8 signs that you're healthy

You can be working out five times a week and doing everything by the book, but how do you know if all your hard work of healthy eating and regular exercise is actually paying off?

Good health is more than a slim physique and buffed muscles, and your body is pretty clever about letting you know when things are on-track, or not.

1. Your Urine is Light in Colour

Your urine isn't something you probably check all the time, but if it's light in colour you're in luck - your kidneys are in fine working order! Darker urine can indicate you're not drinking enough clear fluids.

2. You Have Regular Periods

Ladies, regular periods are a great way to know your reproductive system is healthy. Missed or delayed periods could indicate things like malnutrition, over-exertion or even polycystic ovaries.

3. Your Lips Are Pink and Uncracked

Cracked lips can be a result of dehydration, but small cracks in the corners of the lips can be caused by a lack of B vitamins and zinc.

4. Your Wounds Heal Quickly

Small wounds like cuts and grazes should generally heal within a day or two. But if you find they're taking a long time to close over (or never heal) you could have a problem with your body's blood clotting properties or have an infection brewing.

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5. You Have a Good Resting Heart Rate

If your resting heart rate is between 60 to 80 beats per minute, good news - all that cardio is paying off. If it's higher than 80 you know that you need to add more cardio workouts like running, cycling and swimming into your weekly routine

6. Your Nails Are Pink and Soft

When you're healthy you nails will be pink, have a smooth surface and be firm to touch. If they have any of the following signs it's best to get checked by a doctor.

Weak, brittle nails: This comes with age, but can also be due to the overuse of salon treatments like acrylic nails or harsh nail polishes.

Yellow: If your nails have a slight yellow tinge to them it could possibly be a fungus (eww) or psoriasis, and best to get this one checked out.

Vertical ridges: This can be a result of hormonal changes, stress or even other diseases like diabetes or thyroid issues.

7. You Have Lots of Energy

If you're bounding out of bed each morning, chances are you're a healthy one. Good nutrition, adequate sleep and regular exercise mean you'll have enough energy to do most day-to-day tasks. If you're feeling tired and lethargic this could indicate poor sleep or nutrition, but could also be a result of a bigger health issue.

8. Your Body Mass Index is in Range

Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a great sign of your overall health. It can give you a pretty good idea of whether you're underweight, overweight or an ideal weight for your height. Everyone is different so it's best to use a BMI calculator to get an accurate reading.

Do vitamins block disease? Some disappointing news

There’s more disappointing news about multivitamins: Two major studies found popping the pills didn’t protect aging men’s brains or help heart attack survivors.

Millions of Americans spend billions of dollars on vitamin combinations, presumably to boost their health and fill gaps in their diets. But while people who don’t eat enough of certain nutrients may be urged to get them in pill form, the government doesn’t recommend routine vitamin supplementation as a way to prevent chronic diseases.

The studies released Monday are the latest to test if multivitamins might go that extra step and concluded they don’t.

“Evidence is sufficient to advise against routine supplementation,” said a sharply worded editorial that accompanied Monday’s findings in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

After all, most people who buy multivitamins and other supplements are generally healthy, said journal deputy editor Dr. Cynthia Mulrow. Even junk foods often are fortified with vitamins, while the main nutrition problem in the U.S. is too much fat and calories, she added.

But other researchers say the jury’s still out, especially for the country’s most commonly used dietary supplement — multivitamins that are taken by about a third of U.S. adults, and even more by people over the age of 50.

Indeed, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is deliberating whether vitamin supplements make any difference in the average person’s risk of heart disease or cancer. In a draft proposal last month, the government advisory group said for standard multivitamins and certain other nutrients, there’s not enough evidence to tell. (It did caution that two single supplements, beta-carotene and vitamin E, didn’t work). A final decision is expected next year.

“For better or for worse, supplementation’s not going to go away,” said Dr. Howard Sesso of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He helps leads a large multivitamin study that has had mixed results — suggesting small benefits for some health conditions but not others — and says more research is needed, especially among the less healthy.

