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Celebrity oil: Rice bran oil

rice bran oil

There are number of cooking oils available in the market and recommended by experts which commonly includes Rice bran oil, olive oil, canola oil and mustard oil. All these have been found to be better options compared to other vegetable oil available in the market. Olive oil has high level of omega 3 fatty acids beneficial for heart.  Canola oil too has good amount of omega 3 fatty acids but not available easily and is expensive too just like olive oil. Olive oil cannot be used for frying purpose because of low smoke point. Mustard oil has specific taste which is not liked by all.

 

Rice bran oil is one of the most trending oil in the market today. As the health benefits were identified, this oil gained lot of attention and today it is the recommended oil to all. There are television advertisements marketing its healthy benefits.  With people getting increasingly health consciousness they are turning to healthy food options too. Rice bran oil can replace other oils and has been associated with many health benefits to human body.

This oil is extracted from rice bran, a byproduct from rice milling. It has ideal fatty acid profile which makes it a better option compared to other oil. It has high Vitamin E level and many other antioxidant compounds such as oryzonal, polyphenols, polysterols etc. And therefore has a better shelf life too. This oil is also said to absorb less while cooking and therefore indirectly contributes to low intake of calories in the diet.

Poor lifestyle choices such as consumption of unhealthy food that is high in fat, less activity, no exercise has increased the incidence of many medical conditions especially heart problems like blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke etc. So there is a need to make few good food choices in our kitchen which may lessen or reduce the incidence of such conditions.

Many studies have shown a positive association between rice bran oil and healthy heart mainly because of the antioxidant compounds present in it. It is also found to lower bad cholesterol (VLDL, LDL,TG) and increase the good cholesterol (HDL). Rice bran oil also has high smoke value which makes it perfect for deep frying and other cooking process.

Apart from health benefits, being a source from a byproduct it is also said to be consumer friendly oil because the cost of the oil is not very much different from other high grade vegetable oil.

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One-Stop Shop Workout – Swimming

swimming
Swimming is a sport or activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs. Swimming is an activity that burns lots of calories, is easy on the joints, supports your weight, builds muscular strength and endurance, improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you in summer, and one that you can do safely into old age.

Some people who enjoy swimming want to take it to a competitive level. This can provide the health benefits of a vigorous workout as well as the fun and thrill of competition. The main strokes used in competitive swimming are breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. The distances swum in competition swimming can vary from 50 meters in a pool to much further distances in open water such as the sea.

Swimming can offer people of all ages a huge range of health benefits. You might just feel and look younger, have stronger muscles, and (according to a long time swimmer) better hair. Although you might not have awesome, shiny and chlorine enriched hair, you can find at least ten other reasons to swim.

Swimming gives your body the workout minus the harsh impacts. Another benefit is the living longer factor. You prolong your life and have higher brain activity with a regular swimming program. Control your weight and have a healthier heart plus lower your risk of diabetes, stop asthma symptoms and have a higher quality of life.

Swimming is a great workout because you need to move your whole body against the resistance of the water. There are plenty of reasons to swim! Swimming is a good all-round activity because it:

  • Keeps your heart rate up but takes some of the impact stress off your body
  • Builds endurance, muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness
  • Helps maintain a healthy weight, healthy heart and lungs
  • Tones muscles and builds strength
  • Provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during swimming.

Swimming has many other benefits including:

  • Being a relaxing and peaceful form of exercise
  • Alleviating stress
  • Improving coordination, balance and posture
  • Improving flexibility
  • Providing good low-impact therapy for some injuries and conditions
  • Providing a pleasant way to cool down on a hot day
  • Being available in many places – you can swim in swimming pools, beaches, lakes, dams and rivers. Make sure that the environment you choose to swim in is safe.

Before you dive in, Make sure you know how to swim, choose a safe environment, warm up and stretch your muscles and joints before entering the water and don’t overdo it if you’re just starting out.

There you have it. Swimming is an activity that builds strength, endurance, and tones muscles. It’s an activity that you can do all year long, inside or outside, it burns lots of calories, you can share it with your family, it’s low-impact (just in case your bones are creaky), and you can do it until you’re 100! It’s not too late to start if you never learned how (learning new stuff is cool even when you’re adult!). All in all, swimming is a winner, and if you have the inclination, I suggest that you go for it!

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GOOD FAT versus BAD FATS

goodfatvsbadfat
How many of you would debate with me if I say FATS are good for your health? I think most of you would, right? I know for a fact that you will counter me on this and argue with me that fat is one of the major culprits behind heart attacks or high cholesterol levels and also that it has a very big contribution towards the distorted figure which now one is struggling with and trying to get back into shape.

Well, while I agree to an extent, I also disagree at the same time. I do not mean to confuse you. Let me simply explain this to you. All of us are familiar with the popular saying there are two sides to the same coin or the fact that there is good and bad in everything and every aspect. Same applies   to fats as well. There are good fats and there are bad fats.

