Exercise – Nourish Genie

In Articles to munch on

How To Reduce Blood Pressure

February 2, 2019 No Comments

Ah, blood pressure, and those tiny pills that you take from those tiny boxes to battle a not-so-tiny problem. Of all the diseases that nutrition can help with, high BP is the one of the most responsive. Do it right and you can significantly reduce, delay or completely eliminate the need for medication.

The most obvious and significant way to do this would be to lose weight. There is a strong correlation between a decrease in weight and a decrease in blood pressure. While healthy weight loss and its methodologies have been consistently outlined in these pages, why not…

EAT A HEALTHY HYPERTENSIVE HEALING DIET

A diet high in whole grains, fruits, veggies, and low in saturated fats and cholesterol, has been known to lower your BP by up to 14 mm Hg. This particular combination known as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is geared towards managing the condition and reducing weight, thereby killing two hypertensive birds with one stone. While you are including more of the above in your diet, don’t forget to…

BOOST POTASSIUM

Potassium works to lower the impact of sodium on blood pressure. Fruits (plums, musk melons, banana) and veggies (spinach, avocado, mushroom) are great sources of this mineral, and are better than supplements as an overdose of potassium from natural sources is rare. You also have to remember to…

REDUCE SODIUM

Even a minimal reduction in sodium duction in sodium can lower your BP by 2-8 mm Hg. While the maximum grammage of sodium will be indicated by your doctor, it still lurks in shadowy corners of the foods we sometimes eat, especially in processed foods. Only small amounts of sodium are found in natural foods. Processed foods are sometimes loaded with it. It’s best to avoid processed foods as much as possible if you are a BP patient. While you are at it…

READ YOUR FOOD LABELS

Monitor sodium intake, saturated fats and cholesterol, among other things. Read the fine print; it could be crucial to your health.

LIMIT THE ALCOHOL

If you limit your alcohol intake, you’ll reduce your BP by 2-4 mm Hg. But this phenomenon could be altogether reversed if you drink too much: by that I mean no more than 350 ml of beer, about 145 ml of wine or about 30 ml of 80 proof liquor per day. And since we are on the subject of alcohol, please…

QUIT SMOKING

There’s absolutely nothing to benefit from here. Even one cigarette can increase your BP for minutes after you have finished. And if you are a coffee-and-cigarette lover, you’ll also have to…

WATCH YOUR CAFFEINE

While the effect of caffeine on BP is questionable, there’s still a link. The best way would be to check your BP within 30 minutes of drinking caffeine. If your BP has increased by 5-10 mm Hg, you may be sensitive to caffeine.

Lastly, while it’s not strictly nutritional advice…

DON’T FORGET TO EXERCISE

Working out for about 30 minutes every day can bring down your BP by an additional 4-9 mm Hg. Cardiovascular exercises work best walking, jogging, cycling, dancing or swimming.

In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

What foods will help me while I trek?

April 10, 2018 No Comments

Dear Pooja,

I am 29-year-old unmarried woman and planning to go for a trek to Manali after two months. Since trekking requires one to have good stamina, I would like to know the right diet that will help me increase my stamina levels. Currently, I feel tired when I run or brisk walk even for a short while. Please let me know which foods I should eat. Thank you.

Lets thank the Manali trip that triggered you to wake up and address the signs your body is giving you. In this roll-a-coaster life where we are so tuned to listening to every beep of our mobile distinguishing the sounds easily between an email, sms or or a what’s app – but the signs our body gives us so easily goes unnoticed. Weakness, breathlessness, poor stamina amongst others are all signals of under-nutrition, vitamins, minerals and/or amino acid deficiencies. Firstly I’d suggest you check your hemoglobin and serum B12 levels and have these deficiencies corrected as low levels of these are directly related to the signs you have mentioned above. Gaining long lasting stamina may take a little more love care and attention in your day-to-day diet and exercise regime over a long-term basis but you should see some definitive improvement within two months as well.

A visit to a nutritionist can teach you what your daily requirement for proteins and carbohydrates is and how to divide this effectively into several small meals to fuel your systems adequately. Keep the focus on good quality and quantity of proteins daily along with a good tilt toward fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoiding excess sugar and fat always goes a long way in terms of a fit and healthy mind and body. As I always suggest eating small meals every two hours not only improves metabolism and aids weight loss, it also makes sure that the body gets a steady supply to energy without any peaks or troughs in the blood sugar levels – this is one main essential for sustain Duracell stamina levels. Sorry I was unable to give you exact foods and quantities cause that requires me to know many details about you to help you in complete totality. All the best, hope you enjoy your trekking trip with great vigour and strength.

