Minerals and their importance in the human body?

28 Feb 2024
By Shanlie Suresh

Minerals are essential nutrients for human health because they are used for growth, development, movement, and energy production. We find two types of minerals; large metals and rare metals.  

 

Humans can take essential minerals through diet as well as through supplements. There are 13 types of minerals important to human health without which their health deteriorates:   

 

Calcium

Calcium helps build and strengthen bones and teeth, facilitating nerve-to-nerve communication, stimulating muscle contraction, activating blood-clotting factors, and regulating metabolism.  

 

Sodium

Although it is essential to eat salt, it should be used in moderation. Sodium conducts nerve impulses, controls the balance of body fluids, and helps contract the muscles.  

 

Potassium

It helps maintain fluid balance in the body and conduct nerve impulses, thus helping to support brain health and reduce the risk of stroke. 

 

Chloride

It helps maintain the stomach acidity required for digestion.  

 

Magnesium

Magnesium helps in many enzyme reactions, is essential for DNA synthesis, and acts as an antioxidant.  

 

Phosphorus

Helps build and repair bones and teeth, and has a role in nerve function and muscle contraction.   

 

Iodine

Helps in the production of thyroid hormones, and is of great importance in metabolism and physical and mental development.  

 

Iron

Works on the formation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood, and its absence leads to cell death.  

 

Zinc

Low zinc level weakens the immune system and reduce the speed of wound healing.  

 

Copper

Helps produce the energy needed for humans and facilitates the absorption of iron from the digestive tract.  

 

Manganese

Helps vitamin K with blood clotting, and plays an important role in proteins and carbohydrates metabolism.  

 

Sulfur:  

Repairs DNA damage and helps fight acne-causing bacteria.   

 

Selenium

Helps prevent oxidative damage to cells.  

The benefits of Garlic

28 Feb 2024
By Shanlie Suresh

Garlic has many medical benefits that help heal many diseases and prevent others. Therefore, Doctors always advise you to eat garlic to improve your health.

The benefits of eating garlic are:


1- Lowering cholesterol: Eating garlic helps maintain the natural equation between good and bad cholesterol.

2- Reducing the risk of blood clots: Eating garlic increases the production of nitric oxide that relaxes the inner muscles of blood vessels and dissolves blood clots if there are any.

3- Reducing the symptoms of diabetes: Garlic helps reduce sugar, cholesterol, and blood fat. It also improves many problems associated with diabetes such as kidney, nervous system, and retinal problems.

4- Cold treatment: Studies show that cold patients recover faster with including garlic in their diet.


5- Fighting against infectious diseases: Garlic can fight germs, viruses, and fungal infections, so the garlic can always be found in the combination of many ointments and drops. 5- Cancer Prevention: Garlic contains antioxidants and other immune system-boosting properties that reduce the risk of many types of cancers.

6- Improving blood circulation in pregnant women: Garlic helps improve the circulation of pregnant women because it helps lower high blood pressure and harmful cholesterol levels.

7- Reducing the risk of pre-eclampsia: Eating garlic by pregnant women reduces the risk of Preeclampsia that causes high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

8- Treatment of vaginal infections: Eating garlic helps treat vaginal infections such as Candida hypersensitivity and Chronic Vulvovaginal Candidiasis.

9- Improving kidney health: Garlic acts as a diuretic, also contributes to dissolving kidney stones if there are any.


10- Improving respiratory efficiency: Eating garlic helps remove sputum and relieve annoying coughs.

11- Maintaining healthy skin: The topical use of garlic helps heal wounds and skin infections.

Your guide to improving your diet during the holy month!

28 Feb 2024
By Shanlie Suresh

The holy month not only comes with happiness, goodness, and blessings but also healthy habits.

Ramadan, it’s known for increasing social visits between family, relatives, and friends, which Muslims take advantage of, celebrating their fasting during the day and gathering at one table at breakfast time.

However, many Muslims neglect the main goal behind fasting, which is self-control over binge eating and unhealthy eating and drinking habits.

Ramadan is the perfect opportunity for everyone to apply and benefit from many medical practices even outside of Ramadan times.

In your opinion, What are the most prominent of these positive habits that fasting people should maintain?!

