Low platelet count is often seen in patients suffering from serious medical conditions such as cancer and genetic disorders. However, low platelet count is also common in pregnancy and various viral infections. Sometimes, high consumption of alcohol can also lower the platelet count.

It's very vital for our body to have a normal platelet count because of its coagulating action during injuries and surgeries. Platelets coagulate blood with the help of blood proteins and vitamins. Medically, the process of blood coagulation is called thrombosis and low platelet count condition is called thrombocytopenia.

If your platelet count is found to be lower than one lakh fifty thousand per microliter, it's a condition of thrombocytopenia. People having less platelet count are generally asked to be on prescribed medication. However it's also recommended to raise platelet count naturally by including various foods that increase platelet count in diet.

Overall, food plays an important role in improving our health. Just the way consuming unhealthy foods can deteriorate our health, there are many healthy nutritious food which can boost our health significantly.

Low platelet count can lead to fatality hence, it would be wise not to ignore and cure it on time. Let's take a glimpse on some of the best foods that increase platelet count. All these foods are easily available but we need to realize their value.

Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are filled with nutrients and one such nutrient is vitamin K, which helps platelets in clotting process. In fact, lower level of vitamin k can hamper in proper clotting as the proteins in blood- fibrinogen require this vitamin to perform this activity efficiently.

Antioxidants
One fruit which is rich in antioxidants is Papaya. It has shown its effectiveness in curing dengue fever. Juice from the fruit and its leaves can elevate platelet count very quickly. Papaya is considered as one of the best foods that increase platelet count.

Vitamin C
Have foods that are rich in vitamin C such as broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers and various citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. Vitamin C if taken daily can raise the platelet count significantly. Particularly, the gooseberries (known as Amla in India) are rich source of vitamin C.

Calcium
Amongst all foods that increase platelet count, foods that are good sources of calcium are also needed for effective clotting. The best source of calcium is milk and other dairy products such as curd, cottage cheese. Dry fruits such as almonds & walnuts are also good calcium sources.

Low Fat Meat.
Platelet counts are boosted by consuming protein rich foods such as fish and low fat meat. Since they are great source of vitamin b-12 and zinc, the overall immune system along gets improved & the platelet count increases. All sorts of fish and lean meat are considered to be very essential foods that increase platelet count.

Wheat Grass
There are many excellent health boosters whose value might not be known to us such as benefits of wheat grass. Platelet count can be raised remarkably by daily consumption of wheat grass juice.

Folic Acid
Another important reason of low platelet count is deficiency in folic acid, mostly recorded in pregnant women. Its levels can be raised naturally by including folic acid rich foods that increase platelet count. Some common sources are various lentils, chickpeas, cereals.

Aluminum utensils are a common object that is used in many Indian homes and cooking food in these aluminum vessels is very dangerous to health. When the food is cooked in these vessels, it absorbs aluminum and dissolves into the food and water during the cooking process. This absorbed aluminum goes into the bloodstream and gets accumulated in the organs thus, causing adverse effects on one's health.

One of the many reasons why aluminum utensils is bad for health is because it contains particles called ions. These ions are harmful to the brain and constantly using these vessels may lead to Alzheimer disease.

This Aluminum is also bad for the kidneys, especially for patients who are under dialysis. It is therefore best to avoid using Aluminum utensils for cooking. Opt for stainless steel which has no effects on health. Take a look at how Aluminum utensils is bad for health.

Nervous System
Using Aluminum utensils affects the nervous system. It is also one of the reasons for Alzheimer's. Avoid this disease by opting for stainless vessels as it is much healthier.

Dementia
Aluminum utensils is bad for health as it has a rapid effect on the human brain. Making it a habit to cook in these vessels will only lead to brain diseases and memory disorders.

Loss Of Memory
It is said, that while cooking in Aluminum utensils, the ions present in the container is scraped out while churning or mixing the ingredients. These little ions are the main reason for loss of memory.

Listlessness
If you are a regular user of Aluminum utensils, notice if you have unusual signs of fatigue or Listlessness. If so, get a medical test done to find the problem as it could be due to the effects of using Aluminum utensils.

Osteoporosis
Aluminum reduces the growth of bone and predisposes it to osteoporosis. It is one of the many reasons why women suffer from ill bone health at a younger age than usual.

The Kidneys
When you use Aluminum vessels over a period of time, it affects the large intestine, along with the kidneys and blood.

Cancer
Though it is not exactly proven that Aluminum causes cancer, It is believed that it disturbs the balance of the large intestine to an extent where in it becomes prone to cancer.

Source: www.boldsky.com

Dinner is your evening meal or the night meal. It is the last meal of the day. Some cultures give more importance to the dinner whereas some culture say that the breakfast is the most important. Putting aside that aspect, there are some healthy things to do before dinner.

Nowadays, eating food has become a monotonous task for us. But of course, we would love to eat junk food and attend dinner parties as that would give us lots of fun and some thrill to the taste buds.