In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Which is the best healthy and economic way to lose weight?

April 10, 2018 No Comments

Dear Pooja,
I am 21. Becoming overweight is my problem. I have put on about 15 kilos of weight in the last three years. I tried many ways – walking, swimming, dieting – but gained weight. I did not get benefits from any of that. Maybe because I expect quick results that I get disappointed. How much time is needed to lose weight? Which is the best healthy and economic way to lose weight?

Just like any vocation or course that you would be currently studying Jwala, the knowledge and the experience will stay with you for the rest of your life not just until you are in university studying it. Similarly food, exercise and body weight all part of a continuous circle. Maintaining body weight is not a one-time effort that you try, succeed or fail and then drop the actions that took you there. You are what you eat – your weight is nothing but a balance of how much you eat and how much you burn (exercise). Learning this art of balance is a one-time deep, rooted-effort that each and every one of us must make and then maintaining your body weight will be easy as the that friend or colleague that you always envy has got it lucky. Walking, swimming and eating – all are calorie burning processes – then why would they not let you lose weight? But while burning the calories through exercise if you are eating just as much or maybe a little more then you cannot see the scale go down. Calculate your need (BMR – through several online tools) and then break up your day’s meals to fit in that number. Now increase the burn by doing an intensity and duration controlled cardio daily – do this consistently for a few weeks (there is no short cut to losing weight) there is no way but to lose that fat that is bothering you. Once you succeed in this effort please do not let go of this awareness and this basic balance of input and output and you shall never have to fight the battle of bulge again.

In Bombay Times - Ask the expert

Open heart surgery – diet tips?

April 10, 2018 No Comments

Dear Pooja,
My father, 72, had an open heart surgery a few weeks ago and is better now. He did not have a heart attack, and he does not have diabetes nor high BP. What are the kinds of foods he can have now to gain back his strength? He is slim and had been otherwise fit always and is a vegetarian.

Your father can most easily be the best example to what I say over and over again ‘You are what you eat’ being a wise eater thus the absence of any excess weight baggage and like you said fit always’ and therefore is metabolic disease free even now. The reason for an open-heart surgery could very well be age related plague deposition as the most noticeable characteristic of vascular ageing is the change in the mechanical and structural properties of the vascular wall. Now to help him regain his strength first focus should be on better quality proteins – being vegetarian please ensure you are giving him one-two servings of dal/pulses/sprouts daily – low fat milk and its products and if possible introduce some quinoa and soyabean weekly. Vitamins are another point to emphasis thus ensuring no micro nutrient deficiency leading to delayed healing. Two-three servings of vegetables plus an additional raw veggie juice daily (minimum three colours of vegs) along with two-three servings of fruit daily should do the trick. Ample hydration, adequate sleep and slow walks for about 15-20 minutes a day should help in better recoup and recovery. Check with your doctor or nutritionist for basic multi vitamins and some B12 as well as omega 3-6-9 supplements since he is vegetarian. Always keep the faith in the magic and the powers of healthy frequent eating and may he have a long healthy life ahead.

In Articles to munch on

TALK TO THE FIST, BABY!

January 23, 2018 No Comments

Remember those `united we stand, di vided we fall’ ads that used to play on DD? Those cute little short films, about the importance of unity? The funda was simple: five fingers by themselves will not be effective unless you close your fingers and make a fist. The same principle works for your body as far as a balanced meal is concerned.

5 FINGERS OF WEIGHTLOSS
By themselves, the Five Fingers of Weight Loss -proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals -have their own functions. But the various nutrients must act in unison for effective action. In other words, for long-lasting weight loss or weight management, you need to eat all five nutrients. Every day. There is no other way.

The Five Fingers of Weight Loss can further be broken down into three macronutrients (proteins, carbs, fats) and two micronutrients (vitamins, minerals); the reason it is divided this way is because it rep resents the relative importance on your plate.Don’t overload your vitamins at the cost of carbs, or cut fats and go crazy about protein.Too much emphasis as well as the absence of any one nutrient will compromise your health and result in short-term gains sending you right back where you started. Any meal plan that is skewed towards any food group, including proteins or raw veggies,w i l l give rise to a host of medical problems, and will result in a diminishing effect on your system. If you think your diet is unbalanced, it is. You cannot be short-sighted about it as the ills will eventually catch up with you.
On your plate lies the answer to many issues plaguing your life from the mental to the physical. Your plate holds not just fuel for your system, but carries all the tools you need to do more with your body and your life. Because food is not just fuel. Food is power.
Collectively, these five nutrients are your defence against disease, obesity, heart at tacks and almost anything else you need to ward off. Diabetes? Make a fist. Heart disease? Hey, you’ve got your fist. Obesi ty? Talk to the fist, baby! So many dis eases are lifestyle-related and can be eradicated -not just improved -by the rule of the fist.

