Cataract is a common vision problem that many people suffer as they cross their 40s. In cataracts, your otherwise clear eye lenses develop a foggy layer on them, and everything appears to be blurry. Although cataract is not a major eye condition, it cannot be ignored for long as it starts affecting your daily routine and makes it difficult for you to perform simple tasks like reading and driving.
So, how can you prevent developing a case of cataract? There is no proof about the prevention of cataract, but there are some preventive measures that doctors believe help in reducing your chances of developing a cataract. Here are 5 tactical ways in which you can bring down your chances of developing a cataract:

Go for regular eye checkups
Once you have crossed the age of 40, it is best to have a routine eye checkup done. In fact, there is no harm in getting a routine eye checkup done in your early years as that will help in early detection of cataract or any other eyesight related problems. It is advisable to ask your doctor about how often you should get an eye examination done.

Avoid smoking
Smoking is said to be a common risk factor that might lead to the development of cataract at an early age. Although this is not proved, it is best to quit smoking as a preventive measure. If you are a chain smoker, then now is the best time to give a serious thought to quitting smoking. You can consider seeking the help of medications, counseling, yoga, and other alternative therapies in smoking cessation.

Limit your alcohol consumption
It is said that excessive intake of alcohol might lead to you developing cataract at a premature age. So, make sure that you limit your alcohol intake to a minimum. Remember that the less you drink, the lower your chances of developing a cataract.

Always wear sunglasses
The harsh ultraviolet sunrays are one of the most common risk factors that are associated with a cataract development. The best way to tackle the harmful rays is by avoiding overexposure to sunlight. If you cannot help it and you must go outdoors, then you should wear a good pair of sunglasses that will protect your eyes. Remember that you should wear them every time you step out in the daytime, irrespective of whether it is sunny or cloudy.

Follow a well-balanced diet
Following a well-planned nutritious diet will considerably reduce your risks of developing a cataract. Antioxidants are great for the health of your eyes, so make sure that you add plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables in your daily diet.

By following these strategic tips, you can prevent or at least delay the development of a cataract.

IBS is a chronic condition that affects a large number of people. The disorder is caused by trouble with the normal functioning of large intestine or pain with bowel habits. And although not a life threatening disease, it does lead to a lot of discomforts and disrupts the way an individual continues to live life.
Any individual, at any stage in life, can be at the receiving end of this bowel syndrome, however, there are certain people who are at a higher risk. Younger people in their teens, going up to the age of 40, females, persons with mental illness are more likely to suffer from IBS.

The causes of IBS are not very well defined and it is no doubt that the food one consumes can an added effect on the condition, Here are a few foods that are likely to trigger IBS symptoms and one should try and keep away.

Insoluble fiber food – Consumption of fiber is necessary to keep your gut healthy and your bowels clean. However, too much of fiber in one’s system can lead to the constant need to visit the toilet. For this reason, consuming soluble fiber is a better idea. Avoid or decrease the intake of foods such as bell peppers, eggplant, celery, etc.

Gluten – A lot of people are allergic to gluten. An ingestion of gluten can worsen the condition of a person suffering from IBS. Moreover, with a large number of gluten foods crowding the market, people are consuming it in larger quantities. You can try and substitute your food with gluten-free products.

Oily food – Oil is one of the most common offenders. It can be especially found in fried foods that most people find irresistible. The fat content in this kind of foods can be very hard for the system to process and can thereby, worsen the symptoms of IBS.

Dairy foods – Dairy comes with lactose, something that a lot of people’s digestive system may be intolerant towards. Moreover, it can trigger an increase in diarrhea. For these reasons, it may be advisable to cut down on or stay away from milk products. However, do contact you doctor who will be able to help you with a substitute.

The symptoms will vary from person to person and the food that can aggravate symptoms too will vary. Thus, one should be vigilant and try and detect the food that causes the onset of symptoms in him/her.

Our immune system is a brigade that keeps away illnesses and diseases. There are countless bacteria and viruses that loathe around us, and if not for the immune system, we would be falling sick every short while. While controlling the unhealthy bacteria in the environment may be beyond our control, we can strengthen our immune system to withstand and put up a fight against these viruses. How do you do this? The answer is with use of immune boosters.

