Health benefits of cabbage

• Fresh, dark green-leafy cabbage is incredibly nutritious; however, very low in fat and calories. 100 g of leaves provide just 25 calories.
  
• The vegetable is the storehouse of phyto-chemicals like thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanates. These compounds are powerful antioxidants and known to help protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in the blood.
  
• Fresh cabbage is an excellent source of natural antioxidant, vitamin C. Provides 36.6 mg or about 61% of RDA per 100 g. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC value) is 508 µmol TE/100 g. Red cabbages contain more antioxidant value, 2252 µmol TE/100 g.
  
• It is also rich in essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.
  
• It also contains a adequate amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for the red blood cell formation.
  
  
• Cabbage is a very good source of vitamin K, provides about 63% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K has the potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in them. So enough vitamin K in the diet gives you healthy bones. In addition, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

Health benefits of brussel sprouts

• The sprouts are one of the low-glycemic nutritious vegetables that should be considered in weight reduction programs. 100 g brussel sprouts provide just 45 calories, nonetheless, contain 3.38 g of protein, 3.80 g of dietary fiber (10% of RDA) and zero cholesterol.
  
• In fact, brussels sprouts are a storehouse of several flavonoid anti-oxidants like thiocyanates, indoles, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane and isothiocyanates. Together, these phytochemicals offer protection from prostate, colon, and endometrial cancers.
  
• Di-indolyl-methane (DIM), a metabolite of indole-3-carbinol is found to be an effective immune modulator, anti-bacterial and anti-viral agent through its action of potentiating "Interferon-γ" receptors.
  
• In addition, brussel sprouts contain glucoside, sinigrin. Early laboratory studies suggest that sinigrin help protect from colon cancers by destroying pre-cancerous cells.
  
• Brussel sprouts are an excellent source of vitamin C; 100 g sprouts provide about 85 mg or 142% of RDA. Together with other antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A and E, it helps protect the body by trapping harmful free radicals.
  
• Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in sprouts, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula-lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide anti-oxidant and protective light-filtering functions from UV rays. Thus, it helps prevent retinal damage, "age-related macular degeneration related macular degeneration disease" (ARMD), in the elderly.
  
• Sprouts are the good source of another anti-oxidant vitamin A, provides about 754 IU per 100g. Vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for acuity of vision. Foods rich in this vitamin have been found to offer protection against lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• It is one of the excellent vegetable sources for vitamin-K; 100 g provides about 177 µg or about 147% of RDA. Vitamin K has potential role bone health by promoting osteotrophic (bone formation and strengthening) activity. Adequate vitamin-K levels in the diet help limiting neuronal damage in the brain and thereby, preventing or at least, delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
  
• Further, the sprouts are notably good in many B-complex groups of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc., that are essential for substrate metabolism inside the human body.
  
• They are also rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. 100 g fresh sprouts provide 25 mg (1.5% of RDA) sodium and 389 mg (8% of RDA) potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is required for cellular oxidation and red blood cell formation.
  

Brussels sprouts are incredibly nutritious vegetable that offers protection from vitamin A deficiency, bone loss, iron-deficiency anemia, and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases and colon and prostate cancers.

Health benefits of broccoli

• Broccoli is one of the very low calorie vegetables; provide just 34 calories per 100 g. Nevertheless, it is rich in dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants that have proven health benefits. Total antioxidant strength measured in terms of oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of broccoli is 1632 µmol TE/100 g.
  
• Fresh Broccoli is a storehouse of many phyto-nutrients such as thiocyanates, indoles, sulforaphane, isothiocyanates and flavonoids like beta-carotene cryptoxanthin, lutein, and zea-xanthin. Studies have shown that these compounds by modifying positive signaling at molecular receptor levels help protect from prostate, colon, urinary bladder, pancreatic, and breast cancers.
  
• Fresh vegetable is exceptionally rich source of vitamin-C. Provides 89.2 mg or about 150% of RDA per 100 g. Vitamin-C is a powerful natural anti-oxidant and immune modulator, helps fight against flu causing viruses.
  
