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7 Ways of Having Better Memory And Remembering Everything

How good is your memory? Are you keep forgetting where you put your stuff, can’t remember names of newly met people or missing deadlines? Well.. You might need to follow few advice and sharpen your memory. Here’s 7 ways to do it:

Try to Stay Mentally Active

Everyone knows the importance of staying physically active to keep his/her body in shape. The same is true for your mind. All kinds of mentally stimulating activities can keep your brain in good shape. Thus, keeping memory loss at bay. You should read a newspaper, solve some crossword puzzles and take alternate or new routes while driving. In fact, learning something new like a musical instrument can also be stimulating for your brain. You should always remember that brain is like any other part in your body. You have to keep it active to keep it healthy.

Socialize on a Regular Basis

Socializing with people who share same interests and likes wards off any kind of stress and depression. Both of these can contribute to memory loss. You should never miss chance to get together with friends and loved ones. Whenever you are invited to a party or dinner, don’t think too much about it and just go. In fact, when you meet different kinds of people, you engage in conversations that keep you active and sharp. You get into a completely different groove, especially if you live alone.

 
Keep Yourself Organised

According to most studies, people tend to forget things when their houses are cluttered or notes are not well-organized. You should always keep a journal and note down important appointments, events and tasks. Maintaining a calendar is always the best way to sharpen your memory. A checklist will help you remember things better. You can also choose to keep your keys and other essential things in a specific place. Once you start keeping your essentials in a specific place, it will gradually become a habit and you won’t even need to stress your brain to find certain things.

Try to Focus

Try to limit your distractions. You should never try to perform too many tasks at the same time. Try to focus on the information you want to remember. This will help you recall it later. In fact, it may help you remember specific things like songs and so on. Even if you don’t remember the exact thing, you will surely remember something familiar if you focus.

Daily Physical Activity is Important

Regular physical activity improves blood flow to your body as well as your brain. This keeps your memory quite sharp. Most of the health experts believe that healthy adults should involve themselves in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. In fact, 75 minutes of strenuous physical activity per week is also fine. In case you can’t spend time on a full body workout, 10-minute cardio everyday can also do the trick.

Healthy Diet is Crucial

As mentioned earlier, brain is like any other part in your body. You need to keep it healthy. Thus, a healthy diet plays a crucial role in sharpening your memory. Try to increase your intake of vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Low-fat protein foods like lean meat, fish and skinless poultry will also be better. In fact, you should also focus on drinking a lot of liquids. Drink a lot of water, but cut down alcohol from your daily routine. Alcohol and other drugs can lead to memory loss.

Try to Manage Chronic Conditions

If you are suffering from any chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or depression, you should always consult a doctor and follow his or her recommendations. If you are able to manage chronic conditions, you will be able to relieve stress and sharpen your memory. You should also check your medications and discuss them with your doctor. Some medications tend to have an impact on your memory.

6 Hidden Facts Why You are Gaining Weight

 
Starving your body
If you think that by eating sparingly for fifteen days, you will get in shape, then it is utter rubbish! Bodies that go into the sudden starvation mode end up saving more calories than burning them. Your body is like a system, which needs fuel to conduct its basic metabolic activities, including burning the fat. Hence, when you move towards a crash diet, your body starts saving up the existing energy instead of dispersing it.


Watch what you eat!
Binging on food labelled as ‘low-fat’ can also make you gain weight. Such products often have high levels of sugar, which add to the calorie count and therefore, leading you on to gain weight on a sly. Hence, instead of going for such items, resort to fresh home-cooked foods to aid your weight loss.



Sedentary lifestyle
Are you are eating right, but still failing to lose those kilos? It is about time you pay a close attention to your lifestyle. Having a sedentary and lazy life or being a couch potato can be a major reason behind those excess tiers around your tummy. Switch to an exercise regime that is well-suited for your body or cultivate an interest in few sport activities. Try yoga, swimming, jogging or dancing to lose weight. Even a simple brisk walk for 30 minutes every day can help you in a big way.


 
Check your meds
Certain prescription medicines have side-effects that can lead to sudden weight gain as well. You need to check with your doctor, to confirm your fears. If possible, get him to prescribe other medicinal substitutes that do not have such drastic side-effects on your body and its metabolism.



Sleeping patterns
Does sleep elude your eyelids, during the night? You may not realise this but this too can be a reason behind your love handles! Your body functions perfectly only when it is well-rested. Irregular sleep patterns disturb your body’s metabolism and, thus, result in weight gain.

