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From Carefree to a Carer

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She considers herself a shy and an introvert person who likes to hide behind her pen and paper but, you start talking to her and you will realise that Samara Mahindra is very poised, articulate and has designed a beautiful life for herself that is all about making a difference in other people’s lives.

Her 3 life’s lessons learnt in a short span of time are

  • Don’t be bound by physical reality (What you see),
  • You can achieve more than you think you can
  • Be in the present ( forget the past and don’t think about the future)

“This I have learnt from my mum- stand on your own feet and all is in your hands how to shape it for yourself,” says Samara, in conversation with Vishal Gondal on “Beneath the Force-The Vishal Gondal Show’.

Having lost her mother to Cancer and being left alone to make her choices and take her decisions, Samara’s eyes opened to a lot of brutal realities during her mother’s long journey of struggle with Cancer. She went on to study Integrative Life style medicine and also get a certification in Cancer Exercise Specialist.

“Once I came back from the US after my studies, I did an Observership with Tata Memorial and what I found was that hospitals were not a healing place for patients. And, doctors never gave any proper answer. That is when I decided on Carer Program where a specialist would be taken to the patient and treated in the confines of their home,” she says.

The oncology ward of numerous hospitals became her home where she witnessed extreme cases and dire situations that were unimaginable. She watched blank refusals of curable stage cancer treatment to those who didn’t have the funding and children who saw hospital wards before a classroom. This was the beginning of her carefree to an entrepreneurial journey ‘The Carer Program’.

The CARER Program is an integrative cancer recovery program that helps a patient recover from the side effects of treatment and cancer itself. CARER provides a holistic approach to healing through complementary therapies that target nutrition, movement and mind-body healing for patients post treatment.

Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Samara kept looking for an escapist route to avoid going back home. So she travelled to Australia and UK for studies and then worked in Singapore and even attended a 3-month acting course with Barry John in Mumbai. She says the acting course was therapeutic and help build her confidence and come out of her shell.

Talking of her success habits Samara says that being disciplined has helped her a lot in her work.

Secondly, having a sense of empathy without sympathy and looking at the situation very positively and passing on that positivity to the patients has been the biggest success.

She admits to being a big fan of Tim Ferris and has read all his books and believes in the 4 Hour Work Week. The 4 Hour Work week is a book by Tim Ferris where he refers to a ‘lifestyle design’

and repudiates the traditional ‘deferred’ life plan in which people work gruelling hours and take few vacations for decades and save money in order to relax after retirement.

Listen to the Podcast here: https://youtu.be/yV0naFwElfo

 

 

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GOQii ‘India Fit’ 2017 reveals alarming facts

GOQii_India-Fit-Insight2017_iMAGE 1

1/3rd Indians over 30 years suffer from Lifestyle diseases 

  • 4% people are suffering from high cholesterol, followed by 7.7% with diabetes and 6.7% with thyroid
  • Improper nutrition, lack of sleep and stress are adding to the fitness woes of Indians
  • Kolkata is the unhealthiest city with 35.7% population suffering from at least one lifestyle diseases; Bangalore is the new fitness capital of India closely followed by Mumbai and Pune on second and third spot
  • Average step count of Indian increases from 6680 to 7746 steps

GOQii, the health and wellness ecosystem that is striving hard to get Indians to be fit and healthy and prevent illness, has recently released it’s India fit report which reveals some hard facts. As per the GOQii India Fit’ 2017, while, the average daily step count of an individual across India is 7746 steps, a steady increase over last year’s figure of 6800 step counts, it still does not match the recommended daily step count of 10,000 steps  by World Health Organization in order to lead a healthy lifestyle.

According to the report, Bengaluru and Much as moved ahead of Mumbai and is dubbed the most active city with a daily average step count of 7915. Bengaluru and Mumbai are followed by Pune. Younger population (below 35 years age bracket) in Bengaluru and Chennai is more active as compared to people in other cities.

GOQii_India-Fit Bengaluru new fitnessl capital

While it is overwhelming to note that people are walking and striving to be fit, the alarming fact is that chronic lifestyle diseases are a cause for concern in the current times and the epidemic is spreading like wildfire here in India. There have been disruptive lifestyle changes in the country over the past two decades mainly due to the rapidly evolving urban economy and the Indian Middle class.

GOQii_India-Fit- Sleep

Chronic diseases (eg, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancer) and injuries are the leading causes of death and disability in India, and this is only likely to increase in their contribution to the burden of diseases over the next two decades. 

