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April 13, 2015 By Parwage Alam 9 Comments

CRICKET and FOOT BALL—Your healthy path to fitness!

How often have you taken a cricket bat and ball or just a football and decided to go to an open ground and play with your group of friends? I am sure very often. Both these games that originated in England and is a world sport today is very popular and played both among children and adults across the world.

More so playing these games as a hobby is very cheap and also makes one healthy and fit. These sports help you develop muscles and burn calories while improving your coordination and stamina. Working on your coordination and stamina are important for this game.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits that Cricket has to offer in terms of fitness:

Endurance and stamina – You need to have strong endurance and stamina as you have to concentrate and play for several hours.
2. Improved hand-eye coordination – Whether you are bowling, batting or Fielding, playing cricket will improve these skills.
3. Physical fitness – This involves short bursts of sprinting and throwing, no matter what your position, either between wickets when you’re batting, when you’re running up to bowl, or when you’re running after a ball in the field, which is good for cardio-vascular health..
4. With eleven players a side, you’ll make ten new friends and that’s healthy.

An interesting fact is that Cricketers for better performance play football to build their stamina and increase their fitness levels. Various international research papers indicate that men who played football for an hour-3 times a week had lower levels of blood fats, lower body fat, increased muscle mass and lower blood pressure than inactive men.

Benefits of Playing Football

Football has greater health benefits than jogging because it combines slow and fast movement with sprinting and this combination of fast, slow and sprint makes the heart work at different paces, which really helps one to control body fat and increases overall fitness. Playing football also releases a healthy level of endorphins, which act as mood stabilizers.

Playing football improves the coordination of your body, as the intensity and different range of movements involved in Football vary, including kicks, turns, twists and sprints, provide better overall exercise.

So forget the gadget games and keep aside your x-box. Gadget games will only reduce your life span and make you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Instead get your group together and shake your hands and legs playing cricket or Football in the outdoors. It will only increase your lifespan and make you more healthy and fit.

April 7, 2015 By Shimpli Patil 4 Comments

Body cleansers: Liv-kid!

Our body is well-equipped with 2 sturdy cleansers which work day in and day out to clean the dirt that we pollute our body with- Liver and Kidney! They are like colonial cousins, having one function common- body detoxification.

Liver and kidney are our body’s ‘care-takers’ who constantly strive towards keeping the body healthy by protecting it from the external invaders that intoxicate our body and make sure our body runs smoothly. Instead of reciprocating the good things they do for us, we end up troubling them even more by loading our body with more and more toxins.

Liver is the second largest organ of the body (after skin) and its primary function is body detoxification and secondary is fat metabolism. It keeps the body clear of junk which can otherwise pose a risk of diseases. Little do we think about liver’s state when we gorge on that pizza/burger or any other refined food and drinks (including alcohol). Sugar is the top most useless substance that is known to slow down the liver. Continuous exposure to junk/alcohol/drugs and medicines, makes our liver appear like a terrible porous sponge that needs to be wrung out.

You probably have a burdened liver if you have –

*A frequent headache

*Fatigue

*Poor concentration

*Allergies and rashes

*Itchy eyes,

*A bitter taste in the mouth.

While liver ensures effective excavation of toxins, kidney ensures efficient filtration of the by- products of the proteins and some minerals like sodium, potassium, etc which otherwise can pose a toxic threat to the body. Any glitches in kidney can affect its function of filtration, causing these substances to build up in body. Uric acid, creatinine, urea are few of these by-products which when accumulated in body can hamper our health.

Few early symptoms of a troubled kidney include-

*Blood pressure fluctuations

*Water retention (edema)

*Urinary problems

*Fatigue

*Skin rashes/itching

*Metallic taste in mouth (due to urea build up)

*Nausea and Vomiting

This requires a fix! Rather than wait for these symptoms to proceed into a full blown disease, we need to take some preventive measures to halt the progression.

A liver and kidney cleanse can sort it all out. A regular cleansing of the two will not even let you go through these off-putting symptoms, but in fact will make sure we keep these organs hail and hearty.

