Healthy Living Archives

June 30, 2020 By Neha Sharma 1 Comment

Tips To Reduce Bloating And Gas In The Stomach

Bloating and gas are the most common discomforts of the digestive system. There are many reasons why they can happen but it is important to understand the exact one so you can apply the required remedy. What causes bloating and gas though? What happens when one feels bloated?

Bloating is a build up of gas in the stomach and the intestine. The belly swells up after eating one can feel bloated. Bloating causes burping, abdominal discomfort, feeling of fullness.

Reasons for Bloating and Gas

Lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle
Less intake of fiber
Less intake of water
Food allergies
Eating too much or eating too fast
Lactose or gluten intolerance
Eating food that creates gas in the intestinal tract

Some other reasons also include pregnancy, GERD, smoking and menstrual period as well.

Preventive and Easy Home Remedies

Now that we know some of the reasons for bloating and gas, let’s check out some preventive measures and easy home remedies.

Have smaller portions of meals at a time. This will help you digest food faster and in a proper manner. More so, your stomach will have some space to breathe.
Make it a habit to walk around after meals at least for 5-10 mins as it will increase the metabolic rate and aid digestion.
Have salads on your plate as these are rich in fiber, absorb water and prevent indigestion.
Always have lukewarm lemon water with a pinch of rock salt (Not for hypertensive’s) or with a tsp of honey (Not for diabetics) after heavy and oily meals.
If one is experiencing a regular episode of bloating after eating a particular food, then an allergy test needs to be done.
Proper cooking of cruciferous veggies is required. Other veggies can be mixed with cruciferous veggies. Avoid eating them at night.
If bloating is because of gluten, then go for gluten-free food and rice products. Don’t forget to check food labels and ingredients every time you buy anything.
If you are allergic to lactose, then go for soy curd, soy milk and soy cottage cheese.
Include probiotics in every meal as these will improve the gut environment for bacteria and help in reducing bloating and gas. Try adding yogurt, curd, buttermilk with a pinch of rock salt & roasted cumin powder.
Some yoga poses can be tried 4-5 times in a week to strengthen stomach muscles and can relieve gas as well.
Make it a habit of chewing fennel seeds after your meal as it improves digestion. you can even have fennel tea (Just add 1 tsp of crushed fennel seeds or whole fennel seeds to a cup of boiling water for 10 min & after it can be sipped).
Few pieces of ginger can be taken with lemon and a pinch of rock salt to increase digestion (Not for those who have GERD) & ginger tea can be taken without milk.
Ripe bananas aid digestion. The potassium in bananas manage fluid levels that cause bloating and gas.
Chamomile tea settles an upset stomach. It has anti-inflammatory properties. So try chamomile tea or an infusion of chamomile, peppermint, lemon, balm & fennel seeds.
Cucumber water is good as it acts as a natural diuretic and contains silica which helps in removing gas.
Aloe Vera juice can be taken 1-2 times in a day to relieve gas.
Have Cumin water (Put 1-2 tsp of cumin in a cup of boiling water and have it empty stomach after 10-15 min of straining it).
Start giving priority to these natural gas releasing agents in your kitchen like asafoetida, cumin seeds and carom seeds.
Baking soda can be taken with hot water and fresh lemon to ease from bloating.
Half a tsp of Triphala powder with hot water can be taken before going to bed to make digestion faster and for a happy & healthy gut.

Last but not the least, manage stress well, as stress can affect the stomach right from the time you start thinking under pressure.

We hope this article helps you find relief from and prevent bloating and gas in the stomach. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below!

For more tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to live sessions by experts on GOQii Play within the GOQii app.

#BeTheForce

June 26, 2020 By Dr. Vaidya's Leave a Comment

5 Ways To Build Your Immunity Naturally

We take our immune systems for granted at most times. With the heightened threat of COVID-19 infection that is something, we can no longer afford to do. Boosting your immunity doesn’t require drastic action however. By digging into our rich Ayurvedic traditions we can find plenty of helpful information. In fact, Ayurveda’s primary focus has always been on disease prevention, rather than treatment. This means that it contains a vast repository of knowledge on strategies to strengthen and support natural functions, including immunity.

