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Nutrition Guidelines For Seniors During Winter

nutrition guidelines for seniors

Maintaining immunity during winter is imperative, especially for seniors. It’s quite crucial to take care of their nutritional needs as they face the greatest risk of cold and flu viruses and issues like joint pain, hypothermia (which may also lead to stroke or heart attack), dry skin, aggravation of asthmatic attacks or respiratory problems. So, let’s look at some nutrition guidelines for seniors during winter! 

Nutrition Guidelines For Seniors 

Some daily dietary nourishment tips that can help seniors tackle common winter problems include:

  • Omega-3 fatty acids: Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds and avocado are some excellent sources of Omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial in reducing inflammation especially in arthritis, curbing heart disease and they also play a role in cognitive development in elderly. 
  • Seasonal fruits and vegetables like all the leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits, root vegetables like beetroot, carrots and sweet potatoes. All of these are high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber which help easing the bowels. 
  • Winters mean less exposure to the sun which may be a reason for Vitamin D deficiency and impaired calcium absorption which affects bone health further. Hence, Vitamin D fortified cereals, egg yolk, milk and milk products need to be a part of the diet regularly.
  • The cold climate leads to less water intake due to the urge to urinate frequently which can act as a hindrance to our elders to maintain optimal fluid intake. Inclusion of warm soups, decaffeinated beverages, warm milk, vegetable juices, citrus fruits and gourd vegetables help them in maintaining the hydration status. A well hydrated body aids good digestion, helps in transport of nutrients and also improves the performance of joints and muscles.
  • Habituate elders to have 5-6 small but frequent meals. It is essential for improving metabolism, regulating insulin levels and improving calorie intake in older individuals who face a diminished appetite. 

Apart from good nutrition, maintaining some basic physical activity within the vicinity of the house is equally important to reduce joint pains and muscle stiffness by improving blood flow to all parts of the body and aiding better digestion and good metabolism.

We hope these nutrition guidelines for seniors during winter helps you take care of the elderly in your family and around you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on healthy living for senior citizens, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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8 Simple and Effective Winter Skincare Tips

winter skincare tipsWith winter around the corner, we all look forward to the beautiful, exciting days ahead! Despite the cold weather, winters bring a warm feeling that compels us to spend time with friends, family, outdoor picnics, get-togethers coupled with good food and warm drinks! Ah! You get the picture. As with all good things, there’s a flip side to this weather as well. It can be really harsh on your skin, hair and overall health. Ideally, you need to change the way you take care of yourself during this season and that’s why we’re here! We’ll be focusing on a few simple winter skincare tips to help you take care of your skin and keep it moist and supple all season long.

1. Moisturize Your Skin Well

The atmospheric humidity drops drastically during winter and so does the water content in our skin. We need to protect it well with a heavy moisturizer and use it more frequently. Be cautious while picking a moisturizer as you may need to seek advice from a dermatologist to ensure it suits your skin type. For instance, if you have dry or combination skin, you might want to use an oil-based moisturizer instead of a water-based one. 

Moisturizers with ingredients such as safflower oil, soybean oil, sweet almond oil, carrot oil, Shea butter will provide sufficient moisture and nourishment to the skin. Moisturize often, at least twice a day. You can even apply oils such as coconut oil, olive oil and mustard oil 10 or 15 minutes before bathing. This will give your skin a protective layer and not let the hot water remove moisture from the skin.

In case you have oily skin, you may not feel the need to moisturize your skin but when the tightness, dryness and itchiness are apparent, start moisturizing! Your hands will need extra care, especially after each wash. Use a hand cream and massage your hands well. Wearing waterproof gloves when washing dishes or cleaning around the house will also keep them in good health.

2. Apply Sunscreen

winter skincare tipsUsing Sunscreen during winter! What? Well, even in winters, the UV Rays are powerful enough to damage and age your skin. Before you step outside, apply a moisturizing, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher to all exposed areas of your body. To know which sunscreen you should pick, click here. 

