We read about how important it is for a girl to be in harmony with the cycles of Nature, and how specifically we can do this :). And here we read about the principles of nutrition in spring during the transition period, which is so wonderful, but is fraught with some dangers :)
Here are quotes from the book “Healthy, Happy, Sexy” by Katie Silcox about modern use Ayurvedic approach:
“You need to eat seasonal products in the spring, grown near your place of residence (however, as in other seasons). Follow the list of foods that reduce kapha:
The basic principle: increase your consumption of foods with pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.
Avoid: sweet, sour and salty.
Cereals.
People of the kapha type benefit from toast, which has a drying effect on the body.
The most suitable: amaranth, barley, basmati rice, buckwheat, corn grits, quinoa.
In small quantities: millet, rye.
Dairy products.
Most suitable: goat milk, skim milk, soy milk.
Sweeteners.
Most suitable: raw honey only (in moderation).
Oils.
Use all oils in very small quantities. Even the highest quality ones cause kapha imbalance if overused.
The most suitable: canola, corn, mustard, safflower, soybean, sunflower.
Fruits and berries.
The most suitable: dried fruits, apples, cherries, cranberries, grapefruit, pomegranate, prunes, raisins.
In small quantities: apricots, lemons, limes, papaya, pineapple.
Not recommended: sweet fruits, avocados, bananas, berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries), cantaloupe, coconut, dates, figs, grapes, mangoes, melon, pineapple, oranges, peaches, pears, persimmons, plums , tangerines, watermelon.
Vegetables.
In summer, vegetables are best eaten raw, and in other seasons they are cooked. It happens that in people of the kapha type, digestion worsens due to raw vegetables. In this case, they should be completely excluded.
Most suitable: alpha alpha sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, green beans, Bell pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, celery, chili peppers, cilantro, corn, kale, lettuce and other leafy vegetables, mustard greens, onions, parsley, peas, hot peppers, potatoes, radishes, seaweed, spinach, turnip, rutabaga.
In small quantities: beets, cucumbers, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, zucchini (all types), sweet potatoes, tomatoes, water chestnut, zucchini.
Nuts and seeds.
Most suitable: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.
In small quantities: sesame seeds.
Meat, fish and eggs.
If you cannot do without meat, reduce its consumption to 2-3 times a week. Of all three doshas, kaphas are the ones that benefit most from a vegetarian diet.
Most suitable: chicken, turkey, River fish, rabbit.
Legumes.
The most suitable: mung beans, red lentils, soybeans, tofu and soy milk, split peas.
In small quantities: adzuki beans, black beans, garden beans, kidney beans, lima beans, pinto beans.
Spices.
Most suitable: anise, basil, Bay leaf, black pepper, calamus, chamomile, cumin, cardamom, catnip, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin (cumin), dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hyssop, marjoram, mustard, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, poppy, rosemary, saffron, sage, spearmint, star anise, thyme, turmeric. It is best to use hot spices. Chances are that any spices not listed here will work as well.
Seasonings, sauces, chocolate.
The most suitable: ketchup, vinegar.
Beverages.
The most suitable: herbal teas (with a sharp and bitter taste), cranberry juice, freshly squeezed juices from green vegetables, wheatgrass.
In small quantities: mineral water with gas, coffee, tea.
Whatever you eat, remember that food is prana (life energy). It gives you energy, your vitality. When we treat the body with disdain and eat, indulging our desires (be it fast food or spicy sauce at a time when we are already hot), this can affect our energy. That's why most healthy people can eat according to the list for a certain time of year: this will help avoid imbalances in the digestive system and other disorders!”
We welcome Spring and the Sun :)
Beauty and Radiance to everyone!
The desire to part with extra pounds before summer and the holiday season is the right of every woman. We analyze the most popular diets and tell you what pitfalls await those who want to get their dream body with their help.
Paleo diet
Diet basis: lean meat and poultry, fish and seafood, eggs, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, berries, fruits and vegetables, herbs, spices, vegetable oils; no ─ cereals, legumes and dairy products, sugar, salt.
