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Meal Preparation Strategies

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Whether working or a full time homemaker, deciding on a cooking menu every day for all times of the day is always a task. It’s a bigger task when you are very conscious about the nutrients and a balanced diet. Some simple edits to your routine will surely make it much simpler and fun.

  1. Plan your weekly menu: Whether you plan or do not plan invariably items in our menus are repeated every week. But, if we do plan properly with respect to all the meals for the day, a proper distribution of nutrients throughout the day is possible. Like high energy and protein items can be added in breakfast to kick start the day, light salads and some basic carbs in lunch to keep you going in office without making you feel drowsy, and at the end of the day keeping the dinner such that you digest it without much physical activities.
  1. Prepare in advance: As per plan, prepare for the next meal as well as next day meals. For instance if you need to soak beans/pulses etc. soak it overnight. Also cut/peel some vegetables and keep them ready in advance as per plan.
  1. Shop & Store: As you plan your meals, you will need certain items to be bought from the shop and some would be readily available in stock in your kitchen. Perishable items like dairy, poultry, fruits and fresh veggies needs to be shopped and stocked as per your plan at regular intervals. Non perishables can be stocked for monthly requirements based on your consumption.
  1. Plan of Action: Now as you have outlined what to do and how to do, you need to document it to keep everything in line. Yes, a weekly menu plan on a piece of paper will bring in the clarity for next week. This will make sure you don’t repeat items very often and plan beforehand for the next day and especially for step 2 and 3 above.

Also you can spare Sunday for preparation of dry snacks, chutney, dips etc. to be used in next week.

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6 tips for Mindful Drinking

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Most adults admit they turn to alcohol to help them cope after a stressful day.Even though it might seem like a few drinks can relieve the pressures of the day, in the medium to long term it can actually add to them – whether they’re work, financial or family related. Stress can also be an excuse for people to drink more than they should, especially if they don’t realize the negative impact it can have on their health and well-being. 

Here are 6 tips for mindful drinking :

  1. Eat first and eat enough.

By the time most people get to a happy hour, they’re starving. Ordering a platter or salad is always a great option because it has fiber and protein and won’t lead you to consume tons of fried or junk food.If you are still hungry after an appetizer, order a regular meal. You are likely to be more satisfied and end up eating fewer calories than if you were to just snack on tons of things around you.

  1. Pace yourself with water.

It’s easy to pound two or three drinks quickly, especially after a long day. To limit your alcohol intake, start with a big glass of water and lemon and order a sparkling water in between drinks. This will force you to stay hydrated and limit going overboard on booze.

  1. Skip the mixing and fruity stuff.

Stay away from mixed drinks. They’re high in calories, but not satiating. Don’t switch from beers, to shots, to liquor, to margaritas, to whatever.  Bad idea.  Don’t start with beer and then switch to hard liquor either.  You’re already drunk so you won’t be able to tell how much liquor you’re consuming, which is when things go downhill quickly.  Pick something and stick with it.

  1. Keep count

Drink in moderation, of course. More than four drinks in a sitting for women, or more than five in a sitting for men is considered binge drinking.  Remember tip number 2— sipping water between alcoholic beverages is a great way to slow down the count.

  1. Day-drink wisely.

Weekends can mean prolonged drinking over the course of the day. Choose drinks that are lower in overall alcohol content like beer, wine, and wine spritzers to avoid overconsumption and allow you to stay in the action for the whole day. Don’t forget to get some high quality calories from your meals and consider a break for an hour or two without alcohol throughout the day. 

  1. Rest up, before and after.

Don’t drink after strenuous physical activity or after a night of poor sleep. And be sure to get a good amount of sleep after a night of drinking. Alcohol can lower blood sugar levels, and hitting the bottle on an empty stomach or after a tough workout only depletes those levels further.

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Psychology of good health: It’s all in your Mind!

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Eat right, be active, sleep well seem to be the ultimate health mantra these days. Yet, when we look around we find people having the most nutritious diet and doing the right mix of cardio and strength training exercises along with well-balanced polarities of activity and rest; and yet end up falling ill or having some or the other lifestyle disease thereby reducing their life span eventually.

Most people then end up blaming their genes, lower immunity levels or toxic environment in general as the main cause for all the diseases. One rarely looks within to find the cause. The issue is largely about the way one thinks and feels. Yes, our ‘Beliefs create our Biology’!!!

Does this seem complicated to you? Let me explain this with the analogy of a car.

Good food is like quality fuel. The exercise we do to build stamina and muscles is akin to the strong car tyres or the car body. And sound sleep is like the idle engine or off road time of the car. Just as diet, exercise and sleep are essential for our health and well-being in the same way for a quality car to perform well requires fuel and maintenance. Just as the car requires a good driver to manoeuvre it, our body too requires a good functional brain and nervous system to run it smoothly.

NERVOUS SYSTEM

I am sure everyone is wondering why we are taking you back to your school days telling you about the nervous system but, it is essential to understand how a good nervous system goes a long way in keeping one healthy and happy.

It is very important to understand the way the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in our body works.ANS regulates the pulse, blood pressure and our breathing apart from being responsible for controlling the functions of internal organs and glands which secretes hormones. It is also involved in our ability to experience emotions.

