Hetal Chheda, Author at GOQii

October 30, 2023 By Hetal Chheda 1 Comment

Everyday foods for Memory and Concentration

Relax!!! You are not the only one. We all cruise in the same boat. These are common concerns that every parent faces.

The key to concentration, memory and intelligence to a great extent depends on the food that a child eats. It is very vital that a child’s food be balanced and most of us fail to understand this.

We come across a variety of food items on a daily basis and also practically use them in our own kitchen. But, we barely know of its potent usages.

Yes, some of the responses to the curious questions above are in our very own kitchen. Let us explore the foods that help our kids concentrate and intensify their memory.

ALMONDS:

These little brown coloured ovals also called ‘Badam’ is preferably the world’s healthiest food stuff. Almond is generally rich in proteins. Protein helps repair brain cells and boosts cognitive functions. Almonds contain the mineral Zinc which acts as an antioxidant in the body that competes against the free radicals which otherwise attack and breakdown brain cells.

Vitamin B6 and E promote brain health and also slackens the ageing of brain cells; which eventually harms the memory. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids present in almonds upsurge intellectual levels. Magnesium promotes the strengthening of brain nerves.

RED ONION:

Red Onions have decent levels of anthocyanin and quercetin. Researchers propose that flavonoids including the anthocyanin’s have the ability to prevent age-related brain impairment. It also enhances memory. Anthocyanin inhibits neuro-inflammation, activating synaptic signalling, and improving blood flow to the brain. This makes it an excellent memory food.

A 2005 study by Hokkaido Tokai University scientists concluded that di-n-propyl trisulphide, a sulphur compound found in onions, improves memory impairment.

INDIAN GOOSEBERRY:

Indian gooseberry, popularly known as Amla is a fantastic brain food. We all have memories of our parents feeding us chyawanprash (prepared using Amla) as they believed Amla increases memory. Our Indian beliefs do have some scientific evidences that prove them right.

The antioxidants present in Amla fights against the free radicals in the body which otherwise attack and breakdown brain cells. Vitamin-C content of Amla in it helps in the production of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter which improves brain activity. The iron content in Amla facilitates oxygen transportation, preventing brain degeneration.

WATER:

Yes, water. It is an absolute surprise!

Brain gets its electrical energy from water which keeps the brain functions going including thought and memory. Water is also needed for the production of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. Now, when you provide enough water to your brain you will be able to think faster, be more focused, and experience greater clarity and creativity. Daily hydration is required for optimal brain function as brain cannot store water.

FATTY FISH:

Brain requires essential fatty acids like Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. We need to include it in our regime as the body cannot process these acids. Fatty fish as the name suggests is filled with good fats – Omega 3 and Omega 6. Including fatty fish in the diet can boost the memory function by 15 percent. The fish highest in omegas include salmon, mackerel, sardines, rainbow trout, and albacore tuna. If you don’t like fish or eat it rarely, consider taking a fish oil supplement.

Gift your child with good and balanced nutrition and see the healthier them; booming in all facets of life. For more articles and guidance explore our Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

February 7, 2018 By Hetal Chheda 3 Comments

Self Love can help achieve Health Goals

How many of us can take compliments gracefully? A compliment certainly makes one’s day and I am sure it is true for most of us. It feels so great when someone just tells you how beautiful/handsome or good you look or you are. Any kind of compliment rejoices one.

The strongest desire and a positive thought do replace the need for such complements, I strongly believe is SELF LOVE. It is that magical key ingredient that makes you reach your health goals easily. It can be weight loss, staying fit, gain muscle mass or sleep better.

What is SELF LOVE?

Self-love is about loving each quality within you, be it good or bad. You may be fat or thin, dark or fair; who cares, just live your dream. Self-approval is something that we all require. Remove the negativity and bring in positive thoughts about yourself. And above all, you should feel good about yourself.

How SELF-LOVE helps us achieve the health goals?

With this special ingredient called self-love health goals can be achieved easily. Yes, you heard me right. Health goals and self-love complement each other.

We all know the power of law of attraction when it comes to money, home or children. This law of attraction also works for achieving your health goals like weight loss, running a marathon, exercising daily or just drinking enough water.

Just bring in positive thoughts.

Negative thoughts camouflage your belief system thinking it to be true and manifest itself into reality. Insecurity, irresponsibility, fear, stress, anxiety, desperation to lose weight fast and inferiority complex cause obesity unknowingly.

