Low Cal Festive Delights
Festive season is come, October- November is welcomed. As the festive atmosphere sets in, the days seem to be shorter. Festivals (Diwali) bring light, happiness, togetherness, warmth, noise and also calories…. lots of sweets and delicacies.
During this period we all seem to be in a holiday mood. We don’t mind feasting without thinking of rebalancing it. Festivals are often used as excuses to laze around, skip the exercise routine and just party. This happens as most of us suffer from lack of time and lack of our favorite food, in any case during these festivals if prefer to treat ourselves and binge.
Few ways to kick off those extra calories that might peep in your diet during festive parties and get-togethers.
1.Since during this festive time parties is one thing that cannot be avoided, one should plan ahead .One should partially fill his/her stomach before stepping out of the house. Now this can be done by having a bowl of soup or a bowl of mix fruits. And if you are going in a restaurant plan your menu before walking in. Always watch out for hidden fats. Creamy soups, white breads, flaky pastries and mayonnaise – based salad dressings add unnecessary fats to the food. Try consuming broths instead of creamy soups.
2.Eat healthy foods first. Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes time to enjoy your favorites — sweets or junk food— you won't be so hungry. For example you can always search or ask for green salad in a party to be brought to the table before the main course. Instead of mayonnaise dressing use variety of condiments and flavoring agents such as lemon, vinegar, herbs, onion and garlic to improve the palatability of your salad. Remember, a gram of fat contains more than twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate.
3.Look out for alternatives. Ask for grilled, baked, boiled or broiled food rather fried foods. In place of fries or fried onion rings, order corn on the cob, green beans or baked beans.
4.Pay attention to portions. Serve meals already dished onto plates. Take slightly less than what you think you'll eat. You can always have seconds, if really necessary.
5.Instead of cake or pastries, fresh fruits with yogurt and honey dressing or just a mix bowl of fresh fruits can be an ideal dessert.
6.Replenish the body with water. Drink at least 2 glasses of water before and after you start your main meal. You can also call for an unsweetened fruit juice or vegetable juice with your main meals.
7.Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger.
I would suggest you to try some innovative ways to feast with out missing out the festive fun. Here is a low cal sweet dish recipe for you which you and your guest can enjoy without any guilt.
Low cal Indian Dessert (Festive Delight)
Fat Free Shahi Tukhda
Ingredients
Brown Bread – 2 slice
Milk – 150ml
Sugar – 1- 11/2 tp
Almond- 2 nos
Grounded Cinnamon – For garnishing
Method:
1. Cut each slice of Brown bread into 4 pieces.
2. Toast it in a toaster.
3. Dissolve sugar in the milk. Now dip each toasted piece of bread in the sweet milk and remove.
4. Garnish it with cinnamon. Place a piece of almond in the centre.
5. Keep in the refrigerator for some time. Serve it cold.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Hypertension – A Slow Poison
Can youth suffer from high blood pressure? No way!! High blood pressure is just for old people!
If this is what you believe, you are not totally different from most of the people in this planet who associate hypertension or high blood pressure with aging. You also probably wouldn't believe that one in 5 youngsters is suffering from this incommunicable disease! This may sound odd to you but this is an unfortunate fact.
In the 21st century, most of the parts of our society are affected by this condition. Nowadays it is best for the parents to get their and their teens blood pressures checked every once in a while. It will be a very critical step in ensuring the health of your kids.
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure or force your blood exerts against your blood vessels as the heart pumps. The pressure typically rises as your heart pumps (systolic pressure) and falls when the heart relaxes (diastolic pressure). The normal blood pressure for a normal adult should be 120 over 80 mm Hg. A blood pressure reading of 140 over 90 mm Hg, on the other hand, can already be considered high.
There are no specific symptoms to discover this condition. Many times one comes to know about his high blood pressure incidentally during an unrelated medical examination. This state of raised blood pressure can remain dormant for years with out one feeling any major symptoms till they become very serious. This dormant state later can manifest with complications like heart diseases (angina, stroke, myocardial infarction) and kidney diseases. Therefore hypertension is known as a “Silent killer”.
Still the most common symptoms observed when the blood pressure rises are headaches, dizziness, impaired vision and gastrointestinal disturbances. However the extent of symptoms depends upon the rise and the length of time this condition is present.
Blood pressure can be influenced by a number of factors. Among these are the degree of rest, physical activity or stress, heredity, a person eating habits, lifestyle, emotions and medications being taken.
Here are some ways to get control of this blood pressure:
Dos for hypertensive people
Strive to maintain your weight height ratio. Basal metabolic rate decreases as the age increases therefore do not set very high goals for yourself. Try to have a balanced diet. Do not go on starvation or crash diets to lose weight as its effect may reverse.
Always concentrate on the quality of food then the quantity. In a diet the ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat for hypertensive people is an important consideration. eg protein should contribute 20% from the total energy, fat – 15% and rest can come from carbohydrates.
In case of carbohydrates, emphasis on foods high in complex carbohydrates such as dietary fibre rather than simple sugars (any kind of processed, preserved or fast foods- pasta/noodles etc). Increase fibre in your diet by including lots of fruits and salads. Make sure that you have at least two fruits per day.
Since you are hypertensive, decrease the intake of salt/sodium. Avoid using more than 2 – 3grams of salt per day .However the extent of salt restriction depends on the rise of blood pressure. Try to have at least a bowl of salad before dinner without salt. You can add a variety of condiments and flavoring agents such as lemon, vinegar, herbs, onion and garlic to improve the palatability of salt free food.
Adequate potassium intake can be a part of the treatment. Good sources of potassium like tomato, chickoo, watermelon, banana, leafy vegetables, bitter gourd, brinjal, potatoes, apricots and legumes can be included in the diet. However hypertensive person with kidney disease should avoid a high intake of potassium as it puts an excessive load on the kidney.
You can have 1- 2 cloves of garlic early morning with one glass of lukewarm water everyday.
Rest is very important; you should take at least 6 – 7 hours of sound sleep.
