Science Confirms Turmeric As Effective As 14 Drugs

Science Confirms Turmeric As Effective As 14 Drugs



Turmeric is one the most thoroughly researched plants in existence today.  Its medicinal properties and components (primarily curcumin) have been the subject of over 5600 peer-reviewed and published biomedical studies.  In fact, our five-year long research project on this sacred plant has revealed over 600 potential preventive and therapeutic applications, as well as 175 distinct beneficial physiological effects. Given the sheer density of research performed on this remarkable spice, it is no wonder that a growing number of studies have concluded that it compares favorably to a variety of conventional medications, including:

• Lipitor/Atorvastatin(cholesterol medication): A 2008 study published in the journal Drugs in R & D found that a standardized preparation of curcuminoids from Turmeric compared favorably to the drug atorvastatin (trade name Lipitor) on endothelial dysfunction, the underlying pathology of the blood vessels that drives atherosclerosis, in association with reductions in inflammation and oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic patients.  [For addition curcumin and 'high cholesterol' research – 8 abstracts]
• Corticosteroids (steroid medications): A 1999 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research found that the primary polyphenol in turmeric, the saffron colored pigment known as curcumin, compared favorably to steroids in the management of chronic anterior uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease.  A 2008 study published in Critical Care Medicine found that curcumin compared favorably to the corticosteroid drug dexamethasone in the animal model as an alternative therapy for protecting lung transplantation-associated injury by down-regulating inflammatory genes. An earlier 2003 study published in Cancer Letters found the same drug also compared favorably to dexamethasone in a lung ischaemia-repurfusion injury model.  [for additional curcumin and inflammation research – 52 abstracts]
• Prozac/Fluoxetine & Imipramine  (antidepressants): A 2011 study published in the journalActa Poloniae Pharmaceutica found that curcumin compared favorably to both drugs in reducing depressive behavior in an animal model. [for additional curcumin and depression research – 5 abstracts]
• Aspirin (blood thinner): A 1986 in vitro and ex vivo study published in the journalArzneimittelforschung found that curcumin has anti-platelet and prostacyclin modulating effects compared to aspirin, indicating it may have value in patients prone to vascular thrombosis and requiring anti-arthritis therapy. [for additional curcumin and anti-platelet research]
• Anti-inflammatory Drugs: A 2004 study published in the journal Oncogene found that curcumin (as well as resveratrol) were effective alternatives to the drugs aspirin, ibuprofen, sulindac, phenylbutazone, naproxen, indomethacin, diclofenac, dexamethasone, celecoxib, and tamoxifen in exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity against tumor cells. [for additional curcumin and anti-proliferative research – 15 abstracts]
• Oxaliplatin (chemotherapy drug): A 2007 study published in the International Journal of Cancer found that curcumin compares favorably with oxaliplatin as an antiproliferative agenet in colorectal cell lines. [for additionalcurcumin and colorectal cancer research – 52 abstracts]
• Metformin (diabetes drug): A 2009 study published in the journal Biochemitry and Biophysical Research Community explored how curcumin might be valuable in treating diabetes, finding that it activates AMPK (which increases glucose uptake) and suppresses gluconeogenic gene expression  (which suppresses glucose production in the liver) in hepatoma cells. Interestingly, they found curcumin to be 500 times to 100,000 times (in the form known as tetrahydrocurcuminoids(THC)) more potent than metformin in activating AMPK and its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). 

Another way in which turmeric and its components reveal their remarkable therapeutic properties is in research on drug resistant- and multi-drug resistant cancers.  We have two sections on our site dedicated to researching natural andintegrative therapies on these topics, and while there are dozens of substances with demonstrable efficacy against these chemotherapy- and radiation-resistant cancers, curcumin tops both lists:

• Cancers: Drug Resistant
• Cancers: Multi-Drug Resistant

We have found no less than 54 studies indicating that curcumin can induce cell death or sensitize drug-resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.
We have identified 27 studies on curcumin’s ability to either induce cell death or sensitize multi-drug resistant cancer cell lines to conventional treatment.
Considering how strong a track record turmeric (curcumin) has, having been used as both food and medicine in a wide range of cultures, for thousands of years, a strong argument can be made for using curcumin as a drug alternative or adjuvant in cancer treatment.


