20 easy winter health tips

20 easy winter health tips

For optimum health it is vital to eat a well balanced diet that is high in fibre and includes all the major food groups.

1. For optimum health it is vital to include both soluble and insoluble fibre daily. Soluble fibre is found in foods such as psyllium husk, apples, oat bran and legumes (chickpeas, lentils). Sources of insoluble fibre include whole grains, broccoli, nuts, seeds and vegetable skins.
2. Including fibre in your diet will offer benefits beyond your bowel. Fibre plays an important role in helping to prevent serious health conditions. Fibre can also help manage the digestive complaints associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
3. The easiest way to boost your fibre intake is to eat foods in their most natural state i.e. fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains (steel cut oats, rolled rye, brown rice, whole-wheat), legumes, nuts and seeds. If you are struggling to reach the recommended 25-30g of fibre per day, you may wish to boost your intake with a fibre supplement made from psyllium husk.
4. Make it a priority to drink 500ml of water before breakfast. Staying well hydrated will give you more energy, mental clarity and enhanced digestive function.
   
   Teresa Boyce, Health Whisperer/Nutritionist.
5. The first step to good nutrition is to remove all highly processed foods from your kitchen. This will allow room for nutrient dense, fresh foods.
6. Preparation is key, plan your meals at the start of the week, pre cook and freeze meals ahead of busy days and always carry healthy snacks in your bag for when you are on the run.
7. Make an effort to include raw foods such as fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts, seeds and fresh herbs. Raw foods provide enzymes, vitamins and disease protective antioxidants.
8. When it comes to fruits and vegetables variety is a must. Take the time to learn what is in season and try something new. Selecting seasonal produce ensures variety, optimal taste and quality.
9. When preparing meals you should simply think rainbow. If your plate is full of brightly coloured fresh produce you know you are on the right track.
10. Drinking herbal tea is a tasty way to improve hydration. Herbal teas include ginger, mint, jasmine, lemon grass, and chamomile.
11. A healthy diet is a balanced diet complete with all major food groups. Meals should contain a mixture of fibre rich carbohydrates, good quality protein and essential fatty acids.
12. It is estimated between 30- 50% of Australia adults are deficient in vitamin D. The easiest way to increase vitamin D levels is by going for a walk outdoors and enjoying sensible sun exposure.
13. Serving sizes have doubled over the years making it easy to overeat. Limit your portion size by eating from a smaller plate or bowl.
14. Limit added sugars to no more than 10% of your daily calorie intake or 6- 10 teaspoons per day. To calculate how many teaspoons of sugar is in a food product divide the grams of sugar by 4. For example 16 grams of sugar is equivalent to 4 teaspoons of sugar.
15. Probiotics are the beneficial ‘good’ bacteria essential for health and digestive function. Aim to consume probiotic rich foods like natural yogurt, fermented vegetables and fermented milk drinks on a regular basis.
16. Health is a state of complete physical and mental well-being. Do not neglect your emotional health, take time out to stop, relax and breathe.
17. Spice things up at meal times by using a variety of herbs and spices. Including fresh herbs will enhance flavour, texture and boost the nutrient value of any meal.
18. Good quality sleep is vital for good health. Poor sleep can impact on everyday life affecting concentration, mood, stress levels and weight gain. Aim to get into bed early and enjoy around 8 hours of deep sleep.
19. Fibre can benefit energy levels. Soluble fibre slows the rate of carbohydrate digestion and absorption therefore preventing blood sugar surges and crashes. Foods that are high in fibre are ideal choices for sustained, balanced energy throughout the day.
20. Studies have indicated that consuming around 7g of soluble fibre per day can help lower blood cholesterol levels. Once consumed soluble fibre binds to cholesterol aiding its passage through the body and eventual elimination. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water, soluble fibre works best when partnered with water.