Adopt a regular exercise routine. Regular exercise can give you lot of benefits. It can help prevent you and your kids from becoming overweight and aid in shedding off those excess pounds, thus keeping your heart and blood vessels in top condition. However, it is always better to check with your doctor before you start any kind of exercise program. Also, consult an experienced personal trainer or coach prior to beginning a weight lifting program. This can help prevent injuries.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Don’ts for hypertensive people
Do not use:
Salt at the table (use salt lightly in cooking)
Salt preserved foods such as salted or smoked meat (ham, bacon, sausages etc), salted or smoked fish.
Shell fishers such as shrimp, crab, lobster.
Highly salted foods such as potato chips, salted nuts, popcorn, highly salted biscuits and other salted snacks.
Food with sodium as preservative such as ketchup, chilli sauce, soya sauce, garlic sauce, pickle and various chutneys.
Baking powder, baking soda or anything containing these.
Flavour enhancers like ajinomoto. This means Chinese foods.
Bread, pav and processed cheese.
Alcohol. Heavy drinking may lead to the development of the disease.
Smoking is never considered a healthy habit. What's worse is that smoking and high blood pressure is a deadly combination. The combination of these two can lead to a heart attack or stroke later on in life.
These few modifications will not only help you to get a control on your systolic and diastolic pressures but will also help to reduce your body weight and get you in shape.
If this is what you believe, you are not totally different from most of the people in this planet who associate hypertension or high blood pressure with aging. You also probably wouldn't believe that one in 5 youngsters is suffering from this incommunicable disease! This may sound odd to you but this is an unfortunate fact.
In the 21st century, most of the parts of our society are affected by this condition. Nowadays it is best for the parents to get their and their teens blood pressures checked every once in a while. It will be a very critical step in ensuring the health of your kids.
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is defined as the pressure or force your blood exerts against your blood vessels as the heart pumps. The pressure typically rises as your heart pumps (systolic pressure) and falls when the heart relaxes (diastolic pressure). The normal blood pressure for a normal adult should be 120 over 80 mm Hg. A blood pressure reading of 140 over 90 mm Hg, on the other hand, can already be considered high.
There are no specific symptoms to discover this condition. Many times one comes to know about his high blood pressure incidentally during an unrelated medical examination. This state of raised blood pressure can remain dormant for years with out one feeling any major symptoms till they become very serious. This dormant state later can manifest with complications like heart diseases (angina, stroke, myocardial infarction) and kidney diseases. Therefore hypertension is known as a “Silent killer”.
Still the most common symptoms observed when the blood pressure rises are headaches, dizziness, impaired vision and gastrointestinal disturbances. However the extent of symptoms depends upon the rise and the length of time this condition is present.
Blood pressure can be influenced by a number of factors. Among these are the degree of rest, physical activity or stress, heredity, a person eating habits, lifestyle, emotions and medications being taken.
Here are some ways to get control of this blood pressure:
Dos for hypertensive people
Strive to maintain your weight height ratio. Basal metabolic rate decreases as the age increases therefore do not set very high goals for yourself. Try to have a balanced diet. Do not go on starvation or crash diets to lose weight as its effect may reverse.
Always concentrate on the quality of food then the quantity. In a diet the ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat for hypertensive people is an important consideration. eg protein should contribute 20% from the total energy, fat – 15% and rest can come from carbohydrates.
In case of carbohydrates, emphasis on foods high in complex carbohydrates such as dietary fibre rather than simple sugars (any kind of processed, preserved or fast foods- pasta/noodles etc). Increase fibre in your diet by including lots of fruits and salads. Make sure that you have at least two fruits per day.
Since you are hypertensive, decrease the intake of salt/sodium. Avoid using more than 2 – 3grams of salt per day .However the extent of salt restriction depends on the rise of blood pressure. Try to have at least a bowl of salad before dinner without salt. You can add a variety of condiments and flavoring agents such as lemon, vinegar, herbs, onion and garlic to improve the palatability of salt free food.
Adequate potassium intake can be a part of the treatment. Good sources of potassium like tomato, chickoo, watermelon, banana, leafy vegetables, bitter gourd, brinjal, potatoes, apricots and legumes can be included in the diet. However hypertensive person with kidney disease should avoid a high intake of potassium as it puts an excessive load on the kidney.
You can have 1- 2 cloves of garlic early morning with one glass of lukewarm water everyday.
Rest is very important; you should take at least 6 – 7 hours of sound sleep.
Adopt a regular exercise routine. Regular exercise can give you lot of benefits. It can help prevent you and your kids from becoming overweight and aid in shedding off those excess pounds, thus keeping your heart and blood vessels in top condition. However, it is always better to check with your doctor before you start any kind of exercise program. Also, consult an experienced personal trainer or coach prior to beginning a weight lifting program. This can help prevent injuries.
Have your blood pressure checked regularly.
Don’ts for hypertensive people
Do not use:
Salt at the table (use salt lightly in cooking)
Salt preserved foods such as salted or smoked meat (ham, bacon, sausages etc), salted or smoked fish.
Shell fishers such as shrimp, crab, lobster.
Highly salted foods such as potato chips, salted nuts, popcorn, highly salted biscuits and other salted snacks.
Food with sodium as preservative such as ketchup, chilli sauce, soya sauce, garlic sauce, pickle and various chutneys.
Baking powder, baking soda or anything containing these.
Flavour enhancers like ajinomoto. This means Chinese foods.
Bread, pav and processed cheese.
Alcohol. Heavy drinking may lead to the development of the disease.
Smoking is never considered a healthy habit. What's worse is that smoking and high blood pressure is a deadly combination. The combination of these two can lead to a heart attack or stroke later on in life.
