VITAMIN E

Questions:

1. Is it better to take tablets or have a vitamin E rich diet

Vitamin E is known for a lot of health benefits mainly due to its anti-oxidant properties that prevent the cell from oxidative damage. It is one of the supplements that is used widely for skin and hair, however the good news is, it is also available in the natural form, so you do not need to depend on the supplemental form. However, In case of certain conditions such as Menopause, supplementations maybe required, but do so under the supervision of a medical practitioner. As Vitamin E supplements are fat soluble and higher levels can lead to toxicity. Thus, go natural, eat a balanced diet rich in Vitamin E and get all your hair and skin issues resolved.

      2.  How can we include more vitamin E in our diet to help us get better skin and hair

Fortunately Vitamin E foods are abundant through the diet and deficiencies are rare, though sometimes deficiencies are seen in cases where absorption of fat is an issue.

Focusing on diet rich in in the following foods such as Nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sabza seeds, peanuts etc, food such as avocado, spinach, sweet potatoes, oils such as olive oil, palm oil etc. can aid in boosting beautiful and glowing skin and aiding in lustrous hair. It is also found in meats and fortified foods.

      3. Benefits of Vitamin E

Vitamin E has innumerable benefits from protecting the cell from damage, aid in lowering health problems from heart disease to cancer. But here are some other benefits:

·       Meeting Vitamin E daily requirements has been linked with hair growth and also adds shine to the hair making it look lustrous and strong.

·      You can effectively treat dry skin problem with the help of vitamin rich diet. Especially during the winters it’s essential, as it aids in soft and supple skin.

·   Vitamin E can also promote good immune system. Besides protecting the cell from oxidative damage, it also keeps you from falling sick very often.

·   Vitamin E can promote good eyesight and has been linked to decrease risk of age-related degeneration or cataracts.

·    Being a fat soluble vitamin, it also aids in the production of certain hormones called prostaglandins that aid in regularising blood pressure. 

SUGAR

       Questions:  

1.       What are all alternatives to processed white sugar and their benefits?

White sugar is an ingredient that is added just for taste. This white crystal does not provide the body with any nutritional benefits, except energy as it’s a simple carbohydrate which is quickly absorbed in the body. The fact that more people are being aware about it, is a good thing but due to so much of information on the internet, people usually fall prey to synthetic alternative which are equally bad. For starters, you should definitely avoid artificial sweeteners like sugar free tablets or powders as these can create more damage to your body than you know. Also, sugar alcohols like xylitol and erythritol can wreak havoc on your digestion, gut health, kidney function to name a few. Thus, the recommended way is to stop using sugar all together or have a restricted quantity of about a tsp. sugar per day. In addition, foods such as biscuits, ice creams, milk shakes, cakes etc. are loaded with sugar, so I recommend to limit its consumptions. But during times, where you crave for a little sweetness, you can use the following healthier alternatives:

•  Honey: Organic raw honey is natural food that is made by bees. Always opt for the organic form that contains lots of beneficial nutrients like B vitamins and iron. Make sure to buy a good quality from authentic sources. Honey has been used as an age old remedy in times of sickness due to its immune system boosting properties and presence of antibacterial compounds that help fight infection in the body.
• Jaggery: This natural sweetener has been a great go to ingredients since centuries. The two commonly used jaggery types are palm and sugarcane. It has been used to boost immunity, haemoglobin levels and prevents constipation.
•  Date Syrup: Date syrup has been used to improve iron levels and is also packed with vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. It has shown to improve digestion, fight against infections etc.
• Stevia: A leaf of a plant native to South America is ground into powder called Stevia. Its unique property is that it’s 100 times sweeter than sugar and it’s all natural. Though as a nutritionist I still would avoid it and go for honey or jaggery instead.
• Other natural flavour enhancers: Cinnamon, dates, prunes, dark chocolate or raisins also count as natural sweeteners or flavor enhancers that can be added or consumed for sweetness.

However it’s important to note that all these alternatives are nutrient dense and therefore have to be used in limited quantities.

     2. Is there any false claim regarding any, that you would wish to bust?

Yes, since the health awareness has boomed in these years, so has the demand to low calorie food products. Thus artificial sweeteners which were originally used as a replacement to sugar for diabetes but nowadays it has been more advertised for weight loss (zero calories). However, since it’s synthetic it is 2000 times sweeter than sugar. Frequent use may change the way we taste our food which means we may find less sweet foods like fruits or unsweet foods such as whole grains, vegetables less appealing and sweeter foods such as diet soda or coke more appealing. Abstaining or preventing yourself from having these artificial sweeteners can lead to withdrawal symptoms and can have short term and long term side effects. Thus next time you pick up a sugar free capsule, please ask yourself at what cost?