ANS is made up of these 2 different branches…

  1. Sympathetic Nervous System–it prepares the body for any action – increased blood flow to the muscles and other responses known as “fight-or-flight (just like the gas pedal in a car).
  2. Parasympathetic Nervous System – it functions when the body is at rest and helps the body store energy for future use. (just like the brakes in a car)

For smooth functioning both these components of ANS operate in sync, example during exercise the sympathetic increases heart rate whereas after exercise the parasympathetic helps to slow down the heart rate.

However emotions like anger, anxiety or worry can cause the signals going to these two parts of the ANS to get out of sync with each other. (It’s like we have our foot on accelerator and other on brake pedal at the same time which causes jerky rides and burns more fuel) This disharmony can lead to stress, wear and tear of our body and depletes its energy.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

Continuing with the car analogy; the car definitely will not run longer if the fuel line is leaking or ruptured. Same way if the nutrients are not properly absorbed from the food we eat then even the most nutritious food will not make us healthy. This is exactly what happens when we are stressed. The brain is unable to distinguish between physical threat and mental tension. Body’s reaction to both is either flight or fight. The body prepares itself for flight or fight by supplying extra blood to our limbs and less to the visceral organs. This extra stimulation and inadequate blood flow causes improper digestion of even the most nutritious food.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Immunity levels also decreases when we face stress for prolonged period of time. During such times the focus is to fight the external enemy or situation and not the virus attacking the body within. At most times it so happens that we keep thinking about a negative event of the past and feel stressed out both emotionally and physically. We unknowingly are making ourselves less immune because of our inability to correctly distinguish between the actual and virtual threat.

Thus, to end with the car analogy – the car can function only when it is run by a good driver who operates the accelerator and brakes in proper sync. The car surely requires good fuel, strong tyres along with enough engine idle time for a smooth drive; but most of all it requires is a good driver.

In the same way humans also need a sound mind which can distinguish between actual stressful situations and the trivial ones. It’s only then, we can keep ourselves calm and sleep well, eat right and move more for perfect health and longevity.

To achieve complete wellbeing we require a sound mind in a sound body.

This fact was very well exemplified by the oldest documented living person – a French woman Jeanne Clament who lived for almost 123 years without suffering any ill effects of her smoking habit of 100 years. As it’s said “Thought is more important than lifestyle”!!!

 

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Stay Healthy and Save Money

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Today’s Union Budget presented by Union Minister for Finance Arun Jaitley provides for new health protection scheme that will provide health cover up to Rs One lakh per family. And for senior citizens an additional top-up package up to Rs 30,000 will be provided. This is good but, how about staying healthy and reducing health costs once for all.

Lifestyle plays an important role in heart ailments but, perhaps many have not taken this to heart. Getting angioplasties and stents that cost thousands of rupees do not prolong life or prevent heart attacks in stable patients. Similarly, lowering blood sugar with drugs does not fully prevent the economic and human costs of diabetes (including heart attacks, strokes, amputations, impotence, kidney failure, and blindness), but lowering blood sugar with diet and lifestyle prevents all of these human and economic costs.

Bringing about lifestyle changes is easier said than done. Simple lifestyle changes like walking or cycling instead of driving, climbing stairs instead of taking an elevator, eating nutritious food or making dietary changes, exercising on a daily basis and incorporating some behavior modification technique can have a big impact on you and your pocket for the better. And rather than buy a pricey gym membership to get in shape, there are ways to work out on the cheap or choose a fitness tracker with a coach to guide you.

Her are 6 healthy habits that can keep you fit.

  • Portion Control and Mindful Eating: Watching how much you eat is one of the best ways to maintain your weight. Have smaller portions of food instead of filling your plate in one go and have 5 small meals a day that is healthy and nutritious. This will help you manage your weight, keep your cool, maintain your focus and avoid cravings.
  • Exercise Daily: The best way to start your day is with some good physical activity. We all know the importance of physical activity, but still only a less percentage of the population in the world follow the same. Exercise has been found to decrease your chances of depression, anxiety, and stress. It is also related to higher success in your career. If you don’t care about your body, every other aspect of your life will suffer. Take care of your body. It is the only place you live.
  • Have Enough Water: Staying well hydrated is one of our body’s basic needs. Water is needed to enable the body to keep eliminating the toxins generated, to produce digestive enzymes, maintain healthy skin, hair, organs and to help your body absorb essential vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. Water also regulates the body temperature, cooling one down by evaporating through the skin. Drinking at least 3 litres of water a day is a must.
  • Get A Healthy 7+ Hours of Sleep: Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right time can help protect your mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety. Sleep is just as important as eating and drinking water. Despite this, millions of people do not sleep enough and experience insane problems as a result. The way you feel while you’re awake depends partly on how you have slept or what kind of sleep you have had. During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.
  • Think Positive and have a sense of Gratitude: Being positive and thinking positive builds a healthier immune system and boosts overall health. Body believes what you think so think positive. Gratitude is good for our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. Showing gratitude also keeps one happy. Gratitude also blocks toxic and negative emotions and
  • Avoid Stress: The human body is designed to experience stress and react to it. Here are few things you can do to avoid stress. Namely meditate, deep breathing, be alert, relax, laugh out loud, listen to music, and chase your hobbies.

So let’s stay healthy and save money and rather use that money for things we love to do.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

As we observe World Cancer Day under the powerful theme ‘United by Unique’ (2025-2027)**, we are reminded that every individual’s journey with cancer is distinct, yet united by shared resilience, hope, and the collective fight against this disease. This theme places people at the centre of care and their stories at the heart of the […]