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How to cultivate new habits?

habit

What is habit? Is it just Good or bad? It does not just end here. It holds a deep meaning. Habit is an interesting element of our lifestyle. It is a routine behaviour which gets repeated unconsciously.

As they say ‘Old Habits die hard’ and New Habits are hard to form because the behavioural patterns that we repeat gets embossed in us. Having said that, I would say it is possible to form new habits through continuation. Research says that at least 21 days are required to form one new habit.

How can you cultivate these new habits? Is there any particular way?

Habits can be analyzed in three parts:

*Cue – Cue is the thing which triggers our habitual behaviour. This could be anything that our mind associates with particularly and we automatically form a habit out of it.

*Behavior – The behavior is the actual habit that we demonstrate.

*Reward– This is absolutely a positive feeling. This is a receipt of our hard work.

As I mentioned earlier that habits could be good or bad. But, how do we distinguish it?

A key factor in distinguishing a bad habit from an addiction or mental disease is will power. If we have control over our behaviour, then it is a habit. Good intentions can override the negative effect of bad habits.

Eliminating bad habits:

There are many techniques for eliminating old established bad habits. Identifying and removing factors that trigger and reinforce the habit is key. Recognizing and eliminating them as soon as possible is advised. Habit elimination becomes more difficult with age because repetitions reinforce habits cumulatively over the lifespan.

Focus on rewiring habits:

I have been asked what diet plan to follow to lose weight (Is there a long term goal). To reach there we need to first achieve micro goals or habits.

These micro habits set our routine to lead a healthier lifestyle and weight loss is just the by-product.

Getting into a dietary routine will not be difficult as long as we are able to maintain regularity. Regarding the diet plan what my experience is people follow it for some time to achieve their goal but after certain period when they get into their old routine they are back to square one, which means it’s only giving you temporary results.

At GOQii we believe in developing all small and positive habits which them becomes a routine. (You may agree with me that breaking certain routines takes time as we discussed earlier) that means it stays with you for longer time. Eventually, this routine adds on to our disciplinary lifestyle.

Ultimately what is it that we are looking for? A permanent or temporary solution to our health?

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Bone health for life and ways to make them strong

yoga-and-fitness

I am not sure how many in India have watched this ad commercial on television which shows a woman asking her friend “what do you do for calcium” and other answers “Milk”…the friend repeats her question again and says “I understand Milk but, what do you do for calcium”, the second lady repeats ‘Milk’ again…

Basically, the first woman was trying to find out for the absorption of calcium from milk what does she do? The answer to this question is plain and simple-Vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium. If Vitamin D level drops from the blood, calcium will not get absorbed. Therefore it is imperative that an individual always checks vitamin D level before popping in calcium tablets.

What is the bone made up of? Calcium is the answer that most people would give. Agreed but, along with that phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, folic acid, vitamin c, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B complex, fats, proteins are also necessary for healthy bones. Foods sources are milk and milk products, dark leafy vegetables, soyabean, oil seeds, carrot juice etc

Bones are an integral part of the weight of the human body. They are the substance which forms our skeleton…and because of the skeleton our body looks well structured. Bone formation starts from the womb itself and continues till the age of puberty. When we are young bone growth is faster and as we Age it becomes slow and in the latter stages of life age it becomes brittle (the condition is called osteoporosis). We have to look after our bone health from early stages of life. Here are the factors which affects bones.

  1. Calcium and vitamin D in your diet- Less of this will not form a good bone density so early bone loss and there is an increased risk of fractures.
  2. Physically inactive: Our body is meant to move and be active in order to developing in terms of healthy bones.
  3. Tobacco and alcohol (You might want to explain here how tobacco and alcohol lead to weak bone)
  4. Age: Bones become thinner and weaker as you age.
  5. Family history will put it on higher risk.
  6. Gender and Hormone levels: In women, bone loss increases during menopause due to low estrogen levels. In men, bone loss increases due to low testosterone.
  7. Eating disorders and other conditions: People who have anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa they are at higher risk of bone loss. Also, bariatric surgery and conditions like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease and Cushing’s disease can affect body’s ability to absorb calcium.
  8. Smoking and tobacco leads to low bone mineral density, increased levels of the hormone (cortisol) leads to a bone break down and bone fractures.
  9. Long term alcohol consumption interferes with bone growth and replacement of bone tissue.Alcohol consumption during adolescence reduces peak bone mass and can result in relatively weak adult bones that are more susceptible to fracture. In adults, alcohol consumption can disrupt the ongoing balance between the erosion and the remodelling of bone tissue, contributing to alcoholic bone disease. 