What you eat is very important. More than that, how you eat and what you do post dinner is also important for your health. Yes, there are some things to do after dinner.

As you tend to be at home when you have dinner, try to eliminate all distractions before getting ready to eat. Switch off your TV and also put aside your mobile and laptop.

When you eat mindfully, your food gets digested easily. Also, when you choose healthy and natural foods to eat, you can keep many ailments at bay. Also, don't try to go to bed the moment you finish your dinner. So, what to do after eating? Read on...

Warm Water
Drinking a cup of warm water at least 30-40 minutes prior to dinner helps a lot in digestion. This practice also helps prevent your overeating tendencies. Also, drink another cup of warm water post dinner (after 30-40 minutes).

Sleep
Don't lie down for sleep immediately after dinner. This may cause acid reflux and it also hampers the digestive process.

Maintain Gap
If you can maintain a gap of two hours between your dinner and sleep, it will help your digestive process. Spend your time finishing household chores.

Walk
This is something to do after dinner. Taking a walk on your terrace after dinner can be helpful. Walking helps digestion and you can also prevent fat accumulation through this activity.

Brush Teeth
Make it a habit to brush your teeth before sleeping. This will help you maintain your oral health.

Smoking
Most of the smokers love to smoke soon after the dinner. This habit is dangerous for your digestive system and it may also cause heartburn.

Shower
Taking a bath soon after the meal isn't good for the digestive process. Maintain a gap of half an hour if showering is inevitable.

Fruits
Some sources say that eating fruits after dinner isn't a great idea for two reasons. Firstly, the sugar in them may interfere with the sleep patterns and secondly, your body has to work harder to digest the fruits along with your regular meal.

Calcium is essential for building healthy bones and teeth. It is also needed for the normal and healthy functioning of muscles and nerves. It helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and skin. On an average, an adult needs about 1000 milligrams of calcium a day.

It is widely known that dairy products are good sources of calcium. But, there are many people who cannot take dairy products in the recommended amount, either due to health issues like allergies or just because they dislike its taste or smell.

If you are one among those people, here is a good news! You have many other calcium rich non-dairy foods, which you can consider.

Taking a Calcium supplement is always an option, but there is nothing that can match or replace the calcium supply obtained naturally. The good news is that there are a whole lot of calcium rich non-dairy foods.

Some people like pregnant women, lactating mothers, children of growing age and those who are recovering from fractures need more calcium intake than the normal daily requirement.

The following is a list of calcium rich foods which you can consider instead of milk.

Broccoli A good serving of broccoli with at least one meal every day is a good alternative for dairy products. This is packed with Vitamin K, which is essential to maintain protein in bones. This is one of the best calcium rich non dairy foods.

White Beans White beans are rich in calcium along with folate, iron, soluble fiber and potassium. All these nutrients are needed to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. These also provide sufficient amount of magnesium, which is needed to absorb the calcium. White beans are one of the best foods that providr enough calcium for healthy bones.

Edamame Edamame is immature soy bean that is picked before hardening. Include soy in your dieta few times everyweek. These foods also have high doses of magnesium and potassium. There are various recipes that you can use to enjoy the edamame. These can also be added into salads and pasta recipes.

Milk Alternatives Irrespective of the alternatives that are given, we always tend to equate milk to bone health. Other milk alternatives that you can try are soy milk, almond milk or rice milk. These, when fortified, have the same quantity of calcium as a regular glass of milk.

Tofu This is commonly referred to as bean curd. This is made from soy milk, which is coagulated and the blocks are formed by pressing the curds. Tofu is a great source of calcium. Stir fry is one of the best ways to enjoy tofu.

Fortified Waffles There are calcium fortified waffles, which are great for the bone building. There are options that you may choose from like whole grain. If you are not taking dairy products because you don't like the taste, try this.

Kale This is a member of the cabbage family and is one of the most effective calcium rich non-dairy foods. It is also rich in potassium. These work great in the slowing the decline of bone density.

These are some of the most common and easily available non-dairy calcium rich foods. 

 

 

During the monsoons, one needs to be extra careful with the foods you consume. If you are a regular out-door eater foods which contain leafy vegetables should be avoided at any cost.

Experts state that leafy vegetables are highly dangerous for health as it consists of a lot of bacteria due to the lack of sunlight and more importantly the leafy veggies are grown in swamps which means more bacteria.

Leafy vegetables like cabbage, brocolli, cauliflower and spinach contain a high risk of contamination since its leaves are closely knit. Moreover these so called nutritious vegetables are continuously exposed to dampness, watery grounds and mud, which is why it has a higher likelihood of them carrying germs.

On the other hand, the germ-growth during the monsoons increases considerably. If you consume any of the leafy vegetables in monsoon, it can lead to severe stomach infections.

More Bacteria
One of the reasons why leafy vegetables should be avoided in monsoon is because of the excessive growth of bacteria. You will usually find the bacteria growth in between the leaves.

