Vaginal Discharge: Everything You Need To Know

 Hello guys and welcome back. Today we are going to ask ourselves, when should we be worried about vaginal discharge? What are the myths and the truths concerning vaginal discharge? Today’s topic is vaginal discharge and everything you need to know about it.  Vaginal discharge is completely natural and it keeps the vagina clean and infection free.  The color, amount and texture can differ depending on your age or your menstrual cycle. However, some changes can be a sign of an underlying health condition. There are several types of vaginal discharge depending on color and consistency.

1.      : White colored discharge. This is common at the beginning or end of your menstrual cycle.  It is usually thick and sticky with no strong odor.

2.      : Clear and watery vaginal discharge. This is usually clear and watery when you're sexually aroused or pregnant.

3.      :  Clear and stretchy discharge. This discharge indicates that you're ovulating.

4.      : Brown or bloody.  This can occur during or right after your menstrual cycle.

5.      :  Yellow or green.  Yellow discharge may not indicate a health condition as it can turn to this color when exposed to air. However, darker yellow or green discharge especially when it's thick or accompanied by an unpleasant smell is assigned to seek medical care. Here are the causes of vaginal discharge.  The change in smell, color or texture of vaginal discharge can be caused by changes to the vagina's bacterial balance. When the number of harmful bacteria increases, vaginal infections are more likely to occur.

Ø Vaginosis. This causes increased vaginal discharge that has a strong and sometimes fishy odor.  The discharge may look thin, gray and watery.  This infection can put you at a risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection.

Ø Trichomoniasis.  Trichomoniasis is caused by a parasite and is usually spread through sexual contact.  It can also be gotten by sharing bath suits or towels.  Most affected people have no symptoms and if they do they'll notice a green or yellow discharge with an unpleasant odor.  Common signs are pain, itching, inflammation, around the vagina when having sex or when urinating.

Ø Yeast infection. This causes a thick white discharge similar to cottage cheese and it is usually odorless. Other symptoms are itching, burning or irritation around the vagina. Gonorrhea or chlamydia. These STIs produce an abdominal discharge due to infecting the cervix. Other symptoms are stomach pain while urinating, bleeding after penetrative sex and many more.

One should  see a doctor if you are worried about your vaginal discharge and also if you notice changes in smell, color and amount then you should talk to a clinician other symptoms to watch out for are pain when urinating, fever, irritation around the vagina, pain in the abdomen, unexplained weight loss or even fatigue.  When you get to a healthcare appointment a physical exam including a pelvic exam will be performed.  Your doctor will also ask several questions about your menstrual cycle, your symptoms and general lifestyle.  If your doctor can't diagnose the problem immediately then they may swab your vagina to get a sample of the discharge, examine it and send it to a laboratory for testing.  Once the cause of the discharge is known, you'll be given treatment options.

 It’s not possible to prevent vaginal discharge because it is natural. However, steps can be taken to reduce the chances of infection. Use water to gently wash your vagina and avoid scented products in douches. Drying thoroughly and wearing breathable cotton underwear can also help. It is good to note that vagina is self-clean so there is absolutely no need of douching or using scented products. I hope that you have learnt something today and as always, let’s keep engaging. Thank you and see you next time.

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THIS HAPPENS IF YOU EAT 1 BANANA A DAY - Who Can Eat Bananas - Health Benefits and Contra-indication

 

Hello everyone and welcome back and in this segment we will look at bananas! Who doesn’t love bananas? I bet no one. Do we know the health benefits of bananas? That is what we will at in this segment. Let us get into it...

Bananas are one of the most popular fruits on the planet. Although they might be very popular to eat few people know that the banana plant is actually classified as a herb.

What’s even strange is how the banana itself is radioactive in a strange way.

Let us look at five of the most impressive health benefits of consuming bananas and when you should stay away from them to stay healthy naturally and effectively.

A banana is a fruit one of the most popular in existence but on top of that extremely healthy and delicious. Bananas contain several essential nutrients and provide many benefits for digestion, for example heart health and even weight loss but there are also times when banana consumption is not such a good idea and that's what we need to learn about.

Bananas are high in potassium. Everybody knows that bananas are rich in potassium content. People suffering from kidney diseases should try to avoid bananas due to it’s high content of potassium. Kidneys are the ones in charge of filtering out every single mineral we are consuming. This means that if your kidneys aren't working properly potassium will have a hard time leaving your system. On the other hand, bananas are also well known for an anti-muscle cramp action. Eating bananas will help against for example muscle cramps contractions sometimes due to excessive exercise practice. One banana contains 9% of the daily recommended value of potassium and 33% of what you need of vitamin B6. Apart from all of this, banana also contains vitamin C, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, fiber, protein and much more.  

