Healthy Woman's Day

“I am a busy mom”. You can say this in exasperation, sounding the tiredness of the late nights and early mornings spent caring for everyone around you. You can whisper it as your child sleeps or try to steal ten minutes from washing your dishes to read the newspaper. You can say this celebrating and proclaiming the overflowing love for your family. Anyway you want to say it, but the truth of the matter is that you will agree that you are a busy, busy mom.

Within your very hectic days are triumphs, challenges, life-changing events and so much more. No wonder it's hard to pay attention to what you eat or manage an exercise routine when your main form of exercise is running around your kids, rushing to get the train to work and shopping for grocerries. So you eat whatever, whenever - and over time, that can add up to major kilograms of fat. Yet there are actually simple solutions to busy women's diet woes.

1)       Relationship with food- Most of the time busy women don’t have a good relationship with food. With all the effort you take to develop good eating habits in your kids, you yourself do not follow an ideal eating rule.

a)       Skipping Breakfast- You get up early to make sure your kids have a nourishing breakfast, but while they're eating, you're making their lunches or getting ready for work, so you don't have breakfast yourself. This is almost the story of each and every mom. Have an actual breakfast.  Eating a high-protein and carbohydrate rich breakfast helps you have a continued source of energy till your lunch time. While making your children's lunches, whip up a sandwich or a roti roll with leftover vegetables for yourself - to eat on the spot. A cereal and a fruit is all you need to take on some days. Keep prepared fruit/ dry fruit shakes in the fridge or take them to your office for breakfast on the go.

b)       Small frequent meals- The “breakfast skipping” start to the day will always catch up with you. You're so hungry; you will down a high calorie wada pav/ burger which are the only snacks available at work, with a big mug of strong tea or coffee at the canteen. Pack up some healthy back up. Pack a slice of low-fat cheese, a fruit such as an apple or a banana, whole-grain biscuits, khakhras or sugar-free low-fat yogurt or a handful of peanuts/ walnuts or almonds.

c)       Bites and licks- It’s sampling time if you have not had your evening snack. You're so hungry while making dinner, you're sampling everything, and that doesn't in the least stop you from loading up your plate when the dinner ready. The answer to this is as simple as it sounds- when you want to then commit to eating. To discourage sampling, make it a rule to put your food on a plate and pull up a chair to eat it.

d)       Trash bin- Have you ever noticed how you finish up your kid’s leftover meals, how you nibble from his plate while you feed him or how you try and empty the vessels so that no food is left over. Well you may not realize this but every small bite counts. Always eat only as much as your body asks for. Avoid eating to clear the vessels. You are not a trash bin. Eat only as much to nourish your body. Avoid feeding your kids when you are on an empty stomach or eat your meal too along with them.

e)       Late nights- It’s late in the night and you have just cleared your kitchen and now you have a little time to yourself. So what do you do? You dish out some ice cream or grab the cookie box or spread butter on toast, then curl up on the sofa and watch TV. Turning off the television not only frees you. It is observed that doing desk work or chatting on the phone burned more calories than TV watching. In case you have to then go in for a cup of skim milk, fruit or curd.

2)       Exercise/ Activity time: The kids are either in front of the computer or you send them out to play while you work on your laptop or are again busy in the kitchen. Send everyone to the park/compound including you. Take a walk, or ride a bike; give yourself a “me” time too. If you are at work make it a point to walk it up to the nearest bus stop or train station. This will help you burn some calories. This is also not the right time to indulge in the roadside junk. Make it a point to have a small healthy snack with your tea so as to avoid the temptation of grabbing a bag of chips to eat in the bus.

3)       Beauty sleep- Don't eat – sleep. Missing sleep puts you into a state of chronic fatigue, making you more likely to eat (usually spicy and sweet foods) to keep up your energy. Sleep deprivation makes your body hormones haywire, altering the production of the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety - and making you crave even more high-calorie foods. Prioritize and cut out some activities if you must, just do whatever it takes to get the required amount of sleep. A good sleep keeps your skin and hair healthy too, so no wonder you call it beauty sleep.

4)       Perfect Woman Syndrome- Most of the times we Indian women get caught up in “The Perfect Mom/ Woman Syndrome”. We try so hard and do so much to be the best mom, wife, daughter in law possible. And even after all our tireless efforts we feel like we need to be “better”. As a woman we often tend to take pride in our selfless nurturing of others, but we also tend to lack the ability to nurture and show compassion toward our self. Remember, you can take care of your family better only when you can take care of yourself. Focus on your positive qualities and give a pat on your back for achieving all you have.

