Homemade Pregnancy Test with Vinegar

Women who love to cook can absolutely recognize vinegar. The pungent smell and unique taste is difficult to forget. And you simply can’t cook Chinese food without it. But, did you know that you can use this kitchen ingredient to make a homemade pregnancy test with vinegar? We bet you didn’t.

A lot of women have tried a pregnancy test with vinegar in times of emergency and some of them believe that this pregnancy test works as well as the strip pregnancy tests that are available in drugstores. Imagine you realise the need of doing a pregnancy test on a day when the markets and drugstores are closed and you can’t afford to wait for another day. That’s when a homemade vinegar pregnancy test will come in handy. Plus, this pregnancy test is harmless and easy to do.

You wouldn’t need to make a trip to the chemist or to your gynaecologist to test if you are pregnant. Just open your kitchen shelf, take out the vinegar and you are ready to do the homemade pregnancy test. Here we teach you the distinctive method of how to do a pregnancy test with vinegar at the ease of your home.

Ingredients - In order to test your pregnancy with vinegar, all you need is a cup, your urine sample, and some vinegar.

Method - Take some vinegar in the cup and mix it with the urine. Wait for the mixture to change its colour.
When you mix, it may cause bubbles, but that’s okay and not harmful for your health like when you mix the urine with bleach. It is safe; you don’t have to worry.

Result - If the solution changes colour, it is a sign of positive pregnancy. But if the liquid’s colour remains unchanged, it indicates that you are not pregnant.

Shortcomings - There is a disadvantage to this vinegar pregnancy test; you can’t really know the exact amount of vinegar and urine to be mixed in one solution which leaves you apprehensive about whether you followed the correct steps for the procedure or not. Plus, the colour of the vinegar pregnancy test solution can be too light to be noticed. Another disadvantage of a homemade pregnancy test with vinegar is that you cannot determine how much time you need to wait for the results to show.

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We know that’s a lot of minus points for a homemade pregnancy test with vinegar, but the trick seems to be working and giving correct results for some women.  And anyways, at a time when other options aren’t available, there is no harm in trying to test your pregnancy with the help of vinegar because it is readily available and easily done.

Now that you have learnt how to make a homemade pregnancy test with vinegar, you can put it to use the next time you notice signs and symptoms of pregnancy like tender breasts, missed periods, nausea and aches. But, we recommend that you refer to a doctor or get a urine test done clinically to be certain of pregnancy regardless of the results of homemade pregnancy tests

6 Pain-Killing Foods to Replace Pain Medication

Back pain is possibly one of the worst types of pain you can experience. It affects how you use the rest of your body, makes it difficult to get the physical movement and activity you need, and can often lead to pain in your legs or other extremities.

However, there are quite a few side effects associated with using pharmaceutical pain relief methods. Instead, learn more about using natural foods that fight pain.

WHY FOOD IS SUPERIOR TO PHARMACEUTICAL TREATMENTS

If you are used to using pharmaceutical treatments for your back pain, you have likely seen what kind of side effects they can have. Over-the-counter treatments can cause nausea and other digestive problems.

Prescription pain medications are even worse. Not only can they cause digestive issues, you may become dependent on them and they can often lead to drowsiness or fatigue.

On the flip side, consider that food does not have side effects. Rather, consuming food for pain relief involves using natural vitamins and minerals in food to treat your pain.

FOODS YOU SHOULD EAT FOR NATURAL PAIN RELIEF

There are many different foods that can give you the benefits of pain relief without the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Next time you feel a backache coming on, reach for one of these foods instead of the pill bottle.

TART CHERRIES

Tart cherries are an excellent food for back pain relief. They are especially beneficial if your back hurts because of exercise or heavy lifting. To get the benefits of tart cherries, you can either eat them as they are or drink a glass of cherry juice. Make sure you stick to tart cherries, not the sweet varieties.

COFFEE

If you have a backache that’s killing you, pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and relax. Research has shown that a cup of coffee works as well as conventional pain medications. You just need one cup to benefit from the caffeine found in coffee.

EVENING PRIMROSE

Back pain can come from lots of different sources. If you get back pain because of menstrual cramps, evening primrose should be in your medicine cabinet. The oil found in this flower can offset cramps and back pain.

SALMON

Omega-3s are an important part of an effective back pain relief routine. However, it is much better to get your nutrients from food than from supplements. Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Next time your back pain starts flaring up, prepare yourself a serving of salmon.

ORANGES

Thanks to the high vitamin C levels of oranges, they are a natural choice for people dealing with back pain. Eating oranges can reduce inflammation that often causes back pain.

FOODS TO AVOID

Just as in some foods can improve back pain, some can worsen it. If you are prone to back pain, avoid carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, trans fats and fried foods, and food additives.

In general, sticking to fresh, whole foods can significantly improve your back pain. Processed, sweet, and carb-loaded foods can make it much worse.

