Search Results for: food

December 22, 2016 By Trupti Vyas (Pandya) 1 Comment

Be a happy and healthy eater

Weekend is getaway time with our family, friends or colleagues. Some people think after doing strenuous workouts and crash dieting it’s time to relax over the weekend and relaxing means literally binging on outside food. More often than not, the thought process is –‘its only today so let me indulge…..I will make up for this binging over the week by sipping a meal or two’.

When Monday arrives, they are guilty of having indulged over the weekend. One needs to stop and notice these chain of events. There has to be a change in the behavior. Individuals’ need to realize that indulging in binge eating for two days and then feeling guilty and trying to rectify the situation does not work.

Hence it is said that ‘Mindful Eating’ is a must and the best solution. Mindful eating teaches us to simply observe thoughts, feelings and cravings for food. It enable us to change our behavior while we maintain our sanity and happiness

Here are Some Mindful eating tips-–

Multi-tasking while eating or watching television while eating always causes distraction or causes hurried eating. So switch off your phone, TV and Computer before eating.
Preferably adopt the cross legged posture Or sit At your usual dining place.
Try to eat sitting cross legged. You can do this even while sitting on a chair. Sitting cross legged on the floor and eating meals is an age old technique from our grandma’s days. (This helps to blood flow to the stomach area)
Calm your mind and body then start eating your meal. When your mind is calm and composed, you release the right amount of digestive juices which gives you better digestion.
If you are stressed or guilty while eating -stress hormone called cortisol is released which lowers our metabolic rate, prevent fat burning and help convert food to fat.
Take deep breath, calm yourself and get settled before eating.

While Eating-

Don’t be in a rush while eating and try to get up fast.
Start eating (preferably with your hands) and eat slowly.
Chew your food slowly
Use your entire mouth and do not just chew from 1 side of your Jaw.
While you still have food in your mouth don’t pick up another morsel from your plate.
Keeping food ready in your hands or in a spoon means you are eating fast and will ultimately this could lead to overeating.
Eat with your senses and think about how the food is nourishing you from within.
Savor every bit of what you eat, slowly and mindfully and you will naturally find your threshold. So be silence and attentive while you eat.
Prepare Food in smaller quantity. If number of People are less it helps to prepare lesser quantity and better by retaining nutrient value.
Always eat food that is freshly prepared. One should consume food within 3 hours of Cooking.
Don’t deep freeze cooked food.
Try eating with your non-dominant hand. If you’re a righty, hold your fork in your left hand when lifting food to your mouth whenever you eat outside in restaurant or party
Whenever you get the craving for a sweet – before opening the fridge or cabinet for the same, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?” Do something else, like reading or going on a short walk as that will help you to avoid any emotional extra eating under stress.

Let’s start to enjoy eating food rather than think of it as a task to complete. Remind the body of its own intelligence and its ability to self-regulate for you! Cultivate a sustainable, balanced and healthy approach to the way we eat, the way we look, and the way we live.

December 13, 2016 By Urvashi Sareen 19 Comments

10 health care tips for a shift worker

Shift workers as we know them are people who work through the night. But, ideally, it is not so. Anyone who works outside a steady 9 to 5 schedule is considered a shift worker. Working in shifts has become more prevalent in the last few years thanks to the numerous BPOs that have started across the country. Anyone working in shift goes through serious psychological and physiological changes that give rise to health issues

Working in a shift can have a serious impact both in the short and long term. Short term symptoms are equivalent to symptoms faced by individuals who have had a long flight, or a late night at work these include Gastrointestinal symptoms like upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and heartburn, Increased risk of injuries and accidents, Insomnia, decreased the quality of life and general feeling of being unwell.

Long-term effects are much serious and these include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. A Japanese study found that shift workers — specifically, those who worked 16-hour shifts — had a 50% higher incidence of diabetes than those who work during the day for normal hours.Metabolic syndrome is a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. These lead to diabetes, heart attacks, and stroke. Apart from these individuals working in shifts are prone to obesity, mood swings and depression and serious gastrointestinal problems.

