Search Results for: summer

June 20, 2017 By Farida Gohil 5 Comments

5 foods that fight high CHOLESTEROL

Image Credit: prevention.com

It’s easy to eat your way to an alarmingly high cholesterol level. The reverse is true too – changing what you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the armada of fats floating through your bloodstream. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and “good fats” are all part of a heart-healthy diet. But, some foods particularly are good at helping bring down cholesterol.

How? Some cholesterol-lowering foods deliver a good dose of soluble fibre, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation.Others provide polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And, those with plant sterols and stanols keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. Here are a 5 of those foods:

OATS: An easy way to start lowering cholesterol is to choose oatmeal or a cold oat-based cereal like cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grammes of soluble fibre. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half -gramme.
BEANS: Beans are especially rich in soluble fibre and take a while to digest, meaning you feel full for longer hours after a meal. That’s one reason beans are useful food for folks trying to lose weight. With so many choices from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond, there are also many ways to prepare them. Beans a very versatile food.
NUTS: A bushel of studies shows that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts are good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower LDL, on the order of 5%. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.

If you are allergic to any kind of nuts like peanuts, Walnuts or cashew nuts; you can go for pistachios or just almonds or if nothing works then you can just quit this food group and try to include the other four foods.

Foods fortified with sterols and stanols: Sterols and stanols extracted from plants gum up the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies and adding them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate. They are also available as supplements.Getting 2 grammes of plant sterols or stanols a day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%.
FATTY FISH: Eating fish two or three times a week can lower LDL in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL -boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL -lowering Omega- 3 fats. Omega -3 s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms.

BUT STAY AWAY FROM…

As you consider eating more of the foods that can help lower down cholesterol, keep in mind that avoiding certain foods can improve your results. To keep cholesterol levels where you want them to be, limit intake of:

SATURATED FATS: The saturated fats found in red meat, milk and other Dairy Foods, and coconut and palm oil directly boost LDL. So one way to lower your LDL is to cut back on saturated fat. Try substituting extra- lean ground beef for regular; Low-fat or skim milk for whole milk; olive oil or a vegetable oil margarine for butter; baked fish or chicken for fried.

TRANS FAT: Trans fats are a by-product of the chemical reaction that turns liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening and that prevents liquid vegetable oils from turning rancid. Trans fats boost LDL as much as saturated fats do.They also lower protective HDL and increase the tendency for blood clots to form inside blood vessels. Although Trans fats were once ubiquitous in prepared foods, many companies now use trans- free alternatives. Summer restaurants and fast-food chains have yet to make the switch.

March 16, 2017 By Trupti Hingad Leave a Comment

Healthy Soups in a Bowl!

I still remember those days when I was following a light dinner habit as suggested by one of the health professionals for reducing my fat percentage. I would add lots of raw veggies to keep my stomach full and get the nutrients. But, later on, it got very monotonous and I terribly started disliking the idea of eating raw veggies. That led me to the thought of how these could be incorporated into my daily meal so as to get all the nutrients without putting too much effort of chewing it raw?

Bingo! I came up with several soup ideas. Today, I am sharing some of these soup recipes for the benefit of all.

Soup, a liquid food that can be cold or hot. You can throw in a variety of ingredients such as meat, veggies mixed with stock, water or other liquids into a slow cooker in the morning before you leave for work or school and return home to a delicious meal in the evening

The wealth of ingredients in a bowl of soup provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats as well as the vitamins and minerals required to create energy and keep us going without getting tired.

Soup is healthy: Perhaps the easiest way to add vegetables to your daily meals is to have a soup. Eating vegetables is part of a healthy diet so veggie soups are highly recommended.

Soups are slimming and help you lose weight. Of course, that is if you strictly follow a weight-loss plan and exercise well. A bowl of soup packs minimal calories but is very nutritious.

Soup fills you up because it stretches the stomach. You easily feel full so it’s ideal to eat soup at the beginning of every meal.

Soup is easy to make and can make you feel better.

Ever wondered why a soup is recommended to people who are sick? That is because soup is easily digested and good for health.

Here are some hot and cold soup recipes:-

1. SPRING ONION AND PEAS SOUP

Ingredients:
Spring Onion/Scallions – 1 bunch
Peas – 2 Cup boiled
Onion – 1 Medium chopped
Garlic – 1 Pod chopped
Olive Oil – 2 tsp
Vegetable Stock/Water – 3-4 Cups
Salt & Pepper – To taste

Method:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan sauté chopped onions, garlic and 1.5 cup boiled peas for 2-3mins.