Don’t make delaying periods a habit

I am 18 years old. Is delaying menstrual periods safe? Should I consult a gynaecologist or can I simply ask for the pills in medical shop? Which medicine should I ask for? Before how many days of beginning of menstrual cycle can I take medicine? Does it have any side effect? 
— Anonymous

E-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than tobacco – UK study

A woman displays a package of E-cigarette, an electronic 
substitute in the form of a rod, slightly longer than a normal
cigarette, in Bordeaux, southwestern France, on March 25, 2008.
 REUTERS

LONDON: Electronic cigarettes are around 95 percent less harmful than tobacco and should be promoted as a tool to help smokers quit, a study by an agency of Britain’s Department of Health said on Wednesday.

E-cigarettes, tobacco-free devices people use to inhale nicotine-laced vapour, have surged in popularity on both sides of the Atlantic but health organisations have so far been wary of advocating them as a safer alternative to tobacco and governments from California to India have tried to introduce bills to regulate their use more strictly.

“E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm,” said Professor Kevin Fenton from Public Health England, which carried out the study.

Most of the chemicals that cause smoking-related diseases are absent in e-cigarettes and the current best estimate is that e-cigarette use is around 95 percent less harmful to health than smoking, the study said.

Passive inhalation from an e-cigarette was also much less harmful.

The publicly-funded study goes against a 2014 report by the World Health Organization that called for stiff regulation of e-cigarettes and bans on their indoor use and sale to minors.

It also contradicts the finding of another study by researchers from the University of Southern California which said this week that U.S. teens who tried electronic cigarettes might be more than twice as likely to move on to smoking conventional cigarettes as those who have never tried the devices.

The Public Health England study said e-cigarettes, which are already the most popular quitting aids in Britain and the United States, could be a cheap way to reduce smoking in deprived areas where there remains a high proportion of smokers.

It criticised media campaigns that have called e-cigarettes equally or even more harmful than smoking that could serve as a “gateway” to tobacco cigarettes among teenagers.

“There is no evidence that e-cigarettes are undermining England’s falling smoking rates,” said Professor Ann McNeil who helped author the study.

“Instead the evidence consistently finds that e-cigarettes are another tool for stopping smoking and in my view smokers should try vaping, and vapers should stop smoking entirely,” she added.

Almost all of the 2.6 million adults using e-cigarettes in Britain are current or ex-smokers who are using the devices to help them quit and only 2 percent of young people are regular users, the study said.

Tobacco companies such as Philip Morris International (PM.N) and British American Tobacco (BAT) (BATS.L) have viewed e-cigarettes as a solution to declining sales in Britain and the United States and have bought makers of the metal devices.

Calling the study an “incredibly important milestone”, a BAT spokesman acknowledged the risk posed by chemicals found in cigarette smoke and said increasing sales of e-cigarettes would greatly benefit their customers’ health.

Stress shows on skin, hair

NEW DELHI: Leading a stressful life? Unfortunately, it shows on your skin and hair, says an expert.

Pankaj Chaturvedi, dermatologist and specialist hair transplant surgeon at MedLinks, a centre for skin and hair treatment, shares what stress can do to skin and hair:

Acne: Since our skin and mind are deeply connected; the moment stress hormones are released, oil production in the skin increases and leads to acne breakouts.
Ageing: It is easy to identify people who are stressed because the signs of ageing such as wrinkles and dark circles start to show on their face much earlier than they should.
Hair loss: Due to stress, our blood vessels get constricted and the hair follicles are unable to get the required quantity of oxygen and other nutrients, which are necessary for hair growth. Lack of nutrients often leads to hair loss for various people who are stressed.

Here are some of the best ways to reduce stress:

• Get a nice massage. It will help to relax your body and open all the blocked energy channels.
• Exercise for some time. It motivates you and lifts your mood. It helps to energise you and is the key to a healthy body.
• Meditate for at least 15 to 20 minutes per day. You can do it any time, any place at your convenience. Sitting in peace can help you to focus your thoughts and help release stress.
• Eat small frequent meals and eat healthy food.
Some foods that are really good for busting stress include almonds, blueberries and salmon.
• Sleep for at least eight hours. Lack of sleep makes a person cranky and irritable. Nothing can beat a good night’s sleep in releasing stress.

