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Cashew Nuts & it’s benefits

cashew-nuts

Cashew nuts are favourites of all. It’s a nut that is easily available and used for all occasions. It can be carried in your pocket and popped into the mouth as and when you feel hungry as the fat content in it keeps you full for a longer time and refrain you from snacking on unhealthy refined foods.

A fruit that is native to Brazil was brought to India by Portugal explorers and today it’s widely grown in the coastal areas.

Despite it being a healthy food, people are often scared of consuming cashew nuts because it is considered to be high on fats and hence not to be eaten often. Especially those suffering from any kind of heart ailment keep cashews away.

I would say these are all myths and would like to clarify that Cashews are safe to consume from a health perspective. It consists of healthy mono unsaturated fatty acid, Oleic acid which helps to lower bad cholesterol LDL and increase the good cholesterol HDL.

Cashew nuts also consists of some of the B complex Vitamins like Pyridoxine, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin& Niacin. All these play a major role in the metabolism of Carbohydrates, Proteins & Fats. Alongside it has individual health benefits such as Pyridoxine helps to protect the heart by inhibiting cholesterol deposit.

Niacin helps against Dermatitis- a skin infection, Pantothenic acid helps relieve your stress and gives you good skin & hair. Riboflavin prevents acne and gives you healthy eyes.

Cashew nuts have benefits in abundance so why would you want to keep it aside? It is high on calories but, as one should work on the quantity and timing and you will gain a healthy heart, good skin, healthy eyes and anti-stress properties.

Cashews are best to be had as a snack. Roast them and have about a fistful in between the meals, pre or post workout, during or after a trek or game.

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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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7 Minute Workout

chair-dips-easy-women

Most of us are busy these days with no time left in hand to do regular workouts or any other daily activities. What do you mean by workouts? Spending an hour in gym or doing something on your own to be fit and healthy.

I have seen many people doing workouts in gym and spending hours there but, is it really worth it?

Getting into shape does not require spending hours in gym, FAD diet plans or using state of the art equipment. In fact, our own bodyweight is all you need to effectively exercise and achieve the shape you want. Bodyweight training works and it is inexpensive and convenient too. Let’s not make Work pressure as our excuse and find out a time either in the morning or evening for just 7 min workout.

7 min workout is a high-intensity interval training workout that includes prolonged endurance training which provides many of the fitness benefits in much less time. It directly targets the overall fitness. It helps in increasing metabolic rate. While doing the workouts your body releases the endorphin which helps to reduce stress.

This workout does not require equipment and you can use your own body weight, a chair and a wall, etc.

To burn the most amount of fat in the shortest amount of time, the following moves are best-

  1. Jumping Jacks- This classic cardio move is a great way to warm up and it beneficial for heart and lungs. It improves strength and endurance, increases the metabolic rate and burns calories.
  1. Wall Sit- Who needs a chair when there’s a wall? Wall Sits are great in working out the two groups of muscles in your thigh. Repetitions of Wall Sits would naturally give you thighs that can withstand prolonged strenuous activities.
  1. PushUp – Doing Pushups allow you to provide a full body workout, allowing you to access many muscle groups at once. You can work the quads, hamstrings, calves, chest, shoulders and arms all at the same time with a few pushups. You will notice that performing push up reps regularly will help you get a more toned chest, shoulders, forearms, upper arms and wrists. It stimulates the metabolism and blood circulation, allowing you to burn more calories throughout the rest of your workout.
  1. Abdominal Crunch – Crunches works on the rectus abdomen muscle. It is mainly just a core working exercise and burns less calories comparatively but, they move in a controlled manner, flexing and releasing the core muscles thus helping to build the abs.
  1. Step up onto Chair – This exercise is great for targeting your quad and gluteus maximus muscles, giving you strong, powerful legs.
  2. Squat – Squat exercises are great for a total lower body workout. They effectively work most of the major muscle groups of the butt, hips and thighs. Squats are also a versatile exercise. Squats engage the core muscles of the body. The result is a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back.
  1. Triceps dip on Chair – It is a triceps-strengthening and a most effective body-weight exercise. Dips target your triceps, the muscles on the back of your upper arm.
  1. Plank – The plank exercise helps to strengthen midsection, upper-body and lower-body muscles along the front of your body. Planks also strengthen inner core muscles that support your joints. It helps in reducing belly fat, reduce back pain. At a time, it works on all your core muscles.
  1. High Knees running in place – This is a nice warm-up. It is a great practice for runners and athletes to improve running form and develop lower body muscles. It also enhances your strength, speed, balance and flexibility. It provides you more energy, burns calories, builds muscles and enhances blood circulation.
  1. Lunges – The lunge is an easy-to-learn, safe and incredibly effective exercise. Lunges target the quadriceps, but involve additional muscles, including the glutes, hamstrings, calves and core muscles, making them an important exercise for toning the lower body.
  1. Push up and rotation – This exercise is great for building shoulder stabilization and strengthening your entire core. Don’t let your hips drop when you go into side rotation. Try to keep everything in a straight diagonal line throughout.
  1. Side Plank – It works your entire core, but particularly targets an often weak muscle called the quadratus lumborum. It helps to reduce risk for lower back pains. It improves your balance and structure.

The exercises should be performed in rapid succession, allowing 30 seconds for each with 10 secondss rest in between and proper warm up and stretching required.

Here you have to give only 7 mins to your health which is equal to 0.5% of your day to your body and you are done with your workouts.

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How to Breathe Correctly During Weight Training

Lat-Pull-DownExercise is essential for good health. In exercises we often give importance to the workout pattern, form and technique as it enhances the performance.  Today, through this blog I would like to focus more on the breathing technique during Weight Training

Weight training is subject to moderate or high intense workout.  When we exercise at the end of every set the muscles lack enough oxygen and lactic acid is produced. In a short, we are unable to do more repetitions or exercise with more weight. The universal method of breathing during weight training exercise is opposite of gravitation- exhale means lifting the weight or pulling the weight and breath out  and when we come back to the starting position inhale or breath in .

Here I would like to give 2 examples

First Example is a bench press:

bench-press
Bench press is known as a pushing movement of exercise. Here we are pushing the barbells or the dumbbells opposite of the gravity so we need to exhale while pushing it up. And while we bring down the barbell or dumbbells towards gravity inhale.

The Second Example: Lat Pull Down

Now we are focusing on the pulling movement. The name of the exercise itself tells us this is the pulling movement of exercise

When we pull the Lat Pulley bar down we need to exhale because weight is going up during this phase remember opposite of gravitation exhale. Again coming back to the starting position inhale.

There are benefits of breathing right while exercising. Some of these benefits include boosting energy levels as well as metabolism. We can do our exercise with more weights; correct breathing will help us to improve our posture.

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