Add finely chopped spring onion bulbs to this and sauté for 2-3mins.

Remove from the stove and let it cool for a while.

Blend it all to make a paste.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a vessel, add chopped spring onion greens and ½ cup peas and stir fry for 2-3mins.

Add puree and veg stock and seasoning.

Cook until 1 boil & serve piping hot.

Serve with soup sticks or toasted brown bread slice.

2. DETOX SOUP

Ingredients

Tomato- 2 in nos

Pumpkin- 100gms

Carrot- 1 in no

Cabbage-100gms

Broccoli- ½ cup florets

Bell pepper- cut into julienne (red, yellow, green)

Ginger, garlic and chilli paste- 1 tsp

Olive oil- ½ tsp

Method:

Pressure cook tomato, pumpkin, carrot, cabbage, ginger garlic & blend to make a puree.

SauteBroccoli florets, bell pepper in olive oil.

Add the puree to it and water to make the soup consistency.

Serve piping hot.

3. HERBAL OATS SOUP

Ingredients
Oats – 4 tablespoons
Garlic – 1 pod

Celery and Parsley- 1 stalk each
Pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method

Roast oats in a heated vessel.

Add chopped garlic, celery and parsley.

Add 2 cups of water, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

4. Green Gram (MOONG) SOUP WITH Cottage Cheese (PANEER)

Ingredients:

¾ cup Moong (Green Gram)

2tbsp Paneer( Cottage Cheese) chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tspJeera (Cumin seeds )mustard

1/4^thtsp, hing (Fenugreek), pepper.

2 tbsp ghee (Clarified Butter)

Salt to taste.

METHOD:

Soak Green Gran (Moong) for 6hrs. Cook in a pressure cooker. Blend it and strain.

Heat clarified butter (ghee) in a pan, add cumin seeds, mustard, fenugreek seeds and green gram liquid.

Add lemon, salt, pepper, cottage cheese and cook for 2 min

Serve piping hot.(This is a high protein soup)

5. SUNSHINE DELIGHT.

Ingredients

Yellow Squash (pumpkin) – 100gms

White squash (pumpkin) – 100gms

Carrot- 1 in no

Onion- 1 in no

Ginger- a small piece

Garlic- 1 pod

Seasoning:

Salt & pepper- according to taste

Lime juice- 1 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook all veggies and then blend to make a Puree. Add 1 cup water and cook until it comes to boil. Add seasoning and garnish with shredded carrot and pumpkin seeds.

Serve piping hot.

6. AVOCADO SOUP

Ingredients

½ seedless cucumber

1 medium avocado

1 shallot

2 tbsp. plain yogurt

2 tbsp. fresh mint

1 sprig fresh mint

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. ground cumin

1 radish

Method:

Place the cucumber, avocado, shallot, yoghurt, 2 tablespoons mint, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and 1 cup cold water in a blender, and process until smooth.

Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with the radish and remaining mint leaves. Perfect soup for this summer.

7. COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

Ingredients

3 medium seedless cucumbers

¾ c. Thinly sliced green onions

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. Sea Salt

½ tsp. Freshly ground pepper

1½ c. vegetable broth

½ c. sour cream

Method:

Place cucumbers, green onions, lemon juice, lemon zest, sea salt, pepper, and vegetable broth in a blender or food processor and puree.

Stir in sour cream and chill until very cold, about 1 hour.

Serve topped with additional chopped cucumber, green onion, and lemon zest.

8. WATERMELON GAZPACHO

Ingredients:

About 8 cups watermelon, cubed

1 medium cucumber
1 medium tomato
2 medium shallots¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt

Chop the watermelon into rough cubes. Place it in a blender and blend (the blended amount should fill a 1 ½ quart blender). Pour into a bowl or container, and set aside.

Cut the cucumber in half; remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon. Peel the cucumber halves, then roughly chop them into a few smaller pieces. Roughly chop the tomato into quarters. Cut off the ends of the two shallots and peel them; cut them into quarters.

Place the cucumber, tomato, shallots, and ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves into the pitcher of the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the container with the watermelon mixture and mix them with a spoon until fully combined.

Stir in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 2 to 3 hours, until cold. If desired, garnish with a few drops of olive oil.

Try some of these soups and drink your wealth of nutrients with this bowl.

