WOMEN WELLNESS - NUTRITION IN 40s AND BEYOND

Nutrition in 40’s and Beyond

This is a time where a women finds some time for herself and wants to be fit and healthy

Focus on these key Nutrients:
1. Calcium: As you get nearer to your menopause your estrogen levels drop which depletes your calcium as your body cannot absorb  that much calcium which is required to build the bone mass and density and also one cause being  that the body does not produce much stomach acid which helps absorb it hence eat foods rich in calcium.
Calcium rich foods: milk, curd, popped amaranth flour, ragi.

2. Vitamin D: This is required for the absorption of calcium for healthy bones also it helps to build immunity. It is also called a sunshine vitamin as it’s the most naturally occurring form but due to our hectic lifestyle, being more in as we are not getting much of it hence it becomes to supplement yourself with it. So get yourself checked and get the suggestion from a professional practitioner. 

3. Dietary fibre: Dietary fibre is required for digestion, weight loss, helps reduce cholesterol and helps to maintain blood sugar levels.
Fibre rich foods: fruits, vegetables, flax seeds, grains.

4. Antioxidants: Antioxidants are foods that delay the signs of  ageing process such as wrinkles, puffiness of eyes, crow feet, fights against free radical attack that helps to maintain a good health and prevents one from getting chronic disease, also boost one’s immunity.
Anti-oxidants rich foods : chia seeds, broth soup, wheat grass, almonds, walnuts, dark chocolate.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH SOUR CREAM AND ONION DRESSING

For Salad
Chicken -100 gms boiled and shredded
Bell pepper -1/2 no
Carrot- 1/2 no
Lettuce iceberg- 1 cup
Red onion- 1 no

Method : combine all salad ingredients and top with dressing.

For Sour cream and onion dressing
1 small katori dahi- hung in a fine mesh strainer with muslin cloth in the fridge until solid.
Garlic clove- 1 no (grated)
Chopped parsley + mint + dill- 1 tsp each
Dried oregano- 1/4 tsp
Chilli flakes- 1/4 tsp
Black pepper- 1/4 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method: combine all salad ingredients. 

WOMEN WELLNESS - NUTRITION IN YOUR 30s

Nutrition in your 30’s 

This is the time where you must be either planning for a kid or juggling with the demands of your career. and hence it plays a crucial role to take care of yourself as well as of your kid.

Focus on these key Nutrients:
1. Folate: It is required for a healthy pregnancy as the demand of this nutrient is utmost important so that the newborn is not born with neural tube defects which is related to brain development.

Folate rich foods: spinach,beets,orange,lentils,peas

2. Phytonutrients: This are rich in antioxidants and helps in slowing the ageing process, prevents heart disease.
Phytonutrient rich foods: mostly found in plant, dark chocolate

3. Iron: It is required for maintaining normal cognitive functions, helps in supplying oxygen to all the body cells inorder to function properly
Iron rich foods: Green leafy vegetables, dates, country chicken

TIPS FOR A HEALTHY HOLI

Tips for a Healthy Holi

Colour and craziness usually mark the festival of Holi for most of us. With big parties, lots of booze and even some bhang.

Many of us tend to overdo the indulgences and use the festival as an excuse to eat in excess.

Here are our 4 tried and tested tips for a healthier- happier- Holi!

1. Breakfast with a Bang

Starting your day with a solid meal that includes a complex carb, healthy fat and protein has multiple benefits. A complex carb such a poha, broken wheat daliya (bulgur wheat), upma, whole wheat rotis, besan (gram flour) keep the body on a slow but steady release of energy allowing you to play for longer, with a more level and upbeat mood.

When you put down a solid carb for breakfast your filling fuel in your tank for the ride to come helping you go longer and stay stronger in the long day full of fun to come!

Healthy fat goes hand in hand with making our breakfasts both tasty and nutritious opt for oils rich in MUFAS ( monounsaturated fatty acids) and PUFAS ( Polyunsaturated fatty acids) such as sunflower oil, peanut oil, rice bran oil and even whole nuts and seeds like flax seeds powder in your chapattis, peanuts on your poha, sunflower oil to Sautee your upma and so on to keep you not only topped up on those youth giving omega’s but also feeling fuller for longer as fat slows down digestion and gives more bang for the caloric buck ( with 9 kcal of energy for every 1 gm. of fat!)

