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The health benefits of pomegranate

Pomegranates are round fruits with hard, shiny red-yellow skins. Split one open to reveal the jewel-like inner seeds, known as arils, which can be eaten raw or juiced. 

When choosing a pomegranate, look for those with unblemished, shiny skins and which feel heavy for their size, as these are often the juiciest.

Nutritional benefits of pomegranates

Pomegranates are a good source of fibre as well as vitamins A, C, some B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron.

Two compounds in pomegranates - punicalagins and punicic acid - are responsible for most of the health benefits of pomegranate. Pomegranates also have antioxidant activity three times higher than that of red wine and green tea.

Maha Shivratri 2020 – Fasting with Fruits

About:

Shivratri is considered a very important spiritual festival of Hindus which is celebrated to worship Lord Shiva. This festival is also known as “The Great Night of Shiva”. It is believed that the savior of this world, Lord Shiva consumed poison to save the world. The pot of poison emerged when the Gods and demons churned the ocean for getting the ambrosia from deep inside the ocean. Some people also believe Shivratri as the wedding day of God Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

Celebrations:

The people celebrate Shivratri by fasting and performing prayers at temples. The idols of Lord Shiva are worshipped with milk, fruits, and flowers. The devotees eat fruits during the daytime and break the fast in the night. The majority of devotees are largely dependent on fruits, water and milk for the whole day.

Fasting:

The fasting time varies from 10-14 hours. During the fasting period, having fruits and water can help the prevention of damage to cells. The consumption of fruits rather than fried food helps to detox the body.

Tips during fasting:

• Consume farm-grown fresh fruits.

• Hydrate your body by drinking fruit juices and water.

• Reduce your workload.

• Do rest.

Benefits of Pomegranates during fasting:

• Pomegranate juice helps to protect the cells from damage.

• Excellent source of soluble fiber.

• It Helps to satisfy hunger.

• Pomegranate juice helps to keep the body hydrated.

• It can be consumed at any time during the day.

• Low calories.

Fasting helps to improve health, boosts immunity and builds spiritual connection with God.

Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy Maha Shivratri from NUVRI Family!

Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!

Festival of Colors: Holi

About:

According to the puranic story, a mighty demon tried to kill his son Prahlad several times who was the devotee of Lord Vishnu. After failing several attempts, the king took the help of her sister, Holika because she was blessed in a way that made her protected from fire. Holika took Prahlad in her lap and sat over a pyre where she was burnt instead of Prahlad As Lord Vishnu protected his devotee. The people celebrate the victory of good over evil by playing Holi with each other.

Celebrations:

Holi marks the beginning of the spring season and the end of winter. On the first day of the Holi, a statue of Holika is burnt which is called ‘Holika Dahan’ and then the people play with colors and water on the next day. People also dance together after getting colored with their family and friends. People also visit friends, relatives and enjoy tasty food and drinks.

Food and Drinks:

People love to have various kinds of beverages especially Bhang while celebrating this festival. Bhang is a special drink that is prepared with the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant. The famous delicacies of Holi are Thandai, Puran Poli, Dahi Vada, Gujiya, Papri chaat, Kachori, Kanji, Badam Milk, and Bhang Pakora, etc.

Benefits of drinks

People prefer these drinks after playing Holi as these drinks are refreshing and act as a coolant. These drinks also help to fill the stomach faster and can be digested easily.

Pomegranate Special Food and Drinks for Holi

• Healthy Pomegranate Lemonade Juice
• Refreshing Pomegranate Sabja Juice.
• Pomegranate Lime Spritzer.
• Sparkling Pomegranate Cranberry Juice.
• Pomegranate Ginger Refresher.
• Pomegranate Mojito.
• Citrus Pomegranate Mocktail.
• Sweet potato and pomegranate chaat.
• Pomegranate ice cream.
• Pomegranate Panna cotta.

May this festival bring a lot of happiness and positivity in our lives.

Wishing you a very Happy and Colorful Holi from NUVRI Family!

Fighting Coronavirus Disease- 2019 (COVID- 19)

Who does not know about this deadly disease which took a toll of more than 8900 people and infected more than 219000 people in 174 countries of the world?

Coronavirus is a disease which is caused by virus leading to illnesses including cold, flu and respiratory problems. This virus is transmitted between humans and animals. The outbreak of this deadly virus started from the seafood market of Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019 when the WHO office heard about this unknown virus infecting the public. In no time, the virus spread globally and WHO declared on March 11 that the outbreak is a pandemic.

How the virus spreads?

Person to person: 

As this virus is a respiratory disease, it is spread through respiratory droplets. When any person coughs or sneezes, the droplets could spray from their nose or mouth and infect the person in contact. Also, if a person touches the skin or clothing of a person who has the virus on it. Now, if the person touches the face, mouth, nose or eyes, the virus gets an entry into the body.

Infected Surfaces:

The viruses could survive for several hours and in a few cases, several days also. If the surfaces are infected with the virus, then it may also be transmitted in human beings.