3. Keep Yourself Well Hydrated

Water is essential to keep your cells full and hydrated, reducing the risk of skin conditions like chapping, peeling, irritation, itchiness etc. Water also helps remove toxins or impurities from our body giving a smooth and flawless texture to the skin. Dull skin is another common winter issue, due to dry air, in-room heating and lack of hydration. Keep your skin glowing by drinking at least 8-10 glasses spaced out through the day at regular intervals even if you don’t feel thirsty.

4. Eat Good Food

Skincare means nourishing the body from the inside too. Foods rich in Vitamin A, C and E, plus Omega-3 Fatty Acids are especially beneficial to keep the skin healthy, acquire and retain moisture. Foods you should include in your daily diet are Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, Indian gooseberry (Amla), broccoli, carrots, avocados, spinach, blueberries, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants which eliminate free radicals and reduces flaky skin. Dark chocolate is also one of the best foods to keep your skin glowing during harsh winters.

5. Get Active!

Shrug off the winter chills by keeping your energy levels up by staying active! Exercising regularly improves blood circulation and removes toxins from our system. This helps keep the skin healthy, beside other numerous health benefits. Don’t wait till New Years to join a gym. Start now!

6. Use Warm and not Hot Water to Bathe

Avoid bathing with steaming hot water. Instead, use lukewarm water and reduce the time spent to bathe. Hot water dehydrates your skin and strips it off the natural protective oils. Whereas lukewarm water seals the moisture inside the skin. You can even add a few drops of oil, honey or milk to the water.

7. Cover Yourself Well

winter skincare tipsRemember to cover yourself up well before moving out to avoid overexposure to the cold air. Use scarves, hats, gloves, etc. to cover your head, neck and hands. If your skin is already irritated, avoid synthetic woolens and use soft, comfortable and loose-fitting clothes instead.

8. Comfort is Everything

Many winter fabrics cause skin irritation, making it dry and itchy. Try and avoid direct contact with the skin. Wear comfortable, breathable fabrics underneath and then layer it with heavy, warm clothes to avoid irritation to the skin.

Even after following the above tips, if you still experience irritation, redness and dryness on your skin, seek medical advice immediately. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy the winters!

We hope this article helps you. For further information or guidance, reach out to our certified experts by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Winter Wellness Recipes: Boost Immunity with Nutrient-Packed Delights!

Millet Vegetable pan bread

Winter has set in and it is that time of the year when our body experiences tremendous changes in energy levels, metabolism and our food preference also changes. Winter is also the season which is full of colorful veggies and fruits in market. Our body needs extra vitamins and minerals to help combat cold weather, illness and to maintain your good health.

Let me share with you some nutritious food ideas that will help boost immunity and maintain energy levels through the day.

Here are 5 healthy dishes which will help you to keep warm on cold days-

  1. Millet Vegetable Pan Bread (Bajra Dudhi Thepla)

Millet Vegetable pan bread

Ingredients–

  • (Bajra) Millet flour – 1 cup
  • Wheat flour – 1 cup
  • Bottle gourd (Dudhi)- 1 cup (grated)
  • Curd – ¹⁄₃ cup
  • Oil – ½ cup (to add in flour and roast theplas)
  • Green coriander – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
  • Green chilly – 1-2 (finely chopped)
  • Ginger paste – 1 tsp
  • Asafoetida – 1 pinch
  • Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
  • Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  • Sesame seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
  • Salt – ½ tsp (as per taste)

Preparation

Take out millet flour in any big utensil. Mix wheat flour in the same bowl. Also add bottle gourd, ginger, green chilly, green coriander, Asafoetida, cumin seeds, red chilly powder, turmeric powder, sesame seeds, salt, 1 tbsp oil and curd. Add 1-2 tbsp water or as per requirement and knead soft dough. Keep aside the dough for 10-15 minutes so that it gets set.

Grease your hand with some oil and knead the dough. Pre-heat the pan (tawa). Take little amount of dough (lemon size) and make a round ball. Take one ball, dust it with dry flour and place it on rolling plate and roll into 6-7 inch diameter bread (thepla).

Place the rolled bread (thepla) on pre-heated pan (tawa) and when color of the bread (thepla) turns darker from surface then flip the side. Spread 1 tsp oil on the upper surface. Flip the side and spread some oil on this side as well. Roast the bread (thepla) on medium flame until it gets brown spots on both sides. Take it of the pan and place it in a plate.

