Sudhir Ahluwalia's Blog, page 44

Are there natural solutions to hypertension?

Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension).

High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Diabetes and having obesity can also increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Clearly, the natural solution to hypertension will lie in removing the underlying causes of the condition.

Some effective natural solutions are:

Weight lossExercise – I prefer a combination of yoga, tai chi, and brisk walkingMeditation helps by bringing stress levels downSleep – 7 to 9 hours of sleep is critical to keeping the blood pressure under control.Food – I prefer plant-based food that is low in sodium, rich in fiber. I did not find scientific support for dairy products.

If not caused by an underlying health condition, hypertension is a lifestyle disease and can be brought under control by moving to a healthy lifestyle.

Additional reading on natural solutions. You can check my tri-series on the subject. It is available on Amazon.Similar Posts:

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What are some weight loss tips for severely obese individuals?

Even physicians regard people with obesity as lazy, indisciplined, fond of fatty foods, regularly overeat. Body shaming of the obese is common.

Obesity is a complex disease. It appears as a polygenic condition. It is affected by environmental factors (mainly unbalanced dietary patterns and physical inactivity). Environmental factors play a crucial role in triggering obesity.

In the course of my research on natural solutions for obesity, I learned the following:

Consult a physician to rule out medical factors responsible for obesity. He will recommend a series of tests to evaluate the medical condition.Switch to a balanced diet rich in plant-based fiber like vegetables, antioxidants, vitamins but low in fatty acids like oils.Avoid dairy productsStart light exercises. I prefer yoga, tai chi, and walking. Do not overstress yourself. Your body is not ready for vigorous exercise, and trying to overdo it will lead to injuries.Avoid consuming weight loss supplements and herbal solutions for weight loss. While some plants are shown to bring about weight loss in animal trials, most of the research is still inconclusive.Undertake meditation, group therapy. It will help in improving your mental condition. Many severely obese people blame themselves for the condition.Discipline is critical. Eat at fixed times. Sleep between 7 to 9 hours and exercise regularly.

Remember, obesity control is a marathon and not a sprint. Take it slowly. It will require a lifestyle change that you can sustain lifelong.

References:
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What herbs are likely to help people with diabetes?

Several herbs and herbal combinations are used in Ayurveda to treat diabetes. After a detailed scientific review of herbs used in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, I have been able to identify four plants – Gymnema sylvestre, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Eugenia jambolana, and Curcuma longa that has the most substantial scientific support for their anti-diabetic properties. TCM plants Atractylodes macrocephala, Codonopsis pilosula, Dioscorea opposita, Flos lonicerae, and Pueraria lobata retard the progression of diabetes by reducing blood glucose level.

Herbal medicine formulations that contain these herbs would theoretically have the best chance of being effective. Today, herbal medicine is performing the role of mutual support to modern diabetic medicine.

The universe of plants with antidiabetic properties is vast. Scientific studies are restricted mainly to animal trials. In the absence of random human clinical trials, herbal medicine formulations have not secured regulatory approval. The use of herbal medicine today is based on anecdotal evidence.

I wouldn’t also dismiss herbal medicine out of hand. It has a role. But it requires more scientific support before we can call them safe and secure for use.

For more details on natural solutions for diabetes, cancer, and obesity, you can take a look at this tri-series on Amazon.Similar Posts:

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How do I expand my business and make it grow?

I have looked at the business growth models of some of the fastest-growing companies for one of my clients. These companies grew from startups to mega-companies in a span of 10 to 30 years. The founders exhibited the following common characteristics:

They were highly passionate people who were laser-focused on their goals.A majority of them were obsessively detail-orientedThey did not get daunted by failure and setbacks and had a never say die attitudeThey were avid learners and actively sought to learn from competitors and other successful peopleThey were all customer-focused. They sought to delight their customers.They hired individuals not because they came from the best schools but because they brought value to their organizations. Only those who would fit into the culture of the new organization were hired.