 

Quit drinking
Did you think that ‘beer belly’ was a joke? Unfortunately, it is not. Liver is your body’s chief blood detoxifier and fat metaboliser; due to alcohol it becomes unable to perform these functions efficiently. Alcohol spoils your liver, thus, leading to weight gain.

It is always good to get a better understanding of your body’s metabolism. So, next time when you feel that you have tried everything and are still unable to lose weight, then try shedding some light on these factors, as well.

6 Ways to Get Rid of Oily Skin Naturally

Oily skin can cause a lot of problems like breakouts, pimples and blackheads. If you do not take proper care of your skin then excessive oiliness can also cause acne formation. Running to the parlour every time is a solution that can leave some holes in your pocket. So, why not try something natural, instead? Try these easy and effective homemade tips to get rid of your oily skin.


 

Wash your face
Warm water is the simplest remedy to remove excess oil and dirt from the skin. It will reduce sebum production. Wash your face with lukewarm water and pat it dry. You can also splash a little cold water on your face after that to close the open skin pores, immediately. Follow this routine at least twice a day to see effective results.


 

Use salt spray
This is one of the unique methods to get rid of the oily skin. All you need is a spray bottle to mix a teaspoon of salt with water. Shake the bottle well so that the salt completely dissolves in water. Spray this mixture on your face, at least once a day and pat it dry. You will notice a visible difference on your skin.

 

Toner and cleanser
It is important to keep away the excess oil from your skin, so use blotting paper or face tissues to clean off that excess oil during the day. A mixture of vinegar and rose water, works as a wonderful toner for oily skin. Green tea and rose water toners also work quite effectively. Cleansing your face with milk is also an effective way of getting rid of oil. It is important to remember that all skin types need moisture, so always keep your face moisturised. 

 

Scrub your face
Oily skin attracts more dirt and dust as compared to the other skin types and exfoliation not only helps in removing dead cells but also cleans pores. Almond and honey scrub is best for such skin. Just add small amount of almond powder with honey to form a paste. Almonds are also effective for removing blemishes from the skin as they have natural skin whitening property.



Another effective face scrub can be made using Aloe Vera gel. Aloe Vera is also very helpful in getting rid of excess oil. Grind 2 teaspoon of oatmeal coarsely and mix it with aloe gel. Massage your face with the paste for few minutes and rinse with cold water. You will notice that oiliness has reduced effectively, after using these scrubs.


 

Apply face pack
Scrubbing leaves open pores on the face, hence it is important to close those pores with a calming face pack. One such pack that can be made at home is by mixing gram flour (besan) and buttermilk. Form a thick paste (enough to cover your face and neck), and apply it evenly with the help of fingers or brush. Leave the pack on the face for 10-15 minutes, before washing it with water. The pack will remove excess oiliness from your skin.

Egg whites also make an excellent face mask for oily skin. It can either be applied directly on the skin or can be mixed with other face masks. Mix one teaspoon of honey in the egg white along with flour to make a paste. Apply this mask on the face and leave it for about 10 minutes. Once the mask dries, wash it with water. The egg white masks will not only soak the oil but will also tighten the skin.


 

Manage your diet
It is important to watch your diet to keep that menacing oil away from your face. Fats from our foods produce oil on our skin. It is best to avoid any fried or fast foods. It is also good to minimise the intake of sugars and starch, as they shoot up insulin levels that escalate the production of oil in skin. So, it is best to stick to healthy food that would take care of your body and skin.

So, raid your kitchen and say goodbye to your oily skin with these natural remedies, without hampering your skin or budget.

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Top 10 Healthy Foods to Gain Weight Fast

Healthy food has always been the secret of attaining a healthy body. While many strive to lose their weight, many are craving to gain a few pounds as well. You might think it is easy to gain weight; just swallow all sorts of oily, fried and fatty foods. But, that is definitely not a healthy way. To gain weight while staying healthy is a challenge, which is not difficult to overcome. Just stick to foods that are rich in calories and have right nutrients. High-protein foods help to increase your body muscles and gain weight effectively. So, here are a few such foods that are rich in right nutrients and calories.
 

Dried fruits and nuts
Dried fruits and nuts are rich source of calories, nutrients and fibre. So, add some raisins, almonds, walnuts and cashews in your diet. One cup of raisins has about 449 calories, while a cup of almonds has around 529 calories. You can enjoy them as a topping on ice creams and yoghurts, or can toss them in salads and cereals.



Cheese
Like all dairy products even cheese contains all essential nutrients. It is rich in fat that is healthy if you want to gain weight quickly. Along with calories, it is rich in protein, calcium, and cholesterol. So, sprinkle some cheese on your dishes to make them even more mouth-watering. A single serving of cheddar cheese contains around 69 calories.


