Shimpli Patil, Author at GOQii

She is passionate about Nutrition and that explains Shimpli’s Master’s degree in Foods, Nutrition and Dietetics. This topper from Mumbai University also has a certification in Food Processing and Preservation and in Nutrition and Exercise for Fitness. That’s not all; she has a keen interest in the area of product development and has worked on the development of protein fortified chocolates in collaboration with Cadbury India Pvt Ltd, as a part of MSc. RnD. For over 3 years now she has been practicing as a clinical nutrition consultant. Shimpli is also a trained dancer from Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts and strongly believes that dance is the best exercise for Mind and Body and when dance is combined with the right nutrition it is the correct recipe for a healthier and fitter lifestyle.

April 22, 2018 By Shimpli Patil 9 Comments

Did you know you can burn fat just by breathing?

You must have heard from your doctor that you can do without food and water for 3 days but, you cannot go without oxygen or breathing even for 3 minutes. Oxygen is life!!

We cannot see it but, we can feel it. Oxygen performs several functions in our body but, yet taken for granted by all of us.

Oxygen energizes our body and detoxifies the blood by neutralizing the free radicals that enter our body through pollution. It further strengthens the immune system, alleviates migraine/headaches, improves our endurance and performance, and relieves us of stress.

These are no doubt some amazing benefits of Oxygen but, the major benefit that draws attention is the connection of Oxygen with weight loss. Well, that’s a new one you have heard?

We all know that the first requisite for weight loss is burning more calories than we consume. Surprisingly, we can burn more calories just by breathing!

Let’s understand how-

Oxygen is needed for every metabolic process, in fact, the fat combustion occurs more efficiently in the presence of adequate Oxygen. Thus, the optimum oxygen level is as important as the exercise itself if we are aiming to burn fat and lose those stubborn pounds. With less oxygen, our metabolic processes slow down and thus fat storage takes charge and we gain weight.

Moreover, Oxygen is the “food” for our body cells. If our cells are surrounded by a good amount of oxygen, then our tissues and organs have their “fuel” in abundance and most likely will function efficiently. On the contrary, if our cells are not properly fuelled up, the message to our brain is “feed us.” This simply means that we overeat or eat without any reason/hunger if we do not oxygenate our cells well. If most of our energy is derived from oxygen, and the rest is derived from food and water, wouldn’t it lead to a lesser caloric intake and thus aid in weight loss?

Research shows that, over the past 10,000 years, the oxygen level on the earth has reduced by approximately 50%. We humans have got adapted to a climate less rich in oxygen. This has made us inefficient breathers and our bodies have had no other choice but to get used to it.

We can definitely get better at breathing oxygen and actually take in more, thus firing up our metabolic processes and burning fat effectively.

*Firstly, we should do some outdoor exercising. Any open environment (your terrace/garden, etc) will do rather than doing it between the 4 walls of your house. Even if we live in a cramped city, the oxygen levels outside are way better than inside.

*Exercise at such an intensity that you feel the need to breathe more. As your heart rate shoots up and you start sweating profusely, your breathing rate will also increase in order to match up. Take deeper breaths throughout.

*We need to ensure that our back and neck are straight. This would let in more oxygen.

*More you breathe oxygen, better the energy and endurance, allowing you to work out longer-thus paving the way for effective weight loss. Simple logic, isn’t it?

*We have one more opportunity to take in more oxygen and burn fat in a better way. It’s the time before or after eating or during eating. Take in 5 deep breaths before you start the meal or after you are done with the meal or you can do it while eating if you find it comfortable. Believe me; this has worked wonders for many! The fat break down occurs excellently.

Make the most out of this freely available resource and surprise your body with its wonderful effects!

Breathe more and feel the difference!

January 6, 2018 By Shimpli Patil 9 Comments

Body detoxification – A way to rejuvenate and re-energize

Most of us are worried when we put on that little extra weight. Recently, one of my pals came to me cribbing about her weight gain. she said that she had tried every possible diet… but nothing seems to work on her! she was desperate that I do something for her.

Amidst listening to her cribs and complaints, I noticed that she looked absolutely dull and was feeling terribly lethargic. It seemed like someone’s sucked all the energy out of her. A detailed conversation with her led me to discover that she was over-exerting herself at work and ending up binge-eating to counter stress.

This, in turn, was followed by unreasonable crash diets and excessive exercise to burn up the excess calories. Little was she aware that her body was actually in dire need of some essential nutrients which could make her healthy for the better.

Today, most of us lead a very fast-paced lifestyle. And this lifestyle is associated with certain inevitable factors such as stress, pollution, physical exertion, few negative habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking etc. As one’s body gets continuously exposed to these factors, there comes a point wherein the body gives up. The body gets weighed down by huge amounts of toxins which essentially needs to be flushed out.

