ANAEMIA :

This is one of the most common disorders of blood. A person is said to have anemia when the number of red blood cells or the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood is low. Hemoglobin is a protein present inside the red blood cells and it helps in the transportation of oxygen to various parts of the body. Women are more prone to anemia. There are different varieties of anemia caused by several reasons and are divided into three groups.• Blood loss anemia• Blood cell destruction or hemolysis anemia• Deficient red cell production anemia.

Superfoods To Fight Anemia: A healthy diet is a prerequisite for any anemic patients. It is vital for you to include foods that are rich in Vitamin B12, folic acid and Vitamin C in your diet apart from most important ingredient iron. The following are the top 15 superfoods that will help you to get rid of anemia.

1. SpinachSpinach is a very popular leafy vegetable that help in preventing anemia. It is a rich source of calcium, Vitamins A, B9, E and C, iron, fiber and beta carotene. It will help in improving the overall health of your body. It is found out that half a cup of boiled spinach contains 3.2 mg of iron and this accounts for about 20 percent of the iron requirement for a woman’s body. So, make sure that you take spinach in your daily diet to increase the blood in your body.

2. BeetrootBeetroot is known to be very effective in fighting anemia. It is a vegetable that is filled with iron content. It will help in repairing and reactivating your red blood cells. Once the red blood cells are activated, the supply of oxygen to all parts of the body increases. Adding beet-root in any form in your daily diet will help to easily fight anemia.

3. Red MeatThere is rich iron content in lamb, beef and other red meats. It contains heme-iron which will be easily absorbed by the body. The heart, kidneys, and the liver of the red meats are those parts that contain high quantities of iron. It is also a great source of Vitamin B12. It is said that the beef liver has more than 600 percent of your daily requirements of iron.

4 . TomatoesVitamin C is the main ingredient in tomatoes along with lycopene. The Vitamin C in tomatoes helps in easy absorption of iron. Tomatoes are also rich in beta carotene and Vitamins E and hence help in natural conditioning of the hair and skin.

8. Soy BeansBeans are a great source of iron and vitamins. Soybeans are considered to be the beans that contain high iron content. It contains phytic acid that prevents the absorption of iron. Soybean is a low fat and high protein food that fights anemia. It is important for you to prepare the soybeans properly in order to gain maximum health benefits.everyday will help in fighting anemia.

11. SeafoodFish will also help in preventing anemia as it contains iron. Some of the popular fatty fishes like salmon, tuna as well as sea foods like mussels and oysters are rich in iron. It is said that pacific oysters contain 7.2 mg of iron per 100 gram servings.• Make it a habit to include fatty fishes or seafood at least three times a week to help in preventing anemia.• You can take roasted or baked salmon once in two days to boost iron levels in your body.12. HoneyHoney is very good for the entire body. It contains a good amount of iron. You will get about 0.42 mg of iron in 100 grams of honey. Moreover, honey also contains copper and magnesium that will help in increasing the hemoglobin in your body.

• Adding one tablespoon of honey to a glass of fresh lemon juice early in the morning on an empty stomach everyday will help in effectively fighting anemia.

DIABETES : To help manage your diabetes, your meals need to be:

Regular and spread evenly throughout the day

Lower in fat, particularly saturated fat

If you take insulin or diabetes tablets, you may need to have between meal snacks

Matching the amount of food you eat with the amount you burn up each day is important. Not

putting too much fuel in your body (keeping food intake to moderate serves) is vital to getting

the right balance.

Along with healthy eating, regular physical activity can help you to manage your blood glucose

levels, reduce your blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides) and maintain a healthy weight.

FatFats have the highest energy (kilojoule or calorie) content of all foods. Eating too much fat can

make you put on weight, which may make it more difficult to manage blood glucose levels.

While it is important to try and reduce fat in your diet, especially if you are trying to lose weight,

some fat is good for health.

Saturated FatIt is important to limit saturated fat because it raises your LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol levels.

Saturated fat is found in animal foods like fatty meat, milk, butter and cheese. Vegetable fats

that are saturated include palm oil (found in solid cooking fats, snack foods or convenience

foods) and coconut products such as copha, coconut milk or cream.

To reduce saturated fat:

Choose reduced or low-fat milk, yoghurt, ice-cream and custard.

Choose lean meat and trim any fat off before cooking.

Remove the skin from chicken (where possible, before cooking).

Avoid using butter, lard, dripping, cream, sour cream, copha, coconut milk, coconut cream

and hard cooking margarines.

Carbohydrate

In following the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, we recommend eating a moderate amount

of carbohydrates. For example, on a plate, approx, 1/4 of the plate should be carbohydrate

foods.

Carbohydrate foods are the best energy source for your body. When they are digested they

break down to form glucose in the bloodstream. Insulin takes the glucose out of the blood and

deposits it into the muscles, liver and other cells in the body where it is used to provide energy.

A regular carbohydrate intake is required to provide our body and brain with instant energy.

Most foods contain carbohydrate and also provide us with fibre, vitamins and minerals. Very low

carbohydrate diets are not recommended for people with diabetes.

SugarA healthy eating plan for diabetes can include some sugar. However, it is important to consider

the nutritional value of the foods you eat. In general, foods with added sugars should be

consumed sparingly (manufacturers sometimes use fruit juice or other sources of sugar to avoid

using table sugar). In particular, high energy foods such as sweets, lollies and standard soft

drinks should not be consumed on a regular basis.

Some sugar may also be used in cooking and many recipes can be modified to use less than

the amount stated or substituted with an alternative sweetener. Select recipes that are low in fat

(particularly saturated fat) and contain some fibre

ProteinChoose protein foods that are also low in fat. This will help to reduce the amount of saturated fat

you eat. Protein foods include lean meat, poultry without the skin, seafood, eggs (not fried),

unsalted nuts, soy products such as tofu and pulses (dried beans and lentils).

