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5 Forgotten Indian Home Remedies for Stomach Ulcers

by qalfit September 22, 2020

written by qalfit

An ulcer is a painful condition that can develop in many parts of the body. But the most painful ulcer is the ulcer that develops in the stomach lining, called stomach ulcers or peptic ulcers. People with stomach ulcers constantly suffer from discomfort, pain, nausea, and a weird taste in the mouth. Modern treatments for stomach ulcers make you take more and more medication to numb the pain when the ulcer acts up. Natural remedies for stomach ulcers are therefore essential.

With ayurvedic natural remedies for stomach ulcers, you can cure the ulcer completely in a natural way without any side effects. Here are a few potent Ayurvedic herbs for curing stomach ulcers.

Causes of stomach ulcer according to Ayurveda

Stomach ulcers are sores that develop in the lining of the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. It is usually caused due to the excessive production of stomach acid that corrodes the inner surface of the stomach or by a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or due to certain medications.

According to Ayurveda, stomach ulcer is caused due to the imbalance of tridoshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Vata and Pitta imbalance is the main cause of stomach ulcers. An imbalance in Vata dosha dries and thins the protective mucous membranes in the gastrointestinal tract. This causes the digestive acids to erode the delicate lining. People with the Vata constitution tend to be erratic and often skip meals. People with a Pitta constitution have intense emotions such as shame, anger, rage, and stress. These emotions increase Pitta dosha and lower digestive strength. This causes stomach ulcers.

Fortunately, Ayurveda has found an effective way to treat and cure the stomach naturally with the help of Ayurvedic herbs. Here are a few Ayurvedic natural remedies for stomach ulcers.

Read more: Home remedies for mouth ulcer https://www.qalfit.com/fitness/home-remedies-for-mouth-ulcer-5-quick-remedies-to-rid-the-pain/

Ayurvedic natural remedies for stomach ulcer

1. Mulethi ayurvedic stomach ulcer treatment at home

Mulethi (Glycyrrhiza glabra), commonly called Yashtimadhu or Licorice root, is one of the several excellent ayurvedic natural home remedies for stomach ulcers. It has a healing effect on the digestive tract and soothes the stomach lining. It also prevents the ulcer from relapsing.

A field full of green colored Mulethi plants — Mulethi herbs soothe the stomach lining and prevent ulcer relapses

How do you use it?

Take half a teaspoon of Mulethi and mix it with one teaspoon of ghee.
You can then consume this once a day for a few weeks

2. Amalaki natural remedies for stomach ulcers

Indian gooseberry (Emblica Officinalis), or Amla or Amalaki is one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. It is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants that can help cure stomach ulcers. It also provides relief from indigestion, acidity, and constipation caused due to stomach ulcers.

A group of green colored Indian gooseberries on a grey surface — Indian gooseberries are filled with nutrients and antioxidants

How do you use it?

Remove the seed from the Amla and put it in a blender.
Then, extract the juice and mix it with one cup of warm water.
Consume this after meals once a day.

3. Honey home remedies for stomach ulcers

Honey has excellent healing and antioxidant properties that make it one of the best Ayurvedic natural remedies for stomach ulcers. The antimicrobial effects of honey are effective against H. pylori. It can also speed up the process of healing. Honey is therefore an excellent ayurvedic and natural stomach ulcer treatment at home.

Honey dipper on top of two jars filled with honey amidst a dark background — Honey has excellent healing and antioxidant properties

How do you use it?

Take a teaspoon of honey and consume it in an empty stomach
You can also mix it with hot water or milk.
Consume this thrice a day for a few weeks.

4. Garlic stomach ulcer treatment at home

Garlic is a potent wound healer. The antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of garlic help prevent stomach ulcers. It kills the H. pylori responsible for causing ulcers and also helps in healing it quicker. Garlic is therefore one of the well known natural home remedies for stomach ulcers.

Two whole pieces of garlic next to two sliced open pieces of garlic on light grey surface — Garlic possesses antimicrobial and antibacterial properties

How do you use it?

