Archives for December 2018

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 Leave a 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!!!

December 14, 2018 By Trupti Vyas (Pandya) 4 Comments

Winter Recipes

Winter has set in and it is that time of the year when our body experiences tremendous changes in energy levels, metabolism and our food preference also changes. Winter is also the season which is full of colorful veggies and fruits in market. Our body needs extra vitamins and minerals to help combat cold weather, illness and to maintain your good health.

Let me share with you some nutritious food ideas that will help boost immunity and maintain energy levels through the day.

Here are 5 healthy dishes which will help you to keep warm on cold days-

Millet Vegetable pan bread (Bajra Dudhi Thepla)-

Ingredients–

(Bajra) Millet flour – 1 cup
Wheat flour – 1 cup
Bottle gourd (Dudhi)- 1 cup (grated)
Curd – 1/3 cup
Oil – ½ cup (to add in flour and roast theplas)
Green coriander – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green chilly – 1-2 (finely chopped)
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Sesame seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
Salt – ½ tsp (as per taste)

Preparation

Take out flour in any big utensil. Mix wheat flour in the same bowl. Also add bottle gourd, ginger, green chilly, green coriander, Asafoetida, cumin seeds, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, salt, 1 tbsp oil and curd. Add 1-2 tbsp water or as per requirement and knead soft dough. Keep aside the dough for 10-15 minutes so that it gets set.

Grease your hand with some oil and knead the dough. Pre-heat the pan (tawa). Take little amount of dough (lemon size) and make a round ball. Take one ball, dust it with dry flour and place it on rolling plate and roll into 6-7 inch diameter bread (thepla).

Place the rolled bread (thepla) on pre-heated pan (tawa) and when color of the bread (thepla) turns darker from surface then flip the side. Spread 1 tsp oil on the upper surface. Flip the side and spread some oil on this side as well. Roast the bread (thepla) on medium flame until it gets brown spots on both sides. Take it of the pan and place it in a plate.

Serve the Millet Vegetable pan bread (BajraLaukiTheplas) with curd (yogurt), Corainder paste or pickle or with any vegetables of your choice.

Suggestion: Mix finely chopped spinach in the flour for making Millet Spinach Breads (Bajra spinach thepla) and add finely chopped fresh fenugreek leaves for making millet fenugreek breads (bajramethitheplas).

Winter special Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls

Fenugreek seeds gum balls is a traditional recipe which can also be used as an Ayurveda treatment for various ailments, especially during winters. These sweet gum balls are not only known for their medicinal properties but also taste delicious.

These are prepared with Fenugreek seeds mixed with wheat flour and Jaggery. New mothers can have these sweet balls as dietary supplement or to overcome any post-delivery problems. People suffering from joints pain, especially in winters, can have this sweet.

Ingredients-

Fenugreek(methi) seeds- 100gms.
Milk- ½ litre(2-1/2 cup)
Wheat flour-300gm(1-1/2cup)
Ghee- 250gm(1-1/2 cup)
Edible gum (Gond)-100gms- (1/2 cup)
Almonds-30-35.
Black Pepper- 8-10.
Cumin powder-2tsp.
Dry ginger- 2tsp
Green Cardamom- 10-12
Cinnamon-4 pieces.
Nutmeg-2
Jageery-1-1/2cup

Preparation:

Clean Fenugreek (Methi) seeds properly(wash seeds then put them in a thick cotton cloth and leave it in the sun to dry, cloth can be washed and used again). Put clean seeds in a mixer and make a thick paste somewhat similar to flour. Boil milk.

Put the grounded Fenugreek (Methi) in milk and let it soak for 8-10 hours.

Cut almonds into small pieces. Gently crush black pepper(break 1 pepper into 4-5 pieces), crush cinnamon and nutmeg into fine powder. Peel Cardamom (Elaichi) and crush it as well.Pour 1/2 cup clarified butter (Ghee) ina pan, fry soaked (Fenugreek) on a medium flame till it turns light brown and smells good. Remove the mixture in a plate.

Put the remainingclarified butter(Ghee) in the pan and heat, fry Edible gum(Gond) and take it out on a plate(fry Gond on a law flame). Fry flour in leftover Ghee in the pan till it becomes light brown then take it out.

Put 1 tspclarified butter in the pan followed by the pieces ofJaggery(Gur), melt Jageery (Gur) into liquid form (Chashni) on a low flame. Add Cumin (Jeera) powder, Dry Ginger(Sauntth) powder, cut almonds, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, Cardamom in the Liquid syrup of Jageeryand mix well.

Take little amounts of the mixture, shape it into small balls similar to a lemon and put it on a plate. Keep Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls (MethiLadoos) in open air for 4-5 hours.

The sweet is ready, keep them in an air tight container and eat one sweet ball every morning or evening with warm milk. This prevents pain in joints, back and pain due to the cold.

CARROT CAKE SNACKS BITE-

Ingredients-

21/4 cups shreddedcarrots
3/4cups date (about 10 large dates)
2/3cups coconut (shredded or flaked)
1/2cups walnuts
1/2cups sunflowerseeds
1 teaspooncinnamon
1/4teaspoons groundginger
1/8cups toasted sesame seeds
1/8cups shreddedcoconut.
1/8cups chopped almonds

Preparation

In a food processor, blend all the snack bite ingredients together.Scoop out full grinded mixture in a bowl and roll it into a ball.

