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

Foods to Detox Liver

Along with the heart and the brain, liver is also one of the most important organs in our body. However, most often the liver is not given the credit that it deserves. The liver is one of the hardest working organs in your body as it performs hundreds of functions.  Whatever you eat or drink which includes junk food and alcohol, all goes down to the liver where the liver processes it and either repackages it for your body to use or eliminates it. The best way to keep your liver healthy is by eating healthy. As the liver stores most of our nutrients, it’s the major organ for nutrient processing. Thus to detoxify the liver, you can include the following foods in your diet.

• Garlic: Chopping garlic and letting it sit 15 minutes before cooking activates liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of allicin and selenium which are two natural compounds that aid in liver cleansing.

• Leafy Greens: Leafy greens are cleansing foods which offer a powerful protective mechanism for the liver. Leafy greens can be eaten raw, cooked, or juiced. They have high amounts of plant chlorophylls which suck up environmental toxins from the blood stream. Leafy greens such as bitter gourd, arugula, dandelion greens, spinach, mustard greens, and chicory will help increase the production and flow of bile.
• Avocados: Avocado is also known as “Supercado” is filled with tons of nutrients, healthy fats and vitamins. Avocado helps the body to produce glutathione which is necessary for the liver to cleanse harmful toxins.
• Lemon: Lemon and all citrus fruits contain Vitamin C and minerals that boost bodily functions and enhance the cleansing process, sweeping out wastes. Drinking freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice in the morning helps stimulate the liver.
• Green Tea: This liver-loving beverage is full of plant antioxidants known as catechins, a compound known to assist liver function. Green tea is not only delicious, it’s also a great way to improve your overall diet. 

Know More About Water #WorldWaterDay

 

Most of you know the significance and benefits of water, so today we are going to talk about different and unheard topics on water i.e different types of water, what time should we have water? Can it be had along with food?

When is the right time to drink water?

It’s important to hydrate yourself first thing in the morning on empty stomach to detoxify your system and get rid of unwanted free radicals that has been left behind due to last night’s outing-binge eating and drinking.

Secondly most people often have this question? Can I drink water along with lunch or dinner? As much as you can, try and drink water before lunch or dinner and keep a time period of 30 mins after lunch and dinner, to sip on more water.

Thirdly during workout, it’s important to drink water before, during and after workout to prevent your body from the effects of dehydration.

In addition, whenever your body requires water, your body will automatically ask for water. Thus, it’s important to listen to your body and understand when it’s important to hydrate.

Also did you know that fatigue is one of the signs of dehydration? So next time you want you’re heading for a meeting or an activity and you feel drained out, drink a glass of water.

Sun-charged water

In ancient times, sun charged water was used by many due to its healing properties. Sun-charged water can be made by putting a glass jug of clean, filtered drinking water in the sun for 5 to 8 hours. This solar-charged water should not be left exposed overnight or after sunset and should be stored and consumed within 24 hours. This can be ingested or applied to the body while bathing.

Some of the benefits of drinking sun-charged water are anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Other benefits include increased energy, rejuvenation, delayed ageing etc.

We all know that consuming copper vessel water has lots of health benefits and has been used since ancient times, but did you know another fact, that when you store water in a copper vessel and water is with a low pH or chlorinated, copper can react with the water and form soluble salts. This salts in water when gets into the body will cause an upset stomach. So, all those people who feel uncomfortable in stomach or get acidity or diarrhoea after drinking copper vessel water you now you know the reason.

Alkaline water

There is a new trend, “alkaline water purifier” which is believed to make the body alkaline.

I have lots of people coming and asking if they should invest lakhs of Rupee on the new purifier in the market.

So, first of all know what alkaline water is,

Alkaline water is water that is slightly basic. It contains basic minerals such as calcium, magnesium, or bicarbonate. These compounds bind to hydrogen ions in solution, making the water more basic.

Natural alkaline water sources are usually springs, or a reservoir of natural water underneath the earth's surface. The rock structures holding the water may have basic minerals, such as calcium or limestone that leak into the water, increasing the pH.

Alkaline water purifier came into existence because they were believed to have many perks especially benefiting people with inflammation.

But do you think this will completely cure you? Should you invest in alkaline water purifier to get rid of inflammation?

Our opinion is,

A Normal person leading a good lifestyle and eating right food will not be acidic and wouldn’t need Alkaline water to make the body alkaline and the body will be in alkaline state already. But if you have Inflammation and acidity, it can be managed by following a holistic approach i.e., eating a balanced meal, not following a crash or fad diet, dealing with stress, sleeping well, doing breathing exercises, drinking a lot of water, being active, avoiding intake of preservatives and packaged foods as these foods are the main culprit that gets your body into acidic mode.

