Humans want results and only results. We turn a blind eye to all the processing happening in the background to produce these results or don’t bother to understand what brings about results. The world is obsessed with obesity, overweight, weight loss, slimming and toning but most of us don’t know where the excess kilograms that gets knocked off our body go!
What Reasons do People Give? It’s both shocking and surprising to know that there is widespread confusion and misunderstanding regarding the process of weight loss among the general public as well as people involved in the health industry too. This does not come as a statement but does need a strong mention here due to conclusive evidences showing the same! A group of 150 doctors, dietitians and personal trainers who were surveyed on the question ‘Where does fat go as a person loses weight?” mostly responded wrongly, according to an article published in the reputed journal, BMJ. Most of them assumed that fat is converted into energy/heat while some others believed that fat is excreted via feces/urine or in fact, converted into muscle. Almost more than 50% of the 150 individuals responded that fat was converted into energy during weight loss. Amongst the 150 individuals, only 3 of them gave the correct answer which means that 98% of the health professionals were unaware of the right response. Is the answer extremely peculiar or something out of the ordinary that most respondents couldn’t hit it right? Hitting the Bull’s Eye The common misconception to fat burn might be due to the ‘energy in/energy out’ principle and the concept of energy production. Carbohydrates, fats and protein are the three macronutrients that get stored in our body through the food we consume. Our body uses these nutrients to produce energy for day-to-day activities and the excess carbohydrate or protein in the diet is converted into triglyceride and stored in the lipid droplets of adipocytes. Excess dietary fat undergoes lipolysis, a process of fat breakdown to generate energy. People trying to lose weight are actually trying to metabolize these triglycerides stored in the adipose tissue. Triglycerides contain three kinds of atoms-carbon, oxygen and hydrogen-and when broken down, 4/5th of it becomes carbon dioxide (CO2) and 1/5th of it forms water (H2O) molecules. When you wish to lose fat, you increase your energy output and decrease your energy input so that your body tries to use the energy stored in fat cells to keep performing (the body might also break down muscle for energy, but this again depends on the ratio of calorie in and calorie out which is why crash dieting or any other fad diets are strictly disallowed). At the cell level, triglycerides from the adipose tissue are released through lipolysis resulting in 4 different products from every triglyceride-1 glycerol and 3 free fatty acids. If we were to jot down the whole process in the form of an equation: Triglyceride (C55H104O6) + 78O2→ 55CO2 + 52H2O + energy The results also showed that an individual trying to lose 10 kilogram of fat (triglyceride) requires 29 kilograms of oxygen to be inhaled and this process results in 28 kilograms of carbon dioxide and 11 kilograms of water expelled out of the body. The equation clearly shows that 1 triglyceride molecule is converted into multiple carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) molecules with the help of oxygen (O2). While researchers tried understanding the logic behind such a distribution, an earlier analysis showed that oxygen atoms are shared between carbon and hydrogen in fat in the ration 2:1 (resulting in CO2 and H2O). This helped the researchers arrive at the conclusion that 84% of a fat molecule’s atoms are exhaled as carbon dioxide and the remaining 16% is exhaled as water. When someone loses 10 kilograms of fat, 8.4 of these kilograms are exhaled as carbon dioxide and the remaining 1.6 kilograms becomes water and excreted via urine, feces, sweat, breath, tears or other body fluids. But none of these are clear because the carbon dioxide gas that we exhale is invisible. While the excreted water can be replenished by drinking water, the exhaled carbon from the CO2 molecule can be replenished only by consuming food or beverages. Simply put, fat is breathed out as carbon dioxide and the lungs serve as the primary excretory organs for weight loss. If your next question is whether you can lose more weight by breathing more, the answer is a definite no! Breathing more can lead to hyperventilation that can make you feel dizzy, palpitate or lose consciousness. The only way to increase carbon dioxide production in your body is to exercise and move your muscles. A normal-weighted person who consumes a balanced diet exhales around 200 ml of CO2 in 12 breaths per minute. On any given day, time spend in leisure work, rest, sleep or light activity expels around 200 g of carbon. Replacing one hour of sedentariness with moderate activity or workout helps to expel 40 g of carbon (20% of 200 g) from the body increasing total amount expelled to around 240 g. Foods such as muffins, pancakes and other carb-rich snacks might seem small, but they represent a large portion of an average person’s energy requirements. A 100-gram muffin easily amounts to 20% of your energy requirement. Consuming such foods can be deceptive due to their small size, but physical activity can easily go in vain when such foods are consumed on a regular basis in between. Eating a healthy diet and burning more than what you eat will enable weight loss. It seems simple when put on paper but an individual must eat all of the required nutrients within the stipulated calories that can be consumed for weight loss and for this purpose, it is better to get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. But getting to know how this happens is essential, interesting and a must-know! Loving others comes naturally only when you love yourself without bias. The human body is not a platform to showcase your beauty or status with fine jewelry matching your expensive clothing or feel reluctant about your own confidence owing to body shaming by people around and the idea of a perfect body image depicted in social media, magazines, movies, television and elsewhere which makes it even more challenging to maintain a positive attitude towards your own body. The first step towards loving yourself and your body is by overcoming these negative influences and implement self-love in your everyday activities. Accept yourself as such without if’ and but’s. Start loving yourself with the help of the options given below:
Movement Should not become your Weak Moment Not many enjoy the idea of exercising or moving around simply for the sake of activity. For some, it is actually a painful affair which they think of as an arduous task. In reality, exercise should lighten your mood, improve your health and keep you cheerful. A study even shows that people who exercise for at least twice a week are much happier and peaceful comparatively with such advantages steadily increasing as the exercise frequency climbs the graph. Ample evidences pile up against the ill effects of sitting down and this makes it even more clear that movement is critical to improve well-being of an individual. By well-being it includes both mental and physical well-being which focuses on minimization of stress, depression and anxiety and improvement of overall life quality. Explore different options available and get habituated to those movements that keep you happy and content in life. Feeling Amazing Exercising is not only about numbers. There are many other critical outcomes of exercising beyond your weight loss and a toned body. It helps you determine your state of energy, rest, emotive differences (such as being happy or sad) and whether or not you cherished the entire process of workout. Here again, it is useful to observe the situations and habits that make you feel elated and stress-free. If there are not many, it is better to focus your attention on some mind relaxing techniques such as meditation or yoga that can help you free the mind, analyze the inner self and improve feelings towards your own self. Meditation and yoga are sought-after techniques for relaxing the mind but there are other few relaxation techniques that do justice as well. Lear about them at www.firsteatright.com. Pamper Yourself Every now & Then I’ve heard many individuals feel proud to have an hour for themselves in between an entire week or some lucky few have a day for themselves (mostly Saturday or Sunday). First, realize that keeping yourself fit (mentally and physical) can only make you fit for helping others. Follow your body’s cues and give it some cushion time to recover. Relax your mind and body by taking a small nap, going for a stroll or reading a book. Some love to pen down their thoughts and it is appreciable that these individuals start writing down something genuinely. Paying attention to the positive things in life boosts your overall self and makes you aware of the advantages in life. Be Surrounded with Positive Thoughts & People The proverb ‘Tell me your friend, I will tell you who you are’ proves to be absolutely true to the extent that people are easily influenced by things and people surrounding them. Surround yourself with positive people and you start feeling good but being amidst a group of pessimists kills your instincts and pushes you down the gutter. When a person chooses to be a part of a larger group of friends, family and neighbors the chances of exercising and following the schedule is even higher as he/she has a group who relies on his/her participation too. The Internet has everything to offer and it depends on the person using it to choose wisely. Only follow those social media sites that improve positivity, appreciate self-love and unfollow those which put down your efforts and body shame people. Surrounding yourself with positive thoughts and a positive environment definitely makes you experience better outcomes owing to a supportive environmental presence. The juicy strawberries, the ravishing raspberries and the pulpy mulberries have more to their kitty than their colorful nature and use in jams and squashes. There is something more to these berries than their attractive color, but their beauty is in part due to the presence of pigments called anthocyanins. With more than 500 different types of anthocyanins there have been various studies and research concerning its benefits in protecting against human diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer too.