Here are natural ways that act as immune boosters and aid in keeping your body fit and healthy.

Regular physical activity – Today, most people live a sedentary lifestyle, and this way of living puts one at a higher risk of contracting infections. Exercise may sound like a very boring activity to practice every day. However, as cliche, as may sound, exercising every day is one of the most significant factors in keeping your immune system healthy. Not only does it keep your body well-trimmed, but keeps all the infectious diseases away.

Eat nutritious food – Unhealthy foods weaken the immune system in more ways than one. From not providing the needed nutrition to making the system more vulnerable to flu’s in the environment, these foods affect the body’s healthy functioning. Thus, it is essential to eat a nutritious diet that helps the body to function more efficiently and keeps it healthier in the long run. Foods such as vegetables, fruits, lentils should be consumed every day. Also, fermented foods such as kimchi and yogurt are packed with probiotics, an effective immune booster.

Sleep well – Sleep is not a want but a luxury and every individual needs to take off time for quality sleep. The tasks to be done in the day can be overwhelming and skipping hours of sleep may be an easy choice. However, lack of sleep has a direct effect on the ability of the body to withstand illnesses.
Not just the development of a disease, not getting enough sleep can lead to the reactivation of diseases from the past. The sleep is a very important natural immune booster.

Maintain hygiene – During the course of the day, we come in contact with innumerable objects. People operate their phones and do not hesitate before eating a quick snack immediately. This leads to the easy spread of bacteria and weakening of the immune system in turn. It is necessary to perform the basic task of washing one’s hand and keep the surrounding clean. You can use a sanitizer when out in public.
Follow the above natural immune boosters and experience a healthy way of living.

The 7 days gluten free diet plans specially designed by culinary experts and nutritionists are known to offer nutritionally balanced and delicious gluten-free meals at 5 different calorie levels. These 5-calorie levels include 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, and 2000 calories. The gluten free recipes do not include food products like barley, wheat, oats, and rye. In the meal plan are included some gluten-free products like cookies, pasta, and breads.

Gluten Free-Diet Plan
The 7 days gluten free diet plans for different calorie levels vary. For example, for the 1200-calorie level, the 7-Day Gluten Free Meal Plan that must be followed is as follows:
You can have a quick breakfast such as taco, 1 medium orange, 1 cup skimmed milk on the first day, and 1 cup of honeydew melon can be eaten as the morning snack. For lunch you should eat a tossed salad (mix 1 cup with oil salad dressing and vinegar), sliced tomatoes, 1 cup skim milk, and 3 ounces cooked chicken breast without skin. For afternoon snack, it is best to have fresh baby carrots.

Gluten Free Food for Dinner
The last meal of the day, dinner, is also very important and you can have bistro beef tenderloin, half cup cooked brown rice, 1 medium nectarine, and half cup steamed green beans. All these food items are healthy gluten-free products that are scientifically proven as healthy foods. Including gluten-free foods in your diet is an excellent way to achieve the goal of weight loss. You can kick start your healthy regime with scientifically and nutritionally balanced breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some of the snack time and breakfast time gluten-free foods that can be relished include gluten-free lemon buddies, homemade original chex cereal, and gluten-free chili chocolate bars.

Meal Planning
It is difficult and challenging at times to plan a meal, especially when you need to follow a diet that is free from gluten. You can try out the 7 days gluten-free meal plans with simple gluten-free recipes available online. Starting with Sunday, the items that can be included for breakfast are yogurt parfait to go, flax and apple raisin oatmeal, creamy green smoothie with a hint of mint, sweet potato pancakes, egg and spinach bowls, gluten-free blueberry pancakes, and pomegranate banana ginger blast.

Delicious Gluten Free meals
These delicious and comprehensive meal plans designed for 7 days of a week are mouth-watering and very healthy to eat. Many different types of food items can be prepared with gluten-free ingredients and the recipes of gluten free meals are available online and even in recipe books. The gluten free diet is very useful and is included in the diet for treating celiac disease. You can enjoy these delicious meals that are free of gluten in restaurants also, if they have a gluten free menu. You can make use of the 7 days gluten free diet plans even for children with gluten intolerance, to help them fight celiac disease. The items that can be included for children are gluten free mini cherry crisps and gluten free honey nut vanilla parfait.

