Archives for December 2018

December 27, 2018 By Thyrocare Team Leave a Comment

‘Walking’ for a healthy ‘You’

walking-Thyrocare Blog

Walking through the paths of life can bless us with many health benefits for life… Read on to know what advantages Walking offers…

Walking is the best exercise believed by many doctors. It is not just good for losing weight but also helps in lowering your blood pressure, managing diabetes, fights joint problems (arthritis) and also helps in keeping you away from depression

It is one of the easiest exercises to do and doesn’t take more than a pair of shoes to start. Ideal if you loathe running or can’t stand working out in the gym. Walking reduces the risk of several diseases. And unlike other forms of exercise, it doesn’t require an instructor or training, can be done anytime and anywhere. It is great for kids, adults and is recommended for old ones.

Hippocrates II, the Greek physician recognized walking to be a man’s best medicine. It improves your overall health and can also increase your stamina, strength and endurance.

Listed below are the five benefits of walking:-

Cuts your belly fat: Regular walking is a great exercise to burn fat particularly for those who are on the heavier side. In a majority of the cases, body fat is due to lack of exercise and movement. Walking leads to weight loss. Just 45 minutes of walking burns around 200 calories.

Stress, Mood & Sleep: Walking reduces stress levels and enhances your mood by boosting your endorphins (brain chemicals which relieves you from pain and stress levels) giving you more energy and setting a non-stressful environment. Additionally, walking is believed to be beneficial for individuals suffering from insomnia (inability to sleep).

Good for your muscles and bones: Regular walking tones your leg muscles and strengthens your bones. It can prevent the loss of bone mass caused due to osteoporosis (a form of arthritis in which bone becomes weak and brittle) and can also reduce the risk of hip fractures. Likewise, walking also reduces arthritis-related joint pain and can prevent the different forms of arthritis.

Lowers your blood pressure: Individuals suffering from high blood pressure are at risks of serious health conditions like stroke or heart diseases. Among the exercises known to maintain blood pressure at normal rates, first comes walking. Taking a walk 3 times a day is considered to have the same effects on your blood pressure levels as 30 minutes of intense workout.

Walking and diabetes: Walking helps in lowering blood sugar levels and also improves the ability of the muscles to absorb glucose and the body to use insulin, thus, preventing the overall risk of type 2 diabetes.

So don’t wait…Just start Walking!

December 24, 2018 By Harpreet Kaur 4 Comments

7 Healthy Indian Drinks

There are only so many times you can say, “Just water for me, thanks,” Water is a healthy and safe bet, sure. In fact, it can’t be beaten. No drink can match water, isn’t it? Water is a panacea for many health problems

70 % body is comprised of water. There are innumerable benefits of having water. It promotes weight loss, boosts immunity, increases brain power, prevents hair fall, renders glowing skin, helps in clearing the gut, removes toxins from the body and many more.

So what do you do when you want more options but don’t want to stray from the healthy side of things? Luckily, there are actually several beverages that can do you one favour or another while spicing up your waterlogged palette.

In this blog, I am going to talk about the healthiest drinks in India. Some of them are my absolute favourites and I include them in my diet throughout the year. Not only these drinks are tasty and easy to make but also offer numerous health benefits

From digestion related problems to skin issues, hair fall issues to serious problems of kidney, liver and heart, these drinks serve as pure nectar for the body.

There are sometimes when we feel like drinking something hot and cool, sweet and salty, morning and evening, summer and winters. I have chosen some most versatile health drinks

The SEVEN health drinks you must try are:

Starting with # 7 RAGI MALT

Ragi Malt Drink

If you are looking for a quick and healthy breakfast, try this one. Considering the nutritional and therapeutic value of Finger millet or Ragi for the human body, it is quite surprising and unfortunate that it is totally absent in most people’s diets today. 2 years ago, I read about it and even heard about the benefits and started having it regularly, since then this drink has been a part of my routine.

