Why You Should Avoid Ready To Eat Popcorn And Make Your Own Instead

The Health Risks Of Ready-To-Eat Popcorn

“Most varieties of ready-to-eat ‘butter popcorn’, don’t actually contain any butter at all, but are loaded with trans fats that are linked to obesity, diabetes, and even cancer!”

Most of us have a couple of ready-to-eat packets of popcorn in our kitchens. After all, they are extremely convenient – all you have to do is rip open a ready-to-eat popcorn packet, pour the contents into a covered bowl and pop it in the micro. In a few minutes, the rich smell of buttery popcorn will fill your kitchen and make you salivate. Unfortunately, most of those delicious tastes and smells from a packet of ready-to-eat popcorn come from chemical flavoring additives and aroma enhancers – the FDA has noted that while some of these chemicals may be safe for oral consumption, they could pose a health risk when they are inhaled as aroma, going directly into the individual’s system.

Even though they do not contain butter, ready-to-eat packets of popcorn have a much higher calorie content because they contain a lot of oil. Furthermore, popcorn manufacturers use cheap oils that are high in trans fats – research studies have linked this type of fatty acid to obesity, diabetes, and even cancer.

Make Your Own Healthy Popcorn

“Homemade popcorn is a quick, healthy and satisfying snack because of its fiber content and the presence of nutrients like B vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorous”

Some people think that corn is unhealthy because it has a high carb content – but there is a difference between good carbs and bad carbs. Corn contains complex carbs, which are good, while colas, pastries, and white bread are loaded with bad carbs. The carbs in popcorn will bolster your energy levels, while the fiber content will help to keep you satiated. Corn, the main ingredient of popcorn, is also a very good source of several B vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorous. This makes popcorn an ideal snack at any time of the day or night.

So, the next time you’re gearing up for a movie marathon at home, don’t pick up a ready-to-eat packet of popcorn; instead, just have homemade popcorn. When you make popcorn at home, you have complete control over all the ingredients you use. You can use a mixture of olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper to make a healthy version of butter popcorn. You can calculate the calories more accurately and even add other ingredients like a dash of lime to create your own unique popcorn flavor!

Just remember that while ready-to-eat popcorn is not a healthy option for anyone, it is especially dangerous for toddlers and young children, as the chemicals in it can impair a child’s physical and mental growth and development. So, the next time you go grocery shopping, you might want to walk past the ready-to-eat aisle and pick up a packet of whole corn instead.

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15 WAYS TO GET RID OF STRETCH MARKS

POTATO JUICE

It sounds a bit out there, but Joanna Vargas — an esthetician, celebrity facialist, and the founder of Joanna Vargas Salon and Skincare Collection — says applying a little bit of tater juice to your skin helps lighten up those annoying dark scars and spots while also making your skin look much more even. Just throw one in the juicer, dap onto a cotton ball, rub onto your marks, and that's it. 

VITAMIN E OIL

You might want to be cautious with this one if you have really sensitive skin, but Vargas recommends using a bit of vitamin E for making scars and stretch marks look less obvious. Thankfully, vitamin E oil is pretty affordable, so there's really no need to drop $50 on other fancy creams or lotions.

APRICOTS

Even though there's no conclusive evidence that proves they're the end-all cure for stretch marks, Vargas says apricots are rich with vitamins A,B, C, calcium, and manganese. That all means the orange fruit can work wonders on your lymphatic system, which rids the body of toxins. Try incorporating them in your diet more often or start using an apricot scrub, and you'll be well on your way to getting clearer, glowing skin.

SUGAR

The sweet stuff is a natural source of glycolic acid, which means that it can help get rid of dead skin and encourage new, younger cells to form in their place, says Vargas. So even though applying a sugar scrub might not get rid of stretch marks completely, it can definitely help make your skin feel more supple and smooth.

SHEA BUTTER

It's one of the main ingredients in your lotions and body creams for a reason. Shea butter is a really great moisturizer that can minimize your scars and helps calm the skin, says Vargas. And it doesn't cost a gazillion dollars, either.

EGG WHITES

Yes, it probably will feel really sticky and weird at first, but Vargas claims the proteins and vitamin A found in egg whites help exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin while also increasing collagen production. So, if you can get over the stench, you might want to grab an egg or two from the fridge and start crackin'.

COLD-PRESSED OILS

When it comes to stretch marks, keeping your skin hydrated can help out a lot. That's why Vargas insists her clients use body oils on the reg. Her personal favorites are from Jiva Apoha, but, really, you can get body oilspretty much anywhere for any price.

MASSAGE

When it comes to more serious remedies, the most affordable option — and therefore the one you should probably start with first — is massaging your stretch marks daily. "Some studies show that the simple act of massage stimulates the blood flow to the area which helps heal," says Babak Dadvand, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Beverly Hills, CA. What you use as a lubricant isn't that important. "There isn't a lot of evidence that topical over-the-counter creams have any lasting effect on stretch marks," says Natasha Sandy, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City and Maryland. Still, using a particular product could be the daily visual to remind you to massage. Art Naturals Stretch Mark & Scar Removal Cream is a new herbal infusion of aloe, cocoa butter, and shea butter.