Take 8-10 cloves of garlic and smash them.
Then, boil it with one glass of milk for 10 minutes.
Consume this once a day.

5. Giloy natural home remedies for stomach ulcers

Heart-leaved moonseed (Tinospora cordifolia) or Giloy is an effective Ayurvedic stomach ulcer treatment at home. The anti-inflammatory properties of this herb reduce the inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. It is also beneficial for digestion related issues.

Close up water droplets on stem and leaf of Giloy plant — Giloy contains anti-inflammatory properties making it an excellent aid for digestion

How doyou use it?

Take 3 teaspoons of Giloy juice.
Then, add the same quantity of water to it.
Drink it before meals twice a day.

A stomach ulcer is a deadly condition that can seriously affect your quality of life. So, if you’re experiencing ulcer pain and want to get rid of it naturally, try these Ayurvedic natural home remedies for stomach ulcers. Therefore, the ingredients for the perfect ayurvedic stomach ulcer treatment at home may be right in your very own kitchen!

September 22, 2020 0 comment

Fitness

Are cheat days bad for you: Impact of cheat meals

by qalfit May 7, 2020

written by qalfit

Who wouldn’t like a day of shoving burgers, ice-creams, and chocolates into their face after a week-long strict diet plan and rigorous training sessions? We all love cheat days! While some claim cheat days to be a part of a fitness program that helps progressively, many dislike the idea of this unhealthyeating behaviour and fear the impact of cheat meals. So, are cheat days harmless treats that help you progress, or do they act the exact opposite?

The concept of a ‘Cheat day’:

A ‘Cheat day’ is a concept that was invented to boost your metabolism, sprit and your enthusiasm to stick to your strict diet for the remainder of your week. The plan is simple- you eat healthy and follow your workout diet or weight loss diet for 6 days of the week, and anything that sabotages your weight loss goals or your fitness goals like junk foods and processed foods are off the table. Then you indulge or ‘Cheat’ your fitness programs on the 7th day. This is where you let out your food cravings do its thing. You can eat fast foods, ice creams, processed foods, and whatever you like.

The general concept of this is that when you consume fewer calories for 6 days, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy and when you consume more calories on the 7th day, your metabolism speeds up to digest those extra calories. This is said to boost metabolism. But the impact of cheat meals is not that simple.

Impact of cheat meals:

Although cheat days are totally necessary to keep you sane for the rest of the week, they are a potential recipe for disaster. Here are a few impacts of cheat meals.

1. Overeating:

On a cheat day, you are more likely to overeat to a point that cheat days will do more harm to your fitness goals than it does good.

Read more: How to stop eating junk foods?

2. Negative connotation:

The term ‘cheat’ is a negative term that is often liked to guilt and shame. So, cheat days or cheat meals may fuel a negative effect on your mind.

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3. An unhealthy relationship with food:

There are no good foods and bad foods. The only difference is the calories. Categorizing foods into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fosters an unhealthy relationship with food.

4. Eating disorder:

When you go full rampage on high-calorie foods on a day and eat way too less on other days of the week, it is often seen as a gateway for eating disorders.

So, are cheat days bad for you?

More than the extra calories and unhealthy eating habits that come as an impact of cheat meals, associating your morality with your food choices may break you down mentally and makes you quit your fitness program. As many dietitians suggest, it is more healthy and good for you to drop off your cheat days to have a more food-neutral and healthy mindset.

But, don’t worry, ‘cheat day’ is not the only strategy to boost your spirit and fuel your enthusiasm. A cheat day becomes a ‘Cheat’ day because you let yourself go off the strict diet leash and eat more than what you need. But if you come to a mindset where you enjoy your food anytime when you need it, you don’t even need cheat days. If you feel like you want an ice cream on a warm Monday morning, go for it! This helps you prevent overeating and makes you not wait for a cheat day.

Read more: Paleo diet for weight loss

Not even professional athletes can go on a vegetable and protein diet all week long, so instead of fixing up a cheat day and ruining your week’s progress, indulge in what you crave for then and there and stick to your fitness routine. This fosters a healthier relationship with food and makes you ditch a practice that involves guilt and shame.