The companies that I studied are – Airbnb, Walmart, Alibaba, Apple, and Elon Musk’s companies.

In conclusion, if these great founders could build great companies based on the above-listed characteristics, you too can. There is no silver bullet. It all depends on you.

About myself:

I am now an author and content writer with a successful past career. I take up complex, analytical writing work. Here is my UPWORK Profile.Similar Posts:

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How do I lose weight naturally?

Once the physician has ruled out the existence of a medical condition that is the reason for obesity, multiple options are available to help you reduce weight.
Losing weight is best achieved when we proceed systematically.
The next step is diet planning.
The choice of the diet plan depends on the comfort of the individual, food preferences, and goals. It should be a plan that you can continue over an extended time. Only then will the desired results be obtained. There are several diets – intermittent fasting, paleo diet, keto diet, vegan diet, etc. You may pick any one of them.
Preferably, these should include all foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and nuts.
Food choice and food availability in the local grocery store is another important criterion for picking a diet plan. Food should fit your lifestyle and budget. Diet put means eating healthy, lower-calorie meals. And these should be accompanied by a fitness regime.
A diet regimen benefits accrue if accompanied by exercise. Exercise is of three categories: stretching, cardiovascular and strength training. A balanced workout that has all three types of training is most effective.
The goal should be to start with at least half an hour of exercise every day. Once you are in better shape, you can undertake more extended exercise periods and more strenuous activity. Intensive training can follow improved fitness. The more intense the exercise, the shorter the time required to get the same benefit.
A combination of yoga, tai chi, walking or jogging, a bit of weight training will work well. A combination prevents boredom from setting in. It enables the individual to sustain an exercise regime for a sustained period.
The trick is not rapid weight loss but to achieve slow and steady weight reduction. It would be best if you enjoyed the journey.
There is a lot of literature on herbs and supplements, but my research informed me that it is a simple and sustained effort to give the best result.

Additional reading:

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Can I revive my business by cutting costs?

A business enterprise will survive only when it can generate margins that will not just cover its costs, maintain a buffer to cover risks, and produce a surplus for growth.

Competitiveness is not be achieved by cutting costs alone. It is an outcome of vision, strategy, innovation, and operational excellence.

The question gives me the impression that you are in a business whose products have many competitors. You probably want to outcompete them on price. It is a bad strategy. It will affect margins, productivity, operational performance.

Looking at undertaking the following steps-

Undertake a detailed analysis of all your product linesUndertake competitor analysis and compare their productivity with yoursLook at the market for your products. Is there adequate demand for these, or is it a buyer’s market?Gradually phase out low-margin products without affecting cash flowsFocus on innovation and development of high margin productsAggressively promote and expand higher-margin products

These steps will help you improve productivity. The enterprise will start showing signs of revival.

About the author:

I am a content writer specializing in business, technology, and health. I take up projects that are complex and require considerable analysis. If you are looking for content writing in my area of expertise, please look at my UPWORK Profile.Similar Posts:

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How profitable are organic food businesses?

Organic food is equally popular in the US and Europe. The world’s organic food consumption can be roughly split in half between the US and Europe. The world’s natural and organic food and retail industry is estimated in 2015 to stand at $92 billion (deduced from Statista projection figures). The US is the major market for organic products, with a market of $55 billion.

The US is the largest market for organic food and food products. Its market has been put at 24.3 billion Euros. Approximately 43% of the world’s revenues from organic food come from the US alone. Other major contributors are Germany 13%, France 8%, China, Canada, UK, Italy together constitute 4%. The total European organic food market put together has been estimated in 2013 at the US $31 million (FiBL-IFOAM 2015).

Organic food market size is said to constitute 5% of the total food market. Some estimate a CAGR growth of 12% for North America. Global sale of organic food has risen by 170% in under a decade from 2002 onwards.

Demand for fresh organic produce overall outstrips supply in most developed country markets. Pricing of organic commodities is affected by usual market influencers like currency, weather, logistics, and other risks. The demand-supply gap is largely in favor of organic producers. This market exhibits substantial price volatility.