What happens to your body?

The symptoms in an infected person include coughing, sneezing and breathing issues. This disease starts and ends in the lungs in most of the cases. Some patients notice permanent lung damage even if they survived this virus. This virus may also cause problems in other parts of the body. In the severe Covid-19 cases, the oxygen supply to the rest of the body parts diminished which resulted in multi-organ failure.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of coronavirus are cough, fever, and shortness of breath which may appear from 2-14 days of the start of the infection. One should immediately seek medical attention upon realizing these symptoms.

“Don’t Panic, Stay at Home, Seek Medical Advice, Protect Yourself and the Community.”

How to protect ourselves?

1. Wash your hands frequently

Washing your hands properly, which means atleast for 20 seconds, can protect you and your loved ones.

2. Cover your face while coughing and sneezing

3. No to hands shakes

4. Stay at home

5. Keep your surroundings clean

6. Avoid Travel

7. Use Masks

It is suggested that only infected people should wear the masks. The masks generally don’t help for the persons who are not infected. The medical practitioners are requesting general public for not stocking up the items like masks. As, the same is leading to shortage and the persons who need it are not able to get it.

Immunity to the Coronavirus

It is believed that the existing immunities will not be able to help this novel coronavirus as this virus is a new one. And people will develop immunity naturally over a certain period. The population of old age and sick groups is at more risk due to the compromised immune systems which may lead to severe illness or even deaths. The current mortality rate from coronavirus is 2.4%.

Eat Healthy Diet

The food we eat has an impact on our immunity systems. The immunity system is stronger to fight against infections when there is an intake of a healthy diet. The nutrients which are essential to fight against infections include Vitamin A, B Vitamins, Vitamin C and E, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc and Selenium.

Helpline number

Central Helpline Number for Corona-virus: - +91-11-23978046

World Homeopathy Day 2020

About Homeopathy

Homeopathy is the system of medicine which is based on the theory that the body has the power to heal itself. This system was founded more than 200 years ago. Homeopathy uses highly diluted substances that help our body to cure itself. It is based on the theory “like cures like”. It is used in the treatment of a wide range of diseases. It is used by more than 200 million people across the globe.

Homeopathy Treatment

This system of medicine follows a holistic approach in the treatment of individuals, where each individual is considered as unique for treatment purposes. The doctor inquires about the eating habits, sleeping patterns, lifestyle, etc. for deciding the type of homeopathic medicine. This is because the doctor matches the symptoms to the illness in your body. The medicines of homeopathy come in the form of sugar pellets, tablets, creams, gels, and other liquids. It is used in the treatment of flu, nausea, toothache, headache. Also, it is used in curing some chronic diseases like depression, migraine, arthritis, allergies, etc.

World Homeopathy Day

The World Homeopathy Day is celebrated in the memory of the founder of homeopathy, Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann. This great German researcher was born on this day. Also, this day is to understand the challenges in the development of this system of medicine.  The awareness week is celebrated from April 10 to April 16, by homeopaths and those who have been healed with Homeopathy. The main focus is to increase public awareness and public accessibility for homeopathy.

Homeopathy in India

In India, Homeopathy was introduced in 19th century. Mahendra Lal Sarkar was the first homeopathic physician in India. Homeopathy was recognized as our national system of medicine in 1973. Homeopathy is a very popular system of medicine in India and second among the AYUSH.

A- Ayurveda

Y- Yoga and Naturopathy

U- Unani

S- Siddha

H- Homeopathy

India has the largest drug manufacturing sector of homeopathy.

Future of Homeopathy

At present, Homeopathy requires more research to improve and for the treatment of an acute form of diseases. The discoveries and in-depth research in this field will add strength to this form of medicine and will benefit future generations.

Importance of Building Immunity against COVID-19

Role of Good Nutrition

Good nutrition plays an important role in building a strong immune system of our body. Good nutrition is gained from a healthy diet that contains vitamins, minerals and, antioxidants. The important nutrients for effective immune function include Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, iron, copper, and folate. The intake of the correct amount of nutrition during early life is crucial for developing an effective immune system.

Nutrients in Pomegranate

Pomegranate is loaded with antioxidants and essential nutrients which are:

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin K
• Folate
• Potassium
• Iron

The pomegranate is the miracle fruit as it is a good source of nutrients and provide various health benefits.

How the immune system works?

Our immune system is the defence network which fights against harmful bacteria, virus, and other organisms. The immune system is made up of organs, cells, and tissues which work together to defeat the pathogens in our body.

Boosting Immune system

The immune system can be kept strong and healthy in the following ways:

• Proper sleep
• Regular exercise
• Diet rich in fruits and vegetables
• Maintain proper hygiene
• Do not smoke
• Avoid alcohol
• Lower your stress levels
• Maintain a healthy weight

The immune response tends to reduce with age and the vaccines are less effective for the people above age 65. That is, why, the COVID-19 is becoming the cause of death in the people of higher age groups.

