Learn about Vitamins

Vitamins, which function as catalysts and coenzymes, protect cells and are important links in the metabolic armour. Yet, very little is understood about these essential components.

Each of the vitamins - A, C, D, E, K and B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 and B12) - has an individual role to play in the body. Barring vitamins B12 and D3, vitamins A, B, C, and E are dietary.

Most people believe that if they take a multivitamin tablet they won't fall ill, or when they cross 40 they must supplement their diet with one. Some people also believe that if they're stressed or dieting they must then double their dose of vitamins in order to compensate.

In fact, if the multi-vitamin contains iron and minerals it leads to gastric problems. So also, vitamins - A, D3, E and K - are fat-soluble. A highdose of these vitamins can become toxic in the body and in extreme cases may even lead to mental and neurological changes like memory lapses, tremors as well as urinary incontinence.

Deficiency
There is no clinical syndrome or arithmetic to prove that if you do not intake vitamins and food today there will be a paucity of it in a couple of weeks. A lot depends on your food reserves and how much you utilise your body.

The most dependable way to replenish your body with adequate amounts of vitamins you must follow a well-balanced diet. However, it is not enough to simply consume them. You should also ensure they get absorbed into your system.

Erratic lifestyles, eating late, not chewing the food properly, binging before going to bed, consuming too much oily stuff or junk food, antibiotics, caffeine, alcohol restrict the absorption of vitamins and nutrients in the body. Consumption of excess alcohol requires the vitamin B complex group for it to be metabolised.

When alcohol gets into the system, the liver gets too busy trying to metabolise it and doesn't find the time to do its natural work, which is manufacturing proteins. Likewise, people who smoke, go on crash diets, or intake other harmful substances can run down on vitamin reserves as well.

Diabetics have a high deficiency of various vitamins. Vegetarians too have a lower reserve. One must go for an annual blood-test to check vitamins B12 and D3 levels as the two are unavailable in general dietary fibres. If you're low on these vitamins, you must take supplements as prescribed by the doctor.

Here are the vitamins you should ensure you get:

Vitamin A (Retinol/Beta carotene)
It's needed for healthy eyes and bone development. It also helps in healing infections as it strengthens the immune system and enhances the production of RNA (Ribonucleicacid).

Found in : Cod liver oil, egg, yellow fruits and vegetables. Carotene rich foods like spirulina, wheat grass, sweet potato, carrots, green onion, spinach, Chinese cabbage, melons, peaches, yellow peppers and mango.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
It helps in converting glucose into energy.
Found in: Brown rice, millet, wheat germ, nuts, wheat bran and sprouted grains.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
It helps in the conversion of fats, sugar, proteins into energy and the formation of red blood cells.
Found in: Milk products, yeast extract, organ meats, eggs, mushrooms and asparagus.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Your cells breathe because of vitamin B3. It promotes healthy skin and maintains blood sugar levels.
Found in: Whole grains, legumes, fish, chicken, turkey as well as mushrooms.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
This helps in the production of anti-stress hormones. It also promotes healthy skin, hair and nerves.
Found in: Egg, chicken, mutton, fish and vegetables such as mushrooms, avocados, wholewheat, lentils and sunflower seeds.

Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is considered to be an anti-depressant. It's also involved in blood formation, is fundamental for protein metabolism and nervous system function.
Found in: Meat, salmon, banana, broccoli, red kidney beans, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B9 (Folic acid)
This vitamin is important for pregnant women as it helps the synthesis of DNA and protein. It is also essential for red blood cell formation.
Found in: Whole grains, chicken, liver, spinach, red kidney beans, raspberry, beet root, asparagus, cashews, peanuts, chick peas, avocado, wheat germ, and tomato juice.

Vitamin B12
Helps maintain healthy nervous system, required for normal growth and production of red blood cells. It also helps break down fatty acids. Vitamin B12 is manufactured only in the colon, that too in inadequate quantities.
Found in: It is not a problem for meat eaters. Unfortunately, the only source for vegetarians is the faecal content in water and that doesn't help. Some fermented food like quick pickles, soya, tofu and spirulina have B12.