Any restriction causes weight loss, so it is not surprising that paleo nutrition (very simplified - eating in the image and likeness of our ancestors, i.e. “nothing extra”) leads to weight loss. However, if you do not have lactose intolerance or celiac disease, then such a diet cannot be considered balanced. The concept of “celiac disease” or “celiac enteropathy” entered the medical lexicon in late XIX century. This is how they began to call chronic intestinal disorder, provoked by several edible species cereals (wheat, rye, oats, barley) due to the gluten protein they contain. At the same time, the first therapeutic diet options for people with celiac disease appeared, but it is worth noting that this is a very rare disease and for a person with normal digestion there is no point in excluding grain products from their diet, as well as dairy and fermented milk. Whole grain porridge ─ best start day, like best breakfast for weight control.
Mind nutrition system
Diet basis: 10 healthy food groups (green leafy and other vegetables, nuts, berries, legumes, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine) and 5 unhealthy food groups (red meat, butter and margarine, cheese, baked goods and sweets, fried foods and fast food) that should be excluded.
Diet "Zero belly"
Diet basis: Power foods are energy foods rich in protein, fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vitamins (eggs, red fruits, olive oil, beans, lean meats and fish, leafy greens, spices).
If you eat correctly and rationally, then your stomach will work correctly. However, if you already have some problems with digestive system(ulcers, gastritis, colitis, pancreatitis), then bloating is a consequence of such diseases and a simple change in diet cannot always be corrected. First, you need to resolve the health issue with a gastroenterologist, and not buy fashionable products. And yet, it wouldn’t hurt to include power foods in the menu: they wonderfully “direct” the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, help get rid of bloating, stimulate metabolism and, according to the author of the diet, suppress the gene responsible for the accumulation of unwanted centimeters in the abdomen and waist.
Smoothie diets
Diet basis: for 3-4 weeks eat fruit and vegetable mixtures.
Details ─ “What you need to know about smoothies to lose weight.” Here, first of all, it is important to understand that cholesterol performs an important function in the body: it is part of cell membranes and participates in cell division. Sex hormones are modified cholesterol, part of which enters the body with foods that contain fat, such as meat (which is why men intuitively love it so much!), which is not included in the smoothie menu. Fats should make up 20% of the daily diet, the main thing is to choose the right ones. Don’t forget that extra virgin oil is healthier than mayonnaise, fish, even fatty ones, is healthier than chicken legs, and a lean pork steak is healthier than a semi-finished product. The smoothie diet is good as a fasting meal for a day or two, but not as a nutrition system aimed at losing weight with long-term effects.
Lemon diet
Diet basis: lemonade made with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
For a few days the main source nutrients and energy comes from lemonade made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper. You should start the morning with a glass of salted water, and at night drink tea with a laxative effect. In addition to lemonade, you can drink pure still water and green tea. Frankly, this diet is downright dangerous (especially if you have problems with gastrointestinal tract). Keep in mind that, according to the WHO, 60% of people over 30 suffer from gastritis. Please note that the lemon diet can provoke various exacerbations and complications of existing diseases, including those that did not bother you before. The danger in this system also lies in teas with a laxative effect, since, together with a hunger strike, their use will lead to dehydration of the body and loss of vital salts. Well, the main thing is that such diets have a short-term effect, and after just a few days there is a risk of gaining excess weight again.
Fractional meals
Diet basis: frequent and regular meals in small portions.
Fractional nutrition is the only nutritional principle approved by WHO. Such a diet, or more correctly, a nutritional system, can be followed throughout your life without stress and exhaustion. If you do everything correctly, then you will not be in danger of feeling hungry, which, by the way, leads to metabolic disorders and improper functioning of the digestive and nervous system, neither set excess weight, nor tiredness in the morning. It is important that you need to eat slow carbohydrates (for example, porridge) for breakfast, slow carbohydrates and/or fiber with protein (cereals, vegetables, meat) for lunch, and protein (poultry, cottage cheese) for dinner.
Let’s summarize and talk about the basic principles of proper nutrition that will help you quickly get into shape (and ideally, stay in shape).
Meals every three hours. Fat cells are the energy depot of our body. In order for the fat cell to give off energy and not store calories in reserve, you need to eat every 2.5-3 hours ─ only this mode allows you to avoid insulin spikes, which regulates the energy exchange of the fat cell. Obviously, you need to eat right: avoid unhealthy snacks, fast food and canned food.