Bananas contain several types of potent antioxidants - for example dopamine and catechins. These antioxidants specifically are linked to many health benefits such as for example reduced risks of heart disease, degenerative illnesses and all sorts of problems in the human body. Dopamine found in bananas is not the same one that we need to function in our brains. In this case the dopamine, found in bananas does not cross the blood-brain barrier which is different. It simply acts as a strong antioxidant instead of altering hormones and mood.

Bananas help you stay full. One of the healthiest ingredients we all need to stay healthy is fiber. Remember that fiber is basically known as roughage. It’s the part of the plant-based food or vegetable nuts and fruits or whatever that the body is unable to break down and this is actually a good thing because it gives your food some bulk making it easier to digest.  Resistant starch is a type of indigestible fiber found in bananas. The greener the banana the higher it’s resistant starch content. On the other hand yellow ripe bananas contain lower amounts of resistant starch and total fiber but proportionally higher amounts of soluble fiber which is also excellent for digestion. Both of these soluble and insoluble fibers are very crucial for digestion. You need vegetables, you need fruits and you need bananas. None of the reasons why it's a good idea to take bananas as a source of dieting is because it, removes anxiety for food. The amount of fiber and the amount of bulk found in bananas will help you feel fuller for a longer period of time.

Bananas improve heart health. Bananas contain a mineral that is precious for circulation called potassium. Potassium is a mineral that's essential for heart health especially blood pressure control. Bananas are a great source of dietary potassium if you need it. One medium-sized banana contains a nine percent of the daily recommended value of what you need of this mineral and it's already been proven that potassium-rich diets can lower blood pressure, can improve blood health and circulatory health.  People who eat plenty of potassium have a 27 percent lower risk for heart disease and a 30 percent lower risk for any type of condition that has to do with circulation.  Now on top of potassium, bananas contain Magnesium which is also very important and of excellent value for your heart.

Good for exercise. The easiest part of consuming bananas is that they're very simple to eat and carry around. this is one of the reasons why athletes prefer them as an option to a healthy diet this fruit is also referred to as the perfect food for athletes largely due to their

mineral content and easily digested carbs. Eating bananas help people reduce their exercise related muscle cramps, also their soreness which may have an effect in all for almost 95 percent of the general population.

Every single organ, tissue and cell can have a benefit from eating bananas. The only time you should stay away from it is when you have kidney diabetes diseases due to the high sugar content it may have.

 

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WHY YOU SHOULD USE ALOE VERA DAILY

 

                

We know aloe Vera as very bitter but clearly do we know of its goodness?

In this segment, we will look at benefits of aloe Vera and why it should incorporated in our daily routine.

 Kama kawaida, asante sana for keeping it here. Let’s go......! 

 Aloe Vera plant is a succulent and it consists of roughly 500 different species all around the world. It grows about anywhere in humid countries, in hot countries even in arid dry weather. Aloe Vera plant is characterized by this long thorny succulent leaf and if you cut it open it consists of a sticky gel-like substance. This particular gel-like substance contains 95% water.  Aloe Vera holds a lot of water in it and hence   the characteristics of a great moisturizer.  Aloe Vera plants have been used for centuries and even millennia Egyptians use aloe Vera to  treat wounds, minor cuts and as well as sunburn.    

Benefits of aloe Vera that you should know:  

It helps soothe sunburn. It has this nice cooling soothing effect because it contains a compound called aloin which helps soothe sunburn and helps repair the skin. Aloin has a very strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties proven to reverse UV damage especially from sunburns.

Helps speed up wound healing. When you have a cut or an open wound what happens is there is attraction of white blood cells to the wound to prevent infection. Aloe Vera has great wound healing properties because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which helps reduce the amount of inflammation and at the same time speed up wound repair.  Aloe Vera can also help speed up collagen production which helps the wound close up much quicker. An aloe Vera, being a humectant means it draws in water which quickens and repairs the healing wound. Aloe Vera is also used to treat burns. if you're  suffering from first degree burns with no blister or  secondary degree burns with  mild redness  and mild blistering, aloe Vera helps  reduce the blisters and the burns and helps collagen production, reducing the healing time. However, if the burn area is too large or there's just too much blisters or even when the blisters have popped, aloe Vera does not help.

It helps moisturize your skin. Aloe Vera is a great humectant. A humectant is a compound that pulls in water and holds onto the water as long as possible.  Majority of the moisturizers are humectants.  Other examples of humectants are hyaluronic acid, glycerin and even honey.  However, aloe Vera is one of the best humectants. If you're suffering from dry flaky skin aloe Vera should be your go-to moisturizer.

