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October 6, 2016 By Dr Darshana Salve Leave a Comment

Pregnancy- Not by Chance!

048-aerobic-exercises

Whether it is shopping for groceries, clothes, perfumes, appliances etc., we are extremely choosy and want to go for the best. There is no doubt in the fact we would not want to compromise for anything that is not up to the mark. But, sadly, I find that same is not the attitude when it comes to our own body. Whether it is taking care of our body to be fit and healthy or whether it is to take care of it prior to planning a family.

It is very important to realize that one of the pre requisites to conceive a healthy baby is that both the father and the mother must be in the best of health and there are no two ways about it.

Holistic preconception is about nurturing the mind/ emotions, body and spirit to create the most ideal environment for creating and cultivating life. While, much attention is placed on the mother’s health, we know that the health of the sperm is equally important as that of the egg and womb. Precisely why both egg and sperm should be addressed with the intention of increasing fertility and minimizing exposure to toxins.

Prior to starting, both the parents should undergo a complete health check-up (e.g. Medical history, Genetic history, Blood tests- to check for thyroid levels, hemoglobin, Vitamin B12 & Vitamin D, folic acid, Blood sugars). If any medical condition is detected prior, it will only help to correct the situation before conception and reduce the risk of complications in pregnancy like gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, thyroid disorders and anemia.

Start the regime mentioned below, three months prior to your planned conception and continue it till you conceive.

How to prepare for a healthy conception-

  • Diet– Diet should include folic acid rich food. Folic acid plays an important role in the production of red blood cells and helps baby’s neural tube develop into a brain and spinal cord.

e.g. Vegetables-Cluster Beans (Gavarfali), Spinach (Palak), Lady Finger, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Beetroot, French beans.

  • Curds
  • Cereals/pulses
  • Dry fruits- Walnuts (2), Almonds(4)

Eat unrefined, fresh and homemade food as much as possible.

  • Exercises

Exercise is one of the most important aspects of keeping your body healthy. All exercises improve the blood flow to the pelvic organs, including the male and female reproductive organs which is beneficial to conceiving. (http://goqii.com/blog/excercises-pre-pregnancy-a-good-start-is-half-done/).

Remember  “A mother’s health has direct correlation with her baby’s health” , so the earlier you start, the better.

  • Lifestyle

Stop smoking.  Avoid alcohol completely.  Avoid drugs – both pharmaceutical drugs for chronic conditions and recreational drugs.  Avoid caffeine. Avoid exposure to X-rays and Radiations.

  • Stress

Relaxation techniques – Meditation, massage, or Yoga have been known to help people with stress.

Express your thoughts and worries to your spouse, this will eventually strengthen the bond between the couple & always think positive.

  • Hydration

Water is the simplest method of detoxifying and 2-3 liters are recommended daily.

  • Stopping contraception

Stop hormonal pills and remove intrauterine device (IUD) if any, about 3 months before conception is planned. Use a barrier method (like condom) at this time. Allow a minimum of one normal menstrual cycle between stopping contraception and conception.

  • Dental care

If there are any dental problems (e.g. cavity) get it treated before you conceive. Oral infections are associated with premature labor.

A happy healthy mother is equal to happy healthy baby. Martin Luther once said, “Maternity is a glorious thing, since all mankind has been conceived, born, and nourished of women. All human laws should encourage the multiplication of families”.

May this amazing journey of parenthood begin in a holistic healthy way.

July 25, 2016 By Luke Coutinho 3 Comments

Why eating too healthy is dangerous for your health

Fruit diets, fruit juice diets, banana and milk diets, high protein diets, chia seed infused water, salads, Vegan food, sugarless snacks, low-fat foods, organic foods, fortified foods, innumerable ranges of organic vitamins, supplements etc……

We have it all….We also have more obesity, more cancer, more diabetes, more depression, more mental decay, more medication, more vitamin deficiencies, more time spent with doctors and in hospitals.

In our endeavor to get healthy, we may actually be doing more harm than good, if we don’t understand the physiology of the human body and mind. Too much of a good thing is bad…..even food… Yes, fruits are extremely nutrient dense foods but, it does not mean we constantly eat them.
Protein is needed, it’s good for repair, tone, muscle, recovery but, it does not mean we need more and more of it.

Many fats may be bad, but it does not mean we stop eating fat completely. It’s a very common belief that to be healthy, we need to eat more and more healthy foods.

Pure Ghee on a fresh hot wheat roti? What’s’ worse, the ghee or the roti?

Most people say that Ghee, is a fat and fat causes cholesterol and high cholesterol causes heart attacks… which really isn’t’ the case in most people who have cardiac arrests or strokes. There are many other reasons. I would worry about the roti, the wheat, where has the wheat come from, is it GMO? How processed is it?

Our beliefs about healthy foods need to be balanced with the understanding of what our body really needs and how our body assimilates nutrients from the food we eat.

