Saturday 26 December 2015

Let's dream of a Healthy New Year 2016

New Year’s resolutions are a bit like babies: They’re fun to make but extremely difficult to maintain. Though its hard to keep our enthusiasm high in later months, but not impossible to maintain. Only thing you need to remember is that you don’t need to be fit and healthy to start rather you have to start to be fit and healthy. You even don’t need  a new year for change your habbits, you only need the inspiration to keep going in a healthy way. So just make this 1st January an excuse to start afresh to be healthy and preach to taransform your surrounding to be a healthy world. HOW? Here it comes:

  •  Lose weight
  •  Cut your stress level
  • Exercise more
  • Meditate more
  • Volunteer to help others
  •  Desire less & give more
  •  Laugh most of the time
  •  Cut on alcohol intake
  •  Stay connected and be more social
  •  Get more sleep
  •  Travel to places you like
  •  Quit smoking
  •  Eat less ready to eat and processed foods
  •  Have more of fresh fruits & vegetables
  •  Add anti-oxidants to your daily diet like tomato, ripe papaya, green tea and so on
  •  Avoid consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, free sugars and table salt
  •  Make your diet more colourful
  •  Start using herbs in your dishes
  •  Drink more water
  •  Change your choices of marketing of groceries
  •  Enjoy life and be happy
  •  Detox yourselves from old unhealthy habits and change them into healthy ones



Thus the most important thing you need to follow is TALK LESS DO MORE. Wish you all a healthy and nutritious HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016. 
For further information kindly visit my website - http://360degreenutricare.zest.md
                                                                                                           ~ Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee

Tuesday 22 December 2015

Break the Fast = BREAKFAST

People around the globe has become very health conscious now a days. Being in shape is most important. To achieve the same, eating a proper heavy healthy breakfast is of utmost importance. Majority of the population try to skip breakfast to lose weight. This gives a short term result. But in long term you may become a victim of diseases like
·         High sugar
·         High cholesterol
·         High blood pressure
·         Heart diseases
·         Obesity
So why Breaking the long night fast in the morning through breakfast is important is as follows:
·         It helps in building you memory. It sharpens your short term memory. It increases the concentration levels and it can also make us happier by improving the mood and lowering the stress levels.
·         Your daily diet must contain 20%-35% of the calories from breakfast as your GDA(Guideline daily allowance). This provides essential nutrients like calcium, iron, B vitamins, protein and fibre. Fuelling up your body with these essential nutrients is at top priority every morning for better output. If these nutrients are not provided in breakfast, they are less likely to get compensated later in the day.
·         Breakfast helps in controlling the weight. If you have a heavy healthy breakfast you are less likely to feel hungry until 3 hours. Otherwise you are prone to gobble in high calorie, fattening snacks before lunch and end up in putting on unnecessary weight.
·         It protects your heart.
·         It lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
·         It enhances your immune system.
MOTIVATED TO START YOUR DAY WITH A HEALTHY BREAKFST PLATE??
How to make your breakfast healthy:
·         Take your breakfast plate and split it into three. One third should be filled with a protein-based food, a quarter with starchy carbohydrates and the remaining third with a variety of fresh fruit and vegies.
·         Fruits - For a wide range of vitamins, antioxidants and fibre, aim to eat a minimum of two serves of fruit a day.
·         Protein – One or two poached egg or egg white, toned milk, unsweetened yogurt, tofu or paneer can make your breakfast healthy and filling. The proteins have a blood sugar balancing effect on your body which prevents you to crave for the sweetened snacks in the mid morning.
·         Carbohydrates -After the night's fast, quality complex carbohydrates give us the energy we need to start the day. Avoid high-glycaemic index (GI) refined carbohydrates such as sugary cereals and white toast. Instead, choose minimally processed foods that raise blood-sugar levels gradually and give you more energy for longer. Try one or two pieces of wholegrain bread or half to three-quarters of a cup of porridge or cereals made from oats, quinoa, amaranth or buckwheat. 
·         Veggies – These provide the sufficient amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibres to boost up the body’s digestive system.