Snack on dairy products. It is best to fill the second half of the day with dairy or fermented milk products (a snack after lunch can be done after 1.5-2 hours), since at this time the calcium and phosphorus contained in them are best absorbed.
Watch what you eat. returning to previous point, we note that it is important to avoid sweet yoghurts and curds, especially low-fat ones, since the amount of fast carbohydrates there greatly exceeds the norm. Yes, they contain less fat, but due to the high percentage of sugars and starch, instead of 55 kcal per 100 g of kefir with 3.2% fat content, you get more than 100 kcal plus a sharp increase in insulin levels due to the high glycemic index of such a product. It is better to buy natural yogurt 2.5% fat and eat it with fruit or berries.
Always have breakfast. Breakfast is an important meal of the day, helping to raise insulin levels that have fallen overnight and prepare the body for work. If you have breakfast correctly, you will be guaranteed to be protected from the nagging feeling of hunger throughout the day. Remember that by noon the body is at its most active, so at this time you begin to experience an appetite. A second breakfast allows you to get the right dose of energy for the day's achievements and not overeat in the afternoon, so take something nutritious for a snack with you to work, even if it is a couple of slices of cheese with whole grain bread.
Enjoy your dinner. Remember that you should not skip dinner and you can eat after 18:00. You should not feel hungry in the evening. The main thing is that the last meal should be 2.5-3 hours before bedtime and consist of protein-rich foods. It is better to exclude carbohydrates and fruits.
Limit salt and sugar. According to statistics, modern man eats 20 times more salt daily norm, and sugar ─ even 100 times. Excessive salt consumption leads to internal edema and hypertension, sugar leads to fermentation, diabetes and irritability. It is not for nothing that it is called the main drug of our time.
Drink more water. Follow the drinking regime, that is, drink at least two liters clean water in a day. Reduce your coffee consumption, give up soft drinks and other carbonated drinks.
What adjustments should you make to your diet with the arrival of spring? The first and most common problem is spring hypovitaminosis and decreased immunity. Such conditions are manifested by weakness, increased fatigue, irritability, headaches and dizziness, and frequent respiratory diseases.
Long-term hypovitaminosis can cause decreased vision, deterioration of the skin (flaking, dryness), brittle hair and nails. Especially often, hypovitaminosis and a decrease in the body’s protective functions are observed among residents of a metropolis, who have to mobilize all their internal resources to resist such negative factors, such as poor ecology, chaotic, unhealthy diet, non-compliance with work and rest schedules, stress, lack of sleep.
1. Nutrients and vitamins are needed in spring
Balanced and varied diet, filled with nutrients, vitamins, minerals and plant fibers. Nutrition that will support normal intestinal microbiota and, accordingly, strengthen the immune system and lift your spirits.
It's no secret that as spring approaches, problems arise with maintaining the proper level of activity. immune system, and the slightest disruption in its work leads to the development of colds. One of the most important factors in maintaining immunity is a sufficient and uninterrupted supply of vitamins and microelements to the body.
Their main sources are not only animal products, but also plant origin. Unfortunately, by the beginning of spring, the reserves of these substances in vegetables and fruits collected in the fall and stored are significantly reduced, and greenhouse plants contain obviously less of them. However, even with this, vegetables and fruits are very healthy and should not be neglected. Choose frozen mixed vegetables and berries. It is important to remember that the diversity and healthy eating must be daily, since the body cannot store nutrients for long time. Additionally, I recommend taking vitamin and mineral complexes in the spring, which a doctor will help you choose individually.
2. Drinking regime is also important
It is equally important to consume a sufficient amount of liquid, mainly pure still water, which will ensure perfect bowel function and natural detoxification of the body.
Freshly squeezed juices from vegetables and fruits, as well as decoctions using natural tonics - ginger or lemon, will help give strength and restore vigor.
3. Microelements
Don’t forget about grains, legumes, nuts and dried fruits, which even in spring retain beneficial substances in their composition - primarily B vitamins and vitamin E (which are necessary to maintain immunity and protect the body from stress), iron, selenium and zinc, which give vitality and support the body's protective functions.
