The truth about Artificial Sweeteners

Now a day’s every Health food/ Diet food counter in supermarkets boast of diabetic or sugar free biscuits, cookies, cakes, ice-creams, beverages and more.

Sweeteners that most of us use when we are trying to lose weight or if we are a diabetic make our foods and beverages zero or less on sugar calories. When we consume these foods we confuse the body because we are depriving it of the energy it demands. Also when we indulge in a bag of sugar free cookies for example we are thinking “diet food /healthy food”, forgetting that we are actually taking in high glycemic index carbohydrates, trans-fats and additives. These in turn make us crave for more calorie dense foods immediately because a demand was created but not met with.

When we are avoiding calories from sugar why are we forgetting the fast carbohydrates from the refined flour, the creams, butters, shortenings used in these foods?

Using a sweetener once in a while never did any harm but using it on a regular basis “thinking it is healthy” is harmful for your body. Regular use of sweeteners can cause certain type of cancer, hormonal malfunction and yes even obesity.

 The brain very smartly wants real food (nutrition), but when we eat “diet or sugar free” foods we are eating empty calories. So, you finish that sugar free cookie or ice-cream or tea and your brain says, "Keep going until you get real nutrients".

The only way we can lose weight or unwanted fats is to eat right and exercise. And when you reach out for the sweetener or a sugar-free food the next time remember replacing sugar with a sweetener will not burn body fats but replacing unhealthy eating habits with a healthier lifestyle will.

SUPPLY YOUR BODY'S DEMAND FOR BETTER NUTRIENT UTILIZATION

When you eat food, you take food energy into your body. All of these food calories- whether from proteins, carbohydrates or fats will make you fat -if your body does not use that energy for a specific purpose it is meant to.

What your body does with the food you eat depends a lot on what kind of demand you create by the amount and type of activity/ training you do. Aerobic training tends to burn a lot of calories, and therefore depletes your body of glycogen- which is the primary source of energy for physical activity. As a consequence, when you eat carbohydrates after an endurance training session, the body turns that carbohydrate into replacement glycogen as quickly as it can, and little of that carbohydrates is likely to be diverted to become stored body fat.

On the other hand, intense weight training- working your muscles against heavy resistance- creates a major demand for replacement protein. Protein eaten soon after a workout, or on the same day as an intense gym workout, will be used by the body to rebuild muscle tissue at a much higher rate than on days when you are not doing that kind of training. Again, when the body is in the high state of demand, it is unlikely that non-excessive amounts of ingested protein will be stored as body fat to any great degree.

So, in general, when your goal is to direct protein into your muscles, you need to train with weights. When your goal is to burn off excess energy, you need to do increased amounts of aerobic training.

Also, when a right kind of demand is created the utilization and assimilation of nutrients is balanced and there is very less chance of deposition of unwanted body fats. Eating at the right time and in the right amounts and when the body needs it is the best way to stay lean and toned.

WOMEN- NURTURE YOURSELF

When we truly care for ourselves, it becomes possible to care far more profoundly about other people. The more alert and sensitive we are to our own needs, the more loving and generous we can be towards others. ~Eda LeShan

Most women have been taught since childhood to put their family‘s needs first. In fact, in our society one of the main qualities of being feminine is being selfless. Women have not only become comfortable with looking into other family members needs but also perfected the art.

When women are asked to bring themselves back into the picture, it very often feels as if we are asking them to break some rule of womanhood or doing something forbidden. But think about it for a moment, if you do not take time to nurture yourself and refresh your energy stores, how can you truly care for others?

You wouldn’t send your child off to school hungry or send your husband off to office without his lunch Tiffin. Yet you are continually pushing yourself past the breaking point and ignoring the fact that there will be negative effects due to the continual denial of your body’s needs. Think back to the last time you had a disturbance free breakfast or a relaxed lunch or dinner with your family. The reality is, you have to come first- at least some of the times. This may seem an uncomfortable thought, but think about it this way: Only if you can take care of your health, can you take care of others.

Taking care of your health and wellbeing is an essential part of creating a healthy life that you can love. When you make yourself a part of your family equation, you create a healthy balance in your family’s health.

Some tips for you to relearn how to take care of your health:

·         Don’t start your day on an empty stomach. At least have a fruit or a cup of milk within 15 minutes of getting up in the morning. You need the energy to make the breakfast for your family and yourself.

·         Avoid long gaps in between your main meals. Carry some healthy mini snack with you always in case you are working out of home or are in office.

·         Avoid finishing your child’s left over meals. Over eating like this will not help anyone.

·         Avoid always being the one to eat the leftover meals. Try to learn to cook a moderate amount so that there is not food left over for the next day.

·         Try and make a habit of drinking water regularly.

