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5 accompaniments to avoid to keep you healthy and to lose weight

I am a foodie! Being a Marwari, our meals are not simple staple food and contains lot of accompaniments along with basic roti, vegetables (sabzi), dal (lentils) and rice. In my quest for personal fitness and wanting to lose weight, I initially struggled for few months. I kept wondering why am I not losing weight in spite of eating at regular intervals, not cheating, not eating out, limiting high fat food intake, proper exercise routine, good 8 hours sleep and also resorting to meditation to remain stress free ?

These questions kept lingering in my thoughts and one fine day my health expert analyzed my routine, my diet and figured that there were few dishes that I should be avoiding or limiting my intake on if I need to lose or maintain my weight. That’s when I found the solution and achieved the best results on this journey!

I would like to share with you all about the most common 5 side dishes that people love, but, should be avoided or have it once in a while if you are on weight loss journey.

(1) Papad

Ahh!! That crunchy crispy papad.

Rice and dal seem like an incomplete meal without Papad on the side. Papads can be deep fried–extremely unhealthy – or roasted – which is equally unhealthy! They can be made from rice, flour, potatoes or chickpeas and are mixed with a variety of spices, salt, and oil. An uncontrolled serving of Papad can amp your calorie intake and exceed your daily budget. The increase in sodium can lead to water retention, bloating, and constant thirst and may even cause an increase in one’s blood pressure. Since, most of them consume more Papad in one sitting it may lead to acidity, and digestive problems too. When fried using same oil many times, the reused oil becomes transfat leading to cardiac issues and high cholesterol. When dry roasted, acrylamide is formed due to the presence of sodium benzoate. So, be mindful.

(2) Pickles

A spoonful of pickle can spice up any meal. In fact I have seen people can take their meal only with pickles without any veggies sometimes. It works well with curd rice; adds a punch to Potato Breads (Aloo Paranthas), and makes Theplas (Breads made of various grains) the best dish to snack on! Pickles stand out as flavorful, low-calorie vegetables and is high in vitamin K. However, pickles are loaded with calories because of the oil they are preserved in and their nutrition content is almost zero, as the vegetables and fruits are minced and dried, which takes away the nutritional value. Like Papads, they are high in sodium due to the use of excessive salt for preservatives which might lead to hypertension if taken in excess. So Again the same funda…Eat in limit!

 (3) Salad dressings  

Salad…salad and just salads!!! Most of the weight loss dieters say they are on some kind of only salads diet! But, still not losing weight?

If you think having salads at the start of your meal will help you eat one less parantha, then go ahead and have a bowl. But, this salad helps only if it is not loaded with high-calorie dressings. Adding dressing to a salad can make the calorie content soar. Dressings such as Thousand Islands and Mayonnaise are loaded with calories, most of them fat. Stick to olive oil, lemon or low-fat yogurt instead!

(4) Soups

Salads are mostly accompanied with bowl of soup. And, one is right in thinking that a soup can be a healthy meal. It can fill your stomach and make you go less on other carbohydrate foods. But, if the soup is loaded with toppings such as cheese, cream, and croutons, it’s far from being healthy. Stick to clear soup with pieces of veggies and meats; shun all cream-based soups. And never pick up the soup sticks or dinner rolls that accompany your soup in a restaurant. That’s another side you don’t need! Go for more of homemade soups without any corn flour and also avoid packaged one as they are also high in sodium being added as preservative. Rather you can add oats flour as thickening agent. You can also opt for healthy cold soups.

(5) Boondi Raita

This curd based mixture is a hot favourite with most of us. Curd is high in protein, calcium, probiotic and the perfectly aid in digestion. It’s good to have curd daily for a healthy gut. The problem begins when you add fried snack to it. Boondi is nothing but fried globules of chickpea flour. The addition makes it a high-caloric food. When fried in reused oil, it becomes transfat and thus may lead to heart issues. So you can opt for veggies in curd or spinach, cabbage, pomegranate, carrot, cucumber, onion and the likes instead of a friend snack in curd.

So be mindful with all these above foods and get fitter and healthier.

We hope this article helps you make informed choices for your weight loss journey. Have any tips on healthier accompaniments? Share them with us in the comments below. For more guidance on nutrition and weight management, explore Healthy Reads or consult a certified expert through GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Vitamin B12: The Energy Nutrient many of you should be thinking about!