These few modifications will not only help you to get a control on your systolic and diastolic pressures but will also help to reduce your body weight and get you in shape.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Soups and kids can be friends
There is nothing in the world like a bowl of hot delicious soup-so invigorating, warm, comforting and so practical with all the good things in one single bowl. Anytime is a perfect time to satisfy your soul with a piping hot bowl of broth based soup. Soup is well known for its ability to get people together like a young boy with his father sipping in hot vegetable broth in winter –the best comfort food you can name .Soup is a filling food that can be low in calories. In fact, a healthy and a balanced meal can be made out of a soup bowl. Calorie control is just one benefit of including more soups in the daily diet.
Soups are warming and satisfying, adding a nourishing comfort to your kid’s day. They are made of variety of vegetables thus including loads of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients act as a catalyst to the growth of a child. Soups are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. At the same time the volume of most soups fills you up without a lot of calories. Children always look out for variation in their diet than nutrition -Soup is a meal that helps to add variety and colour to the diet thus breaking the monotony of a regular chappati bhaji meal.
To add an extra festive element that is to increase the attractiveness and nutritive value of the soup for your kids, make use of various ingredients/soup garnishes like:
• Drop the beaten curds/chana flour paste on the red or white soup in a circle with a spoon, slowly to get a round swirl.
• Grating cheese, boiled egg on the soup or by adding boiled chicken pieces and soya granules will help you to add protein to his meal.
• Finely chopped greens like capsicum, coriander, mint, parsley, lettuce or bread crumbs can be used to make a design on the soup. ie his /her name initial or any other object like a bat or a smiley face. This will make him feel special and he will enjoy his soup.
• Shredded lemon rind, sliced mushroom, olives or grilled paneer pieces will make the soup more attractive and thus add an extra zing to it.
• Topping of tiny pieces of capsicum/ broccoli /corn/spring onion can be used to add colour and various micronutrients to the soup.
• Addition of Roasted rajma, almonds or Fried noodles will not only give a crunchy flavour but will also add a festive element to it.
• The starchy foods like rice, barley, oatmeal, noodles, tapioca, sago and macaroni makes the soup more eye appealing to kids.
Always serve soups with accompaniments as only soups alone may not be welcomed by kids. Accompaniments are foods that not only improve the flavor/taste but also at the same time make it more appetizing and nutritious, depending it a healthy food option. Some of the accompaniments enjoyed by kids are:
Garlic brown bread fingers
Herbed croutons(use brown bread and herbs like oregano or basil)
Chinese bhel (fried noodles and veggies like capsicum, carrots, onions, tomatoes)
Toasted vegetable sandwich
Bean tacos
Anything that is crispy and crunchy like cheese sticks, khakras, spicy roasted chick peas, flavored nachos or flavored soup sticks like jeera soup sticks and masala soup sticks.
Bhel with roasted chanas/corn bhel
Canapies filled with grated veggies and topped with tomato ketchup.
Many unusual and fancy forms of whole wheat macaroni or the plain varieties of Italian pastes with loads of veggies like onion, tomato, capsicum, cabbage, carrots, corn etc.
Soups like tangy carrot soup, dudhi tomato soup can be served in tall glasses instead of a bowl. Remember a change is always welcomed by kids. Ingredients like garlic, ginger, clove and ginseng should be used in soups as it not only improves the flavour but also has various health giving properties like aids digestion and blood purification. Ginseng may also be served in a soup with red dates (jujubes), which are thought to improve blood circulation. Purees of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes and other vegetables should be used to increase the nutritive value of the soup thus making it a wholesome meal. Soups are ideal party foods as they can be prepared ahead of time and then only require few finishing touches before serving. So if we go to see soups can be health food, diet food, comfort food and lot more things therefore now it should be made mandatory at your place.
Soups are warming and satisfying, adding a nourishing comfort to your kid’s day. They are made of variety of vegetables thus including loads of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These nutrients act as a catalyst to the growth of a child. Soups are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. At the same time the volume of most soups fills you up without a lot of calories. Children always look out for variation in their diet than nutrition -Soup is a meal that helps to add variety and colour to the diet thus breaking the monotony of a regular chappati bhaji meal.
To add an extra festive element that is to increase the attractiveness and nutritive value of the soup for your kids, make use of various ingredients/soup garnishes like:
• Drop the beaten curds/chana flour paste on the red or white soup in a circle with a spoon, slowly to get a round swirl.
• Grating cheese, boiled egg on the soup or by adding boiled chicken pieces and soya granules will help you to add protein to his meal.
• Finely chopped greens like capsicum, coriander, mint, parsley, lettuce or bread crumbs can be used to make a design on the soup. ie his /her name initial or any other object like a bat or a smiley face. This will make him feel special and he will enjoy his soup.
• Shredded lemon rind, sliced mushroom, olives or grilled paneer pieces will make the soup more attractive and thus add an extra zing to it.
• Topping of tiny pieces of capsicum/ broccoli /corn/spring onion can be used to add colour and various micronutrients to the soup.
• Addition of Roasted rajma, almonds or Fried noodles will not only give a crunchy flavour but will also add a festive element to it.
• The starchy foods like rice, barley, oatmeal, noodles, tapioca, sago and macaroni makes the soup more eye appealing to kids.
Always serve soups with accompaniments as only soups alone may not be welcomed by kids. Accompaniments are foods that not only improve the flavor/taste but also at the same time make it more appetizing and nutritious, depending it a healthy food option. Some of the accompaniments enjoyed by kids are:
Garlic brown bread fingers
Herbed croutons(use brown bread and herbs like oregano or basil)
Chinese bhel (fried noodles and veggies like capsicum, carrots, onions, tomatoes)
Toasted vegetable sandwich
Bean tacos
Anything that is crispy and crunchy like cheese sticks, khakras, spicy roasted chick peas, flavored nachos or flavored soup sticks like jeera soup sticks and masala soup sticks.
Bhel with roasted chanas/corn bhel
Canapies filled with grated veggies and topped with tomato ketchup.
Many unusual and fancy forms of whole wheat macaroni or the plain varieties of Italian pastes with loads of veggies like onion, tomato, capsicum, cabbage, carrots, corn etc.