To flush these organs-

Stay off from animal products twice a week including eggs, chicken, red meat, seafood.
Up the fiber content of your meals through green veggies, nuts, whole grains- Ragi/ jowar/ whole wheat/ bajra/ brown rice and legumes.
Go fruity- Enjoy the natural colours through oranges, sweet lime, guava, pear, papaya, berries, etc. Cranberry, pomegranate, and blueberry juices are known to enhance kidney function.
Enjoy vegetable smoothies made out of beetroot, celery, carrots, cucumber.
Keep the enemies away- Saturated fats (bakery items, red meat, butter, mayonnaise, etc.), refined sugar and alcohol.
Go easy with caffeine (tea/coffee) as that’s another toxin liver and kidneys have to deal with.

Water is their best friend! 2 liters or 8 glasses are not enough to cleanse these burdened organs. 3-3.5 liters of water (12-14 glasses) is what we need to keep them sparkling fresh.

Regular flush out of liver and kidney will not only treat but, will also keep us miles away from headache, fatigue, abdominal discomforts, skin problems, etc. An added advantage of cleansing is, when the liver is freed of toxins, it reduces its efforts of detoxifying the body and it can then focus better on its next function of fat metabolism, resulting in a faster breakdown of fat.

Don’t just keep your body clean from the outside; take care of it from within too.

March 25, 2015 By Aqsa Shaikh 9 Comments

Food Pyramid – Did you Know? A guide to healthy eating with the Food Pyramid

Good food after a day’s hard work is always a pleasure and there is no substitute to good wholesome and nutritious food. But, more often than not, we are so engrossed in our work that we fail to think about our health which in turn means that we neglect good food.

And most think it’s a cumbersome task to deal with all these nitty gritties, think about nutrition, good food etc.. It’s so complicated. The idea ultimately is to just eat whatever is available when hungry.

But, it’s not difficult as it seems. Well, while you are in a restaurant you always think about ordering something tasty and compromise often with the nutritional aspects, here is a simple food pyramid tips which can be followed easily without any complications. This can be followed in restaurants or while you are out and at home.

So in the food pyramid, there is a cereal and grains group, followed by fruits and vegetable group, dairy products and non-veg, and then oil fat and sugary foods,

1.Cereal and grains group.
These are mostly staple foods which is consist of nutrients like carbohydrates ( Complex carbs ), proteins, fibre, minerals, calcium and B-complex vitamins. An individual should have 6-11 servings of this portion in a day. Common food items in this group- Whole grain cereals, millets, rice, Jowar, Bajra, Makai (Corn), Barley Oats, Poha (Puffed Rice) and Upma. These foods are rich in nutrients and good to provide the necessary fuel for our body to run all day long

One serving of this equals
-1 cup of rice, Poha or Upma
-1 cup of oats
-1 Paratha
-2 Phulka
-1 Jowar, Bajra or Makai roti.

2.Vegetables and Fruits group (Protective Food Group)

These foods are a must eat and should be added to our food plate daily. A person should have at least 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruits each day. They contain vital nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, folate, iron and potassium and many more nutrients. These foods consist fiber help our digestive system and also gives us different types of nutrients, phytochemicals and are also rich in antioxidants.

One serving of vegetables consists of:

1 cup of leafy vegetables ( Lettuce, spinach, Fenugreek, Dil, spring onions)
1 medium potato/yam, ½ medium sweet potato ( cooked )
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw ( You can also include some of them as salads too )
3/4 cup of vegetable juice(vegetables like Bottle gourd, carrot, beetroot, French beans, green peas, are good to grind and have as smoothe with a pinch of salt and pepper)

In fruits one serving is:
One small apple, orange or banana or any other fruit
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked or canned fruit

3.Dairy products and non-veg food items

These foods are the main protein building group because it is important to maintain the strength of our bones and muscles. Apart from providing proteins these food items also provide B-complex vitamins, invisible fat, fibre, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, iron and iodine. You should ideally have 4-6 servings of this group each day. These foods are mainly important to build up our muscles and help to recover the wear and tear that might occur during the hectic day

One serving of this group consists of:
1 cup of milk, curd
40g (2 slices) cheese, paneer
1 cup dal, pulses, sprouts
1 handful of dry fruits, nuts like groundnuts
1 Egg
65-100gm cooked meat/chicken (½ cup mince, 2 small chops, or 2 slices roast meat)
80-120g cooked fish fillet

4. Oils, fats and sugar:

There are certain good fats which are useful and beneficial for our body, as the cell membrane around our brain are made up of good fats, These are the foods which should be eaten by keeping the portion control in mind and even the time of the day should be noticed as its important.