5)       Forget the guilt- We are so busy taking care of others, we forget and even feel guilty about taking care of our ‘whole self’. Try and get a balance in life. Don’t forget the value of healthy eating and exercise. When you protect your own health, you have more stamina to keep up with your busy life and provide the best to your family and yourself both physically and emotionally. Pamper yourself to an hour of spa or just have a time out of being a mom for a change and visit your friend.

6)       Make yourself a priority- Be it just relaxing, eating, exercising or socializing, it’s important to make time for you. After all, only when you’re physically and mentally healthy can you give your best to your family. Your children also learn from you so, be that perfect example for them.

7)       Enjoy all the roles- Whether it is married life, being a mom or even work, enjoy each and every role you play in life. Life can be simple, don’t complicate it.

As busy women we have so many roles to fill. We strive for perfection as a mother, spouse, sister, daughter, friend and a professional. Take a step back and think about how to appreciate and celebrate all our roles, or at the least, how to nurture ourselves as busy women.

HAPPY WOMAN’S DAY- Not only today but everyday because every day is your day.

A GOOD DIET TO HELP STRENUOUS STUDY DAYS

Exams are here again. As always we tend to neglect our food in the process of concentrating on studies. But we forget that to concentrate on studies we have to concentrate on taking a healthy diet.

Here are a few diet tips that will help you balance your study as well as diet.

ü  Eat small and nourishing meals every three hours, instead of just 2-3 heavy meals. The brain needs constant supply of energy and a heavy meal will divert the blood supply to digest the heavy meal.

ü  Your daily diet must include 2-3 fresh, seasonal fruits. Start your day with a boost of fruit energy. Have a banana with a tablespoon of honey as the first meal of the day. Fruits provide you not only with fiber, vitamins and minerals but also simple and complex carbohydrates for short and long duration of energy supply when studying. The fiber will also help to keep the bowel movement clear.

ü  A good breakfast is a must for anyone. The breakfast must contain foods with complex carbohydrates like flakes, oats, rawa (semolina), daliya (wheat cracks), poha (rice flakes) or pav with vegetables and a protein source such as eggs, milk, pulse, sprouts or paneer.

ü  Nuts and dry fruits like almonds, walnuts, and dates provide nutrients which enhance brain power and concentration and also provide extended source of energy supply.

ü  Include potassium rich coconut water, citrus fruits/ juices and soups in your diet.

ü  Green leafy vegetables, pulses and nuts will also provide vitamins and minerals to help avoid anemia. (Anemia is a common problem causing difficulty in concentration.)

ü  Including milk as a bed-time meal and curd/lassi/buttermilk after lunch or as a mid-meal assures a supply of Vitamin B12 too.

ü  Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Always keep a glass of water beside you to remember to take sips of water every 15 minutes.

ü  Basic exercise like stretching, walking or yoga with meditation will help to reduce negative stress and also help you to get good sleep.

ü  Avoid junk foods as they will provide you no nutrition.

ü  Avoid stimulants like tea, coffee or colas as they may seem to perk you up but the energy does not sustain for long. Too much may even cause bloating or acidity.

ü  Avoid aerated drinks as they are full of sugar and may cause rapid rise in blood sugar levels causing a sudden rise and drop in sugar levels.

ü  Chocolates may seem to may you feel good but the sudden rise and fall of sugar it causes in the blood can lead to trembling nervousness and panic.

ü  Have your dinner if possible a little earlier than 9-10pm.

ü  Keep about 2 hours between dinner and your bedtime.

ü  Have a sound sleep for at least 7-8 hours daily.

Remember your body and mind need the fuel to help you perform the best. So, nourish it and take care of it and it will do the same for you.

Have a healthy exam.

EAT YOUR WAY TO A HEALTHY YOU

The idea behind eating several small meals a day isn’t to just make you lose weight. This method is meant to help you eat less throughout the day rather than stuffing yourself in the three main meals.

I feel this makes more sense. Instead of making a mad rush to that large meal and in turn also stressing out and then ending up eating heavy and unhealthy, it is better to take a healthy snack in between the main meals. That way when it’s time for your delicious meal, you can portion control it in a way that fits your desire to eat and your body’s requirement.

This does not negate any enjoyment, does not make you feel an unwanted restraint, but let’s you have more of an enjoyable control on your food intake. Is this not what getting fit is about? Reasonable amounts of exercise along with a reasonable amount of restraint towards how much food is consumed all at once- that’s the philosophy.

