Natasha Bezhovski, Author at LifeLivity

Health Benefits of Kaki

Natasha Bezhovski Health, Nutrition November 9, 2014November 8, 2014Anti-Aging, Cancer Prevention, Detoxification, Digestion, Fiber, Kaki, Vision, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Weight Loss

Kaki which is also known as Japanese Persimmon is a tropical fruit with a very sweet taste. It is orange in color and has smooth skin. Kaki can be consumed as raw fruit, but it is commonly used in jams and cakes. While this fruit is a good source of Vitamin A and C, it also provides Vitamin B1, B2 and B3. There are many benefits of Kaki and some of the major ones are outlined below.

Helps in weight loss

If you are looking to lose weight, then one of the best things you can try is kaki. The fiber content in this fruit is quite high which can help promote weight loss. When you eat foods high in fiber, you feel fuller quickly and you also don’t crave for processed food and sugar. Including persimmon fruit to your weight loss program can greatly help you shed off those extra pounds.

Helps fight cancer

Kaki or Japanese persimmon contains beneficial nutrients which protects from free radicals which are responsible for cancer. The phytonutrients and antioxidants contained in this fruit fights free radicals and effectively prevents cancer.

Helps the digestive system

Fibers are essential when it comes to having proper bowel movements. When you consume fruits and foods rich in fiber on a regular basis, you can get rid of issues and problems related to bowel movement, the result of which is achieving a healthy digestive system. The intestinal movements of the body are also regulated by the tannins present in the fruit which helps get relief from diarrhea also. Read more

Everything You Need To Know About Ebola

Natasha Bezhovski Health November 8, 2014November 8, 2014

If you have been keeping up to date with the latest news, then you have probably heard that there are a number of countries which are at present contending with a very deadly Ebola outbreak. Given below are the most important things that you need to know about Ebola.

What exactly is Ebola?

Ebola is caused by the Ebola virus. It is an infectious disease which has killed more than 4000 people so far. According to the World Health Organization, the fatality rate has been put at 70 percent. Currently, there are five strains of this virus out of which four strains are known to affect humans and one strain which can affect other primates. It was in 1976 when the disease was first identified near the Ebola River which is situated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the past 15 years, there has been a sporadic outbreak in many parts of DRC and other countries including South Sudan, Uganda as well as the Philippines.

How is Ebola caused?

Ebola can be caused in a number of ways. It can be caused by coming into direct contact (mucous membranes and cuts in skin) with the body fluids such as semen, spit, urine, blood or other fluids of someone who has died of Ebola or has contracted the disease. Read more

6 Foods That Help Boost Metabolism

Natasha Bezhovski Fitness, Nutrition October 9, 2014October 16, 2014Apples, Celery, Cinnamon, Green Tea, Metabolism, Whole Grains, Yogurt

Metabolism is very important as this ensures that your body has energy to perform your regular activities. This process does not just happen automatically. The body needs to be fed with foods that will initiate this process and also boost the process in the long run. Low fat foods combined with regular exercise increases the metabolism process. Eventually this would lead to losing weight and benefit those that have such goals in mind. Below are top 10 foods that would escalate the metabolism process:

1. Green tea
Time has come that you stopped taking coffee or black tea. Green tea is the most recommended tea that will help in improving your metabolism process. Research conducted on green tea proves that it contains thermogenic properties. This will help in the oxidation of fats that you digest. This implies that by enhancing the metabolism process, calories would be dealt with efficiently.

2. Apples
Often you have heard the adage that goes ‘an apple day keeps the doctor away.’ This is very true considering the nutritional values that apples have on us. First, they have low calorie content in them. Secondly, they are an excellent source of fiber. Therefore, eating apples will keep your hunger at bay for hours. Regular intake of apples helps in the prevention of metabolic syndrome (a condition of having excess accumulation of abdominal fat, diabetes and heart related ailments). Read more

Why is Coconut Oil a Miracle Product?

Natasha Bezhovski Health, Nutrition April 22, 2014June 13, 2015Acne, Coconut Oil, Inflammation, Skin Care

Few years ago we had barely heard of coconut oil and all its attributes and applications. Maybe in our vegetable green curry or as some ingredient relegated to the shelves of the local health food store, but not as something we were using every day and applying to our face and skin.