Just when you thought you were stunting premature aging with some designer eye cream, you forgot a few major anti-aging essentials — 10 of them, to be exact. Everything from sunscreen to milk is scientifically proven to strike a figurative ax on your more-than-real wrinkles and sagging skin. We rounded up 10 things men do that unfortunately make them look 40 in their 20s, and age faster than their normal, biological pace.

10. LACK OF SLEEP –

You literally look older with lack of sleep. Less than six hours can give you dark circles around the eyes and sagging skin. Furthermore, lack of sleep alters hormones and metabolism, which could increase the severity of age-related ailments like diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

9. NOT ENOUGH MILK –

Studies show that we lose .5% to 1% of our lean muscle mass every year, starting as early as our 30s. Additionally, muscle strength declines 12 to 15 percent per decade. The less muscle you have, the more likely you’ll be sedentary (see No. 8).Yikes. Double up on the milk. Amino acids in protein are the building blocks of muscle, and milk contains whey, an excellent source of leucine, a powerhouse protein stimulus.

8. TOO MUCH TV –

Game of Thrones is a great show, but you might want to cool it on the binge watching. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to premature aging, mostly due to the lack of exercise that tones your muscles and gets blood flowing. The lack of exercise and mobility in your life is nothing but a fast track to heart disease, obesity and other factors that lead to a shorter life. Oh, and keep this up and you’re at risk of dementia.

7. TOO MUCH DOUGHNUT CONSUMPTION –

Homer Simpson may be our hero, but if he were an actual human, well, he’d most likely be six-feet under. While processed sugar is delicious, it’s lethal. White sugar speeds up the aging process by binding to and eventually weakening the collagen in your skin, leading to premature wrinkles and sagging. Also, sugar molecules in your system cause protein fibers to become weak (a process called glycation) and can promote tissue damage and chronic inflammation, leading to cataracts, liver disease and more ailments.

6. TOO MUCH ALCOHOL –

Probably the saddest reality to one of life’s greatest joys is alcohol’s abuse of our skin. Not only does it dehydrate (which we’re well aware of), but alcohol consumption on a regular basis does a harmful number on your vitality. Alcohol has no nutrients (shocker!), which adversely affects nutrition levels and has a negative impact on the body’s vitamin A, a very important antioxidant for regeneration of new cells and collagen production. Just ask Dr. Oz. Alcohol also enlarges skin vessels, which lose quality and tone when actually enlarged for a long period of time.

5. LONG WORK HOURS –

Stress is one of the leading contributors to faster aging, and working long hours is beyond stress-inducing. When constantly under pressure, chronic stress chemicals are released, wreaking major havoc on your cells and causing detrimental biological changes, not to mention insomnia and heart disease. According to a recent study, work-related exhaustion can have a harmful effect on critical DNA in the cells, ultimately leading to Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

4. NOT ENOUGH CONSUMPTION OF FISH –

If you’re a steak and potatoes type of guy, try fish and vegetables. Fish is known to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is a major anti-inflammatory, one of the best ways to prevent aging. It’s great for skin, heart, hair and the immune system. It also boosts preservation of DNA segments — called telomeres — in your white blood cells, which help prevent aging. Need inspiration? Look at the Japanese, who have the highest life expectancy in the world, partly thanks to their regular fish intake.

3. SMOKING –

James Dean may have made smoking look cool, but should he be alive today, he’d look 183 years old. Not only is smoking bad for your health (and secondhand smoke wrecks others around you), but studies show it increases your risk for heart and lung disease. It also activates enzymes that break down the skin’s elasticity. If that’s not enough, smoking depletes the body’s vitamin C, which keeps skin moist and plump. Think twice before you light up!

