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Archive for August, 2010
Dark coffee ? Hmm.. good for health
Aug 20th
Dark Coffee ! Good for health
Espresso, French roast, and other dark-roasted coffee are not harmful for the tummy as was previously believed because these roasts contain a substance that tells the stomach to reduce production of acid, according to a study.
And people who resist from enjoying that much-desired morning cup of coffee, because of fear of stomach irritation can also take a sigh of relief because scientists have discovered the culprits behind that heartburn and stomach pain in every cup.
The research could lead to a new generation of stomach-friendly brews with the rich taste and aroma of regular coffee, said the scientists.
“This discovery is going to help a lot of people who suffer from coffee sensitivity. As coffee-lovers, we’re very excited about this research,” said Dr. Veronika Somoza from the University of Vienna in Austria, and Dr. Thomas Hofmann, from the Technische Universitat Munchen in Germany, who conducted the study. Doctors think that chemicals in coffee cause the stomach to overproduce acid, while some coffee drinkers take antacids or drink decaffeinated coffee in an effort to reduce this effect, while others turn to a small but growing number of specialty coffee brews marketed as stomach friendly. Somoza said that the processes used to produce stomach-friendly coffee also could reduce the amount of healthful substances in the coffee, including some that scientists have linked to benefits such as protection against diabetes and heart disease.
In addition, the processing can affect the robust taste and smell of coffee. To study the irritants in coffee, the scientists exposed cultures of human stomach cells to a variety of different coffee preparations, including regular, dark-roast, mild, decaffeinated, and stomach-friendly. They identified several substances that appeared to trigger chemical changes associated with increased acid production.
These substances include caffeine, catechols, and other ingredients.
“Our data show, for the first time, that caffeine, catechols and N-alkanoly-5-hydroxytryptamides are those coffee components that stimulate molecular mechanisms of stomach acid secretion in human stomach cells. Most of them are indeed removed by steam or solvent treatment of the raw coffee bean. We found out there’s no single, key irritant. It is a mixture of compounds that seem to cause the irritant effect of coffee,” said Somoza.
The scientists unexpectedly found that one of the coffee components, N-methylpyridium (NMP), seems to block the ability of the stomach cells to produce hydrochloric acid and could provide a way to reduce or avoid stomach irritation.
Since NMP is generated only upon roasting and not found in raw coffee beans, darker-roasted coffees contain higher amounts of this stomach-friendly coffee ingredient. Dark- roasted coffee can potentially contain up to twice as much of the ingredient as light-roasted coffees, but its levels can vary widely depending on the variety of coffee bean and the roasting method, noted Somoza.
“Since NMP is generated upon roasting, dark-roast coffees contain high amounts of this stomach friendly coffee ingredient. Now, there is hope for a good morning start with a freshly brewed cup of optimized stomach friendly coffee,” said the researchers.
The scientists are testing different varieties of raw coffee beans and different roasting methods in an effort to boost NMP levels to make a better stomach-friendly coffee. They hope to test the new brew in human volunteers later in 2010. The study has been presented at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society
Cheap jewellery can be a nightmare!
Aug 17th
Cheap Jewellery may cause allergy!
Scientists from University of Giessen claim to have found the reason why cheap jewellery cause painful rashes on women’s skin.
Many women who wear a pair of alloy earrings complain of painful red swelling and blisters. Even coins and belt buckles may also cause an unpleasant allergic reaction when they rub against the skin.
The research team claim that the reason behind allergies is that they all contain nickel. Nickel binds to a particular immune-system protein normally involved in detecting harmful invaders, reports dailymail.co.uk.
In susceptible people, this results in the body recognizing nickel as an infectious agent and triggering inflammation.
As the immune system goes into overdrive, it produces the classic symptoms of burning, itching, redness, swelling and blisters.
The study appears in journal Nature Immunology.
One year completion in Zensar
Aug 17th
Woo hoo!
Zensar Technologies Limited
It’s another feather in the cap. During the whole journey throughout my career this one year was the fastest one. I’ve enjoyed the personal life to fullest beyond the limits. No hard pressures for awful deliveries and no unnecessary managerial interference in the development procedures.
And being on the client side in South Africa is another good thing. I’m fond of three things – movies, travel and photography, all these things came alive here. Living in a happening city of Johannesburg is awesome 
Wonderful experience indeed!
Weight loss – in easy way
Aug 3rd
Weight Loss with proper Diet
Weight loss is one of the top-most concern of many individuals. Ever changing modern work style does not leave us with enough time and opportunities to take care of ourselves and our body. The weight loss program or the free diet plan that I will share with you in this post consists of a seven day diet regime aiming to reduce your weight by 3-4 Kgs a week, consider it a rapid weight loss diet. This could be very helpful for bloggers, Internet addicts and IT professionals who spent lot of time working on their computers without burning any calories off their body. Anyone can follow this free diet program as it doesn’t aim at quick weight loss. Losing up-to 3-4 Kgs of weight a week is healthy weight loss. If you have been considering various weight loss solutions such as weight loss surgery, I recommend that you try this weight loss diet first and then only look at any other solution if it doesn’t work.
Please note the following points before you take up this weight loss diet regime.
- If you are not comfortable, you can discontinue the diet program on any day.
- You must drink at least 7 glasses of water everyday unless specifically mentioned to drink more in the regime below.
- Continue this program till you lose extra weight. Once you attain proper weight, you may either continue or discontinue the diet regime and follow it whenever you need to.
- This is one of the top 10 diet plans if you are aiming at gradual and healthy weight loss.
- This is a low carb diet plan. If you are suffering from any illness and require high carb diet, consult your doctor before you follow this weight loss plan.