Serve the Millet Vegetable pan bread (Bajra Lauki Theplas) with curd (yogurt), coriander paste or pickle or with any vegetables of your choice.

 Suggestion: Mix finely chopped spinach in the flour for making Millet Spinach Breads (Bajra spinach thepla) and add finely chopped fresh fenugreek leaves for making millet fenugreek breads (bajra methi theplas).

  1. Winter special Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls

Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls

Fenugreek seeds gum balls is a traditional recipe which can also be used as an Ayurveda treatment for various ailments, especially during winters. These sweet gum balls are not only known for their medicinal properties but also taste delicious.

These are prepared with Fenugreek seeds mixed with wheat flour and Jaggery. New mothers can have these sweet balls as dietary supplement or to overcome any post-delivery problems. People suffering from joints pain, especially in winters, can have this sweet.

Ingredients-

  • Fenugreek (methi) seeds – 100gms.
  • Milk – ½ litre (2 ½ cup)
  • Wheat flour – 300gm (1 ½cup)
  • Ghee – 250gm (1 ½ cup)
  • Edible gum (Gond) – 100gms (½ cup)
  • Almonds – 30 to 35
  • Black Pepper – 8 to 10
  • Cumin powder – 2tsp
  • Dry ginger – 2tsp
  • Green Cardamom – 10 to 12
  • Cinnamon – 4 pieces
  • Nutmeg – 2
  • Jageery – 1 ½ cup

Preparation:

Clean Fenugreek (Methi) seeds properly (wash seeds then put them in a thick cotton cloth and leave it in the sun to dry, cloth can be washed and used again). Put clean seeds in a mixer and make a thick paste somewhat similar to flour. Boil milk.

Put the grounded Fenugreek (Methi) in milk and let it soak for 8-10 hours.

Cut almonds into small pieces. Gently crush black pepper (break 1 pepper into 4-5 pieces), crush cinnamon and nutmeg into fine powder. Peel Cardamom (Elaichi) and crush it as well. Pour 1/2 cup clarified butter (Ghee) in a pan, fry soaked (Fenugreek) on a medium flame till it turns light brown and smells good. Remove the mixture in a plate.

Put the remaining clarified butter (Ghee) in the pan and heat, fry Edible gum (Gond) and take it out on a plate (fry Gond on a law flame). Fry flour in leftover Ghee in the pan till it becomes light brown then take it out.

Put 1 tsp clarified butter in the pan followed by the pieces of Jaggery (Gur), melt Jageery (Gur) into liquid form (Chashni) on a low flame. Add Cumin (Jeera) powder, Dry Ginger (Sauntth) powder, cut almonds, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, Cardamom in the Liquid syrup of Jageery and mix well.

Take little amounts of the mixture, shape it into small balls similar to a lemon and put it on a plate. Keep Fenugreek seeds and edible gum sweet balls (Methi Ladoos) in open air for 4-5 hours.

The sweet is ready, keep them in an air tight container and eat one sweet ball every morning or evening with warm milk. This prevents pain in joints, back and pain due to the cold.

  1. CARROT CAKE SNACKS BITE

high-protein-snacks-by-Green-Blender-carrot-cake-bites-600x404

Ingredients-

  • 2 ¼ cups shreddedcarrots
  • ¾ cup dates (about 10 large dates)
  • ²⁄₃ cup coconut (shredded or flaked)
  • ½ cup walnuts
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¹⁄₈ cup toasted sesame seeds
  • ¹⁄₈ cup shredded coconut
  • ¹⁄₈ cup chopped almonds

Preparation

In a food processor, blend all the snack bite ingredients together. Scoop out full grinded mixture in a bowl and roll it into a ball.

Roll the balls in sesame seeds, coconut, or chopped almonds for additional crunch. Use the listed optional ingredients to determine the amount of sesame seeds, coconut, or almonds you need.

Store refrigerated or in an air tight container.