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As a medical practitioner, I am appalled by the number of patients suffering from B12 deficiency. Patients complain about fatigue, vague pains, tingling, numbness, loss of concentration. Many tests are conducted with no results and the one missed is the test for vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is the only vitamin that contains a trace element – cobalt – which gives this vitamin its chemical name – cobalamin – which is at the centre of its molecular structure.

B12 is required

  • For the manufacture of red blood cells; deficiency leads to a characteristic kind of anemia
  • To support the normal function of nerve cells, and to manufacture myelin, the insulating material that surrounds some of our nerve cells and speeds neural transmission. B12 deficiency impairs brain function. Advanced B12 deficiency causes dementia resembling Alzheimer’s.
  • The deficiency leads to difficulty in regeneration of new healthy cells- mimics all of the effects of aging.
  • B12 is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body, especially affecting DNA synthesis, fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.

Vitamin B12 is produced by some species of bacteria in colon. The colon is followed by the small intestine & is a part of large intestine and hence the B12 produced there is not absorbed which results in the need of supplementation.

Who should be concerned about B12 deficiency?

  1. If you are or were a vegetarians / a vegan – get yourself tested
  2. Babies born to mothers who are vegetarians
  3. Risk of B12 deficiency increases with age. So test yourself and fortify your meals
  4. Pernicious anaemia – is an autoimmune condition that affects your stomach. In your stomach, Vitamin B12 is combined with a protein called intrinsic factor. This mix of Vitamin B12 and intrinsic factor is then absorbed into the body in part of the gut called the distal ileum. Pernicious anaemia causes your immune system to attack the cells in your stomach that produce the intrinsic factor, which means your body is unable to absorb Vitamin B12.
  5. Conditions affecting your intestines – E.g. Crohn’s disease (a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system)
  6. Some types of medicine – E.g. proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) –a medication sometimes used to treat indigestion – can make a Vitamin B12 deficiency worse.
  7. People suffering from Atrophic Gastritis (the stomach line becomes thin)
  8. Surgery where a part of the stomach is removed, including weight loss surgery like bariatric surgery.
  9. Smoking, drinking & stress increases the requirement of B12
  10. Few autoimmune disorders
  11. Chronic illnesses leads to a deficiency of this diseases

Move towards a B12 rich diet if you have the following symptoms

  • Weakness, tiredness, dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Smooth tongue
  • Palpitations and dyspnea
  • Pale skin
  • Constipation, diarrhea, a loss of appetite, or dyspepsia
  • Nerve problems – numbness or tingling, muscle weakness,
  • Loss of weight
  • Mental problems – memory loss, or behavioral changes, confusions
  • Glove & stocking neuropathy (tingling of palms & forearms, feet till knees) – in this scenario B12 deficiency is the majorly deficient apart from other nutrients

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Sources of B12

Sources of B12 are animal products (meat, fish, and dairy products), fortified foods. Ensure sufficient quantities of these foods to maintain your B12 levels. If your count is low, consider oral or injectable forms of the vitamin. But why reach that stage?

Have the above mentioned foods in your routine.  The best part of this Energy Nutrient is that the excess is excreted by the body or stored in the liver for use when supplies are scarce. Stores of B12 can last for up to a year. Unfortunately sometimes catching the B12 deficiency late can result in permanent damage. Any neurological damage due to B12 deficiency cannot be reversed. Ensure that your B12 levels are maintained at levels 200 to 900 picograms per milliliter (pg/mL).

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How to fight against the common illnesses with natural remedies!  

home remedies for common illnesses

Common illnesses like cold and cough, fever, headaches can be even more common than we can think!  We have no practical solution for these illnesses other than popping over the counter (OTC) pills to suppress the symptoms and waiting for them to reoccur.

If that one pill doesn’t work, they pop up the second one and after the second one doesn’t work they end up in doctor’s cabin asking for some more medicines. Taking these medicines over and over again is simply abusing our bodies. Side effects of the medicines are no less which gives us a chance to try and change our approach.