These toxins include waste products that result from normal cell activity, such as ammonia, and also the chemicals that we consume almost daily through the air, water and food like flavoured enhancers, food colours, pesticides and preservatives. A cumulative load of these toxins is known to slow down the body metabolism which in turn results in weight gain and other health-related issues such as indigestion, impaired immune function, low energy levels, lethargy, fatigue, poor concentration, headache, dull skin and so on.

The body has its own ways of detoxifying itself. The liver is the main organ which has detoxification as its primary function. The other organs like intestine, kidneys, lungs, skin and blood work together with the liver to ensure that toxins are transformed into less harmful substances and excreted from the body via urine, stools, sweat or breath.

Just as your car engine needs servicing so that it runs better, your body organs also need to be cleaned at regular intervals so that they perform their functions well and at a faster rate. One way to cleanse your body is through food by including various detox foods into your diet.

Detox foods include the ones that are power packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and water. The antioxidants neutralize the toxic free radicals that are generated due to stress, excessive exercise, air pollution, etc. whereas fibre and water draw out and eliminate toxins by increasing the frequency of bowel movements and urination.

While detox dieting is a great way of cleaning your body internally, it can be beneficial to lose weight as well.

How is that possible? As detox foods cleanse the liver by flushing out the toxins, it actually gives relief to the liver by reducing its workload. This gives the liver a chance to focus on its next important function which is fat metabolism. Thus, many of whom I know have found that detox dieting is a wonderful way to kick off those extra kilos or to get over a weight loss plateau. Apart from weight loss, the other benefits of detox foods include improved digestion, regular bowel movements, and improved energy levels, lowered levels of fatigue, improved concentration and glowing skin.

Now the next big question is how often should you detoxify yourself? According to me, at least once a week and preferably choose a day which is followed by what you call “a cheat day”. So after having an exhaustive week and a fun-filled Sunday where you break free and grab that cup-cake or a pan pizza, Monday is a perfect day to detoxify yourself. A detox food menu would ideally include colourful fruits, all kinds of veggies – either stir-fried or in the form of soup/juice/salad, beans and lentils, nuts and dry fruits, oats, beverages such as green tea, coconut water, Aloe Vera juice and many more.

Remember, we are keeping the proteins at bay just to avoid burdening our digestive system and kidneys with extra work as proteins are heavy to metabolize. Thus, milk, cheese, butter, cream, eggs, meat and meat products are out of the list. Other foods to keep away during detox include wheat products, excessive sugar, unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fats), processed foods, artificial sweeteners, caffeine and alcohol- that goes without saying!

A detox diet will, therefore, rejuvenate your system, re-energize you and gear you up for all the meetings and assignments lined up for the week. A word of caution here –Pregnant and nursing women shouldn’t go for Detox diet. Otherwise, it’s an amazing experience. So get started with it and feel the difference.

December 16, 2017 By Shimpli Patil Leave a Comment

The Brain-boosting foods

We are very well aware that what we eat affects our body. Not-so-surprisingly, it also affects our mood, the brain functioning, our memory, and even our ability to think, handle stress or simple daily tasks.

Maintaining weight and staying fit shouldn’t be the only goal, but we also need to make sure we eat the right foods so that our body functions at its best and our organs stay healthy too. I would now like to throw some light on the high-powered organic engine of our body- The Brain!

Our brain regulates innumerable complex functions in our body and is constantly working even when we sleep! It stores an incredible amount of information in the form of images, texts and concepts.

We need to ensure that we constantly supply the fuel that our brain needs for its round the clock functioning. The best fuel for our brain is- Glucose, which is obtained from the carbohydrate-rich foods that we consume- Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.

Apart from this main driving fuel, our brain also requires certain specific nutrients just like our heart, lungs or muscles do, to run efficiently.

Nutrients like Vitamin E, iron, folate, essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA), vitamin C, B12, zinc, etc. play a vital role in our cognitive functioning.

Let’s have a look at the foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy-

1) Nuts-

Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, are extremely good for the brain and nervous system. They are packed with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. Our brain is made up of 60% fat and low levels of good fats in food and body can contribute to depression, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Vitamin E has been shown to prevent dementia by protecting the brain from free radicals.

2) Fatty Fish-

The active form of omega-3 fats, i.e. EPA and DHA, occur naturally in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, etc. Make sure you do not fry these fish as Omega 3 gets destroyed at high temperatures. Steaming or grilling is the best method to cook fish.