Vitamin C
This aids in tissue healing, formation of bones and teeth. It is also a rich anti-oxidant.

Found in: Fruits and vegetables like guava, lemons, papaya, strawberry, melon, grapes, sprouted seeds, beans, broccoli, bell peppers, oranges, parsley and cauliflower.

Vitamin D3
This is essential for metabolism, skeletal formation and teeth. It promotes the absorption of calcium. Yet only 10-15 per cent of the vitamin content comes from a balanced diet. The rest is derived from sunlight, which is absorbed through the skin.
Found in: Sunlight. Longhours in air-conditioned spaces and pollution make it hard. Even sunscreen lotion prevents absorption. We need supplements of Vitamin D3. Consuming fish, sardine, tuna, egg, and green leafy vegetables also helps.

Vitamin E
A healthy dose of vitamin E detoxifies the liver. It is an antioxidant, protects cells and helps maintain red blood cells.
Found in: Soya beans, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, sunflower seeds, whole grains, nuts, legumes, outer leaves of cabbage, asparagus, cucumbers and sprouted grains.

Vitamin k
It is important in the blood clotting process.
Found in: The cabbage family - broccoli, green and red cabbage, pack choy flower, cauliflower, turnip, knol khol (ganth gobi), legumes, potatoes, tomatoes, alpha alpha, asparagus and green leafy vegetables.

Top 10 deserts in the world

The usual words that one naturally associates with the term – deserts are; sand, heat, dry, utter chaos! Here you can take a look at all the reasons why some of these beautiful, amazing and sometimes downright lovely deserts should not give you the sinking feeling inside. 1. Salar de Uyuni This desert, located in Bolivia would change your conception of the idea of deserts completely. It happens to be the largest salt desert in the world but the beauty of the place is exceptional. The desert is completely flat and the so large and crystal in its salty nature that the whole sky seems to be reflected in it creating the ground in different shades of blue. 2. Sahara Desert This is the world’s largest desert and could very well be termed as the most impressive desert in the world as well. Only one single country cannot be allocated with the desert, but it includes the countries of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Sudan, Morocco and several others.Miles and miles of sand with very little rainfall and slight plantation and creatures; however the Sahara desert is definitely an icon for the African continent and a brilliant natural phenomenon. 3. Gobi Desert This desert is located in Mongolia and stands for one of the most incredible sights in the world. The desert is also often called “The Flaming Cliffs”. This term originates from the fact that the desert is covered in sand dunes with the existence of a lot of orange high rocks and cliffs. 4. Wadi Rum This desert located in Jordan is claimed by many to be one of the most beautiful and un spoilt deserts in the world. The desert is covered with huge sandstone mountains and granite rocks giving one breath taking views of 1700 meters of large rocks and canyons in depth.Here too one finds evidences of ancient people having lived in the desert caves and in fact there are still some tribes who still live in the desert. 5. Thar Desert This desert is located in India and is also very often known as the Great Indian Desert. This desert too has the conventional feature of miles and miles of sand under the burning eye of the Sun, however the beauty of the desert perhaps lies in the colorful people who inhabit the land along with all the different kinds of animals you will encounter there.There are small hillocks and gravel plains that are found all over but the biodiversity of this desert is very rich. 6. Patagonian Desert This desert is located in Argentina and is also among the list of some of the largest deserts in the world though it is the largest desert in South America. The desert is actually a cold desert but a visit would betray to you the ancient mystique about the desert with lots of caves and ancient man made paintings inside them.As expected the desert is vast with brownish red earth and the foxes that one encounters in the desert make a travel to the desert rather fascinating. 7. Atacama Desert This desert is one of the biggest icons of Chile, apart from the fact that almost the entire country is nearly covered by the desert itself. The area of the desert which is closest to Africa is considered to be the driest area on earth, so this land can be said to be completely synonymous with all the adjectives of sand sand and only sand and the dryness that is associated with the term desert land. 8. Antarctic Desert Located in Antarctica, this is one of the most fascinating desert lands in the world. Completely white in appearance this land is one the world’s driest desert in the world along with being the wettest deserts in the worlds.This is because, Antarctica happens to be the land of extremes, as there is hardly any rainfall here the land is naturally the driest place on earth, while because of the freezing climate the land is constantly covered with ice which also makes it the wettest land in the world as well. Another feature to add to all this is the fact that it is also one of the coldest places on earth! 9. Kalahari Desert The Kalahari Desert is again one of the most fascinating destinations in the world and is located in Botswana. Many might not even call it a true desert in the way that most deserts are described. The Kalahari experiences lots of rainfall but what makes it a desert is that the rainfall is sporadic and it never settles on the surface making vegetation and the survival of the tribes of the Kalahari and animals a grave challenge. 10. Mojave Desert This desert covers a large part of the USA and also happens to form some of the most breathtaking landscapes of the country. The desert has typically the mountain topography with sparse population, but the mountain vegetation that the desert supports is quite unique and varied in its species. The Mojave Desert has some breathtaking views with four national parks and which includes the Grand Canyon and also numerous pretty lakes but the Desert has become quite urbanized and is not an untouched desert.

