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Bite these Snacks if you are diabetic

Planning three times meals for a diabetic is not a difficult task but, snacking options is what they lack information in. I personally realised this when I was planning a menu for my Mom who is a diabetic. I prepare meals for her and I tried every possible new dish, a recipe that I knew. However, after a point, it was a task for me. Finding snack option was like most of them were packed with carbs and this raises the insulin levels.

Then I researched on the same and got these healthy snacking options. These can help other diabetics too. The key is to choose snacks that are high in protein, high in fibre and healthy fats so that it keeps you a full until your next meal. The choice of food should be nutrient dense.

hard boiled eggs

  1. Hard-boiled Eggs: Why this? Because its protein content really shines and perfect to slow down the spike in blood sugar levels.

yogurt with berries

  1. Yoghurt with Berries: It’s an excellent diabetic friendly snack. Its rich in antioxidant prevents damage to cells of the pancreas. Their high flavonoid content helps with regular blood sugar. Limit to one serving per day.

nuts and seeds

  1. Nuts and Seeds: Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios are perfect on the go snack. They are high in good fats, good carbs and a lot of fibre for appetite control. You can opt for seeds like pumpkin, flaxseed, sunflower. Grab around 15 (a small handful) and make sure not to go overboard, because they are high in calories.

hummus-raw-vegetables

  1. Hummus with Raw Veggies: This is another delicious snack that diabetics can enjoy without any guilt. Hummus is high in fibre and healthy fats and low in carbs. Take around 1/3 of a cup of hummus and dip with bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, celery, or broccoli.

avocado

  1. Avacado: Perfect snack option! The high fibre content and mono-saturated fatty acids in avocado make it diabetic friendly, preventing blood sugar to spike high! Since its high in calories, restrict to half or one-fourth avocado at one time.

apples with peanut butter

  1. Sliced Apples with Peanut Butter: Yummy! You can eat any fruit simply or have it with peanut butter. Apple is rich in Vitamin C, B and Potassium while peanut butter is rich Vitamin E, Magnesium and Manganese. All of which is known to help manage Diabetes. Both are rich in fibre. The polyphenol antioxidants they contain are thought to protect pancreatic cells from damage that often worsens diabetes.

beet and carrort

  1. Beet and Carrot sticks: Simple, easy, and basic is sometimes the best. Perfect office carrying snack. The beta-carotene, fibre, and antioxidants will help to level blood sugar and keep you feeling full. 8-12 carrot is a good amount to go.

boiled beans

  1. Boiled Beans: Super healthy and filler to curb your hunger pangs. Beans are an excellent source of antioxidants, Fibre, Protein, B Vitamins, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Zinc. Consuming them prevent blood sugar spikes and help lower insulin levels after meals.

edamame

  1. Edamame: They are unripe, green soybeans that are still in their pods. They are a very nutritious and convenient snack. It improves insulin resistance. It is typically served steamed, and you can enhance its flavour by mixing it with seasonings of your choice.

chicken and veg soup

  1. Chicken and Veggie soup: It’s like chicken noodle soup, but skip the noodles!  Use chicken and any and all low carbohydrate vegetables you can think of. Seriously, it would be hard to go wrong. The high protein intake, water, and fibre from the veggies make it one of the most satiating and diabetic friendly snacks around.

protein bars

  1. Protein bars / Protein powder: They are a great snack option for diabetics due to the amount of protein they provide. They are quite filling too. You can make protein bars homemade by using peanut butter, whey protein and oats flour. To add sweetness you can use a small amount of raw organic honey or add dates/figs.

cchia seed pudding

  1. Chia seed pudding: Chia seed pudding is made by soaking chia seeds in milk until the mixture achieves a pudding-like consistency. It’s a healthy snack for people with diabetes because chia seeds are rich in many nutrients that help stabilize blood sugar, including protein, fibre and omega-3 fatty acids  The fibre in chia seeds can absorb a significant amount of water, which may help control diabetes by slowing down the digestion process and release of sugar into the blood

popcorn

  1. Popcorn: Air-popped popcorn made with coconut oil is one of the best healthy snacks for diabetics. It’s high in fibre and can easily be made in about 5 minutes on the stove. Sprinkle a bit of rock salt and enjoy!

Tuna roll 1

  1. For NON VEG lovers – Tuna and Turkey roll up is a great handy snack. They are essentially a breadless sandwich wrap consisting of turkey breast slices wrapped around low-carb contents of your choice, such as cheese and veggies. Because of its high protein content. It prevents your blood sugar levels from rising too high

Snack your way and keep blood sugar under control. Stay healthy and happy!

