Enjoy the sun rise and soak in it completely in the morning before 8 am. It is natural source of Vitamin D. it is called “sunshine” vitamin and is a hot topic. The early morning sunlight stimulates the body to produce Vitamin D. It serves to increase calcium absorption in the gut and calcium transfer across cell membrane, so it can strengthen bones. Vitamin D also provides protection against cancers such as lung, prostate, and skin cancer. It helps in protecting your body from osteoporosis, rickets, and diabetes. In addition, vitamin D is said to help lower blood cholesterol levels thus helping fight heart disease.

How morning sunlight helps you?

Sunlight also stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that regulate mood. Serotonin levels high enough to result in a more positive mood and a quiet way of thinking with mental focus. In fact psychiatrists suggest depression patients to take as much sunlight as possible because sunlight can reduce symptoms of depression by releasing endorphins. Endorphins itself is a natural anti-depressant that is created by body and is very helpful in reducing seasonal depression. Therefore, children in school are made to exercise early in the mornings.

How morning sunlight helps your skin?

Sunlight improves blood circulation by dilating blood vessels in the skin. By doing so, more nutrients and oxygen are carried to the cells; when capillary blood vessels open so that health improves to a great extent. In addition, the heart becomes healthier by lowering the pulse rate when resting and reducing blood pressure.

Sun improves chronic skin conditions such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Exposure to sunlight can also reduce the manifestation of pregnancy scars, and other skin imperfections.

A new study suggests that the exposure to sunlight and vitamin D can prevent type 1 diabetes in children. Some scientists also believe that exposure to sunlight may also lower blood sugar levels by stimulating the storage of glucose in muscle and liver. Sunlight can strengthen the immune system, because when exposed to sunlight, the body produces more white blood cells that help to ward off infection and other diseases caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Do you know that exposure to sunlight can also boost the elimination of toxins in the body by improving liver function? In addition, the sun also increases blood circulation which eliminates toxins more efficiently and cleanses the body.

What are the morning sunlight benefits?

The list of benefits of morning sunlight is extensive; it is proved that due to the exposure to sunlight, melatonin production increases. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the gland which looks like tiny bean seed found in the base of the brain. Melatonin is needed for an undisturbed good sleep quality. Morning Sunlight is also the best treatment to increase appetite. It also can improve digestion and increase metabolism.

However, excessive sun exposure can cause eye damage, melanoma and skin cancer. So make sure to choose the right time to get sun exposure and protect the skin by wearing hats, appropriate clothing, or use a sun screen. A great time in the sun is the morning at 6:00 to 09:00 am, and the time that should be avoided is at 10:00 to 16:00 pm. The 10 – 4 pm sunlight is not good for the body because it contains Ultra Violet rays which are risky.

Is it very difficult to get up early in the morning and enjoy the fresh morning sun light? It’s ironic that we people don’t enjoy the free abundance offered by nature, we instead run after the expensive and dodgy tonics and medicines to safeguard out health.

Guava also commonly known as Peru is a tropical fruit that’s subtly acidic sweet in taste that intensifies as you eat your way to the center. Its scientific name is Psidium Guajava.

It is available throughout the year but found scarcely in summer season. Being very resilient, it gives a guaranteed crop even with very little care.  It requires little amount of fertilizer, little irrigation and plant protection. It grows well in the backyard of home. Further its nutritive value is very high.  Therefore, it is an ideal fruit for the nutritional security.  In India, the best quality guavas are produced in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Allahabad region.

This somewhat round or pear-shaped, light green, yellow, or maroon in color fruit is very tasty, very yummy. It’s appetizing; it has white or maroon flesh and lots of small hard seeds enveloped in very soft, sweet pulp. Eat it raw by sprinkling little salt and chili powder on its pieces. Oh it’s mouthwatering.

The health benefits of guavas are unlimited. This popular fruit is a source of power of nutrients. If the traditional adage says that “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” in Europe and Americas, the phrase is probably changed to “A few guavas in the season keeps the doctor away for the whole year”. Naturopaths advise eating guavas regularly.