2. NOT WEARING SUNSCREEN –

Sure, sunscreen may help prevent dry skin, sun burns and even skin cancer, but it also protects against photo aging, which is wrinkles, spots and loss of elasticity caused by the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Without sunscreen, these may appear faster than you can imagine. UVA radiation notoriously robs the skin of its natural ability to hold shape and does nothing but wreak havoc on smooth skin.

1. CITY LIFE –

There’s a reason why many locals in quiet villages and towns — mostly in Asia or Europe — live for almost a full century. There’s no crazy fast-food culture, the environments are walking-friendly and locals have great devotion to their faith. And sometimes, according to NBC, just being Asian helps you live longer, should you be so lucky.

10 tips for a fitter YOU

1. Regular physical activity promotes health, a sense of well-being, and healthy weight. Find ways to get active, stay active and become more active. It could be something as simple as putting in more housework, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking to a grocery store near you.

2. If you are new to exercise, it is best to see a fitness professional for proper guidance. If you are already working out, you should monitor your workout to ensure progress. You need to vary on intensity, frequency and duration to avoid plateau and maximise results.

3. Having exercise goals is extremely important. Make sure its practical, achievable and healthy. Your programme should be carefully planned to ensure that it is appropriate to meet your goal.

4. Find a workout which interests you, is appropriate for your fitness level and health condition and meets your goal. Start with mild intensity and gradually increase to match your fitness level.

5. You can exercise moderately for a minimum of 30 minutes a day to maintain your health and weight, and 45 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity to lose weight.

6. Enjoy your workout, don’t do it out of compulsion but your free will. It’s a lifetime commitment to benefit you. Also don’t seek immediate results. It will come slowly and with consistent effort. Please remember that any substantial change that you bring into your life will not come externally, it must come from within to last and result in success. Slipping up every now and then is also a process of progress, don’t give up on yourself and get right back into your routine.

7. Do not count your calories, instead feel it. If it feels good in your stomach (no aches, pain, bloating, discomfort), it is good for you.

8. Eat five small healthy meals throughout the day. Moderation is very important. Your choices could be healthy but you could still suffer indigestion if you over-stuff yourself.

9. Spread your water intake properly. Make sure you stay hydrated and know that by the time you feel thirsty you are already functioning through a dehydrated state. You can lose up to 40 percent of your strength in a
dehydrated state.

10. It is a scientific fact that our bodies are designed for activity. Lack of
activities will lead to deterioration, degeneration and create energy imbalance in the whole body.

Monsoon invites common health problems

Kathmandu

Monsoon is a ripe time for germs and bacteria to breed. Stagnant water all around the locality, water resources mixed with sewage, land and soil pollution play a vital role in spreading several infections. If timely preventions are not taken, then there are high chances that one has to queue up at hospitals to get a proper treatment.

Common problems

With the onset of monsoon, there are high chances that people suffer from water-borne diseases. Diarrhoea, typhoid, Hepatitis A and E are common during the monsoons. It happens when there is an intake of contaminated water. “Most of the people suffer from such infections during the rainy season as this is a favourable time for the agents to multiply,” informed Dr Kamal Raj Thapa, Assistant Professor, Medicine Department, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu. It can also become an epidemic. Overflow of ground water too can contaminate tap water and intake of it results in infections. Among such infections, diarrhoea is common in the country.

“These days there are 25 to 30 per cent of new patients visiting the hospitals because of diarrhoea,” informed the doctor. People drinking water from the same source are prone to get such an infection. As it is a communicable disease, it spreads easily when people drink contaminated water.

Along with seasonal changes during the monsoons, there are chances of viral flu. “Because of the fluctuating temperature and humidity, it acts as a favourable environment for the virus. This is why people suffer from viral fever during the monsoons,” stated Dr Thapa.

Pregnant women must be conscious of their health during the monsoons as drinking contaminated water may lead to jaundice, and this can be fatal.