Remember how our grandmothers resorted to old traditional home remedies for better health? Those remedies are now being used as a part of naturopathy treatment. Before reaching out to these over the counter pills, let’s try and combine our herbs, spices and right diet to fight these illnesses.

Let’s understand each common illnesses one by one:-

  • Common cold

I am sure each one of us has suffered from common cold and can completely relate to its symptoms. It is perhaps the most common illness in the world. There was a research where data was collated to find out maximum sick leave reason and the data revealed that common cold topped the charts. There is no permanent cure for common cold.

Well, I have seen people taking antibiotics for getting rid of common cold. Antibiotics can do nothing for a common cold. If you are prescribed one then you might as well ask your doctor to give you something else because antibiotics only work against infections caused by bacteria but common cold is caused by a virus.

There is no permanent cure for common cold. There are more than 200 strains of viruses and it is difficult for the body to build up immunity against every strain which is why you see common cold hitting you always!

Symptoms of a common cold:

  • A severe headache
  • A sore throat
  • Fever
  • Congestion
  • Watery eyes
  • A cough
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sneezing

How to prevent the common cold?

(i) Include antioxidant-rich foods in your diet

  • It is important to boost your immunity and Vitamin C can act as an excellent immune-boosting nutrient.
  • Include raw fruits and vegetables which has PRANIC energy in your diet.

(ii) Include Bioflavonoids rich foods in your diet

  • Bioflavonoids were once known as Vitamin P.
  • These compounds help in fighting against the common cold.
  • Lemon, sweet lime, chillies, green pepper, grapes are good sources of bioflavonoids.

Natural remedies to cure a common cold:

(i) Ingredients:

  • Lime juice
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Manuka or organic honey
  • Water

Method:

  • Dilute 2 tbsp of lime juice + Pinch of cayenne pepper + 1 tsp of manuka honey in a ½ cup of warm water.

Dosage:

  • Have it early morning on empty stomach to prevent cold.
  • Take this concoction 3 times a day before breakfast, lunch and dinner if you are suffering from cold.

(ii)  Ingredients:

  • Fresh ginger juice
  • Fresh garlic juice
  • Turmeric powder
  • Elaichi or Cardamom

    Method:

  • Brew 2 tbsp of fresh ginger juice + 1 tbsp of fresh garlic juice + pinch of turmeric powder + 2 elaichi (cardamom) pods in 200 ml of water
  • Boil this decoction and then simmer it for 2 minutes.
  • Strain the water and add 1 tsp of a mishri or khadi shaker, drink this decoction warm

  Dosage :

  • 3 times a day till cold and cough subsides

(2) Fever

In my opinion, fever is the most misunderstood common issue. Everybody has a different definition of fever. Whenever your body temperature crosses 98.6 F, chances of getting fever becomes high. Medically, temperature above 100.4 F is termed as fever.

What causes fever?

It is important for everyone to know what causes fever. Fever is actually a response to your body against foreign invaders.

What are these foreign invaders?

Virus

Bacteria

Fungi

Toxins

Drugs

These foreign invaders are considered to be pyrogens or fever-producing substances. These pyrogens trigger the brain to raise the body temperature so that the body can fight these foreign invaders.

I have seen people popping up pills with a slight rise in body temperature. I have given this explanation above so that people understand that what is this fever and why does it happen? Your immune system is very smart, it will manage things on its own for a while. Taking fever-reducing medicines means that you are interfering with your immune system’s work.

Usually, fever reduces in a day or two. If it doesn’t then please visit your healthcare practitioner before popping any pills. Fever can be a symptom of any disease.

Staying with fever is not a good idea, I understand. But, taking medicine for the same is a very bad idea. Try these natural remedies to reduce your fever, it will not interfere with your immune system and will give you some relief as well.

Ingredients:

  • Dill seeds (Suva seeds)
  • Peppercorns (Kali Mirch )
  • Kalonji
  • Cinnamon powder
  • Water

 Method:

  • Boil 1 tbsp of roasted dill seeds + 1 tsp of peppercorns powder + 1 tsp of Kalonji in 150 ml of water for about 6 mins. Let it stay warm for about 15 mins.
  • Strain this mixture and add a pinch of cinnamon powder
  • Drink this mixture warm
  • Repeat it till the body temperature reduces.

