Daily Archives: 28/07/2020

SKIN DEEP!!

Healthy, supple, smooth skin is a dream for most people. But it’s super easy to fulfil this dream. The more natural and wholesome you eat, the better your skin gets. Here are a few skin-friendly tips which you may want to try!!

#1 Fruits & vegetables are a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A-rich foods such as papaya, peaches, carrots, green leafy vegetables etc. increase resistance against infections & support skin growth.

#2 Vitamin C rich foods such as lime juice, amla, oranges, sweet lime, guava, spinach etc. help in collagen synthesis, a protein that holds the skin cells together, promoting clear skin and a fresh complexion.

#3 Vegetable juices are a fantastic option to provide vitamins and minerals to the skin as they are directly absorbed into the bloodstream and also keep you hydrated throughout.

#4 Sprouts are wonder foods concentrated in essential nutrients. They are called ‘live foods’ as they contain enzymes that help in better digestion and absorption of proteins, necessary to maintain skin texture.

#5 Tomatoes are rich in lycopene- an antioxidant that protects the skin from internal damage.

#6 Flaxseeds, walnuts, chia are all excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids that reduce skin inflammation and improve skin texture.

#7 Nuts and seeds like almonds, pistas, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds are rich in vitamin E, which increase blood flow to the skin, making it smooth and supple.

#9 Excess tea/coffee dehydrates the skin & interferes with the absorption of nutrients adding to the dead, dull and dry look. Avoid it! Instead consume green tea which is an excellent antioxidant & skin rejuvenator.

#10 Avoid processed, refined or ready to eat foods as they contain preservatives and chemicals which add on to your skin woes.

#11 Limit the intake of alcohol as it provides nothing but empty calories, leaching away the essential oils from your body.

#12 Lastly, exercise regularly to improve blood flow throughout the body and improve skin oxygenation.

After all, ’Beauty comes from within’!

 TOP 6 WINTER FOODS

Winter is an official binging time for people. To make your winters less sinful, here I am back with some superfoods to be incorporated in your diet – making you super healthy during this pleasant season. Let’s start with some sweet! 

SWEET POTATOES:

· Famously known as Shakarkand or Rathaalu on the streets of India, is a great winter-time snack.

· Contains vitamin A, potassium and is a high source of fibre, which helps you feel warmer.

· Regular intake builds immunity, minimizes inflammation and cures indigestion.

DATES:

· Highly nutritious fruit and a must-eat for fitness freaks as it is filled with natural sugars.

· Helps in maintaining your body weight by preventing silly sugar cravings.

· Regular intake during winters benefits your body, adding warmth to your body.

WALNUTS:

· Rich in vitamin E, which increases blood flow to the skin, making it smooth and supple.

· It is an excellent source of antioxidant to protect you from all cold-related issues.

· Regular intake keeps your nervous system and brain active – gifting you a healthy heart and body!

BAJRA / MILLET:

· Contains abundant fiber and minerals.

· Its high iron content is known to cure Anaemia.

· Regular intake during winter season makes your bones stronger.

FRESH TURMERIC:

·      Haldi is very famous in India as a home remedy for cold and flu.

· It’s a natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory spice which fights cold and cough and is useful for dry and painful cough.

· Regular intake helps in repairing body cells during heavy winters.

RED CARROTS:

· Fully packed with beta-carotene carrots and rich in vitamin A.

· Can be consumed in the form of soup or stew keeping yourself away from cold and flu.

· Regular intake during winters protects you from infections and supports skin repair.

NON-DIET FAT LOSS TIPS

While we talk about fat loss, we only look at food as the solution, but many times the problem may not be the food but other factors which are discussed below!! Here are a few ways in which you can speed up your fat loss process.