By following a holistic approach, you can get your body in an alkaline mode and you won’t need any expensive water purifier to heal you.

Copper vessel water

We all know that consuming copper vessel water has lots of health benefits and has been used since ancient times, but did you know another fact, that when you store water in a copper vessel and water is with a low pH or chlorinated, copper can react with the water and form soluble salts. This salts in water when gets into the body will cause an upset stomach. So all those people who feel uncomfortable in stomach or get acidity or diarrhoea after drinking copper vessel water you now you know the reason.

Importance of Good Sleep for our Well-Being #WorldSleepDay

A good night's sleep is vital for our physical as well as mental well-being. One of the major aspect of Holistic Health is “Sleep”. Good sound sleep will not just help in mental & physical health but also will improve immunity and keep us disease free.

When it comes to maintaining optimal health, sleep is as essential as a good diet and regular exercise. Here are some more benefits that are associated with a good night's rest.

1. Boosting up of concentration and memory- It has been shown that getting adequate sleep enhances brain functioning thereby improving one's productivity, performances, and other cognitive abilities.
2. Lower level of calorie intake- Getting sufficient sleep helps in regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin that control appetite such that you'll consume lesser calories throughout the day than if you are sleep deprived.
3. Stronger immunity system- Good quality sleep enables your body to recover and repair along with fighting off infections more effectively. In order to improve the body's immune function, you should sleep for at least 7-8 hours a day.
4. Reduces risk of heart disease- Studies suggest that getting an adequate amount of sleep helps the body to regulate its blood pressure that further promotes better heart health.

Sleep is a vital component for good health, however often neglected.

Factors that sabotage/disturb your sleep

Whether it is some daily habits or certain foods and drinks that we consume, they have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of our sleep. Below listed are some of the habits that potentially interfere with healthy sleep.

1. Exposure to light: If the brightness levels are high around you, chances are you won't feel sleepy easily. This is because our body secretes melatonin, a hormone that invites sleep, only when exposed to darkness. Therefore, to fall asleep faster, it is important to be in a dimly lit environment and avoid using your phone that emits blue light (another stimulant for the brain) during bedtime.
2. Caffeine: It is a well-known fact that caffeine is a stimulant when it comes to cognitive performances, hence consuming it disrupts your sleeping cycle. Caffeine also affects the quality of your sleep as it causes restlessness, elevated heart rate, and stomach cramps if taken around bedtime.
3. Alcohol: Although a glass of wine is considered a go-to sleep aid for many people, it is pertinent to mention that drinking alcohol close to bedtime has multiple negative effects on the circadian rhythm of our bodies which disrupts the functioning of various organs such as the liver, gut and interferes with the sleep-wake cycle.
4. Exercise: A good workout session is always advisable. However, one should avoid exercising an hour or so before sleeping time as the fresh pump of oxygen and energy makes it more difficult to fall asleep.

Some simple yet effective ways you can adopt to snooze faster and sleep better every night.

1. Light pillow talks & Practicing Meditation- Sharing light & funny topics, or practicing meditation, or simply deep breathing can help improving sleep quality. Simple practice of Lying down comfortably on the bed and focusing on your breathing, while inhaling and exhaling deeply regulates breathing pattern. This will help in destressing and relaxing your nerves and muscles, causing you to sleep quickly and peacefully.
2. Eating foods that are rich in magnesium, tryptophan, calcium, and  Vitamin B6- These compounds aid in the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps in regulating the sleep-wake cycle of your body. Some of these sleep-inducing foods are cherries, olives, cucumber, walnuts, sunflower seeds, tomatoes, etc.
3. Say no to crash/unsustainable diet- Although reducing carb intake sounds like an effective way to reduce weight, going on a zero or very low-carb diet results in sleeplessness, further causing you to stay awake which eventually results in unhealthy late-night snacking. To avoid this vicious cycle, make sure to include a certain portion of healthy carbs.
4. Keep your phone away during bedtime- Research suggests that exposure to the blue light radiated from our smartphones suppress the melatonin levels in our body which disrupts sleep-wake cycle. It is advisable to cut-off screen time 30mins - 1 hour before bed to minimize distractions and contribute to better sleep.

Follow these easy tips and tricks to improve the duration and quality of your sleep naturally without any medication.

Best sleep-inducing foods

Getting an adequate amount of good quality sleep is incredibly important for your holistic health. One of the strategies that you can implement to achieve this is to include certain foods in your diet that promote good sleep. Here are some of the best sleep-inducing foods that you can have to bid a peaceful farewell to your day.