May 7, 2020 0 comment

Fitness

Stuck between losing fat vs losing weight? Here’s what you need to do.

by qalfit May 5, 2020

written by qalfit

If you are trying to lose weight, you are obviously following loads of techniques including diet plan, workout plan and would even make a few lifestyle changes to lose weight and to see the number on the scale go down. But are you stuck between losing fat vs losing weight?

“Isn’t losing fat and losing weight the same?”

If you’re having this thought on your mind, to your surprise, the answer is NO. Most people think that losing weight only corresponds to losing fat. But if you dig a little deeper, you would know that the number you see on the scale reflects your whole body! This includes fat, muscles, bones, organs and body fluids and unfortunately, most of the people who train or diet for weight loss, end up losing muscle along with fat.

Usually, what you see on the initial stages of your weight-loss journey isn’t a fat loss. At the initial stages of your weight loss plan, you would have cut all carbs and processed foods. This means you are reducing the fluid content in your body by reducing and carbohydrates and sodium from your diet. So, if you see the weighing scale go down, its usually water weight loss during initial stages.

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The science behind muscle loss:

Both muscle and fat are needed to ensure the proper functioning of your body. But, if your body stores excess fat, you may become obese and this could lead to a variety of problems in your body and if you plan to lose these extra fats, you may wind up losing muscle too. This is particularly important because not only muscle helps you perform your daily activities like walking, carrying things and literally every everyday task, but muscle is also a metabolically active tissue. A metabolically active tissue is a tissue that burns more calories at rest than fat. So, if you don’t prioritize your workout plans and your diet plans, you will lose muscle along with fat.

“So, how to tell what I’m losing?”

There is no certain way of telling whether you are losing fat or muscle or water weight, but if you drop some weight in a few days of training or weight loss, it is most probably water weight loss. But, losing fat, on the other hand, takes a long time to notice because fat loss usually happens at a slower rate.

Here are some ways to know whether you’re losing fat or losing weight.

Exercise routine:

This is one of the best ways to know if you’re losing fat or muscle. If you do a lot of cardio and skipping the strength training sessions, you are probably losing about 50% fat and 50% muscle. So, make sure you lift weights at least 2 days a week to lose more fat than muscles.

Read more: How to lose weight by walking

Fatigue levels:

Higher fatigue levels indicate muscle loss. So, if you feel tired or notice greater levels of fatigue than usual while doing normal activities, there is a good chance that you are losing muscles.

Read more: Top 10 foods to burn fat faster

Document your journey with Photos:

One easy way you could document your weight loss journey is by taking pictures of yourself. Take progress photos once a week and notice the differences. If you are only losing fat, you would see a smaller waist and hips while the rest of the body starts taking a fit shape. Try to take the photo in the same place in the same clothes in the same pose. This will help you notice the results quickly.

Bioelectrical impedance scale:

A normal weighing scale would only give you your body mass, meaning it gives your body weight as a whole, but the bioelectrical impedance scale, on the other hand, measures your body composition through electrical impulses. It gives you your muscle weight, fat weight, and water weight. This way you can easily know if you’re losing fat.

Read more: 5 best fitness gadgets in 2020 We associate weight loss with a healthier lifestyle, but in the essence weight loss is all about losing extra fat that is stored in your body. Everybody has a different body type and every body type has a different composition of fat and muscles. So, if you’re trying to lose weight, make sure it is fat that your losing and not weight.

May 5, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle

5 signs that say you have an unhealthy relationship with food

by qalfit May 1, 2020

written by qalfit

Most of us think that the journey to weight loss starts with minimum foods and maximum exercise. But it is the exact opposite of it. The journey to weight loss starts with simple lifestyle changes to lose weight. This includes eating well. But if you’re struggling with body image or trying to get past a weight-loss plateau, you know how easy it is to steer off from healthy eating habits. You will either stress eat or in the worst-case scenario, you would have even abandoned almost all your ties with food! This is a not-so-healthy territory in terms of eating habits rather you need to stop your unhealthy relationship with food

Here are 5 signs that say you have an unhealthy relationship with food

1. You live for your cheat day.

If you are finding yourself thinking about your cheat day all week, it is time to revamp your relationship with food. Excessive obsession on a cheat day is a sign of an imbalanced and unfulfilling relationship with food. This may cause you to overeat and slows down your progress. So, treat yourself to foods you love even if it’s not a cheat day. This will help you to go on a healthier and progressive path.