Mosquito alert

Stagnant water is necessary for mosquitoes to breed. During monsoons, rainwater gets collected in flowerpots, tyres of vehicles, and puddles where the mosquitoes lay their eggs. This is why there are high chances of malaria and dengue during the monsoon season. These diseases are quite common in the Tarai region. And people living in the Valley can also be affected as mosquitoes are found here too.

But you can protect yourself. First do not let water collect. “Wearing full sleeved clothes, filling puddles in the locality, and using mosquito nets are some of the preventive measures. It will be better not to go out in the evenings,” suggested

Dr Thapa.

Snakebite

There are high chances of snakebites in the Tarai during monsoon. People are seen sucking the venom out which is a wrong practice. The venom doesn’t move in the body from the blood, rather it moves through the lymphatic system.

“Along with this, applying pressure and tying the areas around the snakebite should also not be practised; rather gently tying areas below the wound and areas around it is necessary. People also must not cut the wounded area as doing so leads to complications. Walking must be strictly prohibited after a snakebite and immediate medical help is necessary,” informed the doctor.

Other issues at hand

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by a bacteria leptospira. This infection is common in Chitwan during monsoon. “A patient will show symptoms of fever, jaundice, pneumonia, and meningitis. Presentation of the symptoms will be as per the disease. But in most of the cases fever and jaundice are common,” shared Dr Thapa.

The level of water rises in the rivers during this season and as there are multiple rivers in the country, we often hear of children dying because of drowning. This is why parents must take extra care of their children during monsoons. “A proper guidance about the consequences of swimming in flooded rivers, ponds and lakes must be given to children,” suggested the doctor.

Do’s and Don’ts

•    Drink boiled and purified water (boil for at least 10 minutes after it starts to boil)

•    Prevent children from getting drenched

•    Eat healthy home cooked food

•    Take rest if you have infections

•    Isolate yourself from crowd so as to prevent transmission

•    Maintain personal hygiene

•    Do not apply a tourniquet after snakebite

Vitamin A protects body from infection: Study

NEW YORK: Vitamin A directs a key set of immune cells that protect the body from infection to the intestines, says a study.

These set of immune cells will otherwise be lost without directions in case of vitamin A deficiency, the researchers reported in a paper published in the journal Immunity.

It is known that vitamin A deficiencies lead to increased susceptibility to disease and low concentrations of immune cells in the intestines.

“We wanted to find the specific role the vitamin plays in the immune system and how it influences the cells and biological processes,” said Chang Kim, section head of microbiology and immunology in Purdue University’s college of veterinary medicine.

The team found that retinoic acid, a metabolite that comes from digested vitamin A, is necessary for two of the three types of “innate” immune cells that reside in the intestine to find their proper place.

Within our immune system, there are two categories of cells that work together to rid the body
of infection.

These are innate immune cells and leukocytes that are fast acting and immediately present to eliminate infection.

Then there are adaptive immune cells (T-cells and B-cells) that arrive later but are more effective at neutralising the infection.

In earlier work, Kim found that vitamin A also regulates the migration of T-cells.

“It is interesting that both innate and adaptive immune cells share a vitamin A-regulated pathway for migration,” he added.

This is not the only vitamin known to regulate the migration of immune cells.

“Vitamin D has been shown to work in a similar way to guide immune cells to the skin,” Kim said.

Effective Exercises against Back Pain

If you lead sedentary lifestyles, these exercises will bring some relief from the constant back pain.

These exercises are very effective because they naturally relieve back pain caused by the daily load. Every morning when you get up, reach out and unwittingly do these exercises that will correct the back and unleash the pressure from the spine.

If you lead sedentary lifestyles, and have to stay in the chair in the same position, these exercises will bring some relief from the constant back pain. You will feel reborn and lighter.

Exercises against back pain: 

1. Lie on your back, place a pillow under the shoulders or folded towel roll with the knees spread apart and breathing evenly. Hold this position for several minutes.