7 Stretches in 7 Minutes To Eliminate Back Pain

For most people, back pain is simply part of life. Whether it happens at the end of a long day of work, after exercising, or after playing with your kids, you may have accepted back pain as part of the aging process.

However, you do not have to suffer through this debilitating condition. In just seven minutes, you can do seven stretches that completely relieve back pain and help you feel as good as new.

1. Knee to Chest Stretch
Lay on your back and stretch your legs out completely. Bend your right knee and place your hands on your calf. Gently pull your knee into your chest and hold for 30 seconds. Gently lower your right leg back to the floor. Repeat on the left side, holding the stretch for 30 seconds.

2. Hip Flexor Lunge
Surprisingly, back pain is often caused by tight hips. This lunge stretches out your hip flexors.

Step your right foot forward and lower your left knee to the floor in a lunge position. Make sure your left leg is pulled fairly far back. Hold for 30 seconds and return to a standing position. Repeat on the other side, holding for 30 seconds.

3. Figure Four Stretch
Return to a prone position on your back. Bend your right knee, keeping your right foot flat on the ground. Bring your left knee up to your chest and drape your ankle across the knee, letting your left knee fall out to the side. Hold for 30 seconds, switch sides, and hold for 30 seconds.

4. Hamstring Stretch

While still on your back, bend your right knee and press your right foot into the floor. Place your hands on the back of your leg, gripping just above your knee. Lift your left leg as high as you can. Hold for 30 seconds. Put your left leg down and repeat on the opposite side.

5. Supine Twist
This twist should feel fantastic on your back, particularly if you have intense lower back pain. Lay on your back with both of your knees bent and both of your knees on the floor. Cross the right leg over the left leg and drop both legs to the left side. Turn and look out to the right. Bring your legs back to neutral and repeat on the other side.

6. Forward Bend
If you carry extra tension in your back, this stretch may help you get rid of it. Place a chair that reaches your hip height in front of you. Place your hands on it and back up slightly. Bend over slowly, letting your head drop between your arms and allowing your back to angle down. Hold for one full minute.

7. Quad Stretch
Your quads can shift tension to your back if they are not properly stretched. Lay on the ground on your right side. Bend your knee, keeping your knees touching. Reach back with your left hand and grab your left ankle, pulling up slightly to stretch your quad. Switch sides after 30 seconds and repeat.

Top benefits of cardamom / elachi for health

Cardamom is a popular spice used in traditional Indian sweets and dishes. It adds a sweet taste and unique flavour to most dishes. It is also known as a wonderful variety of mouth fresheners.  It provides not the flavour and aroma to the dishes, but is there are loads of advantage with regards to human health. It is famous as elaichi in the nation India.

Cardamom health benefits

Eliminates free radicals

The vitamins, essential oils and phytonutrients present in the cardamon works like antioxidants and flushes out the free radicals in the body, which are the main causers of the aging.

Helps for the good digestion

It is more used for its quality of fast food digestion and it also treats nausea, bloating, heartburn, acidity, gas, loss of appetite, constipation and more.

Fiber

With the presence of fiber cardamom lowers the blood pressure.

Decreases depression

Top health benefits of cardamom

Some of the ayurvedic studies proved that drinking the tea made out of cardamom will give you relief from depression levels.

Amazing property of cardamom

The most important and good property of cardamom is diuretic property. It helps for the removal of the waste, adequate water, salt, toxins and infections by which it is promoting the health of the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract.

Prevents cough and cold

Cardamom is a pungent smell spice which can treat the cold and flu problems, it prevents and also gives us relief from those common health problems. It is also used for the treatment of bronchitis.

Prevents blood clots

Due to sticking of the blood to the artery walls, it may be formed into the blood clots, it can be prevented by the regular usage of cardamon which stops the aggregation of platelets.

Helps for the kidney care

The compounds exist in the cardamon flushes out the toxins from the kidneys and nurtures them.

Pain reliever

Cardamom consists of anti-inflammatory properties which are very useful to limit the pain and swells in the areas like throat, mouth and mucus membranes.

Mouth care

Top health benefits of cauliflower

If you are having mouth ulcers and other mouth related problems cardamom can wakes you up from there, it eliminates the bad breath and decreases the ulcers too.

Health Benefits of Cardamom

Improves digestion

It helps in reducing the swelling on the stomach lining, relieves heartburn and nausea. It also soothes the mucous membrane and gives relief from the symptoms of acidity in the stomach. Rather it helps in the entire process of digestion. Indigestion, bloating of the stomach and gas can be cured instantly by consuming the powder OD little cardamom and some coriander seeds with warm water.

Beats bad breath

Cardamom is packed with antibacterial properties besides having a strong flavour and a pleasant smell which makes it an ideal remedy for bad breath. The quality of cardamom as an n aid for digestion also makes it useful for bad breath, because indigestion is said to be the root cause of bad breath. Just chew a few cardamoms after meals or have cardamom tea daily in the morning. This tea helps in detoxifying the body and strengthening the digestive system.