A fruit diet is not going to do anything but cleansing……

Too much protein intake is going to do more harm than just repair or muscle build. This is when good food turns bad. When we have too much of even a good thing, it ceases to be good, and can in fact cause harm. There is absolutely no doubt that fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and all things good, and that they also contain fibre, which prevents constipation and other gastric problems. But, too much fibre (for instance, when you eat platefuls of raw green leafy vegetables or salads like radish day in and out) can mess things up – big time. Excess fibre often causes bloating, abdominal cramps and gas right away.

In the long term, it can interfere with the absorption of minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, causing some serious deficiencies. Fruits also contain natural sugars, no harm in that but, too much is bad…your body only uses what it needs, the rest gets stored as fat or becomes waste and all waste is waste, whether it’s a fruit or a samosa. Waste is toxic.

Insane workouts or working out too much, I have a question for you, is it really working? are you really getting the desired body you have in mind? Or are you using exercise as a way of punishing your body because you ate too much?

It just doesn’t work, your body has a life, so does your bones, your muscles and joints and over exercising will decrease your bone density, deplete vitamins from your body , raise cortisol levels, decrease immunity and leave you with ‘STUBBORN BELLY FAT AND LOVE HANDLES’…

The body needs not more than 30 minutes of smart exercise to stay health and if your fat and you are trying to lose weight, more exercise DOES NOT mean more exercise…it means looking smartly at your food choices, your alcohol intake, your sleep, your stress levels, your sugar and the consistency of your exercise program.

Does your choice of exercise suit your body or are you just following the latest fad ?

The body needs protein to repair and build muscle, but eating excessive amounts won’t do the job better. In fact, in a diet where the protein intake goes beyond 30 per cent of the daily caloric intake, a build-up of toxic ketones in the body may occur, causing the kidneys to go into overdrive in an attempt to flush them out. This may lead to a significant loss of water and calcium from the body, causing dehydration and bone loss.

Symptoms include a feeling of weakness and dizziness, dry skin, loss of hair, low appetite, nausea and bad breath. In the long term, this may strain the kidneys, stretch out the liver and put stress on your heart too.

Weight loss efforts go bust too, as excess protein is converted into fat. Another problem is that while making protein into carbs or fat, the body converts the protein’s nitrogen into urea or uric acid. In large amounts, this can mess up your kidneys, lead to gout (a condition that causes your joints to become inflamed, tender and painful to move) and cause gallstones and kidney stones.”

Be super careful with protein shakes and bars. The body can process only about four to five grams of protein per hour, so the 50 grams you got from that protein bar or shake will take about 10 hours to digest and absorb. Also, when you replace your meals with protein shakes, you run the risk of missing the vitamins and nutrients you get from real food.

The Japanese eat soya and stay healthy and live longer. It is high in protein and has zero cholesterol. So what could be wrong with that?

That’s true, but, what is also true is that most Japanese eat only about 8 to 10g of soy protein a day, and even soya causes problems when eaten in excess. If overeaten, it may promote cancer, dementia, reproductive abnormalities, and osteoporosis and thyroid disorders. Increased consumption could also increase a woman’s total estrogen level, which is a risk factor for breast cancer.

For men, excessive soya can raise the risk of infertility, physical changes, and hormonal havoc.

The body will only use what it needs…anything in excess becomes fat or waste and both are detrimental to your mind-body health.

July 11, 2016 By Aditi Save 7 Comments

Is Acne just a skin problem or a diet problem?

1b

Acne is a common problem that we have all had while growing up or continue to have it. It’s irritating, we hate it and have also tried to beat it with the numerous types of skin care treatments. For a few these treatments have proved good but, for many the acne burst returns back may be at the same spot as before even after taking the utmost care.

One tends to wonder what is the cause for acne to keep occurring and re-occurring? The heightened cause of acne is a complex interaction of changing hormones, sebum, overgrowth of bacteria and inflammation.

To get a better understanding of this, let’s get deep into the skin structure,

We all individuals have a small sebaceous glands which lie just under the skin surface. These glands make the oil (sebum) that keeps the skin supple and smooth. Tiny pores on the skin allow the sebum to come on to the skin surface. Some of these pores get blocked due to the skin on top of the pores get thicker by combining with the dead skin cells that are shed into the pores. Thereafter, we notice tiny spots known as blackheads and whiteheads that block the pores.

As a rule, the more sebum that you create, the greasier your skin feels and the worse acne is likely to be trapped and this is an ideal situation for a germ (bacterium) to live and multiply on that. If a large number develop in the trapped sebum, the immune system may react and cause inflammation.

Often in women, the acne will break out in the exact same area mostly around their menstrual cycle. This may be related to hormones. This may be called as ‘stress’ area – a certain area on your face where whenever your immune system is compromised due to stress or illness, acne occurs. That pore may be damaged from picking or squeezing it in the past or a ‘natural’ weakness in the pore walls. It is unable to keep oil and infection out as easily and inflammation takes place frequently. Sometimes, a recurring pimple is because there is inflammation still very deep within the skin. While the surface may disappear temporarily, it is still there under the surface.

We can’t do much when it comes to the hormonal changes but, the other causes of acne is food intake. Certain foods like bad fats in fast foods and junk foods, processed and refined foods especially sugar, white bread, processed breakfast cereals, white rice, chips, cookies and cakes, full fat dairy products causes spike in blood sugar levels and lead to acne.

