Think of the human body as a car. Pouring the cheapest gasoline (unhealthy food) in a car can damage the engine (bodily organs). Instead, if you can take care of yourself by committing to fitness via proper nutrition, it can take you a long way. In a recent study, it was found that approximately 55 percent of people derive daily calories from refined and processed foods. This can be counterproductive as these foods are full of unhealthy fats and devoid of essential nutrients. How are fitness and nutrition related to each other? Fitness and nutrition go hand in hand. Consuming foods containing healthy nutrients enables your body to function in a way conducive to physical and mental well-being. You may find yourself becoming more active, and burning calories off in a healthy manner. If you continue to maintain an exercise routine without getting adequate nutrition, it will have an adverse effect. So, here are some useful tips that can help you to be at the top of your health game: Keep a tab on your calories This is one of the smartest tips to stay healthy. Several diet plans focus on the number of calories that need to be eaten each day. Nutritionists and diet experts suggest that moderately active people require not more than 1500 to 2000 calories. So, make sure to keep a tab on the same. Apps such as calculator.net and MyFitnessPal can help you calculate your BMI, the number of calories consumed from a meal, and a list of (5 million different) foods that you can eat to stay healthy. Weigh your food This tip can be difficult to follow and might appear silly at first, but you can get used to it. Weighing your food is a similar and easier way of keeping a tab on the calorie count.

Affecting an incredible eight million-plus people in the United States, Gout is a serious form of arthritis that causes insurmountable pain in the joints. The condition, which is one of the oldest prevailing medical illness in society, develops due to the accumulation of uric acid in the joints, mostly troubling overweight adults and men. Delving further, here are seven must-know facts about this condition. In women, it is more common after menopause Gout basically occurs due to the accumulation of uric acid, which then forms needle-shaped structures in the joints and leads to pain, inflammation, and redness. Estrogen, a hormone found in women, naturally leads to uric acid being released through urine. However, after menopause, their estrogen levels start to drop, which makes the uric acid content in their blood rise. Gout can take birth even with normal levels of uric acid While most patients suffering from gout have a high concentration of uric acid in their bloodstream, some gout attacks can even occur with normal uric acid levels — a rare condition termed as asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Alcohol increases its risk Along with meat, fish, and poultry, alcohol consumption drastically increases the chances of developing gout. This is because alcohol has a high content of purine, a chemical compound that breaks down into urea in the body. Excess consumption can increase the concentration in the bloodstream, with the kidneys not able to excrete it as quickly from the system. This ultimately leads to the accumulation of uric acid and subsequent gout. The occurrence of gout safeguards the brain? Some scientists are of the belief that the emergence of gout reduces the risk of neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Could uric acid, despite being a waste product, be a powerful antioxidant and prevent the brain cells from damage? It is still only a hypothesis, with multiple studies needed before a conclusion can be reached.

Hair loss is a natural process that automatically gets rid of old tissue and hair to promote new growth. So don’t be alarmed when you do find a few strands of hair tangled in your comb. However, a clearly visible scalp and a receding hairline are indicative of developing the problem of permanent hair loss. There are several internal and external factors that can accelerate hair fall, leading to pattern baldness in both men and women. Here are the top four reasons that trigger unnatural hair fall. Stress Stress ranks among the top risk factors associated with many medical conditions. In fact, one way or the other, taking physical or psychological stress harms the body more than you can imagine. For hair loss, especially, excessive shedding starts right after the body undergoes physical or psychological distress. A few examples include experiencing high fever, blood loss due to accident or injury, or even post-surgery recovery can result in stress that causes hair loss. Stress, coupled with anxiety, results in accelerated hair loss. To cope with this problem and reduce its effects, stress management is of crucial importance. Hormonal changes Men and women both experience hormonal changes throughout their lifetime. However, an imbalance associated with various conditions can trigger hair loss. For example, following childbirth or after menopause, women may experience more hair fall. Note that men start experiencing male pattern baldness after a certain age and for many, hair fall may occur even in their teens. The hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is crucial to maintain healthy follicles and promote hair growth. A reduction in DHT can lead to unwanted hair loss. Improper diet Understand that the food you eat plays a critical role in maintaining your overall hair health. The body needs the necessary nourishment to sustain natural functions, one of them being active hair growth.

Hearing loss, deafness, or impairment is the partial or total inability to hear sounds. People with low to moderate hearing impairment face challenges in understanding what the other person is saying in a noisy environment. Whereas, people with severe deafness cannot hear anything, and rely completely on lip-reading and sign language skills. There are three main types of hearing loss: sensorineural, conductive, and a combination of both. Let’s understand these types in detail and learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of each type. Sensorineural hearing loss It’s the most common type of hearing loss. Sensorineural is permanent hearing loss often caused by damage to the tiny hair cells that line the inner ear or the auditory nerve. The damage stops or weakens the transfers of nerve signals to the brain. These signals are essentially the intensity and clarity of sounds. Causes: Aging and exposure to loud noises for a long period of time are the most common cause of the damage. Certain medications and illnesses can also increase risks. It can even be genetic, and pass on to the child in the mother’s womb. Treatment: There is no medical or surgical treatment available to repair the tiny hair cells once they’re damaged. However, depending on the severity of hearing loss, the audiologist may recommend the individual to use hearing aids or cochlear implants. Conductive hearing loss It’s a less common type of hearing loss that can be either temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. The hearing loss occurs as a result of an obstruction or damage to the middle or outer ear. The damage does not allow the sound signals to reach the inner ear. Causes: Its causes can vary depending on which part of the ear is affected, outer or middle ear. Damages to the outer ear include narrowing of the ear canal, earwax impaction, bone-like protrusions inside the ear canal, otitis externa, blockage caused by foreign objects inserted into the ear, and microtia.