In layer2

OLD GOALS, NEW APPROACH

January 22, 2018 No Comments

This year, let’s try making a different set of health resolutions different because their approach will be changed though the objective is still the same -a healthier, thinner, fitter, happier you. We’re in the second month now. Pay attention.

Start on January 1

DON’T AIM TO BE SOMEONE ELSE

Please remember that actors, models and sport stars get the best out of the bodies that they either have been blessed with; or are working very hard upon, with expert guidance every second. Your body is unique, your body is yours. Appreciate every feature, wrinkle and line it’s god’s gift to you. Enjoy it, revel in it and be the best you can be.

PLAN YOUR EXERCISE

Most resolutions just stay on paper because their foundations are weak. Get a clear conception of what you’re about to begin. It is this first step where most people falter. If you haven’t been exercising for years, aiming to show up at the gym every day is more than a little ambitious.Set exercise goals that you’re confident of achieving. A good place to start would be to clock three to four hours of exercise a week. This gives you the scope to break up your exercise regime into smaller capsules, depending on your specific body needs and time available to you. Be the architect of your workout it usually takes just one missed workout for you to feel as if you have failed your purpose.

WRITE A FOOD DAIRY

When you get into the practice of writing down every single thing you eat -whether it’s a piece of fruit or what you ate at dinner -it makes you accountable. The diary works both as your conscience and guide. If you are not losing weight at the pace you want to, just turn the pages of your diary and you’ll find the honest answer. You cannot fool yourself.

PLAN YOUR `ME’TIME

Stress can kill even the best motivation to get fit. In the madness of our lives, we forget what we are eating, ignore meal times and often use food to combat stress. If you want to stay on track, make a plan to manage your stress in ways that don’t invite food as the chief guest. Engage in relaxation activities, whether it’s a hot bath, a massage, a trip to the spa, meditation, deep breathing or shopping! Unplug, disconnect, rejuvenate even if it’s for 15 to 20 minutes a day.

SLEEP WELL TO BE FIT AND SLIM

Your body does not just run on food, water and air. Sleep is a vital component of its functioning.Without adequate sleep (average of seven to eight hours a day), you are setting yourself up for trouble. In my experience, most people who drop their resolutions midway are sleep-deprived. Depression, irritability, reduced brain function, memory loss are all results of not getting enough sleep. Innumerable studies over the years have shown the definite link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. But still, so many of us just do not pay enough attention to our sleep pattern.

In layer2

“VEGETABLE JUICES WORK WONDERS FOR A MOTHER“

January 22, 2018 No Comments

Pooja Makhija, 37, nutritionist, columnist

Mother of Ahaana, 10 and Amaira, 7 The toughest thing about being a mother: Constantly trying to be a better one. When you’re a working mother, you feel guilty. So you try harder and pack more in, and that’s something I always find challenging.Also, battling with guilt is a tough task. At work, you are worrying about your kids and when you are with your kids, you’re stressed about work. But, in the end, guilt makes you work harder and magically makes things work.

Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Eating right and exercising. There’s no magic wand or simple formula.

My fitness regimen: Right now, I am focusing on strengthening and toning my muscles. Post-pregnancy, you are left with a lot of loose muscles. I do core strengthening, ab exercises, mix of pilates with exercise-ball, plank and resistance-band workouts three times a week.

Five must-have foods post childbirth: Have good protein like egg whites. Wheatgrass juice is a must. Carbs are not your enemy; if you avoid them to l o s e weight, you won’t have the energy to take care of your baby. Fats are not your enemy either.Have healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseeds, almonds and fish.Take supple Take supplements if you don’t eat these on a daily basis.Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables because they are loaded with disease-fighting and anti-aging antioxidants.

Foods to avoid: Foods high in sugar and fat. Whatever unhealthy stuff you eat is passed on to the baby because breastmilk is the only source of nutrition for them.

Foods to retain good skin and hair: Vegetable juice works wonders. Toss three different raw veggies in a blender (not juicer), season and drink. Avoid excess sugar, it’s an aging food. Eat egg whites for good hair.