Cancer Cancer is a global health crisis with high mortality and disability rates. While prostate, lung, colorectal and liver cancer remain the common forms of cancer in males, breast, lung, uterine and stomach cancer remain dominant among females. Cancer cannot be defined as a disease of old nor is it always inherent. Lifestyle and health factors such as using tobacco, consuming alcohol, obesity and exposure to harmful radiations of the sun increase the risk of certain cancers. Abnormal weight ranges are associated with an increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, colorectal, esophageal, gallbladder, kidney, pancreatic and thyroid cancer. Food and diet are prime environmental factors that affects individuals at several levels. Certain foods can also be used as a tool to bring about a positive biological response to elevate health of the individual and protect him/her from diseases. Most commonly studied among them are fruits and vegetables that have been shown to protect the body against cancerous effects. Very Berry Berries are small, pulpy edible fruits that are rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins. The skin, seeds and leaves of the berries are rich in anthocyanins while polyphenols are found in fruits, seeds and leaves of plants. Berries have always interested researchers as many of its compounds have been upheld to possess chemopreventive properties. There have been studies showing that consumption of berries offers chemoprotective properties and also helps in showing an improved response in several cancer types. Every kind of berry, specifically strawberries and raspberries are rich in ellagic acid (phytochemical) that has the ability to offer protection against skin, bladder, lung, esophageal and breast cancer. Strawberries contain flavonoids while blueberries contain anthocyanosides both of which are strongly believed to contain anti-cancer properties. Targeting a Single Anthocyanin Latest research focused on anthocyanin’s effects on an enzyme related to cancer and aging-sirtuin (SIRT6). This enzyme regulates the expressions of genes that are involved in various pathways and ageing causes a degeneration of this enzyme which in turn paves way for different illnesses. Researchers were interested in understanding a particular type of anthocyanin called as cyanidin which is commonly present in wild bilberry, raspberry and cranberry. Cyanidin increases the production of SIRT6 and also expression of enzymes in colorectal cancer cells. Surprisingly, the same anthocyanin also decreased expression of the cancer genes Twist1 and GLUT1 while increasing expression of FOXO3 gene that is a tumor suppressant. In a nutshell, this compound increased the production of cancer-stopping genes and decreased the production of cancer-inducing genes. While this study clearly denotes the effects of berries on cancer there have been previous studies that boosted the advantages of consuming fruits on health. There was another study in 2016 that followed more than one lakh individuals and found that eating blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and strawberries rich in anthocyanins helped these individuals gain less weight within the next two years. Yet another research showed that eating raspberries, blackberries and black raspberries rich in antioxidants worked wonders in boosting health. Antioxidants offer protection against free radicals and for more information on antioxidant-free radicals reaction please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. Berries are edible fruits containing different compounds such as anthocyanins, flavonoids and other antioxidants that seem to protect greatly against cancer, possess the ability to extend chemoprevention in cancer mainly of the GI tract, breast, lung, liver, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Until now there have been no disadvantages noted due to the intake of berries and this makes these fruits even more tempting to consume and a potentially useful strategy to reduce risk of cancer. Remember childhood days spent blowing bubbles that formed rainbow colors, trying to burst out each other’s bubbles and having fun trying to make the soapy liquid that doesn’t turn out as good as the store-bought one howsoever it is prepared? Some individuals feel as if a bubble is going to burst in their chest and this condition is associated with a variety of illnesses. Most common causes of a bubbling feeling in the chest include:
Atrial fibrillation: Here the heartbeat is faster and abnormal as the upper chambers of the heart are not synched with the lower chambers. Common symptoms include dizziness, chest pain, breathlessness, tiredness, weakness and heart palpitation. Atrial fibrillation is not life threatening, but it can result in blood clots in the heart. Bronchitis: The bronchial tubes that connect lungs to the mouth and nose are inflamed. It might be for a couple of days or even last for months together with symptoms such as chills, fever, cough and tightness in the chest. While acute bronchitis fades away in 10-14 days and treatment is similar to that of cold chronic bronchitis requires the use of inhalers and oxygen therapy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): Stomach acid travels to the food pipe due to unhealthy lifestyle practices such as excessive consumption of alcohol and frequent use of medicines such as aspirin. A bubbling feeling in the chest, sore throat, chest pain, cough, swallowing difficulty, heartburn and sour taste in the mouth (due to stomach acid travelling to the food pipe) are common symptoms. Indigestion: Also called as dyspepsia, indigestion is discomfort in the upper abdomen that causes a bubbling sensation in the chest and an awkward feeling in the abdomen every time after eating. Heartburn and nausea are also common symptoms. Indigestion is usually the result of eating spicy or fatty food, eating too quickly, drinking too much alcohol, consuming caffeine frequently or taking certain medications. Dietary interventions and lifestyle changes are the proposed treatment options for indigestion. For healthy lifestyle changes please get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who can help you with meal plans and lifestyle changes that keep you fitter and better. Asthma: A bubbling sensation in the chest is commonly experienced by people with asthma along with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing and tightness in the chest. Allergies and weather conditions too trigger asthma whose main treatment methods include lifestyle interventions and medications. Pleural effusion: This is often a sign of an underlying condition such as cancer, congestive heart failure, chest injury or pneumonia happening when there is fluid trapped between the lung lining and chest wall. Bubbling of the chest and shortness of breath are common symptoms. Precordial catch syndrome: Nerves in the chest are pinched or squeezed and this condition is commonly present in children, adolescents and individuals in their early 20s. A sudden bubbling sensation or chest pain are common symptoms that fade away and disappear with age. Heart attack, anxiety and stress are also common causes for a bubbling feeling in the chest. Time for the Doc As simple a problem such as indigestion could cause a bubbling feeling, but it could also be the result of complex problems such as tumor or a collapsed lung. It is time to meet the doc when you experience symptoms such as high fever, irregular pulse, abdominal pain, vomiting, a forceful pain that spreads to the face and neck, numbness in the arm and failure to stand or walk properly. You’ve seen your friend remain obese/overweight since high school days and when you meet her after a decade or so, still she is the same! She doesn’t suffer from high blood pressure, cholesterol or heart disease risk nor does she refrain from daily chores and activities citing overweight issues as an excuse. Life goes on happily and you remain unbothered about her weight issues as she ‘seems’ to look hale and healthy.