Or, better yet, use certified organic (non-irradiated) turmeric in lower culinary doses on a daily basis so that heroic doses won’t be necessary later in life after a serious disease sets in.  Nourishing yourself, rather than self-medicating with ‘nutraceuticals,’ should be the goal of a healthy diet. 

Red wine could also help fight cavities Washington: Researchers have said that red wine could help ward off dental diseases with fewer side effects. M. Victoria Moreno-Arribas and colleagues explain that dental diseases are extremely common throughoutthe world. Cavities, periodontal disease and tooth loss affect an estimated 60 to 90 percent of the global population. The problems start when certain bacteria in the mouth get together and form biofilms, which are communities of bacteria that are difficult to kill. They form plaque and produce acid, which starts damaging teeth. Brushing, fluoride in toothpaste and water and other methods can help get rid of bacterial plaques, but the effects are limited. In addition, currently used antimicrobial rinses can change the color of the gums and alter taste, so people are less likely to use them for as long as they should. Some research has suggested that polyphenols, grape seed extract and wine can slow bacterial growth, so Moreno-Arribas' team decided to test them under realistic conditions for the first time. They grew cultures of bacteria responsible for dental diseases as a biofilm. They dipped the biofilms for a couple of minutes in different liquids, including red wine, red wine without the alcohol, red wine spiked with grape seed extract, and water and 12 percent ethanol for comparison. Red wine with or without alcohol and wine with grape seed extract were the most effective at getting rid of the bacteria.

Bacteria in saliva may help diagnose pancreatic cancer

Even bacteria present in a person's saliva can help doctors identify pancreatic cancer and other pancreatic diseases, a promising study indicates.  Patients with pancreatic cancer have a different and distinct profile of specific bacteria in their saliva compared to healthy controls and even patients with other cancers or pancreatic diseases, researchers claimed.  "The findings suggest that ratios of particular types of bacteria found in saliva may be indicative of pancreatic cancer," said Pedro Torres from San Diego State University in the US.  Patients diagnosed in the early stages of pancreatic cancer have a five-year survival rate of 21.5 per cent.  Unfortunately symptoms do not appear until after the cancer has become untreatable in the vast majority of cases, Torres cautioned.  In the study, Torres and his team compared the diversity of saliva bacteria across 131 patients, 63 female and 68 male.  Of these patients, 14 had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 13 with pancreatic disease, 22 with other forms of cancer and 10 disease free.  Results showed that patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer had higher levels of two particular oral bacteria, Leptotrichia and Campylobacter.  Those with pancreatic cancer also had lower levels of Streptococcus, Treponema and Veillonella form of bacteria.  We may be able to detect pancreatic cancer at its early stages by taking individuals' saliva and looking at the ratios of these bacteria, Torres told the gathering at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology recently.

Sugar is the culprit behind heart diseases

Research Fellow with Otago's Department of Human Nutrition Dr Lisa Te Morenga, Professor Jim Mann and colleagues have conducted a review and meta-analysis of all international studies that compared the effects of higher versus lower added sugar consumption on blood pressure and lipids (blood fats or cholesterol) - both of which are important cardiovascular risk-factors. 

They located dietary intervention trials published in English-speaking journals between 1965 and 2013, comparing diets where the only intended differences were the amount of sugars and non-sugar carbohydrates consumed by the participants, and which measured the effects of these diets on lipids and blood pressure. 

They found 37 trials reporting effects on lipids and 12 reporting effects on blood pressure. The findings from the individual trials were then pooled to determine the overall effects from all the studies. 

Dr Te Morenga says previous research showed that there did not appear to be any special metabolic effect of sugars making people more likely to gain weight on high-suar diets compared with low sugar diets when the total amount of carbohydrates and energy remains the same. 