● Drinking water is one of the essential habits that should be kept in your mind during the period between breakfast and suhoor, where water, fruits, and vegetables rich in water are among the most important sources that could provide the body with the water lost during the day, especially if temperatures are high during fasting.

● Starting breakfast with three dates is considered one of the traditional habits with multiple benefits where dates are a rich source of fibers. It is also good to divide breakfast into several stages. For example, if you start breakfast with a few dates with water or milk, try to separate it from the rest of the meal by praying and then returning to eat the rest of the Iftar meal, to help prepare the stomach and revitalize it after its inactivity throughout the fasting period.

● Make sure to eat healthy meals rich in vegetables, fibers, and proteins that are beneficial to the body, besides avoiding fatty and fat-filled foods as much as possible and eating until full to avoid overeating.

● Suhoor is one of the main meals for fasting people, therefore it is preferable to delay it as much as possible until before dawn so that the body can benefit from it during fasting.

● Move during the evening and exercise regularly during the period between Iftar and Suhoor. For example, you can make sure to walk continuously during the evening period after performing Taraweeh's prayers.

● Patients with chronic diseases should consult their doctor before fasting; to determine their suitability for fasting. It is essential for patients who fast to adhere to the advice of the doctor or the nutritionist, to keep the disease under control and adjust their diet and medication schedules accordingly.

Your immunity is stronger with these foods

28 Feb 2024
By Shanlie Suresh

1 - Sweet red peppers/ Bell pepper: Bell pepper contains a large percentage of vitamin C which is essential for enhancing immunity. It is worth mentioning that it also contains beta-carotene, which promotes healthy skin and eyes.

2 - Acid fruits: Acidic fruits such as orange, grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon contain a large amount of vitamin C necessary to produce white blood cells that defend the body against the risk of infection. It is worth mentioning that the body does not make vitamin C on its own or can store it, so always keep in mind to eat foods rich in vitamin C or use calculated doses of it through supplements.  

3 - Garlic: Garlic plays a role in strengthening the body's immunity against many types of infections. It contains sulfur, which helps fight fatigue caused by stress, as it also can fight cold.

4 - Broccoli: Broccoli improves immunity because it contains vitamins C, A, and E, as well as antioxidants and fiber. it should be eaten steamed or not even cooked at all to keep its nutrients.

5 - Ginger: Ginger reduces inflammation, thereby improving the body's immunity and fighting infection. It also reduces pain and LDL (the bad cholesterol).

6 - Yogurt: Yogurt helps strengthen immunity because it contains vitamin D, which is necessary to protect against infections.

7 - Spinach: Spinach contains vitamins C and A in addition to iron and antioxidants, making it essential to improve immune system function.

8 - Almonds: Almonds are an important source of vitamin E and antioxidants, so containing the food plan of almonds could help strengthen immunity.

9 - Curcumin: Curcumin is renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties, and it also helps strengthen immunity and counter viral infections.

10 - Oysters:  Shellfish such as crabs, lobsters, and oysters contain zinc, which is needed for strengthening the immune system.

11 - Chicken: Turkey and chicken meat contain vitamin B6, which is essential for the immune system.

12 - Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are rich in selenium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B6 and E, which are important for strengthening immunity.

 

Comments

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies make. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both are critical for building bone. Also, laboratory studies show that vitamin D can reduce cancer cell growth, help control infections and reduce inflammation. Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important roles beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions.

Few foods naturally contain vitamin D, though some foods are fortified with the vitamin. For most people, the best way to get enough vitamin D is taking a supplement because it is hard to eat enough through food. Vitamin D supplements are available in two forms: vitamin D2 (“ergocalciferol” or pre-vitamin D) and vitamin D3 (“cholecalciferol”). Both are also naturally occurring forms that are produced in the presence of the sun’s ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays, hence its nickname, “the sunshine vitamin,” but D2 is produced in plants and fungi and D3 in animals, including humans. Vitamin D production in the skin is the primary natural source of vitamin D, but many people have insufficient levels because they live in places where sunlight is limited in winter, or because they have limited sun exposure due to being inside much of the time. Also, people with darker skin tend to have lower blood levels of vitamin D because the pigment (melanin) acts like a shade, reducing production of vitamin D (and also reducing damaging effects of sunlight on skin, including skin cancer).
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