Most Mysterious Places on Earth

1. Mystery Spot

www.tripwow.tripadvisor.com

Mystery Spot is a tourist attraction near Santa Cruz, California, famous because of its disrespect to the laws of physics and gravity. The odd cabin, although seems like lying on flat ground, makes those who enter inside swinging all the time. The most probable theory that tries to explain this says that it’s all about “tilt-induced visual illusion. The illusion experienced by visitors results from the oddly tilted environme! nt as well as standing on a tilted floor. Inside the tilted room of the Mystery Spot misperceptions of the height and orientation of objects occur. Even when people are standing outside on a level ground, the slant of the building in the background causes misperceptions as we judge the height of people using the slant of the roof rather than the true horizon.”

2. The Bermuda Triangle

www.kaotic.ro

The question about the triangle that swallows ships, planes and all the people with them still waits for its answer. So many ships and planes have disappeared and so many disasters have happened in the area between Bermuda, Puerto Rico and Miami, and many theories have appeared as well. From compass variations, gulf streams, rogue waves to human errors and conspiracy theories – anything is possible, but none of them is proved yet. However, it’s still one of the most traveled routes in the world.

3. Socotra

www.exotic-vacation.com

Socotra is archipelago the Horn of Africa and Arabic Peninsula, but the main island of Socotra is 95% of the whole landmass, while the rest is just small islands. This place is probably the most alien-looking on Earth. One third of the flora and fauna on this island, administ! ered by Yemen government, can be found only here. The umbrella-shaped “blood tree,” the cucumber tree, giant succulent tree, different kinds of birds, spiders, bats and cats have the only habitat on Socotra.

4. Mount Roraim

www.binghomepages.com

Mount Roraima ! is located on the triple border point between Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is weird because of its shape, but is also mysterious because of the clouds that are always near the peak and the endemic fauna. The tabletop of the mountain, which is the peak actually, is considered as one of the world’s oldest geological formations. It is believed that the plateau was formed by water and winds, but the reason why some species can’t be found anywhere else remain mystery.

5. Rio Tinto

www.sosbluewaters.org

Rio Tinto is located in south-western Spainand originates from Sierra Morena mountains of Andalusia. The area around the river has been mined since ancient times, so a lot of minerals can be found into the water, especially iron, which makes the water red. Even some bacteria enjoy its life there, “exploiting” the iron. However, the weirdness of this river comes from its high acidity, which made some scientists say that it is very similar to the underground waters of Mars.

6. Fly Geyser

www.scenicreflections.com

The Fly Geyser, near Gerlach, Nevada, is strange because it somehow grows up. It is three meters high at the moment. It is interesting that this geyser is located on private area, so nobody can enjoy it from close. The owner is Bill Sp! oo, a man who rejects the opportunity to make a fortune from the tourists, and keeps the beautiful view just for himself and the few researchers and photographers who have to schedule a visit weeks before arriving.

