Finding delicious healthy meals isn’t always easy - our brains are forever longing for the foods our bodies could really do without. But, believe it or not, healthy meals are both delicious and accessible once you know where to look! This guide will take you through five surprisingly healthy meals that you can be thankful for, all year round.

5 Surprisingly Healthy Foods

1. Whole Grain Pasta

Pasta comes in many forms. You have spaghetti, ravioli, tortellini, penne, fettuccine, macaroni, and orzo to name a few. Pasta made from whole grain is healthy and rich in manganese, phosphorus, selenium, copper, and fibre. It’s also low in calories. The fibre in whole-grain pasta helps promote better digestion and gastrointestinal health.

Pasta won’t be complete without its toppings. To make your pasta even healthier, consider topping your pasta dishes with guilt-free alternatives like lemon, basil, salmon, spinach, avocado, tomatoes, kale, or feta.

As much as possible, stay away from cream-based sauces and cheeses as these toppings are usually high in fat and calories.

2. Red meat

Despite the controversy, red meat can actually be very healthy and nutritious in moderation. No, we are not talking about prime ribs and hamburgers here. We are talking about organic red meat from grass-fed livestock --- the right kind of red meat.

Red meat is loaded with vitamins and minerals. For example, a 100-gram portion of raw ground beef that contains 10% fat is packed with:

• Zinc (32% of RDA)
• Vitamin B3 (25% of RDA)
• High-quality iron which is absorbed faster than plant-based alternatives (12% RDA)
• Vitamin B6 (18% RDA)
• Vitamin B12 (37% RDA)
• Selenium (24% RDA)
• Traces of other vitamins and minerals
• 20g of high-quality protein
• 10g of fat
• Omega-3s
• Vitamin A
• Fatty acid CLA
• Vitamin E

Below are some tips to make sure that your red meat stays healthy after cooking:

• Use gentle cooking methods like steaming and stewing. Avoid grilling and frying as much as possible.
• Never expose your meat to the flame.
• Minimise cooking in high heat. If you must cook in high heat, flip your meat regularly to prevent burning.
• Avoid charred or smoked meat. If burnt, remove the charred pieces.

3. Red Wine

Red wine, when taken in moderation, can help reduce your risks of developing heart attacks and coronary artery diseases. Red wine is known to contain antioxidants which are believed to help increase the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol in the body.

The key here is drinking red wine in moderation as too much alcohol in the body may lead to:

• Heart failure
• High blood pressure
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Liver diseases
• Pancreas diseases
• Weight gain

4. Popcorn

Popcorn is rich in dietary fibre without packing too many calories --- qualifying it as a healthy snack. Remember that popcorn is a whole grain product which helps lower your risks of diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, popcorn also contains polyphenols --- antioxidants that promote better blood circulation and help reduce your risks of developing certain types of cancer.

The secret to making popcorn healthy is going easy on salt, sugar and butter. Stick to air-popped popcorn at home. Avoid microwave popcorns as you don’t have control on the amount of salt, oil, and butter in these.

5. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids which protect your cells. Flavonoids are also known to improve blood circulation to your heart and brain --- reducing your risks of heart disease. Stick to dark chocolates because they contain the most flavonoids and the least amount of sugar.

While the foods listed in this guide may benefit your body in one way or another, remember to eat or drink in moderation.

If you are wondering what the uses and side effects of Acetazolamide are, you’ve come to the right place.

Uses of Acetazolamide

Acetazolamide is a drug commonly used to treat altitude sickness. It has proven effective in reducing tiredness, dizziness, shortness of breath, headache, and nausea when you fly or climb mountains at a fast rate. Click here if you want to learn more about the causes of altitude sickness.

Aside from treating altitude sickness symptoms, Acetazolamide is also used to treat certain types of glaucoma. It works by decreasing fluid production in the eyes, relieving pressure.

Acetazolamide is also used to help limit the buildup of body fluids following a heart failure and is used in the treatment of certain seizures.

What are the side effects of Acetazolamide?

Like all medications, taking Acetazolamide also comes with associated risks of developing unpleasant side effects. Some of the common side effects of Acetazolamide include:

• Increased urination
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness

These side effects of Acetazolamide are common in the first few days as your body learns to adapt to the medication.

Other common side effects of this drug are:

• Drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Changes in taste
• Diarrhoea

While most of these side effects are mild and would often go away as soon as you stop taking Acetazolamide, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor right away if they worsen.

If you develop any of the serious side effects of Acetazolamide listed below, stop taking the medication and contact your doctor right away.

• Ringing in the ears
• Hearing loss
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Tingling in the hands and feet
• Muscle pain
• Mood changes
• Changes in your mental state
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irregular/elevated heartbeat
• Stomach pain
• Yellowing of skin
• Dark urine
• Sore throat and other signs of infection

Allergic reactions to Acetazolamide are rare but seek medical help right away if you develop a rash, itching, swelling in the face, throat, or tongue, troubled breathing, or severe dizziness.