It is a great anti-aging ingredient. Even though aloe Vera consists mostly of water, it also contains antioxidant properties.  Natural aloe Vera contains high concentration of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E all of which helps collagen production and fight against nasty free radicals especially from UV radiation and at the same time boost collagen production. The more collagen you have the lesser wrinkles you have and the more hydrated your skin will become.  Aloe Vera is also great to eradicate blemishes and  

hyperpigmentation so if you have a melasma issue  you can also use aloe Vera as a moisturizer.

it helps reduce acne. Aloe Vera not only helps reduce blemishes from your acne it also helps fight against active infections. Aloe Vera does not clog your pores which is the primary reason you're getting acne. Aloe Vera works also as a mild astringent. This means that it gets in the pores and untraps your clogged pores, remove, all the dirt and sebum and does mild exfoliation of your skin. Aloe Vera also has very mild antiseptic properties which means it helps reduce the amount of infection on your skin especially acne prone skin.

 Before applying your aloe Vera gel, clean your skin and remove any excessive sebum or dirt. You can opt to use a toner if you have a toner if you do not have one it's fine and then you can use your essence and your serums. Essence and serums generally contain active ingredients which you want to help repair your skin or to give you that nice radiant glow and after you've applied all of that then comes on the aloe Vera. The thick viscous consistency of aloe Vera does a few things first of all it locks in the active ingredients that you have applied in your serums.

 In essence, it means that after applying the serum and essence in order to prevent them from accidentally transferring to your hands or to your clothes or from evaporating by placing the aloe Vera on top. Aloe Vera should be the last skincare step that you apply in your skin except if you're applying sunscreen.  You can apply sunscreen after your aloe Vera gel.

Aloe Vera also makes a good base to mix your skincare ingredients inside and this is why majority of moisturizing skincare products contain aloe Vera. 

If you're suffering from sensitive skin or you have chronic skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, aloe Vera makes a great moisturizer  to reduce the dryness and the flakiness of your skin.  If you're suffering from dry skin you can use a lotion based moisturizer or even certain oils on your skin and put the aloe Vera over the top to prevent the oil from getting out.

This brings us to the end of our segment today and like I always say, let us meet in the comment section with your questions and comments. Thank you for staying with me. Kwaherini till next time.

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12 Healthiest Foods You Should Eat In The Morning

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. What you eat in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day.Starting off the day with a nutrient rich breakfast allows you to power through and  make better decisions. Skipping it and depriving your body of essential  nutrients will leave you feeling lethargic, mess up blood sugar levels and even create brain fog.  

A nutrient dense breakfast increases concentration, lowers the chances of  developing diabetes, manages cholesterol and keeps you chipper. But which foods will do the trick? Is avocado on the list? What about yogurt?  What makes wild salmon a great breakfast  choice? Today we will be talking about all the breakfast foods that guarantee a productive day!

Eggs -  Starting off with one of the most popular and nutritional foods, eggs have been a  popular breakfast choice since anyone can  remember. Is it worth the hype? Definitely!

Both the yolk and white parts are amazing sources of protein and heart friendly unsaturated fats.  What’s a better way of starting the day than getting the right dose of your essential  minerals and vitamins? Extremely versatile, eggs  can be cooked in a variety of different ways.  No matter how you make it, they are immensely filling and will keep you full till lunch time.  

This cuts out the unhealthy snacking in between  meals that causes weight gain. Nutritious, filling, tasty and easily available, they  can also be paired up with sweet potatoes or  ground turkey for a wholesome breakfast.

What is your go to method for cooking eggs in the  morning? Tell us in the comments section below!

Unsweetened Plain Greek Yogurt Yogurt - This is a great starter for the day.When you think about it, the overwhelming amount  of good bacteria is something that first comes to mind. But there are more benefits than that.  Adding yogurt to your breakfast is a good idea, especially for anyone looking  to lose a couple of pounds.

The nutritional content will keep you energized  throughout the day while maintaining digestive  health. Rich in calcium and packed with  probiotics, you can even add your favorite  fruit for a hint of nutritious sweetness. If  a morning workout is your routine then it can  become your best friend!

 Diluting some yogurt in  water and mixing it all up with a pinch of rock salt to make buttermilk is a great post workout  drink that will soothe and heal your muscles.

 Oatmeal  - Watching your weight? Looking for gluten free breakfast options? Oatmeal is the safest and  most nutritious way to go. It has got to be one  of the top foods for breakfast. A comforting  bowl of oatmeal is a powerhouse of nutrients.

This rather simple meal, that can be whipped up in just a couple of minutes, contains insoluble  fiber that lowers cholesterol and stabilizes  blood sugar which makes you feel fuller.  

Antioxidants are another important element along with certain natural heart-protecting anti inflammatory properties. The combination of cooked  oats, with organic nut butter and fresh fruits,  minus the artificial sweeteners, will keep  you away from that vending machine for sure.

