Magnesium - Health Benefits

 Magnesium is one of the most abundant minerals in our body and around 60% of it is found in bones. For a healthy functioning of mind and body, we require minerals too, one of them being magnesium. It is involved in more than 500 reactions in our body and some of them being energy creation, formation of protein, nervous system regulation, maintenance of gene and many more. Here are 5 health benefits of magnesium and why it should be taken in an adequate amount.

1. Boosts Workouts

Magnesium plays an important role in making sure that your performance when it comes to exercising is better. Since our body is working all the muscles during workouts, it requires 10-15% more magnesium than at rest. It makes sure the glucose in the blood is utilized correctly into our muscles and disposes lactate that can buildup in muscles and cause soreness.

2. Helps Fight Depression

Magnesium is involved in a lot of reactions in the body, but most importantly it plays an important role in ensuring proper functioning of the brain and mood. Low levels of magnesium increases the risk of depression. In modern day food, there is a lack of magnesium content required for daily intake, which could be one of the reasons why depression is more relevant in today’s day and age. Supplementing magnesium everyday could improve mood, brain function and fight symptoms of depression.

3. Lowers Blood Pressure

Magnesium also plays an important part in keeping the heart healthy by lowering blood pressure for those who often suffer from high blood pressure problems. There are many reasons why high blood pressure occurs, but it occurs when blood flows through the arteries at a higher pressure. To make sure that blood is flowing smoothly, magnesium is required.

4. Has Anti-inflammatory Properties

Inflammation occurs when the body is gearing up to fight any harmful bacteria or viruses. The liver produces something known as C-reactive protein (CRP) to fight illness. High levels of CRP in blood leads to inflammation. Magnesium can fight inflammation by reducing CRP in the blood. Low levels of magnesium has been linked to chronic inflammation. 

5. Improves PMS Symptoms

PMS, also known as pre-menstrual syndrome can be very difficult for most women as they experience bloating, abdominal pain, headaches, mood swings, constipation/diarrhea, acne, breast soreness and many more. Taking good amount of magnesium during this time reduces water retention, which is the major cause of bloating, improves mood and reduces irritability. 

Garlic - Health Benefits

 Garlic. Roasted in olive oil, it can melt in your mouth like butter, while chopped and raw, it can taste pungent and sharp. Either way, this herb-like vegetable offers significant benefits — on the inside and out.

It’s the organic sulfur compound allicin in garlic that gives it its pungent smell and makes it a healthy addition to your diet.

What garlic can do for you

1. Boost immunity: In test tubes, garlic appears to kill cancer cells, and studies involving people show some of the same outcomes. According to the Iowa Women’s Health Study, involving 41,000 middle-aged women, those who routinely ate garlic, fruits and vegetables had a 35 percent lower colon cancer risk. Benefits came from raw and cooked garlic – not supplements.

2. Work as an anti-inflammatory: Research has shown that garlic oil works as an anti-inflammatory. So, if you have sore and inflamed joints or muscles, rub them with the oil.

3. Improve cardiovascular health: The verdict is still out on whether garlic improves your cholesterol levels, but research does indicate it can have a positive impact on your arteries and blood pressure.

Investigators believe red blood cells turn the sulfur in garlic into hydrogen sulfide gas that expands our blood vessels, making it easier to regulate blood pressure.

The German Commission E, similar to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, recommends 4 grams of garlic daily – the size of one large clove – to reduce your risk of heart disease.

4. Give you better hair & skin: Garlic’s antioxidants and antibacterial properties can clear up your skin by killing acne-causing bacteria. Some data shows rubbing raw garlic over pimples can clear them away. Be aware, though, that it could cause a burning sensation on your skin.

5. Protect your food: Those same antibacterial properties in fresh garlic can kill the bacteria that lead to food poisoning, including salmonella and E.coli. Don’t use garlic as a substitute for proper food sanitation and food handling, though.

6. Treat athlete’s foot: Garlic also fights fungus. If you have athlete’s foot, soak your feet in garlic water or rub raw garlic on your feet to attack the itch-causing fungus.

Maximize the garlic

While you can steep chopped garlic in hot water to make tea, covering the taste with honey, taking advantage of garlic’s benefits is a little complicated. Heating it or putting it in a recipe can change its pH balance. The enzymes from the allicin need a few minutes to start working, so let it sit after you mince, crush or chop it.

You’ll get the most benefit from raw garlic. But if you choose to cook it, don’t heat it above 140°F. Higher temperatures kill the allicin, so add garlic to your recipes when you’re almost done cooking.

A few words of caution

Garlic’s health benefits are plenty, but don’t add too much to your diet too quickly. Overdoing it can cause discomfort, including upset stomach, bloating, diarrhea, bad breath and body odor.

You may also get a stinging feeling on the skin if you handle significant amounts of fresh and dried garlic. To avoid garlic-induced skin lesions, wear kitchen gloves.

On rare occasions, garlic supplements can cause headaches, fatigue, appetite loss, muscle aches, dizziness and allergic reactions such as asthma attacks or skin rashes.

If you take blood thinners, taking a garlic supplement can increase the medication’s effect, making it even harder for your blood to clot.

Kiwi Fruit - health benefits

 The kiwifruit, or Chinese gooseberry, originally grew wild in China. Kiwis are a nutrient-dense food — they are rich in in nutrients and low in calories.