Defeating COVID-19

COVID-19 has resulted in the world’s attention towards the importance of the better immune system. For having a better immune system, we should eat a variety of food. There is a strong link between nutrition, immune system, and coronavirus. No doubt, that the priority is to stop the virus from entering our body. World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the protective measures for fighting against coronavirus which include social distancing, washing our hands frequently, avoid touching our face, and cover our face while coughing and sneezing. Secondly, we should consume a healthy balanced diet that will support the immune system and help in fighting against various infections.

Eat Healthy! Stay Strong!

Let’s defeat COVID- 19 together!

Pomegranate Farming in India

Pomegranate is one of the major commercial fruit crops grown in India. India is the biggest producer of pomegranates all over the world. The total area under cultivation in India is 107.00 thousand ha and the production of 743.00 thousand tons of pomegranates. Pomegranates are cultivated in various parts of India like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, etc. The top varieties of pomegranates planted in India are Bhagwa, Ganesh, Ruby, and Arakta.

Ideal Conditions

The good pomegranate growth depends on the quality of soil, climate, water levels, season, etc.

Soil

The ideal soil for pomegranate cultivation includes alluvial soils and the sandy ones. In India, pomegranate is grown in tropical and subtropical regions. Pomegranates farming requires less water and it is also known as drought-tolerant crop. Pomegranates crops continue to offer a good yield for many years once they are grown in an area.

Climate

In India, pomegranate is grown in tropical and subtropical regions where the climate is hot and dry. Pomegranate growth is injured in frost and at low temperatures. The ideal temperatures for fruit development are 38 degrees Celsius.

Irrigation

Pomegranates’ growth requires weekly irrigation in summer till the tome of monsoon. The irrigation in winters is recommended at fortnightly intervals. The most preferred method of irrigation is drip irrigation which helps in saving a lot of water.

Season

In the tropical regions, pomegranate cultivation is done from July till August. In subtropical regions, the pomegranates are planted from February till March.

Harvesting Season

The pomegranates are available throughout the year in Maharashtra and Gujarat because of the adoption of bahar treatments. In Karnataka, the peak harvest season is from February till March. In Andhra Pradesh, the peak period is from mid-April till May.

Pomegranates Distribution

The pomegranates harvest is transported to the big cities from the various parts of India. The pomegranates are collected in these big markets for marketing purposes. Finally, the pomegranates are exported to foreign markets from the ports of Mumbai, Kutch, and Kolkata. The pomegranates are exported to UAE, Bangladesh, Oman, Thailand, and various other parts of the world.

ICAR Projections

It is projected that pomegranate production in India will continue to rise in the coming years. As per the predictions of the Indian council of Agricultural research, the production of pomegranates may rise to 15 million tonnes by 2030 and 22.5 million tonnes by 2040. The cost-benefit ratio will rise to 1: 10 from the current 1:5. There will also be a reduced risk of coronary diseases with a rise in the intake of pomegranates in the future.

“Pomegranate is the fruit of Paradise, growing on earth”

The Wonder Fruit Pomegranate.

As the corona pandemic is spreading across the world, more n more theories of the virus infection are being brought forward. Earlier it was said that the virus affects the throat region (respiratory system) of the person, but the latest scientific studies claim that the virus has the potential to damage affected person’s organs and also the blood circulation system. A corona patient can have a higher mortality rate due to blood clot or blood coagulation. Some studies also say that due to the coronavirus the antibodies of the infected person get programmed to attack the good cells in the bloodstream.

As per Dr Yatin Mehta, head of critical care at Medanta Autopsies conducted on several victims of Covid-19 in Italy were found to have their blood cells of lungs, kidneys or brains badly clogged.

As the saying goes “Prevention is better than cure”, it becomes imperative that the people start eating and living healthy to build a strong immune system to respond faster and protect oneself from the dreaded virus.

People should start eating natural foods which help in boosting one’s immunity. There are fruits which have good antioxidants and help in building good immunity. Pomegranate is one such super fruit.

Did you know? Pomegranate is a natural blood thinner. The rich antioxidant properties of the fruit can help in preventing the blood platelets from coagulating and forming clots. As the consumption of pomegranates boosts the immunity It helps in preventing the antibodies from attacking the good cells in the blood, thus helping the affected persons from a cardiac arrest. 

Pomegranates not only improves blood circulation but also stimulates the removal of toxins and wastes. This wonder fruit not only thins the blood but also reduces the level of bad cholesterol and saves the body from its harmful effects and thus building its strong immunity system. 

Pomegranate in juice form also increases the level of oxygen in the blood and help the blood to circulate more freely in the body. 

Apart from these benefits the super nutritious fruit pomegranate also is beneficial for persons suffering from arthritis as it reduces the inflammation on the damaged cartilages.

Also, the one big factor which goes in favour of this fruit is that it’s available throughout the year.

So to sum it up it will be very apt to assert that consumption of fruits and vegetables in their natural form can be beneficial for their remedial qualities and pomegranates certainly qualify hands down as a natural wonder fruit due to its antioxidant properties.