Healthy Obesity: A Paradox Obesity brings along numerous health risks such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension and several types of cancer along with physical changes to your body structure. Body shaming is commonly observed. Recent times have witnessed the use of the term ‘metabolically healthy obesity’ for obese/overweight woman having high body mass index (BMI) but not having any health conditions that occur as a health risk of obesity. There have been quite a number of varying study results supporting and denying the existence of ‘metabolically healthy obesity’. Latest of them is a research that warns such individuals to lose weight as early as possible to avoid any risk of heart disease. Its been commonly accepted even medically that some obese people live a healthy life and are devoid of heart disease risks and have not been advised to lose weight or take preventive steps to stay wary of developing a heart disease anytime in the near future. But the entire medical community was doubtful whether this pattern will continue forever or if these individuals might suffer from metabolic syndrome over time. Metabolic syndrome includes risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels and abdominal fat which are leading causes for cardiovascular diseases and have the potential to increase the risk of diabetes by five times. The current study included more than 6,500 participants who did not suffer from cardiovascular disease but had a BMI greater than 30 and two or few risk factors. The main idea of the study was to check whether metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) at baseline remained stable or led to metabolic syndrome thereby increasing risk of heart disease. They were followed up for 12 years with a clinical evaluation done once in two years to check this risk. Results showed that baseline MHO was not associated with incident cardiovascular disease but almost 50% participants developed metabolic syndrome over the study period and were at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those with stable MHO and healthy weight ranges. To confirm this, the research team conducted yet another study that involved close to 1,00,000 women who were free of CVD at baseline. The participants were categorized into different groups based on their BMIs, metabolic health status and change in metabolic health status and followed up for 30 years. Different risk factors such as age, smoking and drinking habits, activity levels and family history of heart attack/diabetes was also adjusted. Results showed that women with MHO who were free of metabolic diseases for decades were at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. These women were at a 39% increased risk of CVD compared to healthy study participants. Almost 84% women with MHO at baseline and 68% metabolically healthy women with a normal BMI developed some metabolic condition over a 20-year period. But even those who managed to stay free of metabolic disease over a 20-year period had a 57% increased risk of CVD if they were obese compared to women with a healthy body weight. ‘Healthy obesity’, ‘obese but active’ and ‘fit but fat’ are good to hear but practically they offer no perks and are as bad as simply telling that a person is obese and he/she is at a risk of diseases. Its up to each of us to take the right measures and start leading an active lifestyle to maintain our body weight in normal healthy ranges. Get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to get a personalized diet plan suiting your body type. Choose between CBSE or ICSE syllabus? Enroll for abacus or Kumon classes? Piano or guitar during weekends? Our minds keep racing over these choices repeatedly and rarely do parents take special interest in their kid’s physical activity needs such as finding the best coaching center for their cricket-loving boy or zeroing upon the best ballet school for the dancing beauty! We barely focus on physical activity classes and worse, even schools ignore much of the physical education periods swapping them for science or math classes. While the guidelines say that people aged between 5 and 19 years should do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity everyday to improve and safeguard their health the common man has no time or patience to pay heed to such suggestions, they fall a prey to different illnesses and reap the fruits of their misdeeds.
If Not Now, then When? Ironically, the world cribs about underperforming in the exercise domain where kids don’t meet their daily exercise requirements-not even a game of hopscotch, frisbee or badminton while we have research results that its vigorous-intensity activity and not moderate-intensity activity that reduce cardiovascular risk. Many of them forget that they have physical friends existing outside their four walls, seek the companionship of gadgets or at most or play a game of cricket during weekends. What do we expect of such kids? Lift the dumbbell, run a marathon or jog in the sun? Cardiovascular disease is one of the major killers today. Although heart disease risk might run in the family its always factors such as exercise and diet that enhance or decrease the probability of occurrence. A group of researchers studied adolescents between 12 and 17 years on the impact of the different intensity exercises on heart health. It has always been either moderate-intensity exercises for a longer time or vigorous-intensity exercise for a shorter duration when it comes to saving heart health. We have never differentiated between the effects of each as long as the respective durations were fulfilled. It has always been 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise a week to fulfill activity requirements. This study wanted to do exactly this-separate these two exercise forms and observe the effects. Likewise, they found exacting differences between the forms. While moderate-intensity exercises had different health benefits it was vigorous-intensity exercises that appeared to create the needed change in cardiovascular risk domain. Brisk walking or light aerobic steps are moderate-intensity exercises while running vigorously in a playground, swimming, dancing, cycling or practicing some team sports are vigorous-intensity exercises. Basically, we expel six times the energy that we use at rest while involved in vigorous-intensity exercise while it is only three times the energy when we practice moderate-intensity exercise. So, getting into a normal routine of swimming, dancing or running is not going to be tough for your little one nor your adolescent kid. Ensuring to pursue such activities are the only important ways to become fitter to minimize heart risk. The same research team also found a stronger link between time spent watching TV and the risk of developing diabetes or heart disease in life. Watching TV has serious health effects on the body which have been explained in detail at www.firsteatright.com. It might be a coronary heart disease, heart attack, congenital heart attack, angina or stroke that strikes someone in their 40s, 50s or 60s but the roots of these can be traced back to younger years or childhood years in fact. Rather than wasting time on the Internet or smartphone get out with your kid, encourage him/her to play out, teach them the importance of activity and nurture them into healthy citizens. There’s a reason to fear every other season in life. Blood pressure and diabetes created a catastrophe in human lives a decade back and we have become used to the fact that these ailments are common to any of us irrespective of the age group. Of late is the mystery, hype and sensation surrounding stress. The most-often used word for reasoning out the base behind many healthy conditions these days is STRESS. Its surprising to see 12-year-old children, 25-year-old youngsters as well as 50-year-old individuals quoting stress as the reason behind their failures and lack of interest in life. At the tender age of 12 when kids are blessed with a life to enjoy there are many children who wish to end lives owing to academic pressure and peer pressure. At the age of 25 when youngsters must be brimming with overpouring energy to explore the beauties of life and command great success in their jobs many wish to commit suicide as a result of love failure and job dissatisfaction. At the age of 50 when parents/individuals are almost settled and looking forward for a calm retired life many are suffering from neck-deep loans and economic crisis. Loans, suicide and pressure existed decades back too, but the rates were never as high as now.