·         Try to prepare a dish you love at least once a fortnight. It’s not always about what your husband or child love to eat. Treat yourself too with the foods you have always eaten as a child.

·         Eating your meals before at a certain time before your husband does is not a crime. Or at least eat your meals with your family and not alone after everyone else has finished their meal.

·         Try and keep regular sleep and exercise timings.

·         Learn to say “no” when you can’t.

·         Always ask for help when you need it.

·         You are a wife or a mom not a superwomen or supermom. Learn to be realistic with your expectations of yourself.

·         Love your body the way it is and don’t indulge in mindless “crash diets”.

·         Practice and you won’t have to preach. Remember your child will learn by observation so if you follow healthy habits your child will do the same as an adult.

·         Don’t feel guilty about being compassionate and kind to yourself.

Remember Health is a relationship between you and your body. Nurture this relationship.

EAT LOCAL AND SEASONAL

A well-nourished body, mind and the way we eat affects our health. If we eat badly then we can expect that we may have poor health too. In the same way, the way that we eat has a tremendous impact on our health. Eating healthy only happens when our food is rich in nutrients.

Nowadays we have become so accustomed to eating foods grown in faraway places / foreign foods/ expensive foods that we do not give it a second thought. Most produce we receive travels an average of few thousand miles before it gets into our markets. Just think about it, the oranges or the apple you eat probably come from California and New Zealand. The distance your food travels has serious effects on your health.

When foods are brought in from a distance it is impossible to identify the pesticides used and the route taken to grow and transport the food to local supermarkets. Other countries might not have the same controls and safety regulations that we do. Control over what you are putting on your plate and body is limited.

Locally grown produce tend to use fewer chemicals. Fruits and vegetables have a longer time to ripen naturally especially when in season. The food will be fresher, often having been picked within 24 hours at the most. This means the food will be more delicious and contain more nutritional value.

Eating locally grown foods is just plain safer. Food that has to travel a long distance to get from farm to plate has a far greater risk of food contamination and lack of nutrition. Fruits that have travelled long distances will have lost its vitamin content, bioflavonoids, microminerals and its taste too.

Eating foods grown locally gives you a greater variety. Local produce translates to eating foods when they are in season. This means you will be enjoying foods when they are the most abundant, at their nutritional peak, and the least expensive.

Eating local and seasonal foods will ensure retention of its nutritional value, taste, texture, flavor and special properties which will then help our digestive system. Better your nourishment better is your digestion and therefore better is the assimilation.

But this does not mean you cannot eat exotic foods but it means don’t spend on it at the cost of not eating what is grown locally and seasonally. By eating locally grown and seasonal produce we will ensure that our family is eating fresher, tastier fruits and vegetables while safeguarding the health.

Healthy Ramadan Diet

During Ramadan, the diet is radically altered. Meals get condensed in mornings (pre-dawn meal) and evenings, with no intake in-between for an extended period of time. The changes in diet aren't well tolerated by all if fasting is not followed properly.

Eating a variety of foods using principles of moderation and balance is not only important on other days but also during the Ramadan when you fast from dawn to sunset. During any fast the metabolic rate of a fasting person slows down and other regulatory mechanisms start functioning. Body and dietary fat is efficiently utilized. Consuming total food intake that is less than the total food intake during normal days is sufficient to maintain a person's health. A balanced diet improves blood cholesterol profile, reduces gastric acidity, prevents constipation and other digestive problems, and contributes to an active and healthy life style too. Remember, there is no need to consume excess food at any given meal.

The diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible.

Considering the long hours of fasting, one must consume slow
digesting foods i.e. fiber rich foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods provide energy which lasts up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods provide only short term energy lasting for about only 3 to 4 hours.
-Slow-digesting foods are whole-grains and seeds such as barley, wheat, oats, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, and unpolished rice. These are called complex carbohydrates. Also vegetables (like green beans, peas, and spinach), fruit with skin, dried fruit (such as dates, raisins, dried apricots, figs, prunes, and almonds) are all examples of fiber rich foods.
-Fast-burning foods are foods such as sugar and white flour. They are called refined carbohydrates. To be healthy during this month, one must consume food from the major food groups: bread and cereal, milk and dairy product, meat, pulses and bean, vegetable and fruit.

The pre-dawn meal:
The body's immediate need at the time of the pre-dawn meal is to get an easily available energy source in the form of glucose for every living cell, particularly the brain and nerve cells. Dates, fruits and juices are good sources of sugars. Dates and juice bring low blood glucose levels to normal levels. Juice and soup help maintain water and mineral balance in the body. An unbalanced diet and too many servings of sherbets and sweets with added sugar have been found to be unhealthy.

Dinner:
Consume foods from all the following food groups.