- Don’t blame me if you don’t lose enough weight. Just continue the regime for another 7 days.
Seven Day Diet Regime – Targeting a weight loss of up to 4 Kgs a week
Day 1 [Fruits] – Day one of your diet regime will start with all fruits diet. You may eat fruits of your choice and in any quantity. There is no limit. Eat till your stomach is full. In case you don’t find fruits in nearby stores, you can substitute it with packaged fruit juices but avoid fruit juices that have preservatives in it, they don’t really do any good in this case. On day one, you must eat fruits ONLY and don’t forget to drink at least 7 glasses of water.
Note: The only fruit that will not be on your plate is Banana. Every other fruit is ok except banana. Don’t limit it to just one fruit, have as many different fruits you can.
Day 2 [Vegetables] – This is all vegetables day. If you prefer, you may have raw or/and cooked vegetables. Eat as much as you want to, no quantity restrictions. If you want to cook the vegetables, you may do so but avoid using oil while you cook. 7 glasses of water today also.
Day 3 [Fruits and Vegetables] – On day three, you will eat a mixture of fruits and vegetables. No quantity restrictions, eat till you fill your stomach. Also, eat one banana today, just one!
Day 4 [Vegetables, Bananas and Milk] – Today you will eat 6 bananas, 3 glasses of milk and small quantity of vegetables. In the morning, your breakfast will start with 2 bananas and one big glass of milk. You will follow this in the afternoon for your lunch. In the evening eat 2 bananas, eat vegetables and drink one glass of milk.
Day 5 [Rice and tomatoes] – Today you will have one cup of rice, six full tomatoes (medium size) and since you are having lots of tomatoes, drink 10 glasses of water today.
Day 6 [Rice and Vegetables] – One cup of rice and raw/cooked vegetables of your choice. It’s recommended that you eat rice in the morning and for rest of the day, eat vegetables.
Day 7 [Fruits, Vegetables and Rice] – On day seven, eat fruits, vegetables and 1 cup of rice. You may substitute fruits and vegetables with juices as well, but that is to avoid.
This diet regime works well by burning more fat than accumulating it and since it avoids all sorts of food items that eventually gets converted to fat to become a part of your body, the weight loss is faster and harmless.
Frequently asked weight loss & diet questions/answers
Q: Does diet and exercise help lose weight?
A: Yes! A diet that’s rich in proteins and vitamins but low on carbohydrates and fat helps you stay fit. Low carb diet helps reduce the excess fat from your body but it’s a gradual process and you must not expect to lose weight overnight. Exercising regularly helps burn calories and fat in your body and keeps you fit. Even a walk for 10 mins or climbing 20 stairs helps burn calories.
Q: What are the most easy ways to lose weight?
A: Some easy ways to lose weight is by controlling your diet and exercising regularly. Prefer a diet that’s low in carbs and at the same time doing exercise will create a deficit of calories in your body which will help in faster burning of the excessive fat from your body.
Q: Can drinking only water help lose weight?
A: Certainly not! Although water has zero calories it also has no proteins or nutrition. The only suggestion about water is to replace soda drinks with water. By only drinking water you should not expect any weight loss.
Q: What is BMI (Body Mass Index)?
A: Body Mass Index (BMI) is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height, to determine amount of body fat and applies to both men and women. The following are the BMI categories:
BMI value of less than 18.5 -> Underweight
BMI value of between 18.5 and 24.9 -> Normal weight
BMI value of between 25.0 and 29.9 -> Overweight
BMI value of 30 and above -> Obese
Q: How is BMI calculated?
A: When measurement units for weight is in kilograms and height is in meters:
Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2
Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 165 cm (1.65 m)
Calculation: 68 ÷ (1.65)2 = 24.98
When measurement units for weight is in pounds and height is in inches:
Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703
Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5’5” (65″)
Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96
How to cure Low Blood pressure at home
Aug 2nd
While high blood pressure is much talked about and people are aware of its symptoms and effects, not many know about low blood pressure.
Low Blood Pressure
In fact, it affects a large number of people worldwide. Very often people don’t realise they are suffering from it and often dismiss it as an one-off case of feeling dizzy or ill. It could be a sign of a serious issue with the heart, endocrine or even signal neurological disorders. Severe low blood pressure can block oxygen and vital nutrients from flowing to the brain and hence shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Causes
There can be plenty of reasons why you may be suffering from low blood pressure.
Dehydration : Drinking enough water is extremely essential for your well-being. If you are one of those who gets dehydrated easily, you must do something about it. One needs to drink more fluids than one loses. If you are one of those who works outdoors, ensure you keep sipping on liquids like nimbu paani. This will help keep the weakness in check.
Pregnancy : If you are pregnant, there’s a good chance your pressure might drop. This is normal but get yourself checked if it becomes too frequent.
Heart issues : Some heart problems could cause blood in your body to not circulate properly.
Deficiency of nutrients: A lack of some essential vitamins such as B-12 and iron can lead to anaemia, which is turn can result in low blood pressure.
Solution
- Increase your salt intake: Generally people are told to avoid using too much salt in their diet. For people suffering from low blood pressure, salt can help. Check with your doctor though before turning to salty foods.
- Drink more water: Water is necessary for your basic body functioning. It also helps prevent dehydration. Don’t forget to increase your water intake if you’re constantly feeling giddy.
Home remedies : Take a cup of the raw beetroot juice twice daily. It is one of the best home remedies for low blood pressure. Drinking a cup of strong black coffee can also help. Some people suggest making a paste of almonds and drinking with lukewarm milk.
Exercise : Include a little exercise in your daily regime. A walk or a quick swim can help circulate the blood.