·         Fats - A satisfying breakfast should also include some good fat. Sprinkling ground flaxseed into a smoothie or bowl of cereal will turn your breakfast into a gold mine of omega-3 fatty acids; just two tablespoons contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake for those heart-healthy fats. Flaxseed, which has a nutty flavor, also is rich in fiber and lignan, an antioxidant that's been shown to protect against breast cancer.

·         Chose Green Tea instead of normal tea to boost up the anti oxidants in your body
·         Substitute fruit juice with fresh fruits preferably with skin.
·         Go for low glycemic index foods rather than high ones.
Thus SALUTING the most important meal of the day – The BREAKFAST. Include this meal in your daily schedule to see the magical improvements in your mood, immune system, memory and energy level. Henceforth enjoy a heavy healthy breakfast and that is most important care of yours you can take. This care will show a long term effect not only from outside but also from within. Hence it is the ultimate care one can take for his or her wellbeing.



Monday 30 November 2015

Mirror - a True Reflection: Intermittent Fasting = Fast pace of Gaining weight...

Mirror - a True Reflection: Intermittent Fasting = Fast pace of Gaining weight...: Intermittent fasting is very trendy in today’s world. But before following this method to lose weight on a faster scale, kindly think over...

Intermittent Fasting = Fast pace of Gaining weight

Intermittent fasting is very trendy in today’s world. But before following this method to lose weight on a faster scale, kindly think over judiciously ‘If it is a scientific method or not & whether it is safe to follow’.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is not a diet, but a diet schedule that is purported to accelerate fat loss and muscle growth compared to traditional eating schedules. It is promoted primarily in the scientific community, however, there are currently zero scientific studies (as of February 2014) that have supported intermittent fasting for gaining muscle while losing fat.

With caloric restriction, intermittent fasting can lead to weight loss. In a recent review (Varady, 2011) and one recent randomized clinical trial (Harvie et al., 2011), authors conclude that intermittent fasting and daily caloric restriction are equally effective at promoting weight loss in overweight and obese individuals. However, no studies to date have been performed with athletes who require maintenance of muscle size, strength, and function.

Similar trends are being reported by humans who have tried intermittent fasting. Studies and personal reports by men and women suggest the following cons to the practice:
·        Obsession over food during the fast period (watching the clock constantly in expectation of the next meal, which of course raises anxiety).
·        An overreliance on coffee that causes severe adrenal fatigue, hormonal, and circadian dysregulation.
·        Insomnia, particularly among women, due to activation of the hypocretin neurons that incite wakefulness.
·        Hormonal havoc for women takes many forms, including adult acne, metabolic disturbance, obsession over body image, and menstrual irregularities.
·        Eating less than normal can trigger severe hunger in some people while others find that they tire easily, suffer headaches, nausea and have trouble concentrating. Because of hunger, fasters may find that they eat more than usual both before and after a planned fast which essentially eliminates the benefit of the fast.

Disadvantages of Intermittent Fasting:
·  Although short fasts are seen as safe and can be effective for weight management, longer fasts can have an adverse effect on your short and long term health.
·  Rapid weight loss can be easily regained during the post-fast period if you eat too much.
·  Fasts do not address your day to day eating habits and fail to teach correct food selection or portion control.
·  Fasting can be socially exclusive -- especially within a family setting where meals are eaten together.
·  Longer fasts may cause muscle atrophy -- a condition where muscles are broken down for energy -- which may result in a lowered metabolism.
·  The use of sporadic eating patterns to lose fat can be effective, but that does NOT mean it is healthy, sustainable for the long term.