Give Rest to Stress It was obesity, high BP and inactive lifestyle conditions that prevailed as risk factors for Type 2 diabetes but now stress has joined the list. Latest research shows that stress might prove to be a major diabetes predictor. Diabetes rates are almost said to tripe by 2030 affecting more than 552 million people from where it was in 2011. Diabetes was associated with modifiable risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity and abnormal cholesterol levels until now and the latest addition is psychological stress. Non-modifiable risk factors such as family history and age also play a role in causing diabetes. Most of the risk factors mentioned here are controllable but still the rates are increasing like never before. Characterized by an inefficient blood sugar regulation when too much of glucose remains in the body diabetes can pave way for bigger diseases such as heart problems, stroke and kidney disease. While physiological factors took the front seat in driving the person towards diabetes until now, scientists and researchers are now focused on understanding the basic link between diabetes and stress. Its not something new and previous studies have focused on individual stressors such as work or depression, but the latest study tried to link multiple stressors and its impact on diabetes. The study included more than 27,000 women aged around 72 years who were devoid of heart disease. The research team followed these women for three years after fetching data about their acute and chronic stressors. Acute stress included life events that were traumatic/negative while chronic stress included work-, finance-, relationship-, family- and discrimination-related stress. The team found that women who experienced maximum chronic and acute stress were at a two-times higher risk of diabetes than others. Another Swedish study found that chronic stress increased the risk of type 1 or type 2 diabetes by 45% while an Australian study sometime back found that high levels of stress was associated with abnormal glucose metabolism in women but not men. We are well aware that lifestyle changes can prevent the risk of type 2 diabetes but if there is some form of stress that affects the individual’s day-to-day routine and prevents him/her from following healthy routines (such as eating healthy and exercising daily) it becomes quite challenging to combat stress. But it is not long before type 2 diabetes surpasses cardiovascular disease as the numero uno chronic disease affecting people. Isn’t it wise to get things under control and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes as much as possible with timely intervention before diabetes disaster rules over the world? Get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who specialize in diabetes-friendly diets to get a healthy diet plan and exercise schedule to meet your requirements. How many of you have heard about the story of two prisoners whose attitude towards things made their life better or miserable? If not, let me present it to you in a nutshell and this story is going to form the base for our attitude toward carbohydrates. There were two prisoners locked inside a cell which had a tiny window. One prisoner looked out of the window and was fulfilled with the sight of a wonderful night sky outside filled with stars. He called onto his cellmate and asked him to enjoy the same experience as himself. But alas, all that his mate could see were the prison bars. He could not look beyond them and enjoy the beauty that nature had to offer! You can either be a master or a prisoner of your attitude! Choose what you want to be! I feel most of us approach carbs the same way (seeing their disadvantages and not picking on their advantages) the second prisoner approached nature-seeing the bars instead of the stars.
Fiber: A Complex Carbohydrate A fiber-rich diet has been on the list of every health professional, dietitian and nutritionist dispensing enriched suggestions to individuals. Fiber been associated with everything good-right from good health to avoiding chronic diseases. Even a study in the Lancet shows that people with a fiber-rich diet are at a 15-30% lower risk of death due to heart problems or any other problems comparatively. A diet rich in fiber also helps in controlling weight, reduce weight gain and high cholesterol and also avoid type 2 diabetes, colorectal cancer and coronary heart disease. But when I mentioned about carbs initially why are we suddenly talking about the benefits of fiber? Only because fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate. Sugar and starch are the other two types of carbs. I think by now most of you would have been able to find the analogy between the story of the prisoners and carbs-while we have been avoiding (or in fact cursing) carbs mostly during weight loss programs, talking only about the processed foods and baked goods rich in sugar and starch we have been missing out on the goodness of the fiber part! The Necessary Evil? Despite its bad rap, carbohydrates are inevitable for our health and dietary guidelines too suggest that carbs constitute of 45-65% of daily calorie needs. For example, if you take a 2000-calorie diet, 900-1,200 calories should constitute of carbs-healthy carbs. They occupy a prime role in your life supplying your body with energy, protecting it against diseases and also controlling weight. But what type of carb you eat defines your health. People have blindly been following different low-carb diets such as the Keto or Atkins diet that might help in weight loss but neither do you sustain the loss nor does it help you stay healthy in the long run. Most low-carb diets avoid including whole grains and also restrict the intake of fiber-laden fruits and veggies. Fiber-rich Carb Intake Bread, pastry and other processed foods are all carbs but any sane person would realize that eating them is not going to do your body any good. Natural sources of carbs include fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, milk, nuts and seeds which are all healthy and some of them remarkable sources of fiber. Focus consuming your carbs in the form of fiber for the benefit of your body. A latest research backed by WHO on the recommended daily amounts of fiber shows that consuming between 25 and 29 grams of fiber a day is sufficient. The study found that for every 8 grams of increased fiber intake the risk of death from coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer reduced by 5-25%. When the fiber intake increased by 15 grams, rate of death, colorectal cancer and heart disease risk reduced by 2-19%. While it is not healthy to follow a low-carb diet if you have been doing so increase your fiber intake by choosing plant-based foods that contain high fiber. If you have been following a Mediterranean diet plan kudos to you as this kind of a plan focuses on including plant-based foods such as fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes, grains and seeds in abundant quantities. Get yourself a personalized diet plan that has all the macronutrients perfectly planned suiting your body type with the help of dietitians and nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. For anyone whose diet is low in fiber, add them gradually to your diet as suddenly overpowering your food with fiber can lead to constipation, diarrhea or gas. Give your body sufficient time to adopt to the changes. Introduce a piece of fruit for breakfast, one portion of fruit and one portion of veggie for lunch and so on. Ensure to drink plenty of fluids in between to help the fiber move through the body. Brown rice, instant oatmeal, whole-wheat pasta, raspberries, green peas, chia seeds, black beans and split peas are all great sources of fiber apart from your regular carrots, beans, apples, melons, kiwis, etc. Potatoes are the only exception as they promote weight gain. You needn’t refrain from eating potatoes but minimize their consumption. For the layman, weight loss is all about reducing weight, becoming slim and looking beautiful. For the expert, it’s all math! Taking out a few calories, creating calorie deficits and finally enabling weight loss over a period is what the experts focus on. While math seems extremely simple here compared to your algebra and trigonometry, in practice this can be extremely taxing mentally as well as physically on the person involved. Some people on a weight loss plan miscalculate their additions and subtractions even during the program and suffer huge losses sometime. The process of maintaining calorie deficits is the numero uno goal which needs to be impeccably planned such that there are no negative consequences or chances of misfiring possible.