NEVER SWALLOW AIR
I know it’s a bit of odd advice to give, but swallowed air is one of the leading causes of bloating.
· Avoid aerated drinks: Since they fill your stomach with air causing an enough bloating to irritate you
· Avoid smoking: Smokers generally tend to swallow the smoke, resulting in bloated bellies.
· Avoid bubble gum. It bloats you as well thanks to the extra air we take in while chewing the gum.
· Avoid talking during eating. It leads you indigestion and air swallowing.

ENJOY YOUR FOOD SLOWLY
When you eat quickly, you swallow a huge amount of food before you realise you are full. Whereas, slow-eating gives you more time to realise that you’re full so that you can avoid over-eating.
· Chew each bite 20 – 30 times.
· Set a timer for about 20 minutes before starting your meal. Pace yourself so that you don’t have the last bite till the timer turns off.

EAT PEACEFULLY
Eating with a busy mind can cause over-consumption of food. It can also cause weight gain as when we are unable to focus correctly on our food, our body does not produce digestive juices the way it should. Whereas, consuming food in peace and sanity can help digest and absorb your food better.

SLEEP DEEP

Different body types need a varied amount of sleep. Adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Whereas, Kids need 10 to 12 hrs of sound sleep or even more. Proper sleep boosts up your entire weight loss journey. When your body doesn’t get enough amount of rest, it becomes difficult to feel motivated to get up and lead your day with happiness and confidence. You also tend to consume more junk food due to irregular sleeping patterns.

MAINTAIN A FOOD JOURNAL.
· Noting what you eat every day can help you eventually understand where you are going wrong and what are your wrong food habits, timings or choices.
· It is an excellent way to self introspect and be mindful about what you choose to put in your mouth every time you eat.
· Keep a diary or make notes on your phone and at the end of the week, make a note of all the wrong things you ate during the whole week according to you, and make sure you do not repeat it in the coming week.

FIBER THE SILENT HERO

Every new food product in the market and every food advertisement on TV, paper, media etc. emphasize one thing in common, that is FIBER. This word has gained so much importance in the last few years that people, even without knowing what exactly it does to your body; want to purchase products which contain fibre. But that’s a good thing as fibre is like the precious gem amongst all the other food components, especially in the junk age we are living in and are lured by so many taste bud stimulating but unhealthy options. It is a savior, especially for diabetics with the most desirable impact on blood sugar levels.

Fibre is a non-nutrient nutrient with a twist. Yes, it does not have calories and is not digested by the digestive system, unlike other nutrients like proteins, fats and carbs. This would make you wonder, then why do we need it? Basically, fibre slows down the digestion of food in the stomach, which helps to release the glucose (after the breakdown of carbohydrates) in the bloodstream slowly preventing the glucose spike in the blood. This slow release of glucose signals the pancreas to release insulin slowly in the bloodstream, which is needed for the uptake of sugar by the cells. In a typical low-fibre meal, the blood glucose levels spike up telling the pancreas to release too much insulin which a person with diabetes cannot handle as they are resistant to insulin. A study published in the Journal of the American Board of the Family medicine states that involving fibre supplementation for type 2 diabetes mellitus can reduce fasting blood glucose and HbA1c. Fibre also keeps you full for a longer time as it slows down digestion, reducing the hunger pangs usually experienced in diabetes.

Apart from these benefits, fibre also helps to clear the bowels by preventing constipation, aids in weight loss, reduce cholesterol levels by absorbing and excreting the excess cholesterol thereby preventing heart problems and reducing the risk of cancers by eliminating the carcinogenic toxins from the system.

Adults need to consume 25-35gm fibre/day through fruits like apples, pears, papaya, guava etc, vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, bell peppers, etc, whole grains like oats, millets, barley, brown rice, quinoa and legumes like chickpeas, rajma, beans, sprouts etc.

Beware of all the unhealthy fibre rich foods the junk food industry tries to sell us like biscuits, bread, pasta, crackers etc. as these surely are rich in fibre but are also loaded wtih health compromising fatsm sugars, fillers and additives.

So un-tick the junk foods from your list and replace them with natural fibre-rich options to have a healthier control on your blood sugars as well your weight!