To make meaningful changes that improve immune function, you don’t need to adopt therapeutic practices or use nutritional supplements. While those methods will help and are supplementary, your main strategy should be to make small and natural changes to your daily lifestyle.

Proven Strategies to Build Immunity Naturally

1. Get Enough Sleep
If you wake up without feeling refreshed and feel sleepy through the day, you’re just not getting enough sleep. There are endless debates over how much sleep is adequate, but if you wake up refreshed and with high energy levels you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, most of us are sleep deprived or have disturbed sleep, which severely weakens immunity. Research that appeared in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that the risk of respiratory infections is significantly higher in people who get under 6 hours of sleep. This is because sleep deprivation leads to a rise in cortisol levels and impaired T cell function.

If you suffer from any kind of sleep disorder, you can take steps to improve sleep quality. Adopting a disciplined night time ritual will help. You can take inspiration from the dinacharya, adhering to meal, exercise, and sleep times. Avoiding exposure to digital screens, artificial lighting, and any stimulating activity is a must for a few hours before bedtime. Meditation before bedtime can also help calm the mind and prepare you for sleep. If you still have difficulty getting good sleep, you can try using Ayurvedic herbs that have adaptogenic and sedative effects like brahmi and jatamansi.

2. Find a Stress Buster
We often hear about stress as a risk factor for almost all kinds of diseases and infections. In the past this may have been based on anecdotal evidence, but that is no longer the case. Research shows a clear link between stress and increased vulnerability to infections. This is once again linked to a rise in levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reduced lymphocyte levels. Stress can also have an indirect impact on immunity. When we feel stressed and anxious we are more likely to make bad choices. A good example would be our turning to ice cream, chips, and junk as comfort foods.

Right now stress and anxiety levels are particularly high as it’s hard to stay socially isolated and trapped indoors. This makes it absolutely vital for you to adopt proven stress reduction techniques. In this context, mindfulness meditation is regarded as the most effective strategy and is even used in clinical programs to treat depression and anxiety disorder. If you need any additional support, you can also use Ayurvedic adaptogenic herbs like brahmi and ashwagandha.

3. Quit Smoking and Drinking
Nicotine and alcohol consumption are both regarded as harmful in Ayurveda because of their toxic effects. This is especially true with smoking as it has been linked to cancer and lung damage. From research, we now know that any kind of nicotine consumption is associated with such risks. Nicotine directly impairs immune function because of its adverse impact on antibody formation and T cell responses.

High intake of alcohol is also associated with severely weakened immune function. This effect is almost immediate, with a reduction in lymphocyte levels and weakened macrophage response soon after intoxication. Some of the toxic byproducts of alcohol are also known to directly damage lung function, increasing the risk of airborne illnesses.

4. Eat Smart
When it comes to diet and nutrition for immunity, Ayurveda has always been ahead of the curve. The importance of balanced nutrition, favoring natural foods with a high nutrition density has always been stressed. The importance of vitamin C from ingredients like amla has also been emphasized. Of course, to receive balanced nutrition that supports optimal immune function Ayurveda makes a broad recommendation too. The main principle here is to avoid or restrict all intake of processed foods, while opting for whole foods. This fundamental principle of Ayurvedic nutrition is now widely recognized.

Aside from increasing your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and pulses should also be included in your diet. Dahi is again important because of its natural probiotic content. This is important for the health of the gut microbiome, which researchers now recognize as critical to healthy immune function.

5. Stay Active
Ayurveda is notable as the world’s earliest medical system to recognize the importance of physical activity. Yoga has in fact been used as a form of physical therapy now for millennia. The importance of staying active for strong immune function has been validated by several modern studies. Such research shows that exercise helps through various mechanisms. It lowers stress levels and raises antibody levels. This has been shown to lower the risk of infection and significantly improve recovery.