While weight loss remains a balancing act, the concept is straightforward. Eat more calories than you burn and it results in weight gain. Eat less calories than you burn and you lose weight. In practice, 3500 calories amount to .45 kilograms of fat and hence, to lose around half a kilogram of fat you need to burn 3500 calories. Hence, one can expect a 0.5-1.0-kilogram loss in weight in one week if you reduce your daily calorie intake by 500-1000 calories. It sounds great and achievable but practically it’s a much complex process involving a combination of fat, tissue and water loss from the body. Decreasing calories requires smart thinking, effectively implementing and coordinating successfully. Set point Theory By definition, set point is a state that a control system aims to achieve. All through childhood and teenage, a person’s body weight keeps fluctuating striving for a balance. Adulthood establishes a more or less constant body weight which might mildly fluctuate but never fall off the equilibrium greatly. A person you meet in your 20s maintains his/her weight when you meet him/her again in his/her 30s or 40s. But studies show that set point in humans is loosely established. In one study, participants lost 66% of their initial fat mass in response to 24 weeks of 50% reduced energy intake. Normal eating patterns reestablished thereon resulted in fat mass regain amounting to 145% of the initial body weight (the one that existed prior to the start of study). The study further established that for the fat mass to decrease to within 5% of the initial value, it might take more than a year or so. Just like our circulatory and respiratory system, our body defines a body weight regulatory system which becomes difficult to reset once the system falls into place in sometime. Energy balance is one area which obese/overweight people miss to maintain. When individuals lose weight, they succeed in maintaining weight loss when they decrease energy intake by certain numbers than what they had been consuming before dieting. But, most people fail to adhere to this principle and succumb to weight gain in course of time. Hence, they remain ineffective in maintaining the ‘new’ settling point. Eating healthy food and leading a disciplined lifestyle provides ample scope for maintaining body weight and weight stability. When a person remains overweight/obese for years together, he/she faces much difficulty in losing weight as the body gets accustomed to the existing body composition by then. This is defined as the set point theory which determines the percent of fat, weight and mass a person carries which in turn determine hunger and satiety. Body weight is sure to settle in a definite range but on the positive note, it is possible to change it. Body Weight Determinants Our body weight is predominantly determined by three factors namely our genes, environment and epigenetic (hormones) effects. Genes: While genes do play a vital role in determining body weight you are not doomed by them forever. Genetic factors do establish certain set points beyond which it becomes extremely difficult for the individual to lose weight. But, this can never be used as an excuse to stop trying. With the right diet and exercise we can always outwit gene-related weight effects. Environment:Diet and exercise are major players in establishing set points. When the combination works perfectly none can stop you from reaching your goals. But never go by crash dieting or starvation which can only double your chances of weight gain in due time. Consistently changing your diet seems to work perfectly fine and aids in maintaining the lost weight down the lane. Hormones:Hormones for hunger and satiety, ghrelin and leptin can be effectively managed by eating a balanced diet rich in fiber, produce, proteins and whole grains, exercising regularly, managing stress and sleeping well. If you are eager to know more about the role of genes and hormones in determining weight loss, you are always welcome to read about them at www.firsteatright.com. This website clearly shows how eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can overpower any other factors surrounding weight loss. ![]() Having an infant in the house includes sleepless nights and tiresome days. A newborn infant spends his/her time mostly sleeping but the mommy is deprived of all luxuries of sleeping or relaxing once the baby is born. That’s owing to the never-ending breastfeeding sessions, diaper changing routines and haphazard sleep routines of the infant that prop up one after the other. Infants love to breastfeed every now and then clinging onto their mommy tightly, enjoying the love and affection they get while breastfeeding and filling their tiny stomachs that require a refill often. The world health organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding of an infant for the first six months of life after which the baby can be slowly introduced to solid foods. But now, a new research has come up with an alternate feeding pattern for these infants. Multiples of Three Sounds Good Anytime a child cries its only one of the two reasons quoted by elders-hunger or sleep. While the same has been advised for newborns too we do not have much option but to feed the baby with milk. The continuing sleepless nights can trouble the entire family along with the baby! A study published in the JAMA journal states that introducing babies to solid foods after the first three months improves baby’s sleep by a small but significant number and also leads to fewer waking up sessions in between the sleep sessions compared to babies who start feeding on solids later in life. The study recruited more than 1300 babies who were healthy, full-term, 3-month-old infants and were exclusively breastfed. The babies’ mothers were divided into two groups. One group was asked to feed the baby exclusively with breast milk until the sixth month while the other group was also asked to breastfeed along with introducing solid foods for the first week of study. The research team asked the group to introduce allergy-provoking foods such as cow’s milk, peanuts, sesame, white fish and meat during the second week of study. Moms in the first group introduced solid foods to infants only during the 23rdweek after birth while moms in the second group introduces solids starting at the 16thweek of the infant. While there was no difference found between the two groups in terms of solid food intake at the end of the infant’s sixth month there were significant differences found in the infant’s sleeping pattern right after the first year of birth. Children fed on solids slept for at least 7 minutes longer every night starting from the 5thmonth of age past their first birthday. The difference accurately summed up to almost 16-17 minutes of extra sleep every night which meant the parents could almost sleep for an extra two hours every week. The solid food-fed babies also slept quite undisturbed