Swap out sweet drinks from your routine

“Replacing just one sugary drink each day with water may reduce your risk of developing diabetes”, says a study published by Diabetes Care.

People who consume a greater amount of sugary drinks, like carbonated beverages, sweetened beverages, bottled fruit juices, are at high risk of developing diabetes earlier in a lifetime than others. A 20-ounce bottle of soda provides about 51 – 70 gms of sugar. These sugar-laden beverages can raise blood sugar above the recommended range because our bodies absorb liquids more quickly than solid foods.

Turning to "diet" versions of these drinks might not help, either. American diabetic association says that diet sodas can serve as a “short-term replacement” but “overall, people are encouraged to decrease both sweetened and non-nutritive-sweetened beverages.

When you desperately want to have some beverage it's better to skip sweet drinks and stick to unsweetened tea, coffee, or water.

If you find yourself getting bored of plain water, try infusing it with fresh mint leaf, cumin seeds, vetiver and so on. Infused water is calorie-free and at the same time your drink will also provide some minerals and vitamins in negligible amounts.

Ten simple steps that prevent cancer

Ten simple steps that prevent cancer

We can reduce the risk from getting cancer by making a healthy choice of food, and an active lifestyle. Scientists have estimated that up to 75% of cancer deaths can be prevented.  The most important cancer risk factors that can be modified are body weight, diet, and physical activity. The World Cancer Research Fund estimates that about 20% of all cancers diagnosed are related to body fatness, physical inactivity, excess alcohol consumption, and/or poor nutrition.  

     Being overweight or obese is linked with a high risk of cancer, hence try to maintain a healthy weight always. Excess body fat can be reduced by lowering the number of calories you consume and increasing your physical activity.

     Lessen your consumption of red meat and increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

     Increase the consumption of live foods like sprouts, micro greens, fresh garlic, broccoli, and pomegranate that has anti-cancer properties.

     Greater intake of fiber-rich foods offers protection against most forms of cancer. Fiber-rich foods include whole cereals, legumes, pulses, vegetables and fruits.

     Grilling meat, barbequing at high temperature triggers the production of hetro cyclic amino compounds, a carcinogen  and this carcinogen is not produced when meat is raw or cooked at moderate temperatures.

     Increased consumption of highly processed foods, fast foods and sugary foods are in the hit list of cancer-causing foods.

     Drink sufficient amount of plain water so that toxins, chemicals and drugs that stay in our body will be flushed out.

     Avoid tobacco in all forms including passive smoking.

     Excess drinking of alcohol increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx esophagus, liver, and colon; it also increases a woman's risk of breast cancer.

     Lead an active lifestyle by walking, jogging, cycling for at least 30 – 40 minutes every day