Soups like tangy carrot soup, dudhi tomato soup can be served in tall glasses instead of a bowl. Remember a change is always welcomed by kids. Ingredients like garlic, ginger, clove and ginseng should be used in soups as it not only improves the flavour but also has various health giving properties like aids digestion and blood purification. Ginseng may also be served in a soup with red dates (jujubes), which are thought to improve blood circulation. Purees of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes and other vegetables should be used to increase the nutritive value of the soup thus making it a wholesome meal. Soups are ideal party foods as they can be prepared ahead of time and then only require few finishing touches before serving. So if we go to see soups can be health food, diet food, comfort food and lot more things therefore now it should be made mandatory at your place.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Excess weight – The upcoming health hazard
Excess weight – The upcoming health hazard
“Why this happens with me”, sighed Suzan, 19 year old teen. Coming up was the most happening party; suzan knew this was the right occasion to impress her long time crush. She wanted to wear her favorite dress that had attracted loads of compliments last month. She tried the outfit, but the jeans refuse to reach her waist. REASON – Increase in the waistline.
AT this moment you observe the extra flab, extra weight in your body. You curse the afternoon fried chicken you relished just 5 hours ago.
It’s high time; we realize the problem of excess weight that is confronting more and more people in the prosperous communities. Deviations of the body weight beyond certain limits from the normal not only affect your appearances but also predisposes to many other disorders.
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world. That number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. In clinical terms when a person is 20% or more above the ideal body weight it is considered to be overweight.
In relation to body weight and health, it is important to know the body composition i.e. The body fat for a normal adult man is 12% of the total body weight and for woman is 26%.Accordingly, obesity occurs when the percentage of body fat in total body weight is more than 20% in men and more than 30% in women.
Mortality vs. Excess body weight
The relation of mortality and body weight is very close. i.e. the mortality increases as the body weight increases. Excess body weight can lead to many psychological and physiological problems like:
Overweight people often feel neglected, humiliated and unhappy. They suffer from inferiority complex.
Excess body weight can cause flat feet and arthritis leading to pain in the hips, knees and spine.
Regular movements of obese people become slow and difficult thus making them more prone to accidents.
Adipose tissue in the chest and under the diaphragm interferes with normal respiration and predisposes to bronchitis. In short, it prevents you from being active.
Excess weight can also cause high blood pressure and many other cardiac problems like heart attack or stroke.
Tips for Weight Loss
“Why this happens with me”, sighed Suzan, 19 year old teen. Coming up was the most happening party; suzan knew this was the right occasion to impress her long time crush. She wanted to wear her favorite dress that had attracted loads of compliments last month. She tried the outfit, but the jeans refuse to reach her waist. REASON – Increase in the waistline.
AT this moment you observe the extra flab, extra weight in your body. You curse the afternoon fried chicken you relished just 5 hours ago.
It’s high time; we realize the problem of excess weight that is confronting more and more people in the prosperous communities. Deviations of the body weight beyond certain limits from the normal not only affect your appearances but also predisposes to many other disorders.
According to the World Health Organization, there are currently 1.6 billion overweight adults in the world. That number is projected to grow by 40% over the next 10 years. In clinical terms when a person is 20% or more above the ideal body weight it is considered to be overweight.
In relation to body weight and health, it is important to know the body composition i.e. The body fat for a normal adult man is 12% of the total body weight and for woman is 26%.Accordingly, obesity occurs when the percentage of body fat in total body weight is more than 20% in men and more than 30% in women.
Mortality vs. Excess body weight
The relation of mortality and body weight is very close. i.e. the mortality increases as the body weight increases. Excess body weight can lead to many psychological and physiological problems like:
Overweight people often feel neglected, humiliated and unhappy. They suffer from inferiority complex.
Excess body weight can cause flat feet and arthritis leading to pain in the hips, knees and spine.
Regular movements of obese people become slow and difficult thus making them more prone to accidents.
Adipose tissue in the chest and under the diaphragm interferes with normal respiration and predisposes to bronchitis. In short, it prevents you from being active.
Excess weight can also cause high blood pressure and many other cardiac problems like heart attack or stroke.
Tips for Weight Loss
Hydrate your body. Drink at least 10 – 12 glasses of water everyday. Start your morning with a glass of lukewarm water.
Increase fiber in your meals. Include variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Having a bowl of salad before your dinner should be a mandatory practice. Always ask for green salad to be brought to the table before the main course. This will keep you nibbling and fill your stomach while you wait for your order.
Eat at regular intervals. Have at least 5 meals a day in which three can be the main meals i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner, while other two meals can consist of foods which are handy and nutritious at the same time. Eating frequently prevents hunger pangs, provides consistent energy, and maintains the metabolism efficiency.
Early and light dinners. Have your dinner at least three hours before you go to sleep. This is because your metabolic activity slows down by the end of the day.
Always watch out for hidden fats. Creamy soups, white breads, flaky pastries and mayonnaise – based salad dressings add unnecessary fats to the food. Try consuming broths instead of creamy soups. Remember, a gram of fat contains more than twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate. Ask for grilled, baked, boiled or broiled food rather fried foods.
Overcome your cravings. People having sweet tooth should try to substitute sweet with a fruit. Drink a glass of water after your meal sending an indication that the meal is over and thus overcome your sweet craving. Distract yourself or keep yourself occupied - call a friend, hear music or dance, the craving will come and go without you realizing it.
Avoid salt preserved foods. Excess Salt can cause water retention and hyperthyroidism thus causing a hike in body weight. Avoid foods like pickles, sauces, papad and canned foods.
Avoid alcoholic and carbonated beverages. Pure alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, which makes it nearly twice as fattening as carbohydrates or protein (both contain about 4 calories per gram) and only just under the caloric value for fat (9 calories per gram). This means that if you want to lose weight and reduce excess body fat, alcohol is not a good choice. Regular beer has 13 grams of carbs and 150 calories.
Be active. Participate in your child’s activities at the park. Create opportunities to burn those extra calories like climb stairs, park your car far from office and walk the distance, wash your car whenever possible.