Keep in mind that exercise to boost immunity isn’t about high intensity workouts or going to the gym. It is simply about staying active. In fact, over exercising can suppress immune function. Right now, the best choices would be activities like yoga, Pilates, dancing, and so on, as they don’t require you to step out of your home.

These are 5 of the most essential changes to strengthen your immune system. To get an added boost, you can once again turn to the wisdom of ancient Ayurveda. Herbs like amla, haridra, neem, sunth, tulsi, and ashwagandha are known to strengthen immune function and can be found in a wide range of Ayurvedic medications. Ayurvedic formulations like chyawanprash and triphala are also still highly regarded and remain the most popular antidotes to weak immunity.

We hope this article helps you. For more tips on building your immunity, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to experts on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe and #BeTheForce

June 23, 2020 By Hajra Mithani Leave a Comment

How To Control And Fight Hunger Cravings

While we’re in lockdown, for most of us, our lifestyle has become sedentary. We are undergoing mental and emotional stress which often leads to binge eating. It is natural, when we are stressed, we find outlets to overcome it and the first thing that comes to mind is eating! A sedentary lifestyle coupled with irregular sleep leads to hunger cravings which ultimately leads to gorging on unhealthy food such as junk food, chocolates, refined foods, bakery products, juices, soft drinks, pizza, etc. that lead to weight gain. Let’s take a deeper look.

How Much Time Does It Take Food To Get Digested?

After having a meal, our GI tract slowly empties by pushing food through the stomach and from there it goes to the small intestine where it gets absorbed and then it reaches the large intestine. It takes approximately 2 hours for this entire process.
Hunger cravings occur 2 hours after having a meal when food gets digested. So, our brain picks up messages from the stomach and tells us that it’s time for our next meal.
This entire system is regulated by 2 hormones in our body which are known as hunger hormones – Ghrelin and Leptin.
Ghrelin stimulates appetite and is produced in the stomach when it’s empty and promotes fat storage.
Leptin controls appetite and signals the brain to stop eating.
If we eat after every 2 hours, ghrelin will not be released and there won’t be any overeating.

Tip To Control Hunger Cravings

Eat before you feel hungry at an interval of 2 hours.
Have 6 meals in a day: 3 main meals and 3 mid meals and eat slowly. Have a fruit as a mid meal and avoid having fruits with the main meals.
Snack on nuts like foxnuts, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, mixture of various seeds to help you stay full.
Add spices and chillies in your food as it increases the satiety.
Avoid fasting: Skipping meals can cause your body to go into a fat storing starvation mode, making it harder to burn calories.
Have jaggery, jaggery powder, stevia leaves and honey to curb sugar cravings.
Include proteins in all your meals. Proteins are the building blocks of our body. It takes longer to digest than carbohydrates and is considered to be more satiating than carbs and fats. It keeps your energy levels up and appetite down.
Have fiber rich foods since it helps in regulation of bowel movements and helps you feel fuller for a longer duration. It doesn’t add calories to your diet and cannot be converted to glucose. Include leafy green vegetables, fruits with the peel like apple,pear, plum and even berries, sweet potatoes with skin, potatoes, oatmeal, fenugreek seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon powder, drumstick, garden cress seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, figs, raisins and prunes.
Quench your thirst to control your appetite by drinking plenty of water. Drink 12-15 glasses of water throughout the day. Have 1 glass of water before and 1 after having your meal, as water is a no calorie quencher, you’ll be able to decrease your hunger before you start eating so you aren’t starving at the table. In case you don’t like the taste of plain water, have green tea, cinnamon tea, buttermilk, coconut water, lemon water or detox water.
Exercise for 30 mins everyday: since it lowers the level of ghrelin. It increases the feeling of fullness, increases your metabolism and helps in burning more calories. Indulge in yoga, pilates, cardio, stretching, skipping, dancing, etc.
Have a wake up and sleep schedule: To avoid midnight hunger pangs, don’t stay awake for a longer time post dinner and have soups, salads and protein rich meals for dinner to avoid eating junk food. Make a habit of having 1 tsp flax seeds post dinner since it has fibers that will make you feel satiated.

