Folic acid

Photo Courtesy: American Pregnancy Association

In 1988 folic acid was added to bread, pasta, cereal, cookies and crackers as required by federal law. Folic acid is a form of vitamin B, to be specific vitamin B9.

Folic acid can be easily found in natural foods such as – leafy vegetables, okra, beans, mushrooms, brussel sprouts, broccoli, tomato juice, orange juice, eggs, animal liver and kidney.

Folic acid deficiencies include – extreme tiredness, lack of energy, mouth ulcers, muscle weakness, heart problems, psychological problems such as depression, confusion and neural tube defects.

CDC implores women to consume 400 mcg of folic acid for those considering reproduction in order to prevent birth defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida.

A research study finds that folic acid reduces incidents of neural tube defects in infants.

Make wise choices and have a balanced diet! 💚

Keeping Cool in Angry Times

Photo Courtesy: Google Images

It seems nearly impossible. I am absolutely with you when you say this… because it is really tough or even impossible. At the same time, you do not want to say something and regret later.

Anger is an emotion that is characterized by antagonism or a strong feeling of being upset or being annoyed because of something wrong or bad.

Anger can be used as a way to express negative feelings or help in focusing and finding solutions. However, excessive anger can be problematic not only physically but psychologically too.

While some of you can manage anger, others who are “hotheaded” experience anger at a higher intensity than average. It could be due to numerous factors such as — low tolerance toward frustration, genetic or sociocultural.

So here are 3 ways to help you cool your head when angry:

Relaxation : simple breathing from your diaphragm. Take a deep breath in – hold – release lungs 🫁, you can pair it with visualization of a calming picture. 🖼️ Here is one for you.

Restructure your Thoughts : when we are feeling something too intense, logic goes out of the window. But if we think logically it sometimes defeats anger. Try reminding yourself that it could be a rough spot here and shift your perspective. 💭

Use Humour : as a child you would sometimes burst in laughter when angry. Rage diffuses in a number of ways and one among is silly humor. You can of course find a way to diffuse your own anger. 😸🤭🐶

Now that you know how to do it here is a Pro Tip: Give yourself a break! ☕ A study suggest that taking a break for 5-60 minutes refreshes your brain.

Inside out is an amazing movie to understand about your emotions.

Why Shower Daily? 🚿

Photo Courtesy: Jared Rice

First thing in the morning except weekends begins with a shower. Right after we wake up, we hit the washroom and shower.

Here are 5 reasons to let you know that it’s totally worth the effort-

1. Taking a lukewarm shower reduces muscle tension and improves elasticity.

2. Improves and increases blood circulation.

3. Removes the toxins and washes off the sweat, decreases the risk of a number of infections.

4. Improves breathing as an automatic reflex action of taking a cold water shower.

5. May help in reducing stress by reducing cortisol.

And, a brownie point for smelling good and feeling refreshed! If you still doubt all of this here is a study for you!

May this motivates you to shower often! 🧖‍♀️🧖‍♂️

Know About Your Sleep

Photo Courtesy: ModCatShop

How would your day even go with zero sleep? How do you feel physically and psychologically? Why sleep is given so much importance?

Sleep serves a very important function – recovery. It gives your brain and body time to recover from the stressors. Sleep not only helps with relaxation but also makes you feel more optimistic, alert and stave off diseases. Inside your brain is a peanut-sized structure i.e. Hypothalamus. It consists a group of nerve cells which affects sleep and arousal.

There are 2 basic types of sleep

1. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep – It occurs about 90 minutes after falling asleep.

2. Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep- It has three stages,

  • Stage 1 is changeover from wakefulness to sleep.
  • Stage 2 is period of light sleep before deep sleep.
  • Stage 3 is period of deep sleep that makes you feel rejuvenated.

Sleep pattern keeps changing as we grow older. There is no particular number as to how much or how many hours of sleep makes you feel refreshed. The matter is about the quality of sleep and how many hours of sleep you feel you need. Research has shown that treating sleep problems can reduce depression.

This Sleep Awareness Week 2022 is March 13-19. Sleep well! Sleep tight!

Eat Nuts Everyday

Photo Courtesy: Maksim Shutov

Nuts come in wide range and are a very popular food. From peanuts to chestnuts. Nuts are not just delicious but a great snack for everyone.

Nuts are packed with many nutrients.

Here are 5 benefits of having nuts-

1. Rich in magnesium, copper, manganese, selenium and many more.

2. Loaded with antioxidants.

3. Helps individuals with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

4. Almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, and macadamias have high beneficial fiber.

5. Lastly, vegan and versatile.

Study suggests that nutritive value of nuts increases when soaked in water.

Eat nuts and go nuts over nuts! 🌰🥜