Cherries simply taste amazing! But with these small but succulent fruits, the real cherry on the top is their long list of health benefits. From making your daily life a little better to helping prevent and fight a number of diseases – here are 10 of the miraculous things cherries can do for you. They boost your energy levels Due to calories from their natural sugars, eating cherries are a quick way to boost your overall energy level. They also greatly improve your mood. They help you sleep better Suffering from a bout of insomnia? Cherries are a rich source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles. So have some cherries if you need a bit of nice and natural shut-eye. They reduce muscle pain and prevent cramps Tart cherries have been found to markedly reduce muscle inflammation and soreness. Moreover, the potassium content in cherries eases and helps prevent muscle cramps. They help improve your digestion The high fiber content of cherry helps improve your digestive system, while also reducing your cholesterol levels. They slow your skin’s aging Cherries have the highest levels of antioxidants among all fruits. Thus, regularly eating tart cherries or regularly drinking tart cherry juice can slow down the aging process of the skin .

Everywhere you look you’re bombarded with information about what you should and shouldn’t eat. But structuring a basic daily diet that meets your body’s needs shouldn’t have to be an over-complicated process. The key is to acquaint yourself with a basic understanding of dietary requirements — and from there, it’s up to you as to how you adapt them to your own personal preferences. Macronutrient groups Food can be categorized into three main macronutrient groups: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Together these form the building blocks of a balanced diet, so it’s generally recommended that you aim to eat a certain portion of each per day. Protein Protein is essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissue. It’s also used by the body to create enzymes and hormones, and is a key component in all our body’s cells — and this is why it’s important to eat enough protein. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight (more if you’re highly active or looking to build muscle). Another way to measure this is to aim to get 10-35 percent of your calories from quality sources of protein. Fats You’ve probably heard the Mediterranean diet being praised as the secret to a long, healthy life .

‘Going Vegan’ has been the mantra of many fitness enthusiasts all over the word in recent times. The Vegan diet has been trending on the internet, with people searching for vegan recipes and vegan foods. This diet trend has been propelled by people’s quest for the perfect diet, as well as their concern for animals. A vegan diet essentially removes all foods that come from animals. This means all kinds of meat, eggs, and even dairy, are not a part of the diet. Usually, a diet without meat is considered a vegetarian diet. The vegan diet takes this up a notch up by excluding dairy products as well. Going on a vegan diet is a major dietary change, and one has to carefully plan to include all the basic food groups in this diet. Vegan Diet Foods The answer to what is a vegan diet is fairly simple – no animal products. But what to eat in a vegan diet, and how to ensure to get complete nutrition from this diet, are more complex questions. When you shift to a vegan diet, you need to ensure you replace your protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B-12, and vitamin D sources. All these elements are abundantly available in animal products and essential for the functioning of the body.

The latest entrant to the ‘Functional Foods’ club is the Turmeric Latte. A beautiful concoction of golden turmeric juice and nutty milk, the turmeric latte is an exceptionally healthy and nutritious drink. Certainly, a healthier upgrade to its caffeinated cousin – Café Latte! Turmeric is a food plant whose root stalk has traditionally been used in Asian countries like India, Indonesia, and China, as a cooking ingredient in curries and rice recipes. The vibrant yellow Turmeric is used generally as a powder, and sometimes even fresh. Because of its multiple health benefits, it has been used in traditional Chinese medicines, and in the ancient Indian medicine system called Ayurveda. In fact, in Asian countries mothers have always given their children a mix of hot milk, pepper and turmeric to ward off cold and increase immunity. However, the Turmeric Latte is a vegan twist on the same recipe. Instead of using dairy milk, people are often using nut-based milk, like almond, cashew or coconut milk, along with cold pressed juice of turmeric. The ‘curcumin’ effect Turmeric has an active compound known as ‘curcumin’, which imparts maximum benefit. The compound is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It also has pain relieving properties and is often used in treating burns and cuts.

A run is more than just an exercise; it is an indication of the performance of the human body. And in the heart of every runner is the desire to exceed their personal best performance. The motto is always the same – to run faster! A 10K run has the ideal distance to test a runner’s performance and run-time. It is long enough to stretch your limit, while not as long as marathons that it seems impossible for the amateur. Like every runner, if you have been wondering how to improve your run-time and ace your 10K run, then here are some tips for you: Schedule a training calendar A 10K is not an easy sprint, and if your focus is on how to get a better mile time, then you need to have at least 8-10 weeks to prepare. Ensure that your training is adequate, else you will be unable to perform on the D-Day. Effective recovery Recovery is important when you run, especially during a long training period for a 10K run. The long runs are going to stress your muscles and you need to cool down to lower the wear and tear. Before and after you run, indulge in warm-up exercises and stretching.