 

Peanut butter Peanut butter is a rich source of protein and fat and can be a wonderful choice for people trying to gain weight. A tablespoon of peanut butter contains approximately 100 calories. It has numerous essential nutrients. The fat in peanut butter is more of unsaturated type, which is healthy for your heart. You can enjoy peanut butter on wholegrain breads or as dips for appl

 

Whole milk
Whole 'fat' milk can be used with oatmeal, cereals or can be enjoyed as just a glass of milk with an extra boost of chocolate. It is rich in calories and also contains vitamin D and A. Instead of skimmed milk opt for whole milk with all the fat in it and you can gain weight fast. A glass of whole milk has about 120-150 calories.

 

Potato
Potato is a common vegetable that people usually avoid when they want to lose weight, but what is keeping you away from it? It is a rich source of complex carbohydrates and helps in gaining weight. It has great nutritional value, rich in starch, fibre and vitamin C. Have potatoes with its skin as it is rich in protein along with its skin or add it to your different veggies. A medium potato has around 150 calories.

 

Pasta
Pasta is a delicious and calorie dense food. It is a rich source of carbohydrates as well. Add to it a lot of veggies and it becomes rich in essential nutrients. A cup of macaroni contains around 390 calories, whereas a cup of cooked spaghetti has approximately 220 calories in it.

 
 

Butter
Butter is a source of saturated fats and a small amount of it can be used for cooking. It can be enjoyed on bread or to fry snacks and added to rich delicious dishes for tasting. Butter or ghee has a concentrated flavour and good calories to make you gain weight fast. 

 

Healthy sugary fruits
Fruits like mango, papaya, bananas and pineapples can help you gain weight. These contain natural sugars and are a great source of energy. Avocados are the best option for those trying to gain weight. It is rich in fat and calories. An avocado contains around 300 calories. So, add these sweet and healthy fruits in your diet as fruit salads, desserts and smoothies.


 

Eggs
Eggs are rich in calories and also contain nutrients and protein. One egg on an average contains around 70 calories and 5 grams of fat. That is why, it is a favourite with body builders. They are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and the egg yolk contains high amount of cholesterol that is not unhealthy. So, enjoy scrambled egg, boiled eggs or sunny side up to gain weight fast.


 

Lean red meat
Lean meat is rich in calories and increases weight fast. This can be taken with a healthy diet for a healthy body. They are also a rich source of proteins that are good for building muscles. Relish it roasted or cooked and gain weight fast.

By adding these foods to your regular diet you can gain weight in an efficient and healthy way.

Ways to Get Rid of Stretch Marks

6

While sporting a baby bump can easily be rated as the best feeling in the world for us women but showing off those stretch marks, not really! Stretch marks happen when the skin is stretched beyond its elastic limit like when you are pregnant causing the elastin (skin fibre) to break. Elastin does not have regenerative properties hence it breaks leaving a mark. 

Our skin can throw surprises in forms of stretch marks even when not pregnant. This usually happens due to excessive weight loss or weight gain.  And, it is not just restricted to our breed but men who work out a lot seem to complain of these too.   

The idea is to not get irked by these marks but look at effective ways to curb them.      

Doctors’ popular advice
'Prevention is better than cure’ should come to your rescue if you practice it religiously. Consider taking Vitamin A, C and E or at least two out of three to prevent stretch marks from happening. Applying jojoba oil, Aloe Vera gel and Shea butter on the affected area regularly can help lighten them. 

Grandma’s shelf
While some people swear by ‘dadi ma ke nuske’, others don’t care much. Why don’t you try and see for yourself if regular application of sandalwood paste along with coconut oil and haldi (kasturi turmeric) does any good to you. Applying Vicks Vaporub with the help of a washcloth is a super technique that you mustn’t ignore. Since it can be done in the comforts of your home, it is worth a try!

Creamy Solutions
Don’t obsess over multiple counter creams. Rather, choose wisely. Know what ingredients you are really looking for in a pre or post natal stretch mark solution. The correct cream or oil effectively eases the discomfort of dry, stretching skin. 

Try VLCC Pre Natal Stretch mark control cream enriched with Shea butter, grapefruit extract and Vitamin E to prevent stretch marks. Their post-natal stretch mark cream contains Aloe Vera gel, germanium oil helpful in fading the marks to revitalize the skin. 

Sunny side up
Don’t bank on this treatment alone but a little tanning and exposure to the sun can help you banish stretch marks. Wear sunscreen lotion and let your skin get some natural Vitamin D in the open. Increase water intake. 