Whether they're red and raised or pale and hollow, if your stretch marks only bother you when they peek out from your clothes, you could simply conceal them with body makeup or self-tanner. Bliss Fatgirlslim Hide & 'Glow' Sleek Firming Tinted Body Spray ($38; blissworld.com) evens your skin's appearance instantly with a light veil of color, but it multitasks by firming and toning skin over time.

VITAMIN A

Retinoids, like Retin A, which you can get with a prescription from your dermatologist, have been shown to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks — especially the darker violet or red ones, says Dadvand — and rejuvenate the damaged skin. Prefer to opt for OTC? Look for a face cream high in retinol, like Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream ($24.99; available January 2017), and apply it to your stretch marks. FYI: Avoid all retinols and retinoids if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant soon.

RADIOFREQUENCY

Radiofrequency is a heat therapy that stimulates collagen production in your skin — and it's truly the next generation of skin care, says Dadvand. "It's non-invasive, doesn't hurt, has hardly any recovery time, and offers pretty good results," he says. The downside: You have to keep up the monthly treatments because it's not a permanent fix. Still, it feels like a warm massage and leaves your skin feeling plump and pink, much like after cardio. "Radiofrequency is now being used to treat wrinkles, scars, acne, cellulite, and more," says Sandy, who explains that the heat penetrates the layers of skin to promote healing blood flow to the scarred area. "You should start seeing results in a few weeks after the treatment," she says.

MICRONEEDLING

Microneedling is huge right now when it comes to treating wrinkles and fine lines as well as stretch marks. A small roller of needles is used by a doctor to make tiny wounds in the skin, which stimulates collagen, elastin, and ignites blood flow in the area, which smooths out skin. Up the healing power by incorporating a PRP (or platelet rich plasma) treatment: Your doc draws your blood, spins it in a centrifuge, then injects the plasma-rich protein back into the area. Much like radiofrequency, you need at least six treatments about one month apart.

LASERS

"Lasers have been proven to improve the appearance of stretch marks, but they can't remove them completely," says Adriana Martino, a laser medical esthetician and co-founder of SKINNEY Medspa in New York City. A fractional laser could help you fade the marks with a few treatments, but be forewarned: "Stretch marks are usually not easy to treat — they can improve, especially by toning down the red color, but even then the treatment often falls short of expectations," says Martino.

Sandy prefers using the new Pixel CO2 Fractional Laser by ALMA. "The CO2 sandblasts the top levels of the scars. Then the pixelated laser makes tiny channels in the skin," she explains. "Much like microneedling, making tiny wounds in the skin rebuilds new collagen bonds which results in smoother skin." Most people need at least 2 to 3 treatments to see results.

MICRODERMABRASION

Just like microdermabrasion on your face can slough away old skin and stimulate new skin growth, using microdermabrasion on your body can do the same for stretch marks. "This works best for smaller areas of stretch marks and when combined with a topical treatment of retinoids and hydroquinone, which helps lighten them," says Sandy.

PLASTIC SURGERY

To put it bluntly, "Surgery is the ultimate way to remove stretch marks," says Sandy. After you've tried everything else and you're still unsatisfied, you may want to consider going under the knife. "Stretch marks often appear on places where women would often opt for plastic surgery — their tummies, breasts, and hips," points out Dadvand. "If you think you might want to get a tummy tuck or a breast augmentation to tighten up sagging, loose skin in those areas, your surgeon will likely cut out all the stretch marks and scarred skin," he says.

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Why we should eat moong dal

Moong might have been your light preferred dal since childhood, but as we grow up, we start changing our preferences based on their benefits, rather than what our tongue alone suggests. Green gram, which is significantly gaining popularity in China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and West Australia has become one of the secrets of top chefs, renowned hair experts and the divas too! It is more commonly known as mung bean, this wondrous green-coloured gram is chock-a-block with skin and beauty benefits. So, whether you include it in your pantry or not, your dressing is definitely the right place it should be in!

Skin brightening

Moong dal has the unique power to peel your skin and remove the layer of dead cells, giving you a brighter, lighter and softer skin. It can magnify your skin texture and fortify it with vitamins A and C.

How to go about it:

Soak 2 tsp of moong dal overnight and grind it into a smooth paste the next morning. Add a tsp of almond oil and a tsp of honey to it and mix well. Apply on a clean, patted dry face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with water for a radiant skin.

Skin hydration

Struggling with dry skin can be a challenging task if you don’t find the right treatment. This homemade pack will help your skin to moisturize and make your skin soft, smooth and supple. Moong dal contains cell invigorating vitamins and enzymes that leave your skin hydrated.

How to go about it:

Soak 2 tsp dal overnight in raw (unboiled) milk and grind it to form a paste the next morning. Apply this paste to your skin and leave for about 15 minutes. Rinse off with water to treat the dry skin problem.

Undesired hair removal

This one is quite shocking. You can make a facial scrub using moong dal at home to remove fine facial hair, especially from the upper lips and chin.