Protein the last but never least favourite macro in today’s day and age comes in many varieties, shapes and forms. We all know the obvious options such as eggs for breakfast but did you know that vegetarian sources of protein are equally good? The myth of vegetarian sources of protein is still doing rounds today with a lot of today kids and youngsters loading up on non-veg to meet their “protein goals” with little regard to their liver and more importantly kidney health. The body, on the other hand, breaks down all proteins into their fundamental building blocks –amino acids and when compared side by side- plant protein sources have many added health benefits such as lower risk of heart disease, better LDL levels, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and so on. So Enjoy your green moong, besan chilas, upma knowing you’re going to live longer for it. You can increase protein content by experimenting with beans and lentils such as

Green moong dhokla, buckwheat upma, paneer stuffed parantha etc.

2. Hydration + Celebration = Liver Preservation

With dancing often comes drinking and while it’s easy to get carried away with the crowd its important to remember that the added load of fatty foods today from the mithai, gujias, ladoos and kheer not to mention the calorie bomb combined with the toxic effect of alcohol on the liver are really going to stress your body out.

The liver is the detox centre for the body and while its working away on alcohol most of the added calories coming its way are also going to need to be converted to fat- again by the liver in an attempt to deal with the lack of storage space and the excess calories.

Drinking a tonne of water won’t save you from the fat the storage in the liver but will lighten the load of having to detox the system. Drinking water between drinks also helps to fight hunger pangs, keep your sobriety up and even help you avoid unnecessary temptation by helping stomach sensors feel full.

With the scorching heat of March staying hydrated also helps your skin maintain its proper function and boost your recovery period from the heat by helping cool down the internal organs.

3. Go Green Later:

We can’t stress the importance of giving your system a green boost from the day’s fun and festivities with the help of a vegetable juice to keep your liver light. Green vegetables, fresh herbs and certain spices can greatly help to fine tune the livers functioning back to track.

Good vegetables to opt for are: cucumbers, tomatoes- deseeded of course, bell peppers in every colour, hara-bara veggies like spinach, kale, broccoli are also liver lovers.

Try mixing it up with fresh herbs such as parsley, coriander, mint for an added zing.

We saved the best tip for last.

4. Put a Halt on the Salt:

After a day spent eating, drinking and of course being merry- the time to balance is at night. Take an opposite approach by eating a light meal, only drinking water and also giving the system the rest it deserves with a good night’s sleep.

Your evening lighter meal should be comparatively lower in sodium. If you can why not cut back altogether with the salt? A lot of the processed foods and drinks you consumed in the day probably gave you more than your fair share of sodium for the day in any case! Choose simple easy to digest options like a bowl of papaya, 2 whole wheat toast and a glass of milk or a fruit with milk. Remember too much salt causes water retention and will leave you feeling bloated tomorrow.

Have a healthy happy love and colour filled holi!

Harpreet Pasricha

CUCUMBER CUPS

Ingredients:-
• Cucumber, (preferably with skin on) 1 no

For filling
• Hung curd 1 katori
• Mixed fresh chopped herbs (dill, parsley, mint) 2 tbsp.
• Garlic cloves finely minced 2-3
• Oregano 1 tsp.
• Lime juice ¼ tsp.
• Grated carrot ¼ no
• Olive oil ¼ tsp.

Method:-
1. To prepare the cups, chop the cucumber into 2 inch thick slices and scoop out the inside to make a  hollow cup. Reserve the scooped out portion to add to the filling.
2. To make the hung curd: hang the dahi overnight in a muslin cloth and collect the water reserve for smoothie making or for kneading chapatti or bread dough.
3. In a large stainless steel bowl combine the hung curd with the remainder of the filling ingredients and scooped out the cucumber. This is now ready to put in the cups.
4. Garnish with sprigs of parsley or dill.

WOMEN WELLNESS - NUTRITION IN YOUR 20'S

NUTRITION IN YOUR 20'S

This is a time when you either would be studying, working, or you are married, probably want to start a new family and is just the beginning of the new responsibilities, and hence taking care of your health is your first priority so as to go ahead with the coming years.

Focus on these key nutrients:
1. Proteins: they are the building blocks of your body and has so many functions right from making your hormones and haemoglobin and required for growth and maintenance.
Protein rich foods: Pulses, country chicken, eggs, milk, curd, paneer.