Dealing with hormonal changes: Razor-sharp focus keeps my mind stay strong. Raising my kids well is my final goal and I try not to get distracted.

Inculcating good eating habits in children: Instead of force feeding them, try to use informative tools.

Deliver logic with love in a language that they under stand. For exam ple, I often tell my daughters what to eat if they want their hair to grow as long as Rapunzel’s.

They relate to what I say.

My comfort food: A big slice of chilled, baked Philadelphia Blueberry cheesecake.

It’s my ultimate indulgence.

My favourite work out music: Any hot Bollywood track; I am too filmi.

My fitness icon: My husband, Ravi. He’s a fitness freak. Earlier, I’d only focus on eating right but post-pregnancy, I’ve incorporated his way as well, which is more exercise-friendly.

In layer3

DIWALI DETOX

January 22, 2018 No Comments

Weight gain is a little like that small pile of unattended laundry on your chair. Left alone, it’ll just stay there and pile up day after day. If you think you’ve gained weight during Diwali, don’t panic. But deal with it before the fat starts to accumulate.

DON’T STARVE…

That’s the fundamental lesson you need to remember. Don’t deprive your body of nutrition by starving yourself with drastic diets. Instead of losing fat, starvation ensures your body loses muscle. Muscle loss leads to more fat storage, which is why you always gain the weight you lose right after a crash diet. Food is the only thing that fuels your body and is your friend not your enemy.

…EAT SMART

Eat simple and smart during your detox phase. Shore up on simple proteins like sprouts and egg whites.Have 4-5 servings of fruit per day (100 gm of fruit per time), and eat and drink your veggies prepared without much oil, or as juice. But whatever you do, don’t forget to break up your meals into smaller ones. Eat every two hours. Like walking or running, digestion also burns calories and eating smaller meals frequently means that your body keeps burning, burning, burning.

…BUT DON’T LOSE THE OIL

Don’t cut oil out entirely because you’d be depriving your body of essential fatty acids. The lack of fatty acids dries up your skin, apart from other adverse effects. In this detox phase, include one teaspoon of oil in your cooking through the day.

STEP UP THE EXERCISE

Get to know your treadmill a little better. In addition to eating right, one hour of explosive exercise is what you need. You can walk, run, cycle, go on the elliptical but whatever you do, don’t forget cardio during this phase. Sweat it off.

SLEEP

Catch up on your sleep. Your body needs food, water and sleep for effective functioning. And fat burning and metabolising food is a part of its functioning. Studies have shown the strong link between weight gain and sleep deprivation. Snooze to lose.DRINK In this phase, drink about three to four litres of water. You could also mix it up by including other beneficial hydrants like coconut water, chaas and nimbu pani. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

How much detox you need depends on how much you have abused your body. If you have binged for four days, detox for the same amount or a week, and so on.

But don’t overdo it, and trust your body during this process.

The body is magical. It will know what to do.

In Lose Weight

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET AND GLOW THIS DIWALI

January 21, 2018 No Comments

With all the parties and social obligations, your days will soon get shorter and nights, longer. In this season of bling, excesses and over stimulation, what’s the best possible way to get that healthy, cared-for glow? A small early Diwali present in the form of some invaluable, tried-and-tested health advice…

FOOD

If you are not used to a healthy eating pattern, it’s hard to start strict regimens during a season littered with temptation. Having said that, you can always be one step ahead of your metabolism by breaking up the four meals a day -break fast, lunch, dinner, tea-time snack -into eight smaller meals, spread through the day. This way, you ensure that you eat every two hours. Keep in mind that just like walking, running or jumping, digestion also burns calories. Eating smaller meals pushes your body to burn more calories from the same food, giving your body a workout on the inside. Eating every two hours may also help you lose a little weight and keep your cravings under control. Also, keep your antioxidant quotient high, and focus on drinking vegetable juices, not fruit juices (high in sugar).

And, whatever you do, don’t starve your body into submission in order to knock a few kilos off. Just be smart about what and how you eat. Don’t be afraid of food. Always remember that food is your friend, not enemy.

EXERCISE

It’s never too late to start a daily 60-minute cardio session as a run-up to the season. Exercise helps to pump up your metabolic rate by almost 20-30 per cent sometimes, enabling you to digest better and burn the little and bigger treats that you allow yourself this season. Blood also rushes to your skin when you exercise, providing it with that much-needed glow. Not only do you lose weight, you also look fresh and young. You can never go wrong with exercise, no matter when you start.

