Poor diet and you could suffer from Eye disease

We admire the beauty of the Mother Nature through eyes and soul. An eye is one of the most special gifts of the God to the mankind. But did you ever know that your ill eating habits could result in eye disease. What we all believe that eye problems are either genetic or come up when we age. Some of the common eye diseases are cataract and macular degeneration.

Parents keep on emphasising their children to intake nutritious food for proper growth and development. Much is read and learnt about the importance of balanced diet but little attention is paid to it. The nutrients for keeping your eyes healthy include Vitamin C and E, carotenoids, beta carotene, lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B6, B9 and Vitamin B12.

Foods which are rich in nutrients beneficial for eyes:

·         Spinach and Kale are rich in lutein and Vitamin E

·         Fruits and Vegetables are rich in Vitamin C and E

·         Salmon, tuna, white fish, mackerel, anchovies are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids

·         Fish, pork, chicken, potatoes, banana, peanuts are rich in Vitamin B6

·         Folic acid rich foods include citrus fruits, fortified cereals, dried beans, mushrooms, nuts and peas

·         Fortify yourself with Vitamin B12 with Dairy products like milk, eggs, meat, shellfish

·         Zinc could be included in the diet through beef, eggs, lamb, whole grains, peanuts and pork

Reduce intake of certain foods

·         White rice, white bread, pasta should be avoided as much as you can. Instead one should opt for whole grain bread and brown rice. The reason why one should avoid white rice and white bread is that these foods are rich in high glycemic index. So they breakdown into blood glucose or sugar rapidly thus putting you at high risk for developing acute macular degeneration.

So now you know how important is right food for you! Start taking nutritious and balanced diet from today and enjoy good health.

Manage Stress and keep your Heart Healthy

Stress these days has become the part and parcel of our daily lives. No more now people find happiness in doing small things. We are so much stressed out that even a child playing would not excite us or make us happy. Stress was there before also but the levels have got so much high that it has start impacting our health. the worst affected is our heart. 

Stress is our body's way to respond to any situation or condition. whenever people feel stressed certain chemicals release in the blood. If the stress is in response to some emotional incidents it would adversely affect humans.

What stress could do the heart?

Stress would affect the nervous system which in turn would lead to high blood pressure. Even the digestion and metabolism is deeply affected. If you are suffering from any ailment before hand, it would get worsen on increased stress levels. All the physical stimuli put us at higher risk for developing cardiovascular diseases.

Categorisation of Stress

Stress could be categorised as acute or chronic. Acute stress is very common. We explain it with the help of an example. Whenever a dog chases you for biting, how fast would you run. Such stress is short lived and is mostly positive stress as it helps you in coming out of any situation. Chronic on the other hand, lasts for long and in worst scenario forever as well. They arise out of bigger issues in your life like marital problems, family or job issues.

Tips to manage your stress: the best way is to avoid all such situations which give rise to stress. But since sometimes we don not have control over such situations, so how could we manage such stress.

Whenever you feel that stress is overpowering you, try out some of these tips:

• ·         Pursue a hobby
• ·         Visit your friend, relative and talk to them
• ·         Take a walk
• ·         Do yoga or spend sometime in meditation
• ·         Do breathing exercises – breathe slowly and deeply
• ·         Eat a healthy diet – some people give up eating but this would make their condition worsen
• ·         Do not feel ashamed to talk to a doctor – do not think that doctor visit only means that you are ill but instead sometime one could confide in the doctor after building trust
• ·         Avoid smoking and drinking – sometimes when people feel stressed, they overdo smoking and drinking to find solace. Such things instead of helping him anyway would do more harm than good.
• ·         Take time out for yourself. Spend time in admiring the beauty of the Mother Nature; enjoy seeing children play in the park. Go one step ahead and join them. You would really feel wonderful and stress levels would automatically go down.

So visiting a doctor coupled with the above tips would really prove helpful.

Dry fruits - a hidden treasure for health

Since my childhood days, I have loved dried fruits. Sometimes even I used to overdo with them but couldn't help. After all, they were so tempting. Today when I have grown up and look back, I think that it was worth having them on a daily basis. They are so nutritious, cholesterol free, and contain unsaturated fats which lower the risk for heart disease. Wow!! I couldn’t believe my eyes. From raisins, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachio, peanuts my all time favourite were and till date are cashews and pistachios.

Let us discuss the various health benefits they possess one by one.

First comes my favourite: Cashews

Excellent source of protein and fibre, Cashew nuts are also rich in potassium and vitamins. You could even prevent the problem of gallstones. They are very good antioxidants as they are rich in copper. Cashews are believed to be a good source of recovery from  coloncancer and other heart complications.