This week we are celebrating International Yoga week. Bone health can further be strengthened with the help of Yoga.

Yoga strengthens the areas which are most likely to suffer such as the hips, spine, and wrists. Yoga can help maintain bone density of these body parts. Poses that focus on the spine can also help improve posture, preventing the stooping of the back.

Finally let’s not ignore the fact that healthy bones starts with early age. Take step towards being active and having good food to make your bones stronger. It’s never too late to start.

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A “ Delight Touch- Dairy foods”

 

Diary Products

“Milk”, just the word itself sounds comforting!

The entire world of food and especially that of milk is surrounded with emotional and cultural importance. Milk was our very first food. Now, we are a nation of milk drinkers with nearly all of us, infants, the adolescents, adults and even the aged have at least a glass of milk daily.

Milk is often regarded as being nature’s most complete food. It earns this reputation by providing many of the nutrients which are essential for the growth of the human body. Being an excellent source of protein and having an abundance of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, milk can make a positive contribution to one’s health as a whole.

Healthy eating is a top priority for many individuals. People eat food, not nutrients – however the combination and amount of nutrients in the foods we eat can greatly affect our health. A healthy, balanced diet is essential in optimising health and reducing the risk of disease.

ROLE OF DAIRY PRODUCTS:

Making simple alterations to our diet and lifestyle can impact our bodies greatly and our long term health.

A healthy, balanced diet or as we call the ‘Food Guide Pyramid’ is made up of five main food groups and milk and dairy foods are one of these.

Dairy is the term used to describe milk-based or milk-related products. The dairy foods milk, cheese and yogurt are a natural source of nutrients such as protein and calcium and they provide a quick and easy way of supplying these nutrients to the diet within relatively few calories.

Incorporating milk, cheese and yogurt into our daily diet can contribute greatly to our nutritional intake and status.

Milk, cheese and yogurt provide the following beneficial nutrients in varying quantities

Calcium – for healthy bones and teeth

Phosphorous – for energy release

Magnesium – for muscle function

Protein – for growth and repair

Vitamin B12 – for production of healthy cells

Vitamin A – for good eyesight and immune function

Zinc – for immune function

Riboflavin – for healthy skin

Folate – for production of healthy cells

Vitamin C – for formation of healthy connective tissues.

Iodine – for regulation of the body’s rate of metabolism (how quickly the body burns energy and the rate of growth

1 glass of milk alone can make a contribution to the daily recommended intake of many important nutrients for all age groups.

Consumption of dairy products has also been associated with numerous health benefits including the following:

Bone health

-Dairy products provide calcium, which is essential for bone growth and development..

Teeth

-Dairy products contain calcium and other tooth friendly nutrients, which help teeth, grow and keep them healthy.

It is the only drink -excluding water which is recommended by dentists to be safe to consume between meals. Milk and cheese are very beneficial for weaning babies and young children as they not only provide many of the nutrients required for general growth and development, but also offer good levels of the specific nutrients needed to ensure development and maintenance of healthy teeth

No Obesity:

Milk is also not a high fat product. Whole milk contains 4% fat, semi-skimmed milk contains 1.7% fat, 1% fat milk contains 1% fat and skimmed milk contains 0.3% fat.

Reduce Blood Pressure

Dairy products help reduce blood pressure. A diet containing fruit and vegetables, low-fat dairy products and low salt helps reduce blood pressure (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension: DASH diet).

