Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur) - Hindustan Times (Jaipur) - City
These everyday items in your kitchen are best cure for sick days
Eating kiwi for better vision, spinach for period pain or watermelon for the lack of sex drive — these readily available food items are all you need. And you might be surprised to know that all the required ingredients for the recipe of good health are easily available in your kitchen. Simple food items such as broccoli, chocolate and cinnamon can be life savers when it comes to everyday ailments.
Chocolate: It’s not only a mood-enhancer, but it also helps reduce symptoms of depression. Besides that, it can help reverse ageing. The darker the chocolate, the better.
Broccoli: Eating a handful of broccoli will help you fight a disease like arthritis. Extracts of broccoli — a cruciferous vegetable rich in vitamins, fibre and disease-fighting phytochemicals — may be beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes too.
Mushrooms: Suffering from ailments regularly? Increase your intake of mushrooms as it is filled with immuneboosting antioxidants called ergothioneine, which can help ward off viruses. Including mushrooms in your diet can improve the health of your brain with scientists claiming that it may enhance cerebral nerve growth and significantly cut the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Chicken soup: Remember how your grandmother said that chicken soup could cure anything? Well, it’s true. Chicken soup has carnosine that helps fight off flu virus in its early stages.
Cinnamon: Feeling tired from your long travel? Add some cinnamon to your snack, meal or smoothie. It helps with digestion, calms stomach muscles and helps prevent motion sickness.
Watermelon:
Did you know that watermelon is packed with phytonutrients citrulline that increases the body’s level of nitric oxide? This relaxes the blood vessels and improves blood circulation, thus decreasing the amount of time it takes to get aroused.
Spinach: A deficiency in vital minerals can cause spasms in the uterus. Eat spinach and kale that are rich in magnesium to ease the pain.
Onion: This contains allicin, which is a powerful antibiotic. It is an effective cure for cold, flu, stomach and urinary infection. Onions also contain quercetin that promotes good cholesterol and may have cancer-fighting properties.
Pineapple: It has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect which helps with conditions such as arthritis. Pineapples have also been found to reduce asthma.
Kiwi: This fruit helps protect against the impaired vision. It is a rich source of lutein, an antioxidant commonly found in eggs and dark green vegetables.