1. Warm spiced milk- A popular home remedy for sleeplessness, milk contains tryptophan, calcium, vitamin D, and melatonin, all of which help in promoting sleep. Add a pinch of turmeric or nutmeg into a warm glass of milk for making a more effective destressing and anti-inflammatory concoction to ensure sound  sleep.
2. Chamomile tea- This herbal tea is caffeine-free and is considered as a mild tranquilizer due to its constituent antioxidants such as apigenin that have calming effects on your body, thus helping you to fall asleep quicker.
3. Rice- A bowl of  rice can be effective in inducing sleep.
4. Ghee- As per Ayurvedic practices, adding one spoon of ghee on Chapatti, rice or in veg / dal can do wonders to relieve you from insomnia.
5. Passionflower tea- Studies suggest that this herbal drink also contains the antioxidant apigenin and increases the production of GABA, a brain chemical that helps in reducing stress and anxiety, thereby promoting good quality of sleep.

Try these sleep-inducing foods and share your experiences.

Miracle Boosters For Kids

Parents will always be concerned about their children. During the growing years, parents get apprehensive about issues such as immunity, height and eyesight. You can use some of these accessible foods in your diet which will make them stronger and healthier.

SOME OF THE FOODS INCLUDE:

IMMUNITY BOOSTERS:

School going children tend to fall sick at times by catching some illness from school. Repetitive occurrences of falling ill cause the immune system to weaken.

Immune system boosting foods include: Mushrooms, almonds, wheat germs, yogurt, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli, etc. Some tips to make a healthier meal include adding wheat germ to flour to make chapattis; mixing sweet potato and spinach with potato to make cutlets.

HEIGHT BOOSTERS:

Your height depends on your genes and can be altered by external factors, diet and exercise to a specific extent. The height is determined by the Human growth hormone (HGH) which is secreted by the pituitary gland. Certain foods are able to enhance the human growth hormone secretion which can also help to increase height.

A balanced diet inclusive of fish, eggs, milk, legumes, almonds, dairy products, sea foods, avocado, etc. are essential during adolescent years. Similarly foods like spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, peas, etc. are rich in minerals like magnesium, phosphorous, chlorides, iron and manganese. For eg. Soya beans can be used to make cutlets or filling in kathi rolls can be really beneficial during the growing years as it is rich in protein.

EYE SIGHT BOOSTERS:

Exposure to the TVs, Computers and mobile phones, weaken the eye sight of children. Eye problems left untreated can worsen leading to serious problems. A balanced lifestyle with lots of exercise and good nutrition can protect children from eye strain and related eye issues.

Foods rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin E, β Carotene, Lutin help to prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Spinach, broccoli, tomato, carrot, pumpkin, bell peppers, eggs and oranges can be consumed to improve the eye sight.

DIGESTION BOOSTERS:

In today's world, children are plagued with digestive problems. Although digestive problems such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and even inflammatory bowel diseases can stem from a horde of reasons, ultimately it comes down to bad or irregular eating habits.

Foods like curds, buttermilk, yogurt (contains probiotics i.e. “good bacteria” which are good for the bowels) can be really beneficial for the digestive system. Natural laxatives like papaya, banana, spinach, and pear can be added to your diet to provide relief from constipation. Also water is a simple remedy to relieve your digestion and constipation problems, so make your children drink enough water every day.

Nutritional Tips for Gut Health

These guidelines have to be followed for minimum 5 days. These guidelines will help in reducing inflammation around the gut and improve efficiency to digest, assimilate and absorb the nutrients, which will improve your immunity, reduce cravings, bloating, water retention and much more.

Here are our Nutribullets for the next few days:

1.   Include Prebiotic Foods:
Banana, homemade ghee and white butter, coconut oil, boiled potato, rice, sweet potato in your diet.
Suggest start your day with banana, cook only in ghee or white butter. a

2.   Include Probiotic foods:
Home-made curd, water-based pickles, traditional buttermilk, carrot kanji, idli, dosa, dhokla, sanna’s, handvo and any fermented food products for next 5 days. Make sure not to use eno or baking soda in dhokla or idli. a

3.   Include anti-inflammatory foods such as turmeric, ginger, fatty fish or fish oils, walnuts, coconut oil, beetroots, celery (less than 5cm stalk more than 5 will aggravate), basil seeds (sabja), chia seeds. a

4.   Avoid Highly Processed / Packaged Foods- anything factory made or that comes out of a packet.
(such as sausage, deli-meats – pepperoni, ham, salami, pasta, biscuit, chips, namkeens, even diet bhels, sevs etc.) a

5.    Avoid sugars and artificial sweeteners. a

6.    No milk – however fermented milk products such as buttermilk, dahi or any other variants are allowed. a

7.    Avoid alcohol. a

8.    Avoid chicken. a

9.    Avoid unnecessary antacids/ supplements. a

10. No raw foods post 4pm this includes salads, raw veg and fruit. Instead eat your vegetables stewed or steamed.

Nutrition Tips for Kidney Health

           

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.