January 9, 2017 By Dr Ashwin Nanda 1 Comment

You are as ‘Old’ as your Prostate

Mr Rebello, sitting in front of me recalled his plight of waking up 2-3 times every night to void urine instead of only once as before. Initially, he assumed it was due to winter but, when the problem persisted in summer as well, he blamed it on his poorly controlled diabetes. He was 65 yrs of age when he began to experience this. He didn’t bother visiting his physician since he had made peace with his high blood sugars as he had no control over his eating habits.

How he wished he hadn’t assumed and instead consulted his physician. After 2 yrs he moved to another city and didn’t feel up to the task of finding a new physician to follow up with. Five years down the line, after his 70th birthday, he began experiencing lower back pain which he again concluded was due to ageing. Only when the pain became persistent and unbearable, he met an Orthopedic who after examination and X-rays diagnosed him with a collapsed vertebral fracture. He was crestfallen when the cause of his vertebral fracture was pinned down to ‘PROSTATE CANCER’.

Going back to the time when Mr Rebello was 65 yrs old, he overlooked the fact that the frequency of urination was normal during the day. Had high sugar been the cause, the issue would have bothered him during the day as well. Actually, this was the first symptom that his prostate gland was enlarged. Undiagnosed and untreated over 5 yrs the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate had turned cancerous and spread to his backbone.

Let’s try to make sense about what the prostate gland is, its enlargement and when does it translate into cancer.

The Prostate Gland: Location in the body and function.

The image below shows the location of the prostate gland in the body which is present only in males. It is located below the urinary bladder. The prostate secretes the fluid that nourishes and protects sperms. During ejaculation, the prostate squeezes this fluid into the urethra, and it’s expelled with sperms as semen. In the prostatic cells, the male sex hormone testosterone gets converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which causes the cells to grow resulting in an increase in its size.

Normally, the prostate gland is approximately the size of a walnut. As the size increases with age (which can start as early as 40 yrs) it starts to obstruct the urine outflow as shown in the image.

Symptoms of Prostatic enlargement:

A weak or slow urinary stream.
A feeling of incomplete bladder emptying.
Difficulty starting urination.
Frequent urination.
The urgency to urinate.
Getting up frequently at night to urinate.
A urinary stream that starts and stops.
Straining to urinate.

Medically enlarged prostate which is not cancerous is called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

As the gland keeps getting enlarged, there are mutations in the DNA of its cells causing it to grow uncontrolled and abnormally resulting in cancer.

The saving grace in this entire process is that prostatic enlargement can be diagnosed early and controlled thereby preventing cancer.

DIAGNOSTIC MODALITIES:

Sonography of the prostate gland is advised once a man turns 50 yrs to establish if enlargement has started. If there is a family history of prostate cancer then it should be done as early as 40 yrs.
A blood test called Prostate Specific Antigen(PSA) should be done. Very high values are suggestive of cancer whereas in the enlargement phase the values remain < 4 units.

If you are facing any of the above symptoms, you must visit a Urologist who will diagnose and prescribe medication for the same. Incase medicines are not effective, one might have to opt for surgery.

In Mr Rebello’s case, since cancer had already developed, radiotherapy was first given to shrink the size of the prostate, post which surgery was performed to remove the cancerous gland. Cancer which had spread to his backbone was controlled by a combination of chemo and hormonal therapy.

Risk Factors for prostatic enlargement and cancer:

Age – prevalence increases markedly with age. The gland grows at a rate of 2 – 2.5 % annually in older men.

Genetics – 50% men undergoing surgery for BPH < 60 yrs of age have inheritable form of the disease.

PREVENTION:

Apart from timely diagnosis and treatment, being physically active, controlling Diabetes and weight are known to reduce enlargement of the gland. Diet rich in antioxidants and vitamins is also beneficial in prevention along with avoiding red meat.

Image credit – prostate.net

June 14, 2016 By Gouri Priya Mylavarapu Leave a Comment

Delicious Recipes from Ragi

After a long summer vacation kids are getting back to school. School life is tiring and we all have gone through it. It’s through these growing years that children need good nutrition and what if this nutrition can be made tasty and interesting with newer recipes time and again.

Here are a few healthy recipes that can be made with Ragi

Ragi Porridge

Ingredients

Ragi Flour 30gms
Water 200ml
Salt/ Jaggery
Milk 3 tbsps/ Buttermilk 50ml
Ghee 1 tsp

Procedure:

Take a pan and fill in the pan with water and allow it to boil.
Once the water starts boiling add jaggery or salt depending on the type of porridge. Then add ragi slowly while stirring in the water and prevent lumps formation.
Stir continuously till ragi is cooked for 5 minutes.
Once ragi is cooked add milk or buttermilk and turn off the heat.
Serve ragi hot with ghee and topped with nuts like almonds or walnuts.