Weight loss tips: 5 habits to break Fit people are successfully lean and healthy

#1. The 'no breakfast' rule Skipping breakfast is the commonest habit when it comes to food. Many people think that having a cup of tea/coffee is enough to sustain them till lunch. In fact, some even have more tea/coffee in case they feel hungry before lunch! However, did you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, in case you are planning to lose weight. Studies have found that people who give breakfast a miss are more likely to gain weight than those who don’t. A healthy breakfast helps trigger your metabolism right at the beginning of the day, preparing your body to burn more calories throughout the day #2. The 'heavy breakfast' rule While some completely skip breakfast, there are others who take the “healthy breakfast” too seriously! It is true that breakfast provides energy to the body, and kick starts metabolism for the rest of the day. However, with this view, having calorie-laden foods in the morning is not a very wise idea. Simple carbohydrate-rich foods, like cakes, rice, pasta, white bread, and desserts and fried foods tend to make you feel lethargic throughout the day, apart from aiding weight gain. Try and incorporate as many fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains in your breakfast, as possible. #3. Eating only a few times in a day The belief that if you eat as few times as possible, you will lose weight faster, is very common. However, having 5-6 small, healthy meals in a day is much better way to lose weight, rather than 2-3 large meals. Frequent small meals keep you full longer, provide you with energy, and also keep your weight under control. This is because you keep your metabolism active, thus burning more calories. Also, longer intervals of not eating activate the release of stress hormone, cortisol. This makes you feel hungrier, and eat more later. High cortisol levels are also responsible for accumulation of belly fat #4. Eating quickly Many people believe that if they finish their meals quickly, they might end up eating less. The complete opposite is in fact true! If you try to finish your plate quickly, you tend to get tempted to fill it up again, thus, eating much more. Instead, take your time to chew each morsel well, and take your time to finish your meals. Not only will you eat lesser, but this also aides in better digestion.. #5 Eating late in the night This habit is mostly a result of a disturbed sleep pattern. When you are awake till late, especially past midnight, your body sends hunger signals, making you want to eat something at the odd hours. Many people resort to comfort foods like, cookies, cake, fried foods, etc., at this time. It is very common for you to binge on high-calorie foods late in the night, when you are either watching TV or working for long hours. This holds truer for people who have starved during the day. If you wish to lose weight faster, make it a rule to have dinner by 8-8:30 pm, and eat nothing post that. However, you cannot skip exercise if you are trying to lose weight.  Never thought your common eating habits could affect your weight loss dreams so much, did you? Well, it is time to change them right away, if you wish to see some quick results

3D mirror shows what lies under your skin

Researchers have developed a "digital mirror" that recreates what your body might look like on the inside.    For the mirror to work, an individual undergoes a PET scan, X-ray and MRI scan to capture high-resolution images of their bones and organs.    When the person steps in front of the mirror, a Microsoft Kinect's motion-capture camera tracks the movement of two dozen different joints, including the knees, elbows and wrists.  The medical images can be animated with the help of graphical processing units so users can see their body inside out in real time, 'New Scientist' reported.  Researcher Xavier Maitre, a medical imaging researcher at the University of Paris-South, and colleagues built the digital mirror to explore philosophical questions about how we relate to our body.    In an experiment, they left 30 participants alone with the mirror for several minutes to gauge their reactions.  In this instance, people were shown pre-recorded data of other individuals of the same sex. The team found that about one-third of people were uncomfortable in front of the mirror and reluctant to let others see.    In the future, researchers said doctors could use a similar system to help people explore a particular part of their body or prepare for an upcoming operation.  Other researchers are already exploring how augmented reality can help medicine.  Mirracle, another kind of "mirror" developed at the Technical University of Munich in Germany, projects slices of medical imagery directly onto a person's body.  Another project — recently featured at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in Chicago — can animate MRI data on the computer screen, pinpointing parts of the body that might cause trouble in the future.  Maitre and his collaborators want to make the illusion created by the mirror even more life-like by programming the heart to beat and the lungs to move.

Fruits, veggies may cut stroke risk

A new Chinese study has claimed that just 200 grams of fruit consumed every day can reduce the risk of heart attack by 32 percent. The risk cuts down by 11 percent for every 200 grams of vegetables consumed daily.

There are over 150,000 people in UK that suffer a stroke every year. And just a little diet change with addition of two and a half portions of fruits and vegetables can reduce the number significantly.

After suffering from a stroke, 1/3 of the patients recover with a month but there are still those 2/3 patients that take way longer and keep suffering. 

The Stroke Association states that the easiest way to diagnose a stroke is by carrying out the FAST Test - Facial weakness, Arm weakness, Speech problems and Time to call 999 emergency.