Relieves acidity

The essential oils present in cardamom help to strengthen the mucosal lining of the stomach and also increase the secretion of saliva. Chewing of elaich stimulates the salivary glands which also stimulate the stomach lining to function properly. It improves digestions and imparts a cooling sensation to burning feeling caused by acidity.

Reduces symptoms of respiratory illnesses

Health benefits in sweet honey

Cardamom helps to increase circulation of blood in thelungsand thus helps in relieving the symptoms of breathing problems like cough cold and asthma. The warmth of the cardamom helps in getting rid of the phlegm and giving relief from chest congestion. The respiratory issues can be solved by inhaling steamfrom warm water to which drops of cardamom essential oil is added

Regularises the heart rate

It is also rich in minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium which in the regulation of the heart rate and in keeping the blood pressure in control. The best health benefits of elaichi can be procured by having elaichi tea daily.

Combats Anaemia

Cardamom contains copper, iron and some essential vitamins commonly known as riboflavin and niacin. It helps in the production of red blood cells and so are beneficial to fight anaemia. Weakness and other symptoms of anaemia can be overcome by drinking a glass of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric and some elicit powder every night.

Detoxifies the body

Cardamom is even a source of manganese which is important in cleansing the body by destroying free radicals.

Improves sex life

Cardamom helps in staying away from sexual dysfunctions.  These are commonly called impotency and premature ejaculation. Regular consumption of cardamom tea is found to be very beneficial.

Ways on how to manage stress during pregnancy? Stress relief tips

Pregnancy can be really stressful, particularly for the first time mothers. In this busy lifestyle when we are already stressed to balance between our professional and personal lives, pregnancy can certainly add one more reason to cause stress. However, you can actually manage this stress effectively, just by staying a bit cautious and implementing a few measures in your daily life. During pregnancy, your body goes through different hormonal changes that often causes mood swings and can even result in stress. During early pregnancy, not feeling physically fit, can also cause stress to a great extent.

Stress is not actually good for your health and hence it is not good for your baby too. You need to manage stress during pregnancy effectively in order to be able to enjoy this special time of your life instead of getting all worried and stressed about it. This article will give you some great and effective ideas for avoiding pregnancy stress.

Tips to get rid of stress at the time of pregnancy for better relief

Take the right diet

During pregnancy your diet not only regulates the health of your baby, but also your mood. If you are taking a well-balanced and nutritious diet that is rich in all the vitamins and minerals you are more likely to experience the less physical comfortlessness, which can greatly reduce the pregnancy stress. Including foods in your diet that are rich in B vitamins can help in secretion of more serotonin in the body, which works to reduce stress.

Staying away from rich and spicy foods and resorting to a dietary fiber rich diet can be effective to control any kind of digestive problems during pregnancy, eliminating one of the major causes of stress during this time. Also ensure that your diet includes a sufficient amount of liquids, because during pregnancy your body needs more liquids and if your body is dehydrated you are sure to feel uncomfortable, which can cause more stress.

Take adequate rest

You might be skipping 1-2 hours of your daily quota of sleep during the normal days just to get some more hours for completing your daily chores, but during pregnancy it is not really a good idea to skimp on your sleep. You need to take adequate rest during pregnancy to ensure that you are not over stressed. It is a time when you should say no to work even if you have time, because your body needs more rest now. It is not really suggested to spend long hours in bed during pregnancy, rather you need to stay active during this time unless prescribed otherwise, but staying active and skipping on needed rest are not the same things.

So, make it a point that you take a minimum of 7-8 hours sound sleep during every night and also try to take small breaks during the whole day just to rest. Sleep is considered as one of the most effective stress busters and if you are able to sleep properly, you are most expected to be able to fight the pregnancy stress more effectively.

Go to yoga

Yoga is considered as one of the most effective ways of relieving stress from the mind and the body. So, if you are looking for ways to avoid pregnancy stress effectively, taking up yoga can be a very good option. However, if you have not been already done yoga before the pregnancy, it is best suggested to consult with your doctor first and also to inform your yoga teacher about your medical conditions before you start with the practices.

Do some light exercises

Exercising is also effective to reduce stress, but during pregnancy heavy exercise is surely not suitable for you. So, you need to opt for light stretching and other exercises that can be effective to relieve stress, but will not cause stress on the body. You need to talk to your doctor and your trainer before you pick the right exercises and the frequency of exercises that will suit you best during this period.

Get some alternative therapies for relaxing

There are a number of alternative therapies like massaging, acupuncture and aromatherapy that can be really relaxing for your senses. Opting for these therapies once in a week or as frequently as possible can be an effective way to avoid pregnancy stress. These therapies relax your muscles and your nerves, helping you to get back to a more comfortable physical and mental state. However, before you opt for any of these alternative therapies have a talk with your gynecologist and also choose a therapist who has sufficient experience in treating pregnant patients.