Still, “there’s no substitute for preaching a healthy diet and good behaviors” such as exercise, Sesso cautioned.

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As scientists debate, here are some questions and answers to consider in the vitamin aisle:

Q: Why the new focus on multivitamins?

A: Multivitamins have grown more popular in recent years as research showed that taking high doses of single supplements could be risky, such as beta-carotene.

Multivitamins typically contain no more than 100 percent of the daily recommended amount of various nutrients. They’re marketed as sort of a safety net for nutrition gaps; the industry’s Council for Responsible Nutrition says they’re taken largely for general wellness.

Q: What are the latest findings?

A: With Alzheimer’s on the rise as the population ages, Harvard researchers wondered if long-term multivitamin use might help keep older brains agile. They examined a subset of nearly 6,000 male doctors, age 65 or older, who were part of a larger study. The men were given either multivitamins or dummy pills, without knowing which they were taking.

After a decade of pill use, the vitamin-takers fared no better on memory or other cognitive tests, Sesso’s team reported Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Q: Did that Harvard study find any other benefit from multivitamins?

A: The results of the Physicians Health Study II have been mixed. Overall it enrolled about 15,000 health male doctors age 50 and older, and the vitamin-takers had a slightly lower risk of cancer — 8 percent. Diet and exercise are more protective. They also had a similarly lower risk of developing cataracts, common to aging eyes. But the vitamins had no effect the risk for heart disease or another eye condition, Sesso said.

Q: Might vitamins have a different effect on people who already have heart disease?

A: As part of a broader treatment study, a separate research team asked that question. They examined 1,700 heart attack survivors, mostly men, who were given either a special multivitamin containing higher-than-usual doses of 28 ingredients or dummy pills. But the vitamins didn’t reduce the chances of another heart attack, other cardiovascular problems, or death.

Q: What about women?

A: Research involving postmenopausal women a few years ago also concluded multivitamins didn’t prevent cancer or heart disease. But it wasn’t nearly as rigorous a study as Monday’s research, relying on women to recall what vitamins they used.

Q: What’s the safety advice for multivitamin users?

A: The preventive services task force cited no safety issues with standard multivitamins. But specialists say to always tell your doctor what over-the-counter supplements you use. Some vitamins interact with some medications, and Sesso said anyone worried about nutrition should be discussing their diet with their doctor anyway.

Have dandruff and hair loss problems? Try reetha or soap nuts!

Most people suffer from hair related problems given what we are exposed to this day and age. If you do too, it’s time you try hair packs with reetha or use it like a shampoo. Read on to find out why your grandmum’s advice makes sense.

The reason reetha is so good for your hair is because it has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which keep infections at bay.

Here’s how you can use reetha for your hair problems:

To eliminate dandruff

If white flakes of dandruff have bothered and embarrassed you for long, here’s a solution to say goodbye to it. Take about 10-15 soap nuts and grind them. Boil them in water for 15 minutes and then let them soak in water overnight. In the morning, strain the nuts and add some amla powder or juice to it. Now apply it on your scalp and let it stay for half an hour. Wash it with a mild shampoo in lukewarm water.

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Cleansing shampoo

Regularly washing your locks keeps various hair problems away but if you use too strong shampoos, they can sap the natural oils out of your scalp and leave it feeling dry and brittle. In order to stop this from happening, switch to a reetha shampoo. Take shikakai and reetha powder in equal quantities and add warm water to bind the two. Now wash your hair with this instead of your regular shampoo. Remember, it does not produce much lather but it still cleanses your hair. If you feel it is too drying for your locks, increase the quantity of shikakai in the shampoo. Team it with a coconut oil champi an hour before you wash your hair for better results.

For shiny, silky locks

Pollution, extensive use of hair styling products and tools can often leave hair dry and damaged. In order to get back its lost sheen, make a pack using reetha, amla and curd (dahi). This will not only condition your hair but also leave it soft.