The key is to eat foods that keep your blood sugar and body pH alkaline steady. Here are few tips…

*Vegetables namely cucumbers, peas, cauliflower,beetroot, broccoli, lemons, leafy vegetables. The more vegetables you have the clearer skin you get.

*Omega 3 oils namely walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, fish and fish oils.

*Antioxidants mainly like VitA, Vit E and zinc like pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, papaya, nuts like almonds, peanuts, shellfish, avocados and mushrooms.

*Water and High Fiber Foods for adequate hydration and detoxifying the body.

It never happens that one plan suits all, so you can experiment to find a perfect balance between the skin and body changes, maintain a diary, observe the changes, track them and carve out the best suitable food plan for a healthy and clear skin.

There are many factors that contribute to acne and diet is just one of them. Along with eating clean and avoiding acne triggers, a good skin care routine like using correct face wash, sporting a sunscreen daily and moisturizing your skin  is vital to maintaining a clear complexion.

July 7, 2016 By Saba Mirza 3 Comments

Are you craving for Sugar?

addicted-to-sugar

If you are someone who is trying to control your urge of eating sweets but, in the end give in and eat them, then this article is apt for you.

To begin with I would like to clear the myth that ‘If you are craving for sweets it means that your body is in dire need of sugar’…this is an absolutely lame excuse by sugar lovers. If that was the case then your body is always in a need of other nutrients, then why don’t you ever crave for fruits, vegetables or cereals and pulses for that matter.

Her are few reasons you just want to grab that chocolate bar

  1. A) After the Meals

Sometimes you crave for sugar even after a filling meal- the reasons might be Habit, Your meal type and the signal from your brain.

HABIT: Studies suggest that regular consumption of sugar and sweets causes changes in your brain’s neurochemical network and it will always remind you to have that sweet even after you have had a complete meal.

MEAL TYPE: Evidence suggest that meals which are rich in carbohydrate tend to make you crave for more sugar rather than the meals rich in proteins and fats.

BRAIN CHEMISTRY: A Carbohydrate rich meal causes high levels of glucose in your body which in turn directs the brain to release ‘serotonin’ which is mood elevating neurotransmitter…it gives your body a sudden high and as the glucose levels from simple carbohydrates settle down immediately, your body again demands for that ‘high’ and as you know simple sugars immediately release glucose in the blood and you tend to binge on that sweet..

-Gradually stop that habit of eating sweets after each meal. Remember don’t do it too hastily otherwise you will end up eating a big bowl of ice cream after some time.

-Do make your meals balanced and rich in variety. Include the right amount of complex carbohydrates like whole grain, good amount of PROTEINS like chicken, fish or pulses and beans and ample amount of vegetables. PROTEINS have a strong ability to stimulate the ‘satiety centres’ of your brain thus giving you a feeling of fullness.

  1. B) WHEN HUNGRY

Being hungry for a long time is one of the major causes behind overeating of that sinful dessert.

SOLUTION you know…eat frequently and have nutritious snacks like fruits, raw vegetables, fruit smoothies, beans salad or chat etc.

  1. C) UNDER STRESS

Stress initiates our body’s ‘fight or flight ‘response…this causes release of glucocorticoids which try to replenish the body’s energy loss during the condition of stress by demanding more sugar.

The other reason is depletion of serotonins in our brain that makes us feel sad and miserable, this in turn triggers the body’s need to have more carbohydrates.

HOW TO FIGHT IT:

-Divert your attention, take deep breaths, take hot shower, go for a walk, read a good book and even after all this if you still feel hungry grab a fruit or munch on those nutritious nuts.

  1. D) YOU ARE CRAVING IT BECAUSE YOU ARE SIMPLY ADDICTED:

This is a never ending vicious cycle…you eat sugary food–tastes good, instant, brain is ‘happy’–Blood sugar spikes fast–hormones released in the blood to control this sudden increase in sugar levels–>Blood sugar drops rapidly–>insulin notices the sudden low in sugar levels–>Body takes the signal that it’s ‘starving’ and demands glucose–>Cravings restart.

NO,,that doesn’t mean that you are helpless 😉

HOW TO FIGHT:

-Keep yourself full-keep munching on nuts, dates, low fat cheese slices, fruits and vegetables like cucumber. This will help to not think about about that chocolate bar.

-Leave it gradually: Start having a small piece from that chocolate bar or a small scoop of your favorite ice cream whenever u feel that urge. This way you will not push your body into sudden deprivation

-Combine them: combine your favourite desert with some healthier options. Such as dip few apple slices in chocolate syrup or mix in fruits in your favourite ice cream

-Remove them away from your sight: Don’t keep any sweets in your purse, in your office desk or in your fridge.

-Make them healthier like have a whole wheat pancake sweetened with honey or fruit smoothie (sweeten it with honey or dates) or have fruit cream (with low fat cream).

So don’t give up and have a healthy and sweet life. To know more about GOQii and how it can help you control sugar click here.

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