Take short weekend breaks

Sleeping and taking rest are surely the most preferred ways of relaxing, but going out to a serene place close to the nature can also be highly soothing for many. So, if you are someone who loves the nature, make it a point to go out on short weekend breaks to some nearby suburbs that will not take much time to reach. Being close to the nature can be very helpful to reduce stress and feel rejuvenated because nature has its own healing abilities. However, always ensure that you should not plan anything hectic that can stress you out instead of relaxing.

Talk about it

During pregnancy, talking about it can be an effective way to avoid stress. You can talk about it with your friends or with anyone who is close to you, and can actually lend you an ear to listen. Nowadays, there are also a number of pregnancy apps that will enable you to connect with other pregnant women, giving you an easy way to communicate and share your thoughts and worries with other women at your stage. So, start talking about it and you are sure to feel better.

Have fun and be happy

Staying happy during pregnancy can actually help you to stay away from any stress. The way of having fun can differ from person to person, so you need to do the things that actually make you happy. For some watching a cartoon movie sitting with family can be a real fun, while for some going out for shopping can be the best way to enjoy and to have fun. So, do everything that is fun for you and can keep you happy. However, always ensure that you should plan your ways of having fun according to your physical condition so that it does not cause stress in any way.

Talk about your worries with your doctor

For first time mothers being worried about how labor will be and how the things will go can be a point of stress and the best way to control this stress is to talk with your doctor about all your worries. Once you are informed about how the things are going to be during labor, you are most expected to feel more relieved which will erase the cause of stress.

Meditation

Meditation is the great and effective method to be relaxed. So, meditate for at least half an hour. Ensuring you get half an hour of undisturbed time can be quite a challenge. It happens mostly when you have other children to care for, but perhaps you take the chance when they go down for an afternoon nap or when they slept at night. Play soothing music softly if it relaxes you, by settling into a comfortable position. Start focusing on your breathing, take a deep breath slowly and make a conscious effort to release tensions and worries with each exhalation. If once you settled then you can use any number of meditation techniques. You just imagine yourself in a beautiful, relaxing place, slowly develop a mental picture of your perfect restful location, focus on your baby, sending it extra oxygen with each breath and thinking positively about meeting your baby and your future life together. So, you might learn meditation techniques in a pregnancy yoga class or any books, surfing the Internet may help you.

Laughter is the best stress reduction tip

Laughter is the great way to reduce stress during pregnancy. It helps to release chemicals in the brain that will improve your mood and help us feel better. So, take time during your pregnancy to rent some comedies. You have to spend a quiet evening or afternoon by watching movies that make you laugh. So, look for the amusing things that can naturally happen around you. Laughter makes you feel happier and more relaxed.

Best relaxation tip for visitors

Every day you should be responsible to become overwhelming and stressful. It helps to reduce stress during pregnancy and have people visit you. So, invite your friends or family that you can enjoy being with them to your home. Friends help with chores or talk to you while you do things around the house. Visitors will help to provide you with support, chatting, laughter, and socializing. Family and friends are the best wonderful support network while you are pregnant and better even after the baby is born.

The Grossest Things That Come Out of Your Nose

The rainbow of colors that you blow into a tissue can be an important health indicator. A cold? Allergies? Or could all of that mucus flying from your nostrils be a sign of something more serious?

Not every runny nose is a bad sign. Besides being a gross annoyance when you’re sick, your mucus also plays an important part in keeping you healthy. “Mucus captures dust and dirt in the air so it doesn’t go into your lungs,” says Erin K. O’Brien, M.D., rhinologist at the Mayo Clinic Rochester. Another fun fact: Your body produces an average of 2 cups of mucus a day in order to keep you healthy.

When you’re feeling run down and it’s like a leaking faucet from your nose, you don’t have to be a snot sleuth to figure out the cause of your sinus issues. “A number of factors go into diagnosis: color of the mucus, texture, and duration,” says O’Brien. Find out what your nose goo says about your health and how you should treat it.

Yellow/green—Congratulations, you have an infection! The green hue is caused by an enzyme produced by your white blood cells that are fighting off the infection. However, it takes more detail to determine if it’s viral or bacterial. “Most acute sinus infections associated with a cold or upper respiratory infection are caused by viruses,” says O’Brien. Viral infections typically last 5 to 7 days and then start to improve.  Antibiotics won’t help a viral infection, so you can’t pop a pill to get better. However, you can ease the discomfort with nasal rinses. Using a Neti Pot or sinus rinsing bottle, mix ¼ teaspoon of sea salt (or other non-iodized salt) with 1 cup of warm distilled water—this will flush out your sinuses and maintain moisture.

If the thick mucus and nasal obstruction persists beyond a week, or initially improves and then starts to get worse, it may indicate that the viral infection has progressed to a bacterial infection, says O’Brien. Antibiotics may be helpful in shortening the duration of a bacterial sinus infection, but if your symptoms do not improve after 10 days it’s time to see a doctor for further treatment and diagnosis. It could be a sign of acute or chronic sinusitis, untreated allergies, or an infection not related to your sinuses.