The potassium, magnesium and calcium found in dairy products are all linked to healthy blood pressure.

Cardiovascular disease

Consumption of milk and dairy has also been associated with a reduced risk of suffering a heart attack-

Type 2 diabetes

Consumption of low fat dairy products has been linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Hydration

Regular fluid intake throughout the day is essential to be well hydrated. Dietetic experts recommend drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid per day. As milk contains a high percentage of water, it is a useful vehicle for rehydration.

Eating habits

People who consume dairy products have better intake of nutrients than people who do not consume dairy products. Introducing dairy products at an early age helps establish good eating habits for later in life.

Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese, contain essential nutrients and may offer health benefits. Dairy products are high in calcium and vitamin D, both of which help to maintain strong bones and teeth. Dairy products also contain potassium, which offers heart protection and may help to lower blood pressure. In addition, dairy products are high in muscle-building proteins.

Here is a list some of the available dairy products in the market.

  1. Butter
  2. Ghee
  3. Curd
  4. Cheese
  5. Cottage cheese
  6. Cream
  7. Buttermilk
  8. Lassi
  9. Condensed milk
  10. Processed milk powder.
  11. Ice-creams. And many more.

Well, a lot of variations and innovations can be incorporated with few of these items in our day to day life which eventually will enhance our lifestyle .We can split its intake in our daily meals, with a controlled portion size.

Our breakfast which ideally should be “king size” can comprise of many different variations of dairy products so as to remove the boredom and also from nutritional point of view.

Few examples of dairy products which can be introduced in breakfast are: Porridge, cottage cheese pancakes, scrambled cheese, whole wheat cottage cheese naan, cheese dosa whole wheat toast with butter, whole wheat vegetable cheese sandwiches, cheese omlette.etc.

For mid-mornings we can include buttermilk or lassi or low-fat cream mixed with fruits (lesser the amount of cream.)

Well for our main meals, we have abundant options. We can include paneer both (home-made and processed) prepared in various forms. Right from sauté paneer to traditional style, from Chinese to sizzlers.

Next we have the most credited options, that is “raita”. A  combination of curd with different vegetables or fruits (with or without seasoning). Preferably unflavoured curds are the best.

We can also make different recipes of curd –fruit salad. .

Another variety is ghee-which is widely used in Indian cuisine. A slight dash of it enhances the flavour and aroma of any vegetarian and non-vegetarian food.

Dairy products are cherished by the health organizations as an essential food for bone health. But, not all dairy products are the same. Essential is the sugar content in it.

However, our health and vitality depends not only on how much dairy products we consume but, also important is their quality. Like the old Indian adage goes, ‘you are what you eat’.

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Red Signal to Excess-Part 2 – Moderation is key to Good health

eat in moderation

In Part 1, we saw how good things in excess can adversely affect our health. In this follow up blog, I talk of bad things in excess, which is also not right.

Let’s take a look at some of these bad things in excess and how it could be detrimental to our health.

1) Excessive consumption of junk/processed foods: Fast food means food that can be made and served quickly. These junk foods are mostly processed, containing large amounts of refined carbohydrates, added refined sugars, added salt (sodium) and bad quality fats. They are high on calories but, minimal on nutritional value. Eating junk/processed foods instead of fresh, whole, nutritious food has many adverse effects on the body. Junk foods and drinks are packed with refined sugars which cause insulin spike gradually leading to insulin resistance and Type- 2 diabetes.

The empty calories just go easily go into the body fat store leading to obesity which can further give rise to severe health issues like heart problems, respiratory problems, etc. The trans fats in the junk foods, increase the LDL cholesterol levels and subsequently decrease the HDL cholesterol levels. Lot of salt (sodium) causes water retention, high blood pressure and enlarged heart muscle. Too much sugars cause acidity which destroy the tooth enamel causing dental cavities. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) found in processed foods create stomach distress. Some of the artificial colors and preservatives used in processed foods are found to be carcinogenic (cancer causing). Drinking too much of soda can leach calcium out of the bones making them soft and brittle. Also, the aluminium soda cans are inwardly lined with an epoxy resin called bisphenol A (BPA) which protects the metal can from the reaction of acids in the sodas. This BPA is found to be disrupting normal hormone functioning that can lead to obesity, diabetes and reproductive cancers.