Pistachios

Rich in potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, pistachios are high in monounsaturated fat so it cuts down the risk for heart disease. It works in lowering down the cholesterol levels. Even you could fight cancer because these pistachios contain antioxidants in the form of phytochemicals. If you are suffering from constipation, nausea or anorexia, start eating pistachios. They would benefit for sure.

Walnuts

Little did you know that our body lacks a very important fat called omega-3 essential fatty acid but walnuts are a rich source of these fatty acids? These acids promote healthy heart by improving the cognition function, protecting the heart from cardiovascular complication. Even they are found to be quite effective in treating various inflammatory skin infections like eczema and psoriasis.

Almonds

Rich in vitamin B1, phosphorous, copper and iron, almonds are very useful for the overall development of the human body. My grandmother used to apply almond oil in my hair whenever I used to complain about headache. Believe me I used to get instant relief. It is so beneficial and provides protection against various cardiovascular disease, diabetes, constipation, skin infections eczema. They even help in boosting up the haemoglobin levels in the blood. Those infants who are lactose intolerant also benefit from almonds.

Raisins

Have raisins and enjoy good oral health as they are rich in calcium. It purifies the blood as raisins are rich in antioxidants. Above all, raisins are fat free, and cholesterol free. People who are anaemic are advised to take raisins on daily basis to help improve the iron levels in the blood. Eat black raisins and enjoy a good sexual life. For those who are looking to put on weight eating raisins could help.

Dates

Dates are rich in sugars – fructose and sucrose. If suffering from any heart complication, the patient could make a paste of dates soaked overnight and grinding them the next morning.

So, enjoy these dry fruits but in moderate quantity and keep in good health.

Why Fibre is the diet’s Boss?

My Son throws a lot of tantrums when it comes to eating. At time I am so pissed off and feel helpless. What to do and how to make him realize the importance of Fibre. But then one day, I think the God smiled upon me and his teacher in the school insisted upon adding fibre in the daily diet. He came back home and asked me to give him fibre in the daily diet.

Now, it was my time to educate him about the importance of fibre and the function it plays in our body. Today I would like to share the same thing which I told him to educate. This would help you in educating your child even. Fibre keeps the body digestive system in good health. It also aids up in excreting toxins and waste from the body. They help in prevention of various stomach related diseases and disorders. We could categorize them as insoluble fibres and soluble fibres.

Soluble and Soluble Fibres explained:  

Insoluble and Soluble fibres both are important for our body. An insoluble fibre promotes friendly bacteria growth which ferments the produced waste material soft. Such an action helps in smooth movement of the waste material out of the body. Soluble fibres absorb the water in intestine and soften the stool. Soluble fibres also help in reducing the cholesterol levels in the blood. They also help in keeping the sugar levels stable, so they are beneficial for people with diabetes. The energy or glucose is released slowly thus it prevents sudden onset of tiredness, or hunger pangs.

Sources of Insoluble and Soluble Fibres:

Insoluble Fibres: they could be found in bran, wholemeal flour, breads, vegetables, whole grain cereals and nuts.

Soluble Fibres: they could be found in lentils, peas, beans, oats, barley, dried fruits, soy milk and soy products, fruits and vegetables.

Daily Fibre Intake: 30g -50 g is the recommended fibre intake. If you are consuming too much fibre make sure you drink large amount of water in order to prevent constipation. Too much fibre in the diet could result in deficiency of certain minerals like zinc, calcium and iron. Why this happens because these minerals bind with the fibre and hence they get eliminated from the body and these minerals do not get absorbed in the bloodstream. If you want to add fibres to your diet or your child’s diet, go slow. Start with fruits, vegetables and cereals. When your body becomes used to them you could proceed with pulses and beans.

There are a number of ways to introduce the fibre in the diet:

·         Increase your water intake

·         Include porridge, wholemeal bread in breakfast

·         Consume fruits and vegetables in raw form

·         Add lentils and chickpeas to salads, pastas

·         Switch to brown rice, brown bread and wholemeal pasta

These things worked for my Son and I hope that they would work for you and your child as well.

Stay happy and healthy!!

See you tomorrow again!!

Teens - love the life and shun the suicidal thoughts

Everyday I start my day with reading newspaper over a cup of tea. Today after reading the paper, I could not concentrate on anything. The reason was around 20 children in various parts of the country committed suicide for not getting good marks in the exams. I felt bad not for the children but for the parents. Why this young generation is so restless and impatient? Why they think only for themselves and not for their parents? Is the life so cheap that these teenagers end up it this way?