2. Omega 3: being rich in antioxidant it helps in maintaining the skin health which helps to reduce wrinkles, good for hair health also helps to increase serotonin which helps to cope up with Anxiety and depression.
Omega 3 rich foods: Flax seeds, walnuts.

3. Potassium: It is important for the Nervous system and acts as a messenger between your brain and your body for reflexes helps in sending nerve signals which help in muscle contraction and also for maintaining heart rhythm.

Potassium-rich foods: Banana, broccoli, strawberries, fruits and vegetables. 

WORLD KIDNEY DAY

World Kidney Day

March is known as the month of Kidney Health aiming to raise awareness on the health of kidneys and reduce the impact of kidney disease. Kidney disease is becoming more and more prevalent in India. Chronic Kidney Disease affects approximately 195 million women worldwide. CKD is more common in women compared with men, with an average 14% prevalence in women and 12% in men. Pregnancy-related complications increase the risk of kidney disease; women who have preeclampsia are 4-to-5 times more likely to develop kidney failure.

Just like in case of any health problems, treating it by following a proper diet will help manage the levels. Along with the pills, it is also important that the intake of food should also be monitored for managing renal and kidney health. In case, of kidney disease, most people are aware that you should limit your intake of salt and water. However, there is a particular diet that has which is a recommended diet plan for not just managing blood pressure but also kidney disease.- Dash Diet

So what is Dash Diet?

The DASH acronym stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It works on a basic principle which emphasizes the intake of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy; while limiting intake of sodium, sugar, and red meat. It is low in saturated and trans fats and high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, fibre, and protein.

Many research articles have proved that DASH diet effectively lowered serum uric acid by 1.3 mg/dL in adults with elevated uric acid above 7 mg/dL thus reducing the occurrence of uremia.

DASH is not a fad diet, but it’s a healthy eating plan that is sustainable and can support long-term lifestyle changes.

Depending on your health needs, you can choose from two forms of the DASH diet:

•  The Standard DASH Diet: This diet plan limits sodium consumption to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day.
• The Lower-Sodium DASH Diet: This diet limits sodium consumption to 1,500 mg per day.

Some cons of following a DASH Diet is a lot of people find it comparatively difficult to adjust to eating as much fibre as the DASH diet recommends. Thus to start off, you can add high-fibre foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, to your diet and drink plenty of water while doing so to help avoid bloating and physical discomfort.

In addition, it’s also important to focus on the following main nutrients to control renal and kidney diseases such as:

•  Protein:- Protein plays an important role in building muscle, repairing tissue and fighting infection. In case of kidney disease, you need to closely monitor the protein you eat to prevent wastes from building up in the blood.  When it comes to proteins, you do have vegetarian sources of protein which are good sources of protein, so it’s very important to pay close attention to your protein intake.

• Sodium:- Besides cutting down on the salt added to food, make sure you are staying away from hidden sources of sodium such as processed and packaged foods such as biscuits, jams, jelly, hams, sausages etc. Use as many fresh foods as possible and limit your intake of processed and packaged foods. Reading labels becomes very essential at this point, any foods with the following ingredients should be avoided such as salt, soy sauce, tamari sauce or any spices that contain the words sodium or salt.

• Potassium:- Routine blood testing for your potassium level is the best way to know your potassium needs. If your potassium level is high, try to limit fruit and vegetable choices.

• Phosphorus:- Phosphorus is another mineral that should be avoided in case of kidney disease. To keep your phosphorous in a healthy range processed foods containing phosphate additives.

Article by- Nutritionist Stephanie Gomes

PANEER OATS TIKKI

Ingredients 
Oats - 3/4 cup
Paneer - 1/4 cup (homemade)
Bread - 1 no.
Carrot - 1 no.
Coriander - (handful)
Green chili paste - as per taste
Spices - as per taste

Method:
Combine the mixture, divide into equal proportion and make flat tikki.
Roll in oats and fry in Non-Stick Tava or Air Frier.

WOMEN WELLNESS - NUTRITION DURING ADOLESCENCE

NUTRITION DURING ADOLESCENCE

Adolescence is a phase wherein a woman grows to its optimal potential with aspects to physical, biochemical and emotional development to its maximum. Also, there are a lot of hormonal changes during this period.

