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Archives for March 2015

March 25, 2015 By Aqsa Shaikh 9 Comments

Food Pyramid – Did you Know? A guide to healthy eating with the Food Pyramid

food pyramidGood food after a day’s hard work is always a pleasure and there is no substitute to good wholesome and nutritious food. But, more often than not, we are so engrossed in our work that we fail to think about our health which in turn means that we neglect good food.

And most think it’s a cumbersome task to deal with all these nitty gritties, think about nutrition, good food etc.. It’s so complicated. The idea ultimately is to just eat whatever is available when hungry.

But, it’s not difficult as it seems. Well, while you are in a restaurant you always think about ordering something tasty and compromise often with the nutritional aspects, here is a simple food pyramid tips which can be followed easily without any complications. This can be followed in restaurants or while you are out and at home.

So in the food pyramid, there is a cereal and grains group, followed by fruits and vegetable group, dairy products and non-veg, and then oil fat and sugary foods,

1.Cereal and grains group.
These are mostly staple foods which is consist of nutrients like carbohydrates ( Complex carbs ), proteins, fibre, minerals, calcium and B-complex vitamins. An individual should have 6-11 servings of this portion in a day. Common food items in this group- Whole grain cereals, millets, rice, Jowar, Bajra, Makai (Corn), Barley Oats, Poha (Puffed Rice) and Upma. These foods are rich in nutrients and good to provide the necessary fuel for our body to run all day long

One serving of this equals
-1 cup of rice, Poha or Upma
-1 cup of oats
-1 Paratha
-2 Phulka
-1 Jowar, Bajra or Makai roti.

2.Vegetables and Fruits group (Protective Food Group)

These foods are a must eat and should be added to our food plate daily. A person should have at least 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits each day. They contain vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, folate, iron and potassium and many more nutrients. These foods consist fiber help our digestive system and also gives us different types of nutrients, phytochemicals and are also rich in antioxidants.

One serving of vegetables consists of:

1 cup of leafy vegetables ( Lettuce, spinach, Fenugreek, Dil, spring onions)
1 medium potato/yam, ½ medium sweet potato ( cooked )
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw ( You can also include some of them as salads too )
3/4 cup of vegetable juice(vegetables like Bottle gourd, carrot, beetroot, French beans, green peas, are good to grind and have as smoothe with a pinch of salt and pepper)

In fruits one serving is:
One small apple, orange or banana or any other fruit
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked or canned fruit

3.Dairy products and non-veg food items 

These foods are the main protein building group because it is important to maintain the strength of our bones and muscles. Apart from providing proteins these food items also provide B-complex vitamins, invisible fat, fibre, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, iron and iodine. You should ideally have 4-6 servings of this group each day. These foods are mainly important to build up our muscles and help to recover the wear and tear that might occur during the hectic day

One serving of this group consists of:
1 cup of milk, curd
40g (2 slices) cheese, paneer
1 cup dal, pulses, sprouts
1 handful of dry fruits, nuts like groundnuts
1 Egg
65-100gm cooked meat/chicken (½ cup mince, 2 small chops, or 2 slices roast meat)
80-120g cooked fish fillet

4. Oils, fats and sugar:

There are certain good fats which are useful and beneficial for our body, as the cell membrane around our brain are made up of good fats, These are the foods which should be eaten by keeping the portion control in mind and even the time of the day should be noticed as its important.

Some good source of sweetners are Raw honey/Jaggery/Dates/Prunes, these are the healthy sweetners, But, because of today’s lifestyle some unhealthy sweetners have sadly become the staple diet in our lifestyle. Ideally this should not have happened. Choose Any of the junk food item and it will contain these ingredients – burgers, pizza, vada pav, samosa, fizzy drinks, alcohol, instant noodles, chips, frankies etc.

These are not bad to have but, at the same time we should keep our portion in control. We shouldn’t have more than 3-4 servings of these food items in a day. Some common basic sources are vegetable oils, butter, sugar, jaggery and honey.
One serving is defined as 1 tsp of oil, ghee or butter and also 1 tsp of sugar, jaggery and honey.

Now last but the least…WATER:. Water is one of the most important component that cannot be ignored in this entire pyramid. We should have at least 8 glasses of water, as it is very important to keep our cells well hydrated and alive. The above given quantity is for a non-active person, but an active person needs at least 10 to 12 glasses of water average..

