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Dandiya workouts- mix dance and fun with fitness


An Indian Festival without traditional food is like a Morning without sun. Since the festive season is back in India there are the greater chances of binging on sweets and savouries, which may result in gaining a few extra kilos! But, not to worry as Navratri is just around the corner and is one of the fun ways of keeping one fit, active, fresh and perhaps shed a few kilos.

Navaratri is one of the glitzy and noisiest festivals and commits huge participation of people every year across the nation. People swirl to the tunes of Garba and Dandiya in colourful attires; they strike wooden sticks to the rhythmic beats of Dandiya music in clockwise and anticlockwise movements. Though the devotional aspect of the dance is well documented, not many are aware that Dandiya is not only fun but also is an ideal way to keep in shape and banish stress.

According to fitness experts, it is an excellent form of exercise that is emotionally, mentally and physically satisfying. Apart from that, it burns as many calories as jogging or swimming. The dance forms in the Garba and Dandiya includes exercises like Shuffles, Squats, Jumping Jacks, Shoulder press and waist rotation

Some of the health benefits of Garba and Dandiya workouts include:

  • Flat Belly: Most of the people out there are looking for any kind of exercise to maintain their body mass index. Navratri is one of the best occasions to shed extra kilos. Garba and Dandiya workouts are a great way to lose fat especially around the belly. The continuous dance movements help performers lose an estimated 300 to 500 calories an hour depending on the intensity of the dance.
  • Improved Blood Circulation: Dandiya performance utilizes the muscles from head to toe which increases the blood circulation throughout the body and in turn nourishes the muscles. This provides immense health benefits similar to that of aerobic exercises. Moreover, Dandiya is recommended as a good cardio exercise as it requires a very fast pace which increases heart rate. The dance steps involved in Dandiya stimulate the central nervous system as it requires both hand and foot movements. Moreover, this dance form is very effective for reducing bad cholesterol LDL and blood sugar and increasing the good cholesterol HDL.
  • Relaxant: Dandiya acts as a greatest stress buster and helps in relaxation of mind. It releases endorphins or brain chemicals, which melts away tension and relaxes the mind, body and soul. This in turn makes people happy and is one of the major physiological benefits to overall well-being. In short, Dandiya Raas lifts one’s spirits and reduces stress.
  • Other benefits: Dandiya not just improves cardiovascular strength and physical agility, but it also helps improve gait and posture and develops a grace and elegance. It makes you more coordinated and teaches you to move more gracefully.  Also, Long hours at work, inadequate rest and a high level of stress take a toll on the quality of life. Garba and Dandiya are a social activity which enables the performer to develop co-ordination, concentration and team spirit as performers have to strike their sticks in a coordinated manner to the beat of the music. So to do this correctly and in rhythm, they have to be completely focused.

In conclusion, Dandiya is a novel alternative to aerobics and cardiovascular exercise. So what are you waiting for? Buy yourself the perfect Dandiya sticks and dance away towards better health and embrace yourself to the tunes of Garba music this Navratri!!

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Healthy Vision

healthy-vision
One day while going through nutrition book and while surfing the net, I was surprised to see lack of blogging and articles on one body part that is the eye. Since my childhood I have noticed that we take our eyes for granted. Just because you are seeing well and have no irritation, one does not think it is necessary to go in for an eye examination till a problem arises. Well! It can be too late! Do you know your vision keeps getting worse as you age?

While in School almost 70 % of us have faced blurred vision not able to read the blackboard clearly. Also most of us have spent out childhood sitting close to the television, rubbing eyes and these problems still persist and we still neglect them most of the times. You neglect it till it gets worse and then get spectacles without which you can see at all.

Healthy vision should be of priority since childhood. The challenge begins from viewing the black board, ability to see clearly on a computer. If neglected the same persists in adulthood. Modern day computing and internet means spending more time with your smartphone and computer screen. Two hours with computer means tired, strained feeling such as eyestrain, redness, irritation, dryness, burning, blurred vision, headaches and neck and shoulder pain.

A healthy eye is an indicator of good health. It is important to maintain healthy weight for healthy eye, being overweight or obese increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, each of these damage vessels in eye and lead to vision loss in an individual. There is a strong correlation between eyes and diseases.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes for blindness among individuals in many countries especially in the age group of 20 – 74. Therefore, it is important for everyone who has diabetes to check their eyes regularly. High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels lead to cataracts (clouding of eye with proteins and glaucoma). The shocking thing is you may not realize that you are suffering from a disease or you have diabetes mellitus until you experience loss of vision.