2. You are hungry all the time.

Being hungry all the time is a sign that you’re not consuming enough calories. Dieticians claim that, even if you’re trying to lose weight, men should consume at least 1500 calories per day and women should consume at least 1200 calories per day. So, if your consuming too little or working those calories off at a much more intense phase, you need to up your calorie intake. But, be sure that this is due to low-calorie intake and you’re not constantly hungry due to boredom or habit. Check out 5 super healthy foods to eat every day.

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3. You can’t keep your eyes off other’s plates.

It’s actually a natural habit to check out other’s plates when you’re on a diet plan. It is your brain’s response to see how you’re measuring up. But if this habit goes to an extent that you can’t even keep your eyes on your own plate, you are clearly not having a healthy relationship with your food. Everyone has different needs and eating rhythms, comparing it with yourself will lead to poor diet decisions in the future. So, before you choose a diet plan, make sure that your choice is based on your needs and desires.

4. You eat to relieve stress.

Stress eating is one of the worst snacking mistakes you need to avoid to lose weight. If you are stressed, your body will release high levels of a hormone called cortisol that boosts your appetite for high-fat, high-calorie, and high-sugar foods and when you eat them, you will get a feeling of relief and comfort. This may lead to a vicious cycle of bad eating habits. So, next time you find yourself thinking, “I deserve this” or “It’s been a long day”, try to steer off from processed foods.

5. You think you’re bad because you eat more calories.

If you label yourself ‘good’ or ‘bad’, because of what you eat, you may fall into a pit of guilt eating and stress eating. Foods aren’t basically ‘good’ or ‘bad’, some simply have more calories and more sugar. If you start to measure your value as a person with what you eat, you will tank your self-worth. So, next time, even if you crave for junk food, try healthier options in it and never measure your self-worth with food.

You can check out the list of top 10 foods to burn fat faster to fuel your weight loss goals. Healthy foods are important for weight loss but it doesn’t mean that you should completely tank junk foods. The trick lies in finding the right balance between them. So, if you find that your eating habit is preventing you from enjoying your day-to-day life, it is time to rethink your unhealthy relationship with food.

Read more on Why Coca Cola doesn’t belong to human diet? , truth revealed.

May 1, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle

Organize your kitchen like this and lose weight sooner!

by qalfit April 26, 2020

written by qalfit

When it comes to weight loss, your success depends on what you put inside your body rather than how much effort you put to burn it out. In fact, figuring out what to eat and how much of it to eat is more important than your workout program. But people often fail to realize this fact and go easy on their weight loss nutrition. So, if you want your weight loss journey to be a successful one, you need to have absolute control over your food and nutrition, and where better to start this than your kitchen! Get some kitchen remedies for weight loss and start your healthy diet today!

Here is how you need to organize your kitchen to lose weight sooner.

1. Place the healthy food front on your shelf.

It is more likely that the eye-level shelves are the place where you’d store your snacks and processed foods. This means that there is a high probability that you will choose these foods first which are high in sugar, fat, and salt and low in protein and fiber. So, try to move these less healthy food choices to the back of the shelves or to the highest and lowest shelves that are not in your eye-level and place the high-nutritious options like nuts, oats and dried fruits on the easily accessible shelves.

2. Organize your fridge.

Your fridge is where your unhealthy eating habit starts. Whether you’re rushing home from work or just feeling a little hungry while at home, chances are that you’ll grab the first snack you see in your fridge and most likely your fridge is filled with high-fat and high-sugar foods. So, place fresh juices, yogurt, vegetables and fruits in your fridge and try not to keep anything that may sabotage your weight loss program!

