Vrushali comes from a Public health nutrition background. Masters in the field of Public Health Nutrition, she has worked with a leading international NGO as a nutrition consultant on various projects for addressing malnutrition in children, pre and post pregnancy diets and importance of diet for adolescent girls. She also speaks at several nutrition awareness programmes organized by the Government to educate the villagers as well as block, district and state level government officials. She is a certified Master trainer for “Infant Young Child Feeding Practices” and has conducted various sessions for pregnant & lactating women, care takers, hospital staff and adolescent girls through interactive, theoretical and role plays. She has been working to spread nutrition awareness among both the rural and urban population through various mediums like radio talk shows, street plays, school and college events and by counseling patients in hospitals. She strongly believes in the old saying “health is wealth”. “Being healthy for me is to be healthy both physically and mentally. I use my hobbies like listening to music and art (creativity) profoundly to be mentally fit and swimming and dancing to stay physically fit,” She ssays.

About Vrushali Athavle

July 10, 2018 By Vrushali Athavle 2 Comments

SWEET POTATO – Best workout meal

You must have heard of protein shakes and eggs as good work out meals. But, have you heard of Sweet Potatoes as a workout meal?

Well, the Sweet potato is a large, starchy, sweet tasting tuberous root vegetable which is usually consumed by people only during fast. But, apart from having it as a fasting food, the other best time to consume sweet potato is either before or after your regular ‘moderate to intense’ workouts.

Referring to my previous blog on “Pre and Post Workout meals” (https://goqii.com/blog/pre-and-post-workout-meals-is-it-important/) where I mentioned the importance of having carbohydrates before your workout to keep you energetic throughout the exercise regime and post workout to replenish the depleted stores and to help the recovery process faster, SWEET POTATO is one of the best choices. One should have approximately 100 gms of boiled sweet potatoes.

How does it work?

Sweet potatoes have natural sugar and complex carbohydrates which are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy without sudden blood sugar spikes. When you consume them before a workout, it gives you a slow and steady form of energy and hence keep’s you energetic throughout the workout. Post workout sweet Potatoes help to replenish the glycogen stores which are lost during the workout.

Also, there are lots of water-soluble nutrients and electrolytes which are lost during your workouts. To replenish them, SWEET POTATO is the best choice once again. It is a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals. Let us have a look at all of them:

Magnesium: It is called a relaxation and anti-stress mineral. This clearly says that grab on the sweet potato to relieve stress (mental or physical).

Potassium: Helps in relaxing muscle contractions, reducing swellings and controlling kidney activities.

Vitamin B 6: Helps maintain healthy brain and normal nerve function. It also helps in forming red blood cell.

Vitamin C (powerful healer): This vitamin not only helps to ward off cold and flu viruses but also plays a crucial role in bone and tooth formation, digestion and blood cell formation. Helps wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s elasticity thus keeping you young and beautiful.

Vitamin A (a powerful antioxidant): Keep’s your eyesight perfect and keeps your immune system boosted to fight against any diseases.

Vitamin D: It is crucial to maintaining your overall health as it is critical for the immune system. It plays an important role in keeping our energy levels boosted, controls mood swings and helps to build healthy bones, heart, nerves, skin and teeth and also it supports the thyroid gland to function effectively.

Iron: Necessary for red and white blood cell production

Apart from using it as the best workout food, sweet potato serves as a great choice for people who are trying to lose weight. Isn’t that great? Let’s look into it.

Sweet potato is high on fibre. Fibre is bulky and hence will occupy a lot of space in your stomach making you feel full for a long period of time, thus preventing one from overeating. i.e. You won’t feel hungry for a long time.
Sweet potato has high water content so just like fibre; water takes up a lot of room in your stomach making you feel full and will prevent overeating and snacking between meals. This will help both in your weight loss goals and will also help you prevent the weight from coming back on.
Lastly, it is low on calories, so people keeping a watch on calories can just go for it.

To conclude, include sweet potatoes in your routine and not only during the fast as it is one of the best workout meals and also helps with weight loss. If sweet potato is eaten along with its skin, which is an excellent source of insoluble fibre, it may prevent constipation and diverticulitis. It also contains soluble fibre which may help control cholesterol.