 Nut Butter  - What can’t butter do?  Nut butter is delicious, creamy and  nutritious made from nuts like almonds,  peanuts or walnuts. Filled with the goodness of heart healthy saturated fats and protein, tree nuts in general have been linked with weight  loss and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Nut butter is a great way to include protein to your diet, especially if you’re vegetarian  or vegan.

Did you know that people who eat nut- based butter are less likely to be overweight as  compared to people who don’t? That’s true! Adding a spoonful of your favorite nut butter in your  morning green smoothie, salad bowl or sandwich  will be a great way to kick start your day.

 Chia Seeds  - The chia seed health craze is one bandwagon you need to jump on! This super food shot to  fame as one of the healthiest seeds in the  world. What makes it ideal for breakfast?

The antioxidants, fiber, calcium and a host of other vital nutrients protects your body from  the attack of toxins. Sprinkling some on a bowl  of yogurt with fruit or salad will give your meal the right amount of nutritional benefits along  with a delicious crunch.

Naturally packed with  omega 3 fatty acids, these healthy seeds  induce the feeling of fullness - something  to help you along your weight loss journey. Add them to your morning by adding them to oatmeal, smoothies, cereals or puddings.

 Avocado  - Speaking of superfoods for breakfast, avocado toast topped with freshly diced tomatoes, onions and salt and pepper is  enough to power you through the day.  

Do you know that the compounds found in avocados protect the body the same way as olive oil does? Considered to be one of the finest foods for weight loss, starting a new day with  this amazing fruit paired with an egg is  an award-winning breakfast for champions.  

Needless to say, it will increase satiety and decrease your want for snacking in between meals.  

The unique unsaturated fats found naturally cannot be produced in the body. These good fats can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and even cancer related to unhealthy lifestyles.

 Banana -  Bananas are the unopposed superstar of potassium. However, their goodness is not limited to just that. Packed with filling fiber and other valuable nutrients,  tossing some diced bananas in your fruit bowl, smoothie will lift up your mood, giving  you an energized start to the day.

What makes bananas awesome is the resistant starch that supports digestive health and doesn’t leave you feeling bloated or lethargic. Including them for breakfast also means lowering blood Pressure levels that keep the heart in good shape.

 A fun way to incorporate them would be to add it to your oatmeal with nut butter, topped with some chia, pumpkin or flax seeds.

 Spinach - Greens are always a great choice for breakfast. This leafy green, the crux for any healthy green juice, consists of a good amount of foliate and muscle building fiber. Spinach can decrease the chances of developing osteoporosis or heart disease. Simply adding a handful of this super food, which is healthier than kale, will make the difference on how you approach your day. Along with protecting muscle from degeneration, eating this healthy green every morning  will also increase blood flow in the body.  To make your breakfast more nutritious, you can add 1 cup of spinach into your omelets, egg sandwiches and juices!

 Berries - Strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and others are  not only rich in heart friendly antioxidants,  but adding them to your breakfast  also gives you a boost of energy.

These colorful nutritious fruits contain large amounts of powerful vitamins which amp up your  breakfast. If losing weight is your goal, then an assortment of berries is what  you need to start your day with. Did you know that berries stop fats from forming in the body?  

Along with weight loss, adding 1 cup of different berries in your oatmeal, cereal or shakes will protect the cells and give your blood circulation a major boost!

 Sweet potato - Ever thought about starting your day by eating these flavor and nutrition packed vibrant tubers?  If not then, maybe you should start. Packed with compounds that burn fat, sweet potatoes are the perfect way of starting the day. Being low on the glycemic index they manage to offer a certain level of fullness - at least till lunch. You can also pair sweet potato hash with eggs and vegetables for a complete breakfast.  

 Black tea - Black tea is a crucial part of a complete diet.  Try making the switch to black tea, it will wake you right up! Getting your caffeine fix from black tea will not just fight lethargy but will also increase mental alertness. Robust and strong in flavor, it may take some time for you to get used to it but once you do,  it’s a great beverage that will  keep you focussed through the day. Just boil some water and add tea leaves.  Let it sit there for a couple of minutes  before running it through a strainer  to give you a rejuvenating cup of tea.

Wild salmon -  Salmon for breakfast? As odd as it sounds, this fatty fish when paired with some scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast creates a delicious, filling and a rather unique meal. Salmon is already considered as a super food for the brain because of the high omega 3 fatty acids.Being a nutrition powerhouse and packing clean protein,  starting your day with wild salmon will  help you meet every day nutritional needs even if you eat not-so-healthy  foods for the rest of the day.

It goes without saying that breakfast should be healthy and not skipped.  Having the right choice of food for the first meal of the day will help you fill up on healthy nutrients and give your  immune system a boost.

What do you eat for breakfast? Share your ideas and suggestions in the comments section and stay right here for the next video and lets continue eating healthy.

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