Negative thoughts and comments from others also lead to decrease in confidence level and broken self-esteem. Howmuch ever we diet or workout, we do not get the desired result unless the importance of law of attraction is understood and practised.

Self-Analysis- Ask these questions to yourself

Does your belief work on what people say?
Do you need others to praise you?
Do you get upset when you don’t find the right size of clothes for yourself
Do you lack will power to start your most desired goals?
Do you face difficulty in chasing your dreams?
Do you feel bad when you can’t eat that sweet lying in your refrigerator?
Do you wish to run a marathon but hold on due to lack of stamina or an underlying heart problem?

If your answer is YES to most of the questions above, then we surely lack SELF LOVE.

Steps to follow and conquer the world.

Law of attraction steps to reach the goals: SELF LOVE

Be patient and optimistic. This is the key towards great health.
Eliminate negativity around you.
Consistently eat healthy and exercise.
Don’t feel guilty if you reveal to everyone that you are eating less and avoiding sweets. Simply say, I am trying to make healthy changes.
Don’t read too many weight loss stories or ask anyone their story of weight loss. This will just make you desperate and negative.
Dress/Suit up and don’t forget to praise yourself. When you say, ‘My tummy is too big or I have double chin’ you are insulting your body·
Be confident when you socialise. You confidence can overcome all the flaws.
Take out at least 30-45mins every day for yourself in doing some recreational activity like exercising, reading, shopping etc.
Meditation eliminates negative thoughts from mind. Try and indulge in it for 5-10 minutes.
Always visualise yourself beautiful/ handsome, leaner, toned and very happy.
Jot down your goals in Present Tense like: I am 65 kgs and look gorgeous with this weight, I am running every day to become thin (Not lose weight, lose is a negative word)

It is very important for us to understand that true happiness lies in self-love and self-approval, all the desired goals become easy to achieve then. You love yourself; the world will love you back. It is important to love yourself to achieve the desired health goals…..do not wait for other’s approval

January 11, 2016 By Hetal Chheda Leave a Comment

Mother Earth’s miraculous produce-Wood Apple

Bael fruit also known as wood apple, elephant fruit, Monkey fruit, curd fruit or limonia acidissima is yet another miraculous produce by our mother earth.

This fruit is native to India, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Pakistan, Java and South East Asia. It is called as Elephant fruit because it is elephant’s favourite fruit. It tastes sour, sweet and bitter. The fruits grow between the months of October and March.

The reason I call it miraculous fruit is because it is the most sacred fruit. Ayurveda refers to the fruit of the bael as the fruit of nectar (amrutphal). It is believed that all the diseases can be cured using bael. It has its significance in spiritual (leaves offered to Lord Shiva) and Ritual purposes too.

Almost all the parts of the tree like roots, leaves, seeds, the branches are utilized for medicinal purposes. I have some memories of this fruits as a child,’ Every time I saw this fruit I would ask my mom to buy it for me, because it tastes very sbenefits our at times she would deny.’ Little did we both know about the benefits this fruit has in curing day to day ailments and it is the best home remedy for almost all ailments? It is meant for all can cure all age groups ranging from children to geriatrics.

What are the benefits of eating this fruit (Roots, leaves, stem)

Diabetes

Juice from the leaves of this tree helps in managing the blood sugar level as well as urination among diabetic person.

Hypertension

Bael leaf juice (boil dried bael leaves in water) helps in managing the hypertension.

Appetite enhancer

It enhances the appetite if bael leaves powder is taken continuous for some days.

Indigestion and Constipation

Wood apple cures the problem of indigestion and constipation if it is consumed daily (not more than a cup) with jaggery for 2-3 months.

Removes toxins

Bael when consumed with black pepper and salt regularly will help in removing toxins from the body. This cleanses the colon.

Prevents breast cancer in women

Bael is anti-proliferative and inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Regularizes Progesterone hormone

Eating Bael fruit helps the secretion of progesterone hormone.

Increases breast milk production

It is very beneficial for lactating mother as this helps increase the milk production when combined with dry Giner and Jaggery.

Apart from these many other benefits have been noted. It helps in keeping the skin and hair healthy. It is anti-inflammatory, cures acidity and respiratory disease. The benefits are endless.

What are you waiting for, just grab this green coloured magic and see it work on you.