Here are 10 healthcare tips for individuals working in shifts:

Take an hour or so to relax after work, whether it is day or nighttime. Relaxing music or a warm bath will help.
Eat meals at the same time each day seven days a week. This schedule helps maintain the body’s clock.
Eat high protein foods (egg whites, peanut butter on crackers, roasted nuts etc) to keep you alert. If you simply must eat some sweets, which tend to make you sleepy, do so at the END of your shift.
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages before bedtime. Although the sedative effect helps you fall asleep, it tends to wear off in 2 – 3 hours and causes disturbed sleep in the latter half of the night.
Avoid coffee, tea, colas, and other caffeine drinks, which interfere with sleep. During a coffee break, drink orange juice and walk around. Physical activity promotes wakefulness.
Avoid going to bed on an empty stomach. If you don’t feel like eating much, try a glass of milk or dairy products, which promote sleep.Keep the temperature in your bedroom cool, not cold.
Darken bedroom or wear comfortable eyeshades. Eyes are sensitive to light even when the lids are closed, preventing you from falling asleep or getting consolidated sleep.
Block out daytime noises, which can disturb deep restful sleep. Use comfortable sponge ear plugs or “white noise” electrical devices such as fans, air conditioners, or a quiet tape.
Exercise, at least, every other day AFTER sleep. Daytime sleepers should avoid early morning exercise, which can promote wakefulness during the day.
Beware of certain medication. Avoid prolonged use of sleeping pills and other sedatives, which interfere with normal sleep patterns. Beware of cold and allergy medications which have sleep-related side effects. Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) has a stimulating effect and antihistamines (Dristan) can cause drowsiness.

Follow these tips and bring a permanent shift in your lifestyle. Get healthy and fit.

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!”

November 14, 2016 By Dr Ashwin Nanda 2 Comments

DECODING DIABETES

Last month, I had 2 patients on the same day diagnosed with Diabetes- one an overweight 34 year old IT professional and the other a 6-year-old girl. The reason, why this incident comes to my mind today is because they were both diabetics but, had different diabetes and even their course of treatments was different.

But, the first question I was asked in both the cases was whether they will need to be put on insulin injections immediately. Well, this is a common question asked by patients. To understand this condition better, let me try and explain a bit about the different types of diabetes on the basis of which the required treatment is normally recommended.

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body’s cells do not respond properly to insulin or both. Common symptoms of either diabetes are unexplained weight loss, excess hunger, and excess thirst and delayed wound healing.

Today, I would like to take you through specifically 3 major types of diabetes namely, Type 1, Type 2 and gestational Diabetes.

Let’s talk about

Type 1 Diabetes: is caused by a loss or malfunction of the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, called beta cells. Damage to beta cells results in absence or insufficient production of insulin. Most cases of Type 1 Diabetes have an autoimmune basis in which immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own beta cells. These cases are detected either in childhood or teenage years. There are many theories about what causes type 1 diabetes like autoimmune disease, viral infection, genetic predisposition and environmental factors may also play a role.

Whatever be the cause, this missing insulin has to be replaced as insulin is necessary to sustain life. It is responsible for entry of glucose into the body cells from where the glucose is further utilized for energy and other activities. This glucose which is not entering the cells is circulating in the blood which gets detected as high blood sugar. The replacement insulin is administered by injection using a syringe or an insulin pump. Thanks to the invention of Insulin clubbed with a healthy lifestyle, a Type 1 diabetic is able to lead a happy good quality life.

Coming to Type 2 diabetes most often than not your tissues will be resistant to insulin, so the insulin is being produced but unfortunately not being utilized properly. It is the most common form of diabetes worldwide and accounts for 90-95% of the cases.

Insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes means the signal insulin gives to a cell is weakened. This results in less glucose uptake by muscle and fat cells and a reduction in insulin mediated activities inside cells.

Risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes include an Unhealthy Lifestyle (being physically inactive or less active, erratic food and sleep habits, stress), being overweight or obese and importantly family history of diabetes in close relatives.

We have ample medicine combinations for type 2 diabetes like tablets which keep the blood sugar under control. But if sufficient sugar control is not achieved in spite of oral medications and a healthy lifestyle, then insulin might be required for further management.

Another type of Diabetes I would like to talk about is Gestational diabetes which basically refers to diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy.

Pregnancy hormones can interfere with the way insulin works in the mother’s body which can lead to elevated blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Women are typically screened for gestational diabetes at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, however, women who have risk factors may be screened earlier.

Risk factors for developing gestational diabetes include having a family history of diabetes, being overweight, or over 28 years old. Blood glucose control during pregnancy is critical as elevated maternal glucose levels can lead to pregnancy complications and pose risks to the health of the baby. Gestational diabetes is likely to recur during subsequent pregnancies.

Gestational diabetes requires specialized treatment for the rest of the pregnancy. After the pregnancy is over, most women will have normal blood sugars again; however, up to 20-50 % can develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years. Regular screening is recommended.

A study conducted on people at risk of type 2 diabetes, it was seen that those who lost just 7% of their weight and exercised about 30 minutes a day cut their risk of diabetes by nearly 60%. In a nutshell, irrespective of the type of diabetes the best prevention or diabetes management strategy is to eat healthy, stay active and keep a check on your weight.

Reference: University of California, San Francisco – Diabetes online Education website.

Be a happy and healthy eater

10 health care tips for a shift worker

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

DECODING DIABETES

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