Sleep early to reap its benefits

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. Absolutely true! In today’s fast paced life everybody is in hurry and losing sleep over every small issue. Staying up till late in the night has its side effects. According to a study by National Sleep Foundation, an adult needs to sleep for atleast seven hours every night. Sleeping for less than seven  hours may damage to your health.

 We have listed a few ill effects of sleeping late.

1.       Stress: Ideally a person should sleep at the same time every night and avoid any strenuous activity before sleeping time. Sleeping late leads to a lot of stress. This could further lead to depression, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s

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2.       Obesity: Sleeping for less number of hours causes your body to produce hunger hormone ghrelin which makes people feel hungry all the time.This makes people crave for more food and also eat a lot of junk food. This may lead to obesity.

3.       Stroke: People who sleep less are 4 times more likely to suffer from a stroke when compared to people to who sleep for atleast 7 hours every night.

4.       Diabetes:The body does not respond to insulin in late sleepers. This increases the insulin level of the body thereby causing diabetes.

5.       Heart disease: According to a study, people who sleep for less than seven hours produce more amounts of chemicals and hormones that cause heart diseases.

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6.       Death: Last but not the least people who sleep less are more likely to die at a young age. In a research it was found that men who slept for less than six hours every night are four times more likely to die within 14 years of his life.

It is advisable that everyone sleeps for atleast seven hours every night to avoid any damage to health. Health is your hands so sleep well and stay healthy!

Myths on heart diseases you always thought were true

 In this www world, it is easy to be misguided by information posted all over the internet. In this blog we have listed a few facts on heart disease which were not known to many. Read on to know about the ‘silent killer’.

Myth 1: Heart disease happen to older people

Fact: The fact is that heart disease can affect people of all age groups. It can affect anyone having high levels of cholesterol and high blood pressure. In addition to this, eating junk food, smoking , drinking and unhealthy lifestyle can increase the risk of developing heart diseases.

Myth 2: Heart attacks do not occur in physically fit people.

Fact: On the contrary, it  can affect physically fit people. Factors such as hereditary, smoking , drinking contribute to heart diseases. Although obese people are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases, thin people can also be affected by clogged arteries due to high cholesterol. 

 Myth 3:  Heart attack symptoms are easy to recognize.

Fact:As a matter of fact it is very difficult to recognize symptoms of heart attack. Several symptoms together make up for a heart attack.

 Myth 4: Only men get heart attack

Fact: On the contrary, heart attack is one of the leading causes of death in women .According to a study, it is six times more harmful than breast cancer. However, women are less likely to suffer from heart attack during their reproductive years. Factors like smoking, drinking, unhealthy lifestyle and contraceptive pills, increase the risk of developing heart diseases.

Myth 5: Stopping intake of fatty foods is good.

Fact: Our body does need some amount of fat. Saturated and trans fat must be avoided while unsaturated fat must be consumed. Include fish, nuts and avocados in your diet.

Myth 6: Stop exercising after a heart disease

Fact: Stopping all forms exercise totally will do more harm than good. Instead exercise moderately to recover from a heart disease under the guidance of your cardiologist.

One should be well informed about the heart diseases and its symptoms so as to avoid any further complications.However, one must take care to ensure that he gets only accurate information and not misguided by false information. If you show symptoms of tiredness, fatigue , chest pain etc , consult the cardiologist at Kharghar Medicity Hospital and get yourself examined.

Myths and Facts about healthy food

Many of us eat or do not eat certain food because somebody else has recommended us to do so. But ,it is not so. In this blog we have busted a few myths that surround certain foods. Next time, get your facts right before you ditch some food just because somebody else told you.Read on to know the facts …

Myth 1: Eggs aren’t good for our heart

Fact: It is believed that eggs contain cholesterol and hence it is bad for our heart. In reality, our body absorbs only 25% of cholesterol from food that we eat while 75% of it is manufactured by our liver! Heart diseases are caused by saturated and trans fats. On the other hand, eggs contain relatively small amount of saturated fats and are packed with vitamins and minerals. So, enjoy your eggs for breakfast!

Myth 2: Carbohydrates aids in putting on weight

Fact: Carbohydrates found in foods such as whole grains, fruits , vegetables and beans are good carbohydrates which provide fiber and other nutrients to the body. While carbohydrates from refined food such as bread, pasta , doughnuts etc must be avoided as they increase heart diseases and diabetes.

Myth 3: Eating raw food is more beneficial

Fact: Eating only raw foods can bring down your body’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels! In fact, cooking helps in breaking down certain fibers thereby making it more digestible by the body.

Myth 4: Sugar and fat free foods are healthy

Fact: On the contrary these foods contain certain chemicals that can cause cramps, diarrhea, gas etc. Do not get attracted to “FAT FREE” and “SUGAR FREE” labels in the market!

Myth 5: Drinking coffee is bad

Fact: In fact, coffee contains antioxidants and phyto-chemicals that help in reducing type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. To get good health benefits from coffee, avoid adding cream , sugar and flavoured syrups to it and stick to maximum of 3 cups a day.

Myth 6: Nuts contain fats

Fact: Nuts contain healthy fats !Nuts when had as a snack help you feel fuller for a longer period of time thus helps in reducing your weight. Nuts are a rich source of magnesium, folate and copper.

Eat wisely and not just because somebody has told you to do so. Consult a dietitian or a nutritionist before including any food in your diet. Eat healthy, think positive and stay happy!