2. While sitting on the heels, surround a pillow and hug it with your hands. During 10 – 20 breaths relax, head turned to one side. Repeat on the other side.

3. Remove the pillow, extend your arms in front of you and slightly to the side, slightly wider shoulder. Feel the stretch in your hips and shoulders. Take a deep breath, and go down the other side and stretch the back again.

4. Squat your knees, lift your back, relax your neck and arms with her knees firmly on the floor, and head lowered down. This situation is reminiscent of the strain that makes cats, right? They know how to properly stretch.

5. When inhaling bend your back, with your buttocks up, and the view too. When exhaling return to the previous cat – position. Alternately do these two exercises, each 10 times.

6. While leaning on your knees, spread your hands in front of you and rely on one shoulder. The head should be turned to the side and neck relaxed. Feel your shoulders straining. Do the same on the other side.

7. Lie on the floor, spread your legs, put a pillow under your hips. Your shoulders and back should be on the floor. You must feel like you stretched the front of the thighs. Lie in this position for one minute.

8. And the last exercises – move the pillow under your knees and completely relax your body – 5 minutes.

Don’t forget to share the knowledge as you might help someone in need!

- See more at: http://www.healthyfoodteam.com/effective-exercises-against-back-pain/#sthash.wpMyPsmM.dpuf

After This Type Of Body Cleansing, You Will Get Rid Of Back, Neck And Joints Pain!

We have to clear all the toxins in our body because they are creating a damp. We can find a lot of ways to clean our body from toxins. In any case, none are as actual as the detoxification of the body with rice.

Take regular rice in as much tbsps as the count of your years (if you are 35 take 35 tablespoons).

Take regular rice in tbsps as much as you are old (for example if you are 35 years old takes 35 tbsps)

Wash and pit into a jar made of glass.

Fill the jar with boiling water, close the cover and put it in the fridge.

Drain the water in the morning. Then cook one full tablespoon of rice 3-4 minutes with no salt.

Eat it in the morning on empty stomach

Again on the remaining rice in the jar put boiling water, and put it in the fridge to the next morning.

Go over this method of clean the body consistently, until there is no more rice in the jar.

The mystery technique lies in the grain of rice that has a crystal-like construction. At the point when the beans are doused up the starch is evacuated and cells are developing. Rice is processed in the digestion systems and not the stomach so his grainacts as retentive (sorbents). With this technique the guts, veins, joints and different parts of the body are discharged of poisons, overwhelming metals and other unsafe substances. Cleaning the body with rice serves to standardize the digestion system and manages weight. After the treatment you will feel healthier as well as more youthful. There is only one condition: don’t drink or eat anything 3 hours after taking this kind of rice in the morning.

After cleaning, body pains vanish in the back, neck and joints. This treatment impacts are not quick but steady. The cleaning of the body starts in the next two weeks. Furthermore, you will take note. Poisons will be tossed out through the pee and discharges. The shading of pee will change and it will be blurred.

What’s more, you will feel more lovely and healthier. After certain time taking rice cleaning of the body is motivated and will be preceded inside of a couple of months. Upon lapse, you will feel astounding outcomes.

Remember to drink fluids – no less than 2 liters a day. Water and green tea is the best.

9 Very Real Benefits of Laughter

Laughter is the best medicine. That’s what everybody hears, but how those laughter affects our health? It seems like laughter does promote a healthier lifestyle. Smile and get your tummy ready for a good old laugh session and experience these health benefits.