Clear—If you have a runny nose with clear mucus, this is most likely caused by allergies. Allergies trigger your mucus membranes to produce histamines, which cause your cells to make more phlegm. Taking an anti-histamine will help stop excess fluid production. Saline sinus rinses are also helpful, as they flush out the allergens from your nasal passages and prevent over-drying.

Red (blood)—Finding blood in your boogers is most likely caused by dry air. “Like chapped lips, the thin tissue in your nose cracks,” says O’Brien. So you need to amp up your sources of moisture. Use a saline nasal spray, and try using a humidifier in your bedroom. And your bloody nose is no cause for worry—most likely your nasal passages are too dry. You’ll notice more frequent bleeds in the winter.

Yellow/grey—Thick, rubber cement-like mucus that has this appearance may indicate you have nasal polyps, says O’Brien. The polyps are small pearl-shaped growths most likely caused by damaged mucus membranes. Symptoms include numbness in one nostril, blockage, and loss of smell or taste. Polyps usually form from long-term swelling and irritation of nasal tissue due to allergies or asthma, and about 4 percent of people get nasal polyps, according to the Journal of Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management. Polyps are treated with steroids—usually in a spray—or sometimes surgery is required.

Grey—If you are blowing grey chunks of debris from one side of your nose and have bad tasting nasal drainage, you could have a fungal sinus infection. These are different from viral or bacterial infections because the fungi feeds on your nasal tissue—and reproduces. Fungal sinus infections may occur due to a previous nasal injury or long-term nasal inflammation, as well as a weakened immune system. Growths called “fungus balls” develop in the cheek sinus as clumps of fungal spores. The fungus balls must be removed by surgery.

Bonus: Your snot smells. “If there is very foul smelling mucus from one side and pain or fullness in the cheek sinus, this could the sign of a dental infection that has spread to the cheek sinus,” says O’Brien.  While antibiotics may be helpful, the tooth most likely needs to be addressed with a root canal or extraction.  A CT scan or dental X-ray could evaluate the tooth, says O’Brien, who sees this condition every few weeks.

Benefits of Vitamins & Minerals Iron

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables helps to add minerals and vitamins to your diet.

Your body requires essential minerals and vitamins for every process and function. These nutrients work in symphony to grow, heal, repair and maintain your body's cells, organs, systems and skeleton. Vitamins and minerals are needed in varying amounts and some form key parts of structures such as red blood cells and bones. Deficiencies of minerals and vitamins can lead to fatigue, illness and disease. A balanced daily diet generally provides the essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy; a doctor can determine if you require vitamin or mineral supplements to enhance your regular nutrition.

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Metabolism

Metabolism burns ingested and stored food nutrients to produce energy that your body can use, through a number of complex processes. Vitamins and minerals play a key role in digestion and metabolism. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that vitamin B2 or riboflavin is essential to form a coenzyme, which combines oxygen to cellular mechanisms that produce energy. All the B vitamins, including vitamins B6 and B12, are important for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Minerals such as magnesium are also important in energy metabolism. Foods high in B vitamins and magnesium include spinach, broccoli, beans, oats, fish, poultry and eggs.

Heart Health

Essential vitamins from your daily nutrition are also needed to prevent heart disease. Nutrients such as vitamins A, C, and E as well as beta carotene have antioxidant properties that help reduce inflammation, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. A diet high in fruits and vegetables is rich in these vitamins and other nutrients. The University of Maryland Medical Center also notes that vitamin B3 or niacin is used for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels to improve cardiovascular health. However, high doses of this vitamin are needed and should only be taken under the supervision of your doctor.

Bone Health

Minerals and vitamins are vital for maintaining bone health and preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis or brittle and weakened bones. The hard matrix of bones is composed of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Research published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" notes that vitamin D is needed to help your body absorb calcium from food and supplementing these two nutrients may help prevent bone loss and reduce the risk of fractures. Vitamin K also plays a role in bone health to support the role of vitamin D and calcium.

Fertility

Reproductive health and fertility depend on the function of a number of organs, structures and hormones, as well as cell production. Minerals and vitamins are needed to help grow, repair and maintain these intricate systems and processes in both men and women. The mineral zinc is important for fertility health in men and improves sperm count and mobility. Zinc-rich foods include red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, pumpkin seeds and oysters. MayoClinic.com lists a number of vitamins and minerals that are also needed for reproductive health including vitamin C, E and B12, beta carotene, folic acid and selenium.

Homemade Pregnancy Test with Sugar

A lot of women try homemade pregnancy tests because of their lack of access to proper clinics or medical stores from where they can get a pregnancy test kit. For these women, the best form of homemade pregnancy test that comes in handy is DIY test. DIY home pregnancy test with sugar are not harmful, but then if they are not used as they should be, homemade pregnancy test can be ineffective. It is imperative for one to be cautious before picking the type of homemade pregnancy test to use.