Peel off
Ever thought of cosmetic treatments like microdermabrasion? It is basically a surgical process for removal of skin imperfections, especially wrinkles, by means of a vacuum containing mineral crystals. There are chemical peels like retinoid available in the market that could also help. 

Tech up
Fractional laser resurfacing that creates microscopic wounds and helps produce new collagen and epithelium is one of the newer treatments available. One must consult a qualified dermatologist who will guide you about your best treatment options suiting your skin. 

There is no magic cure for stretch marks, but derms agree that using some potent solutions can really work. It is imperative to give these a shot before plunging into any surgical methods. 

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Why You Should Be Using Less-Refined Sweeteners Instead of Brown or White Sugar

As a species, our cells are designed to use sugar for energy. Is it any wonder that as humans evolved, we grew to love the taste of sugar?

Nowadays, we're the victims of our own efficiency at making foods sweeter. Now that morbid obesity and type 2 diabetes are common issues even among children, many of us are trying to wean ourselves off the white stuff and seek out healthier alternatives.

What Is Refined Sugar?

White table sugar comes from sugar cane or beets. It's been refined so as to remove any impurities. However, that also means that any nutrients from the original source are removed, too.

Some consider sugar toxic, including lauded food writer Mark Bittman and outspoken scientist Robert Lustig. A study by Lustig and three fellow scientists directly links higher sugar consumption with type 2 diabetes. Others, like Dr. David Katz, think that the sugar-is-evil argument is overblown.

The problem is that sugar wasn't meant to be consumed in the quantity that most of us currently eat. The World Health Organization recommends that an individual gets about 5% of his/her daily calories from sugar—that amounts to less than one soda per day.
Meanwhile, most Americans consume at least three pounds of sugar in one week. That's 156 pounds of sugar per person in one year.
Another problem is that sugar is addictive, so if you're consuming lots of sugar in your diet—well, you just end up wanting more.

A lot of this sugar consumption is unconscious, too. Nearly all prepared and packaged foods, from salad dressing to bread and even tonic water, have large amounts of refined sugar added to them to make them more palatable to consumers—including so-called "healthy" foods like whole-grain bread and yogurt.

Basically, if you want to start eating less sugar, you need to read package labels and cook more at home.

What About Brown Sugar?

There's a belief that brown sugar has more nutrients than the refined white stuff, and in my opinion, a lot of that is due to its color. So earthy! So natural! It must be good for you, right?

Wrong. Turns out brown sugar is basically just refined white sugar.
White sugar has been stripped of molasses, which originally gives it a brownish tint. Ironically, manufacturers simply add back molasses to give brown sugar its distinctive hue and taste.
While it does contain some nutrients thanks to the presence of said molasses, those amounts are minimal at best. This is true of several types of brown-colored sugar, including sugar in the raw, turbinado, and demerara. Piloncillo, muscovado, jaggery, and sucanat, however, are much less refined sugars and do contain nutrients.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Better for You?

When artificial sweeteners were invented, they seemed like a godsend to dieters and diabetics—something that could give you the taste of sweetness with zero calories? Hallelujah!
The FDA has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin (derived from coal tar and most popularly sold under the name Sweet 'N Low), acesulfame (Sunnett, Sweet One, and Sweet & Safe), aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal), neotame (the newest artificial sweetener to be approved and approximately 8,000 times sweeter than sugar), and sucralose (Splenda).

However, medical professionals are concerned with the use of artificial sweeteners. There are studies that show people who consume fake sugar in the form of diet sodas usually end up gaining more weight than those who drink regular soda.

Other doctors are concerned that regular or overconsumption of artificial sweeteners can alter the way your tastebuds work.

Dr. David Ludwig points out that artificial sweeteners are hundreds or thousands times sweeter than sugar and that overstimulating your sugar receptors can limit your tastes for other kinds of food.
In other words, you may actually train your taste buds to crave only artificially flavored foods and skip healthy, nutritious, unprocessed foods if you regularly consume artificial sweeteners.

For a while, there was some concern that artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame, caused cancer, but most of those fears have been allayed. Most studies have shown no direct link between these types of sweeteners and cancer.

What About Stevia?

Stevia, unlike the artificial sweeteners discussed above, is actually derived from a plant (the most prized species being Stevia rebaudiana). However, the no-calorie sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia that are stevia-derived use an extract of the stevia plant, Rebaudioside A, to create a substance that is 200 times sweeter than sugar.

"Reb A" as it is known, is approved as an artificial sweetener, while whole-leaf stevia or other stevia extracts are sold only as dietary supplements.

Are Artificial Sweeteners Good for Baking/Cooking?