9 Very Real Benefits of Laughter

Good For The Heart
A study has shown that people who have heart problems are less likely to find humor in life. They also tend to laugh less than those who didn’t. Laughing can give your heart a good workout. So laugh the heart diseases away.
Stronger Bonds and Heal Relationships
Laughter is the best ways to bond with people. It brings you closer and helps resolve issues. Laughter brings about positive feelings, relieve anxiety and diminish anger. Laughter is a great way to resolve issues, with a little bit of nudging and laughter a solution to any problem can come about.
Cancer Prevention
Laughter can help cancer patients going under chemotherapy to alleviate pain and pessimism. Some hospitals use laughter therapy to help boost the patients immunity, improve their mood and relieve some of the pain. It can also help increase cancer fighting cells in the body.
A Good Nights Rest
Get a peaceful and nightmare free sleep by laughing. A study was done in japan in regards to the relationship of laughter and sleeping. It turns out people who laugh more during the evening get better sleep quality. Get better sleep by watching your favorite comedy show or reading a funny book before hitting the sack.
Stress Reliever
Relieve the symptoms of stress with a good laugh. Stress can cause a multitude of diseases, from heart problems to mental illness. Laughter can relieve stress and keep the heart pumping. Give your mind and body a break by relaxing and watching a comedy show or watching a funny movie.
Relieves Pain
Laughter creates endorphins in the body, endorphins are chemical in the brain that functions as a pain reliever and mood booster. A study has shown that people who suffered from chronic pain experience less pain when going through laughter therapy.
Fight Pessimism and Depression
When we are down, the two things we need are people who love us and laughter. Fight off depression by laughter, it can boost the mood and improve brain functions. Laughter is known to aid depression and anxiety. Studies have shown that people who laugh more have less anxiety and depression periods. People who tend to use humor as a coping mechanism has a much positive viewpoint in life and is less likely to develop depression.
Immunity Booster
Laughter can boost the immune system function. It can help the circulation of blood and oxygen in the body. It also promotes healthy blood cells.
Laughter Makes Everything Fun
Nobody wants to work or study in a laughter free place. Laughter can help increase productivity and creativity by adding much needed laughter in the workplace. Sharing laughter with your co-workers or classmates can help strengthen bonds and teamwork.
Don’t forget to laugh and make other people laugh. Laughter can improve your health and quality of life.

14 foods you shouldn't keep in the refrigerator

Onions 
Store unpeeled onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. The National Onion Association in the U.S. says unpeeled onions require air exposure to ensure optimum shelf life, so discard their plastic bags. Exception: Peeled onions should be kept in the fridge in a covered container.

Pumpkin 
This requires a well-ventilated location that’s also dry, dark and cool such as the basement, according to the CPMA.

Whole melons 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that watermelons lost some of their antioxidant (lycopene and beta-carotene) content when refrigerated. “Antioxidants in foods, including melons, are prone to degradation if they are not stored properly,” says Desiree Nielsen, a Vancouver-based registered dietitian. She suggests leaving whole melons on the counter at room temperature to maintain these antioxidants. Sliced melon should be covered and put in the fridge. 

Garlic 
Never store garlic bulbs in the fridge; the CPMA says they can begin to sprout. Instead, store them in a dry, dark place.

Potatoes 
Spuds should be given a dark, cool and dry space, according to the Potato Growers of Alberta. Remove potatoes from their plastic or paper bags, and keep them unwashed in a well-ventilated cardboard box. If you wash potatoes before storing them, the moisture can spark decay.

Honey 
The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association says that honey should be kept in a tightly closed container at room temperature in a dry place. Honey’s acidic pH and sugar content keeps any spoiling microorganisms at bay. Refrigerating it can cause crystallization, making it hard to spread. Honey will store in your cupboard for an indefinite period of time.

Whole tomatoes 
The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers say cold air can turn their flesh into mush.

Apricots, Bananas, Kiwi, Peaches, Plums and Mangoes 
These can be kept on the counter until they ripen; they will retain nutrients better, says the Canadian Produce Marketing Association.

Coffee
Ground coffee and beans need airtight containers and a cool, dry and dark spot to retain their flavour and freshness. Freeze large amounts that won’t be used immediately. Wrap it in airtight bags, and store it for up to a month in the freezer.