This is not just one incident. Everyday we hear news of suicides committed by youngster for very flimsy and trivial reasons. The need is to probe what makes them take such extreme step. As per my understanding I think that some of the few listed points could be the reason:

·         Extreme peer pressure (to excel in studies, sports or career)

·         Constant comparison (with friends or colleagues)

·         Repeated Failure (it could be in love, or exam )

·         Impatience: today’s youth want quick results which if not achieved leads them to take this step

·         Aggression is another factor. If someone said them something even if they are their parents, teachers or even friends, they could not take these words and only solution they see is to commit suicide

With 45% of the Indian population being youth, these incidents could not be ignored. September 10 is celebrated worldwide as world suicide prevention day. Many Indian states do celebrate this day by organising symposiums, taking out rallies and making people aware. I call upon all the youth to be a part of such campaign and pledge that whenever any such silly thought would come to their mind, they would say no to them and would look for support and would confide such thoughts in some one they trust and would develop patience and think positively.

You love your back so take good care of it

Back Pain at times could be painful and it could make you take off from work for days and if the condition worsens you might even require some days to be spent in the hospital. So to keep yourself hale and hearty it is very necessary for you to take good care of your back. Again I am here to help you out with some healthy tips to keep your back in good shape.

So, here we go!!

·         Lift weight in a right manner: maintain a proper form or posture when you are trying to lift a heavier object. Make proper use of your legs and avoid using your upper body to pull up the item. Keep your back straight and try to bend your knees in a way that your arms are at the same height as the item to be picked.

·         Stretch out Daily: it is a healthy practice to start your day with some stretching. This would help in strengthening your spine. Being flexible would help you in maintaining proper joint function and motion. Remember that many back injuries are a result of tightness of muscles in legs. The tightness in the hamstring muscle would add stress to the entire spine and you would experience severe pain.

·         Sleep well and in a right posture: Avoid sleeping on your stomach as it would put immense pressure on the spine. Get a good mattress and a pillow which promotes proper alignment of neck and spine.

·         Stay active: staying active not only helps you in getting rid off back pain but helps you in maintaining overall health as well. Take a walk, go to a gym, go biking, swimming and even playing with kids is going to help you in a big way. If you are obese back pain would continue to bother you. So it is better to lose weight. Otherwise also being in shape boosts your confidence and you feel good about yourself.

·         Keep yourself hydrated: hydration allows you to maintain elasticity and fluidity in the joints. In absence of hydration, the spine would lose its protective padding and you are more vulnerable to painful disc complications

·         Work Smart: you could maintain proper upper and lower back if you maintain the right ergonomics. At work choose such chair which provides proper lumbar support. The table height should be match your height. Do not creep your phone between your shoulder and ear. Also plan regular outings taking off from work for some days. This would relax your muscles much and would relax them.

·         Do not neglect warning signs: Back pain if lasts for more than 4 or 5 days should not be ignored. If left untreated your spine could develop serious complications. Even do not overdo exercise.

   If you imbibe these points in your daily routine, you would notice that not only your back pain has subsided but you feel a lot more fit and healthy.

Avoid Foods which lead to excessive Bloating

Gas is something which could cause embarrassment, and sometimes if noisy could lead to further embarrassment. Do not fee low or guilty as if you have really done something wrong. producing gas is perfectly normal. But if too much gas is produced then it could be a cause for worry. You might suffer from an bowel syndrome or GERD. Here i am your friend who would suggest some tips which would sail you smoothly through this condition. 

There are certain foods which increases the bloating. flatulence. I have collected a list of such foods which you could avoid to control or stop bloating or belching.

• There are certain fruits which contain sorbitol; a type of sugar which could cause bloating. the culprit here are prunes, peaches, apples and pears. even you would find sorbitol in chewing gums and certain candies. When they reach large intestine for digestion, they would produce gas.
• when the digestive tract is working breaking down the starch and carbohydrates rich food, gas could be produced and you experience bloating. Breads, cereals and pastas are also known to play their part in belching. Even corns and potatoes are not behind.
• If your body lacks sufficient lactase enzyme then you could observe bloating whenever you consume milk and other dairy products. Such people have are lactose intolerant and would experience abdominal pain whenever they consume the dairy products.
• Oats - Do not think that I am insane. Oats are quite nutritious but because of high fibre soluble content they could lead to excessive gas production. Do not remove them from your diet but take it in moderate quantities. Oatmeal, oat cookies, oat bran are some of the oat products. You could even think of replacing oat bran with wheat bran
• Because of high raffinose content and richness in soluble fibre, beans are the most notorious in leading to bloating or belching. When you are having them do not mix them up with onions and cheese.
• Intestinal gas could also be the result of indigestion of fructose - a sugar. fructose is generally used to sweeten certain beverages consuming which we could experience uncomfortable stomach.

You might think that today i am being rude to you!! and i just want that you should starve. But what i mean is that you enjoy eating everything but in moderation.