We hope these snack ideas help you manage your diabetes more effectively while keeping your taste buds satisfied. Remember, the key to maintaining stable blood sugar levels is choosing snacks that are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Stay healthy and happy by incorporating these nutritious options into your diet. For more tips on managing diabetes and healthy snacking, check out Healthy Reads or consult a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

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TULSI – Solution to all ailments

tulsi-leavesTulsi or Basil leaves is a small light green to dark purple coloured plant, which is often seen to be grown in front off or near houses in a special pot or special small masonry structures in almost every Indian home. Whether you like keeping plants at home or not, this sacred and medicinal plant is seen in every house. It is considered sacred in India and a manifestation of goddess Tulsi, a consort of God Vishnu.

Talking about its medicinal properties, Tulsi is classified as an adaptogen: It adapts itself to whatever ailment the body is experiencing. Name any body part, beginning from your head, eyes, mouth, throat, stomach, or kidney, Tulsi has a cure for it.

Its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties make it a much talked about the herbal plant in medicine.

Let’s quickly go through some of them:

  • Head: In heating summer, by applying the paste of crushed Tulsi and Chandan will give you immediate cooling and relief from headaches.
  • Eyes:  Dark Tulsi is known to be rich in Vitamin A and hence no doubt that it helps in curing eye soreness and night blindness.
  • Mouth: Soaking Tulsi seeds in water at night and consuming it in the morning along with milk will surely give you relief from mouth ulcers. I have tried this and it has benefited me by giving immediate relief.
  • Teeth: A paste made by sun drying the tulsi leaves and mixing them with mustard oil is known to maintain dental health and gives you relief from bad mouth odour.
  •  Nose, throat, and chest: Water boiled with basil leaves and a pinch of salt should be used to gargle to get relief from a sore throat. Almost all the ayurvedic cough syrups and expectorants have tulsi as their main component, as it is known to melt the mucus giving relief to bronchitis and asthma patients.
  • Fever: A hot and tasty tulsi decoction made by adding cardamom, clove, coriander seeds, Jeshthamadh or Jashthamadh or Mulethi with a small amount of jaggery helps to bring down fever after one has drunk the decoction in small portions.
  •  Kidney: In case of renal stone the juice of basil leaves and honey, if taken regularly for 6 months will flush them via the urinary tract.

 The flavonoids in tulsi leaves are believed to reduce the risk of platelets forming clots on the arterial wall, preventing coronary heart disease and heart attacks.

Tulsi juice is also beneficial in treating many of the skin infections like ringworm and other skin diseases.

Note: These are only general guidelines as a first aid. It is always better to see a doctor depending upon the intensity of the case.

We hope this article helps you understand the incredible benefits of Tulsi. Have you tried incorporating Tulsi into your daily routine? Let us know in the comments below. For more tips on natural remedies and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Top Foods to Increase Hemoglobin Naturally

hemoglobin

Hemoglobin and Iron are two terms that go hand in hand and there’s a simple understanding behind this. 70% of the body’s iron is found in hemoglobin and myoglobin. Hemoglobin is the red colored pigment present in red blood cells which carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of our body. This released oxygen then permits aerobic respiration to provide energy to power the functions of our body in the process called metabolism. 

That’s not where it’s role ends. It is also a part of other cells which are found in some major organs like lungs, kidneys and the skin. Here, it’s function is that of an antioxidant and regulator of iron metabolism. Finally, it also transports carbon dioxide out of the cells and back to the lungs to be blown out of our body. The expected normal range of Hemoglobin in men is above 13 gm/dL and women is above 12 gm/dL, typically which is not difficult to maintain but still is of major concern if goes below the desired levels, creating a condition called Anemia.

Lack of Folate or B-12, blood loss post surgery, heavy menstrual bleeding or internal bleeding due to ulcers or even inadequate intake are some possible causes of low Hemoglobin levels. All of this explains our symptoms of Anemia like exhaustion, skin paleness, headache to abnormal or rapid heartbeat and chest pain. We’ve read and heard of varied iron supplements which can be taken to replenish extremely low Hemoglobin levels but eating the right kind of foods in the correct combinations can help increase hemoglobin naturally and quickly also. 

What Can You Eat to Increase Hemoglobin? 

When thinking about Hemoglobin, the 1st mineral coming to our mind is Iron but here’s the catch – Iron alone cannot increase your Hb. It has to be in combination with Folate or Vit B12 (depending on the deficiency) and Vit. A & C which act as carriers for it’s better absorption. Combining all the above elements finally gives us this list of foods which can help increase hemoglobin naturally. 