Things to Keep in Mind While Performing Homemade Pregnancy Test

Even if the results of the home pregnancy test with sugar show that you are not pregnant, you must visit the doctor to be sure that you really are not pregnant. This is because the pregnancy tests done at home can be inaccurate and will therefore, make you miss on the very important prenatal care that you need during pregnancy. The ingredients that you pick for your home pregnancy test must be chosen wisely because some of these products can do more harm than benefit. One such ingredient that is most commonly used in home pregnancy tests is bleach, which while being used, must not be inhaled.

Basics of Home Pregnancy Tests

Any homemade pregnancy test is done to check for the presence of the pregnancy hormone, hCG, in the urine. The amount of hCG that is present in a woman’s urine determines whether she is pregnant or not.  A woman releases this hormone the most when she is pregnant.

The Best Time to Take Home Pregnancy Test with Sugar

The best time to take a home pregnancy test with sugar is in the morning, immediately after one has got up from sleep. The first morning urine is usually not diluted and is the best to tell if one is pregnant or not.

How to Do Homemade Pregnancy Test With Sugar?

To perform home pregnancy test with sugar, take a bowl and add two to three spoons of sugar into it. When you have an urge to urinate, pee into the bowl. Watch out for the reaction. If the sugar dissolves, you are not pregnant, but if it clumps up, you certaintly are. Try to use this method in the morning to get the most accurate results.

23 Amazing Benefits Of Mangoes For Skin, Hair And Health

Summers are here and soon we will start seeing mangoes in the market, hmm fresh and juicy. Mangoes are loved by almost one and all, especially when they are sweet. I am sure your mouth is watering right -now as you read these lines. Apart from being tasty, do you know that Mango also offers a number of health benefits?





But before we look at mango health benefits, one thing you must keep in mind is that, we are definitely not talking about ready made mango drinks here, we are talking about fresh mango fruits.
Mango Benefits for Skin:
Besides being extremely pleasing to your taste buds, mango is amazing for your skin as it is a great source of antioxidants, particularly vitamin C, which keep your skin healthy and glowing. It is often used in various face masks and scrubs. Its various skin benefits are as follows:
1. Mangoes for Glowing Skin:
Mangoes are great for your skin as they have the ability to reduce dark spots, blemishes and acne, thus imparting a natural glow to your skin. Vitamin A and Beta carotene in this fruit restore, rejuvenate and revive your skin with vigor as well as add shine to your skin.
2. Treatment of Blackheads:
This might appear a bit surprising but mangoes can be used to remove blackheads. For this purpose,prepare a scrub by mixing a teaspoon of mango pulp, half a teaspoon of milk or milk powder and honey. Rub it all over your face in circular motion. This will help in removing dead skin and blackheads, thus adding a glow to your face.
3. Anti-ageing Benefits:
The antioxidants present in this fruit delay the onset of skin ageing and pigmentation. They also protect your skin against the harmful free radicals which can cause skin cancer. Vitamin C helps incuring pimples and acne. When applied directly, it smoothens out your skin and acts as a natural moisturizer.
4. Improves Complexion:
Mangoes are packed with vitamin A which is a vital nutrient for maintaining a healthy skin and complexion as well as the integrity of mucous membranes. Mango skin is a great de-tanning agent. You can rub your face and hands with the skin of a ripe or raw mango and apply some milk cream on it. Wash off with cold water after 10 to 15 minutes. Doing this at least twice or thrice a week will reduce tanning drastically. Regular consumption of mangoes provides you with a fair and smooth skin.
5. Treatment of Dark Spots:
Mango skin is also beneficial in reducing dark spots. For this purpose, you can make a powder from the sun dried mango skin and mix it with a teaspoon of yogurt. Using this as face pack will reduce dark spots, blemishes and add a golden glow to your complexion.
6. Treatment of Acne:
Raw mango juice is an excellent astringent that can remove acne. You can boil a slice of a baby mango or raw mango in water and use this water on your face as an acne remover.
7. Great Cleanser:
To cleanse your skin, take a teaspoon of wheat flour and add mango pulp to it. This acts as a perfect cleanser by reaching your pores and cleaning them from deep within.
8. Home-made Face Wash:
You can prepare a home-made face wash by mixing one teaspoon each of mango pulp and powdered almond. Add a tablespoon of milk to this mix and grind it into a paste. This face wash can be applied on all skin types and washed after 20 minutes.
9. Exfoliates your Skin:
You can prepare an exfoliating mask by blending ¼ of a peeled mango, 2 spoons of whole milk, powdered almonds and crushed oats in a blender. Apply this on your face and neck for 20 minutes and rinse in lukewarm water.
10. Good for Sensitive Skin:
If you have sensitive skin, you can make a face pack by mixing mango pulp, oatmeal, milk and honey.Wash your face with cold water. Pat dry and apply this paste on your skin. Wash off with cold water after 15 minutes.
MANGO BENEFITS FOR HAIR:
Mangoes are rich in vitamins and minerals that nourish your hair and promote hair growth. Mango for hair is beneficial in the following ways:
11. Great Conditioner:
Mango can be used in preparing a home-made conditioner. For this purpose, mix mango pulp with a spoonful of yogurt and two egg yellows. Apply this on your hair and leave for 30 minutes. This will condition your hair by making them soft and manageable.