March 24, 2015 By CHARMI GOGRI 8 Comments

Know the science behind acidic and alkaline foods

ph spectrum

pH balance in the body is extremely important in fact it is a matter of life and death if its imbalanced. The only people who don’t consider this alkaline/acidity balance as vital for better health are ignorant and pop in a pharmaceutical pill for every illness and bug in the body.

pH stands for power of hydrogen, which is a measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration in the body. The total pH scale ranges from 1 to 14, with 7 considered to be neutral. A pH less than 7 is said to be acidic and a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline. Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 – 7.45 ).

 

acid alkaline

An acidic pH in the body can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients. The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals. If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a buildup of acids in the cells will occur. This when combined with an arena of other challenging environmental factors (such as lack of rest, psychological stress, and pharmaceutical drugs) will lead to chronic, degenerative illnesses or otherwise deadly conditions sooner or later for which modern medicine can’t claim 100% cure.

Acidic environment will decrease body’s ability to repair damaged cells, decrease its ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness. The reason acidosis is more common in today’s society is due to the drastic changes in the eating patterns as compared to our ancestors. Our food today is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables. Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.

We use too many drugs (for quick fixes), which are acid forming too. Chemical or artificial sweetners are extremely acid forming. On the other hand eating too many alkalizing foods can lead to its own fair share of complications over time, but the risk of this is seemingly less likely considering the current sorry state of today’s highly addictive people’s faulty diet as well as lifestyle.

One of the best things we can do to correct an acidic body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle. In order to maintain optimal health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods. To restore health and reverse the damage caused by acidic body, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.

A small explanation to make you understand things better, when a person ingests food to fuel the body, the digestive and metabolic process of the body breaks food into a kind of ash which is either acidic or alkaline. The laws of modern biochemistry further explains that it is not the organic matter (such as Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fat) of foods (whether the food itself is acidic or alkaline), but their inorganic matter (such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorous; that is, how they break down in our bodies), that determines either the acidity or alkalinity of this ashy residue.

All foods in nature contain both acid and alkaline-forming elements, pH balance is either achieved or thwarted as a direct result of the foods we choose to eat. Broadly speaking alkaline foods includes most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings as well as seeds and nuts. And, acid forming foods includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes along with all the processed commercial refined foods off course!

Here is the quick list of foods based on their alkalinity and acidity, Have a look at them and follow the tips attached beneath that to make your diets more alkaline.

Acidic and Alkaline foods

Source: energiserforlife.com

Tips :

  1. Cut out sugar completely. Avoid processed sugars as well – no corn syrup, no agave, no maltose, no aspartame (Check Food labels carefully)
  1. Having fresh vegetable juices in the morning will oxidise the nutrients present in the veggies.
  1. The regular practice of Yoga cleanses the acids from the joints and organs
  1. Avoid toxic fats like trans fats. Less known fact about coconut oil is it’s not acidic like all other oils when used for frying. Using coconut oil for cooking is the best recommendation.
  1. Stop using deodorants and creams. They have massive chemical load that makes body acidic, also they often suppress the body’s natural functions like sweating, which actually helps to eliminate acid, and pushes the acid back into the lymph nodes.
  1. Stop drinking fluoridated tap water. Tap water is bad, don’t even use it for cooking. Use water from water filter for drinking and cooking purpose.
  1. Highly alkalising foods- you can complement your meals with Wheat Grass, Lemon Grass, Apple cider Vinegar, Alfalfa Grass, Kamut Grass, Oat Grass, Broccoli, Kelp, Cayenne, Cucumber (best taken in the morning or lunch, not at night)
  1. Cut right down on meat. Meat is very acidic. Especially red meat.

Above all, the ultimate goal is balance. What you eat and drink will impact our body’s pH. So eat wisely.

March 20, 2015 By TAARIKA ARYA 2 Comments

Health for frequent travellers while on the move

fitness

A little extra load of work and our daily fitness routine goes haywire. Imagine the plight of frequent travellers. In order to earn our daily bread and butter, travelling to and fro, battling between time zones , drastic weather changes, irregular eating habits and non availability of space and time for exercise can surely make our lifestyle goals hard to attain.

Like every other problem, this one too can be tackled intelligently but, only if you are honest, motivated and determined.

I have gone through this phase in my life too, so here are a few ways, how you could go about in terms of nutrition and activity.

NUTRITION:

  1. DRINK DRINK DRINK!
    Keep sipping water all throughout the journey. Be it via road, rail or air, specially, while taking long flights to combat dehydration (the fatigue it causes), and avoid extreme jet lag. The cabin air is much drier so remember to drink few glasses water before boarding, then another one each hour in flight.2. Organise every trip of yours well to avoid stress. Stress is the main trigger for junk eating.