Exercise 30 – 40 mins everyday. Adopt a regular exercise routine. Regular exercise can give you lot of benefits. It can help prevent you from becoming overweight and aid in shedding off those excess pounds, thus keeping your heart and blood vessels in top condition. However, it is always better to check with your doctor before you start any kind of exercise program. Regularly change in your activity schedule helps to avoid boredom. Jog for couple of days, play squash, hit the gym or go for a swim the other day. Always keep looking out for new activities.
Weigh yourself regularly. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working and can help you detect small weight gains before they become even larger. Checking your weight in the morning empty stomach will help you to know your exact body weight.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
ALOE VERA –The Nature’s Silent healer
Aloe Vera has a long history as a most natural, safe and effective medicine. Legend says that it was the desire for Aloe plants that caused Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra, where Aloe was cultivated in the fourth century B.C. In Africa, hunters sometimes would rub Aloe juice on their bodies to reduce sweating and to mask human scent. In India, it has been used by herbalists to treat intestinal infections, suppressed menses, and colic.
Aloe is one of the easiest house plants to grow. Modern technology now offers Aloe Vera in a variety of forms, from the fresh juice to an array of concentrates that make Aloe Vera convenient to use as a daily tonic.
Muscle pain and pain in the joints occurring because of arthritis can be alleviated by the application of Aloe Vera gels or sprays. In fact if it is used regularly, it can actually help to regress arthritis. It is considered to be the best remedy for joint pains.
Aloe Vera is a stimulant to the immune system, a powerful anti –inflammatory, an analgesic. Rheumatic arthritis is a painful, debilitating condition. It manifests itself as stiff, swollen joints with varying degrees of associated pain caused partly due to nerve damage and partly by the pressure of the swollen area. Conventional treatment includes use of anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, typically cortisone injections or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These certainly can ease the painful side-effects but unfortunately do not repair damaged tissues. There can also be undesirable side-effects, particularly thinning of the skin and osteoporosis. Repairing damaged tissue by regenerating cells is a function at which Aloe Vera has been shown to be most successful. It not only relives the painful symptoms but also helps to disperse damaged tissue – a type of detoxification process. Aloe Vera may be taken both internally as a juice or as a gel applied to the painful joint. Here aloe vera’s deep penetration will show benefit. The degree of success with this treatment varies from person to person.
The most important fact that must be remembered about Aloe Vera is that it has no known side – effects. It is known as a “First Aid Plant” throughout the world.
Aloe Vera juice has many benefits to the human body. It has natural healing and detoxifying powers and works gently within the intestinal tract thus helping to cleanse the bowel. It can help to ease constipation and prevent continuing diarrhea (setting regularity to the bowel). All this helps to reduce discomfort and bloating. As these symptoms are eased so the stress related to it is also reduced.
It also contains anti inflammatory fatty acids –compersterol and B - sitosterol. B- sitosterol , a powerful anti –cholesteromatic , helping to lower the harmful cholesterol levels thus acting as a boon to various heart patients .
Regular consumption of a dose of Aloe Vera juice can improve and maintain the feeling of well-being and quality of life. Nevertheless, it must be stressed that professional medical advice should always be sought at the earliest possible stage for abdominal problems and pains.
Aloe Vera is one of the oldest plants known to man and holds the highest level of their interest. Today there are more than 500 aloe producing industries getting established and thus heading towards a mini revolution. However there is no scientific evidence to prove the use of aloe vera as a substitute of a standard medical treatment. Further research is being carried out on these issues. But till then we can have the aloe juice as healthy drink and part of our balanced diet.
Aloe Vera has a long history as a most natural, safe and effective medicine. Legend says that it was the desire for Aloe plants that caused Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra, where Aloe was cultivated in the fourth century B.C. In Africa, hunters sometimes would rub Aloe juice on their bodies to reduce sweating and to mask human scent. In India, it has been used by herbalists to treat intestinal infections, suppressed menses, and colic.
Aloe is one of the easiest house plants to grow. Modern technology now offers Aloe Vera in a variety of forms, from the fresh juice to an array of concentrates that make Aloe Vera convenient to use as a daily tonic.
Muscle pain and pain in the joints occurring because of arthritis can be alleviated by the application of Aloe Vera gels or sprays. In fact if it is used regularly, it can actually help to regress arthritis. It is considered to be the best remedy for joint pains.
Aloe Vera is a stimulant to the immune system, a powerful anti –inflammatory, an analgesic. Rheumatic arthritis is a painful, debilitating condition. It manifests itself as stiff, swollen joints with varying degrees of associated pain caused partly due to nerve damage and partly by the pressure of the swollen area. Conventional treatment includes use of anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, typically cortisone injections or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These certainly can ease the painful side-effects but unfortunately do not repair damaged tissues. There can also be undesirable side-effects, particularly thinning of the skin and osteoporosis. Repairing damaged tissue by regenerating cells is a function at which Aloe Vera has been shown to be most successful. It not only relives the painful symptoms but also helps to disperse damaged tissue – a type of detoxification process. Aloe Vera may be taken both internally as a juice or as a gel applied to the painful joint. Here aloe vera’s deep penetration will show benefit. The degree of success with this treatment varies from person to person.
The most important fact that must be remembered about Aloe Vera is that it has no known side – effects. It is known as a “First Aid Plant” throughout the world.
Aloe Vera juice has many benefits to the human body. It has natural healing and detoxifying powers and works gently within the intestinal tract thus helping to cleanse the bowel. It can help to ease constipation and prevent continuing diarrhea (setting regularity to the bowel). All this helps to reduce discomfort and bloating. As these symptoms are eased so the stress related to it is also reduced.
It also contains anti inflammatory fatty acids –compersterol and B - sitosterol. B- sitosterol , a powerful anti –cholesteromatic , helping to lower the harmful cholesterol levels thus acting as a boon to various heart patients .