12. Treatment of Dandruff:
Mango contains vitamin A which helps in fighting dandruff and adding shine to your hair. It is often used as an ingredient in hair moisturizers. Mangoes contain vitamin E which improves scalp circulation and encourages hair growth.
13. Treatment of Hair Loss and Grey Hair:
Mango seed oil is an excellent source of fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. The seed kernel itself has great moisturizing properties. You can prepare this oil by removing the outer coat of the mango seed and adding them to a jar of coconut, sesame or mustard oil and place this jar in the sunlight for a few days. Using this concoction regularly will make your hair long, black and thick and prevent hair loss.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF MANGO:
Have a look at these 10 amazing health benefits of mangoes.
14. Fights And Prevents Cancer:
Mangoes are full of anti-oxidants which prevent breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. It also helps prevent leukemia.
15. Improves Eye Sight:
It contains high dosage of Vitamin A or Retinol which helps protect eye sight.
16. High amount of Fibre and Vit C:
It contains high amount of fibre and Vitamin C which helps to eliminate the Low Dencity Lipoprotein thereby bringing cholesterol levels down.
17. Maintaining the Alkaline Balance of the Body:
This is an amazing fruit which helps to maintain the alkaline balance of the human body because it contains elements like malic acid, tartaric acid and also a very good amount of citric acid.
18. Increases Metabolic Rate:
Like papayas, mangoes also help in improving digestion because it is very rich in fibres. Fibres help in good bowel movement and this inturn helps increase metabolic rate. Increased metabolic rate helps in cutting down excess stomach flab. So this is a good fruit for people on diet.
19. Boosts Immunity:
Mangoes contain 25 varieties of carotenoids and and they are enriched with a high amount of Vit C as well which helps maintain a healthy immune system.
20. Enriched with Anti-oxidants:
Mangoes are enriched with antioxidants and this helps in cell rejuvenation and cell repair.It helps detoxify skin from inside and also prevents occurrence of acne.
21. Increases Fertility:
Mangoes are rich in folate or folic acid which helps in improving fertility. It is a form of Vitamin B and folic acid deficiency that can cause miscarriage in women.
22. Trace Minerals:
Mangoes contain trace elements like copper, selenium, zinc and potassium which are essential for human well being. Absence of these trace minerals can cause a lot of health problems. So start including mangoes in your regular diet.
23. Vitamin E:
Mangoes are rich in Vitamin E, which helps increase and improve the sex drive in humans.
24. Reduces Cholesterol and Prevents Diabetes:
Mango fruit benefits also include reducing cholesterol and preventing diabetes. I know you would be surprised reading this, but it is true. Mangoes contain natural sugar, and each has nearly 31gms of sugar, but at the same time it is low on glycemic load, this means that it the blood sugar is not affected.


25. Prevents Strokes:
Mangoes are also known to prevent strokes as they control homocystiene levels in the blood, which otherwise is harmful to blood vessels that are known to cause CAD and stroke.


HOW TO SELECT AND STORE?
Selection: Mangoes are available in large amounts during the peak season and you might be tempted to buy a boxful when they are available at a reasonable price. Mangoes should be selected by their aroma and not by their color which varies from variety to variety. Their aroma should be distinct and ripe. While buying mangoes, choose the ones without dark spots, blemishes or splits. They should yield to gentle pressure. Fresh mangoes on an average measure about 4 inches in length and weigh about 9 ounces to 4 pounds each. Larger fruits have a higher fruit to seed ratio. Though unripe mangoes are generally green in color and ripe mangoes have colors ranging from yellow to orange to red, color is not always an indication of maturity. There are some varieties where ripe mangoes retain some green coloring. Avoid mangoes that have bruised or dry and shriveled skin as well as those which have no fragrant aroma as they are likely to have no flavor. Under-ripe mangoes should be avoided as they have an unpleasant chemical taste when eaten raw. A ripe mango generally has a full fruity aroma emitting from the stem end, is soft to touch and yields to gentle pressure.
Storage: Proper storage is important to ensure that the fruit stays fresh and to prevent spoilage. The storage requirements vary depending upon the variety. If the mangoes are hard and green, they should be placed in a brown paper bag for a few days to ripen. They should be stored at room temperature and away from the sun until they ripen. Mangoes generally have a shelf life of 1 to 2 weeks. Once ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator. Mangoes can also be frozen. Freezing them makes their skin black but inner flesh will stay in good condition. They can be frozen either entirely or in the form of chopped up pieces. When freezing peeled mangoes, sprinkle sugar over the chopped fruit and stir gently with wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar in the fruit’s own juices. Seal these pieces in an airtight container leaving ½ inch airspace or plastic freezer bags after squeezing all the air out. Mangoes can be refrigerated for about 2 to 5 days.