April 16, 2018 By Vrushali Athavle Leave a Comment

KOKUM: The healing and cooling spice

Recently, my mother called to check if I had finished the Kokum juice and dried Kokum that she had given me when I had visited her during the summers. I have been having Kokum for so many years but had never checked its nutritional content. It always acted as a rescue food in most of the digestive illness which my family suffered. Today, I however thought to check more about it and share with all of you.

Kokum’s botanical name is Garcinia indica. It is a tiny fruit which is red in colour when it is raw and turns into deep purple when it ripens. It is then dried and used as a culinary and medicinal agent in most of the houses.

Nutritional value:

Nutritional value of Kokum is amazing. It is low in calories, no saturated fats and high in fiber. Apart from this it is rich in Vitamin C and also contains vital minerals such as Potassium, Manganese and Magnesium.WOW! What a power packed food.

I very well know about its contribution in fighting all the digestive issues but when researched more about it, here is what I found.

Benefits of Kokum:

Anti-oxidants: Kokum fruits are packed with antioxidants which ensure protection from all the worldly diseases. It also promotes cell regeneration and repair which makes it an important nutrient to consider for cancer patients. It’s anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties stops the growth of cancerous cells.
Get rid on your allergies:It can be used as an application to get relief from any allergic skin rashes. Applying kokum butter on cracked heal has proved to be an excellent cure for my mother which she shared with me. Kokum butter, an emollient similar to shea or cocoa butter, is often used in cosmetics such as lipsticks, moisturizing creams, conditioners and soaps.
Beat the body heat:People store them to use it as a coolant and refreshing drink in scorching summer heat. It can be used as thirst quencher throughout the year by adding to your bottle of water.
Get relief from all digestive issues:

* Constipation: Approximately 500 mg of dried kokum fruits if taken at night, helps to ease constipation.

* Hyper acidity: In 1 liter of water, drop 6 to 7 dried kokum and keep sipping it throughout the day to get relief from acidity.

* Flatulence: Make a nice mixture of kokum, ginger, organic honey and get quick relief from flatulence, stomach pain and gaseous distention.

* Indigestion: Due to lot of travelling my husband faces a lot of indigestion problems. Kokum has always helped him to get quick relief. He remembers to carry Kokum along with black pepper wherever he goes. Add it to your water and sip it.

Apart from all these, name any gastric and digestive issues like piles, fistula, dysentary, kokum has shown wonders. Not to forget about its antihelmintic (against worms) properties. You can give it to your kids to cleanse their system too.

Aids in weight loss: The hypocholesterolaemic agent, suppresses the activity of the enzymes responsible for conversion of calories into fat. It induces weight loss by hindering with the process of lipogenesis (fatty acid synthesis).

Side-effects and Precautions: The fruits of Gracinia indica shouldn’t be used in excess. Milk and milk products should be used after one hour.

Use of Kokum:

The dried version of kokum is used in daily preparation in most of the Marathi, Gujarati, Konkan, Kerala and Goan cuisines. They are added to veggies, dals and curries to give it a sour taste and obviously reap its other benefits too.

Let me end the blog by sharing a recipe: Goan speciality known as ‘Solkadi’

Soak 10 to 12 kokum rinds in 1/2 cup of water for about half an hour. Next squeeze them and add 2 cups of warm water and 2 cups of coconut milk to it. Add salt and temper it with mustard seeds, cumin, garlic, asafoetida and red chillies. Enjoy this delicious recipe with after you meals or with rice.

January 8, 2018 By Vrushali Athavle Leave a Comment

Gender Specific Workouts- A myth

How often have we asked this question of which work out is the best for me? How many of us have this myth that gyms workouts are specific to genders? Many of us do. Many a myth abounds regarding workouts and what is good for me and what is not?

It was a while before my friend and her husband decided to join the gym. I helped the couple with their Gym shopping such as shoes, water bottle, gym apparels, gym bag etc. And therefore all the more curious to know how was their first day at the Gym?