November 30, 2015 By Hetal Chheda 2 Comments

Lactose Intolerance among children and food substitutes that help

Lactose Intolerance is a bigger problem than the letters in the word itself. Now this is a condition in which the body has a hard time digesting milk sugar (lactose), a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products.

There is an enzyme called lactase which is produced in the small intestine. This breaks down the sugar lactose present in milk and other dairy products. Kids who are lactose intolerant have less or no production of this enzyme LACTASE.

How will a little baby or a toddler explain that, ‘Mom, I can’t digest your breast feed or the top milk that you are feeding me’. Along with the child it is too much of a challenge firstly for the mother that her child cannot digest milk. Milk is usually the food for first 6 months in any child’s life.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS

Unexplained crying,
Abdominal/Lower belly pain
Loose or foamy stools/diarrhea
Gurgling sound in the tummy
nausea,
bloating,
flatulence

STEPS TO BE TAKEN

ELIMINATE

Parents should systematically eliminate milk and other dairy products from their child’s diet. Avoidance is the best treatment.

REINTRODUCE

The dairy products like yogurt and cheese can be reintroduced overtime. The symptoms post introduction should be noticed. If there is no problem other milk products and diluted milk can be introduced. If there are negative symptoms then stop immediately.

UNDERSTAND

Some kids can tolerate small amounts of milk products or certain types of milk products without problems while others cannot tolerate even little.

HOW TO MEET THE CALCIUM REQUIREMENTS

A big challenge for people whose kids are lactose-intolerant is learning how to eat to avoid discomfort and to get enough calcium for healthy bones.

Although it is definitely possible for children to get the calcium they need for strong bones without dairy.

Broccoli, brussels sprouts, dried figs, and sardines are among the most calcium-rich non-dairy foods, Other foods that contain good amount of calcium are Tofu, sesame seeds, ragi, almonds, Moong, kidney beans, urad dal, Chana, Amaranth and curry leaves.

Try and add one of these food items in every meal.

LITERAL MILK SUBSTITUTES FOR OVER 6 MONTH OLDS

YOGURT

If a child is lactose intolerant, there are chances that he/she is partially intolerant and in some cases may be able to digest yogurt. This is because yogurt has active bacterial cultures and also has less lactose as compared to milk. Yogurt may cause less bloating because much of the lactose has already been broken down by its ‘good’ bacteria.

SOY MILK

The immediate option for a child with lactose intolerance is soy milk. Some kids may reject it initially due to its taste but eventually get used to it. Do not opt for the flavoured versions instead go for natural.

However, if your child has a milk allergy which is different from lactose intolerance he or she may also be allergic to soy milk. Avoid using soy milk as a substitute for anyone with a milk allergy.

OTHER KINDS OF MILK

Goat, sheep, cow and Buffalo milk doesn’t help a child’s symptom because all milk from mammals contains lactose. However, for kids who don’t enjoy drinking soy milk there are some more options. Almond milk, which is loaded with magnesium and vitamin E. Rice milk, has almost no saturated fat and plenty of vitamin B12. Coconut milk, tastes creamy like cow’s milk. Other vegetable milks include oat and cashew. The only drawback is that these milks don’t work well with cooking.

· CHEESE

Fermented cheeses have less lactose than other dairy products so a child may be able to tolerate them. It is a very good source of calcium and protein as well. Examples of hard or aged cheeses that are low in lactose are Swiss, Parmesan, and blue cheese. Now days, it is easy to find these cheese in metro cities.

INFANTS

For infants with lactose intolerance, formulas that contain no lactose can be used. Similac is an example of a milk-based formula that contains corn-syrup solids rather than lactose as its carbohydrate calorie source. Many soy-protein formulas also do not contain lactose and are suitable for lactose intolerant infants.

HIDDEN LACTOSE FOODS-WATCHOUT

If the child craves for ice cream parents generally substitute with sherbet. Ready-made sherbet does contain some dairy, but it’s a low-lactose food, Sherbet is a good example of a hidden source of lactose because you probably don’t think of it as a dairy product.

Other hidden sources of lactose include ready to eat soups, salad dressings, and processed breakfast foods. There is always a way out. A child can grow very normally without having milk in his/her diet. A mother will just have to substitute by providing foods rich in proteins and calcium that can completely substitute milk.

Everyday foods for Memory and Concentration

Self Love can help achieve Health Goals

Mother Earth’s miraculous produce-Wood Apple

Lactose Intolerance among children and food substitutes that help

· CHEESE

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