A new study has found that reducing the amount of sugar children get in the womb and as toddlers can protect them against diabetes and high blood pressure in adulthood.

Published in the journal Science, the research reveals a critical period for healthy nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a baby’s life — from conception to age two.

The study found that cutting sugar intake in this window decreased the type 2 diabetes risk by about 35% and the risk of high blood pressure by roughly 20%. The researchers also discovered a delay in disease onset of four and two years, respectively.

The research team anaylsed data from before and after the end of the United Kingdom’s world war II-era sugar rationing in September 1953.

In January 1940, the UK government began food rationing to ensure fair shares for all during the wartime shortage.

Access to sugar, fats, bacon, meat and cheese was limited. When the rationing of sugar and sweets ended in September 1953, the average adult’s daily sugar consumption nearly doubled almost immediately, from about 40 grams to 80 grams.

Analysing the UK BioBank database of 60,000 people, the scientists compared health in middle age for 38,000 people conceived and born during rationing and 22,000 people conceived soon afterward.

The analysis showed a 30% reduction in the risk of obesity among sugar-rationed babies.

The study by the team at the University of Southern California also found that the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure increased with age. However, it increased faster in those conceived after sugar-rationing ended.

The results showed type 2 diabetes started on average four years later in adult life where there had been sugar-rationing during early childhood, and blood pressure two years later.

There was a 35% reduction in type 2 diabetes for those babies conceived during sugar rationing and a 20% reduction in high blood pressure.

“Sugar rationing created an interesting natural experiment,” said Tadeja Gracner, the study lead author and a senior economist at the Center for Economics and Social Research at the University of Southern California.

“We all want to improve our health and give our children the best start in life, and reducing added sugar early is a powerful step in that direction.

“With better information, environment and the right incentives, parents can more easily reduce sugar exposure, for kids and themselves.”

Also speaking, Keith Godfrey, a professor from the University of Southampton, said: “This is convincing new evidence, providing further support that reducing exposure of the unborn baby and newborn infant to sugar has lasting benefits that include lowering the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure in later adulthood.

“The findings are in keeping with our research showing lower rates of obesity in the children of mothers who eat low glycaemic index foods during pregnancy that are digested and absorbed more slowly, causing a slower rise in blood sugar levels.”

A previous study also suggested that high sugar intake during pregnancy may affect a child’s intelligence.

Aloe Vera is a spiky succulent plant that grows naturally in dry, tropical climates like Africa, Asia, Europe, and southern and western parts of the United States. Over the years, this scrubby and pointy plant has been cultivated for its medicinal purposes.

Here are the health benefits you get from aloe vera as gel and juice.

• Aids digestion

Aloe vera, particularly aloe vera juice, has been proven to be a natural laxative.

The outer part of this plant contains a compound called anthraquinone glycosides which has laxative effects.

A study discovered that this compound can help relieve constipation while another research found that aloe vera could help reduce the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) — a digestive disorder that often results in heartburn — and irritable bowel syndrome.

However, when trying aloe juice for constipation for the first time, consume little amount of it.

• Reduces blood sugar levels

Both the gel and juice of aloe vera can help lower and control one’s blood sugar levels.

Several studies have indicated that taking aloe vera juice has some potential benefits for people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes due to its effect on glycemic control.

• Rich in antioxidants

Aloe vera gel contains powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which also have anti-inflammatory effects.

Antioxidants are important to health as they protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. These antioxidants have benefits ranging from reducing one’s risk of cardiovascular diseases to improving the immune system.

Aloe vera also has antibacterial and antiviral properties which is why it is used to treat and relieve burns and wounds.

• Promotes dental health

Due to its antibacterial properties, aloe vera juice and mouthwash improve various dental and oral conditions.

Aloe vera mouthwash is effective in reducing dental plaque. A study also showed that aloe vera mouthwash help reduces gum inflammation in people who had recently undergone tooth surgery to remove plaque.

• Skincare

Aloe vera is perhaps one of the most widely used herbal remedies for topical skin conditions. This is because the gel-like components of the plant are known to heal the skin from a variety of minor ailments.

This plant is also a natural moisturizer that helps soothes dry skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties also make it a potential treatment for skin conditions like burns, acne, and eczema.

Aloe vera also helps reduce the appearance of blemishes and wrinkles.

A 2009 study of 30 females over the age of 45 also prove that taking oral aloe vera gel increased collagen production and improved skin elasticity over 90 days.

Many believe that only a particular gender slouches, but we all do.

Slouching is a lazy posture that not only takes a toll on your body, but also on your appearance.

Do you know that with every inch you hold your head forward, you put 10 pounds of pressure on your spine?

Are you also aware that slouching can lead to aches and pains in your back, neck and shoulders?

Constant headache, inability to breathe deeply and tension in the shoulders and back are some of the effects of slouching.

To avoid some of these, here are things to do.

Proper sitting

Be sure your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are level with your hips or slightly higher if possible.

When you sit back in the chair, make sure your spine is supported and your shoulders are relaxed.

Your shoulders should not be rounded or hunched and make sure your computer screen is at eye level so the neck can remain neutral.

When you constantly do that, you are inculcating a good sitting posture.

Standing posture

Your shoulders should be relaxed; neck and head in line with shoulders from the side. Be sure your entire weight is balanced on both feet evenly.

Your abdominal muscles should be slightly activated. Ladies can find it a bit hard but it is the best way to go about it.

Old habit they say, die hard, and correcting a bad posture could be difficult.

When you start practising a proper standing posture, you would feel some pains in the muscles that you’ve not exerted pressure on before, but with time, the muscles would get accustomed to the body movement.

But how does one overcome slouching?

Doorway stretch

This exercise helps you to overcome many years of slouching. All you need to do is stand inside a doorway, bend your right arm 90 degrees and place your forearm against the doorframe.

Place your bent elbow at about shoulder height and rotate your chest left until you get a feeling of a nice stretch in your chest and front shoulder. Hold it for about 25 seconds and equally repeat with the opposite arm.

Shoulder dislocations

This would help those who have developed tight shoulders from slouching.

The exercise requires you to get a broomstick that is about 5 feet in long, hold it with an overhand grip and slowly sway the broomstick in front of you and then over your head until you are sure it hits you in the back area.

Repeat same thing slowly till your shoulder loosens.

Wall angels

To straighten the spine, stand with the back of your head pressed against a wall, bend your knees slightly with your arms raised against the wall and your fingers also pressed against it.

Move your arms up above your head; be sure your fingers, entire back, butt and head are pushing into the wall.

The result will be to arch out but if your backside loses contact with the wall, you aren’t doing it right.

You need to quit slouching as your shoulders turn in when you slouch and causes the chest to sink in as well.

If you maintain a slumped-over position all day long, you’re bound to lose flexibility in your shoulders and chest. If you have lost the flexibility, opt for the exercises and restore the perfect posture your body needs.