Low A1C levels are crucial for our wellbeing. This is because it lowers the risk of eye diseases, kidney problems, nervous and cardiovascular diseases. A blood test will provide you the current A1C level, and if it is on the higher end of the spectrum, it is essential to adopt remedial measures. Now that you are acquainted with the reasons as to why you should have lower A1C levels, let us see the ways in which you can do it.

Make a plan to lower a1c levels
First of all, you need a plan according to which you will be performing your day to day activities with the aim of lowering your A1C levels in a certain span of time. Your plan may include goals like losing weight, eating healthy and reducing all kinds of stress. A holistic approach is important in this regard.

Eat more vegetables: Vegetables are the solution to most problems. Consume green leafy vegetables which have low carbohydrate content like asparagus, tomatoes, broccoli, and spinach and so on. You can make a chart or print it out to keep track of what to eat and what not to eat.

Eat lots of fruits: Consume fruits that help lower your LDL cholesterol levels and promote the health of your cardiovascular system. Blueberries and cranberries are very effective in lowering A1C levels.

Take insulin: If you have Type 1 diabetes, then nothing can be better than administering insulin. It can be administered by taking injections on a daily basis. Although the type of treatment you need differs from person to person, but many people agree that insulin intake has led to a lot of improvement in them. But one aspect that you need to be careful about is to always take your meals on time and never fail to take the insulin. Also, it has to be carried out as per your doctor’s advice.

Exercise daily: Exercise can be your best friend in your journey to lower A1C levels. Doing regular exercise will help you in a lot of ways like lowering your blood sugar level, promoting your heart health, losing weight, and much higher energy levels. Aerobic exercise includes using a lot of energy. They are the ones which help in reducing your blood sugar rapidly. But you may try and choose the regime that suits you best.

Consume low fat and lean protein food: It is known by all that consuming food that is rich in fat can raise your blood sugar levels rapidly. Always prefer grilled or baked foods. You can consume fish as they are rich in omega-3-fatty acids, like salmon, tuna, herring and sardines among many others. This is because omega-3-fatty acids lower the level of triglycerides.

Go for regular check-ups: No matter how many measures you undertake, don’t ever miss your check-ups with your doctor because he is qualified to tell you how much you have progressed. He would also prescribe medication which will help you lower A1C levels as required.

Multiple factors could cause swollen ankles and feet. In most cases, it is neither a permanent problem nor an issue that has long-term implications for your health. However, swollen ankles and feet are bothersome and uncomfortable for many people. One needs to take some measures to reduce it. As the pain and swelling go down, people can return to their day-to-day activities. Let’s have a look at some causes of swollen ankles and feet.

Edema
One of the more common causes of swollen feet and ankles, in this condition, fluid gets trapped in the tissues of your body. Patients with edema experience swelling and puffiness under the skin of their legs, feet, and ankles. It can also have an impact on their hands and arms. Mild edema cases will go away on its own. Here are some symptoms of edema:

• Difficulty in walking
• An increase in your abdominal size
• Shiny or stretchy skin

Pregnancy
Pregnant women often deal with swollen ankles and feet. During pregnancy, the body increases water retention and starts producing more blood and other body fluids. Pregnant women might also have to deal with swollen ankles in the evening if they are on their feet all day long. Usually, women start getting affected by swollen ankles after the 5th month of their pregnancy.

Alcohol
Consuming excessive alcohol is one of the major causes of swollen ankles and feet. When one drinks an excess amount of alcohol, their body starts to retain water which causes swollen ankles and feet. However, this issue goes away within a few days. If it does not, then individuals should go to a doctor as soon as possible.

Hot weather
If you stay at a place where the weather is generally hot, then you can experience trouble with swollen ankles quite frequently. Due to the expansion of one’s veins in the heat, fluids go into the nearby tissues. People with circulatory problems are more prone to this condition.

Injury
Injuries to your foot such as sprains, strains, or even broken bones can cause swollen ankles and feet. When you injure your foot, blood rushes to the affected area and causes swelling. Through RICE (Resting, Icing, Compression, and Elevation) treatment, one can avoid this situation easily.

These are the top five reasons for swollen ankles and feet. Generally, this problem goes away within a few days. In case it does not, consider getting medical advice.