Allow your body to digest the food gradually and use up the energy “now” and avoid that point where the body decides to try to store up the excess energy as fat which is ultimately never used.

So, the theory is very simple. Eating 6 small meals a day will speed up your metabolism and help you burn much more fat than if you were to eat 3 bigger meals a day.

Now after having stated this I would also like to mention that in my experience and from what I’ve observed you also have to understand a few loop holes in changing the way you eat.

We are designed to thrive on eating when we are hungry and continuing to eat until we reach satisfaction. This can become a wrong habit if we don’t understand what is healthy snacking. Just eating frequently is not the aim but eating portioned or healthy is more important. 

Continuing to snack on small meals throughout the day seems to be impractical most of the time when you do not understand what the mid meals should include. For example; eating a fruit early in the morning or instead of having the fruit along with your breakfast you can have it after some time of having had your breakfast. Also instead of having your curd or yoghurt along with your lunch you can have it as a mid afternoon snack. So, this is actually as easy as it sounds. All you need is the awareness, the control and the positive desire and drive to achieve the health for your body.

It’s not just “how often” we eat during the day that’s going to help us keep the fat away, but also its “what we eat and how much of it” that we need to be careful about.

We just don’t want to believe that we can enjoy “eating correctly”. Dieting/ weight loss is the most insulted word and it not only makes it painful for us but abusive to our bodies.

The only way to lose weight is slowly and sensibly. “Good sleep, regular exercise and enjoying frequent healthy meals” is all we need to lose weight.

So, eat your way to fat loss and a healthy you.

SMOKERS DIET

When you smoke there are definitely some questions that are raised in your mind other than how and when to quit. These concerns are mostly related to understanding if a diet can compensate for the health hazards caused by smoking and what can be a healthy diet for a person who smokes.

No diet can compensate for smoking. Regardless of how nutritious your diet is, it will not neutralize the health damage caused by smoking. Smoking is the leading explanation for lung cancer, heart attacks and other disease conditions. So quit smoking today before it’s too late.

For anyone who smokes, daily diet nutrition is very important. As I have mentioned, a healthy diet will not forestall the health hazards, but it might delay their development at the least.

INCREASED NEED FOR NUTRITION:

1)     Antioxidants- Tobacco smoke increases levels of free radicals (cancer-inflicting agents) and the body needs a corresponding increase in the intake of antioxidant rich foods that can neutralize them. The most antioxidant vitamins are vitamin C and vitamin E and the mineral selenium. Phytochemicals such as bioflavonoids and carotenoids (eg. beta-carotene) are also made in antioxidants. Eat deep green, dark red, orange of yellow vegetables and fruits. Include green tea into your diet along with nuts like almonds, walnuts and pistachios.

2)     Vitamin C: Cigarettes rob the body of vitamin C. Thus all smokers have a greatly increased need for this antioxidant. Good dietary sources which must be included in your daily diet are Indian gooseberry (amla), blackcurrants, papaya, guava, cantaloupe, berries, kiwi fruit, mango, oranges, strawberries, cranberry juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, orange juice, capsicums/ peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and tomatoes.

3)     Carotenoids:  are pigments found in plants. All carotenoids are antioxidants, the best sources being spinach, carrots, sweet potato pumpkin, sweet-corn, tomatoes, oranges, strawberries, mango, cherries and melons.

4)     Brassicas: Including foods like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, radish, kale, mustard, turnip, watercress.

5)     Garlic and onion: Garlic and onions have a rich supply of antioxidants and contains anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. It’s also a great anti-tumor food.

6)     Cut down on the overall fat in your diet. Reduce intake of saturated fat and trans-fatty acids from red meats, organ meats, hydrogenated fats, margarines and fried junk foods. Eat regular servings of healthy omega-3 fatty acids like fish and nuts.

7)     Cut down on aerated drinks and caffeine rich drinks.

8)     Eat healthy whole cereals. Avoid refined white flour like refined flour (maida) or corn flour and opt for whole grains such as, oats, brown rice, whole-wheat rotis, breads or pasta.

9)     Opt for foods rich in soluble fiber such as pears, apples and oats.

10)Eat healthy low-fat protein like fish, lean chicken, egg-whites, sprouts, pulses, soy, low fat milk/yoghurt and nuts like almonds, walnuts and pistachios.

11)Sodium or salt should be cut down in your daily diet. Avoid junk foods like chips or salted nuts or cold cuts.

