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Love Sweets! Take the Sugar free challenge – a personal account

Say no to sugar

How difficult it is when you love something beyond a limit and have to suddenly let it go? It’s very difficult. I went through this very recently when I let go of eating ‘Sugar’ for few days. Here is what I went through.

Being a qualified nutrition and dietician, the important aspects that are top of the mind for me is food, fitness, nutrition and everything that is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, Challenges always attracts me. I have always liked to challenge myself as it gives me an insight about how strong my will power is and my potential to handle tough situations.

The Sugar Challenge was one such challenge that was thrown open to me. At GOQii office, we come up with challenges at frequent intervals related to fitness for our coaches and players. And, Sugar Challenge was one such challenge that was thrown open to us. I just could not resist taking it up more so given the fact that I love sweets- chocolates/pastries and everything else that is sweet. In a way I was a ‘Sugar Addict’.

I wanted to check whether I could stay away from eating sweets as the sugar challenge meant complete abstinence from refined sugar and food items that is either made of sugar or contained sugar like chocolates/sweets/bakery items. Why bakery items? Yes because even bread/toast/buns does contain SUGAR in good quantities.

Sugar is an addiction and you could call it a poison which makes you sluggish and gets stored as fat! I thought to myself it can’t get any better than this. This challenge could only keep me away from sweets specially chocolates. Some of my colleagues also joined me in this challenge. I guess when you know you have company to take up such a challenge it becomes a fun activity and you do not tend to perceive it as a challenge anymore. Also you are motivated to push yourself daily to keep at the challenge.

The next big question that popped was for how many days should we go for this challenge? 1 day was too less. (how I wish).. so we decided we would take it up for a week. At the back of my mind the top most thought was are 7 days too much? Will I be able to complete it successfully? But, then I felt no harm in giving it a shot.

With all enthusiasm, we started with the challenge. First 3 days were easy as still the excitement was at its peak. However, on the 4th day, it was a friend’s birthday and all the efforts went down the drain.. as I ended up having a piece of cake. The very next moment I was feeling extremely guilty about breaking the challenge.

Then, I thought there is always a next time and this time I was very sure that I am gonna follow the challenge diligently for all 7 days.. I gave the challenge another shot and this time around more strictly. So what did I do to keep to the challenge and not cheat?

First I stopped taking sugar in my teas. Secondly, as and when I used to get a sugar cravings I used to opt for healthy alternatives like dates/dried figs/fruits/chikki (as all of these sweets have jiggery in them which is a healthy alternative to refined Sugar).

Jaggery is not counted as sugar. It is comparatively healthier than sugar due to its trace mineral composition. Ideally, sugar is acidic in nature where generally pathogen breeds. When I took this challenge my constant effort was to make my body alkaline by having more of veggies/fruits/whole grain etc. Sugar makes you crave for more sugar and if you restrict it, it leads to mood swings and behavioural changes. Also, it makes your body dehydrated and fastens ageing process.

I found sweet substitutes as I said earlier, or set small milestones during the challenge to reach my goal. The benefits of staying off sugar made me feel lighter, increased my metabolic rate, made me more active and helped in getting rid of the toxins. Imagining a better me kept me motivated. And thus, I was able to successfully complete my sugar free challenge for 7 days.

It was a big accomplishment for me as never in my life, had I imagined that I would be able to stay away from chocolates for so long! This challenge has motivated me to the next level of consuming less or no sugar at all in the future.

Anyone can take up this challenge, if they want to get off their addiction and lead a better life. Even, people suffering from hypertension, diabetes can take up this challenge. For a diabetic, if the person’s sugar drops, a fruit would do. For individuals suffering from severe hypoglycemia, I would not recommend this challenge. Even otherwise I would advise that this challenge should be done under the supervision of your dietician, personal trainer or doctor. After this challenge, I do not get any more sugar cravings which has made a Happy me!