DHA is an essential during pre and postnatal brain development. In infants, DHA is needed for the growth of brain cells and other brain structures. It has not only shown to improve memory but also prevents the age-related memory loss. Greater incorporation of DHA into cell membranes prevents the brain, especially the neurons from oxidative stress.

3) Dark Green Leafy Vegetables-

Vegetables like collard greens, spinach, broccoli are good sources of B complex vitamins, beta-carotene, iron, folic acid, fibre, etc. These nutrients protect against free radicals and excavate the heavy metals that can damage the brain.

Folic acid is linked to lowering the levels of homocysteine ( a non-protein amino acid) in the blood, which otherwise may trigger the death of nerve cells in the brain.

4) Avocados-

This creamy treat is a rich source of MUFA, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It also comes with many antioxidants of its own, including vitamin E and Vitamin C, which protects the body and the brain from free radical damage.

5) Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds

They are packed with Vitamin E and contain a rich mix of protein, omega fatty acids, and B complex vitamins. These seeds also contain tryptophan, which the brain converts into serotonin to boost mood and combat depression.

We can sprinkle them on top of our salad or consume directly as a snack… well, I would say, a Brain-boosting Snack!

6) Berries:

These are antioxidant powerhouse which protects the brain from oxidative damage due to the free radicals which can prevent premature ageing, Alzheimer’s and dementia. The flavonoids in the berries also improve the nervous impulse transmission, improve memory, learning, and all cognitive functions.

7) Dark Chocolate:

Here’s a good news for the chocolate lovers! The flavonols in chocolate improve blood vessel functioning, which in turn ensures smooth flow of blood to the brain thereby improving our cognitive functions and memory. Chocolate also stabilizes our mood and eases our pain (goes without saying). Hey, but not to forget, moderation is the key! 2 pieces of 70-80% dark chocolate are more than enough to keep our mood and the brain cells happy.

It’s a list of simple foods that are easily available and we do consume these on and off. We can now pay a special attention to them and consume them more often to keep our Brain super-healthy!

October 31, 2017 By Shimpli Patil 1 Comment

Did you know? Water is a Super-nutrient – Part II

So how do you create the need to drink water

In my first part we looked at how water is an important nutrient in our body and why it is important to keep ourselves hydrated. In this second part I will tell you how do you keep yourself hydrated?

The answer is very simple – Keeping a bottle of water handy and sipping on it whenever you look at it. Personally this has worked well for me as I myself was terrible at water intake at one point in time. I could hardly drink even a litre throughout the day. Luckily, I was very well aware of the reason and I decided to overcome this problem.

Before stepping out of the house, I made sure that I have carried my water bottle. I followed this for quite a while and now it’s become a habit. If I deprive myself of water now, I can feel my cells and organs screaming out loud for water! My mouth starts to feel the dryness, ad to that the feeling of dullness and low energy, concentration level dips and my head starts aching if I am not well hydrated. These are some physiological signals that my body sends which compel me to grab a bottle of water immediately. Thus, once you make your body cells habituated to drinking enough water, your body makes sure you drink enough of it by sending you the thirst cues more often, thus creating the need to drink!

Now the question is how much water is enough for you?

There are different recommendations for water intake. A rule of thumb is one should drink about 3 litres (12 glasses) of water per day. However, different people need different amounts of water to stay hydrated. For some people, fewer than 8 glasses may be enough. Those who indulge in lot of physical activities and exercise have higher water requirements. The best way to check if you are well hydrated is to check your urine. If your urine is consistently colorless or light yellow, you are most likely to be optimally hydrated. Many a times, increasing your water intake may also increase your rounds to the washroom.

My answer to this problem is that, one should divide the water intake throughout the day instead of drinking 1 bottle at one shot. It’s always worked if you drink 1 glass of water every hour. This reduces the frequency to visit the washroom often and makes sure you are well hydrated throughout the day.

Let me summarize a few tips for staying hydrated

When you are out, consider carrying a reusable water bottle so that it could be re-filled with water once it’s empty. This can also make it easy for you to track how much water you actually drank through the day.
If plain water doesn’t fascinate you, try squeezing a lemon to your drink
Ensure that you drink water before, during and after your workout.
Begin and end your day with a glass of water
When you feel hungry, drink water. This will help you find if it’s just the thirst or you are actually hungry. True hunger will not be satisfied by drinking water.
Prepare a schedule if you have trouble remembering to drink water. For instance, drink water when you wake up; at breakfast, lunch and dinner; and when you go to bed or as I mentioned before, drink a small glass of water at the top of each hour.
Drink water when you go to a restaurant. It not only keeps you hydrated but also keeps you full so that you eat in controlled portions.

Take-away message: Stay well- hydrated, keep glowing and keep fit!