Quick Recipe:

Ragi flour 3-4 tsp in a bowl with a little bit water poured in it which should be enough to make a paste of it.
Then boil 1 cup of water and rock salt according to the taste and add ragi paste
Keep stirring it for 2-3 mins, once it cools down to add some lemon juice 1/2 and some curd (50 gms) in it.
Mix it well and your drink is ready, you can even have this in your breakfast when you are running late for work or it is a rescuer for people who have excuses to skip breakfast especially for the weight watchers.

Benefits:

Gluten free

Rich in Fibre

High in Calcium

Amino acids

Minerals

Vitamin D

# 6 Turmeric Milk

Turmeric Milk

We all must have tried it in our childhood or otherwise due to its anti-inflammatory properties but this turmeric milk recipe is quite different especially in winters.

Recipe:

1 glass of milk to boil (200gms)
On boiling it add ½ tsp of turmeric
Add a pinch of black pepper and ¼ tsp of Cow Ghee
Let it boil with all these ingredients

Turmeric has antibacterial and viral properties and is considered a super herb since ancient times. The purpose of adding Black pepper helps in absorbing the turmeric in the body. The combination of ghee+ milk= pre nectar (acts as a panacea for many health problems) keep infections at bay this winter. Have it before 1 hour of going to bed.

Benefits

*Excellent Body detoxifier

*Blood purifier

*Cleanses Blood vessels

*Flushes out the toxins

*Kills Cancer cells

*Anti-ageing

*Improves Skin Tone

# 5 Buttermilk or Chaas

ButterMilk

Do you feel bloated after having heavy or spicy meals or feel thirsty through the day? Then it’s a must-have for people with weak digestion made in a traditional way. It helps you getting relief from all digestive and stomach related issues

Authentic recipe:

In a blender add coriander leaves, mint leaves some ginger, curd, a pinch of asafoetida, rock salt, black salt and water.
Blend them all
Next step is flame 1tsp of ghee and add few cumin seeds in it and 1-2 curry leaves
Let them splutter and later pour it on buttermilk and enjoy!

Benefits

* Rich in Vit B and Calcium

* Probiotics

* Try having this buttermilk post lunch for maximum benefit

#4 Lemon Honey Water

lemonhoneywater

One of the most popular drinks amongst the weight watchers and an excellent detoxifier. Some people complain that it causes a sore throat and acidity and is not that effective too. Which can be due to some common mistakes that people make while preparing it

Mistake 1> putting too much water and just 1 lemon to avoid acidity and increase water intake

Mistake 2 >Putting honey in hot water which may act against your body

To reap the maximum results out of it drink it early morning on empty stomach to see the miraculous results

Recipe:

200 ml lukewarm water, mix the juice of 1 lemon and 1tbsp honey
Do not gulp it, gradually sip it down and finish it

Benefits

The citric acid in Lemon flushes out the toxins
Clears skin
Shrinks fat cells
Aids digestion
Detoxifies the body
Cleanses the blood
Boosts immunity

#3 Coconut water

Fresh_coconut_water

This is a natural energy drink detoxifies the body. Ideally, the right time to drink it before 12 noon for max benefit. And, even after an intensive workout session to hydrate our body. As it is a great mother nature’s Sports drink

Benefits:

Biologically pure
Has potassium equal to 4 bananas
Perfect electrolyte balance
Prevents hypertension

# 2 Sugarcane juice

Sugarcane Juice

It is an answer to people who have sweet tooth and crave for something sweet to drink especially in summers. It is the tastiest and healthiest of many juices, not only low in Glycaemic index is recommended to diabetics as well. It is a super juice among all other fruit juices. It is rich in nutrients as well. Adding ginger and mint to it will even more improve your digestion!

