Archives for August 2015

August 28, 2015 By Shimpli Patil 7 Comments

Mysterious Coffee

Our very famous beverage and a favourite of many- Coffee, loves to be in the limelight! Personally, I am not too fond of this beverage, but the deep love that people have for coffee kind of triggers me to research upon it more to find out what is so good about this Coffee?

Coffee, as we all know, is a major source of caffeine, the world’s most widely used stimulant drug. Tiny amounts of caffeine can do good to our health, whereas a lot of caffeine can harm it. After all, anything in excess is bad, isn’t it?

The wonderfully enticing flavour of Coffee (taste+aroma) and the stimulant property that it possesses attracts people towards it and makes most of them dependent on it (addiction, you see). It gives us more energy, makes us feel more alert, improves athletic performance and so on. It gives us a super kick which helps us stay up during our long meetings/long hours of studying or while working on the most tedious project. It’s like a rocket fuel that keeps us going! No wonder so many love it?

Hold on, there’s more to it, coffee also suppresses appetite, so many people drink it to lose weight. Ahem! Now that’s something which definitely grabs attention. But that’s certainly not a healthy way of losing those extra pounds.

As I mentioned, I am not a usual coffee drinker, but there was this one day when I ended up drinking more than 4 cups of coffee as I was deeply engrossed in a project work with my buddies. They were grabbing coffee during breaks and I got carried along. I noticed something peculiar about myself on that day. I was eating more than I usually did and it was quite annoying to feel so hungry so often.

It’s true that our hunger and appetite are controlled by what we eat and drink, including coffee. Coffee is an appetite suppressant, that’s what I was aware about and I am sure most of you must have heard of its appetite suppressing property.

Coffee contains phytochemical compounds called chlorogenic acids, an important group of biologically active and antioxidant dietary phenols. Fruits like apples, pears, strawberries, pineapple, etc. also contain these compounds. Chlorogenic acids have captured attention in the field of obesity as researchers suggest that they can help decrease hunger. Caffeine, by itself, often masks hunger and fatigue as it provides a short-term boost in energy and alertness.

Now the question is, why did I feel so hungry on the day I drank too much coffee? It’s not just me, I have got this from many of my clients too.

After digging to find out more about this mysterious coffee, I finally unlocked its mysteries.

Here’s the story-

Coffee affects many neurotransmitters and hormones (such as cortisol and insulin).

Drinking more than 250-700 mg of caffeine during the day can actually lead to anxiety, hypertension, insomnia and nervousness. All these factors may spark off stress-related emotional eating. Reasons for this- going overboard with caffeine over stimulates the central nervous system, and our body responds to it by triggering the adrenal glands to generate cortisol (stress hormone), which tells our body to increase its energy stores by consuming calories. Exactly, why we are in this constant search of food.

Moreover, caffeine stimulates the secretion of insulin. Increased insulin secretion can result in a drop in blood sugar levels, which again makes us feel hungry and increases food cravings.

Additionally, caffeine is a diuretic, it draws water from our body cells leading to increased urination and dehydration. Thus, it actually makes us feel thirsty, but somehow, we may confuse the thirst with hunger and tend to eat more. Thirst and hunger cues are similar, remember my previous blog? (http://goqii.com/blog/how-important-is-it-to-know-if-youre-thirsty-or-hungry/)

Thus, coffee’s mixed effects are highly driven by the type of coffee (caffeinated/decaf), the amount we drink, when we drink it, our overall biological makeup, and so on.

How do we go about this mysterious beverage?

I would say, low or moderate consumption of caffeine doesn’t cause any noticeable side effects. A moderate caffeine intake would mean, around 200 to 300 milligrams per day, which is equal to anywhere between 2-4 cups of coffee.

I will never ask you to give up your love for coffee, after all, it gives you that extra boost you need to get out of your closet (and probably get to the gym!). All I would reiterate again is ‘Anything in excess is bad, so control your intake of caffeine’.

August 27, 2015 By Ami Shah 1 Comment

Simple Ways to reduce water retention

Water retention is one of the common problems faced by woman. There can be various reasons for it such as PMS (premenstrual syndrome), menopause, erratic eating habits, diet high in sodium and protein deficit. However, this problem of water retention can be knocked off by certain ways. Let’s have a look at few ways in which we can get rid of the same.

Reduction in sodium intake– Kidneys are responsible for maintaining the balance between sodium and water. When the sodium level rises in the system, kidneys hold back the water in order to dilute the sodium and this also leads to high blood pressure. Hence, sodium rich foods such as packaged foods, cold cuts and table salt needs to be avoided. Healthy alternative is to choose rock salt, lemon, tamrind, spices to make the food more palatable.

Stay Hydrated: It might sound strange to drink more water when your body already has water. However, the more water you drink, the more will be flushed out. Hence, it is recommended to drink at least 3-3.5liters of water. You can choose plain water, green tea, coconut water, lemon water, barley water, coriander seeds water. Avoid caffeinated beverages like coffee, sugary drink, colas which will dehydrate your body. Here are few home remedies:

1) Have barley water:

Take, Barley- 3 tbsp and Water- 1 glass

How to make:

Add barley to water.

Leave it to soak overnight

Strain and drink the water in morning.

Again soak barley in water and have it in the evening.

Drink 2 glasses of soaked barley water everyday.

2) Take, Coriander seeds- 3 tbsp, Water- 1 glass

How to make:

Add coriander seeds to water.