7. McMurdo Dry Valleys

www.treehugger.com

McMurdo Dry Valleys are located on Antarctica but, believe it or not, they lack snow. That makes the area to be a desert, of course the coldest one in the world. However, that’s not the only strange things here. The valleys are “bleeding” from the many geysers, because of the high concentration of iron, making picture of world different than Earth.

8. Easter Island

www.sacred-destinations.com

The well known statues on the Easter Island, the rapa nui, still remain mystery for the researchers. The statues are over 50 feet tall, but no one has a clue who built them, why they built them, how they were brought there, and so on. One of the theories is that a civilization has lived here long time ago, but the people ate everything on the island and either moved somewhere else or were exterminated.

9. Lake Vostok

www.tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com

Lake Vostok is the most recent mystery coming from Antarctica, and the whole world probably, as there is possibility for some revolutionary revelations. Scientists believe that in the lake under the ice surface there are some species that have survived 15 billions years. However, these species would be something that the wo! rld has never seen before, as they would have developed under complete darkness. The researchers are close to obtaining a water sample, so we should wait for the results.

10.Racetrack Playa

www.pixdaus.com

Racetrack Playa in California is well known due to its sailing stones. No one knows how, but the stones there somehow manage to move from their original position, leaving a track behind them. The reasons are still unknown and are subject of research. It is supposed that the winds in the valley are “responsible” for this.

THE BEAUTY OF ENGLISH

This is quite the most amazing sentence in English language.

The person who made this sentence must be a vocabulary GENIUS.

Read the following sentence carefully :

"I do not know where family doctors acquired illegibly perplexing handwriting; nevertheless, extraordinary pharmaceutical intellectuality counterbalancing indecipherability, transcendentalizes intercommunication's

incomprehensibleness ".

This is a sentence where the first word is one letter long, the second word of two letters; the third word is three letters long ............ the 8th word is 8 letters long and so on ... the 20th word is 20 letters long !!

How to tackle Ear Infections?

Ear infections are extremely common, especially in runny-nosed kids. The latest research indicates that when young children get colds, they end up with an ear infection 61% of the time. Keep reading to find out why.

Diagnosing an Ear Infection

Doctors usually diagnose an ear infection by looking at the outer ear and the eardrum with a device called an otoscope. A healthy eardrum (shown here) appears transparent and pinkish-gray. An infected eardrum looks red and swollen.

Anatomy of an Inner Ear Infection

The Eustachian tube is a canal that connects the middle ear to the throat. It is lined with mucus, just like the nose and throat; it helps clear fluid out of the middle ear and into the nasal passages. Cold, flu, and allergies can irritate the Eustachian tube and cause the lining of this passageway to become swollen.

Fluid in the Ear

If the Eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid builds up in the middle ear. This creates a haven for bacteria and viruses, which can cause infection. Doctors can detect fluid in the middle ear with a pneumatic otoscope. This device blows a small amount of air at the eardrum, making the eardrum vibrate. If fluid is present, the eardrum will not move as much as it should.

Ruptured Eardrum

When too much fluid builds up in the middle ear, it can put pressure on the eardrum until it ruptures (shown here). Signs of a ruptured eardrum include yellow, brown, or white fluid draining from the ear. Pain may disappear suddenly because the pressure of the fluid on the eardrum is gone. Although a ruptured eardrum sounds frightening, it usually heals itself in a couple of weeks.

Ear Infection Symptoms

The hallmark of an acute ear infection is sudden, piercing pain in the ear. The pain may be worse when lying down, making it difficult to sleep. Other symptoms include:

Trouble hearing.

A fever of up to 104 degrees.

Tugging or pulling at one or both ears.

Fluid drainage from ears.

Loss of balance.

Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Congestion.