A schoolteacher introduced the fruit to New Zealand in 1904, upon returning from China with seeds. The New Zealanders called it “kiwi” after their national bird.Kiwi has a reputation as a health food because of its high vitamin C content, but the fruit is also rich in other nutrients. These may help reduce blood pressure, boost wound healing, help maintain bowel health, and more.Below, learn more about the potential benefits and risks of adding kiwi to the diet.Possible health benefitsKiwi and other fruits provide a range of health benefits due to their nutritional contents. Kiwis are a good source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.Antioxidants — including vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin — help remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that the body produces during metabolism and other processes.If too many free radicals build up, they can cause oxidative stress, which can result in cell damage. This damage may lead to issues such as heart disease or cancer. Antioxidants can help protect the body by removing free radicals.

Which other foods are good sources of antioxidants?

The nutrients in kiwi may benefit a person in the following ways.

Healthful skin

Vitamin C contributes to the production of collagen, a key component in cells and organs throughout the body, including the skin. The vitamin also boosts the body’s ability to heal wounds.

A 2019 review of studies found that taking oral collagen supplements may help boost skin elasticity and hydration and reduce wrinkles. Taking supplements is not the same as consuming vitamin C in kiwis, but eating the fruit may still help keep the skin healthy.

One kiwi weighing 69 grams (g) provides 64 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C. This represents 71–85% of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement.

Kiwifruit also provides vitamin E, or tocopherol. The antioxidant properties of vitamin E and its ability to help protect the skin from sun damage may help prevent skin disorders.

Better sleep

A 2011 study looked at the effects of kiwifruit on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. The researchers found that eating kiwis improved sleep, according to self-reported measures.

The scientists suggested that this benefit may stem from the antioxidant and serotonin contents of kiwis.

Heart health and blood pressure

Kiwis contain fiber, potassium, and antioxidants, all of which may support heart health.

The American Heart Association (AHA) encourage people to increase their potassium intake while reducing their consumption of added salt, or sodium.

Potassium relaxes the blood vessels, which helps manage blood pressure, and people with low blood pressure tend to be less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

One kiwi contains about 215 mg of potassium, or nearly 5% of an adult’s daily requirement.

Kiwi’s fiber content may also benefit cardiovascular health. A review published in 2017 found that people who consume high amounts of fiber have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. They also tend to have less low-density lipoprotein, or “bad,” cholesterol.

One kiwi provides around 2 g of fiber, or 6–9% of an adult’s daily requirement.

Which foods may help manage high blood pressure?

Kidney stone prevention

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, a high potassium intake may also help prevent kidney stones from forming.

Cancer prevention

The National Cancer Institute note that high levels of free radicals in the body can cause damage to DNA that can result in various types of cancer.

Kiwis provide a range of antioxidants that help remove free radicals from the body. This is one way in which the fruit may help prevent cancer.

In addition, research has shown that people who eat plenty of fiber — especially fiber from fruits and cereals — are less likely to develop colorectal cancer than those who eat little fiber.

How may the diet affect cancer? Find out here.

Constipation prevention

A 2019 study concluded that when healthy people eat kiwis, their small intestines are better able to retain water, leading to greater stool frequency and softer stool consistency.

The study authors suggested that kiwifruit could be a natural alternative to medical laxatives for people with mild constipation.

Which other foods are good for constipation?

Anti-inflammatory effects

Kiwellin and kissper are proteins in kiwifruit that may have anti-inflammatory properties.

Laboratory findings have indicated that kissper may help manage inflammation in the human intestines.

During pregnancy

Kiwifruit contains folate, which is essential for cell division. During pregnancy, doctors advise women to take additional folate, as it may protect the fetus from developmental problems, such as neural tube abnormalities.

One kiwi provides around 17.2 micrograms (mcg) of folate, or just over 4% of an adult’s daily requirement.

Bone health

Kiwi contains vitamin K and traces of calcium and phosphorus, all of which contribute to bone health. An adequate intake of vitamin K may help prevent osteoporosis.

Vitamin K also plays an important role in blood clotting.

One kiwi provides 23–30% of an adult’s daily requirement of the vitamin.

Kiwifruit in the diet

Below are some tips for incorporating kiwis into the diet:

    Make kiwi cups by cutting a ripe kiwi in half, leaving the skin on, and eating each half with a spoon.

    Make a fruit cocktail with kiwi, pineapple, mango, and strawberry chunks.

    Make a green smoothie or juice with kiwi, spinach, apple, and pear.

    Freeze slices of kiwi and eat them as a snack or dessert on a hot day.

    Add diced kiwi to a salad of spinach, walnuts, dried cranberries, diced apple, feta cheese, and a light vinaigrette dressing.

Kiwifruit health risks

Some nutrients in kiwis may interact with medications or cause other adverse effects.

Beta-blockers

Doctors often prescribe these medications for people with heart disease.

Beta-blockers can cause potassium levels to rise in the blood, so people taking this type of medication should monitor their intake of potassium.

Kidney problems

Consuming too much potassium can also be harmful for people whose kidneys are not working properly.

If the kidneys are unable to remove excess potassium from the blood, life-threatening complications can arise.

Blood thinners

People at risk of cardiovascular disease may take blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin).

Kiwi contains a significant amount of vitamin K, which can interfere with the action of blood thinners. Anyone who uses these drugs should check with a doctor before increasing their intake of foods that contain vitamin K.

Allergy

Some people experience allergic reactions to kiwi. Anyone who develops hives, a rash, or swelling after eating kiwi should seek medical attention.

A severe reaction can lead to anaphylaxis, which can be life threatening.

Kiwifruit is a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants. It can make a healthful snack, it can be easy to pack in lunch boxes, and it can add flavor to sweet dishes and salads.Kiwis are also on the Environmental Working Group’s 2019 Clean Fifteen list of foods least likely to contain pesticides.