Life with toddlers can be challenging, especially sticking with their meal schedule and habits. Growing kids tend to get hungry between meals and keep their parents on their toes. This habit can get particularly tricky during road trips. A snack is a perfect way out to keep the kids full and happy. Since the store-bought ones may be quite unhealthy, here are a few suggestions for some healthy kid snacks. 1. Yogurt Fro-yo or frozen yogurt is an excellent snack for kids. It is a good source of protein, calcium, and sugar to satisfy your kid’s hunger pangs. Frozen yogurt will be healthier if it’s plain rather than flavored. It can be sweetened by adding freshly cut fruits or by dipping cut slices of apples, pears, celery, etc. Fully packed with good bacteria, yogurt is good for bowel movement, especially for kids with nervous tummies. 2. Popcorn Contrary to popular belief, popcorn is not junk food. It is, in fact, pretty nutritious. That’s because it is a whole-grain and high-fiber meal. The most important factor for making popcorn healthy is that it should be air-popped and lightly seasoned. Adding artificial flavors of cheese or caramel will render it useless. Instead, adding a sprinkle of homemade butter, sea salt, or grated parmesan will make it a delicious yet healthy kid snack.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel condition. Symptoms of this disease develop gradually with time and affect the inner lining of the large intestine and rectum. As the condition progresses, it can lead to serious, life-threatening complications. Having this condition puts the patient at increased risk of colon cancer. While it has no known cure, certain treatment options can significantly reduce symptoms and bring about long-term remission. Early warning signs Given the fact that ulcerative colitis can become life-threatening, it is important to identify its symptoms as early as possible. Here are a few symptoms one should watch out for: 1. Diarrhea and rectal bleeding Ulcerative colitis can sometimes cause rectal or abdominal pain. It can even cause muscle spasms and cramping. 2. Fever Studies show that about 40 percent of people with ulcerative colitis are prone to fevers. Do seek medical attention if the fever goes above 103°F (39°C). 3. Anemia When the bleeding does not stop, it may lead to anemia (a low red blood cell count). It can further lead to more complex symptoms that range from shortness of breath to chest pains, and pale skin. 4. Other symptoms The other symptoms that pose as early signs of the IBD include joint pains and swellings, mouth swellings, rashes on the skin, and even inflammation of the eye.

Like too much of anything, excess cholesterol can cause harm to the body, particularly the heart. Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is all about including and eliminating certain foods from regular meals. However, most people are unaware of what foods can cause their LDL or “bad” cholesterol to rise and HDL or “good” cholesterol levels to fall. Read on to learn about the best and the worst foods to eat for people with high cholesterol. 1. Eat: Fiber-rich foods High-fiber foods are among the best foods for managing cholesterol levels. That’s because dietary fibers bind to the fats and cholesterol in the bloodstream and help remove them through stool. Besides, they are beneficial for digestive health. Some excellent fiber-rich foods to consider include different types of nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Oats, a type of whole grain, are particularly effective at bringing down high cholesterol levels. 2. Avoid: Fried foods Regardless of one’s cholesterol level, fried foods should be avoided whenever possible. Not only are they packed with calories, but many fried foods also contain trans fats, which are the extremely unhealthy. Trans fats can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol. Plus, they have been linked to an increased risk of heart diseases, among various other health conditions.

Breathing difficulties caused by respiratory disorders like asthma is a common discomfort.  Medications, treatments, and therapy aside, there are a few possible changes in food regime and lifestyle that can provide better long-term relief. Asthma and nutrition go hand-in-hand. Incorporating certain staples, eliminating food-based triggers, and making a few lifestyle changes can help manage the condition better. 1. Foods rich in nutrients Antioxidants like flavonoids, selenium, vitamins D, C, E, and beta carotene are some of the most crucial nutrients that help manage breathing difficulties linked to food. So, incorporating foods rich in vitamin D can improve lung function and reduce the risk of respiratory tract infections. Vitamins C, E, and beta carotene help fight substances that can damage tissue and trigger breathing difficulties. Salmon, tuna, mackerel, egg yolks, cheese, and mushrooms are good sources of vitamin D. Apples, pears, citrus fruits, colorful berries, green vegetables, starchy vegetables, and root vegetables are loaded with essential minerals that combat the symptoms of asthma. 2. Foods to avoid Eliminating certain foods and beverages from the daily food regime is also a critical aspect of asthma and nutrition concepts. Sulfites, foods that can cause bloating, and different types of chemical preservatives, additives, and artificial flavors can aggravate symptoms.