The diet must contain sources of complete protein, which is the building material of our body and without which the synthesis of immunoglobulins is impossible. Enjoy lean beef, poultry, and cottage cheese. We just don’t recommend overusing canned foods and smoked meats, which can lead to a decrease in immunity. It is also necessary to minimize highly processed foods, sweets and “food waste” in the form of fast food.
4. Zgrass products
Even if you control your weight, do not deny yourself grains: oatmeal, buckwheat and other grains are very healthy! Remember that porridge eaten for breakfast provides the body with energy.
However, the most useful product sprouted grain should be recognized. When it sprouts, all the useful substances in it are converted into their active forms, and its value increases several times. Choose grains with sprouts of no more than 1-2 mm; in more sprouted grains, all the benefits have already gone into growth. Don’t forget about vegetables and fruits imported from countries where harvests are harvested several times a year, as well as those grown in domestic greenhouse farms.
The best products for spring can be considered frozen berries and fruits that were grown in natural conditions under the rays of the sun. Although they lose some of their vitamins when frozen, the remaining macro- and microelements are quite enough to saturate your diet with these useful components. It is worth paying attention to root crops, which have not yet lost their roots in the spring. beneficial properties. These are, first of all, cabbage, carrots, beets, onions, turnips. Unfortunately, in our climate, in the first spring months, nothing grows under the natural rays of the sun, but, nevertheless, greens - onions, parsley and dill, which are grown in industrial greenhouses or on windowsills at home, can be considered a seasonal product.
5. Fira
You may be surprised, but in the spring for good health, high level For energy and flawless functioning of the immune system, fats are also needed - this is not only a source of energy, but also a building material, a lipid mantle for every cell of the body.
Therefore, you cannot exclude eggs, fish from the northern seas, lean meat and dairy products from your diet, and you need to be especially careful with a low-fat diet during the cold season. Include butter and vegetable oils, such as pumpkin seed oil, in your diet, let there be something new and spring in your diet.
6. Sample menu
- The best breakfast for the spring period is porridge with the addition of fresh, frozen or dried fruits or berries. This breakfast will provide us with the vitamins and energy we need in the spring.
- For a snack after breakfast, it is best to eat a piece of fruit.
- For lunch, give preference to meat or fish, steamed or baked in the oven, and add vegetables or salad as a side dish.
- For an afternoon snack, you can eat a light vegetarian soup or a small handful of nuts and dried fruits.
- Dinner should be light and no later than 3 hours before bedtime - eating later creates additional stress for the body. You can have dinner with lean fish, turkey, chicken breast or legumes. And add fresh or thermally processed vegetables to them.
It is also worth giving up smoking, alcohol abuse and “food waste”. And finally, do fitness and don’t skimp on sleep!
7. Fresh greens and sprouts
An indispensable component of nutrition with the onset of spring. It’s better if the greens grow right on your windowsill to be sure of their environmental friendliness. Prepare several pots for parsley, dill, celery, garlic and onions.
8. Spices
To awaken the digestive system and cleanse the body of accumulated toxins, in the spring you should eat ginger, coriander, cardamom and cumin. They are added to dishes or made into herbal infusions.
9. Cabbage
With the onset of spring, you need to make salads from different types cabbage, combining it with carrots and herbs. It compensates for the lack of ascorbic acid. Cabbage salad alternate with grated radish or vinaigrette. Salads should be seasoned with sunflower oil.
It is no secret that the food consumed greatly affects human health.
It is very important that, along with food, the body receives all the necessary substances for vital functions.
It is often not so easy to ensure proper nutrition in the spring, since many food choices at this time of year are not as varied as in the summer and fall months.
If the diet is not balanced, it will immediately poison the appearance And general health person. Hypovitaminosis very often develops in spring.
The symptoms of this condition are very varied. Today we will look at what nutrition should be like in the spring to ensure a healthy body.
It is important to take into account age characteristics, level physical activity, operating mode and many other factors.
The nutrition of an adult, like the nutrition of a child in the spring, is the subject of study by many specialists.
The main feature of the spring period, as already noted, is the high probability of developing hypovitaminosis.