But, unfortunately, my friend’s first-day experience at the gym was very disappointing as was felt from her facial expressions. She was totally dissatisfied with her workout. Her first question to me was: “Hey I want to get in shape and lose this damn belly. I don’t want to look muscular”.

When did I ask her what had happened and what was the reason for her disappointment? She told me the reason and I burst into a laugh. But, on second thoughts I was not surprised hearing her reason. Most women gym goers are of the impression that they have special needs and that if they trained in a similar way as a man did, then they would start looking muscular like a guy

I calmed her down and explained how this was not true and that there is nothing called gender specific workouts. This whole concept of gender-specific workouts is an inbuilt inhibition of our own self. Physiologically speaking, women don’t need different workout plans. The reason being women do not have testosterone hormone which is responsible for building up massive muscles. Hence lifting heavier weights will not lead to building huge muscles unless you are supplementing it with additional testosterone.

Secondly, women tend to develop muscles at about half the rate at which men do. Therefore women who either altogether avoid lifting weights or only lift very light dumbbells for a high number of repetitions should stop having thoughts about developing huge muscles overnight.

The determination to work out or exercise on a regular basis is not about man vs. woman. It varies from individual to individual and what each person needs to be based on their body type and fitness levels.

One should make sure that you do not let anyone tell you what to do and what not to do. If you ever have a doubt you should speak to your personal trainer or coach. Your determining factor should be whether or not it is for you based on many over factors way beyond that.

The only time when a possible change in workouts may come about is during pre and post pregnancy or due to other medical conditions and advised by the doctor

Thus, safely we can conclude, both men and women need to apply the same general principles of weight training for improved fat burning and body toning, cardio for keeping the heart healthy, proper diet and enough rest to ensure overtraining doesn’t set in.

October 19, 2017 By Vrushali Athavle 1 Comment

TULSI- Solution to all ailments

Tulsi or Basil leaves is a small light green to dark purple coloured plant, which is often seen to be grown in front off or near houses in a special pot or special small masonry structures in almost every Indian home. Whether you like keeping plants at home or not, this sacred and medicinal plant is seen in every house. It is considered sacred in India and a manifestation of goddess Tulsi, a consort of God Vishnu.

Talking about its medicinal properties, Tulsi is classified as an adaptogen: It adapts itself to whatever ailment the body is experiencing. Name any body part, beginning from your head, eyes, mouth, throat, stomach, or kidney, Tulsi has a cure for it.

Its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a much talked about the herbal plant in medicine…

Let’s quickly go through some of them:

Head: In heating summer, by applying the paste of crushed Tulsi and Chandan will give you immediate cooling and relief from headaches.
Eyes: Dark Tulsi is known to be rich in Vitamin A and hence no doubt that it helps in curing eye soreness and night blindness.
Mouth: Soaking Tulsi seeds in water at night and consuming it in the morning along with milk will surely give you relief from mouth ulcers. I have tried this and it has benefited me by giving immediate relief.
Teeth: A paste made by sun drying the tulsi leaves and mixing them with mustard oil is known to maintain dental health and gives you relief from bad mouth odour.
Nose, throat, and chest: Water boiled with basil leaves and a pinch of salt should be used to gargle to get relief from a sore throat. Almost all the ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants have tulsi as their main component, as it is known to melt the mucus giving relief to bronchitis and asthma patients.
Fever: A hot and tasty tulsi decoction made by adding cardamom, clove, coriander seeds, Jeshthamadh or Jashthamadh or Mulethi with a small amount of jaggery helps to bring down fever after one has drunk the decoction in small portions.
Kidney: In case of renal stone the juice of basil leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months will flush them via the urinary tract.

The flavonoids in tulsi leaves are believed to reduce the risk of platelets forming clots on the arterial wall, preventing coronary heart disease and heart attacks.

Tulsi juice is also beneficial in treating many of the skin infections like ringworm and other skin diseases.

Note: These are only general guidelines as a first aid. It is always better to see a doctor depending upon the intensity of the case.