Ear Infection Symptoms: Babies

It can be tricky to identify an ear infection in babies or children who are too young to tell you where it hurts. Signs to watch for are crankiness, trouble sleeping, and loss of appetite. Babies may push their bottles away because pressure in the middle ear makes it painful to swallow.

Home Care for Ear Infections

Although the immune system puts up its fight, you can take steps to ease the pain of an ear infection. Applying a warm washcloth or heating pad can be soothing. (Only use a heating pad if your child is old enough to say when it's too hot.) Ear drops provide rapid pain relief, but check with your doctor before using them. Over-the-counter painkillers, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, are also an option. DO NOT give aspirin to children under 16.

Antibiotics for Ear Infections

Antibiotics can cure an ear infection, but research suggests treatment is not always necessary. In most cases, children's immune systems can fight off the infection without help. In one study, parents were asked not to give their child antibiotics unless the infection was “not better, or worse” after 48 hours. The delay resulted in far fewer kids taking antibiotics.

Complications of Ear infections

If an ear infection doesn't improve on its own after a couple days, medical treatment is essential. Left untreated, severe and recurrent middle ear infections can have long-term complications. These include scarring of the eardrum with hearing loss, speech and language developmental problems, and meningitis. A hearing test may be needed if you child suffers from frequent ear infections.

Ear Tubes

If your child has recurrent ear infections or fluid that just won't go away, hearing loss and a delay in speech may be a real concern. One solution is for your doctor to insert small tubes through the eardrum. Ear tubes let fluid drain out of the middle ear and prevent fluid from building back up. This can decrease pressure and pain, while restoring hearing. The tubes are usually left in for 8 to 18 months until they fall out on their own.

Surgery to Remove the Adenoids

Adenoids are lymph nodes located high in the back of the throat. They can become enlarged from repeated ear infections and can affect the Eustachian tubes that connect the middle ears and the back of the nose. An adenoidectomy (removal of the adenoids) may help children with recurring ear infections have fewer of them. Adenoidectomy is typically done when recurring ear infections continue despite antibiotic treatment.

Preventing Ear Infections

The biggest cause of ear infections is the common cold, so one strategy for prevention is to keep cold viruses at bay. The most effective way to do this is frequent and meticulous hand washing. Other lines of defense against ear infections include avoiding secondhand smoke and breastfeeding your baby for the first year of life.

Allergies & Ear Infections

Like colds, allergies can irritate the Eustachian tubes and contribute to middle ear infections. Getting allergies under control can help reduce frequent ear infections.

Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear is an infection that occurs when water is trapped in the external ear canal. Bacteria breed in the water and cause pain, swelling, and itching of the outer ear. Although it's often associated with swimming, anyone can get swimmer's ear. The condition is usually treated with ear drops and is not a cause of middle ear infections.

Tips to reduce facial fat!

Eat fresh, raw fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds daily.

Raw nutrients help reverse aging, clean up your gut, detoxify your liver, fight diseases,

metabolise excess fat, lessen stress, help build muscle mass and promote healthy sleep.

Regular exercising helps unclog your skin's pores and promote circulation, giving your face a healthy flush of colour.

Scientific studies have proven that taking at least 1200 milligrams of calcium from dairy sources (milk, curd etc.) can help reduce fat.

You have to burn more calories than you consume.

Easiest and healthiest way to burn extra calories is exercising.

You can burn 250 calories by just walking for 20 minutes.

Keeping the body hydrated helps prevent bloating.

So, have at least 8 glasses of water daily.

Use plain water instead of soda or carbonated drinks.

Try to include 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet daily.

This will act as natural filler thus keeping you away from junk food.

Go for fruit salad instead of a thick chocolate bar.

Avoid all such foods as are loaded with high sodium content

Junk food like pizzas, chips, burgers are high in sodium. Sodium causes water retention and

excess facial fat.

Try performing facial massage to firm up your cheeks, chins and face muscles.

It will remarkably reduce mass from your face.

Lack of sleep and too much stress are also responsible for facial fat.

So try to sleep on time for 7 to 8 hours and exercise to manage stress to keep facial

fat at bay.