Health Benefits of Kiwi

Fruits are essential to our daily diet. Regular consumption can boost our immune system, prevent illnesses and contribute to our nutrient intake. But whilst apples, oranges, grapes and bananas are regulars in the kitchen, some fruits that provide as much nutrition can sometimes go unnoticed. One of them perhaps is the kiwifruit.

The most common of these delicious fruits have a fuzzy, brown skin, and green flesh with seeds around its creamy core. The varieties of the golden kiwifruit, on the other hand, have a smoother skin texture and the flesh is more of a golden yellow.  Being widely cultivated in many parts of the world, kiwifruits can usually be found at the supermarkets for the most part of the year.  

Kiwifruits are a rich source of many nutrients, including vitamin C and potassium. One piece of kiwi, in fact, has about the same amount of potassium as a banana and may have more vitamin C than an orange. Each fruit also contains a very small amount of total fat and zero cholesterol.

How Many Calories in a Kiwifruit

A single fruit has a calorie count of 40 to just a little over 50, which can be easily burnt through physical activities. On average, a banana may have more calories than a kiwifruit. So basically, when you're eating a kiwifruit you get the same amount of potassium for fewer calories. The same goes with oranges – eating a single green kiwifruit will provide you with adequate vitamin C for the day without having to load up on calories.

What Kiwifruit Can Do For Your Health

A packed source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients

Even a small-sized kiwi is full of vitamins and nutrients that is essential for the body to function at its best. Apart from the potent vitamin C, it is also rich in vitamin E, which reduces the risk of heart diseases; calcium, which is needed for bone health; and iron, which is good for the red blood cells. It also contains magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and chromium.

Improves sleep

In a study on the effects of kiwi consumption on sleep quality, researchers have found that adults who had complained of sleep problems were able to experience improvement in their sleep onset and sleep quality after consuming 2 kiwifruits an hour before going to bed. The trial was done for four weeks, with 24 subjects (22 females and 2 males) with ages of between 20 to 55.

In the overall results, the subjects were able to fall asleep faster, sleep more and get a better quality of rest. The high levels of serotonin present in kiwifruits may be associated with improved sleep. The serotonin is a hormone which controls appetite, mood and sleep.

Aids in digestion

Kiwifruits have high soluble and insoluble fibre content that can help regulate digestion. In addition, kiwi can prevent bloating and protect your digestive tract from bacterial infection.

Maintains eye health

Lutein and zeaxanthin, the antioxidants which are present in the various parts of the eyes, are said to help prevent the development of aged-related macular degeneration as well as cataracts. Both lutein and zeaxanthin are also found in kiwifruits. Thus, regular kiwi consumption can help reduce the risk of age-related eye disorders.

Good for the heart

Eating kiwifruits is good for you heart, as had been discovered in a study by Norwegian scientists. Consuming about 2-3 kiwifruits every day can lower triglycerides, decrease blood clots and improve overall heart health.

Protects the DNA cells

Kiwifruit consumption is believed to help prevent the development of cancer. Cancer and tumours are the result of excessive damage to the DNA cells. Regularly eating kiwi fruit can aid in the repair of these DNA structures and protect the DNA from further damage.

How Chlorophyll Can Help Your Body

You probably remembered those days sitting in Science class, listening to the lecture about chlorophyll. From that lecture, you learned how essential chlorophyll is to the photosynthetic process, and that chlorophyll is responsible for the green colour of plants and their leaves.

If you need a refresher course, chlorophyll is the green pigment in the chloroplasts of plant cells. It can also be found in algae and certain bacteria. Its role is to allow the plant to absorb energy from a light source, typically the sun, by converting light into a form of chemical energy. This energy is stored and later on used by plants for survival.

Health Benefits of Chlorophyll

But chlorophyll is not only fundamental to plants, it has also been found beneficial to human and animal life. Fresh, raw green leafy vegetables have always been recommended to be part of our daily diet because they contain a powerhouse of minerals and nutrients, well as chlorophyll. The greener the vegetables are, the more chlorophyll they have.  

 Prevents anaemia

Haemoglobin, a pigment in the red blood cells that gives our blood its colour, has a similar molecular structure as chlorophyll, except for their central atom – the haemoglobin has iron, whilst chlorophyll has magnesium. The haemoglobin carries the oxygen from our lungs to the other organs of our body.

The consumption of chlorophyll increases the production of haemoglobin in the body which, in turn, prevents anaemia. In a study by Dr. Arthur Patek, it was found that adding chlorophyll to the diet of anaemic patients increased their red blood cell and haemoglobin count faster than with iron supplementation alone.

Cleanses Body Toxins

Chlorophyll has the ability to detoxify the body, including the digestive tract, liver and colon. Plants such as wheatgrass and barley are juiced and consumed for detoxification because of their massive amounts of chlorophyll content. In addition, chlorophyll is also being used in intravenous treatment of chronic relapsing pancreatitis.

Great Against Bacteria and Inflammation

Whilst it is not clear whether chlorophyll can help accelerate the process of healing wounds, it has been found to have antiseptic properties, which can fight against infections. It has been used as a deodorant for foul-smelling wounds, for treating skin diseases, as well as inflammation.

Helps Against Free Radicals

Antioxidants are present in chlorophyll, which aid in fighting against free radicals. Free radicals can be harmful to the DNA structure and cell membranes. Due to free radical damage, cells can die and cause the development of certain diseases.

