Coconut water. Image via pixabay

Coconut water comes from the fruit (coconut) of the coconut tree. Cocos nucifera is the scientific name of the coconut tree. Have you ever wondered why some people love to drink coconut water more so when they are sick? They drink it because it helps them feel refreshed and hydrated!

There are numerous health benefits that one can gain from drinking coconut water. This is so because coconut water contains many essential nutrients such as useful vitamins and minerals that are necessary for us to survive. Anyone at any age can drink it. You can drink right from the coconut or you can purchase it in bottles from supermarkets. Your first choice should be the fresh coconut water.

Coconut water contains:

natural sugars (carbohydrates): fructose and glucose
electrolytes: potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium
B vitamins
Vitamin C
Iron
Protein
and lots more

Health benefits of coconut water

Some health benefits of coconut water
Coconut water is used: 


Whenever the body is dehydrated, this water is excellent at reviving it. Why do you think this is so? Well, it's because  it contains electrolytes!

Two examples of ways that the body can become dehydrated:

Body fluids are lost due to diarrhea and can result in dehydration. Drinking coconut water during and after diarrhea will hydrate your body. This water will provide energy also because of the natural sugars found in it.

After a long workout. Sweat results from exercise and your body's electrolytes are lost this way. Drinking coconut water after a workout will replenish them.



- as an immune system booster
Coconut water contains Vitamin C which helps to boost the immune system.

- to balance the body's pH
We won't feel well if our body's pH is acidic. Our pH can get acidic because of the food and drink that we consume every day (eg. processed foods, soda, etc.). Coconut water helps us to achieve an alkaline pH because of the electrolytes found in it.

- to reduce blood pressure
Blood pressure is regulated by sodium in our bodies. The kidneys can either excrete or retain this sodium.
A decrease in potassium in our bodies will result in an increase in sodium retention by the kidneys, which will consequently lead to high blood pressure. On the other hand, an increase in potassium in our bodies will result in sodium excretion by the kidneys, which will consequently lead to a lower blood pressure.
Coconut water is high in potassium and this is why it helps lower blood pressure.


- to provide B vitamins that the body needs

- as a blood sugar regulator

- to achieve weight loss
By simply increasing the body's metabolism. An increased metabolism will make you burn more calories and thus will result in weight loss.

- to provide energy
The natural sugars found in the coconut water is used by the body for energy.
It's a healthier alternative to sports drinks.

Coconut water has many health benefits, it's delicious and low in calorie. What are you waiting for? Drink some coconut water today!

First, a bit of information about this vitamin!

What is Vitamin D and what does it actually do for me?
Vitamin D is a vitamin that our body needs. It is sometimes called a hormone. As a child growing up, I remember that adults would tell their kids that they need to drink their milk in order to have strong bones and teeth. Well, Vitamin D helps your body to absorb its calcium and phosphorus which will, in turn, give you strong bones and teeth. Apart from that, there are so many other roles that Vitamin D play in our bodies.

You can be at risk of developing cardiovascular disease if you are deficient in vitamin D, according to a study published in the Journals of AHA. However, this occurs if that deficient is moderate to severe.

Where can I get it from?
You can get it from three sources:

1. The sun - in this case, your body actually makes it
2. Your diet (foods)
3. From supplements

How can I get it without sunlight?

So minus the sun as a source and you have two other choices- your diet (foods) and from supplements. You should know that some foods contain only small amounts of Vitamin D and you will have to eat a lot of those foods to get your vitamin D requirements. Sometimes this is not possible so you should try a combination of foods.
Also, it is not possible for most people to obtain sufficient Vitamin D from foods so the next best thing is supplements.

Your diet (foods)
Some foods naturally have Vitamin D and some are fortified with it by manufacturers.





Some foods that naturally have Vitamin D are:

• egg yolk

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• oily fish (salmon, eel, tuna, mackerel, herring)

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• cod

• halibut

• fish liver oils

•  mushrooms

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• oysters

• beef liver

Foods that are fortified with Vitamin D
Look at the labels on foods to make sure that they are fortified with Vitamin D. This is necessary because, for example, not all cereals will have this vitamin because not all are fortified with Vitamin D. The same goes for other foods.

Some examples of foods that are fortified with Vitamin D are:

• milk (powdered milk and liquid milk)

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• plant milk (rice, soy, etc.)

• milk products (cheese, yogurt)

• cereals

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• tofu

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• orange juice

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• margarine

From supplements
Use supplements that contain Vitamin D.

Note:
You should check labels carefully
Too much Vitamin D can be dangerous so don't overdose.

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Do you have or know of someone who has a mental disorder? If yes to either one or both, what are the challenges do you or that person face?

When a person is said to have a mental disorder or is diagnosed with it, it means that their mind is not functioning properly. There are a lot of mental disorders, a few examples are obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder.

A sufferer of a mental disorder will have many delusions; below is an example.
A sufferer of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) may believe that something bad is going to happen to someone they love and that the only way to prevent this from happening is to open and close their front door three (3) times.
To a not mentally sick person, this may sound crazy and they might also think that that person is a wacko.

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Protein is very important to us! They are the favorite food group of some meat eaters and also, they are the food that most people look forward to eating on their plate. Are we making the right choices when it comes to protein? Are we being smart in choosing them?

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Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are twenty amino acids and not all proteins contain all twenty. Animal proteins do but plant protein doesn't, so if you're a vegan you should consume a variety of plant base foods that contain proteins in order to obtain all.

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Important points
Point #1: Our bodies don't store protein (so we can't store excess protein) so, we need to eat it every day.
Point #2: We need to eat it regularly because we cannot make our own protein.
Point #3: We all require different amounts of protein. For example, a child's protein requirement will differ from that of an adult female.


How to choose them?

• Smart choice #1: You should try to eliminate most processed meats from your diet and eat fresh meat instead. These processed meat include hot dogs, salami, etc. If you can't cut most of them out completely, at least, try to reduce the amount.

Why should I eliminate processed proteins?
Processed proteins contain lots of sodium!

• Smart choice #2: Go for lean protein. We need protein, but we don't need the extra fat! You can trim off the excess fat if you don't have lean ones.

• Smart choice #3: Eat plant-based proteins also like beans, lentils (split pea), tofu, etc. - don't always rely on animal and fish to supply your body with the required protein. When some of  us think of protein we don't think that it can come from plants also. You can also read my previous post on the benefits of dhal (a dish made from a plant-based protein).

• Smart choice #4: Reduce the amount of canned protein that you consume. Canned proteins contain preservatives and lots of sodium! Also, if for example, you choose to eat a can of tuna, you should choose one that's packed in water instead of oil.

How to use protein?
You should incorporate small amounts of protein into your meals throughout the day. This will keep you full all day, thus preventing you from overeating and it will also speed up your metabolism. This is so because proteins take more energy to digest and it also takes longer.