comparatively, woke less frequently and created much lesser troubles. Results without Prejudice Research team found that there were no specific foods associated with increased sleep and the mothers in the research group fed their children with everything ranging from fruits and vegetables to rice and peanuts. The results also prove that sleep patterns and timings are established since early years maybe even right from infancy. There are more options for preparing healthy and interesting baby foods at www.firsteatright.com which can be of utmost help during your baby’s infant years. While the study proves the benefits of introducing solid foods right from an early age many other researchers and physicians are concerned over the declined availability of breast milk for the infant. Breastmilk offers a plethora of benefits and limiting its consumption might fail to nourish the child with plentiful nutrients needed for growth and development. Its best to stick with WHO guidelines and feed the child only with breastmilk up to the baby’s sixth month of age. Improved parental sleep and quality of life is important but does it surpass the child’s needs of various nutrients and immunity power available in breastmilk remains an unanswered question that needs further probing. ![]() Every part of the body aches sometimes after a taxing workout schedule, we get up feeling refreshed after a good nights’ sleep but suddenly feel our neck or hips aching badly due to wrong positioning or its also possible that greater the time we spend sitting and working more is the chances of a shoulder ache or an arm issue. These are common problems that occur in adults and children alike which go away on their own without any treatment but rarely these can also be a sign of an underlying disease. Medically called as ‘myalgia’ muscle aches can occur in any part of the body that has muscles. Cause of the ache determines the severity of the problem. Causes Overexertion, trauma and viral infections are common causes of muscle aches but there are quite a few other causes too that contribute to the problem occasionally. Strain/sprain:A sprain or a strain can cause muscle pain where a particular area of the body becomes stiff and aches constantly. These don’t need any treatment and resolve on their own with rest, heat packs and over the counter medications (OTC) in most cases. It is required to meet a doctor only when the strain/sprain restricts movement, causes pain and doesn’t cure with time. Physical activity: Abstaining from physical activity or overdoing the activity can lead to achy muscles. It usually occurs when a person is trying out some new exercise form, unused to exercise, exercising for longer than usual periods or doesn’t take care to warm up or cool down properly. Dehydration: This seems to be a simple problem, but its effects are numerous and serious. Water is required to keep the body functioning properly without which even breathing, digestion or moving around becomes a problem. Every person is required to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily and the requirement changes from individual to individual depending on activity level and body type. Too much of water in the body can also lead to hazardous effects that can ruin health. Stress: Stress deprives the body of its ability to fight off inflammation or infections and causes the muscles to ache. Stress makes it difficult to protect the body against any disease and muscle pain is a side effect of stress. Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation can relieve your mind of stress and keep your body healthy. Improper nutrition: Nutrition is required for the proper functioning of the body as well to fight against diseases from attacking the body. Vitamin D is one such nutrient whose deficiency can cause muscle aches. This vitamin is required for absorbing calcium properly and for ensuring that muscles function correctly. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to hypocalcemia which in turn can affect bones and organs as well. Sleep: While improper sleep positions or sleeping in a specific position all through the night might cause muscles to ache the next morning, sleep deficits can also cause muscles to ache. Diseases and conditions: Several medical conditions such as arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, anemia, multiple sclerosis (MS), lupus, influenza and fibromyalgia can cause muscle aches. Symptoms Common symptoms that occur alongside your muscle pain and ache include fever, rash, dizziness, breathing difficulty, redness/swelling and weakness in the affected areas. The muscle ache/pain occurs in a particular area or throughout the body depending on the underlying reason. An infection, medication or illness can cause aches all over the body while a strain, injury or tension will cause discomfort in a specific area. Treatment Home remedies are often sought-after ones for dealing with aches and pain. Individuals usually try curing the symptoms using the RICE method which includes Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Each of the treatment methods in RICE are clearly explained in detail at www.firsteatright.com and these are sure to relieve the individual from pain. Doing stretches, participating in activities such as yoga and meditation that promote relaxation of the muscles/reduce stress and minimize pain are good treatment options. If none of this works, it is always better to get in touch with a physician who might prescribe pain relievers or suggest the next course of treatment. It is always advisable to avoid a muscle pain/ache by taking care of your body. Keep yourself active and your body flexible by exercising regularly, stretch before exercising, warm up and cool down before and after exercise and take a break regularly when you sit together and work continuously. An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a proverb known to us since centuries. But how does an apple-shaped body fare in this regard? Consistently we have been hearing debates about the pros and cons of an apple-shaped versus pear-shaped body. Undoubtedly, men are famous for their beer bellies and their never-decreasing belly fats whereas women worldwide are more susceptible to a pear-shaped body. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why women lead a longer life than men anywhere in the world! BMI might be a great measure for assessing body weight and risk of obesity/overweight but they can help us in no way regarding body fat measures. Some of us have what is called the ‘puppy’ fat that’s easy to do away with the help of simple activities and a diet but when we have layers of visceral fat hidden underneath internal organs it becomes a matter of dire concern. Your liposuction and cryolipolysis operations help to do away with excess fat but in no way are they improving your metabolism which plays an extended role in defining excess weight lurking around different body parts.