12)Take regular cardio or aerobic exercises. For best effects on lung and cardiovascular function, choose aerobic exercise like: brisk walking, jogging, jumping rope, swimming and most sports. (Check with your physician before undergoing any exercise programme).

13)Get enough sleep. You need to take at least 7 hours of sleep a day. Lack of sleep can exacerbate all your health disorders.

If you are thinking of giving up smoking, please do it. Initially it will be very difficult. But if you consider the benefits it is much more than just the body’s health. You have to decide to make a change. It will be great to feel the energy back, feel your good skin and it will also be nice to not cough up every now and then, to be able to taste food properly, to be able to run, and last but not the least it will be really be wonderful not to stink like an ashtray.

So take the decision- Quit smoking.

HEALTHY RESOLUTIONS FOR THIS NEW YEAR

            In today’s fast paced life style it is very easy to talk about exercise and diet as a way to keep in shape and fit, but when it comes to actually doing it – it’s much harder. “Isn’t this how you think?”

It is much simple to make a healthier lifestyle than to later have to adhere to a strict diet/exercise program. A healthy lifestyle not only improves your ability to keep away killer diseases but also helps you lead a stress free and energetic life. Let life be more enjoyable and not let any disease or disability take over you.

So this year why not all of us make a resolution to adhere to a healthy food habit and more active life i.e. a total behavioral change. These are some very simple and easy to follow tips and guidelines you must remind yourself every day of the year and the year’s to come. 

ü  I will eat only when I am hungry.

ü  I will not shop when I am hungry.

ü  Every time I have the urge to snack, I will have a glass of water.

ü  I will not overeat when I am upset, angry or depressed.

ü  I will eat chocolates, cakes, sweets and ice creams but not binge on them.

ü  I will cut down on sugar to half in my tea and coffee. Rather I will have tea or coffee without sugar.

ü  I will cut down on the number of cups of tea or coffee to about half of the present intake.

ü  I will go slow on aerated drinks and alcohol, and have fresh fruit/vegetable juices or thin buttermilk instead.

ü  I will include atleast one fruit and leafy vegetables in my diet everyday.

ü  I will have more of sprouted pulses, whole wheat, daliya etc.

ü  I will have more of raw salads in both meals.

ü  I will be more of a vegetarian as far as possible or atleast have non-vegetarian foods only in one meal in a day.

ü  I will try and have chicken and fish more often than red meat and organ meats like brain and liver.

ü  I will have more of whole-wheat flour and reduce the intake of refined flour. I will not sieve the wheat flour for chappatis and have more of whole wheat bread.

ü  I will avoid excess of table salt.

Okay, so now you have managed to plan out a diet schedule for yourself, but eating right is just not enough. Most of us lead a sedentary life so we don’t get enough exercise. But you just can’t relax and sit back. If food is important for your body, so is exercise or rather some activity in your life. So here are a few tips you must remind yourself regarding how to manage fitness into your daily routine.

ü  I will park my car a block away from the office and walk it up to the office.

ü  I will use the stairs instead of the lift if it is a matter of just 2 or 3 floors.

ü  I will resist using the intercom and walk over to the person I want to talk to.

ü  Do a deep knee bend each time you get up from your chair.

ü  I will walk for atleast 20 minute’s everyday.

These strategies don’t add up to many kilocalories each, but over a year’s time they become significant. If you also incorporate regular aerobic exercise into your schedule, your heart and lungs, as well as your muscles will be fit.

Also remember the following:

ü  I will not eat while watching T.V or reading the newspaper. Eating must be a pure activity.

ü  I will eat slowly and chew the food properly thus enjoy the flavor of each food.

ü  I will keep a watchful eye on portion size.

ü  I will not sleep as soon as I have eaten but rather have a stroll for 15 minutes. [Keep an interval of 1-11/2 hours in between meals].

ü  I will learn to say “NO” when pressed with food at parties.

ü  I will try to quit smoking as they may lead to certain deadly diseases.

ü  I will not skip my breakfast, lunch or dinner as this will not help me reduce weight rather it will help me indulge in a bingeing spree later.

ü  I will try and make more healthy foods by cutting down on fat like butter and ghee and use methods like baking, roasting and steaming.

ü  I will make a habit of carrying healthy snacks like fresh fruits, roasted channa or popped corn to resist the temptation of junk food.

All these changes must be practiced until it is habitual and automatic before you get used to it.