• Further, it contains very good amounts of another anti-oxidant vitamin, vitamin-A. 100 g fresh head provides 623 IU or 21 % of recommended daily levels. Together with other pro-vitamins like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and zea-xanthin, vitamin A helps maintain integrity of skin and mucus membranes. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eye-sight and helps prevent from macular degeneration of the retina in the elderly population.
  
• Broccoli leaves (green tops) are an excellent source of carotenoids and vitamin A; (provide 16000 IU of vitamin A per 100 g) contain these compounds several times greater than that in the flower-head.
  
• Fresh broccoli heads are an excellent source of folates; contain about 63 µg/100 g (Provides 16% of RDA). Studies have shown that consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits rich in folates during pre-conception, and pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects in the offspring.
  
• This flower vegetable is rich source of vitamin-K; and B-complex group of vitamins like niacin (vit B-3), pantothenic acid (vit.B-5), pyridoxine (vit.B-6), and riboflavin. The flower heads also have some amount of omega-3 fatty acids.
  
• It is also a good source of minerals like calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc and phosphorus.
  

Health benefits of bell pepper

• Bell pepper contains an impressive list of plant nutrients that are known to have disease preventing and health promoting properties. Unlike other chili peppers, it is very low in calories and fats. 100 g provide just 31 calories.
  
• Sweet (bell) pepper contains small levels of health benefiting an alkaloid compound capsaicin. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. When used judiciously, it also found to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals.
  
• Fresh bell peppers, red or green, are rich source of vitamin-C. This vitamin is especially concentrated in red peppers at highest levels. 100 g red pepper provides about 127.7 µg or about 213% of RDA of vitamin C. Vitamin-C is a potent water soluble antioxidant. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in this vitamin helps the human body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body.
  
• It also contains good levels of vitamin-A. 100 g of sweet pepper has 3131 IU or 101% of vitamin A. In addition, it contains anti-oxidant flavonoids such as α and ß carotenes, lutein, zea-xanthin, and cryptoxanthin. Together, these antioxidant substances in capsicum help to protect the body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress and disease conditions.
  
• Bell pepper has adequate levels of essential minerals. Some of the main minerals in it are iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and selenium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Selenium is an anti-oxidant micro-mineral that acts as a co-factor for enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
  
• Further, capsicum (sweet pepper) is also good in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. B-complex vitamins facilitate cellular metabolism through various enzymatic functions.
  

Health benefits of Lettuce

• Lettuce leaves are one of the very low calorie green-vegetables. 100 g fresh greens provide just 15 calories. Nonetheless, they are the store house of many phyto-nutrients that have health promoting and disease prevention properties.
  
• Vitamins in lettuce are plentiful. Fresh leaves are an excellent source of several Vitamin A and beta carotenes. Just 100 g of fresh, raw-lettuce provides 247% of daily vitamin A, and 4443 µg of beta-carotene (Carotenes convert to vitamin A in the body; 2 µg of carotene is considered equivalent to 1 IU of vitamin A). These compounds have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin, and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits and vegetables rich in flavonoids helps to protect the body from lung and oral cavity cancers.
  
• It is a rich source of vitamin K. Vitamin K has a potential role in the bone metabolism where it thought to increase bone mass by promoting osteotrophic activity in the bone cells. It also has established role in Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain.
  
• Fresh leaves contain good amounts folates and vitamin C. Folates require for DNA synthesis and therefore, vital in prevention of the neural tube defects in-utero fetus during pregnancy. Vitamin C is a powerful natural antioxidant; regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• Zea-xanthin (1730 µg per 100 g), an important dietary carotenoid in lettuce, is selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and filter UV rays falling on the retina. Diet rich in xanthin and carotenes is thought to offer some protection against age-related macular disease (ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• It also contains good amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is essential for red blood cell formation.
  
• It is rich in B-complex group of vitamins like thiamin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), riboflavins.
  