Clearly, there exists a market demand for organic food. Profitability will depend on multiple factors. Some of these are- target market, product, costs, business practices, ability to respond to the volatility of the prices, innovation, and sales strategy.

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In organization, what value is there to breaking down silos?

All organizations require specialist groups to perform business functions with expertise and with efficiency. Supervision within a specialist group leads to the creation of a hierarchy. Hierarchies exist even in flat organizations.
Specialist groups rapidly learn to optimize their internal organizations. As these crystallize, the group turns into a silo. A silo, by its nature, feels the need to protect its turf. It does not want others from outside to interfere in its functioning. As this happens, it refuses to accept new ideas from outside. The absence of new ideas and cross-fertilization with other groups leads to stasis. Stasis is antithetic to growth.
Organizations require and thrive on new ideas. New ideas generate innovation. Innovation leads to growth and development. If the organization’s objective is to grow then, silos need to be periodically dismantled.
The dismantling process leads to disruption. Disruption leads to uncertainty which in turn leads to diminishment of growth. The disruption phase will soon end as a new unit emerges and adjusts to a new normal. Soon a new silo is formed an equilibrium stage is achieved.
The trick in organization reform and transformation is to balance the need for disruption and innovation and, at the same time, prevent disruption from growing out of hand. The disruption phase requires to be contained.
The requirement for breaking down silos, the need for renewal, and the cost of disruption have to be calculated by the leadership in the organization. Based on this analysis, the call is taken on the extent to which an organization’s psyche will accept reform.

About the author:

I am a content writer specializing in innovation and business transformation. Do take a look at my UPWORK profile in case you are looking for specialist, experience-based content.Similar Posts:

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Is Paleo diet effective for weight loss?

The diet was composed of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean meats, especially grass-fed animals or wild game, fish, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, mackerel, and albacore tuna, oils from fruits and nuts, such as olive oil or walnut oil.

This diet recommends avoiding grains such as wheat, oats, barley, legumes such as beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, dairy products, refined sugar, salt, potatoes, and highly processed foods.

Such a diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and omega-rich fish, etc. These are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and antioxidants. Critics state that the exclusion of grains, legumes, and dairy makes the diet deficient in calcium and vegetable protein. This criticism may not stand scrutiny as proteins in the paleo diet are obtained from lean meat and fish.

Studies supporting the effectiveness of the Paleo diet:

Short-term consumption of this diet improves blood pressure and glucose tolerance, decreases insulin secretion, increases insulin sensitivity, and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans. (Frassetto et al., 2009; Masharani et al., 2015)

The Paleo diet remains controversial because of exaggerated claims made by wellness bloggers and others. A small number of small trials provide evidence of this diet’s effectiveness for weight loss. Further research is required to validate these findings. This diet needs Calcium supplements to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis. (Pitt, 2016)

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Are oranges good for pre-diabetics?

Oranges are rich in phytochemicals and flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Oranges are low in calories, too, unlike others like bananas.

A medium-sized orange would contain only 80 calories and 250 milligrams of potassium. Oranges can be categorized as healthy food, good for pre-diabetics.

High levels of potassium could help in blood pressure cases but could retard the efficacy of beta-blockers often prescribed to cardiac patients. In such cases, moderate consumption of orange is recommended by physicians.

A single orange is said to provide 130% of an individual’s requirement of Vitamin C (MedicalNewsToday). Vitamin C is known to boost the immune system. An overview of the possible role in the therapy of multiple illnesses indicates that the fruit would assist in multiple chronic and acute illnesses (Jyotsna et al., 2011).

Most of the carbohydrates in the fruit are in the form of dietary fiber. This is a low calories fruit rich in dietary fiber and vitamins. The dietary fiber quantity of juice is much lower when compared to that of the whole orange. It is, therefore, best to consume orange in its whole form.

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