Notes:

Ragi porridge is a simple yet healthy recipe that an infant can start their food with ragi apart from rice which is used as their first food.
Ragi is gluten free, hence it is given to people having gluten intolerance too.
It is less allergic unlike oats and thus, can be used as a universal food.
People who don’t take milk can substitute ragi for good calcium in their diet.
As we know ragi is a millet that is rich in calcium and iron. It also has good B complex vitamins.
It can be had as a breakfast option or mid morning snack too.
Can be used in weight loss diets too.

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Serving size: 1 No.

Apple and Ragi Halwa

Ingredients:

Apple 1 no.
Ragi 3tbsps
Ghee 1 tsp
Water little
Cinnamon powder a pinch
Jaggery 2 tsps

Procedure

Soak apple in salt water to wash off the pesticides on the skin for few minutes.
Grind the apple with skin or without skin and keep aside.
Take a pan, add water and jaggery and allow it to boil.
Once the water starts boiling add ragi flour and stir continuously and mix together to remove lumps.
Once ragi is cooked, add ghee and grounded apple paste to the ragi and mix well.
Stir it together for few seconds and switch off the heat.
Make sure we are not cooking apple too much.
Serve hot or refrigerate it for half an hour and serve with Grated nuts.

Notes:

Ragi is used for its good iron and calcium content. It’s as filling as our routine cereals we take.
Its best used for kids as ragi helps in bone formation and healthy teeth too.
It’s easily cooked and mixed with various ingredients to make it healthier as we mixed apple that is rich in soluble fiber and also Vitamin C and made the recipe more nutritious.
Best for breakfast option and evening snack once the kids come back from school , this recipe can be served to replenish their nutrition.

Preparation time: 2 mins

Cooking time: 7 mins

Serving Size: 1 no.

Ragi Idli

Ingredients:

Idli Rice/ or idli rawa -1 cup
Ragi flour/finger millet flour -2 cups
Whole Urad dal (whole/without skin) – 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds -1/2 tsp
Salt as needed

Procedure:

Wash and soak urad dal + fenugreek seeds for 4 hours. Wash and soak rice separately for 4-5 hours or we get lidi rawa separately which can be soaked and added directly to urad dal after grounded.
Grind urad dal adding water little at a time until smooth and fluffy. Remove and keep it in a vessel.
Grind rice adding water from time to time to a slightly coarse batter.
Now add the urad dal batter, ragi flour and salt to the rice batter and grind everything together until well mixed. The consistency of the batter should be similar to idli batter (neither too thick nor too thin).
Remove from the wet grinder and mix it well with your hands. Leave it to ferment overnight or for 7-8 hours. Use a big vessel to prevent it from over flowing as it will double while fermenting. Our Ragi Idli batter is ready.

Method

Heat water in an idli vessel or steamer. Mix the fermented ragi idli batter well and pour a ladle of batter into the idli molds and place it inside the steamer or idli cooker.
Steam cook for 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the idli comes out clean. Once done sprinkle water and remove from the mold after 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot with sambar or chutney of your choice.

Notes:

Ragi idli is a steamed recipe and it will gain lot of nutritional value.
Best had for breakfast options. It is also a good tiffin option for school or evening snack once the child returns from school
Easily digestible and has good probiotic bacteria as it is fermented.
Calcium rich with less fat.

Preparation Time: 30mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Serving size: 4 no.s

Ragi coconut cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup desiccated coconut / dried coconut
¾ cup ragi flour / finger millet flour (can use even ragi puttu podi for the best crust)
½ cup wheat flour or plain flour/ maida (if possible use unbleached flour)
150 grams unsalted butter
150 grams jaggery
1 tbsp. honey
1 to 2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 small egg

Procedure:

Take butter and jaggery in a bowl and beat them together till light and fluffy.
Once it is done add egg and beat it in a blender. Also add vanilla extract and mix well
Now add coconut, wheat flour and maida. Blend them continuously.
Once a moist dough is formed, sprinkle honey all over evenly and mix it.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180 C for at least 15 mins.
Make balls and flatten them slightly on the baking sheet.
Bake the balls till done. It may take around 10 mins.
Make these in batches till the entire dough is finished.
Cool the ragi biscuits on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container and use up within 2 weeks.