Lack of proper nutrients such as essential vitamins and minerals in the regular diet also results in conditions like xeropthalmia. In India, Malnutrition is serious health problem leading to night blindness- a common ailment. In developed countries like America more than 8 million people face vision problems like age related macular degeneration (AMD) that causes blindness in people in their 60s, while the symptoms show late damage occurs decades earlier. Most leading eye problems are AMD, Cataract, Diabetic retinopathy, Glaucoma, dry eyes, conjuctivits and many more…

Therefore I would say why wait till a problem arises? Dietary intake prevention and lifestyle modification plays important role in healthy vision.

Free radicals bring about oxidation which is the evil for good vision as it destroys epithelial layer in eye & deeper ones of the cornea. Antioxidants( vitamin A,C,E, lutein ,zeaxanthin & zinc) present in fruits and vegetables help fighting against these free radicals which minimize the damage to your cells.

Diet modifications:

  • VITAMIN C

Citrus fruits are powerful topmost antioxidants such as vitamin C, retinas of our eye require vitamin c to maintain proper nerve cell function.  Vitamin C with essential nutrients slows AMD. Grapes, strawberries, papaya, orange, green peppers, Peaches, blueberries, mango, tomato, apricot & cabbage all provide Vitamin C.

 

  • VITAMIN E

Vitamin E works along with vitamin C. It is a Powerful antioxidant in nuts, cereals, wheat germ, sunflower seeds and sweet potatoes. It Protects retina from damage caused by smoking and alcohol.

 

  • VITAMIN A

Yellow orange coloured fruits and vegetables like Oranges, lettuce, bell peppers, tuna, mango,  kiwis, grapefruits, dried apricots, tomatoes, peppers & raw carrots contain good amount of vitamin A.

 

  • OMEGA 3 RICH FOODS

Salmon, Tuna, flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil, soyabeans for visual function and retina development.

 

  • ZINC

Essential helper molecule as it brings the vitamin A from liver to the retina to produce melanin that protects eyes. Nuts, legumes, Oyester, turkey and crab are rich in zinc.

 

  • LUTEIN  AND ZEAXANTHIN

Green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale contains Lutein and Zeaxanthin which absorb the damaging light, help retina cells off free radicals and reduce risk of macular degeneration. Eggs yellow peppers mango, kale, spinach, broccoli, green peas , sprouts.

Lifestyle modifications

  • We all know that in this fast moving World we can’t avoid computers and smartphones but in order to keep your eyes healthy give your eyes a break from the computer screen every 20 mins or more for atleast 30 secondss.
  • Make sure your lens has not expired, blink your eyes more to avoid dryness.
  • Quit smoking as it increases risk of cataracts.
  • Protect eyes from sun, ultraviolet rays by wearing right kind of sun glasses.
  • Remove eye makeup using coconut oil.
  • Use proper lighting to avoid eyestrain.
  • Get eyes examined regularly.
  • Relax your eyes by doing some eye exercises like rubbing your palm and keeping it on your eye.

We eat the right food to slim down and get into shape, but eyes are the mirror of a human soul and they are most important for a healthy life.

 

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THE TRUTH ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

cholesterol
Cholesterol is something which most people regard as a “villain” of health. All thanks to the increasing rate of heart disease and other related complications. It’s true that a diet consistently high in cholesterol and saturated fats takes a person on the path of heart ailments, but it’s also true that if one were to totally shun cholesterol, one would age very fast as the cell replacement would be hampered, the skin would become loose and premature wrinkles would appear. Does that surprise you? Oh yes it will! So, cholesterol is bad…and cholesterol is good as well. While too much cholesterol can be harmful, just the right amount of it does a lot of important work in the body.

Majority of the total body cholesterol is synthesized in the liver and some of it is obtained from foods. Among the food sources, cholesterol comes only from animal foods. Foods that contain saturated fats (dairy products, hydrogenated vegetable oils, egg yolk, red meat, coconut, cashews, etc.) are the indirect sources of cholesterol as saturated fat is converted into cholesterol when it enters the body.

There are various functions of Cholesterol which are indispensible to the body:

  • Cholesterol plays a very important role in both the creation and maintenance of human cell membrane
  • It helps produce bile acids which aids in digestion and vitamin absorption.
  • It aids in the synthesis of Vitamin D
  • It plays a role in producing hormones such as oestrogen in women and testosterone in men.

Let’s understand that all cholesterol isn’t the same. There’s good cholesterol called HDL (high density lipoprotein) and bad cholesterol called LDL (Low density Lipoprotein).