Biology wonderfully undertakes the natural aspects of life, and stunningly collaborates itself with a human’s infinite curiosity. Over the centuries biology has given us reasons and resolutions to tackle the threatening biological adversities, and it wonderfully continues to do so.

It is impossible to judge which is the greatest contribution in the biology domain, but here are some of the most ultimate biological inventions and discoveries of all time.

The theory of Evolution by natural selection
Darwin’s theory of Evolution advocates the notion that all forms of life has descended from a single ancestor. It focuses on the theory that all the complex forms of organism have naturally evolved from the basic predecessor. Although Darwin wasn’t the first person to study the process of evolution, he was able to gain widespread support because of his coherent demonstrations. The concept of natural selection in evolution basically explains how there is a competition for limited resources in common species. This struggle for surviving is gradually passed on to their descendants, along with certain practical endurance skills. This process of natural selection is also known as survival of the fittest. This theory beautifully projects how and why humans are on the top of the universal food chain.

DNA
DNA, completely turned around the way we look at life. Its discovery was a wake-up call for all the generations. DNA made us understand that the life we are living was never contained, but was rather an unending chain of possibilities. Since, its discovery it has not only affected the medical sciences but has reinvented our approach towards almost all walks of life. Not just in healthcare sector, DNA opened up avenues in agriculture, animal husbandry, forensics and even transformed the social strata of biological relations.

Polio vaccine
Invented by virologist Jonas Sulk, the polio vaccine is of the most crucial inventions of all time. Polio was considered to be the most terrifying health threat post World War 2. Salk undertook a research project affiliated and sponsored by the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, after polio claimed thousands of lives and left countless disabled. Not only he developed an effective vaccine consisting of a killed polio virus, but also devised a meticulous plan to combat the outbreak. His trial arrangement had thousands of physicians, health officers and volunteers. Subsequently after the breakthrough of the injected polio vaccine (IPV), Dr. Albert Sabin came up with an alternative oral polio vaccine (OPV) that used the weakened strain of the virus in 1962.

Birth control pills
Gregory Pincus’s birth control pills have revolutionized the biological and social aspects of a human life. After meeting Margaret Sanger, Goodwin was deeply inspired to research on contraception. Along with the co-inventor, Min Chueh Chang, he began developing an oral pill combining estrogen and progestin. Their trials conducted in Puerto Rico were successful, and were later approved legally to be circulated amongst the public. This gradually led to the modern birth control movement advocating planned parenthood, population control and women’s rights.

Cataract is one of the most common eyesight-related problems that people suffer from. In fact, over 20 million people above the age of 40 have a cataract in one or both eyes. The best way to manage a case of cataract is to get a corrective surgery done at the right time. An early detection of the condition can help in preventing any permanent damage to your eyesight. Read on to know more about the five signs and symptoms that are linked to cataract:

Clouded vision
One of the most easily identifiable symptoms of cataract is a clouded or blurry vision. You will notice that a foggy layer is gradually developing on your lens and it is blurring your vision. It starts out small, and the blurry effect might worsen over a period. If left untreated, there is a possibility of completely losing vision.

Night vision problems
As the cataract advances, you will notice that the lenses start to appear yellow or brown. With passing time, your night vision might get affected, and you will have a problem carrying out simple activities like driving and crossing the road at night.

Light sensitivity
Many people who develop a cataract complain about irritation when their eyes are exposed to bright light. People who suffer from posterior subcapsular cataracts, wherein the cataract develops from the back of the lenses, are more prone to experiencing pain due to light sensitivity than patients who suffer from other types of cataract.

Rapid change in eyesight
If you see yourself getting a new pair of glasses with a higher number every few months, then this might be a warning for a bigger problem like a cataract.
So, in such cases, instead of getting a new pair of glasses, getting a thorough eye checkup done for cataract is the best solution.

Seeing halos
If your cataract has reached an advanced stage, then along with sensitivity to light, you might also start seeing a halo around bright light sources. It happens due to clouded vision, causing diffraction of the light that enters your eyes.
The worst thing about this symptom is that it makes driving at night almost impossible owing to streetlights everywhere and vehicle headlights.

If you experience any of these early signs and symptoms of cataract, you should see a doctor immediately and get your eyes examined.