3. Buy only single-serve portions.

Now, if you have followed the above-said organization techniques, accessing healthy food options like nuts, avocadoes, and dried fruits becomes easy. But this may become overwhelming and you may be tempted to consume these dense calorie foods in large quantities. So, try to buy only single-serve portions of these energy-dense foods and be mindful of your snacking habits.

4. Use smaller plates and spoons.

A study shows that using smaller plates and smaller utensils like teaspoons and salad forks will trick your mind into eating less food thus you’ll consume fewer calories. Also, eating too fast while you’re hungry will make you overeat since it takes a while for your brain and stomach to connect. So, use smaller spoons and plates while eating to help slow you down.

5. Limit your cheat snack.

Having a cheat snack in your kitchen is all good and OK as long as it stays a ‘cheat snack’! If you have more than one variety of cheat snacks on hand, you will be tempted to eat more. So, you need to limit your cheat snack to keep only one type of cheat snack at a time in your kitchen. By doing this, you are avoiding yourself to overeat an unhealthy food option.

The kitchen is the center of food in your home. You control this, you control your weight loss journey. Moreover, when it comes to weight loss, even simple lifestyle changes make a difference in your results. So, kitchen remedies for weight loss will help you to organize your kitchen and lose weight sooner!

April 26, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle

10 healthy foods to improve your immunity naturally

by qalfit April 24, 2020

written by qalfit

As the world is struggling to navigate through this coronavirus situation, the key to lower the risk of infection lies in your immunity power and personal hygiene. It is paramount to maintain a balanced diet and take healthy foods for immune system despite taking daily precautions like washing your hands, social distancing and wearing masks.

Although, physical exercises and yoga have been proven to improve your immunity, where better to start than your own plate. For starters, filling your plate with immunity-boosting foods is one of the best ways to stay healthy. There is no fixed vitamin or mineral that is said to boost your immunity naturally, your body needs a set of nutrients to do this and there is no magic pill that guarantees to boost your immune system overnight and protect you against coronavirus. Thus, your body needs a steady supply of various nutrients to maintain a healthy and proper functioning immune system.

Nutrients you need for improving your immunity naturally:

These are some of the nutrients that your immune system needs to perform well.

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Zinc
Iron
Protein
Probiotics
Antioxidants

Here are the 10 healthy foods to improve your immunity naturally:

1.Beans

Beans are a rich source of Zinc and micronutrients like iron, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B. In fact, adding one cup of fiber-rich beans like black beans or garbanzo beans to your daily diet can give you 13% of Zinc you need for the day. Taking sufficient amounts of Zinc can help you heal from your injuries quickly and also lowers the duration of the cold.

2.Eggs

Eggs are one of the nutritious foods you can add to your daily diet. Eggs are loaded with proteins, minerals and Vitamin A and D. Vitamin D is particularly useful in the production of a certain protein that kills infectious agents in the body. It also boosts the activity of white blood cells that play a major part in protecting our body from diseases.

3.Berries

Berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are a rich source of vitamin C, flavonoids and antioxidants. They are very useful in removing the harmful free radicles from the body and in reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

4. Ginger

Ginger contains loads of nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your immune system. Adding ginger to your foods gives your body the iron, zinc, potassium, vitamin C, Vitamin B3, and B6 content, it needs for the day. These nutrients improve the function of your immune system.

5.Yogurt

Probiotics are live helpful bacteria that your body needs for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Recent studies show that probiotics boost the health of microbiome which in turn boosts your immune system. Adding Yogurt to your diet helps you to maintain a proper balance of these ‘helpful bacteria’ that supports your immune system.

6. Honey

Honey is one of the richest sources of antioxidants you can find in the world. Raw honey contains antioxidants and antibacterial compounds that help fight harmful free radicals in the body and rejuvenates our entire system. Taking a spoonful of raw honey daily helps stimulate your immune cells.