Benefits

Rich in iron, calcium, phosphorus, antioxidants
It cures a Common cold and boosts immunity
Fights fever and other infections too
Boosts energy
Strengthens liver
Relieves constipation
Removes Bad breath and Tooth Decay

#1 Carrot Milk

carrot milk It’s a number one drink to try especially in winters and it’s already around. It works as a natural health supplement which can be taken from children to adults to old age

Recipe:

1 Medium sized grated carrot
Half boil the carrot in a half cup of water
Post that adds 200ml of milk in it
Let the water evaporate and we would have a powerful health supplement ready

Benefits

Improves eyesight especially for people who work in front of gadgets for long hours
Relief from dark circles
For glowing skin
Increases strength
Clears vitamin deficiencies

Have it at least 2-3 times a week, if you want you can have it every day, anytime

If you wish to sweeten it, you can some jaggery powder or some honey

Honourable Mention:

Whenever you feel like drinking something Drink water! The best way is to keep it in a copper vessel on a wooden surface and keep it overnight and drink first thing in the morning and don’t pour it in other utensil and drink it straight from the copper vessel to multiply the nutrients in it.

I believe all the above drinks are very convenient and can be added in our fast-paced busy lives, as looking good is not enough- feeling good is what matters.

December 17, 2018 By Farida Gohil 2 Comments

Top four reasons why diets fail?

The battle of the bulge is on –any movement on the scale yet? “Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance,” says Jessica Bartfield, MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at the Loyala Centre for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care.

Despite the fact that two-thirds of Americans say they are on a diet to improve their health, very few are actually decreasing in size. According to Bartfield, “Dieting is a skill, much like riding a bicycle, and requires practice and good Instructions.” But, this is not a case unique to the Americans alone, it is the case with most people on the heavier side and who go on diets to lose weight. Their constant complaint is that they do not lose weight.

Here are top four reasons why dieters don’t lose weight?

Underestimating Calories Consumed

Most people underestimate the number of calories they eat per day. Writing down everything that you eat-including drinks and “bites” or “tastes” of food – can help increase self-awareness. Pay attention to serving sizes and use measuring cups and spoons as serving utensils to keep portions reasonable. Foods eaten outside of the home tends to be in much larger portion sizes and much higher in calories. So try and look up nutrition information of your favourite take-out meal or restaurant and select a healthy meal before picking up the phone or going out to eat.

Overestimating Activity and Calories burned

Typically you need to cut 500 calories per day to lose 1 lb (pound) per week. This is very difficult to achieve through exercise alone, and would require 60 minutes or more of vigorous activity every day. A more attainable goal would be to try and increase activity throughout the day and get a total of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise most days of the week. Buy a tracker to track your steps; try to increase your goal of 10,000 steps per day. But, be careful – exercise is not an excuse to eat more!

Poor Timing of Meals

You need a steady stream of glucose throughout the day to maintain optimal energy and to prevent metabolism from slowing down. Eat breakfast everyday within one hour of waking up, then eat a healthy snack or meal every two to three hours. Try not to go longer than 5 hours without eating a healthy snack or meal to keep your metabolism steady.

Inadequate sleep

Studies have shown that people who get fewer than six hours of sleep have higher levels of ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates appetite, particularly for high-carbohydrate/high-calorie foods. In addition, less sleep raises levels of cortisol, a stress hormone which can lead to weight gain.

Avoid doing the above mentioned, avoid go on diets and have a normal balanced meal daily and you will be able to maintain your weight and health.

Good health practices are more than just learnt, they become a regular habit and a way of life.

December 16, 2018 By Trupti Hingad 1 Comment

A Cereal Breakfast – WHY IT’S THE BEST WAY TO START THE DAY!!!

Good Morning begins here….

I do not need to explain to you what Breakfast means. It has been iterated many times on this platform that it is one of the most important meal of the day. Still the phenomenon of skipping this meal is widely prevalent across the globe. People skipping breakfast is higher among those living in the metros such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and the likes.

First thing in the morning, the body is low on energy reserves and needs fuel in the form of breakfast. Hence, skipping it can impact general health both in short and the long term.

Few benefits of breakfast to highlight its importance:

-It helps support brain function.

-It can improve nutrient intakes

-It helps to maintain weight

-It improves metabolism

-It promotes physical and mental well-being.