Apart from all this it is very important to understand that to make these changes it is very essential to make a behavioral modification and one must really want to make a change in one’s lifestyle. Behavioral modification can change the behaviors of overeating and underexercising that lead to and perpetuate obesity leading to diseases.

Always remember “Focus on your success, not failures, and compliment yourself on atleast one feature everyday”. So this year I hope you enjoy your new and healthy emerging self. These are resolutions you can keep. Happy New Year.

HEALTHY RESOLUTIONS FOR THIS NEW YEAR

In today’s fast paced life style it is very easy to talk about exercise and diet as a way to keep in shape and fit, but when it comes to actually doing it – it’s much harder. “Isn’t this how you think?”

It is much simple to make a healthier lifestyle than to later have to adhere to a strict diet/exercise program. A healthy lifestyle not only improves your ability to keep away killer diseases but also helps you lead a stress free and energetic life. Let life be more enjoyable and not let any disease or disability take over you.

So this year why not all of us make a resolution to adhere to a healthy food habit and more active life i.e. a total behavioral change. These are some very simple and easy to follow tips and guidelines you must remind yourself every day of the year and the year’s to come. 

ü  I will eat only when I am hungry.

ü  I will not shop when I am hungry.

ü  Every time I have the urge to snack, I will have a glass of water.

ü  I will not overeat when I am upset, angry or depressed.

ü  I will eat chocolates, cakes, sweets and ice creams but not binge on them.

ü  I will cut down on sugar to half in my tea and coffee. Rather I will have tea or coffee without sugar.

ü  I will cut down on the number of cups of tea or coffee to about half of the present intake.

ü  I will go slow on aerated drinks and alcohol, and have fresh fruit/vegetable juices or thin buttermilk instead.

ü  I will include atleast one fruit and leafy vegetables in my diet everyday.

ü  I will have more of sprouted pulses, whole wheat, daliya etc.

ü  I will have more of raw salads in both meals.

ü  I will be more of a vegetarian as far as possible or atleast have non-vegetarian foods only in one meal in a day.

ü  I will try and have chicken and fish more often than red meat and organ meats like brain and liver.

ü  I will have more of whole-wheat flour and reduce the intake of refined flour. I will not sieve the wheat flour for chappatis and have more of whole wheat bread.

ü  I will avoid excess of table salt.

Okay, so now you have managed to plan out a diet schedule for yourself, but eating right is just not enough. Most of us lead a sedentary life so we don’t get enough exercise. But you just can’t relax and sit back. If food is important for your body, so is exercise or rather some activity in your life. So here are a few tips you must remind yourself regarding how to manage fitness into your daily routine.

ü  I will park my car a block away from the office and walk it up to the office.

ü  I will use the stairs instead of the lift if it is a matter of just 2 or 3 floors.

ü  I will resist using the intercom and walk over to the person I want to talk to.

ü  Do a deep knee bend each time you get up from your chair.

ü  I will walk for atleast 20 minute’s everyday.

These strategies don’t add up to many kilocalories each, but over a year’s time they become significant. If you also incorporate regular aerobic exercise into your schedule, your heart and lungs, as well as your muscles will be fit.

Also remember the following:

ü  I will not eat while watching T.V or reading the newspaper. Eating must be a pure activity.

ü  I will eat slowly and chew the food properly thus enjoy the flavor of each food.

ü  I will keep a watchful eye on portion size.

ü  I will not sleep as soon as I have eaten but rather have a stroll for 15 minutes. [Keep an interval of 1-11/2 hours in between meals].

ü  I will learn to say “NO” when pressed with food at parties.

ü  I will try to quit smoking as they may lead to certain deadly diseases.

ü  I will not skip my breakfast, lunch or dinner as this will not help me reduce weight rather it will help me indulge in a bingeing spree later.

ü  I will try and make more healthy foods by cutting down on fat like butter and ghee and use methods like baking, roasting and steaming.

ü  I will make a habit of carrying healthy snacks like fresh fruits, roasted channa or popped corn to resist the temptation of junk food.

All these changes must be practiced until it is habitual and automatic before you get used to it.

Apart from all this it is very important to understand that to make these changes it is very essential to make a behavioral modification and one must really want to make a change in one’s lifestyle. Behavioral modification can change the behaviors of overeating and underexercising that lead to and perpetuate obesity leading to diseases.

Always remember “Focus on your success, not failures, and compliment yourself on atleast one feature everyday”. So this year I hope you enjoy your new and healthy emerging self. These are resolutions you can keep. Happy New Year.