FITNESS

FITNESS

The actual meaning of Fitness is "Feeling Good". So fitness can be achieved through physical and mental fitness.

PHYSICAL FITNESS: Physical Fitness depends on four things.
i) Proper nutrition 
ii) Exercise
iii) Water intake
iv) Proper sleep

PROPER NUTRITION: Food is the fuel for our body. So proper nutrition means following "A Balanced Diet". "A Balanced Diet" means complex carbohydrates which give us energy, protein helps in building muscle mass and healthy fats for energy. These three are the major macronutrients.
At the same time, we need vitamins and minerals - the micronutrients for boosting our immunity.

Skipping any meal is not a good choice. Choosing a whole meal for breakfast is important and research says that eating breakfast regularly lowers the risks of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases. The three large meals and healthy snacks in between are essential for our overall health. Thus following proper nutrition is very important.

EXERCISE: Regular 30-40 minutes of exercise can keep us fit and active. Our body gets sufficient oxygen and keeps our lungs, heart and circulatory system healthy. Regular yoga keeps our body flexible.















WATER INTAKE: Water helps in digestion, prevents constipation, flushes toxicity from the body.

Water keeps our skin soft and supple, helps to maintain body fluid, maintains electrolyte balance and maintains kidney functions.

SLEEP: Regular 7-8 hours of sound sleep is important for our health. This keeps us fresh and energetic. This helps to keep us calm and blood pressure in check.











MENTAL HEALTH: Mental Fitness depends on Managing Stress, Quality sleep, Staying Active and Social gathering.

Follow these simple things and keep yourself fit and active.

BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY

CRANBERRY - A SOLUTION TO UTIs

CRANBERRY - A SOLUTION TO UTIs

UTIs or Urinary Tract Infections is an infection that infects any part of your urinary system like Kidneys, Bladder, Urethra, Uterus. UTIs can happen with anyone but women are more prone to this. Almost 50% of women worldwide suffer from this problem. Many women have repeat infections as well.

SYMPTOMS OF UTIs

• A burning sensation when you pee.
• Feeling tired and lethargic.
• There is a continuous urge to go to the washroom.
• Continuous itching and burning at Urinary Tract.
• Fever
• Sometimes bleeding while urination.
• Pain in the lower abdomen.

CRANBERRIES are SUPERFOOD. People consume cranberry in juice form or as dry form. This fruit is highly nutritious and is loaded with antioxidants. Cranberry is being used to cure UTIs. It is a traditional method. The antioxidant, proanthocyanidins help to prevent the bacteria from sticking to the urinary bladder and at the same time, this helps to flush out the bacteria and infections from kidneys. Thus regular consumption of cranberry keeps your kidney healthy and a solution to UTIs.

Reduces the risks of CVD (Cardiovascular Diseases): Cranberry increases the HDL and lowers 

LDL. Thus this is heart-healthy and reduces the risks of cardiovascular diseases.

Loaded with Nutrients: Cranberries contain good amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin C. Thus this fruit is highly nutritious and also acts as an antiageing. Regular consumption can keep your skin soft and wrinkle-free.

Improves digestive system: Cranberries are prebiotic thus improves your gut health and contains sufficient fiber which helps to prevent constipation. Thus improves digestive health.

Thus 1tbsp of dry cranberry can be soaked in curd and can be consumed regularly. Practice this and you can observe the changes on your own.            

STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY

IMMUNITY - THE ACTUAL WEALTH

IMMUNITY - THE ACTUAL WEALTH

We all know the term "Health is Wealth". If we are healthy from inside we can do hard work and earn wealth. Secondly, if we are very wealthy but our health is not good then the money is of no use.
So we should consider HEALTH as the main priority. Thus keeping our immune system strong is essential.

Immunity has two types:

ACTIVE IMMUNITY: When our immune system is strong enough and can fight against any foreign bodies and pathogens and helps to protect us.

PASSIVE IMMUNITY: This means the new born's body is protected and antibody forms from the maternal immune system.

Nutrition plays an important role in boosting immunity. Thus it is very essential to include A Balanced diet. Not a single food and supplement can cure diseases but it is a combination of every food group that helps to boost the immune system and protect our body from any foreign components.

Thus Carbohydrates, Protein, Healthy Fats, Vitamins and Minerals everything is equally important to keep our immunity strong.

FEW SPECIAL FOOD I would mention which acts as an Antiviral and regular intake any of this food can keep us safe from seasonal flu, fever, cough & cold and other diseases like cancer, asthma, lungs problem, dry eyes, anemia and others.

TURMERIC: Due to the presence of  Curcumin, turmeric has anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.     










GARLIC: Garlic contains Allicin which has anti-oxidative properties. This is heart-healthy and is used for the treatment of cold and flu.