2) Excessive alcohol consumption: It is no big secret that alcohol consumption has no good effects but, chronic heavy drinking has many bad effects. Researchers have found alcohol to be linked to more than 60 diseases. Alcohol can cause liver cirrhosis. Alcohol is empty calories so, can cause unwanted fat storage in the body. Alcohol disturbs the working of the sympathetic nervous system leading to high blood pressure, heart problems, stroke and kidney disease. Heavy drinking can cause gastritis (stomach irritation), inflammation of pancreas, decrease in immunity, nerve damage (alcoholic neuropathy). As people age, their brains shrink but, heavy drinking can cause faster brain shrinking leading to memory loss and other symptoms of dementia. Depressed people drink to ‘feel good’ but, in fact, drinking leads to further depression. Alcohol can aggravate the condition of gout. It can worsen the condition of an epileptic and cause seizures even in non-epileptic individuals. Chronic heavy drinking can lead to cancer of the mouth, esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region.

3) Excessive cigarette smoking/tobacco chewing: Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that alters the brain chemistry making it both, physically and psychologically addictive. According to AHA (American Heart Association), nicotine causes short-term rise in heart-rate, blood flow and blood pressure which, in a long term, can cause cardiovascular complications. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke causes fat buildup in arteries leading to hardening of the arterial walls (atherosclerosis). Tobacco smoking and chewing, both, can lead to oral and lung cancers. Smoking/chewing tobacco can also cause tissue damage in various organs of the body and dental diseases.

4) Excessive Tea/Coffee drinking: We all wish to have a cup of tea/coffee to kick-start our day. It’s not too bad to drink tea and coffee. It is the too much drinking that is the concern.

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, yerba mate and certain herbal teas. Caffeine is generally a very safe stimulant. It improves alertness and is a mood enhancer. Usually, it is 200-300 mg of coffee that can be safely consumed per day (roughly 3 cups) but, this differs from person to person, depending on their own ‘caffeine sensitivity’. Too much coffee consumption can lead to symptoms like irritability, nervousness, headache, dizziness, insomnia, fever, increased heart-rate, increased thirst, stomach upset and muscle tremors. Same is the case with teas. A cup of hot tea in the morning will boost your energy for the day where as a cup of herbal tea at night will help you relax. Tea contains lesser amount of caffeine than coffee but, there are side effects of having too much of it.

Drinking too many cups of tea in a day can lead to symptoms like restlessness, anxiety, disturbed sleep, skeletal fluorosis (a painful bone condition), yellow pigmentation of the teeth. Green tea is no less. Though healthy, if had too much, it can worsen the condition in people suffering from high blood pressure, anxiety and stomach ulcers.

5) Excessive stress: In this fast paced world, stress is become an inevitable part of our lifestyle. Our body reacts/adjusts to outward changes with physical, mental and emotional responses. This response amounts to stress. Stress is a part of our daily, normal lives. Our body is designed to feel and react to 2 kinds of stress; positive and negative stress. Positive stress is the one where the body prepares itself for a ‘fight or flight’ mode. Negative stress is the one in which the body is continuously facing challenges, without time for rest and recovery. As a result, stress related tensions build up. A person going through stress for a very long time without relief, can enter a stage called as ‘distress’. This distress is indicated by many physical symptoms like fatigue, headache, dizziness, disturbed sleep patterns, high blood pressure, stomach upsets. Stress plays a role in aggravating medical conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, heart problems, depression, asthma, anxiety, skin problems, gastrointestinal disorders, Obesity, Alzheimer’s disease. In many cases, chronic, untreated stress can also lead to accelerated ageing and premature death.

Lastly, I would like to end by saying, “too much of anything, is good for nothing”.

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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