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As per the GOQii India Fit’ 2017 report, 33% of the Indian population above 30 years of age is suffering from one or more lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cardiac problems including high cholesterol, blood pressure, thyroid, and Cancer. Close to 9.4% people are suffering from high cholesterol followed by 7.7% suffering from diabetes and 6.76% people suffering from thyroid.

Based on data from over one lakh subscribers of GOQii both male and female from across 8 fitness conscious cities in India namely Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune, the report states that since 2015 there is a consistent increase in lifestyle diseases. As per data, a major cause for concern is high cholesterol among individuals.

It is estimated that around 130 million may suffer from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes in the next few years.  Apart from these two diseases, the other prevalent chronic diseases are Cardiac ailments, hypertension, and high blood pressure. The risk factors for chronic diseases are highly prevalent among the Indian population.

Vishal Gondal, Founder, and CEO of GOQii says: “Over the years, there has been an increase in the number of chronic diseases due to the disruptive lifestyle changes in the country. Lack of exercise, erratic eating habits, increase in stress levels and poor sleep patterns are just some of the key reasons behind the increase of this epidemic’’.“

Data starting January 2016 through December 2016 was collected to determine the various fitness metrics (rest & activity) such as steps, food, water, sleep, etc. We have been very meticulous in collecting data and then deciphering it to be realistic so as to bring out near accurate results.

Another alarming fact is Kolkata has earned the tag of being the unhealthiest city in India. The majority of the population in Kolkata suffers from lifestyle diseases related to stress, cardiovascular ailments, and digestive disorders. Kolkata also tops the chart with the highest number of digestive disorders. Cities like Chennai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad have maximum cases of obesity amongst Indians. Although awareness around the use of medication amongst people has increased, their lifestyle is still the same as there is no one to tell them the benefits of lifestyle change.

GOQii_India-Fit-Insight Kolkata Unhealthy

GOQii India Fit’ 2017 report indicates that an average Indian sleeps for 6.72 hours every day which is less than a healthy average of 7-9 hours daily. Lack of proper sleep is a grave concern for 31.3% population. And with age, India is sleeping lesser by the day. This coupled with the lack of exercise and increase in stress is adding to the cause of falling health levels of Indians. People in the age group of 31-60 years are the most stressed people in the country.

Gender wise data reveals that men across category are focused on staying active with weight training, playing sports and running apart from adding more protein in pre and post workout meals to their diet. Women, on the other hand, are focused on weight management and eating healthy. Women also prefer dance, yoga, and aerobics as part of their daily exercise.

Overall, the report recognises the fact that Indians are trying to improve their lifestyle but a lot is yet to be done. Eating right and exercising regularly is the first step in the right direction. ‘’It is encouraging to see that young Indians are increasingly focusing more on preventive health and controlling illnesses as they age. I hope that through such initiatives, we are able to motivate more people to adopt a healthy lifestyle,’’ ConcludesGondal.

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All you want to know about Calories

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  • How far is your office from home?
  • 12 kilometers?

Just as kilometers is the unit of distance similarly Calories (Cal or kcal) is a unit of energy.

When we refer to calorific value of food, we are referring to the number of calories of energy provided by that food. With increasing need to lose and maintain body weight, people are getting conscious about their calorie intake.

But, is it really that simple? Do two different foods having similar calorific value give you exactly same energy?

Let me cite an example to explain the above point:

Consider that your office is located in a less populated outskirts of the city and therefore the road to office is less crowded; whereas the movie theatre is located in busy city center.

Would you take the same time and resources to reach both these places? If you take a cab ride, will the charges be same since the distance is same for both the destinations?

The answer is obviously NO. The same concept applies even for food calories. Two different food items with same calorific value may be charged differently by your body to process it, depending on its composition.

To understand this better let’s look at food calories in detail.

How much is 1 Kcal or 1000 calories?

The Calorie you see on a food package is actually a kilocalorie, or 1,000 calories. A Calorie (kcal) is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.

How do we determine calorific value of food?

The original method used to determine the number of kcals in a given food directly measured the energy it produced. The food was placed in a sealed container-an apparatus known as a bomb calorimeter surrounded by water. The food was completely burned and the resulting rise in water temperature was measured. This method is not frequently used today.Food Composition tables and apps usually calculate calorific value by nutrient composition of meal/food article. 1 g protein /carbohydrate gives approx. 4 kcal and 1 g fat contributes 9 kcal. 

So, is the 400 kcal coming from 100 g carbs same as that coming from 100 g proteins?

No, the net effect of 400 kcal will vary depending on the source. Why and how- This info is important for you if you are trying to manage weight!