GINGER: Ginger has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties and this has many health benefits.










SUNFLOWER SEEDS: Sunflower seeds are loaded with Vitamin E which improves immune functions.




ALMONDS: Almonds are loaded with magnesium, Manganese, Fiber and Vitamin E. A handful of almonds are one of the healthiest snacks.













DARK CHOCOLATE: Dark chocolate 1-2 small pcs are beneficial due to the presence of Theobromine an antioxidant. This helps to control blood pressure, reduces stress and has anti-aging property.




SWEET POTATOES: Sweet potatoes are rich in Beta carotene, this protects our skin from UV rays.









 BROCCOLI: Broccoli contains Vitamin C and regular intake boosts our immune system.


BELL PEPPERS: RED, YELLOW & GREEN Bell Peppers are loaded with different antioxidants and we can include at least 2-3 days per week. This helps to make us strong from inside.




So include these foods in your daily diet alternatively and keep yourself strong.

BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY  

MAKHANA - A SUPERFOOD

MAKHANA - A SUPERFOOD

Fox nuts or more popular name is Makhana. This is actually Fox Nuts and mostly grown in the Asian region.
These days Makhana is on top of sales because of its nutrition value. Makhana is highly nutritious and is loaded with health benefits. So let's discuss the health benefits and why we should include this as a snack.

A GOOD SOURCE OF PLANT PROTEIN: A cup of dry roasted makhana gives 4.2 grams of protein. This helps to boost immunity, build muscle mass and gives you energy.
                                                                 
 






GOOD FOR HEART PATIENT: Makhana is low in fat and sodium and high in magnesium, potassium. Thus good for B.P and heart patients.










GOOD FOR DIABETES: Makhana is good for diabetic patients as the glycaemic index is quite low. Thus can include as a snack.




WEIGHT REDUCTION: Makhana is a good source of fiber. 100 grams of makhana gives 7.6 grams of fiber and this is low in calories. A cup of makhana gives you 80 Kcal with a high satiety value.







NUTRITION VALUE: A medium cup of makhana means 25 grams- (the nutrient values are)
                                       CARBS: 19 grams
                                       PROTEIN: 4.2 grams
                                       FAT: 0.5 grams

So include makhana in your diet and keep yourself fit and healthy.

BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY

                                       

GOOD FOOD = GOOD MOOD

GOOD FOOD = GOOD MOOD

Do you know food and mood both are related? When you are already experiencing a low mood like depression, anxiety and stress, then choosing healthy food is very essential.

Now I am directly coming to the specific food which can uplift your mood and if you can include this in your daily diet, this will impact positively on your mental health.

The first one is DARK CHOCOLATE. This helps to raise endorphin levels thus helps to uplifts our mood. While buying DARK CHOCOLATE make sure the cacao percentage should be a minimum of 55%-60%.


YOGURT is rich in probiotics, as discussed in my previous blog. This is good for our overall health. This also helps to keep our mind calm and also reduces aggression.
                                                                                                     




 VITAMIN-C rich food is orange, Musambi, Kiwi, Broccoli, All types of berries etc. This helps to boost your immunity and works as an anti-depression.



MAGNESIUM rich food like dark green leafy vegetables, bananas, nuts (almonds, walnuts, avocado etc) and 
seeds (flaxseed, chia seed, pumpkin seed etc) helps to balance Serotonin (Hormone) and thus makes us happy.                                                                                                   




FISHES are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which improve your mood and helps to reduce depression.

        FISH contains a high level of Vitamin B12 which again helps in serotonin (A Happy Hormone) production.


EGG contains all the essential Amino Acids. Thus it helps in maintaining a happy mood.





These food are healthy and tasty as well.
A healthy diet will positively affect your overall health (physical & mental).


So include this food in your daily diet and keep yourself healthy.

BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY

CARBS - GOOD OR BAD

CARBS - GOOD OR BAD

                                                                         

CARBS or carbohydrates are considered a major source of energy. Thus it is considered a crucial part of "WELL BALANCED DIET". This is a small introduction about carbohydrate.

Few questions I am getting these days from my patients-
"Should I include carbohydrate or not", "Should I completely cut down carbohydrate to reduce my weight", "Should I stop eating rice completely" etc.

Now let's discuss what we should actually do.

Now I am dividing CARB into two categories.

GOOD CARB & BAD CARB

What type of CARB is good for us and how much we should include in our daily diet.

Examples of Healthy Carbs:

WHOLE GRAINS: oats, brown rice, whole wheat, multigrain bread, quinoa etc.

FRUITS: All types of fruits (Whole Fruits)

VEGETABLES: all types of veggies including green leafy vegetables

STARCH: potatoes, sweet potato, carrot.