But, then the question arises- What does one have daily in the breakfast? Some examples of balanced breakfast are whole grain cereal with toned milk and 1 fruit, or bowl of puffed rice (Poha), toned milk and few cubes of papaya or whole grain bread sandwich with veggies , 1 fruit and toned milk or oats porridge with dates , raisins apple and almonds.

According to me, Cereal is the best breakfast. Most Indians staple diet is mostly based on cereals. I remember the days of my childhood, when my grandma used to give me cereal breakfast(wheat flour cooked in milk)and that used to keep me energetic throughout the day.

The word “cereal comes from the word ‘ceres’ meaning the ancient Roman goddess of the harvest.It is food derived from any plant in the grass family that yields edible grain or seed.

It is people’s basic food since Neolithic times, following the birth of agriculture.Wheat, Millet, Oats, Corn, Rice, Barley, Rye comes under cereal category.Research shows that eating a cereal breakfast can help kick-start our metabolism and set us up for a more successful day.

This is not restricted to this, eating cereal breakfast has lot more benefits:

1. Cereal eaters beat breakfast skippers in terms of BMI(body mass index)

2. It can help reduce disease risk factors: obesity and overweight are major risk factors for all lifestyle disorders. It helps to reduce the same.

3. Eating cereal break-fast can improve nutrient intakes:.Cereal taken along with milk gives carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals too especially vitamin B complex and iron and also gives a good amount of fiber. It is a simple, safe and inexpensive way to give required nutrition to a pregnant woman. Also, elderly get the required nutrition with such breakfast with fewer calories, as calorie needs declines with age but not nutrient needs.

4. It may help promote future health: The type of breakfast chosen may impact cardiometabolic risk. More frequent cereal consumption in children is associated with lower waist to height ratio, total cholesterol, and LdL cholesterol.

5. Cereal enhances general well-being:People who eat regular BF get less stressed, less anxious, and less likely to be depressed.

6. Cereal is typically a low fat, cholesterol free food which fits into healthy eating recommendations

7. Cereal is relatively low in calories and nutrient dense. An average serving of cereal with skim milk has fewer calories compared to other breakfast choices.

8. Cereal helps to incorporate milk into the diet. If eaten with milk, it is a terrific gateway to calcium, vitamin D, and protein. In fact, a bowl of high fiber cereal with skim milk has more than twice the calcium of a breakfast of toast and juice.And cereal is one of the top contributors for iron, thiamine, folate, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, zinc, and potassium, bringing essential nutrients to your breakfast table each morning.

But the next question that comes up in the mind- Is it fine to eat ‘Ready to Eat’ breakfast cereals?

There has been a lot of misinformation floating around about breakfast cereals. It’s so convenient and easy to prepare – even the kids can help out, making it a great breakfast option for busy families.

The amount of sugar contributed by ready to eat cereals is just 4% of the total daily intake of sugars. Did you know that a glass of orange juice (125ml) has the same sugar content as a 30g serving of cornflakes?

Taste matters: If the food is unacceptable, it will not be eaten and unless it is eaten it cannot give nutrients. Even though it contains a slight amount of sugar, it doesn’t lead to tooth decay and dental problems.

Children who eat cereals at breakfast are likely to meet their recommendations of calcium and folic acid than those who eat non-cereal breakfast.

Taking sugar out of these cereals does not typically reduce the calories. So, if we remove a gram of sucrose, it lowers sugar content by one gram but, it does not affect the calorie level since the sugar is often replaced by one gram of starch to maintain the texture.

Ready to eat cereal contains less than one-half the sodium of many popular breakfast items and also the very small percentage of the total sodium in the diet.

Last but not the least beneficial component of cereal is fiber. It helps to protect against colon cancer, breast cancer, reduce the risk of Dm, coronary events, bulkier stools

So, if, you are always short of time, snoozing the alarm and waking up late….just pour a cup of milk over two tablespoons of your favorite cereal, sprinkle some nuts or fruits and get yourself nourished.

Hence, let’s take five minutes off to relax and prepare for the day with a bowl of cereal , milk and fruit and ensure a POSITIVE start of the day!!!