We hope this article helps you understand your hunger cravings and helps you curb them. For more tips on controlling hunger cravings, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to expert nutritionists on GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, eat healthy and #BeTheForce

June 16, 2020 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Does Food Cooked In Different Utensils Impact Your Health?

If cooking is an art, then the utensils are the canvas. With different cuisines in our country, even the variety of utensils are different – each has its own use. This makes it essential to know how the metals react to different foods. While we’re busy choosing fancy non-stick cookware or microwave friendly utensils, we need to understand that they aren’t safe as they can harm your health in the long run. Back in the day, clay pots, iron, brass and bronze utensils were used for cooking as they not only preserved the nutrients in food but also enhanced the taste.

How Do Different Utensils Impact Your Health?

Stainless Steel: It is the most commonly used iron alloy made up of chromium, nickel, carbon and silicon and has aluminium or copper coating at the bottom for heating purposes. Stainless steel is considered the safest metal to use for cooking as it does not react with food or flake or leach harmful chemicals into the food leading to no adverse effects on the immune system.
Aluminium: Our baking utensils are mostly made up of aluminum as the metal is ideal for high temperatures. Aluminum also has a larger than life use in our Indian Kitchen, in the form of utensils or a foil wrap. Food cooked in aluminum utensils tends to absorb aluminum because aluminum dissolves into food and water during the cooking process. But cooking alkaline foods in aluminum is completely safe for our immune system as the amount of aluminum soaked is very less. It is always better to avoid cooking acidic food like tomatoes or sauerkraut in aluminum as it can react quite badly with the metal and may release harmful compounds in your meal, making it dangerous to consume.
Cast Iron: A very popular metal for our kitchens. All our kadhai, tavas and skillets are made of Cast Iron. Cooking in iron is an excellent way to add some iron in our diet as it leaches iron into our food. Iron is not only a metal but also an essential mineral required by the body. Imagine cooking an iron rich food in an iron pan, this would help you add value to the daily required Iron for your body. For example , premenopausal women require 18mg of iron per day and A serving of scrambled eggs cooked in a cast iron skillet increased from 1.49 mg to 4.76 mg of iron. And along with it, we can prepare tomato sauce in an iron pan that can provide 5mg off iron which is 60% of RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance). Infact, cooking regularly in iron utensils can help you hit the struggle to achieve daily iron RDA.
Non-Stick: Mostly called as Teflon coating, this is an easy cookware to use and clean. But unfortunately, as a Nutritionist, I do not recommend excessive use of these utensils as the chemicals used to manufacture the non-stick coating can harm human health by causing abnormal thyroid hormone levels, liver inflammation, cancer, elevated cholesterol and reduced immune system response. We can use non-stick for a few recipes like pancakes, cheela or dosa which is not a daily staple meal. But, I would not recommend making paranthas or subzis on a daily basis.
Glassware: Considered another Neutral cookware and a good heat conductor to consider for baking your dishes. Although a few unhealthy components such as lead and cadmium leach out in food while cooking but the amount is minimal to harm human health.
Ceramic: is considered to be the safest when it comes to healthy cooking. An environment friendly cookware made using all-natural clay, water and gas. This can be a great replacement for dishes we cook in Teflon non-stick pans and pots as it does not affect the immune system adversely.
Copper: An excellent metal to promote health from your kitchen. Copper utensils with tin or nickel coatings can be used for cooking rice due to its antibacterial properties or storing drinking water due to its medicinal properties, the ability to improve the digestive system, slow down ageing and heal wounds faster. Copper can also detoxify the body and increase Hemoglobin. But you need to take care while cooking in copper as acidic foods react with copper and can hinder the taste.

Every metal has its own pros and cons. The ideal way to cook is to choose the perfect cookware as per the recipe. Try some more ancient methods of cooking in iron, clay/earthen pots as they are not only safe but loaded with various health benefits like retaining/adding nutritive value to the food and helping the immune system.

We hope this article helps. For more tips on health and wellness, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to experts LIVE on GOQii Play.