Personally, I would recommend a bit of white sugar in tea/ coffee than use of these artificial sweeteners.

      3. Best ways/pairing of sugar alternatives with foods?

Healthier alternatives to sugar such as honey, date syrup can be added to milk, milkshakes, yoghurt smoothies etc. Dates syrup can also be added to oatmeal, fruits, custards etc. Jaggery could be used in tea/ coffee. I would also like to share an interesting healthy recipe that I make for my kids i.e. Pancakes for which I use wheat flour, milk, egg and jaggery instead of maida and white sugar.

WORLD OSTEOPOROSIS DAY

 Preventing Osteoporosis Through Diet

The age at which osteoporosis can occur in a person depends upon how good diet and healthy lifestyle the person had during his childhood and youth. It also depends on the rate at which calcium loss takes place from the bone.
Nevertheless it’s too late to improve your bone health. Women are very much prone to the risk of osteoporosis later in life and hence should be able to add all the nutrients needed for healthy bones.

The 4 Major Nutrients you need to know for bone health :
1. Calcium
2. Magnesium
3. Phosphorous
4. Vitamin D
Let’s explore each of these a little bit more:
Calcium:  Bones are the main storage site of calcium in the body and hence can be considered as one of the major building blocks of strong healthy bones.
• Sources: Tofu, Milk, yogurt, cheese, soya, sardine, tuna and salmon with bones.
There are some foods that contain enzymes that have high affinity towards calcium and hence hinder its absorption
• Phytic acid present in plant tissues, raw beans, seeds and grains
• Oxalic acid present in spinach
Diet Dr Clinic Cooking Tip: When making your meal calcium rich, do not mix more than 2 calcium rich sources together.
Phosphorous: Calcium and phosphorus work together to build up bones by combining together to form a crystal that gives bones their strength.
• Sources: Milk and milk products, whole grains, beans, nuts

Magnesium: A diet rich in calcium on its own is of little to no use as magnesium plays a key role in the absorption and utilisation of calcium as well as vitamin D in the body. It also teams up with the thyroid gland to control many essential aspects of hormones related to bone health.
• Sources : Nuts, Seeds, fruits like avocado ,figs, seafood and certain veggies like broccoli, cauliflower etc.

Vitamin D : is necessary for calcium absorption. This fat soluble vitamin is available through food and from body through your skin by the help of sunlight.
• Sources: Vitamin d rich foods are mackerel, tuna, egg yolk, beef liver, cheese. It’s difficult to get all the vitamin D we need from the diet but the easiest source is from the sun.
Apart from these caution must be exercised for those cases at risk of osteoporosis with life time exposure to other risk factors like smoking and chronic alcohol abuse.
Remember building better bones starts on your plate.

LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET

LOW CARB DIET: HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BODY

1. What is a low carb diet? What it means to cut carbs out of your diet?

Carbohydrate, protein and fat are macronutrients which form a balanced diet. As per the dietary guidelines from National Institute of Nutrition our diet should comprise of 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-25% fat and 15-20% protein. Only in certain cases such as medical conditions like cancer or tuberculosis or body building or weight management wherein carbohydrate is reduced by 5-10% and protein content is increased by 5-10%.

However these days, low carb diet or let’s say high fat or high protein are the latest due to diet trends and lot of people have been reducing carbohydrates excessively and having only about 5 % instead of 55% of carbohydrate and either increasing protein and fat percentages to 60-80% . This can however lead to many detrimental effects such as affecting the kidney, liver, causing nausea, headaches, fatigues etc. As carbohydrate is our main source of energy. Being health conscious, one can definitely avoid carbohydrates such as pizza, donuts, burgers, maida etc. But do not cut down on whole grains, fruits and vegetables as they are the main source of energy and will prevent deficiencies.

2. What are the positive and negative implications of low-carb diet?

When people go on diets which changes the proportion of macronutrients such as high protein diets or high fat diets, they start cutting down on carbs or completely avoid carbohydrates, when you do this, you might drop few pounds but you’re body gets into a deficiency mode which in return causes hairfall, pigmentation, inflammation of gut, mood swings, fatty liver, constipation, high uric acid and the list is endless.  After a while one starts craving for unhealthy carbohydrates such as pastries, ice cream, chocolate, donuts, burgers etc. Thus it’s important not to fall prey to such diets and include healthy carbohydrates such as rice, roti, bread on a regular basis. Though In certain medical cases low carb diets are given and they produce positive results but under complete supervision and for small period of time. 

3. Is it a sustainable model or something that should be adopted for a short term basis for internal detoxification?

Cutting carbs from the diet is obviously not sustainable. As from the beginning we have always been eating carbohydrates such as rice, roti, bajra, jowar, potato, fruits breads etc. and suddenly avoiding these foods and shifting to high fat or high protein will only affect our body and cause harm to kidney, liver etc. Also it is not sustainable as carbohydrates are our main source of energy and cutting down carbohydrates drastically will only damage our health.