During winter, the body spends most of its mobilization resources. At the same time, in the spring people often drink a large number of fresh vegetables, fruits, berries.
Even if such food is present in the spring menu, it does not fully saturate the body with useful substances.
Imported plant food does not contain a large amount of vitamins, since their quantity decreases with each passing day of transportation and storage.
Winter preparations, such as canning and drying fruits, also often do not allow preserving everything necessary for human body useful material.
Thus, a healthy diet in the spring should contain as many vitamins as possible. The second requirement for the menu during the period from March to May is a moderate fat content.
In winter, many people increase their consumption of lard and fatty meat several times. During the cold season, fats help keep you warm. But in the spring, an excessive amount of them can only lead to excess weight gain and the formation of cholesterol plaques on the walls of blood vessels.
A healthy diet should mandatory be regular. Under no circumstances should you refuse breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Nutritionists advise, if possible, to switch to five meals a day. In this case, food should be consumed in small portions.
It is important to follow this recommendation in the spring, when the body is weakened after a long winter.
Eating five meals a day does not overload the gastrointestinal tract.
Thanks to frequent meals, all nutrients are absorbed much better.
The next requirement for the spring diet is variety.
To maintain a healthy state of the body, it is necessary to eat meat, fish, legumes, all available vegetables, fruits, berries, durum wheat bread, and dairy products.
It is important to understand that any food consumed must be harmless. If you want to stay healthy, you should give up chips, processed foods, and fast food.
When buying fruits and vegetables, it is important to pay attention to the nitrate content in them. Often, the first products of plant origin contain increased amounts of these harmful compounds.
What spring vegetables will benefit the body?
There are not many vegetables in the spring season. But there are some that are available in any season. These primarily include carrots, beets, cabbage, and potatoes.
They should definitely be present in your daily menu. Cabbage is a storehouse of vitamin C.
Ascorbic acid helps resist a variety of infections that can affect the body in the spring season, since this substance improves the functioning of the immune system.
Cabbage also contains riboflavin (vitamin B2), which is responsible for the production of red blood cells in human blood, supports the normal functioning of the thyroid gland and takes part in growth processes.
White cabbage also contains a large amount minerals– potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, calcium.
Carrots contain large amounts of beta-carotene. This substance is a precursor to vitamin A. It is necessary for the normal functioning of the visual system.
Very often in the spring, a deficiency of vitamins in the body leads to a decrease in visual acuity. Carrots also contain B vitamins.
Beets also contain B vitamins, retinol and ascorbic acid. The peculiarities of this vegetable are its unique composition, rich in minerals.
Beets contain large amounts of iron, phosphorus, iodine, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. These substances are necessary for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Calcium is responsible for strength bone tissue. Iron is necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin in human blood.
Hemoglobin is a protein that combines with oxygen molecules and delivers it to the cells and tissues of the body through the bloodstream.
Potatoes contain ascorbic acid, potassium, and phosphorus. It is important to note that plant foods contain large amounts of fiber.
It, in turn, normalizes digestion, due to which all necessary substances are better absorbed. Thanks to fiber, the general condition of the body improves.
For this reason, it is so important that the spring menu contains a sufficiently large amount of vegetables and fruits.
Vitamin complexes
It is not always possible to choose a spring diet in such a way as to fully cover the body’s need for vitamins and minerals.
Today you can find a huge number of vitamin complexes on sale. Often they contain all the necessary substances.
At the same time, experts calculate a person’s physiological need for a particular component. In spring it is especially important to take them. This will ensure good health and a healthy appearance.
There are different vitamin complexes. Some are intended for children, others for adults, and others for pregnant women.
There are preparations that contain vitamins and minerals designed to maintain healthy hair, nails and skin.
There are many drugs that help improve the functioning of the visual system. It is important to pay attention to the dosage of vitamins and minerals.
There are vitamin complexes that cover 50% and 100% of the need for nutrients. Before use, be sure to read the instructions.
Nutrition in spring has several features. It should be aimed at providing the body with vital vitamins and minerals.
It is important to ensure that your diet during the spring season is varied and includes healthy foods.