Notes:

These biscuits are very healthy and has good energy.
Can be used as an interval snacks for the kids instead of regular biscuits as these contain ragi which has calcium and iron.
As they contain wheat flour too fiber is also well incorporated in the recipe.
Kids like cookies and tend to go out and buy them. Instead these can be prepared at home with good sanitation and hygiene.
Overall, nutritious and kids love biscuits as their snacks, Hence, a well nutritious and filling recipe.

Preparation Time: 1hr

Cooking time: 10mins

Serving size: 4 no.s of biscuits.

MULTI GRAIN DOSA

Ingredients: 1:4 ratios

1 cup Urad dal (soak separately)
1 cup of each jowar , ragi, bajra, brown rice ( anyother millet combination) (soak all together)
2 tsp methi seeds
Salt

Preparation:

Soak
Grind all together and make a batter.
Leave it to ferment.
Add salt just before cooking
Make dosa on the pan and serve hot.

Notes:

Because of the colour of ragi, dosa is modified to be mixed with different grains and made acceptable to the eyes. As it is said, we eat first with our eyes.
We can mix only ragi and dal and rice and make dosas. But, making a multi grain dosa will also give various nutrients that each ingredients have.
Kids usually get bored with regular breakfast options hence, such innovative and different ingredients should be used to get various nutrients.

Ragi and Nuts laddoo

Ingredients:

Ragi 3 tbsps
Almonds 4 nos.
Walnuts 4 no.s
Coconut 1.5 cup
Elaichi 4 no.s
Jaggery 1 cup
Sesame seeds 2 tbps

Procedure:

Roast ragi flour in 1 tbsp. ghee till it turns aromatic.
Dry roast almonds, walnuts and set aside
Lightly roast coconut and sesame seeds. Cool them.
Grate jaggery and set aside.
Now blend dry ingredients together or separately i.e., almonds, walnuts, coconuts, sesame seeds and elaichi
Now add Ragi flour in the blender and jaggery and blend well.
Let the oil in the nuts and other ingredients ooze out and mix well in the blender.
Make balls while the mix is still warm. If needed add melted warm ghee and make balls.
Ragi and nuts laddoo are ready to eat.

Notes:

As it is laddoo kids like to carry them in their wrist while studying or playing and eat.
They can be stored for weeks.
Most of the kids feel stressed up during their exams and tend to loose hair.
As ragi and nuts contain iron it will help them gain lustrous hair.
Also nuts contains good fats which will help the kids to have a good memory.

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Serving size: 5 no.s of laddoos

Ragi Banana Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup all purporse flour
1/2 cup finger miller flour (ragi flour)
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs or Flaxmeal Egg Replacer
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup milk or almond milk (vegan)
1 cup oil
1 cup of mashed bananas

Directions for Ragi Banana Chocolate Cake Recipe

To begin making the Chocolate Banana Finger Millet Cake Recipe, first get all the ingredients ready.
Next, preheat the oven to 180 C and grease and flour a large loaf pan or a spring foam pan or a bunt pan
Sift the flours, cocoa powder, along with baking powder and salt. Keep aside. I like to double sift the flours as it incorporates a good amount of air.
In a large bowl add in the oil, sugar, eggs (Flaxmeal Egg Replacer), vanilla essence and milk. Beat together all the ingredients until combined.
Gradually beat in the flour mixture and finally the bananas. Beat until all the ingredients are well combined.
Pour the cake batter into the greased pan, place it into the oven to bake for about 35 to 45 minutes until a tester when inserted inside comes out clean.
Once the chocolate banana cake is baked, allow it to cool for a little bit before you can cut into slices.
Serve the Healthy Finger Millet Banana Chocolate Cake along with tea or coffee or even as a healthy snack for the kids.

Note:

Cakes are delicious, and healthy if ingredients are planned well.
We buy cakes from outside to celebrate birthdays, anniversarys etc. Cakes are a token of celebration.
When prepared at home, we can plan healthy nutrients and prevent bacterial contamination and prepare hygienically.
As kids love cake delicacies, they can get good nutrients like calcium, iron, good calories too from ragi and as we are adding banana it had good antioxidants like zinc and gives us energy too.

Preparation time: 1 hr

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serving size: Half a kg cake

Let’s make healthy combinations for the kids and make them happy and stay healthy.

5 foods that fight high CHOLESTEROL

Healthy Soups in a Bowl!

You are as ‘Old’ as your Prostate

Delicious Recipes from Ragi

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

What’s Your Excuse?

Prioritizing Health: Kuntal Goswami’s Post-Pandemic Pursuit of Wellness

Reducing HbA1c from 7.2 to 6.1 | Ram Sharma Health Story