Meat/Bean/Pulse Group:
Include foods such as chicken, beef, lamb, goat, fish, green pea, chickpea (chana, humus), green gram, black gram, lentil, lima bean and other beans. Meat and beans are a good source of protein, minerals, and certain vitamins. Beans are a good source of dietary fiber, as well.
Bread/Cereal Group:
Include whole wheat bread, cooked rice or roti. This group is a good source of complex carbohydrates, which are a good source of energy and provide some protein, minerals, and dietary fiber.
Milk Group:
Milk or butter-milk, yogurt or cottage cheese. Milk and dairy products are good sources of protein and calcium.
Vegetable Group:
Include mixed vegetable salad (lettuce, carrot, parsley, cucumber, broccoli, coriander leaves, cauliflower or cabbage or beetroot as desired). Cooked vegetables such as guar beans, french beans, okra (bhindi), eggplant (baigan), bottle gourd (lauki), cabbage, spinach, methi. Vegetables are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, carotene, lycopenes, and other photochemicals, which are antioxidants.
Fruits Group:
Include citrus and/or other fruits. Eat fruits about as a fast breaker a few minutes before the main meal so as to facilitate digestion and prevent many gastrointestinal problems. Citrus fruits provide vitamin C. Fruits are a good source of dietary fiber and many other minerals and vitamins.
Fruits and mixed nuts may be eaten as a snack after dinner or before sleep as a late night cheat snack.
Some Tips:

ü  Drink as much water, fruit juices, coconut water, lime water as possible between breaking fast and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time and also avoid dehydration.

ü  Consume sufficient vegetables at meals.

ü  Avoid intake of high sugar (table sugar) foods through sweets or other forms.

ü  Avoid spicy foods.

ü  Avoid over-eating in any meal.

ü  Avoid excessive caffeine drinks such as coke, coffee or tea. Caffeine is a diuretic.

ü  Smoking is a health risk factor. Avoid smoking cigarettes. Smoking negatively affects utilization of various vitamins, metabolites and enzyme systems in the body.

ü  Complex carbohydrates should be included at pre-dawn meals so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.

ü  Dates/raisins are excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.

ü  Almonds are rich in protein and fiber with less fat.

ü  Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.

ü  It is recommended that everyone engage in some kind of light exercise, such as stretching or walking.

In summary, intake of a balanced diet is important to maintain good health, sustain an active lifestyle and attain the full benefits of Ramadan.

BEAT THE MONSOON BLUES

The monsoon not only dampens your immunity but along with it also exposes you to many diseases. Monsoon is the time when diseases of the digestive system are rampant. The cool monsoon climate tempts you to binge on those bhajiyas and sweets. But give in to that hearty appetite with a bit of caution.

The monsoons reduce our immunity making us susceptible to many diseases which are commonly associated with this season (Malaria, Jaundice and gastrointestinal infections like typhoid, cholera and viral infections like cold and cough). While we do take the regular precautions, here are a few tips that will help you to eat well, increase your power of digestion and strengthen the digestive system during the rains.

ü  Drink boiled water.

ü  Avoid street foods or foods made in bulk.

ü  Do not over eat or eat when not hungry as the digestion is weak during the monsoons and will invite indigestion and the accompanied illnesses.

ü  Eat moderate quantities of food as our digestive power is a bit low during this season.

ü  Drink warm beverages like a ginger and mint tea or clear soups.

ü  Include foods like tamarind, tomato, kokum, lime or fresh buttermilk in your diet.

ü  Mong dal is the easiest to digest of all the dals. A hot moong dal soup would do wonders for a vegetarian.

ü  Cereals like rice, millets and corn or oats are also easy to digest.

ü  Pepper, methi (fenugreek seeds), garlic, ginger, dry ginger powder (soonth), jeera, basil leaves (tulsi leaves), tamarind (haldi), asafetida (hing) added to foods help increase the digestion and thus immunity.

ü  Seasonal vegetables like gourd vegetables (doodhi, karela, padwal), ladyfinger (bhindi), suran (elephant’s foot) and brinjal (baingan) are good in this season.

ü  Pomegranates, chickoos, bananas are best utilized in this season.

ü  Non vegetarian foods should be taken in moderate amounts and in the form of light stews or soups and not rich gravies.

ü  Eating a few dates, raisins, almonds, cashew nuts and peanuts will help improve iron intake apart from other vital nutrients.

ü  Eat foods as fresh as possible. In case eating or storing leftover foods try to be careful to see that the foods are cooked well and heat it well when removed from the refrigerator.

ü  Have plenty of water even if you are not thirsty. Dehydration is possible even during the monsoons.

Other tips:

Ø  Have a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of honey early in the morning to help flush out the system of toxins.

Ø  Have a teaspoon of honey and fresh ginger juice/ dry ginger powder twice a day.