Spring is the period of the beginning of rebirth and renewal in nature. In early spring, it is necessary to reinforce the body with high-protein foods, such as fish and beef. Also in spring you need foods high in vitamin E: green cabbage, cauliflower.
In Chinese medicine, it is believed that in the spring one should choose “neutral” or “mild” products that are not strong in their effects, which strengthen and harmonize Yang energy.
Such products include onions, pumpkin seeds, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, peas, round grain rice, groundnuts, carp, beef.
“Neutral” strengthening foods are suitable for both healthy people and those weakened by disease, for example: buckwheat, beans, apples.
When talking about “soft” products that are not strong in their effects, we also mean products that tend to be “cool” and boiled foods. These products eliminate discomfort from internal heat and improve physical condition.
Cool food type: eggplant, pumpkin seeds, spinach, celery, golden beans, doufu, wheat, apple, pear, buckwheat.
Sick and recovering people are advised to take fresh, low-fat food that has tonic and refreshing properties and is easily absorbed by the body. This is liquid rice porridge, Chinese cabbage or vegetable puree. Sweet and fatty foods, fried foods, and raw cold foods are not recommended.
Yang energy against spring symptoms of malaise
Strengthening Yang with products and medicines of the “warm” type helps to increase the body’s resistance and helps to “repel attacks” of various kinds of pathogenic microbes.
The most suitable products for strengthening Yang in the spring season are the following foods: leeks, allspice, fish.
Health Products
Eat more “sweet” foods and less “sour” foods - this will help strengthen the liver and protect the spleen.
In Chinese medicine it is believed that everyone internal organ associated with any season of the year. The “Yellow Emperor's Treatise on the Internal” says: “As the weather of the four seasons regulates mental forces, so how the weather of spring, summer, autumn and winter affects the functioning of the liver, heart, spleen, lungs, kidneys - all the “five innards” and our consciousness."
The Ming dynasty doctor Zhang Jingyue said: “In the spring, the liver should be nourished; in the summer, the heart should be “nourished”; from the sixth month to lunar calendar- “grow” the spleen; in the fall - “to collect vitality” in the lungs; in winter - to nourish the “internal”.”
To strengthen the liver and, in addition, improve the power of vision, you need to eat golden beans.
Leeks have a “warm” nature and very well compensate for the lack of Yang. So, if you feel low energy and sleepy, eat more onions to stimulate the yang energy in the body.
The Tang era doctor Sun Simiao, who was compared to the King of Healing (the eldest of bodhisattvas who heal diseases), said: “In spring days"sour" foods should be avoided, but "sweet" foods should be increased to strengthen the spleen "qi." To protect and strengthen the spleen and stomach, eat more "sweet" type foods, such as glutinous rice.
Sweet foods: onions, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, peas, doufu, golden beans, soybeans, buckwheat, short grain rice, glutinous rice, persimmon, apple, apricot, pear, groundnut, watermelon, peach, pompelmus, carp , beef, pumpkin seeds.
Seasonal vegetables
Low-fat, light foods are best for the spring season. It is necessary to eat less meat and more lean foods, soups, and cereals.
In addition to eating fresh vegetables, you need to add fruits to your diet.
Strawberry
Strawberries contain many nutrients. She is called the "empress of fruits."
In Chinese medicine, strawberries are classified as “cool” foods. It strengthens the spleen and stomach, stimulates qi, increases the amount of moisture in the body, has hematopoietic properties, softens and moisturizes the lungs, and removes toxins.
When you buy strawberries, it is better to choose large ones with a strong aroma.
Cherry
Since ancient times, cherries were considered a fruit that nourished the blood and improved its circulation, moisturizing the skin and making it softer.
Thanks to cherries, you can replenish iron deficiency in the body, prevent its leaching and improve blood circulation.
According to the classification of traditional Chinese medicine, cherries are classified as “warm” foods with a sweet taste.
Cherry regulates the functioning of the “middle center” (stomach area), improves the functioning of the spleen, stimulates blood circulation, strengthens “qi” and respiratory system. It also moisturizes and nourishes the skin.
Pineapples
Pineapples are a “neutral” type product in their properties. They are used to treat hypertension and inflammation of the respiratory tract, improve blood circulation, and reduce the risk of vascular diseases of the heart and brain.