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5 ways to boost your hemoglobin

5-Ways-To-Increase-Hemoglobin-Count

One day, my client came to me for the regular follow up. She looked pale to me which ideally was never the case. I tried to find from her why was she looking pale. I probed her to find out if she felt tired after doing any work. And, she said she feels lethargic throughout the day and can’t walk for more than 10 minutes. She felt breathless. I immediately asked her to get her Haemoglobin checked and when she got me the reports. I was surprised to see that her hemoglobin was just at 9. She was definitely anaemic.

The ideal range for women as you all would be aware should be above 12-16mg/dl for children 11-13mg/dl and for males 14-18mg/dl. I believe in “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. Nourish your body with a good dose of iron through nutrition rather than popping in supplements.  I told her about hemoglobin boosting foods which I would like to share with you all.

  1. Garden cress seeds: Few years back, this seeds were not commonly known. As, the awareness on health is spreading, this seeds have created its own space in the fitness industry. It is known as Halim (Hindi) or Aliv (Marathi). It is one of the richest vegetarian sources of iron with good bioavailability. 100gms of garden cress seeds provides 1.5mg of iron. It is often given during pregnancy and also it acts as Galactagogue which stimulates milk production in lactating mothers. Daily recommendation is 2 tsp. You need to soak the seeds for a while so that it emanates less heat. If you are trying for the first time, start with ½ tsp to see if your boy easily accepts it because of its heat. You can have garden cress in different forms such as it can be added in kheer, ladoos and be sprinkled on salads.

 

  1. Haeme Iron– It includes liver/oysters/red meat. Liver (pork/beef/chicken/turkey) gives roughly around 23mg of iron in 100 gms. Oysters/mollusks give around 28mg of iron in 100 gms. However, as we know these foods are very high on cholesterol and saturated fats. The frequency of these meats should be minimal. Once in a week 2 medium pieces can be consumed. Also, try to go for either grilled/baked/steamed to make it healthier.

 

  1. Pumpkin seeds- Like, garden cress seeds these seed are gaining popularity these days. 100 gms of pumpkin seeds serves around 8 mg of iron. Pumpkin seeds are not only rich in iron but also in calcium, magnesium, and manganese and iron. Include at least 2-3 tsps in your daily routine. You can have it as a mouth freshener or else sprinkle it over salads.
  2. Spinach– 100 gms of cooked spinach gives around 3.75mg of iron. It is packed with calcium and fiber too. So, next time don’t forget to add this lovely looking greens in your salads/soups and veggies.

 

  1. Dark chocolate– To your surprise, dark chocolate with 75-80% cocoa contains around 17mg of iron. It is also packed with antioxidant. Next time, you can enjoy dark chocolate without any guilt. While savouring, portion needs to be monitored. You can have 2-3 pieces of the chocolate.

The daily recommendation allowance (RDA) for iron:

 

Age Male Female Pregnancy Lactation
Birth to 6 months 0.27 mg* 0.27 mg*
7–12 months 11 mg 11 mg
1–3 years 7 mg 7 mg
4–8 years 10 mg 10 mg
9–13 years 8 mg 8 mg
14–18 years 11 mg 15 mg 27 mg 10 mg
19–50 years 8 mg 18 mg 27 mg 9 mg
51+ years 8 mg 8 mg

* Adequate Intake (AI)

In animal foods, iron is often attached to proteins called heme proteins, and referred to as heme iron. In plant foods, iron is not attached to heme proteins and is classified as non-heme iron. Heme iron is typically absorbed at a rate of 7-35%. Non-heme iron is typically absorbed at a rate of 2-20%.

Also, Vitamin C rich foods like kiwi/amala/lemon/guava/strawberries/sweet lime/oranges enhances the absorption of iron. Henceforth, whenever you consume any iron rich food, don’t forget to have a glass of lemon water along with it which would double up the absorption of the iron.

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It’s just not a Peanut: it’s a nutritional pill

peanutPeanuts, commonly known as groundnuts or even monkey nuts are the cheapest and the healthiest protein available. A native to South America, Mexico and Central America it is an annual herbaceous plant, that grows almost at ground level.