My personal feeling is that cooking or baking with artificial sweeteners is not desirable and should be avoided unless you are diabetic or have another medical condition that requires you to eschew plant-based sweeteners.

Just from a taste perspective, even the best of the artificial sweeteners tend to leave a tinny aftertaste and a weird film in my mouth in even the most skillfully made cookie or cake.

As the University of Illinois points out, "Sugar, however, does more than just make a recipe sweet. Sugar helps a product be tender and moist. It also helps make the familiar golden brown color of baked desserts and breads. Sometimes sugar is a main ingredient, as in cakes and cookies. When it is, replacing sugar entirely with artificial sweeteners may produce a product that is tough, flat, and dry, as well as gray in color. Remember that most artificial sweeteners only make a recipe sweet."

In fact, in a taste test, the cake cooked with aspartame wasn't sweet at all (apparently heat causes it to lose its sweetness).

Switching to Plant-Based & Less Refined Sweeteners

Personally, I love refined sugar, to the point where it wasn't uncommon for me to buy an economy-sized bag of M&Ms and finish that sucker in three days—four, tops. However, I noticed my high sugar consumption was having serious effects on my health (duh) and it was time for me to cut back.

Still, I had a sweet tooth and it needed to be satisfied.
I stopped prowling the candy aisles at my local supermarket and began baking at home and using less refined plant-based sweeteners in those goods. That meant making cookies, cakes, and muffins with honey, brown rice syrup, raw agave, maple syrup, barley malt syrup, or molasses.

Yacon syrup, date, and palm sugar are also good sweeteners to try, although they tend to be more expensive and I am cheap as hell.

Fruit Is a Natural Sweetener & It's Cheap Too

Actually, most of these "whole food" type sweeteners are pricier than a bag of C&H table sugar, so I started using some age-old reliable tricks to get more sweetness into my desserts without overtaxing my food budget.
Mashed bananas, pureed dates or prunes, and apple sauce are wonderful ways to add moistness and sweetness to baked goods.

Along the way, I switched to going gluten-free(ish), and baked using mostly whole grain or nut flours.

I would add, though, that I've never found much value in trying to make brownies with black beans and spinach, although I know that's become a trend. There's a point of diminishing returns when you try to make a dessert as nutritious as a salad. Also, spinach and black beans are delicious on their own and should be appreciated as such.

The True Test of Sweetness

A glorious thing happened after a few months on this new regimen: I found I could eat two cookies (okay, four) and be satisfied. One piece of cake, and I was done. I had no need to stand at the kitchen counter and eat half of a loaf of banana bread. One or two slices would do.
Was all the fiber from fruits and the whole grain and nut flours helping me to feel full? Or was it the plant-based sweeteners with their human-scale level of sweetness that didn't trigger me into a full-fledged sugar binge?

Why Less Refined Sweeteners Are So Great

Overall, less-refined sweeteners have two big advantages over refined sugar and artificial sweeteners: richer, more complex tastes and higher levels of nutrition.
Using fruit, like the aforementioned bananas, apples, dates, and prunes, mean that you add fiber and vitamins to whatever you're making. Plus, a chocolate cake that is underscored by the deep, rich, wine-y tones of prunes is kick-ass good.
Peanut butter and honey cookies carry the slight flavor of the flowers the bees pollinated to create said honey. Maple syrup in banana bread lends the loaf notes of caramel and coffee, while molasses in gingerbread is so robust and flavorful that white sugar seems insipid in comparison.

These types of sweeteners work well in savory dishes, too. A vinaigrette made with honey or maple syrup has an undeniable sweetness, but subtle undertones of other, more complex flavors.
Using muscovado sugar in your pork tenderloin's marinade brings out the flavor of the meat that regular, refined brown sugar just can't do.

How to Swap in Less Refined Sweeteners for White Sugar

Baking and cooking with these types of sweeteners are a snap. Many of these sweeteners (including honey and agave) are actually sweeter than white table sugar, so you can use less.

There are guidelines for swapping in these kinds of ingredients for the usual refined sugars used in most recipes, so make sure you do your research before you start making cakes with honey instead of white sugar.

In general, you use a little less of the liquid ingredients (¾ of a cup of honey for 1 cup of white sugar) while the dry you can usually substitute cup-for-cup. A good working guide to different types of less refined sweeteners and how to bake with them can be found here at Whole Foods.

Alas, no matter how much we wish it were so, refined sugar is never going to be good for you, especially at the rate we're currently consuming it. Even the plant-based, unrefined stuff should be eaten sparingly.

For better health and quality of life, most people need to eat more whole foods, cook at home, and limit sugar intake, period. Using date sugar does not turn a piece of cake into health food.