Note:
Importantly, intermittent fasting is not recommended for pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, people with diabetes, or other people who need to closely regulate their blood sugar. In addition, there has not been research on participants who are underweight, very old, or very young (<18 yrs. old) and these populations could be at higher risk for experiencing negative consequences of fasting
Take home messages
  • Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach heavily promoted to the athletic community to achieve and maintain a very lean, strong physique. However, there is currently no scientific evidence supporting these claims.
  • In the scientific literature, intermittent fasting with caloric restriction often yields equivalent benefits as traditional low-calorie diets in regard to changes in fat mass, alleviating discomfort due to low energy, improving insulin sensitivity, and improving blood lipid profiles.
  • The most effective weight loss plans and healthy life styles are ones that can be maintained, and these habits are not the same for everyone.
Thus to conclude Intermittent fasting is not healthy method to lose weight. Whatever method brings results instantly and with less effort is not sustainable for long. There is no alternative to healthy way of losing weight by making daily calorie deficits, following a simple pattern of physical activity and consuming balanced meal. Results are bound to show up and they will be sustained for a long period of time in future too.
For more informations kindly register in http://360degreenutricare.zest.md/ & visitmy facebook page https://www.facebook.com/360degreenutricare/. 



Monday 23 November 2015

Enough is a Feast - This ThanksGiving be Healthy

#Thanksgiving is a time for family, gratitude, and, of course, food. The typical holiday meal can have more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat, according to the Caloric Control Council. That's almost three days worth of food for most of us! So Thanksgiving is all about overtreating yourself. We need to alter the tradition this year to be healthy. Fortunately, it is possible to eat right and still enjoy yourself on Turkey Day!
·         Use brussel sprouts with chestnut and sage
·         Opt for mushroom stuffing over cornbread stuffing
·         Relish creamed onion with low fat milk to make white sauce
·         Chose sweet potatoes instead of simple potatoes. Potatoes are high in calories and fat when made traditionally. Unlike Potatoes, sweet potatoes are far easy to roast than boil and mash. Glaze with maple syrup to enhance the flavor. Sweet potatoes are good source of beta carotene, vitamin A and potassium.
·         Be flexible to make apple shallot roasted turkey with cider gravy. Apple and shallot cook inside the turkey to keep the meat moist and add rich flavor and aroma. The shallots also give the gravy a rich caramelized onion depth
·         Instead of Pumpkin pie, make pumpkin mousse
·         Turn to French beans as side dish
·         Chose red wine or white wine in drinks. Red wine contains resveratrol, a healthy antioxidant.
·         In turkey, chose skinless breast over thighs.
But amongst all these the two most important things are:
·         Work out more than you usually do
·         Pitch in to guests’ house after dining at your own house. That’s the best way to show gratitude to your guests.
If you are really thankful what do you do? You share .. you share your hapiness and positivity. So being healthy is also to be shared this Year in Thanksgiving. Let transform the day from overtreating ourselves to adequately treating ourselves and help others follow the same.
 Good Health and Diet always go hand in hand. Healthy diet is a solution to all health issues. For any further assistance kindly register in http://360degreenutricare.zest.md/ and also visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/360degreenutricare/ to stay updated regarding all Health tips. Make a resolution today and hasten your decision to enter into a whole new world of Health & Nutrition.




Wednesday 18 November 2015

It's Not Too Late - Prevent COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a life-threatening lung disease that interferes with normal breathing – it is more than a “smoker’s cough”.
Some facts about COPD:
·         COPD is the only major cause of death whose incidence is on the increase and is expected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030 (exceeded only by heart diseases and stroke).
·         The primary cause of COPD is tobacco smoke (through tobacco use or second-hand smoke).
               The disease now affects men and women almost equally.
·         Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than 30% in the next 10 years without interventions to cut risks, particularly exposure to tobacco smoke.
·         COPD is the 5th biggest killer worldwide. Every hour COPD is estimated to kill over 250 people worldwide.
·         Almost 90% of COPD deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
·         The number of deaths from COPD has increased more than 60% over the last 20 years.
·         COPD is not curable, but treatment can slow the progress of the disease.

SO IT’S TIME TO ACT NOW!!