Upper or Lower None is Slower in Reducing Risk of Heart Attack A couple of years back scientists were very sure that upper body fat is terribly harmful to heart health compared to lower body fat. Some even wanted to prove to the world that being fat-enriched in the lower body parts such as the thighs and the buttocks offered health benefits. A large waist size and abdominal obesity were seen as obvious threats to longevity while lower body fat was established as being responsible for reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and increasing good cholesterol (HDL) levels-the result of many different reliable studies. A dip in LDL levels automatically guarantees better heart health thereby showing that a pear-shaped body is better-suited for improved heart health. So, every now and then we see different researches showing difference in results and an apt example is that of drinking beverages such as coffee and tea. Until now we have had contradictory results regarding the positive and negative effects of caffeine. Newspaper results surprise us every now and then with a new study coming up with some new theory. Likewise, though research and evidence in the past show that fat in the thigh and buttocks are protective against heart health there is a new study now that says that losing weight in the lower parts of the body is linked to better cardiovascular health. The surprising element here is that studies supporting and denying the benefits of lower body fat have been published in reputed journals such as the International Journal of Obesity and the Journal of the American Heart Associationrespectively. Gluteofemoral Fat Pear-shaped body is associated with gluteofemoral fat which is linked with eliminating harmful fats that are released into bloodstream when you eat foods that are rich in bad fats. But when some researchers got curious about this issue and wanted to know what would happen in the absence of this fat layer they came up with this amazing discovery! If your body stores fat in the lower regions and now if you are eager to lose weight and these regions start dissolving fat cells are you at an advantage of weight loss or at a disadvantage of lost heart-protective fat layer in the body? When a research team tried to analyze data from 399 participants on how losing fat around the thighs and buttocks affected heart health, they discovered that weight loss in any region of the body was linked to improved heart health. An individual’s primary focus must be on losing weight and once this is accomplished, they can worry about muscle loss and increase their exercise durations. Losing even 5-10% of your body weight is advantageous for better cardiovascular health. Rather than focusing on where the fat is coming off your body concentrate 100% on removing excess fat from all parts of your body. Get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com for helping you in your weight loss endeavor with befitting diet plans and exercise schedules suiting your body requirements. Back from a hectic morning schedule all that we think about is a pleasant evening spent drinking some tea/coffee, sharing the day’s experiences with our family, having a yummy-tummy dinner and going to bed with tummy filled and our mind fulfilled! In between all this we hate missing out on our beloved reality shows, preparing things for the next day’s menu, helping our kids complete their school chores and also catering to our spouse’s needs. Even if we think about going for a quick walk despite all this commotion, we’ve always got barriers such as lack of a proper gym near our place of stay, the strong belief that exercising in the evening can hinder sleep routines and above all, the idea of a hardcore workout after a stressful morning makes it even more unappealing. What if I say that here comes an interesting twist to the tale with respect to exercising in the evening?
Reinforcing your Thoughts & Take Action on your Goals Why do we find it so hard to include physical activity in our daily to-do list giving it as much importance as cooking a meal? We don’t fail to cook food or at least keep it ready (either ordering it online or deciding to eat out) by any means without which our stomach begins to growl and we become ‘hangry.’ Unheard of the term hangry? Then you haven’t visited www.firsteatright.com yet which offers you the best explanation and suggestion on this word and its effect. In terms of exercising or rather, not exercising we don’t find any effects immediately nor do we suffer pain or discomfort. But, in the long run we undergo the pain, side effects and pay its price in the form of diseases or physical problems that keep occurring repeatedly due to lack of regular physical activity and body flexibility. Promising to take some action only after facing the consequences is not smartness but learning from other’s mistakes, experiences and people’s suggestions is the way to go. If you analyze, our entire evening schedules are planned in a haphazard manner where our chores take priority over eat and sleep timings. Dinner time is when we are done with the next day’s preparations, sleep time is when our favorite TV program ends and likewise. Fixing upon dinner and sleep timings and rearranging other things to suit these timings is the best way to start. In between all these where do we fix our exercise goals? A new study result comes to our rescue here-it says that 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise performed in the early evening does not affect sleep quality and might also reduce our appetite too. Effects on the 11 Men The study team conducted its research on 11 middle-aged men who completed three experimental trials to investigate sleep and appetite response to physical activity performed at three different times of the day-morning (6-7 am), afternoon (2-4 pm) and evening (7-9 pm). All the participants were asked to perform one-minute of fast cycling 6 times (high intensity sprint) mixed with 4 minutes of rest. Blood was collected from each of the participants before and after exercising to examine appetite-related hormones and also certain tests were performed during sleep to assess sleep stages. Results showed no signs of an evening session of exercise causing sleep-related disturbances on the participant’s body. Rather, both afternoon and evening exercise sessions were associated with a greater reduction of the hunger stimulating hormone, ghrelin. The researchers were even surprised by the fact that participants exercised with more vigor and energy during the afternoon and evening sessions (latter part of the day basically) comparatively. Don’t ever assume that one session of exercising is going to cause critical changes in your hormone levels but what this study proves to us is the fact that early evenings are a good time to invest on exercising. There is also the need to repeat such studies on women as their hormone levels are different and there are chances that sleep and appetite responses may differ in this gender. Try to get up after sitting down continuously and you might experience a numb sensation in your legs and feet due to pressure on the nerves or inconsistent blood flow. Numbness that prolongs for longer than expected or occurs without valid reasons is something that needs further probing. Sitting down continuously for studies, at school functions, during prayer or simply sitting for hours together can cause numbness in the whole leg, below the knee or in the feet. A wrong posture or seating can be the underlying cause for such numbness, but chronic numbness indicates a medical condition. The medical conditions that influence numbness include:
Posture:Incorrect posture is mainly the root cause for numbness in the feet and legs. Sitting on the feet, crossing the legs for too long periods, sitting/kneeling for long periods and wearing garments that fit too tightly on the feet and legs can cause numbness. Injury:Injuries to the spine, torso, hip, legs, ankles and feet can cause pressure on nerves making the feet and legs go numb. Tumors: Tumors and other abnormal growth can pressurize the brain, spinal cord, feet and legs. This in turn restricts blood flow causing numbness. Strokes:Strokes cause brain damage and might lead to temporary or prolonged numbness to different parts of the body Fibromyalgia:This condition causes widespread body pain, aching and tenderness. Stiffness, soreness and restless leg syndrome are common symptoms but some people also experience numbness and tingling in the hands and feet Lower Back issues: Herniation of spinal discs or other back problems can cause nervous compression leading to numbness. Sciatic nerves run from the lower back to the legs and when these nerves become compressed and irritated the individual might experience numbness in the legs and feet Peripheral artery disease (PAD): This causes peripheral blood arteries in the legs, arms and stomach to narrow thereby reducing blood flow. Individuals with PAD are subjected to pain and cramping in the legs and hips while walking or going upstairs. Symptoms Numbness is a symptom but chronic numbness is also accompanied by other symptoms such as tingling, burning, tickling, itching and a sense of crawling under the skin. Treatment The cause of the problem determines the solution to it too. Physicians might recommend medications such as antidepressants or corticosteroids while alternative therapies such as massage, acupuncture, meditation and vitamin B (B3, B6 and B12) supplements can reduce symptoms and keep numbness at bay. Few individuals also prefer home treatments for dealing with numbness. This includes:
Decades back, pregnancy and childbirth were not a stressful affair as witnessed nowadays in the form of innumerable scans, routine check-ups, supplements, nutrients and pills which makes even an outsider feel insecure and unsure about a safe pregnancy term. Despite medical advancements and treatment care options, the number of women having heart attack during pregnancy, childbirth or during two months after delivery is steadily rising.