(3) A headache

This topic can be an article in itself. Discussing headache is a huge thing but to cut it short headaches have numerous causes and headaches are divided into 3 categories:

  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Other

Primary headaches include a migraine, stress, cold and cough induced headaches. Secondary headaches include headaches caused by structural problems in the body especially head and neck.

Here are some natural remedies to manage a headache:

  • Eat 5 black raisins + 1 tsp of sesame seeds twice a day. Keep chewing it and then drink lukewarm water
  • 1 glass of fresh tomato juice once a day
  • Soak your feet in Epsom salt and relax for a while. A headache will be drastically reduced.

Hope these tips help you in dealing with common illnesses!

Note: If your symptoms do not get better then please see your healthcare practitioner.

Opt for natural remedies to combat common illnesses, embracing the wisdom of traditional healing. From immune-boosting foods to age-old home remedies, prioritize your well-being the holistic way. Empower your health with these simple yet effective solutions. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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7 Reasons Why You Should Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter

Avoid Caffeinated Drinks

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee and cacao plants. Billions of people rely on caffeine to start their day and to get through their night shift or afternoon slump. It works by stimulating the brain and the central nervous system, helping you stay alert, reducing the onset of tiredness. Nothing is as comforting on a chilly morning as a hot cup of tea with a cozy blanket. For most people, intake of these caffeinated drinks increases during winter as they believe it provides warmth to beat the cold. But is that really so? Is there a reason to avoid caffeinated drinks? Let’s find out! 

How Caffeine Works

While caffeine is considered safe, drinking too much raises some concerns. When you drink any caffeinated drink, your gut absorbs it very quickly and sends it to your bloodstream. From there, as it reaches your brain, it starts blocking the effects of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. Adenosine relaxes your brain and makes you feel tired. So by blocking its receptors, caffeine helps you stay awake and alert. But with alertness comes anxiety as well. At the same time, caffeine also stimulates our stress or “fight & flight” hormones.

Reasons To Avoid Caffeinated Drinks During Winter 

  1. Dehydration: During winter, most people feel less thirsty and their water intake automatically reduces. All caffeinated drinks are diuretic and tend to flush out water from the body through urine, making it deficient in not just water but also vitamins and minerals that are required for the smooth functioning of the body.
  2. Amplified Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Winter is not a good time for people with heart conditions and high blood pressure. They are always advised to stay away from low temperatures as it can constrict their blood vessels and lead to high blood pressure. Caffeine being a stimulant also increases heart rate and blood pressure. So it may increase difficulties for such people.
  3. Empty Calories: Most caffeinated drinks are loaded with sugar and give you not just empty calories but a sugar crash later, which might make you feel more lethargic after some time.
  4. Effect on Digestion: Being a stimulant, caffeine increases gut motility or the contraction of muscles that propel the contents in the gastrointestinal tract. This might be a reason why you feel like having tea or coffee with or after a heavy meal. But this actually isn’t good because it reduces the time your food stays in each part of your digestive system, not letting the nutrients fully absorb. In fact, too much can lead to diarrhea which is followed by dehydration.
  5. Pregnancy & Lactation: Caffeine can easily cross the placenta and can reach breast milk. So, women who consume caffeinated drinks may need to limit their intake to avoid risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
  6. Interaction with Medication: Our body flushes out caffeine generally within 6-8 hours but while in the system, it can react with your medication and supplements, causing poor absorption or side effects.
  7. Suppresses Appetite: Now this can be both good and bad for all weight watchers. Research shows that caffeine acts as an appetite suppressant but increases higher plasma levels of PYY & Leptin (anorexic hormones). It might make you eat less calories, but with less food, there is less nutrition as well. So beware of consuming too much caffeine, as our body needs more nutrition to maintain immunity.

Now, the purpose of all this information was not to coax you off caffeine but to ensure you control your intake. Controlled amounts can have some benefits too! Make sure you drink the right quantity and the right version. 1-2 cups of black tea, green tea and black coffee are better options than sugary and cream filled versions. Also ensure that you drink your last cup 6-8 hours before you sleep. 

We hope this article on why you should avoid caffeinated drinks in winter helps you! Do let us know your thoughts in the comments below. For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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From Terminal Illness To Complete Wellness! Ananda Mukherjee Health Story

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