Pressed from the fruit of the coconut palm tree, coconut oil is ideal for light fare and subtly flavored dishes. It gives a perfect touch of coconut flavor to many tasty dishes like Chicken and Vegetable Curry Soup. It’s great in baked goods, desserts, confections, smoothies and it’s best for healthier frying since it’s stable at high temperatures. You can use it to cook veggies, fry potatoes or drizzle it over popcorn to get delusions and healthy meal.

Regardless of the use make sure you pick organic, pure, extra virgin coconut oil. Organic coconut oil has a soft coconut aroma and more pronounced coconut flavor. Pure virgin coconut oil, containing no hydrogenation, contains over 92% saturated fat — the highest amount of saturated fat of any fat and it’s also very healthy.

Coconut oil is a miracle product. Besides for cooking it’s also used as natural skin care product. It contains lauric acid, a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent that keeps away inflammation, infections, viruses and acne. Coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E and also rich in essential fatty acids, which are perfect for keeping your skin soft and smooth. Coconut oil is natural solution for almost all skin problems. It relieves insect bites, helps with rashes, gets rid of flaking skin, softens and shrinks wrinkles, protects against sun damage, speeds healing, keeps tans longer, acts as an antioxidant to prevent cellular aging. It removes makeup easily and you can also warm it up and use it as massage oil.

Fresh Sweet Cherries

Natasha Bezhovski Health, Nutrition March 31, 2014June 13, 2015Alzheimer, Anti-Aging, Antioxidants, Cancer Prevention, Cherry, Fiber, Heart's Health, Vitamin C 0 Comments

Sweet Cherries are an attractive fruit appreciated for their taste, their sweetness and their diversity in an assortment of various recipes. However, they are also highly nutritious and incredibly good for you.

Sweet cherries are firm, glossy, deep red, and larger than the sour cherry or “chokecherry” varieties. They’re closely related to the wild cherries native to the Caucasus Mountain regions between the Black and Caspian seas. Like peaches and apricots, these little red fruits are drupes, containing a single seed.

They are low in calories and are full of antioxidants whose benefits include the ability to prevent many diseases including cancer and heart disease. Many people also believe that the antioxidants found in cherries may even slow the signs of ageing!

The health benefits of sweet cherries are multiple. Research shows a connection between eating sweet cherries and the prevention of Alzheimer’s. Between the fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, several types of cancers have been shown to be inhibited, and the cyanidin found in cherries significantly increases the free radical scavenging activity in the body. In fact, this is one of the most important ways cancer is shut down. Research shows that cherries may aid this benefit by blocking cancer cells from accessing the proteins they need to proliferate.

However, consume sweet cherries in moderation because they contain fructose, which may be harmful to your health in excessive amounts.

Green or Black Tea?

Natasha Bezhovski Health, Nutrition March 31, 2014June 13, 2015Antioxidants, Black Tea, Cancer Prevention, Diabetes, Green Tea, Inflammation, Weight Loss 0 Comments

Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. Originating in China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage has a variety of uses from lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. Recent studies have shown green tea can potentially have positive effects on everything from weight loss to liver disorders to type 2 diabetes.

The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the processing. Black tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas green tea’s processing evades the fermentation process. Green tea is considered one of the world’s healthiest drinks and contains the highest amount of antioxidants of any tea. The natural chemicals called poly-phenols in tea are what are thought to provide its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects.

Strawberries – The Queen of Fruits

Natasha Bezhovski Health, Nutrition March 31, 2014June 13, 2015Antioxidants, Inflammation, Strawberries 0 Comments

One of the most popular strawberries, refreshing and healthy treats on the planet are the fresh summer strawberries. Wild strawberries have been popular since ancient Roman times and were used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes such as alleviating inflammation, fever, kidney stones, bad breath, gout and more.

The Strawberry is called ‘the queen of fruits” In Asian countries because it’s packed with health benefits. Compared to fruits like apples, oranges or bananas, strawberries have the highest amount of nutrients.

These juicy heart-shaped delights have much more to offer beyond sweetness and flavor. I consider them a power food.

Today there are over 600 varieties of strawberries. The sweet, slightly tart berries rank among the top 10 fruits and vegetables in antioxidant capacity. Their deep, rich hue supplies their high flavonoid content, a topic of research in many studies supporting the health benefits attained by consuming strawberries on a regular basis.