Guava 

This fruit is a super food with many health benefits.

• Its vitamin (A, C, E, B-complex & K) and mineral (potassium, copper, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc) content make the humble guava a powerhouse of nutrients.
• The copper in guavas helps to maintain a healthy thyroid gland.
• This fruit is loaded with vitamin C (five times more than oranges!!!) which is required to prevent scurvy and to produce collagen, a substance that keeps the skin supple, smooth and wrinkle-free!!
• It contains high amounts of lycopene (vitamin A) which helps to protect against cancers (esp of the lung and oral cavity), macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, different forms of bone degeneration like osteopenia and osteoporosis, and changes in skin structure. Tomatoes are known for their lycopene content…but guavas have twice the amount of this nutrient!!
• It has antioxidants which boost the immune system and protect the body against harmful infections.
• These antioxidants also help to prevent cancers of the skin, lung, breast, prostate gland and large intestine.
• Since they have a high fiber and pectin content, they aid in laxative action and prevent constipation.
• Their soluble fiber content also stabilizes blood sugars.
• They are a good source of potassium and help normalize blood pressure. 

Guavas enhance the taste of smoothies, sorbets, fruit salads and juices but they are best eaten in their natural form…raw and crunchy or ripe, sweet and creamy. Remember that they are quick to lose their vitamin C content, so eat them as soon as they are cut. As for the vitamin C content of guava jams, jellies etc…sorry, not much left there as this vitamin is not stable in the presence of heat.

Stay blessed with good health .…always !!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza

Remembering Juvenile Diabetics On World Diabetes Day, 14th November 2016

Despite medical advancement and years of research by healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies, there has been no breakthrough in finding a cure for Diabetes. Thankfully, with knowledge about the disease increasing, better forms of treatment and hopefully a cure are on their way.

Parents are often at their wits' end while trying to meet the nutritional needs of their diabetic child- the childs diet needs a little more care and planning. The adjustment can be difficult for the child and for the rest of the family, whose unconditional love and support are crucial at all times.

A little extra effort will go a long way in helping a diabetic child live a normal life. Here is how :-

• Sit with the childs diabetologist and understand how many calories are being prescribed.
• Get help from a nutritionist to convert the prescribed number of calories into a daily meal plan.
• Draw up a shopping list of a wide variety of foods from the different food groups.
• Encourage the child to make healthy food choices.
• Always keep plenty of healthy snack options readily available.
• Wholesome meals should be cooked for, and eaten by, all members of the family to encourage the diabetic child in his/her blood glucose battle.
• Choose grilled, low-fat options when eating out
• Encourage the child to increase his duration of exercise the day he wants to indulge in a small portion of dessert.
• When the child is invited to a birthday party, call the parent hosting the party to find out the menu and also to let her/him know that your child is diabetic and should not be forced to overeat.
• Pack a healthy snack- the host will not mind.
• Teach your child to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia as well as hyperglycemia.
• An ID card that reads DIABETIC on one side and lists what to do in an emergency ( like contact numbers, what to give the child etc) on the other side, should be with the child at all times.

For all those lil JD angels I met this week...this post is for you :-)

Stay blessed with good health .…always !!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza

Movember

Movember- the hairiest month for men’s health, is the world’s largest movement for men’s health. It is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of various cancers, such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer….and also of mental health issues like depression. We need to know that more men die from prostate cancer than women from breast cancer. Sadly 1 in 8 min will be diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. We need to create awareness about this and also help men live longer, healthier and happier lives.

Prostate Gland Issues :-

The prostate gland is the male reproductive organ, the size of a walnut. The main function of the prostate gland is to help with the production of semen ( the fluid that transports sperm). It produces a thick, white fluid that is liquefied by a special protein known as prostate-specific-antigen (PSA). The fluid is mixed with sperm, produced by the testicles, to create semen.

Three main conditions can affect the prostate gland:

- Prostate Enlargement:
It is a very common condition associated with aging. 1/3rd of men over the age of 50 will have symptoms of prostate enlargement. If the prostate becomes enlarged it can place pressure on the urethra. This makes it harder for the bladder to empty.
An enlarged prostate can cause the following symptoms :-

a) Make it difficult for you to start urinating
b) Weaken the flow of urine or cause ' stopping and starting'
c) Cause you to strain to pass urine
d) Cause you to urinate more frequently, making you get up frequently at night

- Prostatitis ( inflammation of the prostate) :
In this often misunderstood condition, the tissues of the prostate get inflamed, i.e. red and swollen.
Symptoms of prostatitis include :-

a) Pelvic pain
b) Testicular pain
c) Pain while ejaculating
d) Pain in the perineum ( the area between the anus and the back of the scrotum), which worsens with sitting

-Prostate Cancer :
It is the most common type of cancer in men. Most cases of prostate cancer occur in men who are 70 years old or over. This type of cancer progresses very slowly. In fact, men can live many years without any symptoms or treatment; rather, they die with it, instead of from it.
Symptoms of prostate cancer ( often very identical to prostate enlargement) :-

a) An urge to urinate more often ( especially at night)
b) Need to run to the washroom
c) Straining or taking a very long time to urinate
d) Weak urinary outflow
e) Feeling that your bladder has not emptied completely

-Food and diet :
- Eat foods rich in phyto-estrogens like soy beans, tofu, chickpeas, lentils, peas, garlic and flax seeds.
- Lycopenes found in tomatoes have a protective effect against prostate cancer.
- Zinc found in fish, shellfish, seeds and eggs
- Fibre-rich foods
- Fennel (saunf)

Remedies
Make a mix of 2 tbsp curry leaf powder, 1 tbsp amchur, 1 tbsp pomegranate seed powder, 6 tbsp fennel, 1 tbsp dried basil, 1 tbsp dried thyme and 1 tbsp mace. Eat 1 tsp of this mix every morning.

Stay blessed with good health .…always !!!

Warm regards,

Charmaine D’Souza