Focus on these key nutrients:
1. Protein: This is required for growth and repair, also for the formation of new Rbc, most of the hormones are made up of proteins. Keratin is a protein and is the structural material which makes up hair and nails.
Protein rich foods: sprouts, curd, chicken, chia seeds, quinoa, paneer, pulses etc.

2. Calcium: This is required for Bone Growth and development and to improve the bone density
Calcium-rich foods: milk, buttermilk, Ragi, sesame seeds.

3. Iron: As a girl attains her puberty she starts with a monthly menses and hence iron plays a crucial role also. It is required for maintaining normal cognitive functions, helps in supplying oxygen to all the body cells in order to function properly.
Iron Rich foods: green leafy vegetables, dates, country chicken, beetroot, wheatgrass.

4. Folic acid and B12: This are essential for DNA and RNA synthesis and needed in higher amounts when tissue synthesis is occurring rapidly
Folic rich foods: spinach, beets, orange, lentils, peas.
B12 rich foods: milk, eggs, chicken, curd.

WOMEN'S HEALTH QUIZ

Quiz

Give 1 point each for every yes-

1. Do you have hair fall?
2. Are you seeing ageing signs more frequently? (e.g. wrinkles, crow feet, puffiness of eyes)
3. Do you have low immunity? (Do you often get cold/cough/stomach upset at least once a month)
4. Do you have PMS problems? (i.e . having mood swings, feel bloated, water retention, low energy before periods)
5. Is your weight more than your ideal body weight?
6. Do you feel tired? (Low on energy levels at the end of the day)

Scorecard

0-2 -Congratulations!! You are in the Green Zone- don’t worry that’s a low alert zone! You seem like a pretty health conscious woman. A few tips to help you on journey to wellness:

a. Include superfoods in your diet that helps in delaying ageing , protects your cells from free radical damage, improves your immunity. 

E.g wheat grass, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, micro greens, white tea, Rooibos tea, walnuts, chia seeds.

b. Include Prebiotics in your diet that helps in improving the growth of the good bacteria in your gut. E.g are garlic, wheat bran, green leafy vegetables, fruits.

c. Include Probiotics in your diet that improves the gut health and helps in improving immunity and is good for digestive health. 

E.g. curd, kefir, saukraut, black carrot kanji, kimchi, kombucha.

3-4 -You are falling in the yellow colour range that is medium alert zone and know to strike a balance in your social, personal and mental health. However, you need to work on your health for maintaining optimal health. Work on the below pointers.

a. Have small and frequents meals. This helps in proper digestion and absorption of nutrients and keeps steady sugar levels that’s required for energy.

b. Keep yourself enough hydrated. Consume at least 2 litres of water every day. You can make a variety of infused water like chia seeds water, rose water, lemongrass water.

c. To improve your skin health include pumpkin seeds, walnuts, fish, flax seeds in your diet.

d. Try and consult a Nutritionist and do different cleanses such as gut/kidney/water cleanse to be disease free.

5-6- You fall under a Red alert zone and require immediate attention on your health. Try and adapt a healthy lifestyle by following the guidelines.

a. Include antioxidant rich foods in your diet as it has anti-ageing, protects ones immunity and fights against free radical damage so that we are disease free. 

Eg. Walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, tomato juice, makhana, wheat grass.

b. Be physically active as this is part of living a healthy life. 

E.g. prefer exercises such as walking, jogging, zumba, pilates that’s of your preference.

c.  Eat Right and lose excess fat rather than eating less and putting on more fat as fasting for long hours will make you eat a lot more portion due to which you will take excess food than required by your body wherein the body will put it in fat storage.

d. Take enough rest and have a good night sleep as lack of sleep signals your body to secrete excess cortisol a stress hormone that makes you put excess weight.

e. Combat your stress by doing a deep breathing exercise or engaging in your favourite hobby.
E.g. reading books, gardening, painting this feel reduce your cortisol levels and secrete happy hormone serotonin which is good for your health and will not lead to weight gain.

SUNSET SMOOTHIE

Ingredients

•      Pineapple : 1- 2 slices
•      Water : 1- 1.5 glass
•      Orange: ½ no
•      Papaya : 1 slice

Method

Blitz all ingredients together in a mixer and serve immediately

Serve chilled.