Grown In Swamps
Since these vegetables are grown mostly around swamp regions, the infection present in the leaves will be higher. The lack of sunlight too is another reason why you should avoid leafy vegetables in monsoon.

Stored In Contaminated Areas
Leafy vegetables stay fresh when it is stored in cool places. If the area is not clean it can contaminate the leaves in monsoon.

Insects Thrive On Them
Cauliflower and broccoli are leafy vegetables which are prone to having little insects feeding on the leaves. If you want to consume these two healthy green treats soak the vegetables in warm water with salt. It is also good to boil the vegetables before you prepare any dish.

Injected With Colour
To enhance the colour of the leaves, vendors inject the leafy greens with colour. This artificial colour is bad for health as it weakens the intestines and eventually destroys the kidneys.

Outside Dishes
It is best to avoid purchasing leafy vegetables dishes from outside. Restaurants may not clean the leaves properly and thus can lead to serious stomach infections.

However, if it is necessary that you should add it to your diet it is advisable for you to soak and wash them thoroughly in warm water with salt.

How nice it is be to have a pet in your family! Be it a dog or a cat or some other kind of pet, it soon becomes one of your family members.

If you have kids, your pet dog or cat can be their playmate and constant companion. But if you have pets, take care of them properly. They can't tell you their problems. So, you need to be aware about their troubles and take precautions.

1. Infections
Veterinarians say that the saliva of dogs and cats has a component named Pastuerella. If this bacterium gets into you, you can get skin diseases, diseases of the lymph nodes and various other infectious ailments.

2. Cat-scratch-fever
This is another infectious disease which is caused due to cat's saliva. The responsible bacteria is called, Bartonella Henselae. It is transmitted by fleas and is common in feral cats. But even pet cats are not free from it.

3. Intestinal Diseases
The list of bacteria in pet's saliva has many more that the two mentioned above. Your pet's saliva contains bacteria like Salmonella, Clostridia and many more which can cause lots of intestinal diseases to human beings.

4. Brain Disorder and Blindness
If you think these are the only ill health effects of a pet's lick, then you're wrong. Pets have parasites and worms in their saliva. If they lick you, these worms can be transferred to you and can even cause brain disorders, blindness, skin problems and such.

5. High Risk for Patients
If someone is undergoing chemotherapy, then he/she is at high risk of getting infected when they get in touch with pet's saliva. Aged people, children, people inflicted with AIDS are other groups of people who should avoid pet's lick.

Did you get an idea of what happens when a pet licks you? Actually, most infections from pets are fecal-oral. Generally, dogs have a habit to lick their butt. Now, if the dog licks the face of a human, after licking feces, it will lead to infections. .

Many animals have the parasites in their intestines which may not harmful for them but if those are transmitted into the human body, severe diseases can happen.

So, you must take some precautions. You must go through de-worming procedures, take your pets for anti-parasite programmes, treat them for controlling fleas and worms and, keep children and people at risk of infections away from their pets.

Are you aware of the health risks of night shift work? Well, in the recent years, many industries have started catering to clients belonging to other countries and this has increased the need to work round the clock.

It Distrubs Your Sleep Patterns
The first problem is that shift work would spoil your sleep patterns. This may lead to insomnia and poor cognitive function.

Obesity
Experts opine that night shifts and sleep deprivation can be linked to weight gain and obesity. This is one of the dangers of working night shift.

Accidents
As your alertness tends to go down, you are prone to accidents either inside the workplace or on the road.

Pregnancy Issues
Women who work during the night may face the risk of suffering form pregnancy related issues.

Diabetes
Medical experts say that the risk of suffering from diabetes and some types of cancers may increase in people who work during the nights.

Though working in shifts is not a new concept, it is a fact that this culture has increased in the recent past.

Many employees who have no other option than to work in the night have increased chances of suffering from some of the negative effects of working night shift.

Of course, some can cope up such working conditions but some may not be able to. Today, health experts opine that it is not safe to disturb the biological clock as it may pose some health risks in the long run.

New Delhi: Shocking, but yes, you heard it right! That spicy chaat, crispy tikki or steaming momos found in Delhi's streets may have poop in it, which  is, obviously not good for you.

A recent study by a group of doctors of the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition in Delhi, has revealed that the street food in the national capital has high level of faecal matter.

The study showed that food items like samosa, golgappa, burger and momos, collected from west and central Delhi localities contain extremely high amount of E. Coli bacteria which can cause severe infections including typhoid and cholera.

The food samples were collected twice from the street shops and franchisee outlets at a one-month interval.

The main reason behind for such high contamination is due to usage of unclean water in cooking as well as unhygienic conditions of the area.

As per the central Pollution Control Board, the normal Most Probable Number (MPN) of coliform bacteria in such foods is 50 or less, but it was reportedly found that MPN in these food samples was found over 2,400.

The bacterial pathogens found in street eateries are bacillus cereus, clostridium perfringens, staphylococcus aureus and salmonella species. These bacteria can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, typhoid, food poisoning and other digestive problems.