To process and utilize the nutrients, your body charges different nutrients differently (same as your cab charges differently on different routes for the same distance).

Amount of energy expenditure above the resting metabolic rate due to the cost of processing food for use and storage is called ‘Thermic Effect of Food’ (or Diet induced Thermogenesis).

Its magnitude depends on the composition of the food consumed:

  • Carbohydrates: 5 to 15% of the energy consumed
  • Protein: 20 to 35%
  • Fats: at most 5 to 15 %

Without a doubt, protein is the macronutrient that induces the largest thermic effect of food response.

Does this mean effective calories coming from proteins are lowest?

Yes. Roughly 25% of the calories in pure protein will be burned after consumption due to the thermic effect of food. Fat and carbohydrates, on the other hand, each induce a burn of roughly 5% of the calories consumed due to the thermic effect of food. So, for example, if you consume 400 calories of pure protein you will burn 100 (or 25%) of those calories through the thermic effect of food. If you consume 400 calories of pure fat or pure carbohydrates, only 20 calories (or 5%) will be burned through the thermic effect of food.

Do Negative Calorie Foods exist, foods that take more energy to digest than they provide in calories?

It is theoretically possible to have a negative-calorie food but, there are no scientific studies to prove that certain foods have this effect. Low calorie foods that are high in dietary fiber like green leafy vegetables are often cited as negative calorie. This is not true, it’s a myth.

What are Empty Calorie foods?

Empty calories apply to food such as solid fats or added sugars supplying food energy but little or no other nutrition.

High intake of empty calorie foods leads to Hidden Hunger. This can be one of the reason for weight gain.

For a sustainable and healthy weight loss, focus on nutrient content and not calorie content of food as all calories are not equal.

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Decoding Energy Bars!

Image by Vegan Liftz

Energy bars have been the all-time snacking options for most. Earlier, it was popular only amongst sportsmen and women and body builders but,over time people on weight loss too have started munching on energy bars as their meal options.

The questions that most of my players ask is, how healthy are these energy bars? Would you recommend me adding these bars in my routine? Which energy bar is the best one? How to choose?

Energy bars have been a hit in the sports world but, what is bothering me is common people binging on energy bars. There is a huge range of energy bars available online or in the super markets and hence has become easily accessible.

Is it a boon or a bane?

I cannot label anything as good or bad but all I prefer doing is educating people about choosing the best one for them!

As the name suggests, energy bars were made to provide instant energy to the athletes and sports enthusiast but thesedays, it is slowly becoming meal replacement snack.

Is it worth skipping a meal? Let’s find out!

Let’s consider an Indian thali. When you eat an Indian thali, all nutrients are covered.

Macronutrients (Carbohydrates, proteins, fats)

Micronutrients (Vitamins and minerals)

  • As the name suggests, MACRO means larger quantities and MICRO means lesser quantities.

FIBRE and WATER are also very important. They are said to be most forgotten nutrient.

Depending upon the recipe, the amount is decided.

Let’s try and understand about how to read a nutritional label of any given energy bar: –

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 1. Carbohydrates

  • Energy bars have 10-60 grams of carbohydrates which varies from one brand to another.
  • It can be a mixture of simple and complex carbohydrates.
  • If energy bars contain more of oats, muesli then it means it is high on complex carbohydrates and the form of sugar in them makes up the simple carbohydrates.

2. Proteins

  • Energy bars have 5-25 grams of proteins depending on the source of proteins.
  • If it is a meal replacement bar then proteins are higher, if it is an instant energy bar then carbohydrates are higher.
  • Pea protein, soya protein, casein or whey protein are most common sources used in energy bars.

3. Fats

  • Energy bars have 3-5 grams of fats which completely depends on its nutrients.
  • Sometimes, fat content is higher depending on the amount of other nutrient groups added.

4. Calories

  • Most of the energy bars used by the athletes and sports enthusiasts are more than 500 calories.
  • People who eat energy bars as their snacking options then they should take care about the calories mentioned on the label and should always go for calories less than 250.

5. Fibre

  • It is one of the most forgotten nutrient but when it comes to energy bar, high fibres ones are to be choose only if you are having it as a snack.
  • If you are having an energy bar to boost up your energy before workout or any sport then low fibre ones should be preferred.
  • 3-5 grams of fibre is ideally preferred if you are picking it up as a meal replacement snack.

6. Sugar

  • Energy bars might sound like a healthy option but you need to be very careful while picking one for you.
  • Most of the energy bars are loaded with unwanted sugar. Reading the nutritional label in such cases becomes very important.