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Other Foods, Condiments & DrinksYou can use these following foods to add flavour and variety to your meals.

Herbs, spices, garlic, chilli, lemon juice, vinegar and other seasonings.

Products labelled ‘low joule’ (e.g. low joule/diet soft drinks, low joule jelly).

Tea, coffee, herbal tea, water, soda water, plain mineral water.

While there's no substitute for a balanced diabetic diet, adding certain foods may help

those with diabetes keep sugar levels in check.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal can help control blood sugar -- but don't get the sweetened

kind.

"Even though it's a carbohydrate, it's a very good carbohydrate,"

American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Marisa Moore, RD, LD,

tells WebMD. Because it's high in soluble fiber, "it's slower to digest

and it won't raise your blood sugar as much or as quickly. It's going to

work better at controlling blood sugar over time."

Broccoli, Spinach, and Green Beans

Add plenty of nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and green beans, to

yourdiabetic diet, diabetes experts say. These foods are high in fiber and low in

carbohydrates, which make them ideal for people with diabetes.

In contrast, starchy vegetables include peas, potatoes, corn, winter squash, and lima

beans. There's no need to cut them from the diet, Moore says. "They do give us

additional nutrients. We want to maintain balance." But because starchy vegetables

have more carbohydrates and raise blood sugar more, it's important to stick to

properportion sizes,

Strawberries

Some diabetes patients shy away from strawberries because of their

sweetness, says Moore. But a cup of strawberries makes for a healthy

snack that won't raise blood sugar too much. They're a much better

option than a cookie or candy bar.

"They're pretty low in calories and carbohydrates," she says. What's

more, strawberries are high in fiber and water, so people will feel fuller

longer. The longer that people with diabetes can stay full, the fewer

carbohydrates they'll consume overall,

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been in the news lately as a spice that may

have insulin-like effects and help reduce blood sugar levels in people

with diabetes.

In a

recent German study, researchers randomly assigned 79 patientswho 

had type 2 diabetes into two groups. For four months, the testgroup to

ok a cinnamon extract three times a day, while the controlgroup took a 

placebo. At the end, those on the cinnamon extract hadlowered their f

asting blood sugar levels by 10.3%, compared to 3.4%for the control g

roup. The scientists concluded that the cinnamonextract seemed to ha

ve a moderate effect in reducing blood sugarlevels in diabetes patient

s, especially among those who had moretrouble controlling blood suga

r.

OBESITY :Controlling obesity with food choices is one of the easiest ways to make a difference in your weight. One of the main causes of obesity is simply a high caloric intake. By cutting out some of the main culprits that are known to add weight (and be bad for your health), you can help control your weight.

Minimizing Sugar Intake

Sugar is so prevalent in the typical American diet. This is one of the main

contributing factors to obesity, as well as a number of additional illnesses. By

cutting out a great deal of the sugar in your diet, you can help to control your

weight. Some of the common foods that have a great deal of sugar are

beverages such as soda, juices with added sugar and sweet teas, cookies and

candy.

Additionally, you can find sugar in a lot of choices that you would think are

healthy like fruited yogurt. One single serving size of yogurt typically has more

than half of the daily recommended serving of sugar. Try instead to buy plain

yogurt and add your own fruit for a better, lower-sugar option

Limiting Saturated and Trans Fats

These are the two worst kinds of fats that you can have in your diet. Mainly

present in processed foods, fast foods and many meats, these kinds of fats have

been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and many other conditions

including obesity. For a really healthy diet, you should eat very low levels of both

of these fats. While saturated fats are alright to eat in moderation, trans fats are

man-made fats and for the best health should not be consumed at all.

Cutting Dairy Fat

If you are eating full fat dairy products, stop. Skim or low-fat dairy is a great way

to cut some calories and fat out of your diet. Whether milk, cottage cheese,

yogurt or cheese, reach for the low-fat alternatives and save on those calories

that you would otherwise be consuming. Low-fat cheeses have come a long

way in the past years, and many are nearly indistinguishable from the full fat

varieties, making them an excellent choice for anyone looking to cut down on

their calories.

FOODS USED IN PREVENTING OBESITY :1. Beans

Inexpensive, filling, and versatile, beans are a great source of protein.

Beans are also high in fiber and slow to digest. That means you feel

full longer, which may stop you from eating more.

2. Soup

Start a meal with a cup of soup, and you may end up eating less. It

doesn’t matter if the soup is chunky or pureed, as long as it's broth-

based. You want to keep the soup to 100 to 150 calories a serving. So

skip the dollops of cream and butter.

3. Dark Chocolate

Want to enjoy chocolate between meals? Pick a square or two of dark

over the milky version. In one study,chocolate lovers who were given

dark chocolate ate 15% less pizza a few hours later than those who

had eaten milk chocolate.4. Pureed Vegetables

You can add more veggies to your diet, enjoy your "cheat" foods, and

cut back on the calories you’re eating, all at the same time. When

Penn State researchers added pureed cauliflower and zucchini to mac

and cheese, people seemed to like the dish just as much. But they ate

200 to 350 fewer calories. Those healthy vegetables added low-cal

bulk to the tasty dish.

5: . Apples: Skip the apple juice and the applesauce and opt instead for a crunchy apple.

Whole fruit blunts appetite in a way that fruit juices and sauces don’t.

6 :Yogurt

Whether you prefer Greek or traditional, yogurt can be good for your

waistline.

A Harvard study followed more than 120,000 people for a decade or longer.

Yogurt, of all the foods that were tracked, was most closely linked to weight

loss.