The Importance of Proper Nutrition:
Proper nutrition can help reduce carbon dioxide levels and improve breathing. Due to metabolism, carbohydrate, fat, and protein are all converted to carbon dioxide and water in the presence of oxygen in human body.
Dietary Tips for Better Breathing:
To help increase an individual’s dietary intake and ensure a healthy diet, the following are some nutritional tips for better breathing:
• Eat meals when energy levels are at their highest, which is usually in the morning.
• Eat several small, nutrient-rich meals to avoid becoming breathless while eating.
• Eat slowly and chew foods thoroughly to avoid swallowing air while eating.
• Choose foods that are easy to chew. Modify food consistency if mastication seems to increase fatigue while eating.
• Choose foods that are easy to prepare to conserve energy for eating.
• Limit salt. Consuming too much can cause the body to retain water and can make breathing more difficult.  In addition to removing the salt shaker from your table:
Ø  Use herbs or no-salt spices to flavor your food.
Ø  Don't add salt to foods when cooking.
Ø  Read food labels and avoid foods with more than 300 mg sodium/serving.

• Eat calcium- and vitamin D-rich foods to support bone health.
• Prepare meals that appear palatable and well presented.
·         • Avoid foods that cause gas or bloating. A full abdomen can make breathing uncomfortable. Some of the foods that usually causesbloating are as follows:
Ø  Carbonated beverages
Ø  Fried, greasy, or heavily spiced foods
Ø  Apples, avocados, and melons
Ø  Beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, leeks, lentils, onions, peas, peppers, pimentos, radishes, scallions, shallots, and soybeans

• Eat while sitting up to ease lung pressure.
• Drink liquids at the end of the meal to avoid feeling full while eating.
• Wear a cannula while eating if continuous oxygen is prescribed. Eating and digestion require oxygen, so the body will need the extra oxygen.
• Limit caffeinated beverages, as caffeine can interfere with some medications and cause nervousness or restlessness.
• Make the meal more enjoyable by engaging in social interaction while dining.
• Avoid aspiration by breathing carefully, swallowing, and sitting properly and with good posture while eating.
• Rest before meals.
Good Health and Diet always go hand in hand. Healthy diet is a solution to all health issues. For any further assistance kindly register in http://360degreenutricare.zest.md/ and also visit my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/360degreenutricare/ to stay updated regarding all Health tips. Make a resolution today and hasten your decision to enter into a whole new world of Health & Nutrition.
                                                                                                                          ~Dt. Deepalekha Banerjee



Friday 13 November 2015

Essentials of a low calorie Healthy Kitchen

To make a kitchen healthy and nutritious here comes some tips. Donot think and get demotivated that your kitchen would lose colour and look bare as sahara desert. Rather it would have as much variety as earlier with few modifications and upgradations. Feeling excited to know? Here it comes: Some kitchen essentials of healthy and low calorie kitchen:
·         Measuring cups
·         Measuring spoons
·         Food weighing scale
·         Anti bacterial handwash
·         All types of Herbs & Spices to add on flavor – nit calories
·         Good quality Non-Stick cooking pan
·         Microwave or tandoor
·         Green vegetables
·         Fresh fruits of all colours
·         Almonds & walnuts
·         Yogurt from skim milk
·         Skim milk & milk products
·         Egg white
·         Lean meat
·         Low fat paneer or tofu
·         Breakfast cereals
·         Olive oil
·         Tomato
·         Onion
·         Ginger
·         Garlic
·         Lemon
·         Honey
To elaborate the Herbs & spices rack:
·         Dried basil
·         Bay leaves
·         Cayenne or
·         Crushed red pepper flakes
·         Curry powder
·         Seasoned salt
·         Chili powder
·         Cumin
·         Cinnamon
·         Garlic powder
·         Onion powder
·         Oregano
·         Paprika
·         Dried parsley
·         Rosemary
·         Thyme
·         Cloves
·         Cardamom
·         Dry mustard
·         Sage
·         Dill
·         Coriander
·         Nutmeg
Not a handful of items it seems right? It’s a mammoth task to make this transformation for good. Enter into a whole new world of Health & Nutrition & as the saying is “Charity begins at Home”.. Start from your house kitchen. All the Best. Don't forget to visit my website http://360degreenutricare.zest.md/ and my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/360degreenutricare/ for more such informations.