    3. Avoid leaving home hungry. Eat a quick snack at home so that you are not carried away by the food counters at the stations or terminals.

    4.  Carry some fresh fruits, dry non-perishable snacks along like roasted munchies, nuts, un salted popcorn.

    5. Avoid stopping at take away counters/convenience stores for packaged foods during halts. Opt for something local and fresh.

    6. If you are flying, don’t depend on the airport and airplane food. Either get your own mini meal packed or check out the options available.

    7. Avoid getting BORED !
    Sometimes long hours of travel can lead to boredom snacking . Carry some boredom busters wit you like a great book/audio book. music player, magazines, crosswords/puzzles or just pen down random thoughts.

    8. Keep your meals high on fibre as travelling often means missed bowel movements. Salads, fruits, whole grains do the trick.

    9. Get your daily protein quota. Travelling is a type of stress for the body and a frequent one can lead to more wear and tear.

    10. Lastly, log in your meals. It will help you keep accountable.

    ACTIVITY: 

    1. With regards to activity, if not dedicated exercise, try being as active as possible.

    2. Invest in some travel essentials like ear plugs, eye mask and neck pillow. Remember, exercise will be the last thing you would like to do if you end up having a stiff neck.

    3. Book a room on the third floor and take the stairs. Walk whenever you can between meetings.

    4. Get up and stretch yourself after every 45 minutes to 1 hour as sitting for long can be damaging to our posture. Walk the length of the plane, every hour or two to keep your back happy, your muscles supple, and your blood circulating.

    5. Indulge into some deep breathing exercises, it will help you keep calm or even put you to sleep.

    6. Plan your week in advance so that your travelling time becomes your rest day.

    7. Use the long corridors and long waits for a quick brisk walk in airports / stations. Take stairs rather than escalators.  After all, you have to sit for hours in the plane so make the most of the time you have while you wait.

    8. If driving, take a break every 1-2 hours, and walk around the parking lot of a rest stop.
    – never forget to pack your workout clothes and shoes. They are anyways light.

    Go ahead, have a safe, healthy and active trip.

March 18, 2015 By Ami Shah 1 Comment

It’s just not a Peanut: it’s a nutritional pill

peanutPeanuts, commonly known as groundnuts or even monkey nuts are the cheapest and the healthiest protein available. A native to South America, Mexico and Central America it is an annual herbaceous plant, that grows almost at ground level.

It is almost used every day in one form or the other for cooking. They can be eaten in various forms like roasted, boiled, and fried. Also, now these days, you get many products made out of peanuts like peanut butter, peanut oil, peanut flour, dry roasted peanuts (snacks).

Peanuts play a vital nutritional role in human beings when consumed since they are high in protein and healthy fats. It is a good handy option for snacking provided the portion is controlled.

Avoid mindless eating by pre-portioning your nuts in small bags for a great snack to take on the go or to the office. Choose nuts in the shell and you’ll probably eat fewer since it takes time to crack them. Or take one handful and put the package away.

Let us have a look at its nutritional and health benefits.

  • Peanut has 166 calories and 7.8 gm of protein. Peanuts are heart healthy because they’re a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Eating peanuts may help lower your total cholesterol.
  • Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate(6 mcg), protein and manganese (49.3 mg).
  • The nuts are an excellent source ofvitamin E, containing about 8 g per100 g. Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant which helps maintain the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen free radicals.
  • The nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, andfolates. 100 g of peanuts provide about 85% of RDI of niacin, which contribute to brain health and blood flow to brain.
  • The nuts are rich source of minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

To sum it up, these tiny looking nuts are packed with good amount of vitamins and minerals. So, make sure that you are incorporating them in your daily routine.

Having talked of all the benefits, Peanuts can also cause side effects. Excessive peanuts intake may lead to gas and heartburn. Peanut allergy is also very common and is a very serious food allergy that one can develop. Peanut allergy causes severe allergic reactions that can actually be life threatening. It’s best to do an allergy test if you suspect you have a peanut allergy.

People with peanut allergy will experience a reaction within minutes of eating a peanut or a product that is made from peanuts. The reaction typically starts with a tingling sensation in the mouth followed by swelling of the face, throat and mouth. It can result in difficulty breathing, an asthma attack, anaphylactic shock and death. Less severe reactions include rash, hives and upset stomach. If you have a peanut allergy, you will want to carry an Epinephrine pen to counter any episodes while waiting for emergency assistance.

Individual with peanut allergy have to be very cautious and check the nutritional label or the menu before buying any product or eating a dish in a restaurant.

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