Regular inclusion of lettuce in salads is known to prevent osteoporosis, iron-deficiency anemia and believed to protect from cardiovascular diseases, ARMD, Alzheimer's disease and cancers.

Complications of Type 1 Diabetes

The complications of type 1 diabetes will normally develop at a gradual pace over the years. Therefore, they will be more prevalent in patients suffering from type 1 diabetes for an extended period of time and will be mostly attributed to ill managed blood sugar levels. Although, most of the complications will be serious to deal with, regular checkups and monitoring will attempt a successful management of these problems.

Common Complications of Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetic Nephropathy
Prolonged type 1 diabetes can destroy the delicate filters within the kidneys for filtering wastes from the blood. A severe damage can lead to complete failure of this filtering mechanism, which will eventually require a renal transplant or dialysis.

Diabetic Neuropathy
Excessive blood sugar can injure the blood vessels responsible for nourishing the nerves, specifically in the legs. This can result in complete nerve damage commonly manifested through burning sensations, pains, tingling and numbness. This might also result in problems of the gastrointestinal tract. Erectile dysfunction will also be common in diabetic men.

Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes can also be responsible for damaging the retinal blood vessels thereby, causing blindness. It is also known to be responsible for other serious problems such as glaucoma and cataract.

Feet Damage
Diabetes can also be responsible for poor blood circulation in the feet and nerve damage, which can jointly contribute to several complications. When left untreated, blisters and cuts can end up being serious sources of infections. In certain cases, feet amputation may be required.

Cardiovascular Complications
The risks associated with cardiovascular diseases will increase substantially when you suffer from diabetes. You can experience chest pain, stroke, heart attack, atherosclerosis etc. To put in a nutshell, diabetics are more prone to deaths caused due to cardiovascular complications than normal people.

Skin and Mouth Complications
Type 1 diabetes can also be responsible for certain complications related to the mouth and skin. You may become more susceptible to skin problems including fungal and bacterial infections. Gum infections and associated inflammations can also become more common especially when you experience poor dental hygiene.

Osteoporosis
Diabetes is responsible for reducing the bone mineral density thereby, increasing your chances of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a more common phenomenon in women suffering from type 1 diabetes.

Complications of type 1 diabetes can therefore, be many. Health conditions of diabetics should therefore, be monitored on a regular basis to minimise the associated risks and to administer timely control and management techniques for these complications.

Is Eating Disorder a Mental Illness?

Eating disorder is a mental illness that causes physical and emotional consequences.  When a person feels extremely distress or concerned about the body weight and shape, he tends to either reduce the food intake or start overeating. In both the cases person faces severe disturbances in the eating behaviour causing eating disorder.  

Even though the medical manuals like International Classification of Disease (ICD-10) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) don’t recognize eating disorders (such as diabulimia, food maintenance syndrome) as a mental illness. But besides the concern for food and weight, eating disorder as a mental illness also cause emotional and physical disturbance. The disorder is mainly characterized by psychological and behavioural disturbance in eating patterns that can prove to be threatening to person’s health. 

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two main types of eating disorders. This basic issue present in Anorexia is that the person tends to believe that he can regain sense of control by reducing food in-take. Here food becomes the central focus of the person for regaining a sense of control and body shape. The patient is surrounded by emotional turmoil regarding loss of identity, fears around sexuality or maturation. A person with bulimia faces intense fear of gaining gain he is trapped in a vicious cycle of binge eating and experiments various methods of reducing on consumed calories.

Millions of people are yearly affected by this deadly disorder. Disorder-relapses are common when the psychological causes are not taken care of in the treatment process resulting patient to struggle life-long with the disease. Overall success of the treatment largely depends upon the mental recovery of the patient. For treating eating disorder and restoring the person to healthy weight requires treating the related psychological issues and eliminating the thoughts and behaviors that lead to disordered eating. Curing the psychological symptoms can go a long way to prevent disorder relapse.

Despite many scientific researches in the area of eating disorder the biological, behavioural and social underpinnings of this disorder are still elusive.