Here are some key points which you should take care off before picking up an energy bar for yourself: –

  • Energy bars should have fat less than 5g
  • If you are choosing an energy bar as your meal replacement snack then go for the ones which are having at least 3-5 grams of fibre.
  • If you are having your energy bar before workout or any endurance exercises then you need to go for high carbohydrate bars.
  • If you are having your energy bar as a meal replacement snack then go for high protein bars.
  • If you are on any weight loss program, choose energy bars which are less than 500 calories.
  • If your energy bars are having large amounts of high fructose corn syrup or some other sugar source then try avoiding those bars.
  • Try to choose bars which have lesser ingredients.
  • Go for the ones with oats, muesli, honey and so on.

Energy bars are the most convenient snack option to go for but anything which is homemade has a higher preference!

Energy bars can be prepared at home with absolute ease!

Benefits of homemade energy bars: –

  • Cost effective.
  • Hygiene levels are maintained.
  • Better awareness about ingredients used.
  • Without any artificial preservatives or added colours.
  • Purest form of energy bars, can be made depending upon individual preferences.

Here are some energy bar recipes which can help you in getting a healthy dose of your snack option!

(1) Rasp-Chia Energy Bars!

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Name of the ingredients Quantity
Raspberries 1 cup
Chia Seeds 1 tbsp.
Rolled oats 1 cup
Walnuts 1 cup
Dates 1/4th cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Honey 1 tsp
Rock Salt ½ tsp
Lemon Juice 1 tsp

 

Method: –

  • Take raspberries, chia seeds, honey and lemon juice and place it in the food processor and keep processing it until it becomes smooth. Keep it aside for 15 mins. This becomes the chia seed jam.
  • Add rolled oats to the processor to make it as a coarse flour. Add walnuts, vanilla extract and rock salt to the coarse flour. Process it further and add seedless dates while the processor is on.
  • Once the mixture is prepared, spread it evenly on the pan and let it set.
  • Spread the chia seed jam on this mixture. Cover and keep it in the fridge for 2 hours.
  • Remove it, cut the bars in the desired shapes!
  • Enjoy!

 

Nutritional Label: –

Nutrition Facts
Nutrients Nutrition per serving
Calories 307
Protein 6 g
Carbohydrates 45 g
Fats 5 g
Fibre 7 g
Sugar 18 g

 

 

(2)  Choco-Nut Rush!

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Name of the ingredients Quantity
Raw Cashew Nuts 1 cup
Raw Almonds (Skinless) 1 cup
Shredded Coconut ½ cup
Cocoa Powder 3/4thcup
Dates 1 cup
Vanilla extract 2 tbsp.
Rock Salt ½ tsp
Cold water 3 tbsp.

 

Method: –

  • Chop cashews, almonds, dates and keep it aside.
  • Combine chopped cashews, almonds, dates, cocoa powder and rock salt in a food processor.
  • Process all the ingredients till it becomes coarse. To this mixture add shredded coconut and process further.
  • To this, add vanilla extract and little cold water till it becomes moist.
  • Spread the mixture evenly on the pan and refrigerate it for 2 hours.
  • Cut it into desired shapes.
  • You can top it up with some Choco chips as well!

 

Nutrition Facts
Nutrients Nutrition per serving
Calories 323
Protein 12 g
Carbohydrates 36 g
Fats 5 g
Fibre 8 g
Sugar 7 g

 

 

(3) Walnut-Fig Talks!

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Name of the ingredients Quantity
Raw walnuts 1 and ½ cups
Whole grain flour 1 cup
Baking soda 1/8th spoon
Rock Salt 1/4th tsp
Cinnamon ½ tsp
Honey 3 tbsp.
Figs 1 cup
Vanilla extract 1 tsp

 

Method: –

  • Chop walnuts, figs and keep it aside.
  • Combine chopped walnuts, figs, whole grain flour, cinnamon powder, baking soda and rock salt in a food processor.
  • Process all the ingredients till it becomes coarse.
  • To this mixture, add vanilla extract and little cold water till it becomes moist.
  • Spread the mixture evenly on the pan and refrigerate it for 2 hours.
  • Cut it into desired shapes.
  • You can top it up with some fresh fruits as well while eating!

 

Nutrition Facts
Nutrients Nutrition per serving
Calories 200
Protein 8 g
Carbohydrates 28 g
Fats 5 g
Fibre 3 g
Sugar 7 g

 

I hope you like all these recipes! Being a naturopath I prefer home made things over anything else!

Do give your reviews!

 

From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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