Senior author of the study Yan Qu, director of the intensive care unit at Qingdao Municipal Hospital in China stated that the study took into account 20 other studies published over 19 years that followed the effect of fruits and vegetables on the risk of stroke .

A smart pill bottle with reminder

 

A New York-based company has created a smart pill bottle that comes with a built-in technology, which alerts you to take your medicines on time. 

 
Josh Stein, CEO and co-founder of AdhereTech, the company behind the bottle, said every time the patient opens the bottle, the bottle sends two pieces of data to our servers. Number one: The timestamp of the opening and the closing of the cap, and second time, a measurement of the amount of medication remaining in the bottle, CBS reported. 

The bottle flashes blue when the user is supposed to take his medication, and if they miss their dose it flashes red and beeps.

The patient also gets alerted with an automated phone call or text message. 

7 home remedies to curb cold and cough

With the change in weather, viral cough and cold are common ailments that kids suffer from. Try some of these remedies to treat the ailment and boost your kid's immunity: 1. Steam: If your little one suffers from cold and has trouble breathing, get him/her to take steam. Make the kid stand in the bathroom withhot water running or simply heat water in a wide bowl and make the kid inhale the hot fumes for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Adding eucalyptus oil can also help soothe your child's system. 2. Honey: Known for its soothing effect, dip your finger in honey and let your baby lick it two three times in a day. If your child is older than five years, mix a spoonful with cinnamon powder and ask him/her to have it. 3. Carom Seeds: Boiling water along with carom seeds (ajwain) and tulsi leaves can help to keep the cough in check. It also helps in relieving chest congestion. 4. Massage: Massages work best for children who are below two years of age. Mix mustard oil with garlic and massage your baby's chest, back and neck area. Also cover the baby's palm and feet with the oil for a quick relief. 5. Keep your kid hydrated: When your kid is going through a bout of sneezing and coughing, it is very important to keep him/her hydrated. Drinking water at regular intervals will help fight the common cold and reduce the inflammation in the throat along with washing out the infection. Other fluids in form of warm soup or a fresh juice are also beneficial for replenishing the body's lost energy. 6. Salt gargling: A glass of hot water with a teaspoon of salt can be useful to ease a sore throat. Ask your kid to gargle with salt water twice a day. The saline water helps soothe the pain. 7. Turmeric milk: Due to its antiseptic properties, turmeric is known to treat viral infections such as cough and cold. Add turmeric powder to a glass of warm milk and make your kid have it every night. It provides instant relief for an aching throat and runny nose. Since it is a rich source of calcium, milk also provides energy to your kid.

5 reasons why eating brinjals or baingan is a good idea.

5 reasons why eating brinjals or baingan is a good idea.

Brinjal or baingan as it is called in India, is a vegetable that is extremely high on nutrients and has many health benefits which makes it something you should try and eat at least once every week. A lot of people don’t like the taste, but if you cook it well, it can be extremely delicious too. Here are some of it’s top health benefits.

1.  Brinjals prevent cancer

Fibre and antioxidants are just two of the nutrients that make brinjal a food that can keep cancer at bay. Fibre helps clear the toxins present in your digestive tract and has been found useful in the prevention of colon cancer. Additionally, the antioxidants help in fighting free radical damage to your cells which helps keep cancer at bay. Read more to find out the diet changes that can help keep cancer at bay.

2. Brinjals are great for weight loss

Brinjals are great for weight loss as they are low in calories with 100g of the vegetable containing just 25 calories. It is also rich in fibre which helps in promoting the feeling of satiety which means that eating a small serving will make you feel full and prevent you from overeating.

3. Brinjals prevent heart disease

Like most fruits and vegetables, brinjals too are great for your heart. Along with many nutrients, they contain bioflavonoids which controls hypertension and releases stress. Also, they have cholesterol busting properties thanks to a substance called chlorogenic acid.

4. Brinjals can keep your skin looking younger

As we age, our skin undergoes free radical damage which can cause the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on our faces. The antioxidants and vitamins present in brinjals can prevent this from happening. Additionally, it is also high in water which flushes toxins from your body and gives your skin a nice and healthy glow.