4. Who can go for a low carb diet and who definitely should not go for it? (Health conditions that need low-carb diets and conditions for whom these diets will be detrimental?

Certain health conditions like insulin sensitivity, PCOS, autistic or epileptic patients may need less of carbohydrates but under complete supervision and regular blood checks have to be conducted to see how the patient is responding to the change in macros and whether kidney or liver is not getting loaded.

For someone who is plateaued at certain weight, they can cut down carbohydrates by just 5-10%, eliminate unhealthy carbohydrates such as donuts, pizza, maida etc and focus on good carbohydrates such as roti, rice, bread etc. Also if a person is into sports or weight training, carbohydrate is again reduced by 5% -10%. 

WORLD ANTI-OBESITY DAY

Change in lifestyle a key to obesity

Have you any time come across these questions, when you start going into deep thoughts. Here are some interesting things which will make you think more and also at the same time will help you to clear the doubts.

How do you feel when you don’t fit in your favourite clothes? 

When people comment on you?

When people stare at you?

When you feel left out from from your friend circle?

Now let us discuss why is it so, that today's generation is facing such stigmatizing issues in school, at workplace and at home.

What is it that is affecting today's generation. Is it your eating habits, genetic factor, stress, using gadgets or physical activity?

Yes, my dear friends it is ultimately all these factors stated above which play a vital role in developing obesity.

Can you imagine a 20-year-old girl or boy of height 5.5’’ weighing 150-200kg?

Yes, it is a fact in today’s society that people are rapidly putting on weight. Can you site a reason behind this? If genetically, 20% of the given population is obese than today we see about 80-90 % people are overweight. This is due to lifestyle modification i.e.

   1.    Lack of sleep: Attending late night parties, accessive use of gadgets like mobile phones, video-games, watching late night movies disturbs one’s sleep pattern which pulls down your daily performance.

The Solution: Practicing good bedtime habits such as having a routine bedtime, leaving your white light devices (such as your phone, laptop, ipads) outside the bedroom and getting a steady flow. Incase you need to stay up late, have a healthy snack on standby like a glass of milk or a handful of unsalted nuts.

     2.    Eating habits:  

     a)    Neglecting breakfast / skipping meals: Do you know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day which helps in kick starting your day and also helps in boosting your metabolism. As our body needs 6 meals per day. It can be light mid meal with light fillers like fruits and nuts which is necessary for the proper functioning of your energy levels.

    b)   Dead foods: Food with long shelf life is known as dead food. For example: ice creams, fruit juices, McCann, biscuits, cakes, pizzas etc. A study reveals that these foods are too high in saturated or trans-fat, sugar and sodium and too low in vitamins, minerals and fibres.

Secondly, they tend to be calorie packed per bite, readily available which all add up to overeating by throwing off our normal appetite, hunger and satiety mechanism.

The Solution: Eating whole foods and meals made-at-home instead of processed or refined foods (especially those that come out of a packet). Try keeping regular meal timings instead of eating erratically for the best benefits that means not leaving the house without a good breakfast homemade options like poha, upma, roti are all great as they will keep your energy levels stable as the day progresses avoid processed breakfasts such as sugar laden cereals, nitrate loaded cold meats like sausages bacon and salamis and of course stay clear of trans fat loaded bakery items like patties etc.

Come evening time avoid giving yourself and your kids dead foods as snacks such a biscuits, namkeens, tetra packed juices etc instead opt for makhana (find our awesome makhana recipe ideas here https://www.facebook.com/HarpreetPasrichaHealthAndDietClinic/videos/1762580063837219/) , boiled or roasted peanuts, coconut water, buttermilk are all great options.

    3.    Physical activity: Obesity is found in person who leads sedentary lifestyle and pay less importance to physical activity one simple example is using vehicles to cover short distance instead of walking. Obesity is also noticed amongst children who spend much time on studies and not participating in school games etc.

The Solution: Keep active wherever possible, instead of taking your car to the store try and walk it, wherever possible take the elevator instead of the stairs. Try and take a short walk post major meals aiming for about 1000 steps to increase your activity levels.

    4.    Stress: Food is one of the many stimulants of endorphin (feel good) neurotransmitter. Release of endorphin hormone encourages you to crave for more food than the body’s daily requirement. Due to which stress leads to excess calorie intake.

The Solution: You could try breathing exercises, seated yoga, sip relaxing teas such as chamomile, lavender or ashwagandha or even a glass of milk with cinnamon powder.