It is almost used every day in one form or the other for cooking. They can be eaten in various forms like roasted, boiled, and fried. Also, now these days, you get many products made out of peanuts like peanut butter, peanut oil, peanut flour, dry roasted peanuts (snacks).

Peanuts play a vital nutritional role in human beings when consumed since they are high in protein and healthy fats. It is a good handy option for snacking provided the portion is controlled.

Avoid mindless eating by pre-portioning your nuts in small bags for a great snack to take on the go or to the office. Choose nuts in the shell and you’ll probably eat fewer since it takes time to crack them. Or take one handful and put the package away.

Let us have a look at its nutritional and health benefits.

  • Peanut has 166 calories and 7.8 gm of protein. Peanuts are heart healthy because they’re a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids. Eating peanuts may help lower your total cholesterol.
  • Peanuts are good sources of vitamin E, niacin, folate(6 mcg), protein and manganese (49.3 mg).
  • The nuts are an excellent source ofvitamin E, containing about 8 g per100 g. Vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant which helps maintain the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting from harmful oxygen free radicals.
  • The nuts are packed with many important B-complex groups of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, andfolates. 100 g of peanuts provide about 85% of RDI of niacin, which contribute to brain health and blood flow to brain.
  • The nuts are rich source of minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

To sum it up, these tiny looking nuts are packed with good amount of vitamins and minerals. So, make sure that you are incorporating them in your daily routine.

Having talked of all the benefits, Peanuts can also cause side effects. Excessive peanuts intake may lead to gas and heartburn. Peanut allergy is also very common and is a very serious food allergy that one can develop. Peanut allergy causes severe allergic reactions that can actually be life threatening. It’s best to do an allergy test if you suspect you have a peanut allergy.

People with peanut allergy will experience a reaction within minutes of eating a peanut or a product that is made from peanuts. The reaction typically starts with a tingling sensation in the mouth followed by swelling of the face, throat and mouth. It can result in difficulty breathing, an asthma attack, anaphylactic shock and death. Less severe reactions include rash, hives and upset stomach. If you have a peanut allergy, you will want to carry an Epinephrine pen to counter any episodes while waiting for emergency assistance.

Individual with peanut allergy have to be very cautious and check the nutritional label or the menu before buying any product or eating a dish in a restaurant.

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Snacking- is it good or bad!

snacking
In today’s fast paced life, people have no time and hence compromise on their health by skipping major meals- breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sometimes they tend to skip these meals leading to long gaps which gives rise to acidity, bloating and drops your metabolic rate. And as we all know that lower the metabolism, higher is the chance of gaining weight.

So it is always said to have small frequent meals to keep your metabolism at par. Most people complaint that they don’t have time to eat frequently as they are tied up with work. According to me, there are quite a few healthy things which are handy and can be kept at your desk like almonds/walnuts/raisins/roasted chanas/roasted soya beans/fruits for munching.  Snacking can be good at times. It turns a bad habit when people start binging in the name of snacking. There are many who unconsciously also binge on unhealthy items even if they are not hungry. This could be due to liking towards certain kinds of snack food.

Binging happens while watching television or surfing the computer. People don’t realise the quantity they are binging on. Some people have the bad habit of binging when they are stressed thus having an adverse effect on their weight.  Foods which are irresistible and commonly munched are popcorns, chips, wafers, chocolates and the likes which are not healthy options and eventually affect one’s weight.

On the other hand, munching between meals can actually reduce your overall calorie intake by curbing overeating in your next meal provided the quality and quantity is taken into consideration.

To avoid binging later, snacking healthy foods in small quantities can help you stay on track. You can actually use this to your advantage. If you know you are going out to a big dinner with friends or going to attend a party, try to eat something healthy at home like salads/soups/buttermilk before you leave home or office so that you tend to binge less in the party maintaining the portion size.

Even if you are snacking on healthy options, make sure you are controlling your portion size not exceeding the overall caloric intake. These days there are ample variety of wafers seeking children and adults attention! Eating such junk becomes a habit eventually not realizing the consequences later. So parents have to be well guided on ‘healthy snacking’.

 

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