5. Brinjals are good for your brain

Eating brinjals can help keep prevent damage to your brain as it contains phytonutrients that can protect your cell membranes. These phytonutrients are also known to boost memory function and aid in transferring messages from one part of your body to another.

Apart from these benefits, brinjal is also known to have nicotine and thus helps in quitting tobacco. However, you’ll have to eat 10 kg of the vegetable to get as much nicotine into your body as a cigarette.

Green tomatoes may help build bigger, stronger muscles

Want to grow bigger, stronger muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger? Eat green tomatoes! A natural compound in green tomatoes stimulates muscle growth, improves muscle strength and endurance, protects against muscle wasting, a new study claims. Using a screening method, University of Iowa scientists discovered that tomatidine, a compound from green tomatoes, is potent for building muscle and protecting against muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy, or wasting, is caused by ageing and a variety of illnesses and injuries, including cancer, heart failure, and orthopedic injuries, to name a few. It makes people weak and fatigued, impairs physical activity and quality of life, and predisposes people to falls and fractures. “Muscle atrophy causes many problems for people, their families, and the health care system in general,” said Christopher Adams, associate professor of internal medicine and molecular physiology and biophysics. In a new study, Adams searched for a small molecule compound that might be used to treat muscle atrophy. He zeroed in on tomatidine using a systems biology tool called the Connectivity Map. Adams discovered that tomatidine generates changes in gene expression that are essentially opposite to the changes that occur in muscle cells when people are affected by muscle atrophy. After identifying tomatidine, Adams and his team tested its effects on skeletal muscle. They first discovered that tomatidine stimulates growth of cultured muscle cells from humans. “That result was important because we are looking for something that can help people,” said Adams. They found that healthy mice supplemented with tomatidine grew bigger muscles, became stronger and could exercise longer. And, most importantly, they found that tomatidine prevented and treated muscle atrophy. Interestingly, although mice fed tomatidine had larger muscles, their overall body weight did not change due to a corresponding loss of fat, suggesting that the compound may also have potential for treating obesity. The study was published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Beans, peas can reduce bad cholesterol

Beans, peas can reduce bad 
cholesterol

Eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce 'bad cholesterol' and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study has found.

Researchers at St Michael's Hospital in Canada said that by eating one serving a day of pulses, people could lower their LDL ("bad") cholesterol by five percent.

Dr John Sievenpiper of the hospital's Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre said that would translate into a five to six per cent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the US.

Pulses have a low glycemic index (meaning that they are foods that break down slowly) and tend to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans fat in a dish or meal.

"We have a lot of room in our diets for increasing our pulse intake to derive the cardiovascular benefits," Sievenpiper said.

The study reviewed 26 randomised controlled trials that included 1,037 people.

Men had greater reduction in LDL cholesterol compared with women, perhaps because their diets are poorer and cholesterol levels are higher and benefit more markedly from a healthier diet, researchers said.

Some study participants reported stomach upset such as bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation but these symptoms subsided over the course of the study.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Cause of the obesity epidemic

Cause of the obesity epidemic Due the existential uncertainty which people are exposed in the so-called 'free market', stress is likely the cause of obesity, say British scientists. In a study published by the journal Economics and Human Biology, researchers at Oxford University have concluded that Americans and the British are more prone to obesity of Norwegians and Swedes, and to assess that stress in the competitive social structure, without strong social protection, can make people to overeat.  Professor Avner Offer The team compared the 11 developed countries and concluded that countries with liberal market regime - with strong market incentives and comparatively low composition of social protection - are one third more obese, on average.  Comparing the four 'liberal market' in the English-speaking countries - the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia - with seven comparatively rich European countries that traditionally have a strong social protection - Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden - team has concluded that economic insecurity is strongly associated with the degree of obesity.  Countries with higher levels of job security and income are associated with lower levels of obesity, say scientists. Offer also points out that obesity began to take large proportions in the 1980s, during the growth of market liberalism in the English-speaking countries.  The growth of obesity in developed countries is often attributed to the increasing offer of cheap, accessible, high-energy fast food - phenomenon known as 'fast food shock' - but Offer's team said that the existential uncertainty about the economic impact is stronger.  Offer's staff members are calculated that the availability of fast food has half the effect on the prevalence of obesity from the consequences of economic uncertainty. "We found that the uncertainty is the strongest influence on the degree of obesity, " concluded the researchers in the study.