Conclusion:

We have to accept and is a proven fact that obesity is caused due to lifestyle modification and wrong eating habits. Correcting our eating habits, regular exercise, sleep and maintaining food discipline, sufficient consumption of water and following a balanced diet will help in getting rid of the word “OBESITY”

Inputs by:  Sunidhi Vernekar

NAVRATRI DIET PLAN

Navratri Tips

Kick-start this Navratri with a twist. Navratri does not have to be about headaches, bloating and weight gain, but instead if you fast the right way, you can lose weight, get your metabolism kicking and a cleaner and healthier system as we eliminate all the toxins.

Some of the tips to fast right this Navratri are:

  1. Avoid potato, fried foods (fries and chips) and sweets such as (gulab jamun, kajukatli and halwas. Opt for healthier options like sweet potato, antioxidant smoothies, nourishers, vita boosters. For customized rejuvenators, nourishers get in touch with Diet Dr Clinic nutritionist team.

  2. Replace white sugar with healthier alternatives such as palm sugar/ coconut sugar /date syrup.

  3. Drink plenty of water and fluids like infused water which will keep you hydrated as well as will eliminate toxins from your system. To get a customized infused water recipe for your body kindly contact Diet Dr Clinic nutritionist team.

 4. Make sure to include seasonal super foods according to the city you live in. It will take care of the weight as well as the weather shift.

 5. To make Navratri fast more effective, try to finish the last meal by 7.

For a customized Navratri Diet Plan, contact Diet Dr Clinic powered by Harpreet Pasricha.

HAIR AND FOOD

Questions:

    1. The role of nutrition in hair fall. What nutritional deficiencies can lead to hair fall?

When women suffer from hair fall and unhealthy hair, they change their shampoos, conditioners and hair treatments. But have you changed your diet? What we fail to understand is that just like skin, the condition of your hair is an outward sign of inside health. Factors that lead to hair loss is stress, hormonal imbalance, genetics and nutrition. Thus in order to have strong and lustrous hair, we need to focus on good nutrition so that the hair receives regular supply of important nutrients such as protein, zinc, biotin, magnesium, omega 3 & 6, iron etc. Quick hair loss could also result from a fad and crash weight loss diets due to lack of nutrients, particularly minerals such as Iron, Zinc, Biotin, Vitamin D and Proteins. Low iron levels and proteins are known to be a causative factor for hair loss. Too much sugar and processed foods will also interfere with absorption of certain minerals. 

   2. Is there any diet to counter hair fall? Super foods for hair?

For those who have hair fall issues, it’s very important that your diet needs to comprise of these 5 nutrients such as Zinc, Biotin, Vitamin D, Iron and Protein. However, there are some certain super foods listed below have an abundance amount of these nutrients that can help strengthen hair and help prevent hair loss.

•  Spinach is one the top super foods which is considered to treat hair fall problems as it is rich in iron, protein, folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C which enables the body to balance out hormones and to produce essential oils in the scalp. These nutrients condition the scalp which eventually lead to increase hair growth.

• Seeds: pumpkin, flax and Sunflower seeds are rich in Zinc, vitamin E, oleic acid and vitamin B6. These nutrients strengthen your hair strands and improve oxygen and blood flow while making it a viable environment for your tresses to grow.

•  Egg is packed with nutrients such as protein, Sulphur, Zinc, and vitamin E which bring back the health from the roots of your strands, making it possible for a healthier regrowth.

    3. What multivitamins should we have on our plate that will stop hair fall? Can food also help in hair growth or improving texture?

Multivitamins are not required if you focus on the right diet that rich in the following minerals such as:

•  Iron is the most important mineral for hair.  Iron deficiency is a common reason people start to get flaky hair that starts to shed. Hair follicle and roots are fed by a nutrient rich blood supply. Sources: Red meat, chicken, fish, lentils, spinach and other leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, kale and salad greens.

•  Zinc is required for scalp protection and to regulate variety of different growth hormones which your body uses to synthesize hair growth.  Zinc deficiency can lead to hair loss and a dry, flaky scalp. Sources: Fortified cereals and whole grains, oysters, beef and eggs.

•  Protein: Your hair is primarily made of protein. Dry, brittle and weak hair is a result of low protein diets. Extremely low protein diets may result in hair loss. The amino acid lysine is particularly important since it’s commonly found in keratin. Thus it is important to ensure that you have enough protein in your diet for strong and healthy hair. Sources:  Chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products, legumes and nuts and eggs.

•  Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin which is used to synthesize Keratin Growth Factor, the hormone your body uses to synthesize Keratin. Too little biotin can cause brittle hair and may lead to hair loss. Sources: Beans, egg and beef.

•   Vitamin D has found to activate hair growth. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient required to maintain normal hair growth cycle. Sources: Sunlight, fish (mackerel, salmon, tuna), dairy products.