How to use Acetazolamide

Acetazolamide tablets are usually taken by mouth 1 to 4 times a day. Long-acting Acetazolamide capsules are usually taken up to twice daily. Swallow long-acting capsules as whole. Avoid breaking or chewing the capsules as these may interfere with the delayed-release mechanism of the medication --- increasing your risks of developing unwanted side effects.

You can take these altitude sickness tablets with or without food. Unless instructed by your GP to do otherwise, drink plenty of fluid right after.

For treating altitude sickness, start taking Acetazolamide one or two days before you climb or fly. Continue taking the medication two days after you’ve reached your final altitude. Climb down as soon as possible if you’ve developed severe altitude sickness.

Do not increase your dose or take Acetazolamide longer than prescribed. Doing so will increase your risks of developing side effects and it will not make your condition any better.

It is highly recommended to eat foods that are rich in potassium (e.g. bananas) as Acetazolamide may reduce the levels of potassium in your blood.

Where to buy Acetazolamide

Acetazolamide is an effective medication against altitude sickness. You can buy Acetazolamide from Express Pharmacy. Order today and we’ll get it delivered to your doorstep discreetly.

We’re celebrating Black Friday with our biggest set of offers yet! We’re offering you 30% off all Women’s Health products for a limited time only.

Use code WOMENS30 for 30% off, simply apply this discount code in the checkout!

How long does the offer last?

Our offer for 30% off Women’s Health products starts Monday 23rd November and ends Friday 27th November midnight.

What’s part of the offer?

As part of our Black Friday Women’s Health deals, you save 30% on:

• Cystitis Products
• Emergency Contraception Products
• Female Contraception Products
• Period Delay Products
• Period Pain Products
• Unwanted Facial Hair Products

We’re celebrating Black Friday with our biggest set of offers yet! We’re offering you 30% off all Men’s Health products for a limited time only.

Use code MENS30 for 30% off, simply apply this discount code in the checkout!

How long does the offer last?

Our offer for 30% off Men’s Health products starts Monday 23rd November and ends Friday 27th November midnight.

What’s part of the offer?

As part of our Black Friday Men’s Health deals, you save 30% on:

• Erectile Dysfunction Products
• Hair Loss Products
• Premature Ejaculation Products

There are many hair loss treatments available but one certainly outshines the rest - Propecia. Does Propecia really work for hair loss? You’ll find out in this article.

Hair loss is a common problem affecting men and women. But this condition is more common among men who experience noticeable balding in their mid-30s. Hair growth follows a natural three-phase cycle:

• Anagen Phase - hair grows actively during this stage.
• Catagen Phase - a transitional stage that lasts between 2 - 3 weeks.
• Telogen Phase - a resting stage that lasts about 2 - 3 months. At the end of this phase, the old hair falls out and the cycle returns to the anagen phase.

Hair loss is usually affected by genes, hormones, stress, diet, injuries, cosmetic products, and other factors. Click here if you want to know more about the causes of hair loss.

Using Propecia to stop hair loss

There are many proven ways to stop hair loss. And taking a hair loss treatment called Propecia is one of them.

Propecia is a hair loss drug that contains the active ingredient finasteride. This treatment is used to address male pattern baldness on the vertex and anterior mid-scalp area.

Finasteride in Propecia is traditionally used to treat prostate enlargement. This drug, which is taken in smaller 1mg doses, works by decreasing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is the main culprit behind balding, so obviously, the lower its concentration in your body, the less likely you are to suffer from hair loss.

Is Propecia effective?

Yes! When it was approved for use in 1997, Propecia became the first medicine in history to effectively treat balding in most of the men who used it.

“In one two year study, 83% of men taking Propecia maintained their hair at the top of their heads (vertex area), compared to 28% of men taking a placebo. In the same study, 17% of the men taking Propecia still experienced measurable hair loss, but 72% of the men taking the placebo also experienced additional hair loss. After the first two years, the results of the group taking Propecia continued to improve.”

You can read more about this study here.

Another study shows that “at one, two, and five years respectively showed hair loss at a rate of 58, 72, and 100% in groups of men receiving placebo, versus 14, 17, and 35% hair loss in men taking Propecia.”

Is Propecia safe to use?

While every person reacts to Propecia differently, Propecia is generally safe to use as long as you follow your doctor’s directions. Some of the side effects of Propecia include:

Risk of developing breast cancer in men (this is especially true if you are taking high doses of Propecia. The recommended dose for hair loss treatment is only 1mg.)

• Loss of sex drive
• Inability to ejaculate
• Erection problems

These side-effects are very rare and are usually associated with taking high doses of Propecia.

Where can I buy Propecia?

You buy Propecia from Express Pharmacy. Order online today and we’ll get it delivered discreetly right at your doorstep.