Ø  Amla and citrus fruits will help improve immunity.

Ø  Avoid aerated/ alcoholic/ caffeinated drinks. Drinking herbal tea is a better option.

Ø  Avoid very greasy and spicy foods.

Ø  Avoid foods that are not cooked especially outside foods like raw salads or chutneys.

Ø  Avoid highly salted foods.

Ø  Food poisoning from E- coli, salmonella or other contaminants are common in this season. Eat only well-cooked and hot food. Throw out food, which has a strange odour or mould.

Ø  Avoid sea foods and half cooked/ raw eggs in this season.

Ø  Keep yourself warm as the low temperatures help the infectious organisms to thrive.

So, keep your body resistant against diseases by boosting your immunity and taking precautions against the diseases common during this season.

 

REMEDIES TO COMBAT CONSTIPATION

What goes in must come out.  You proved this by, sitting on the toilet this morning. Well, didn’t you?

Constipation is no fun. Sometimes it can be painful. But the cause of your sluggish bowels is often easy to find. It may be a lack of fiber in the diet, insufficient liquid intake, stress medications, lack of exercise and bad bowel habits.

Below are ways to remedy the situation.

·         Are you really constipated? You think you have a problem, but do you really? Like all of us, you have been bombarded by laxative advertisements that try to give you the impression that a daily bowel movement is essential to good health, and this just isn’t so. The need to pass stools varies greatly from person to person. For some, a bowel movement three times a day may be considered normal, for others three times a week may suffice.

·         Are you getting enough fluids? The foremost menu items for battling constipation are dietary fiber and liquids. Lots of both are essential to keep stools soft and help it pass through the colon. A minimum of six to eight glasses of liquid should be a part of every adult’s diet. While any fluid will do the trick, “the best fluid is water”.

·         Eat lots more fiber. A daily consumption of 20-35 grams of dietary fiber is needed for all adults and at least 30 grams for those who suffer from constipation. You can get your fiber (complex fiber) from whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Top among the list are dried beans, peas, prunes, dried figs, raisins, popcorn/ makhana, oatmeal, pears, bananas, and nuts.

·         Make pure ghee an integral part of your diet. (Most of our weight loss “diets” tend to cut out all fats from our meals; even the healthy fats).

·         Avoid adding fiber to foods in the bid to increase the fiber content of your meals. Try and eat fiber rich home-made foods and avoid junk foods.

·         Avoid tea or coffee post sunrise in order to help bowel movement and also post sunset.

·         Take time to go to the gym. Yes, exercise is good for the bowels too. Exercise helps the movement of the foods faster through the bowels.

·         Take a walk. Walking is particularly helpful especially for pregnant women who often face the problem of constipation.

·         Toilet train yourself. Many of us condition ourselves to go to the bathroom not when nature calls but when we feel it is convenient. Ignoring the urge to defecate, however, can lead to constipation in the long run. But it’s never too late to improve your habits. The most natural time to go to the toilet is after a meal. Everyday follow a routine and sit on the toilet for ten minutes. In time you will condition your colon to act as it naturally should.

·         Slow down and take it easy. When you are stressed, tensed or frightened the bowels stop up just like our mouth dries or heart beats faster. It’s a simple part of the flight and fight mechanism. If you feel at the bottom of your constipation, the underlying causes is tension then take time to relax before you go to the toilet.

·          Reconsider laxative medications. Commercial laxatives may do their job but at the same time they are also addictive. Habitual intake can make your bowels get used to them, and your constipation worse.

·         Consider natural laxatives (only when needed and not as a rule). Laxatives marked “vegetable” or “natural”, whose main ingredient is psyllium seeds, flax and oats are nonaddictive and generally safe. But be sure that these are taken with lots of water, or they can gum up your insides.

·         Be cautious when using herbal remedies like Aloe Vera juice, senna rhubarb, dandelion root or plantain seeds.

·         Review your supplements and medications. Medications like certain antacids (containing aluminum or calcium), antihistamines, anti-parkinsonism drugs, calcium supplements, iron supplements, diuretics, sedatives and antidepressants can bring about or exacerbate constipation.

·        Beware of certain foods. Some foods may constipate an individual but not necessary everyone. Milk, for instance, can be constipating for one but cause diarrhea to another. Gas forming foods like cabbage, cauliflower, beans, whole pulses should be avoided by persons with a weak colon.

·        Have frequent intake of water of about 3 liters or more per day.

·         Eat smaller meals. Larger meals can distend the digestive tract, thus worsening constipation. Let your last meal be at least 2 hours before you sleep.

·         Do not strain. Huffing and puffing your way out of constipation is not wise as it may lead to problems like hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Straining can also raise your blood pressure and lower your heartbeat. This is especially dangerous for elderly or cardiac patients.