  1. Foods like Shellfish, Sardines, Tuna, Mackerel, Eggs and Meat are high on Heme Iron which is easily absorbed in the body and do not require carriers.
  2. Plant foods like Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Beetroot, Pumpkin Seeds, and legumes like Soybeans, Chickpeas, Peas, etc. can help as well. 
  3. Vit. A & C rich foods like Tomatoes, Carrots, Lemon, Red Peppers, Oranges, Pomegranates, etc. should be used in combination with above mentioned foods.
  4. Fortified cereals also help as they are high in Folate.

While some elements are carriers, some can act as an hindrance. Phytic acid and Calcium are 2 such elements which make Iron absorption harder. Hence, avoid taking Calcium supplements or very high calcium rich foods along with Iron rich foods or supplements. Before making any changes to your diet, do consult a doctor, nutritionist or your dietitian. 

We hope this article to increase hemoglobin naturally helps you. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more useful information on Hemoglobin and other health-related queries, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a certified expert by subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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Water Fasting: The Healthiest Way to Detox!

Water FastingA couple of months ago, my aunt practiced a month-long water fast. In essence, she only drank water throughout the day. No food, no tea, no coffee, no milk and not even coconut or lime water. In short, it was nothing but just water! When I got to know of this, I was initially taken aback. I rushed to my aunt and asked if she was alright and what was the need to punish her body in this manner. To which my aunt replied, “I am doing this for religious purposes”.

Does Water Fasting Actually Help?

I am aware that fasting is an ancient, spiritual practice in many religions across the world. Also, fasting gives inner strength and confidence. But, like most of the traditional remedies, beliefs and practices have scientific reasoning and benefits attached. I was pretty sure water fasting would have some too. I researched on the benefits of ‘water only fast’ and was astonished to see multiple articles on the same that stated the various benefits of ‘Water Fasting’. Broadly, the benefits lie on the basic belief that the human body has self-healing abilities.

Water fasting gives improved energy and vigour. It removes mental blocks and gives clarity of mind. It also eliminates toxins from the body and can go a long way in preventing future illnesses. Water Fasting can improve immunity and has anti-aging benefits. The digestive system gets a break. All the energy that is used by our digestive system to break down foods, beverages, toxins, fats, and sugars, gets channeled to actual cleansing, detoxification, and repair of our vital organs, cells, and tissues. Many report a certain euphoria after a day or two of water fasting. You’ll likely feel a certain increase in energy as well, as you lose that slack, logy feeling.

After all the research and understanding about ‘Water Fasting’, I was naturally prompted to attempt water fasting for a day. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try just for a day and then post some tips from my personal experience which can be guidelines for others who wish to take this up for a day or two.

It was not easy for me or let me put it this way, if you have never attempted to do any kind of fast, this is going to be a little tough. Hence, I would like to share some tips and my personal experience which might inspire or support you to take up this challenge once in a week or probably a month.

Tips for Water Fasting

  • The right day to take up this fast would be to choose a day when you have lesser activities planned. If there are excessive activities, then they consume a lot of calories and that will make you hungry
  • Fasting should ideally start in the morning by drinking about two glasses of water which will clear your bowel movement
  • Simple pure water is the best. Boiled or cool water will also do. Drinking 1 ½ liters to 3 liters of plain water in one full day depending on individual capacity is good. You can drink more if you are up for it. I honestly did not count mine
  • Few bodily reactions which may seem scary but are considered normal and you all will experience as well if you are water fasting for the first time. Some of the signs are weakness, dizziness and nausea and these are common due to the sudden lack of food. I personally experienced a slight drop in blood pressure and headaches during the latter part of the day. The key to this is just lie down and relax whenever these symptoms become intense. The more difficult you find it, the more it means that your body has a lot of toxins to clean out
  • Towards mid-day, you will feel a sudden bout of hunger. Just have one or two glasses of water to dilute the gastric secretions. Then lie down and take rest. The hunger should go away in a short time
  • After having fasted, learning how to break a fast is important. As there is hardly any digestive activity during fasting, one should be very careful while breaking the fast. The best way to break a fast is with lime juice or orange juice which will make the stomach alkaline. It’s wiser to have few spices and no oily food during this time. Second meal of the day can be normal

All in all, I enjoyed my water-only fast of 24 hours. I look forward to doing this once every month. I recommend this to everyone to self-realize the benefits attached to this. If you can’t do 24 hours, start off with 12hrs and then build it up as you get better and used to it. As we always say, take gradual and small steps to reach your big goals sooner. So Good luck! Use nature and natural ways as your best medicine to prevent as well as treat your body.

For more tips on healthy living, check out Healthy Reads or speak to a GOQii Coach to get the right guidance and motivation by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

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