SLEEP

‘Tis the season to be drowsy. Diwali can bring about heavy sleep deprivation because of late nights and compulsive socialising. If you are already cheating on your sleep even before you are well into the season, catch up now to shore up for the inevitable sleep debt that will pile up. Sleep is vital for your body though its importance is quite undervalued.Your body heals and repairs itself when you sleep, and this includes your skin. There is also a strong and undeniable link between sleep and obesity. Do note that when your body reaches 24 hours of sleep debt, it tends to crash, causing conditions like flu or viral.

WATER

Make-up cannot hide dull, dehydrated skin. For a natural glow, don’t just drink the pink stuff in the daiquiri glasses, glug as much water as you can a minimum of two litres a day. There’s also the trend of special `detox water’ doing the rounds, claiming you can lose weight just by drinking it. My take on it is that while you may or may not lose weight on detox water, you’ll definitely be well hydrated. Since there is a link between hydration and weight loss, you may just lose weight anyway.

Your brain’s thirst and hunger centers are so close together that sometimes you eat because you are thirsty. Adequate hydration means that you won’t confuse thirst with hunger which leads to more thoughtful eating.Take care of yourself this Diwali for a great year ahead. On your marks. Get set and glow.

In layer1

THE A-Z OF TETRA PAKS FOR PROTEINS DIET

December 20, 2017 No Comments

Did you know that boiling and re-boiling milk on a high flame for an extended period of time affects its nutritional content, particularly the proteins and B group (B1, B2, B12) of vitamins? These vitamins evaporate as heat increases. A lot of people are unaware of the fact that consumption of fresh milk is always advisable, and just one boil is enough to retain the nutrients of milk. A recent survey conducted by Research Pacific India reveals that 60 per cent mothers are unaware about the nutrition loss in milk due to boiling. Even after the first boil, they continue boiling it for about seven minutes. If you’re buying milk from the milkman, the ideal way to consume it is to heat it at 100 degrees Celsius for less than 8 to 10 minutes.
Another great solution is to opt for tetra paks. With rampant adulteration and microbial contamination of milk causing varied health risks, the use of aseptic packaging is a boon for the white revolution. Using either UHT (ultra high temperatures) or HTST (high temperature short time), the milk is heated on a prescribed high temperature for only a few seconds and then cooled down and immediate ly aseptically packed in tetra paks. This not only prevents entry of any microbes but also helps retain the nutritional strength of the packaged product. Once you open the tetra pak, refrigerate it and consume the milk within two to five days.Apart from being environmentally friendly, aseptic packaging increases the shelf life of the product, eases its transportation and also prevents adulteration of any sort.There are many myths surrounding tetra paks. We bust a few elementary ones:

MYTH #1

Tetra pak milk and dairy products have added preservatives: The use of high heat (75 degrees Celsius for 15-20 sec or 138 degrees Celsius for 23 seconds) helps remove all micro-organisms from the milk including bacterial spores. This process, followed by packaging, is conducted in a sterile con dition. The packing technique further helps prevent spoilage of the milk. All this together aids preservation and hence no additional preservatives are added.

MYTH #2

Tetra pak products are not nutritious: Heating on a high temperature for a very short time prevents the loss of most nutrients something that occurs in the conventional method of boiling. Many homemakers repeatedly boil milk for long durations to ensure that all microbes are de stroyed but in doing so, there is in turn a loss of all wa ter-soluble vitamins. This is the reason why aseptically packaged milk and milk products have better nutritive val ue than other forms of bottled milk.

MYTH #3

Tetra pak milk needs boiling: Boiling of tetra pak milk is an unnecessary step that causes loss of many B complex vi tamins plus leads to wastage of time and resources. The aseptic packaging involves transferring the UHT treated milk into pre-sterilised packages in a sterile environment, thus there is no risk of contamination and therefore no need to boil the milk before use. You can have it directly or warm it slightly to have it as a hot beverage.

MYTH #4

Tetra pak is not suitable for children: With hygienic packaging of unparalleled quality, tetra pak milk is extremely safe for a child’s growth and development. Easy usability, convenient portability, and better nutrient strength all these factors make it a preferred choice for kids.
The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has confirmed that 70 per cent of the milk available in the country is adulterated with detergent, glucose and skim milk powder. Hence, though we consume milk for its protein and calcium which may be retained post boiling too, tetra pak is an ideal option for packaged milk as it eliminates the chances of adulteration due to its absolutely hygienic process ing and packaging methods.