Regular consumption of a dose of Aloe Vera juice can improve and maintain the feeling of well-being and quality of life. Nevertheless, it must be stressed that professional medical advice should always be sought at the earliest possible stage for abdominal problems and pains.
Aloe Vera is one of the oldest plants known to man and holds the highest level of their interest. Today there are more than 500 aloe producing industries getting established and thus heading towards a mini revolution. However there is no scientific evidence to prove the use of aloe vera as a substitute of a standard medical treatment. Further research is being carried out on these issues. But till then we can have the aloe juice as healthy drink and part of our balanced diet.
Monday, July 9, 2007
HYDRATION – THE MASTER KEY TO GOOD HEALTH
You’ve probably heard those narrators on the National Geographic specials say things like "Water gives life" or "Without water there could be no life." They’re overly dramatic, but they’re right. We humans are more than 70% water. Taking enough fluids is the basis for keeping your body working at its best. We begin to get dehydrated and our performance drops off with just so much as a 2% water loss. What can cause a 2% water loss? It doesn’t take much. It can happen to an athlete who’s competing, to someone who’s in bed with the flu or diarrhea, in the very hot weather, or even to someone who just doesn’t drink enough. Water is continuously lost from the body partly in urine and stools (approx 1.5litres), partly in sweat and partly as water vapor in respiration. Even mild dehydration of 1% of the body, which would represent approximately 0.75 to 1 liter of water (1% of 75 Kg = 750 ml.) can create a reduction in muscle performance and start to show dehydration symptoms. Early symptoms are headaches, dry eyes (ask any contact lens wearer what happens after a couple of glasses of wine), drowsiness, loss of concentration, irritability. If you don’t meet your fluid needs, you can also experience frequent muscle gramps.
Since all these things are worsened by dehydration it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that water and keeping hydrated is important for you. The more you weigh, the greater your fluid needs. Dehydration can begin a negative impact in your daily activities. By drinking adequate fluids in daily routine, you will decrease the chances of getting injuries.
WAYS TO MONITOR YOUR FLUID STATUS
You can do quick things to keep an eye on your hydration status. Every person perspires at different rates depending on their biological make-up.
Monitor your urine output: If you are hydrated, you should go to bathroom frequently. If you don’t produce much urine or if it is very dark in colour, chances are you are dehydrated. Ideally urine should be pale or colourless. Remember some of the medicines, vitamins and dietary supplements may also change the colour of your urine.
Within 2hours of a workout or competition, aim to get back to your pre-exercise weight: Weigh yourself before and after workouts to ensure you are not losing too much fluid. Remember losing weight by losing fluid or becoming dehydrated is not the way to get the pounds off.
If you are heavy sweater, make sure to use beverage containing sodium during
workouts. Eat and drink foods and fluids with sodium after your workout to replenish the sodium lost in sweat.
TO STAY HYDRATED
Drink atleast 2 glasses of water when you get up in the morning.
Drink 2 glasses of water 1-11/2 hour before your workout.
Keep sipping fluid after every 10-15mins during workout.
Don't wait until you are thirsty to decide to drink. Your thirst sensation runs quite a bit slower than your body’s need for water. By the time you realize that you’re feeling thirsty, your body will already be suffering from drought. Most experts suggest that you drink before you get thirsty. Even if you’re just pushing a long distance – drink water before, during, and after.
People involved in intense or long duration workouts are prone to heavy, repeated sweating, thus losing high amount of electrolytes(sodium, potassium, magnesium).These people can replenish the body by having salty fluids and foods like energy/sports drinks, tomato juice, orange juice, grape juice, milk, potato, bananas, spinach, canned soups and beans.
You can include other fluids like juices, tang, lemonade, milk, buttermilk and coconut water in your mid-meals.
Cool water is the best fluid for keeping hydrated when it’s warm outside. Cool water is absorbed much more quickly than warm fluids and may help to cool off your overheated body. If you’re going to be away from home or outdoors, make sure you keep a bottle of water close by.
Make a habit of keeping water or other non-caffeinated beverages with you all day long. . Keep a large bottle of water next to your bed so you can sip it throughout the day without having to get up. One should drink at least 10 – 12 glasses of fluid everyday.
Keep a bottle of water at work space, in your backpack or in the car as easy to access.
There are foods you eat that can contribute fluid to your diet. Some foods contain 80%or more of their weight in water. So you can eat more of these foods to stay hydrated if you just don’t like water.
Foods with at least 80% water are like tomatoes, papaya, peaches, pear, yogurt and oranges. Cucumber and watermelon contain 90-95% (highest) of their weight in water.
You should drink 2glasses of water for every alcoholic drink as this helps the body to stay hydrated. Drinking beer or alcoholic beverages is not the right way to rehydrate yourself. Alcoholic beverages contain little carbohydrates and the alcohol can actually work against you by causing your body lose fluid and get dehydrated more quickly.
Caffeine based beverages like tea, coffee or colas are a diuretic. Therefore when you are having these kinds of beverages be sure to stay well-hydrated.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
How do you know if you are not getting enough water? Check off the questions that you can answer "yes" to:
____Is your skin dry? If you wrinkle it or pinch it, does it take awhile to "bounce "back"
____Is your urine dark? (It should be a light yellow in color)
____Are you frequently constipated?
____Do you get groggy or headachy part way through the day?
____Do you have a lot of trouble staying cool – or keeping warm?
A "yes" to any one of these questions can mean you’re not getting enough water. Any of them could be lessened by taking in more fluids. However, don’t kid yourself – every one of these problems or complaints can also be caused by something other than dehydration – sometimes by something very serious. Till then you can feel safe prescribing "extra water" for yourself and get your body to perform at its best.