Eggs are necessary for healthy body

Eggs are necessary for healthy body Eggs contain choline, which is necessary for healthy cell membranes in the human body. Eggs also contain all the essential protein, minerals and vitamins, except Vitamin C. But egg yolks are one of few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. Choline stimulates brain development and function and helps preserving memory. Eggs also are good for your eyes because they contain lutein which helps prevents age-related cataracts and muscular degeneration. In fact, eggs contain more lutein than spinach and other green vegetables. The color of the egg shell is not related to quality, nutrients or cooking characteristics. White shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes. Brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. Brown egg layers usually are slightly larger and require more food, thus brown eggs usually cost more than white eggs. An egg shell has as many as 17,000 pores over its surface. A whole egg is about 3 tablespoons worth of liquid, the egg yolk measures about 1 tablespoon of liquid. There are about 70 calories in an uncooked egg and 77 calories in a cooked egg.

10 reasons you really need Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is the most popular vitamin among all the essential B vitamins. Unfortunately, a lot of people suffer from its deficiency because it is obtained only from sources of animal origin (meat, eggs, fish). All plant foods lack vitamin B12, unless they are fortified with it. Especially, if you’re a vegetarian you should not ignore the possibility of suffering from vitamin B12 deficiency since B12 plays a crucial role in several process of the body – right from producing the red blood cells (RBCs) to stimulating the immune system and maintaining psychological health. Here are top 10 health benefits of vitamin B12 you should know about.
1. Fights fatigue
2. Reduces the risk of pernicious anemia
3. Helps lower the risk of heart disease
4. Improves mental health
5. Prevents memory loss in elderly
6. Reduces the incidence of birth defects
7. May protect against cancer
8. Boosts hepatitis C treatment
9. May protect against Alzheimer’s disease
10. Might help to reduce depression

10 Best Cooling Foods during Summer

1) CURD/YOGURTCurd is a delicious coolant. You can make delicious - chilled spicy buttermilk, a glass of lassi or raita. You can also add fruits to the curds to make a lip-smacking and wholesome dessert or prepare dips during the summer season. 2) COCONUT WATER An inexpensive coconut is full of health benefits and has wonderful cooling properties. It is laden with simple sugars, electrolytes and essential minerals which help keep the body well hydrated. In addition to that, there is evidence to suggest that coconut water has cancer fighting and anti-ageing properties as well. 3) WATERMELON Another fruit that can help you keep cool. Do not buy the chopped watermelon slices sold by the roadside vendors and they should never be consumed if you want to avoid the risk of a diarrhoea infection. Bring home a watermelon, cool it and have lots of it to benefit from the antioxidants present in this delicious fruit. 4) CUCUMBER This crunchy vegetable costs little, has lots of fibre that can help keep constipation at bay. It can make each of your bites crunchier and help you stay cool as a cucumber! 5) MINT Mint is a simple, easily available, inexpensive herb which you can add to your curd to make pudina raita or have it in the form of chutneys besides using it in dips. The best thing about it is that you can grow it in a small pot at home for your use. Though it does not help bring down the body temperature, we love it because of the delicious and refreshing taste. 6) GREEN VEGGIES Though green vegetables are good to have round the year, it is good to have lots of them during the summer months because they have a high water content. Avoid overcooking them because that can cause a loss of water contained therein. 7) ONIONS Onions have amazing cooling properties. You can add it to your curries, dips, raitas, salads and chutneys to help keep you cool. The red onions, in particular, are very rich in quercetin, which is a natural anti-allergen. Having lots of onions can provide you protection against sunstroke.  8) MELONS This is another fruit which is nearly 90% water. Have lots of it in summers to stay cool and well hydrated. 9) LIME WATER The simple lime water or nimboo pani is not only refreshing, it also has health benefits for you. You can have it sweet, salted or add a dash of black salt and cumin powder to it. Have it chilled and beat the heat. 10) ICE CREAMS Summers can never be fun without ice creams. Ice candies or those tempting sundaes bring back the child in you. Add some fresh fruits to them to make them sound less sinful and indulge your taste buds once in a while. Though you have the option of heading for the nearest ice cream parlour, you can try making some at home as well. Kids will love you for it!