LEGUMES: lentils, soy chunks, chickpeas

MILK: low-fat milk, curd, yogurt

According to the United States Department Of Agriculture, the recommended daily allowance of carbohydrates for a sedentary worker should be 130-175 gms per day.
Now, this total amount we can divide for the whole day's meal. The best thing we can do is that heavy breakfast, a medium portion of carbohydrate in lunch and a low carbohydrate meal for dinner. But we should not omit CARB completely from our diet.

But we can omit BAD CARBS from our diet like white sugar, refined flour, white bread, ice cream, cold drinks etc or if you have craving, try to cut down the quantity.

For weight reduction or for any specific reason the amount of CARB can be reduced. But consult a dietician and follow his/her instructions.

Suddenly do not start to follow a very low CARB diet or KETO diet.   

Now the importance of CARB & why we should not cut it completely from our diet:

i) CARB is the main source of energy to the brain and central nervous system.
ii) CARB helps to sleep better.
iii) CARB provides immunity, thus helps to prevent diseases.
iv) CARB helps to uplift our mood.
v) CARB helps to keep our memory sharp.

vi) If taken in right quantity CARB also helps to reduce weight.
vii) Complex CARB provides fiber to the body.
viii) CARB helps to prevent blood clots.
ix) CARB improves the digestive system.
x) CARB the best nutrients for Athletes.

So include these healthy CARBS in your diet in the right quantity and keep yourself fit.

STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY

PREBIOTICS & PROBIOTICS

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREBIOTICS & PROBIOTICS

1) Prebiotics are a special form of dietary fiber- (the non-digestible part of food) acts as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in the gut.
    Probiotics are live/ good bacteria that are naturally created by the process of fermentation in food.

2) Examples of prebiotics are banana, onion, garlic, apple skin, beans, kiwi, asparagus, almonds, cabbage, sprouts, wheatgrass, green apple, leafy vegetables, apple cider vinegar etc.

 


Examples of probiotics are yogurt, curd and milk products.

                                                                                                           



3) Benefits of prebiotics:

i) Increase calcium and magnesium absorption.
ii) Regular intake makes our bones stronger and increases bone density.
iii) Prebiotic rich food helps to strengthen our immune system.
iv) The prebiotic-rich diet helps to reduce the triglycerides level and controls weight.
v) Prebiotic rich food improves bowel regulations.
vi) These types of food are heart-healthy and reduce anxiety.




Benefits of probiotics:

i) Probiotic-rich foods are good for diarrhea.
ii) Regular intake of probiotic-rich food helps in IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
iii) Probiotic-rich food helps in ulcerative colitis.
iv) Curd is good for Crohn's disease.
v) Good for vaginal infections.
vi) Probiotic-rich foods good for urinary tract infections.

                                                                                                               









Include prebiotic and probiotic-rich foods in your diet.
This will help in increasing immunity as well as overall health benefits.

                       
STAY HAPPY AND HEALTHY

DIABETES

DIABETES

Diabetes has become a common term all over the World or rather we can say this is one of the most prevalent diseases all over the World. India is also called diabetes capital.

In India, 50.9 million people suffer from diabetes and by 2025 it could reach up to 80 million.

There are three types of diabetes.

Type 1: When our body is not producing enough insulin. This can be treated by taking daily insulin but it can not be cured.

Type 2: Sedentary lifestyle, junk food, obesity, stress, indisciplined lifestyle, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits like too much-refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, less or no intake of fruits and vegetables in the diet.

Type 3: Gestational diabetes means blood sugar level increases due to pregnancy. Treatment is a healthy diet, exercise and regular blood sugar monitoring. If the sugar level is still high, doctors may prescribe medicine or insulin accordingly.

The most important part is we can control our sugar level by SELF CARE

                                               Regular 30-40 minutes of physical activity helps to control blood sugar.





Check your blood sugar (if you have diabetes) once per week with a glucometer and note it down. By keeping this record you can understand the progress.








Cut down refined carbohydrates completely from the diet.
Complex carbohydrates like oats, whole wheat, brown rice etc, required amounts of protein and healthy fats should be included in the daily diet.



Similarly what we eat is equally important as when we eat.

Heavy breakfast, medium lunch and light dinner is the key to fitness.










     Water intake should be sufficient and keep yourself hydrated. 

Unlimited vegetables can be included in the diet (any form like boiled, vegetable juice, mixed veg sautee) and have 100 gms of seasonal fruit daily. 
                                                                                                                                                        
     



   Portion control is the key to maintain blood sugar.

Once in a week if you are going outside select food properly. Before meal have vegetable soup or salads. This will reduce your appetite.

Spend time with your family, friends and pets. This helps to reduce stress level.
                                                                                                            

Supplements can be taken accordingly (Body type, BMI etc)

                                                        STAY HEALTHY AND HAPPY