You’ve probably heard those narrators on the National Geographic specials say things like "Water gives life" or "Without water there could be no life." They’re overly dramatic, but they’re right. We humans are more than 70% water. Taking enough fluids is the basis for keeping your body working at its best. We begin to get dehydrated and our performance drops off with just so much as a 2% water loss. What can cause a 2% water loss? It doesn’t take much. It can happen to an athlete who’s competing, to someone who’s in bed with the flu or diarrhea, in the very hot weather, or even to someone who just doesn’t drink enough. Water is continuously lost from the body partly in urine and stools (approx 1.5litres), partly in sweat and partly as water vapor in respiration. Even mild dehydration of 1% of the body, which would represent approximately 0.75 to 1 liter of water (1% of 75 Kg = 750 ml.) can create a reduction in muscle performance and start to show dehydration symptoms. Early symptoms are headaches, dry eyes (ask any contact lens wearer what happens after a couple of glasses of wine), drowsiness, loss of concentration, irritability. If you don’t meet your fluid needs, you can also experience frequent muscle gramps.
Since all these things are worsened by dehydration it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that water and keeping hydrated is important for you. The more you weigh, the greater your fluid needs. Dehydration can begin a negative impact in your daily activities. By drinking adequate fluids in daily routine, you will decrease the chances of getting injuries.
WAYS TO MONITOR YOUR FLUID STATUS
You can do quick things to keep an eye on your hydration status. Every person perspires at different rates depending on their biological make-up.
Monitor your urine output: If you are hydrated, you should go to bathroom frequently. If you don’t produce much urine or if it is very dark in colour, chances are you are dehydrated. Ideally urine should be pale or colourless. Remember some of the medicines, vitamins and dietary supplements may also change the colour of your urine.
Within 2hours of a workout or competition, aim to get back to your pre-exercise weight: Weigh yourself before and after workouts to ensure you are not losing too much fluid. Remember losing weight by losing fluid or becoming dehydrated is not the way to get the pounds off.
If you are heavy sweater, make sure to use beverage containing sodium during
workouts. Eat and drink foods and fluids with sodium after your workout to replenish the sodium lost in sweat.
TO STAY HYDRATED
Drink atleast 2 glasses of water when you get up in the morning.
Drink 2 glasses of water 1-11/2 hour before your workout.
Keep sipping fluid after every 10-15mins during workout.
Don't wait until you are thirsty to decide to drink. Your thirst sensation runs quite a bit slower than your body’s need for water. By the time you realize that you’re feeling thirsty, your body will already be suffering from drought. Most experts suggest that you drink before you get thirsty. Even if you’re just pushing a long distance – drink water before, during, and after.
People involved in intense or long duration workouts are prone to heavy, repeated sweating, thus losing high amount of electrolytes(sodium, potassium, magnesium).These people can replenish the body by having salty fluids and foods like energy/sports drinks, tomato juice, orange juice, grape juice, milk, potato, bananas, spinach, canned soups and beans.
You can include other fluids like juices, tang, lemonade, milk, buttermilk and coconut water in your mid-meals.
Cool water is the best fluid for keeping hydrated when it’s warm outside. Cool water is absorbed much more quickly than warm fluids and may help to cool off your overheated body. If you’re going to be away from home or outdoors, make sure you keep a bottle of water close by.
Make a habit of keeping water or other non-caffeinated beverages with you all day long. . Keep a large bottle of water next to your bed so you can sip it throughout the day without having to get up. One should drink at least 10 – 12 glasses of fluid everyday.
Keep a bottle of water at work space, in your backpack or in the car as easy to access.
There are foods you eat that can contribute fluid to your diet. Some foods contain 80%or more of their weight in water. So you can eat more of these foods to stay hydrated if you just don’t like water.
Foods with at least 80% water are like tomatoes, papaya, peaches, pear, yogurt and oranges. Cucumber and watermelon contain 90-95% (highest) of their weight in water.
You should drink 2glasses of water for every alcoholic drink as this helps the body to stay hydrated. Drinking beer or alcoholic beverages is not the right way to rehydrate yourself. Alcoholic beverages contain little carbohydrates and the alcohol can actually work against you by causing your body lose fluid and get dehydrated more quickly.
Caffeine based beverages like tea, coffee or colas are a diuretic. Therefore when you are having these kinds of beverages be sure to stay well-hydrated.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
How do you know if you are not getting enough water? Check off the questions that you can answer "yes" to:
____Is your skin dry? If you wrinkle it or pinch it, does it take awhile to "bounce "back"
____Is your urine dark? (It should be a light yellow in color)
____Are you frequently constipated?
____Do you get groggy or headachy part way through the day?
____Do you have a lot of trouble staying cool – or keeping warm?
A "yes" to any one of these questions can mean you’re not getting enough water. Any of them could be lessened by taking in more fluids. However, don’t kid yourself – every one of these problems or complaints can also be caused by something other than dehydration – sometimes by something very serious. Till then you can feel safe prescribing "extra water" for yourself and get your body to perform at its best.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Reading of labels – FOOD LABELS
Something scribbled somewhere in the corner, screaming out from the dirt piled on it on the outside of packaged food, usually not hard to find. A tabular consisting of information relating the nutrients present in the food items commonly used …what is it? Have we noticed it, do we really care to check it out.HUH!!!
It’s a FOOD LABEL
Recall the time we would yawn when our science teachers, our dieticians’ doctors would tell us the importance of nutrients, eating healthy…etc. But sadly people till date either don’t understand or don’t want to understand these concepts.
Since 1994 food manufacturers have been required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include food labels (or Nutrition Facts labels) on product packaging so that consumers that means ‘us’ have accurate nutritional information about the food we purchase. Spending a few extra minutes in reading the labels can make eating healthy much easier as once you understand the information they provide, you can use food labels as a guide to planning healthier meals and snacks. Food labels are supposed to be on almost all foods, except those that don't provide many nutrients such as coffee, alcohol and spices. The FDA recommends that sellers provide nutritional information on produce, meat, poultry and seafood, but it's strictly voluntary.
Let’s learn some basics for reading a Food Label
Reading Label Lingo The FDA regulates the use of phrases and terms used on the product packaging. Here's a list of common phrases you may see on your food packaging - and what they actually mean.