Some good source of sweetners are Raw honey/Jaggery/Dates/Prunes, these are the healthy sweetners, But, because of today’s lifestyle some unhealthy sweetners have sadly become the staple diet in our lifestyle. Ideally this should not have happened. Choose Any of the junk food item and it will contain these ingredients – burgers, pizza, vada pav, samosa, fizzy drinks, alcohol, instant noodles, chips, frankies etc.

These are not bad to have but, at the same time we should keep our portion in control. We shouldn’t have more than 3-4 servings of these food items in a day. Some common basic sources are vegetable oils, butter, sugar, jaggery and honey.
One serving is defined as 1 tsp of oil, ghee or butter and also 1 tsp of sugar, jaggery and honey.

Now last but the least…WATER:. Water is one of the most important component that cannot be ignored in this entire pyramid. We should have at least 8 glasses of water, as it is very important to keep our cells well hydrated and alive. The above given quantity is for a non-active person, but an active person needs at least 10 to 12 glasses of water average..

March 20, 2015 By TAARIKA ARYA 2 Comments

Health for frequent travellers while on the move

fitness

A little extra load of work and our daily fitness routine goes haywire. Imagine the plight of frequent travellers. In order to earn our daily bread and butter, travelling to and fro, battling between time zones , drastic weather changes, irregular eating habits and non availability of space and time for exercise can surely make our lifestyle goals hard to attain.

Like every other problem, this one too can be tackled intelligently but, only if you are honest, motivated and determined.

I have gone through this phase in my life too, so here are a few ways, how you could go about in terms of nutrition and activity.

NUTRITION:

DRINK DRINK DRINK!
Keep sipping water all throughout the journey. Be it via road, rail or air, specially, while taking long flights to combat dehydration (the fatigue it causes), and avoid extreme jet lag. The cabin air is much drier so remember to drink few glasses water before boarding, then another one each hour in flight.2. Organise every trip of yours well to avoid stress. Stress is the main trigger for junk eating.

3. Avoid leaving home hungry. Eat a quick snack at home so that you are not carried away by the food counters at the stations or terminals.

4. Carry some fresh fruits, dry non-perishable snacks along like roasted munchies, nuts, un salted popcorn.

5. Avoid stopping at take away counters/convenience stores for packaged foods during halts. Opt for something local and fresh.

6. If you are flying, don’t depend on the airport and airplane food. Either get your own mini meal packed or check out the options available.

7. Avoid getting BORED !
Sometimes long hours of travel can lead to boredom snacking . Carry some boredom busters wit you like a great book/audio book. music player, magazines, crosswords/puzzles or just pen down random thoughts.

8. Keep your meals high on fibre as travelling often means missed bowel movements. Salads, fruits, whole grains do the trick.

9. Get your daily protein quota. Travelling is a type of stress for the body and a frequent one can lead to more wear and tear.

10. Lastly, log in your meals. It will help you keep accountable.

ACTIVITY:

1. With regards to activity, if not dedicated exercise, try being as active as possible.

2. Invest in some travel essentials like ear plugs, eye mask and neck pillow. Remember, exercise will be the last thing you would like to do if you end up having a stiff neck.

3. Book a room on the third floor and take the stairs. Walk whenever you can between meetings.

4. Get up and stretch yourself after every 45 minutes to 1 hour as sitting for long can be damaging to our posture. Walk the length of the plane, every hour or two to keep your back happy, your muscles supple, and your blood circulating.

5. Indulge into some deep breathing exercises, it will help you keep calm or even put you to sleep.

6. Plan your week in advance so that your travelling time becomes your rest day.

7. Use the long corridors and long waits for a quick brisk walk in airports / stations. Take stairs rather than escalators. After all, you have to sit for hours in the plane so make the most of the time you have while you wait.

8. If driving, take a break every 1-2 hours, and walk around the parking lot of a rest stop.
– never forget to pack your workout clothes and shoes. They are anyways light.

Go ahead, have a safe, healthy and active trip.

CRICKET and FOOT BALL—Your healthy path to fitness!

Body cleansers: Liv-kid!

Food Pyramid – Did you Know? A guide to healthy eating with the Food Pyramid

Health for frequent travellers while on the move

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