Roll the balls in sesame seeds, coconut, or chopped almonds for additional crunch. Use the listed optional ingredients to determine the amount of sesame seeds, coconut, or almonds you need.

Store refrigerated or in an air tight container.

Spinach with Chickpeas Green salad-

Ingredient–

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, diced
300g frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
400gtin chickpeas and green peas, drained and boiled.
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation: Take 400gm of chickpeas and green peas in a pressure cooker. Add half a litre water to it and cook till 4 whistle blow. Let it cool for some time. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add and Cook the garlic and onion in the oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add and Stir in the spinach, chickpeas, green peas, cumin and salt. Use your stirring spoon to lightly mash the beans as the mixture cooks. Allow to cook until it getsthoroughly heated. Serve it hot.

Green Greek Smoothies-

Ingredients-

Cup freshly cut pieces of kiwi.
A bowl of Greek yogurt.
½ cup of milk.
Pinch of grounded cardamom.
1 tsp of (water) soaked chia seeds
Fresh Mint Leaves

In a blender,place kiwi, yogurt and milk and blend it for about 1 minute or until smooth.Pour into the glass, and sprinkle with cardamom. Garnish with mint leaves and add 1 tsp of soaked chia seed on it. Serve immediately.

Tip- You can also try other winter fruits and veggies– like oranges, apple, spinach, Beets instead of Kiwi.

Try these healthy and delicious winter warming recipes. And, don’t let the cold weather keep you from enjoying fresh homemade foods. Let’s Enjoy!

December 13, 2018 By Dr Darshana Salve 7 Comments

Nail matters!

Every second person is eagerly waiting for rains so that we get relief from this scorching heat. But, as we welcome monsoon, it brings along with it hub of infections too. Monsoons play a perfect breeding ground for all vector- borne, viruses, fungus and parasites.

Humidity in air and excessive sweating tends to favor fungus to grow and multiply at a rapid rate. Fungus needs moisture and warmth, and monsoon provides it a conducive atmosphere to thrive and multiply.

Types of fungal infection:

Tinea Cruris / Ringworm
Candidiasis
Fungal Infection of Nails (Onychomycosis)
Tinea Alba (Pityriasis Alba)
Tinea Versicolor (Pityriasis Versicolor)
Pityriiasis Rosea

Out of the above list, fungal infection of nails aka Onychomycosisis the most neglected one.

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of the nails that causes discoloration, thickening, and separation from the nail bed with/without foul smell. Onychomycosis occurs in 10% of the general population, 20% of persons older than 60 years. It is caused by a variety of organisms, but most cases are caused by dermatophytes. The risk of onychomycosis is 1.9 to 2.8 times higher in persons with diabetes compared with the general population. Onychomycosis affects toenails more often than fingernails because of their slower growth, reduced blood supply, and frequent confinement in dark, moist environments (eg- shoes).

Treatment:

Antifungals medicines are widely used for the treatment of onychomycosis. Treatment of Onychomycosis is widely believed to be only a cosmetic problem, but it can be uncomfortable and can lead to cellulitis (bacterial infection involving the inner layers of the skin) in older adults and foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. Eradication of the infection is a key to improving appearance and avoiding these complications, but it is not easily accomplished because nails are made of keratin, which is nonvascular and impermeable to many agents. Because of poor drug delivery to nails, results of treatment may not be apparent for a year.

Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, possessing fungicidal and anti-bacterial properties that make it popular in treating toenail fungus. 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil + 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil. Apply this mixture with the help of the cotton ball to the affected nail 2 times daily or add 4-5 drops of tea tree oil in enough water to soak your feet for 15-20 minutes.

Rub Coconut oil onto the area and let it absorb and dry naturally. Repeat 2-3 times daily. Wear gloves or wash your hands between applications (if you have more than one affected nail.

Topical Mentholated ointment (Vicks Vaporub) is also used to treat onychomycosis. Apply it regularly to the affected nail at night.

But all said and done, Prevention is better than cure!

The best way to avoid fungal infections is to maintain a high level of hygiene.

Always keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed. Cut them straight and file down the thickened areas. Also make sure that they are dry and clean. After having bath, dry the toenails and even the area between the toes.
Avoid putting your hands or feet in water constantly.
Watch out for your manicures and pedicures. If the manicure or pedicure is done in a wrong way or with using contaminated instruments then you are at risk for developing onychomycosis.
Too much nail polish and or wearing artificial nails tends to trap moisture, which will allow the fungi to thrive.
Do not tear the skin around the nails or trim it. The slightest injury or cut allows the fungi to enter the nail.
Wear clean dry cotton socks, which will absorb the moisture and keep your feet dry. It is a good habit to remove your shoes occasionally especially after exercising.

7) Always wash your legs with soap and water after coming from out especially during the rainy season where we tend to step into dirty puddles.

Happy Feet = Happy Monsoon…..Enjoy!