Sources of Chlorophyll

Plants and algae are the richest sources of chlorophyll. Specifically, plants with greener leaves are higher in chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll intake is possible through fresh juice extraction (as what is done with wheatgrass and barley grass), eating raw green vegetables, and taking chlorophyll supplements. These green leafy sources have also been added in several health supplements.

Early Menopause: Causes and Symptoms

Menopause is an inevitable part of a woman's life. It marks the end of a woman's reproductive stage, as the ovaries stop releasing eggs and producing oestrogen and progesterone hormones, which are responsible for the ovulatory and menstrual processes. Because of this, menstruation will stop.

Normally, a woman will go through menopause between the age of 45 and 55. According to statistics, the average age of women when they reach menopause is 51 years old. However, there are cases when menopause occurs before a woman reaches the age of 40. This is known as premature or early menopause.

Early Menopause Symptoms

· Infrequent, heavier or lighter periods
· Hot flashes or night sweats
· Vaginal dryness
· Vaginal inflammation
· Mood swings and irritability
· Pains during intercourse
· Reduced sexual desire
· Tiredness
· Sleep disturbance

Causes of Early Menopause

Early menopause can occur naturally or as a result of surgical procedures. Some of the medical reasons that can affect the timing of menopause and cause premature menopause include:

· Surgical procedures for the removal of uterus and ovaries

· Surgical sterilisation of the fallopian tubes (tubal litigation)

If early menopause happens naturally, it is a condition known as primary  ovarian insufficiency (POI). At this point, the ovaries have stopped functioning normally. However, it is still possible for menstruation to occur and for a woman with POI to get pregnant. The possibility of pregnancy, however, is reduced.

The usual causes of primary ovarian insufficiency may involve:

· Genetics
· Autoimmune disorders
· Chromosome abnormalities

· Having undergone chemotherapy or radiation treatments

Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

If you have experienced the symptoms of early menopause, particularly if you have not had your period for three months or longer, consult your physician immediately.

During your evaluation, the physician may ask you about other symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and pains. You may also be asked about medical treatments or surgeries that you have undergone, any autoimmune diseases in your family, or if anyone else in your family have had early menopause.

Physical examination as well as blood tests may be conducted to help determine whether you have primary ovarian insufficiency. Further tests such as genetic testing, karyotyping and antibody measurements may be required to know the specific cause, if you indeed have primary ovarian insufficiency.

With early menopause, it means you also have low levels of oestrogen. Lack of oestrogen in women may lead to osteoporosis because the body needs oestrogen to make bones resistant to fracture. To alleviate the symptoms of early menopause and increase oestrogen levels, a treatment called oestrogen replacement is used. Treatment is either in the form of a pill or skin patch.

Dehydration in Children

When our body loses more fluid than the amount it absorbs, our body becomes dehydrated. Dehydration can occur in both adults and children. However, children are more susceptible to volume depletion and dehydration as their bodies lose fluids much faster because their metabolic rate is higher. They are also prone to diarrhoea, which is one of the causes of dehydration.

Common Causes of Dehydration in Children

The fluids in our body are regularly eliminated through tears, sweat and excretion. For children, some of the reasons why they can become dehydrated include:

·        Too much sweating from physical activities 

·        Diarrhoea, vomiting and fever (water evaporates from the body due to high temperature), which are commonly caused by acute gastroenteritis

·        Excessive fluid loss through burns on the skin

·        Inadequate water intake during hot weather

·        Other illnesses that hinder them from taking sufficient amount of fluids

Symptoms of Dehydration

Infants and small children are also more vulnerable to dehydration because they are unable to communicate easily, and parents can have difficulties understanding what they feel. For this reason, it is important that parents are able to identify the symptoms of dehydration:

·        Dry tongue or mouth

·        Few or no tears when crying

·        Fussiness and irritability (cries more often)

·        Sunken eyes

·        Rapid heart rate

·        Sunken fontanel (the soft spot on top of an infant's head)

·        Decreased amount of urine, usually dark yellow in colour

·        No urine for at least 6 hours in infants and 8 hours in children

Dehydration in children can be mild, moderate or severe. When there is severe dehydration, the symptoms become more obvious, such as dry skin, sticky mouth, decreased alertness and weakened pulse.

What to Do About Dehydration

·        If your child is severely dehydrated, call for medical assistance immediately. On the other hand, most cases of mild to moderate dehydration can be treated at home by increasing your child's fluid intake.

·        If your child is not vomiting, normal food and liquid intake should be given to ensure that they replenish the lost fluids. Your paediatrician may also recommend rehydration drinks to help normalise their body's fluid levels.

·        Infants who are vomiting repeatedly should be given oral rehydration solution (ORS) in small amounts (about one tablespoon) every 15 to 20 minutes. Children over one year old should be given one to two tablespoons of ORS, electrolyte rehydration ice block or clear broth every 15 to 20 minutes.

·        Seek medical help if vomiting persists, or if diarrhoea continues for over six hours for infants less than 6 months, and over 12 hours for children above 6 months.

·          If your child is dehydrated due to strenuous physical activities, give them as much water as they need and make sure they get enough rest. Sports drinks may also be an option to help replace electrolytes.

Preventing Dehydration in Children

Parents can help prevent their children from being dehydrated by ensuring that they always get enough water and fluids for their daily activities. It is hard to tell how much water your child really needs, as this may depend on several factors. But generally, you must always include healthy fluids in their daily diet.

You should also:

·        Make sure they drink plenty of water during the warmer seasons

·        Keep them hydrated for strenuous activities by letting them drink often, even before they feel thirsty

·        Frequently give them small amounts of fluids when they are sick

·        Only use clear fluids for rehydration if your child is vomiting