals’ diets.

The bitter plant, which is believed to contain a high source of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B3, fiber, calcium, potassium, and iron, also carry other antioxidants.

Owing to this, research was carried out by accredited institutions to find out the possible healing attributes of the bitter plant.

The results of the research are not only amazing, they’re incredible as well.

Here are some of the incredible health benefits of bitter kola:

1. Malaria treatment: Bitter kola is believed to have chemical properties that allow it to be an antimalarial catalyst. It contains Kolaviron which is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, which has high antimalarial properties.

4. Prevention from glaucoma: It has been proven by a group of researchers, that constant and consistent use of an eye drop made from an extract of garcinia kola can help treat glaucoma.

5. Cold and fever remedy: By possessing the ability to enlarge the alveolar sac and duct, Bitter kola provides relief for chest cold and goes on to prevent cold altogether.

6. Treatment of erectile dysfunction: Research has shown, that garcinia kola (bitter kola), has aphrodisiac effects (causes or increases sexual desire) in male folks, and as such is used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

7. Immunity: Bitter kola influences multiple regulatory systems in the body, the immune system inclusive. It enables the body to adapt to stress and also acts as an anti-infective agent.

9. Healthy lungs: Garcinia kola contains saponin which is an antioxidant. It has detoxifying and cleansing effects. This goes on to improve the function of the lungs by expanding the alveolar ducts and sacs, and as such, strengthens the fiber in the tissue of the lungs. It has favorably high antioxidant content for a healthy body.

10. Helps Pregnancy: Bitter kola contrary to what some may believe, actually has been said to be helpful and useful in and for pregnant women, as it helps in combating nausea and vomiting, making the uterus healthier, supplies strength to the expectant mother and normalizes circulation of blood also.

OTHER USES OF BITTER KOLA

11. Traditional medicine: Bitter kola is said to be anti-parasitic, anti-microbial and purgative in nature. It is used in the treatment of bronchitis, typhoid, tuberculosis, diarrhea, and bacterial infections.

12. Anti-cancerous: Bitter kola can be used in treating breast cancer as it has an anti-cancerous effect. Nature has (Atawodi et al., 2005) a cure for something incurable as well.

13. Anti-Poison: The bark and the seed when eaten together helps in detoxification of the human body during food poisoning. Saponin found in bitter kola is used as a liver tonic, assisting in the gall bladder functions because of its cleaning properties (Atawodi et al., 2005).

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January 23, 2021