HDL cholesterol sweeps away the extra cholesterol from cells and tissues and takes it to liver where it is broken down and passed from the body. A healthy range of HDL cholesterol is known to protect against heart diseases, while low levels have been shown to increase the risk of it.

Whereas LDL cholesterol, the “bad man”, contributes to plaque formation, a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries making them less flexible which sets the process of heart disease in motion.

In order to prevent heart disease, it is very important to maintain the good and bad cholesterols in their healthy range. LDL Cholesterol should always be under 130 mg/dl and HDL should be above 60 mg/dl, and the total cholesterol ought to be within 200 mg/dl.

How do we maintain these healthy levels? In terms of diet, the high-fat diets that raise LDL also raise HDL, while low-fat diets lower both. However, there are certain foods which lower the LDL and up the HDL levels. These are the foods rich in omega 3. Omega 3 is a miraculous nutrient found in walnuts, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, fish, fish oil, chia seeds, etc. which helps maintain the healthy ratio of HDL:LDL. Apart from diet, of course exercise, genetics other lifestyle factors also play a role in maintaining the levels. People who exercise, don’t smoke and maintain a healthy weight tend to have higher levels of HDL.

Thus, all that we need to make sure is to eat wisely, exercise regularly and thereby maintain the healthy lipid levels and secure your heart!

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Smart Girls use Dumbbells

weight-training
As a sports nutritionist, I have in the past only worked at various Gyms. My primary job was to plan diets. At times I even had to look at client’s workout schedule to be then able to accordingly plan a diet for them. It is during this stint that I realised that most women clients would either only do cardio and stretching or do weights with the same amount of weights for almost 3months continuously. They would lift minimal weight of 2.5lbs/5lbs and that too they did as their trainer told them. I then had to spend extra time with these women and explain to them that they should start their weight training initially with lower weights but gradually increase the weights to higher pounds to achieve the necessary results or the goals they have set for themselves.

Ladies..Wake up!! Today its women power and we women are walking shoulder to shoulder with men in varied fields. There is always this fear I have seen among women who go to gyms to lift weights. So don’t be afraid to lift weights and do as men would do. Or at least get closer.

Don’t worry!!You will not put on those extra muscles that will make you look manly because we women have been blessed with some lovely hormones that give us the beautiful body. So, irrespective of how much ever weights you pick up you will never look manly. It will only tone your body to make you look more beautiful, energetic and fit.

Women are the master of all trade and we often work towards keeping one and all happy. We are very good at multi-tasking and most of us do it with ease. And to be able to perform all of these duties to the fullest we have to have amazing energy levels, great stamina and a strong willpower too. And after doing all this if we want to look good and maintain ourselves there is nothing wrong with it at all.

Many women who are not fit or not into regular exercising often face lot of menstrual problems, pregnancy issues, Post pregnancy weight issues etc.. All of this can be sorted out with regular weight training.

Women can achieve the stamina, long lasting energy, good looks, a toned body and beautiful skin with a good workout. Maintain the same consistency of one day gym and one day cardio.

Listing the benefits of weight training for girls/ladies/mother/grandmother.

1. Strong Bones : Most of the women face bone density issues, especially in old age. Weight training helps you in increasing the bone density. In younger girls it makes it stronger.

2. Lesser Body fat: As you gain muscle with weight training your metabolism will increase, in turn making you burn more calories, thus leading to a toned body and lesser fat %.

3. More Energy: Exercise helps you in boosting your metabolism, thus more energy.

4. Stronger Body: Exercise helps in stronger muscles thus helping you maintaining your daily chores easier like picking up grocery bag and carrying children around, picking a   bucket etc.

5. Fights depression: Exercise releases certain hormones in the body which makes you feel good and enhances your mood too.

  1. Manages chronic conditions: Chronic conditions like Aches and pains in the joints, blood pressure, Heart disease etc., and their symptoms reduce with regular weight training
  2. Eases Menstrual Issues: MS and menstrual pain, one of the biggest concerns for females, is taken care of if Regular exercise is a part of daily routine.

8. Post Pregnancy weight: If you are weight training regularly, even after pregnancy getting back in shape becomes easier.

9. Skin & Hair : As blood circulation increases due to exercise, your skin and  hair become more healthy and better.

10. Thyroid & PCOD: Weight training helps insulin resistance and reduces body fat, thus helping cure both Thyroid and PCOD.

There are numerous such small but good benefits for women in including weight training as a part of the exercise regime.

So go Pump The Iron Girls!!

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