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that alters a person’s perception of reality. The person may experience hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and extremely disordered thinking. Such an altered perception of surroundings may hinder the affected person’s daily activities and prevent them from leading a normal life. Thankfully, nutrition can play a major role in managing schizophrenia-related symptoms in people. Some foods that must be avoided or completely eliminated from meals are described as follows: 1. Refined sugars People suffering from schizophrenia are advised to reduce their sugar intake to keep their blood sugar levels normal. This is because the medication prescribed for schizophrenia hinders the body’s ability to control blood sugar levels and results in high blood sugar. These medicines could be fatal if the patient is not managing their sugar intake. 2. Wheat Wheat or any other foods ingredients that contain a large amount of gluten and simple carbohydrates must be avoided by people suffering from mental disorders like schizophrenia. These nutrients can often lead to inflammation and may worsen the symptoms in patients. Moreover, sometimes, if you are consuming gluten, even if you are intolerant, it can aggravate a person’s mental health. 3. Alcohol People who have schizophrenia are known to be at risk of being irresponsible about their alcohol consumption.

Cold, flu, and cough are common health conditions across the globe, which are typically caused due to viral infection or other seasonal or environmental factors. While the body may take its course of getting rid of the cold, flu, and cough, avoiding the following foods can make it easy to manage its symptoms and provide relief from the same. 1. Milk It is one of the top foods that should be avoided when suffering from cold, flu, and cough. Milk and other dairy products can thicken mucus, thereby trapping allergens and irritants in the throat and lungs for longer. This can increase chest congestion causing pain and tightness, thereby aggravating the symptoms, making it difficult to manage.  2. Coffee A hot cup of coffee might seem to help with cold, flu, and cough, but it can be counterproductive in managing the same. Being diuretic, coffee can increase urination, which can increase the risk of dehydration in the body, thereby making it difficult to manage cold, flu, and cough. Drinking coffee when suffering from cold and flu can also lead to vomiting and diarrhea, which can further worsen the symptoms. 3. Refined sugars These are found in abundance in confectioneries like cakes, pastries, candies.

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar levels in the body. It usually occurs when the body doesn’t use insulin properly or produces insufficient amounts of the hormone. While medication and exercise are a must for managing the condition, there’s also a connection between diabetes and foods. While some eatables help control blood sugar, others have the opposite effect. This article lists four sugar-free snack recipes for diabetics. 1. Boiled eggs Boiled eggs are a great snack option for those with diabetes. This is simply because boiled eggs (even other types of eggs) have lots of protein. Protein-rich foods are digested slowly, preventing blood sugar levels from rising instantly. To whip up some hard-boiled eggs, all you need is some eggs and water: Cook the eggs until the water starts to boil. Turn off the heat and let the water cool. Peel the shell and enjoy nutritionally packed eggs. If you’re bored of eating them plain, you can simply devil the eggs, make an egg salad, or add some spices for a dash of flavor. 2. Avocado dip When talking about diabetes and foods that help, avocados top the list. They’re high in fiber and can thus help manage blood sugar levels.

Cancer occurs when the cells in the body start abnormally dividing and uncontrollably spreading through the system, affecting tissues and vital organs. More than 100 kinds of cancers are known to exist, and each type has their own complications. While it is difficult to predict who gets cancer, there are certain lifestyle choices and preventive measures that can put one in the low risk category of getting this illness. Let’s take a look at these options. 1. Healthy Lifestyle Choices These changes are integral to lowering the risk of cancer. Avoiding Tobacco Cigarette smoking or even passive smoking increases the risk of getting cancer. According to studies, those who smoke are 25 times more likely to get the disease than those who do not smoke tobacco. Using Sunscreen Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer observed in the country. So, keeping the skin protected from harmful UV rays is important. Not just the sun but even tanning beds can increase the risk of developing this illness. Maintainging a Body Mass Index (BMI) According to research those who struggle with obesity are at high risk of developing this illness along with other health complications. Cancer affecting the endometrial or breasts are some of the common high risk cancer types for those struggling with abnormal BMI.