7. Spinach

Spinach is loaded with vitamin A which plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of your immune system. All the leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are a great source of vitamins A and C, antioxidants and flavonoids that enhances immune function and regulates cellular immune response.

8. Oranges

Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. The vitamin C present in Oranges and other citrus fruits like kiwi, lemon and grapes increases the level of antibodies and helps enhance the function of white blood cells in the body. Also, vitamin C aids in fast recovery of illness and injury.

9. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A is very much essential for a strong immune system. It helps the antibodies to respond to toxins and foreign substances. Sweet potatoes are also rich in fiber, manganese, potassium, and antioxidants that stimulate the immune cells.

10. Whole grains

Whole grains like oats, millets, quinoa, and brown rice offer a high content of fiber and plant compounds like sterols and polyphenols. These help the body to maintain a better immune response. It also contains vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium.

Apart from various precautions, you take during these high times, having a strong immune system can be a major plus. So, add these healthy foods for immune system in your daily diet to improve your immunity power naturally.

Learn more about how working our at home can make you stay fit and healthy during this lockdown period.

April 24, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle

What is the Paleo diet? All you need to know about the Caveman diet A.K.A. Paleo diet.

by qalfit February 15, 2020

written by qalfit

Ever looked on the internet for the best weight-loss diets? If you have, you’ve probably come across the Caveman diet a.k.a. Paleo diet plan. But what is the Paleo diet and how does the Paleo diet help in weight loss which makes it better than all the other diets out there? We know you have a ton of questions about the Paleo diet. Keep calm and read on! We are sure that by the time you finish reading this article, you’ll have all the answers you need.

Paleo is short for Paleolithic, a prehistoric human period that existed over two and a half million years ago where humans ate only naturally available food in their surrounding environment. And they stayed healthy and fit because of it (or as they say).

What is the Paleo diet in the modern world?

Caveman diet a.k.a. Paleo diet is a diet for the modern-day humans that involves grass-fed proteins, wild seafood, eggs, nuts, fibrous vegetables, plant-based oils, and to a small degree, fruits. And the restricted foods in the Paleo diet include grains, sugars, dairy, and salt.

To be specific the Paleo diet foods are,

Meat- Streak, ham, pork.
Fowl- Chicken, Duck, Hen, Turkey.
Fish- Cod, Tuna, Salmon.
Eggs- Cage-free eggs.
Veggies- Spinach, broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions.
Fruits- Apples, Pears, Bananas, Grapes, Strawberries.
Nuts- Almonds, Walnuts, Cashews.

And remember only grass-fed and/or cage-free and/or wild meat counts. The same goes for veggies too- only organic.

Paleo food list is considered a healthy diet because it contains high amounts of fiber, potassium, nutrients, omega 3-fatty acids, and low sodium- An ideal diet, anyone would recommend.

Here is an example of a day on the Paleo diet for weight loss would look like.

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Breakfast: Boiled egg with spinach and fresh fruits.

Lunch: Grill chicken, Avocado dip with olive oil.

Evening Snack: Apple and almond butter.

Dinner: Steak, Carrots and a small piece of dark chocolate.

Sounds too good, right? But not everyone loves meat and veggies all day, some people need a few days to adapt to this meal.

And the million-dollar question now.

Does the Paleo diet really help in weight loss?

The answer is Yes because it gets you cut out junk food and focuses you on eating real food a.k.a Caveman food a.k.a Paleo diet. But don’t get carried away and go full rampage on the meat diet, over-eating may also make you gain more weight!

The good thing about the Paleo diet is that you’re consuming high amounts of proteins and fiber which are low in calories and it’ll make you full and restricts you from eating other carbohydrate loaded foods. That makes the Paleo diet an ideal strategy for weight loss.

We are pretty convinced that now you do know what the paleo diet is and we also know you can’t give up on your favorite cheese. But, don’t worry. Make a few small changes here and there until you can cope up with the original Paleo diet schedule and you’ll start to see those weight scales go down soon.

Wondering what else you can cut from your diet for a healthier lifestyle? Read our article on Side effects of Coca cola.

February 15, 2020 0 comment