How to go about it:

Soak 4 tsp of moong dal overnight and grind it into a paste next morning. Add 2 tsp of orange peel powder and 2 tsp of sandalwood powder to the paste. Add some milk, and mix well to make a paste. Apply this to your face and scrub gently for 10 minutes and rinse off with cold water for a brighter skin sans unwanted hair.

Cure sun tan
Unless you are fond of tanned skin, you can make a pack at home using moong dal to rid off and treat sun tan and get a lighter skin tone. Moong dal will also soothe your skin from the damage done by the harmful UV rays.

How to go about it:

Soak 4 tsp of moong dal overnight and grind it into a smooth paste. Add 2 tsp of yoghurt/curd and mix well. Apply this pack all over the affected skin and leave for 10 minutes. Rinse off with cold water to soothe the skin. This pack helps in reducing sun burns and tightening the skin pores.

Cures your acne and pimples
Stop popping your pimples and overdosing on erythromycin! Make this amazing moong dal pack at home to cure pimples and prevent acne.

How to go about it:

Soak 4 tsp of moong dal overnight and make a smooth paste in the morning next day. Add 2 tsp of ghee (clarified butter) to it.Shake it well and massage your skin with this mixture. Regular use will keep your skin young, fresh and pimple-free.

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I never knew that Biting Nails and Picking Nose can do this to my body

Nose picking and Biting nails- Common but dangerous

Statistics have shown that over 65% of the people pick their noses and bite their nails! It is surprising that some adults even pick their nose while being in public. But science says that picking your nose is not at all a good habit and must not be ignored. Similar is the case with biting nails. Read this article further to know the seven reasons as to why you must not bite your nails and pick your nose.

Seven reasons as to why you should stop picking your nose.

1. Your fingers are having all kinds of pathogens under your nails.

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Fingertips are hubs of nastiness and are breeding grounds for various types of bacteria, fungus, and YEAST. The one especially common germ that is found under nails is Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause a lot of crazy skin infections such as boils and abscesses. Picking your nose, hence, has the potential to harm your health. If you have any virus, fungus, or bacteria on your finger and you pick your nose with that finger, you just gave the pathogen an easy way to get in your body.

2. When you suck or chew on your fingernails, they become a greater paradise for bacteria.

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In the year 2007, Turkish scientists tested around 59 people to see whether biting nails had any real effect on the transportation of bacteria to the mouth. They swabbed each subject’s mouth for saliva to inspect for diarrhoea and vomiting bacteria like Escherichia coli and various other nasties. The results show that over seventy-six percent of those subjects who bit their nails were tested positive, compared to only 26.5% of non-biters. Similar was the product for the batch which contained the nose pickers. Take your fingers out of your mouth! Right now!

3. Physical body damage

Who knew that an innocent little nibble on your nails could cause such chaos on your teeth? In real cases, nail biting has even led to tooth loss, tooth fractures, and crazy displaced jaws. You might not know but picking nose can lead to pimples in your nose-hair follicles.

Dr Ansa Akram, a clinical lecturer at the University of Bristol, says that “nail-chewing subjects who also wear braces are treading in particularly dangerous water. Not only does this habit put the pair at risk from physical damage, but it might also cause root resorption in teeth which means that your teeth will start eating themselves inside out.

4. Impaired Quality of Life

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A study released in the year 2016 showed that people who bite their nails chronically report a significantly impaired quality of life as compared to those who do not.

The level of impairment increases in direct proportion to the time spent on nail biting, the number of fingernails involved and the number of nail abnormalities.

If you are already having a cold and your sinus is totally blocked, and then if you pick your nose, you are at a risk of developing sinusitis because you might be carrying millions of bacteria that are there under your fingernail into the nose. From here, they might travel up your nose into your sinus cavity. Unable to drain out properly, the bacteria will then multiply leading to an infection in the sinus. If a small pimple in your nasal area were to convert into a boil, the infection might travel up into the brain via your bloodstream.

5. Grim gums and impaired nose skin.

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Chewing your fingertips has the capability to cause a lot of accidental trauma – you heard it right, TRAUMA – when it comes to your gums. The one especially horrendous case study showed in a report by Dr. Carlene B. Krejci said that a kid who was suffering from gingival (gum) swelling in one of his teeth after continuously sticking his craggy, half consumed fingernails for years under the gum tissue of his tooth. As it turned out, there were six nail fragments stuck under his gum.

Picking your nose might tear the fragile and soft skin inside your nose, leading to nosebleeds. People with repeated nosebleeds know it very well that it might take months for the nose skin to heal. If after picking your nose you don’t wash your hands, you might as well be spreading these germs to others.

6. It can also help cultivate skunk breath.

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The report mentioned in the last reason also observed that nail-biters were vulnerable to halitosis. Halitosis is nothing but having skunk breath. There are plenty of bacteria that are always living in your mouth.Although most of the bacterias are meant to stay in there. But if you keep sticking your fingers continuously in your lips, you’re going to introduce a lot of gross germs in your mouth too.

So to conclude, never refer to these two habits as usual habits in children. If you ever see any child having any of these two habits, stop them right there. Remember, that it’s not at all good for your health!

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