Guava is very helpful for those who want to lose weight without compromising their intake of proteins, vitamins and fiber. It is very high in roughage and rich in vitamins, proteins and minerals, but it has no cholesterol and a low number of digestible carbohydrates. It is a very filling snack and satisfies the appetite very easily. In a related benefit to blood pressure mentioned above, an intake of guava can also help those patients who suffer from diabetes.  The high level of dietary fiber in guava helps to regulate the absorption of sugar by the body, which decreases the chances of major spikes and drops in insulin and glucose in the body.

Guavas are extremely good sources of vitamin-A, which is well known as a booster for vision health.  It can help slow down the appearance of cataracts, macular degeneration, and general health of the eyes. It can not only prevent degradation of eyesight, but even an improvement in eyesight once it has begun to degrade.

One of the most important benefits of guava is – its ability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancerous cells. There have been numerous studies done in recent years on guava’s effects primarily on prostrate cancer, breast cancer and oral cancers. Guava leaf oil is extremely successful as an anti-proliferative substance, and has actually been shown to be more effective than some leading modern medicines in reducing cancerous growth. Guavas are also rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be wildly successful in reducing prostate cancer risk.

Guavas have the naturally high levels of vitamin C in them, which are four times higher than the levels found in an orange (the traditional vitamin C powerhouse) which boosts the immune system with its antioxidants. These are the major lines of defense against the proliferation of free radicals in the body, which are one of the main causes of serious conditions like cancer and heart disease. Therefore, adding guava to your diet has numerous ways in which it helps you stay health and cancer-free. They are helpful to curb diarrhea, dysentery, constipation, cough, cold, skin care, high blood pressure, and scurvy. It has a good source of copper in it and therefore it helps balancing the thyroids as well. I suggest all of you to eat guavas in raw form to get the maximum benefit of it.

Raita:

Ripened Guava – 2

Ripened Bananas – 2

1 small spoon mustard (mohari) powder

1 small spoon cumin (jeera) powder

Chopped coriander leaves

Pinch of Salt and 2 spoons of sugar for taste

Cut guavas and bananas into small pieces (after removing skin of bananas) add mustard powder, cumin powder, and little salt and 2 spoons of sugar together. Garnish the raita with coriander leaves and delicious raita is ready.

What are you waiting for? Go, get some guavas and enjoy eating them.

Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

If you are stressed out and don’t have time for a facial massage, or visit to a spa –here’s what you can do: cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber with react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that will reduce stress in your face, It works great on wrinkles too!!

Recline on the sofa with a slice of ice-cold cucumber over each eye. The cooling sensation helps sooth red and tired eyes; while the high water content works to reduce puffiness and can even eliminate dark circles. Just do it today.

Another use of the cucumber’s amazing attributes is that it acts as a diuretic. The next time you feel bloated – wash, but don’t peel and slice a cucumber. Add the slices to a jug of ice water and drink it down. You can easily shed with this your water weight. Try it; it’s simply amazing.

If you have just finished a business lunch and realize you don’t have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth, hold it with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

Cucumber is a natural astringent, so a cucumber facial is cleansing and soothing. Puree half a cucumber in your food processor or blender; add a few mint leaves to it, a tablespoon of lemon juice and an egg white. Mix them all together and then apply it onto your clean face. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water. Follow with a splash of cool water to close skin pores.

Recently the New York Times published loads of information and praises for cucumber as part of their “Spotlight on the Home” series highlighting maximum usage of it in our daily life. I give here under one raita recipe which is delicious and appetizing, very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
•  Small portion of chopped fresh dhaniya (coriander leaves)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 chopped green chili
• 2 medium cucumbers peeled and diced
• Salt & sugar for taste

Whisk yogurt, add diced cucumber, limejuice, chopped green chili in a small bowl. Stir it by adding salt and sugar for taste. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and grounded cumin seed powder. Season it with half table spoon tempered oil and mustard seeds. It tastes amazing!

Because cucumbers are mostly water, they are low in calories. Even, a large cucumber contains less than 100 calories. You will not find any other natural element loaded with such immense nutritional value. Store cucumbers in your fridge always, and consume them regularly.