You must be actually wondering when I say there are Good Fats. But, the reality is yes there are good fats. Let us now try and understand what good fats are?

There are three types of fats

1. Unsaturated fats (Good fats)

2. Saturated fats (Bad fats)

3. Trans fats (Bad fats)

GOOD FATS.

v  Unsaturated fats/ good fats are divided into 2 types:

1. Polyunsaturated fats – Omega 3 and Omega 6

2. Monounsaturated fats

POLYUNSATURATED FATS

What makes them good?

  • They help to build cell membranes, the exterior covering of each cell, and the sheaths surrounding nerves.
  • They’re vital to blood clotting, muscle contraction and relaxation, and inflammation.
  • They reduce LDL (Bad cholesterol) more than they lower HDL (Good cholesterol), improving your cholesterol profile. Even better, they also lower triglycerides.

There are two types of polyunsaturated fats: Omega-3 and Omega-6

  • Omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids

ü  Prevent and even treat heart disease and stroke.

ü  Prevent and treat autoimmune diseases such as lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Good sources: flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines

  • Omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids.

ü  Omega-6 fatty acids also lower the risk for heart disease.

Good sources: vegetable oils as safflower, soybean, sunflower, walnut, and corn oils.

MONOUNSATURATED FATS

These fats should be used as much as possible along with polyunsaturated fats to replace the bad saturated fats and Trans fats.

Good sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, avocados, sesame oil and most nuts.

BAD FATS

Saturated fats

What makes them bad?

  • They increase the acetate fragments in the body which is turn leads to increase in the production of cholesterol.
  • They tend to clump together and form deposits in the body along with protein and cholesterol, and get lodged in blood cells and organs leading to many health problems like obesity, heart diseases and cancers of breast and colon.
  • They build up in the arteries causing narrowing of the arteries called as atherosclerosis which consequently can lead to major heart problems.

Sources of saturated fats: Cheese, butter, cream, red meat. Saturated fat is also in tropical oils, such as palm oil, coconut oil and cocoa butter. 

  Trans fats- worst fats

What makes them bad?

  • Tran’s fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oil through a process called hydrogenation, which makes the oil less likely to spoil but difficult to digest.
  • Raises your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and lowers your “good” (HDL) cholesterol.

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BANANA-The Misunderstood Fruit

Bananas
It was a normal day for me. As usual I was sitting in my cabin wrapping up my pending work for the day, and suddenly I find a teenage youth barging into my cabin. His first question was how could his friend who was following a diet prescribed by me, lose so much of weight in spite of having banana’s daily twice a day. I looked at him and replied Why not? And to that he again replied back how you could lose weight with a fattening fruit like banana?.

Majority of my clients, keep banana at bay, in spite of loving the fruit just because they think that it is fattening.

Well! I would like to take this opportunity to inform each one of you out there that other the Avocado, none of the fruits have FATS in them. More often than not fruits are cut off from the diet list of an individual without proper reasoning given and individuals assume that fruits are fattening and therefore avoid it out of fear

Banana, also known as a prepackaged fruit, that comes in a yellow jacket, is an all seasons fruit and widely available across the world. The fruit is high on simple carbohydrates, but if taken in right quantity and at the right time, it will never make you put on fat in your body.

Oops, did I say fat …… Well the explanation for this is that any natural food which contains simple carbohydrates or is high on calories, if eaten at wrong time or in wrong quantities then your body counts that as excess and stores it. The stored form is ‘Fat’.

Bananas are super food. It can combat depression, cure hangover, relieve morning sickness, protect against kidney cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and blindness, mosquito itch, helps cure acidity, bloating, cramping…and the list can go on. I have chalked out few benefits of Banana

BENEFITS OF BANANA

  • It helps overcome depression due to high levels of tryptophan which is converted to Serotonin-the feel good factor.
  • Protect against all types of Cramping: muscle cramp, stomach cramp, night time leg cramp because of the Potassium content of Banana
  • Bananas reduce swelling, protect against type 2 diabetes, aid weight loss, strengthen the nervous system, and help with production of white blood cell, all due to high levels of Vitamin B6
  • It is high on potassium and low in salt, which helps lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke.
  • High on fiber, it helps mobilize bowel movement, thus relieving constipation.
  • Bananas are natural antacid and helps relieve acidity and heartburn.
  • Want to Quit Smoking? Have a Banana as they have high levels of B-vitamins, phosphorus & magnesium to speed recovery from effects of withdrawal.
  • Rub the inside of the banana peel to help relieve the itching of an insect bite.

One more question often asked is what is the best time to have them?

First thing in the morning before starting an activity, post an exercise, trek, dance, as a meal. Have them without fear.

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