  1. Spinach with Chickpeas Green Salad

Spinach-Salad

Ingredient–

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ onion, diced
  • 300g frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
  • 400g tin chickpeas and green peas, drained and boiled.
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation: Take 400 gm of chickpeas and green peas in a pressure cooker. Add half a litre water to it and cook till 4 whistle blow. Let it cool for some time. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add and cook the garlic and onion in the oil until they turn translucent, for about 5 minutes. Add and stir in the spinach, chickpeas, green peas, cumin and salt. Use your stirring spoon to lightly mash the beans as the mixture cooks. Allow to cook until it gets thoroughly heated. Serve it hot. 

  1. Green Greek Smoothies

Green Greek Smoothies

Ingredients-

  • Cup freshly cut pieces of kiwi
  • A bowl of Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup of milk
  • Pinch of grounded cardamom
  • 1 tsp of (water) soaked chia seeds
  • Fresh Mint Leaves

In a blender, place kiwi, yogurt and milk and blend it for about 1 minute or until smooth. Pour it into a glass, and sprinkle with cardamom. Garnish with mint leaves and add 1 tsp of soaked chia seed on it. Serve immediately.

Tip – You can also try other winter fruits and veggies – like oranges, apple, spinach, Beets instead of Kiwi.

Try these healthy and delicious winter warming recipes. And, don’t let the cold weather keep you from enjoying fresh homemade foods. Let’s Enjoy! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

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Why Do We Gain Weight During Winter?

gain weight during winter

Have you noticed that you tend to gain weight during winter? While there are many factors at play here, is it true for everybody? If you’re one of those who gain weight during winter, it is best to know why it happens and take necessary measures to prevent it!

Let’s Analyse Why We Gain Weight During Winter

  1. Less Water Intake: As we aren’t thirsty and neither do we sweat as much as we do during summer, we tend to drink very little water which makes us lethargic and fatigued. The usual signs like dry and flaky skin is an indicator that one is not having enough water. We use moisturisers instead and not increase water intake which gives more room for frequent infection and dehydration leading to headache and dry cough
  2. Not Exercising Enough: With the pleasant winter chills, it is a little difficult to get off the couch or bed. This leads to fewer calories being burned and as a result, weight gain!
  3. Increased Production of Melatonin: Less sunlight and shorter days affect our hormones and some people tend to produce more of the hormone melatonin which controls our sleep-wake cycle. This increased production of melatonin induces sleep when it is not the time to sleep, making one lazy, lacking motivation and energy. It also increases appetite and leads to eating more.
  4. Increase in Metabolism: While this sounds great, it doesn’t really support your weight loss goals during winter. The sudden increase in metabolism will burn more calories to keep you warm but it will also make you hungrier.
  5. Staying Indoors: makes us lazy and bored. When bored, we begin binge-watching followed by binge-eating comfort or fried food which is high in sugar and salt. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that this contributes to weight gain as well.  

How Do We Prevent Gaining Weight This Season?

There is an effective way to break the vicious cycle of more sleep, less healthy food and little to no exercise! Here’s how you can avoid gaining weight during winter.

  1. Choose Foods Wisely: Choose healthy, home-cooked meals such as soups. Opt for green tea. You can even add natural spices to your meals which are warm and benefit your health. Choose foods which can be paired with others or can be eaten any time of the day. Swap options like sauces available in markets to homemade hummus or dips.
  2. Pick a Hobby: Concentrate on other things like hobbies, sports, painting or reading books. You can even clean your house if you’ve been postponing it. Do something that engages you instead of finding comfort in food.
  3. Time Your Sleep: Maintain sleep timings which will set your circadian rhythm and help you stay active through the day or take power naps in the afternoon instead of sleeping for long hours
  4. Exercise: Plan indoor activities and exercises like yoga, skipping, stair activities which will help you be active more regularly. In fact, you can tune in to GOQii Play and browse some indoor workouts by fitness experts or yoga and meditation by yoga specialists. You can even opt for making group plans which have less chances of failure. If you can’t find a group, join our LIVE, interactive, GOQii PRO sessions conducted by experts within the GOQii App. 

That’s all! Mind what you eat, sleep on time and exercise regularly to not gain weight during winter. We hope you found this article useful! Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on weight loss, fitness and being healthy, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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