Boil it till the time it remains half of its original quantity.

Strain and let it cool down before drinking

Repeat it once more. Drink this coriander seeds water twice a day.

Include high potassium foods– Lack of potassium is also one of the causes for water retention in body. It is an important mineral which is needed for proper functioning of body cells, tissues and organs. Potassium along with sodium maintains normal water balance in body. Potassium also helps stimulate the kidneys so that they may flush out waste along with excessive salt out of the body. So have foods rich in potassium too. Most of the fruits are rich in potassium as also certain vegetables. Potassium rich foods are: banana., coconut water, dry fruits etc.

Include natural diuretics: Diuretics helps in release of more urine. When urine is released, it not only flushes out toxins but also flushes out sodium, thereby reducing water retention. Few natural diuretics are cranberries, cranberry juice, lemon, cucumber, pineapple, cabbage.

August 26, 2015 By Jyoti Sawant 1 Comment

Benefits of Jack Fruit

Eat what’s in season. Eat organic. Jackfruit is one of tropical fruits, recognized for its unique size, shape, and fruity flavour. This fruit is sweet and delicious in taste. Like other tropical fruits such as banana, durian etc., jackfruit is also rich in minerals, vitamins, energy, dietary fiber, and free from cholesterol and saturated fats.

The Jackfruit is normally eaten raw, as a snack/ sweetener or in desserts. It is also dried and made into chips, or cooked and added to curries. You can also find buns, cakes, cookies, and ice cream with Jackfruit taste. These products are very popular among Asians.

*Health Benefit of Jack Fruit:

100 g of Jackfruit provide 95 calories. The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh (bulbs) with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalises the body instantly.

These compounds are perfect antioxidants and are good for maintaining functionality of the eyes. Vitamin A is capable of keeping the mucous membranes and skin healthy. It has been confirmed that fruits rich in vitamin a and beta-carotene can effectively lower the risk of lung disease and oral cancer.

Fresh Jackfruit is a good source of iron, potassium, & magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Most of us are unknown about the valuable benefits of Jack fruit seeds. While we consume Jackfruit due to its taste and aroma, we normally throw away its seeds, which are like gravels. Jackfruit seeds are indeed very rich in protein and nutritious.

Skin and eye care: Jackfruits contain powerful anti-ageing properties that slow down the degeneration of skin cells and make the skin look younger. They are a rich source of vitamin A that is essential in maintaining healthy eyesight.

High blood pressure: Being a rich source of potassium, jackfruits are very effective in lowering high blood pressure and controlling the heart rate.

Bone health: Jackfruits are also effective in maintaining good bone health. They are rich in magnesium that helps in the absorption of calcium and strengthens the bones.

Anaemia: Jackfruits being a rich source of iron help in preventing anaemia and improving blood circulation in the body.

Asthma: Another one of the medicinal uses of jackfruit is the treatment for asthma and other upper respiratory tract problems. Experts believe that the root and extracts of

jackfruit are effective in controlling asthma and alleviating the symptoms associated with this condition.

Ulcers: Jackfruit contains strong anti-ulcerative properties that not only help cure ulcers but also prevent a number of other digestive system disorders.

August 24, 2015 By Hetal Chheda Leave a Comment

The Power of food – the powerful immune system

The most dreaded cold and cough keeps visiting us often like our friends do. They are more prevalent in some seasons than the rest. Malaria, Typhoid, Influenza, flu are some more diseases that also play havoc in our child’s life.

Low or weak immunity is one big reason that most fall victim to such diseases. Immune-boosting nourishment can help a lot and increase your child’s resistance to fight the disease which no other medicine in the world can do. A sturdy immune system lets your child develop intellectually, physically and emotionally.

One doesn’t need to especially go purchase these foodstuffs but can be made accessible in your kitchen garden.

Why choosing food over medicine is so important.

Food has innumerable properties like antibacterial, anti-infective, analgesic and antibiotic. These properties in food will keep diseases at bay without harming your internal organs.

Your body identifies food and will accept it readily and provide you its benefits. Whereas drugs are foreign substances which your body takes time to identify and in turn harms your natural immunity. This affects your child’s body system negatively over a period of time.

Make your own cough, cold and fever syrup

COLD AND COUGH

2 tsp ginger juice + 2 tsp honey + 1 pinch turmeric + 1 pinch Salt + juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp glycerin.

Mix them all together and give 1 tsp after every 2 hrs.

FEVER

25 raisins soaked in half a cup of water + juice of ½ lemon

Crush the raisins into the water and strain. Add the lemon juice to the water and drink twice a day.

Everyday foods that will increase immunity

Fruits and vegetables: All citrus fruits, strawberries, Grapefruit, watermelon, grapes, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, Mushrooms and Methi leaves.

Milk and milk products: Yogurt.

Cereals and Pulses: Oats, barley and whole grains, sprouts.

Meat, Fish and Egg: Chicken soup, Egg yolk, fish and beef.

Others: Garlic, ginger, cinnamon, Tulsi leaves, Turmeric

Other things that help

Boost your child’s sleep time.

Breast feed your baby.

If your child gets sick discard the old tooth brush.

Engage your child in some outdoor activity daily.

Make sure your child washes hand before meals.

Health is imperative to one and all; be it a child or an adult. A powerful and sturdy immune system will lay the foundation for better future, growth and development.