TIPS FOR USAGE (EATING/COOKING):
Eating: Being one of the most delicious fruits, mangoes are usually eaten raw. They have a delicate blend of peach, pineapple and apricot flavors, a perfect mixture of sweet and sour. Before proceeding to eat mangoes, you should check their ripeness. A mango is said to be ready to eat when you gently push your fingers onto it and they leave a slight dent on its skin. Mangoes can be eaten in various ways.
1. Cutting the Mango: You can cut the mango into halves and thirds while leaving out the large pit. For this purpose, hold the peeled fruit and make vertical and horizontal cuts to create a chequered pattern. Using a knife, pull out the mango chunks from one half while grasping the other half of the mango. Place these chunks in a bowl.
2. Cubed Mangoes: You can place the cubed mango in a bowl and eat them with a spoon. Mango cubes also make a fantastic addition to fruit salads. To prevent the mango juice from overpowering the flavour of the salad, drain the mango chunks before adding them. You can make delicious mango salads along with other fruits like papaya, apples, cantaloupe, pineapples, pears, sliced cherries and oranges. Add a pinch of cinnamon or lime juice for extra flavour.
3. Desserts: Being naturally sweet, mangoes make a great addition to desserts. They can be blended with yogurt to make a smoothie or mango cubes can be added to yogurt. This luscious fresh fruit can be blended with non-fat sour cream and lemon curd and spooned into sweet brandy-snap baskets.
Cooking: Though mangoes are mostly eaten directly, they can also form part of several dishes. Raw mangoes are widely used to make pickles and chutneys. Mango juice is often added to impart flavor to dishes. In fact, there are several cuisines all over the world that use mangoes to add spice to a main course. Given below are some of the ways in which you can make your recipes interesting by adding mangoes to them.
1. You can prepare a mango salsa using mango chunks, papaya, avocado, and adding a bit of lemon juice and some cilantro. This salsa can be added to chicken, beef or shrimps or eaten as a snack with potato or plantain chips.
2. Raw mangoes can also be grilled. For this purpose choose ripe but firm mangoes and cut them in half. Moisten them with olive oil and set them on a medium-high grill placed two or three inches from the heat source, turning them after every two minutes. Cook them until they turn brown and soft. Garnish them with ½ cup each of toasted coconut and bread crumbs. This can be served alongside any meat dish.
3. Mangoes are used as an ingredient in Caribbean rice and other foods with a Caribbean flavor.
4. Mangoes can be added to chicken salad. This salad is a combination of new potatoes, tender broiled chicken and asparagus tossed in a fresh orange dressing and then mixed with juicy mango slices and baby salad greens. It is a delicious and well balanced meal.
5. Unripe mangoes can be used to prepare mango chutney. For this purpose, grill the mango slices along with their skin for 10 minutes until the skin becomes spotty and the fruit feels soft. Place these slices in a bowl, cover and let them stand for 10 minutes. Now peel the skin of the fruit with your fingers. Make the chutney by combining it with grilled onion, one chopped tomato, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, some chilli flakes, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, a handful of chopped cilantro leaves and 1 teaspoon sweet flavored vinegar.
NUTRITIONAL FACTS OF MANGOES:
We will discuss the nutrition associated with about a sliced 165 gram piece of a mango in this post. Read below to know mango nutrition facts.
Calories: The calorie content in this proportion of mango is 107. Out of this, the calories from fat are about 4. Others include – carbohydrates (101), proteins (2.8). Overall it is a moderate source for calories.
Proteins: Mango contains about 0.8 grams of proteins which is about 2% of the daily value (DV).
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are about 28.1 grams in all which amounts to almost 9% of the DV. These include dietary fibers at about 3 grams which is close to 12% DV. The sugars comprise the rest which is close to 24.4 grams in quantity.
Fats and fatty acids: Mango contains about 0.4 grams of fatty acids which is like 1% of the DV (daily value). The fat content comes from saturated fat (0.1gm), mono saturated fat (0.2gm), poly saturated fat (0.1gm). The other fats like Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids are present In 61.1 mg and 23.1 mg amounts.
Minerals: Mango contains minerals such as Calcium (116.5 mg), iron ()0.2 mg, magnesium (14.8 mg), phosphorous(18.2 mg), potassium (257 mg), sodium (3.3 mg), and zinc, copper and selenium in other small amounts.
Vitamins: Vitamin A, C, E, K and B6 with other vitamins like thiamine, niacin Choline, and Folate are also present in this fruit.
This fruit is mildly inflammatory and hence can be eaten in good amounts. The weight loss, weight gain and health parameters related to mango are also moderate. Being low in saturated fat, it does not give a lot of fat content to the body. It is also low in cholesterol and sodium. It is considered as a good source of dietary fiber and Vitamin B6. It is also a good source of Vitamins A and C. The bad thing about the fruit is that a good proportion of the calorie count this fruit provides is received from sugars which may be a harmful thing for diabetic people. They cannot consume the fruit as normally as others.
Water is about 135 grams and ash is about 0.8 grams in this serving.