Fight Blood Sugar with these natural tips

Feeling very low today!! Yesterday my best friend’s mother died of diabetes; was there the whole day to console and support my friend to face this trauma. Well, life has to move on but today i decided to share some healthy tips which one could practice to control the symptoms of this deadly menace called diabetes. 

 Here I am sharing some tips:

• Have a consistent meal pattern: do not keep on eating after short intervals. Wait and let be hungry. maintain consistent portions of carbohydrates. But no where i am advocating to fast or skip meals. the reason for such a suggestion is to keep your blood sugar level even
• Add adequate resistant starch in your diet: Some potatoes and beans acts as dietary fibre in the large intestine. Go for baked and cooled potatoes instead of warm mashed potatoes. they would keep your blood sugar level in control. 
• Say Yes to beans: Beans a rich source of folate which is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A cup or two of cooked beans help in controlling diabetes. this would help in reducing the cholesterol levels to up to 20%. But remember that you introduce them gradually and chew them properly

• Cook up Cactus: It slows carbohydrate absorption and also helps in bringing down the post meal glucose level. This is a very effective for people suffering with type 2 diabetes but be aware. it is sometimes reported that people might experience gastrointestinal distress so it is better to consult a doctor before including them in your diet
• Sleep More: people who receive less than 6 hours of sleep are at higher risk of getting high blood sugar level settings
• Check out your weight: keep a check on your weight as more weight would cause insulin resistance and affect the blood sugar lowering hormone from working. So loose weight but under medical supervision
• Learn to manage Stress: A lot of energy is released when we are stressed out. in a diabetic person, this extra energy remains idle and does not make into cells. It keeps piling up in the blood and thus we get high blood sugar readings. Yoga and meditation would help you immensely in this regard
• Exercise: People with type 2 diabetes if exercise can bring the blood glucose level in control. It would also help in improving the insulin resistance 
• Never Skip your breakfast: it is a misconception among many people that skipping breakfast would help you to bring down the blood sugar levels to normal but the reality is quite opposite. include low fat milk, cereals , yogurt, fruit.

Hope that these tips might be of some use for you!!

Bye!! for today !! would come back again with few more tips!!

Opt for Weight Loss in a healthy Way

"Make sure you have big, fun plans in your lives. because life only comes once, you better make the best out of it" 

but what to say that we have become motorized machines where our daily routine involves eating, sleeping and going for job. There is no time for any physical activity. At homes we have maids who carry out the cleaning and washing chores, offices are now air conditioned. Even on our way to office, we are no more interested in breathing in fresh air. A.C. works there for us. this sedentary life style has though increased our standard of living but has also brought with it various health complications and disorders.

Obesity is the biggest gift or bane we have received from this world. We want to shed those extra kilos but we run short of time. So how we could do something on our own to bring our weight down to manageable limits.

I have come up with some tips which i have gathered from my friends, colleagues and relatives. But I would suggest that even those people who are blessed with good physique should follow these tips to keep in shape.

Tip 1: Set a time line and decide how much weight you wish to reduce in the set time frame1. what i advice is to take into consideration factors like : your weight should match your age, calculate the BMI, and set a target for healthy weight loss monthly

Tip 2: learn time management: fix an hour or two and choose at what time of the day you would do the workout. let me tell you, this planning is very important as it would push you to  achieve the set target well within the time frame.

Tip 3: keep good stock of fruits and vegetables. Also start reading about recipes made from less oil or no oil. Prepare a menu list for a week and stick to it. You could even consult a diet consultant for the same.

Tip 4: Prefer home cooked food. This way you would have complete control over the ingredients that go into making the food. You would consciously use less oil and spices and more of vegetables.

Tip 5: Plan a work out session. it should include cardio and weight training. You could do it at your own, or even go to a gym. The choice is entirely yours.

Tip 6: Avoid snacking between 6 to 9: This 3 hour time slot is a major culprit as during this period we intake a lot of junk food. Replace them with all healthy things like soups, salads and other healthy options which would relish your hunger. keep it light as you are going to have dinner also

Tip 7: Pursue an active hobby: Take a walk, play games like badminton, football which involves a lot of physical workout. You could even choose for cleaning up your homes, dancing as well

Tip 8: Stress Management: The modern world has given us a curse i.e. stress. To combat stress, it is necessary that you look out for the ways like practicing yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercise etc. 

Tip 9: Drink plenty of water. Water is quite essential for our body so do not move out of homes whenever you are going out whether shopping, exercising or workout.

Tip 10: Plan healthy vacations: whenever your children have vacations take them for mountaineering, or other physical activities. it should not be just for sightseeing rather the vacation should prove to be an add on for keeping you in shape.

I hope that these points are going to help you as these are time tested. Remember that "Rome was not built in a day". Similarly, you are not going to achieve the desired results early. Have patience and do not give up.

You would be able to wear your denim once again and flaunt yourself.