ü No fat or fat free: Contains less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving
ü Low fat: Contains less than 3 grams of fat per serving
ü Lite: Contains 1/3 the calories or 1/2 the fat per serving of the original version or a similar product
ü No calories or calorie free: Contains less than 5 calories per serving
ü Low calories: Contains 1/3 the calories of the original version or a similar product
ü Sugar free: Contains less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving
ü Reduced sugar: at least 25% less sugar per serving than the reference food
ü No preservatives added: Contains no added chemicals to preserve the product. Some of these products may contain natural preservatives
ü Low sodium: contains less than 140 mgs of sodium per serving
ü No salt or salt free: Contains less than 5 mgs of sodium per serving
ü High fiber: 5 g or more per serving (Foods making high-fiber claims must meet the definition for low fat, or the level of total fat must appear next to the high-fiber claim)
ü More or added fiber: Contains at least 2.5 g more per serving than the reference food
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reading a Food LabelUntil you become accustomed to reading food labels, it's easy to become confused. Avoid these common mistakes when reading labels:
A label may say that the food is reduced fat or reduced sodium. That means that the amount of fat or sodium has been reduced by 25% from the original product. It doesn't mean, however, that the food is low in fat or sodium. For example, if a can of soup originally had 1,000 milligrams of sodium, the reduced sodium product would still be a high-sodium food.
Don't confuse the % DV (daily values) for fat with the percentage of calories from fat. If the % DV is 15% that doesn't mean that 15% of the calories comes from fat. Rather, it means that you're using up 15% of all the fat you need for a day with one serving (based on a meal plan of 2,000 calories per day).
Don't make the mistake of assuming that the amount of sugar on a label means that the sugar has been added. For example, milk naturally has sugar, which is called lactose. But that doesn't mean you should stop drinking milk because milk is full of other important nutrients including calcium. What you can do is look at the list of ingredients. If you see the words high-fructose corn syrup or sugar high on the list of ingredients, it probably means refined sugar has been added to the product.
A common mistake people make, forget to check the manufacturing dates on food packs. It is very important to select the food items before their expiry. Get into the habit of checking the expiry dates.
· What's a Footnote? Below the asterisk sign (*) at the bottom of the label, you can see the key nutrients listed .This info is trying to tell you as to how much you should eat, depending on your calorie intake.
With some Nutrition-Facts practice, you'll be able to quickly scan a food label and learn how the food fits into your nutrition and diet for the day.
Something scribbled somewhere in the corner, screaming out from the dirt piled on it on the outside of packaged food, usually not hard to find. A tabular consisting of information relating the nutrients present in the food items commonly used …what is it? Have we noticed it, do we really care to check it out.HUH!!!
It’s a FOOD LABEL
Recall the time we would yawn when our science teachers, our dieticians’ doctors would tell us the importance of nutrients, eating healthy…etc. But sadly people till date either don’t understand or don’t want to understand these concepts.
Since 1994 food manufacturers have been required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to include food labels (or Nutrition Facts labels) on product packaging so that consumers that means ‘us’ have accurate nutritional information about the food we purchase. Spending a few extra minutes in reading the labels can make eating healthy much easier as once you understand the information they provide, you can use food labels as a guide to planning healthier meals and snacks. Food labels are supposed to be on almost all foods, except those that don't provide many nutrients such as coffee, alcohol and spices. The FDA recommends that sellers provide nutritional information on produce, meat, poultry and seafood, but it's strictly voluntary.
Let’s learn some basics for reading a Food Label
Reading Label Lingo The FDA regulates the use of phrases and terms used on the product packaging. Here's a list of common phrases you may see on your food packaging - and what they actually mean.
ü No fat or fat free: Contains less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving
ü Low fat: Contains less than 3 grams of fat per serving
ü Lite: Contains 1/3 the calories or 1/2 the fat per serving of the original version or a similar product
ü No calories or calorie free: Contains less than 5 calories per serving
ü Low calories: Contains 1/3 the calories of the original version or a similar product
ü Sugar free: Contains less than 1/2 gram of sugar per serving
ü Reduced sugar: at least 25% less sugar per serving than the reference food
ü No preservatives added: Contains no added chemicals to preserve the product. Some of these products may contain natural preservatives
ü Low sodium: contains less than 140 mgs of sodium per serving
ü No salt or salt free: Contains less than 5 mgs of sodium per serving
ü High fiber: 5 g or more per serving (Foods making high-fiber claims must meet the definition for low fat, or the level of total fat must appear next to the high-fiber claim)
ü More or added fiber: Contains at least 2.5 g more per serving than the reference food
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Reading a Food LabelUntil you become accustomed to reading food labels, it's easy to become confused. Avoid these common mistakes when reading labels:
A label may say that the food is reduced fat or reduced sodium. That means that the amount of fat or sodium has been reduced by 25% from the original product. It doesn't mean, however, that the food is low in fat or sodium. For example, if a can of soup originally had 1,000 milligrams of sodium, the reduced sodium product would still be a high-sodium food.
Don't confuse the % DV (daily values) for fat with the percentage of calories from fat. If the % DV is 15% that doesn't mean that 15% of the calories comes from fat. Rather, it means that you're using up 15% of all the fat you need for a day with one serving (based on a meal plan of 2,000 calories per day).
Don't make the mistake of assuming that the amount of sugar on a label means that the sugar has been added. For example, milk naturally has sugar, which is called lactose. But that doesn't mean you should stop drinking milk because milk is full of other important nutrients including calcium. What you can do is look at the list of ingredients. If you see the words high-fructose corn syrup or sugar high on the list of ingredients, it probably means refined sugar has been added to the product.
A common mistake people make, forget to check the manufacturing dates on food packs. It is very important to select the food items before their expiry. Get into the habit of checking the expiry dates.
· What's a Footnote? Below the asterisk sign (*) at the bottom of the label, you can see the key nutrients listed .This info is trying to tell you as to how much you should eat, depending on your calorie intake.
With some Nutrition-Facts practice, you'll be able to quickly scan a food label and learn how the food fits into your nutrition and diet for the day.
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