A woman rarely cares about her health after marriage as she is busy engaged in taking care of her family members. Never once does she sit back, relax and pause to think about her dreams, wishes and wants. Women mostly spend time thinking about the growing fetus, its health status and requirements but rarely spend time worrying about their own hearts. People surrounding her advise the pregnant woman to eat healthy food, stay active and keep herself fit for the wellness of both, mommy and baby. The mom-to-be is pampered and made to eat every delicacy available, overpowered with love and affection and enquired about her health status, even by strangers. A study from the New York University School of Medicine found an increased risk of suffering a heart attack among pregnant women. The research analyzed data of more than 49 million birth records in hospitals and found that:
Ideal Causes Behind Heart Attack
Plan Your Pregnancy Before pregnancy, it is advisable that every woman checks for risk factors such as obesity, malnutrition, tobacco or drug use or metabolic syndrome which would enable the physician to start her on treatments for correcting the disease. If a woman has no risk factors still she must ensure that her heart remains healthy during pregnancy and following birth. More than half the women population are overweight and almost 50% suffer from cardiovascular deaths. In such circumstances it becomes the duty of every woman planning for pregnancy to take charge of her heart health before conceiving. My child sleeps when I go to sleep and wakes up when its time for me to wake up. She /he doesn’t like to take a nap and stays awake mostly during afternoons. This is a common complaint borne by many parents these days. A sleep-deprived child is feared by all as the parents too become sleep-deprived and suffer from irritation and lack of rest. Most parents undergo this stage of life and are ready to take up anything to put their kid to sleep. More than our health and sleep routine what we need to understand is that insufficient sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyle routines among children and adolescents.
Sleep has been an issue in adults owing to the increased use of smartphones and changes in work timings but now children too are affected by this. Sleep is the time of day during which we relax our mind and body doing nothing. It’s the time needed for the body to replenish its energy stores and gear up for another day packed with demanding chores and activities. When we don’t offer our body this well-deserved rest, it drains our energy and leaves us with nothing but fatigue and tiredness. A new study conducted on more than 1,70,000 students found that insufficient sleep duration was owing to unhealthy lifestyle profile among children and adolescents. Reputed academies recommend that children aged between 6 and 12 years of age should sleep nine to 12 hours daily while teenagers aged between 13 and 18 years of age should sleep for 8-10 hours daily. Of the total study participants aged between 8 and 17 years 51% were boys. Kids reported on food habits, weekday and weekend sleep routines, physical activity routines and sedentary activities through electronic questionnaires at school. The research team categorized any child sleeping for lesser than nine hours per day or adolescents sleeping for lesser than eight hours per day as suffering from insufficient sleep. Results showed that:
Life doesn’t come with a guarantee nor death arrives with some notice. How you take care of the body, what do you feed it and how concerned you are about your mental health determines quality of life. Every person born unto this world has to die someday and this is the rule of Nature. None in this universe can escape from the clutches of death. Our death brings about more sadness to the people who love us rather than causing pain to the person dying. Individuals suffering from the death of their loved ones can cope with it by referring to different ways mentioned at www.firsteatright.com.
An unexpected death can shatter some people’s life, create an emptiness in their souls forever (wealth and power don’t compensate for this) and this space can never be occupied until their last breath. Whereas, some people show some signs of dying and witnessing them is even more heart-wrecking. Ageing, degeneration of functioning of body parts and even loss of memory is one of the first steps to indicate that a person is deteriorating. At the fag-end of life when someone is nearing death their body starts showing symptoms. One of them is the change in breathing pattern that can create a rattling sound. This rattling sound is called as a death rattle and this clearly shows that the person is nearing his/her end in life. Fluids that Don’t Leave the Body Diseases come with symptoms and with these symptoms the physician diagnoses the diseases and cures it with the right medication. Death too seems to follow this pattern showing up with a few symptoms before it attacks. Only difference is that while the physician might be able to diagnose it and treat it the person might only be saved from a painful dying process but cannot escape the inevitable consequences finally. Those who are dying might lose their ability to swallow, cough or clear saliva/mucous from the throat, their bronchial secretions might also increase and a couple of days before death, the person might find it painful to even drink a spoonful of water. Sound is produced every time the person breathes- it might be a soft moan, a loud gurgle, snoring or a crackling noise that increases as the person breathes. These sounds seem awkward and unpleasant but thankfully the dying person remains unaware of it. All these signs of death rattle are strong indications that the person is about to die in the next 24 hours but rarely they denote brain injuries too. Causes The act of swallowing saliva and clearing the throat is a reflex action that’s done in each of us, but death rattle occurs when the person is unable to do this or even swallow phlegm from the back of the throat. They lack the strength to do it, their breathing pattern might change and breaths might vary between quiet to loud. Sometimes they breathe in sharply and then skip a few moments of breathing and then breathe again. Symptoms While death rattle is a sign of death, what are the signs/symptoms of death rattle that indicate a fast-approaching death in a person?
The dying person experiences no pain with death rattle, but the entire situation is disturbing and emotional for the people around him/her. Reversing the situation is impossible and the impact can only be subtler when the following are done:
Fizzy drinks, mocktails, cocktails and every other sugary beverage were mostly a man’s favorite sometime back. These days, there are more and more women getting a taste of these, feeling elated being on par and reaping the effects of such actions. Sugary beverages are like magic potions-they attract even our little ones tremendously. They have a rock-solid market, fan-following and with peak summer soon approaching these beverages would be ruling our lives for the next three months or so. Your favorite cricketer or actress might be the brand ambassador for your favorite soft drink but how many times do you think they drink it? Maybe you are also never going to drink these and other sugary beverages after reading below.
Sugary Beverages Have a Greater Impact on a Woman’s Lifespan None is unaware of the presence of poisonous white sugar in many of our beverages and energy drinks and well, it might be slow poison after all as frequently consuming sugary drinks such as sodas, juices or energy drinks is linked to an increased risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and cancer too. Reduce your consumption of sugary drinks and reduce your risk of death. A new research conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health shows that drinking more than two sugary beverages in a day impacts health, longevity and wellness. This was a long-term study that followed more than 80,000 women and 37,000 men for almost 30 years questioning them on their diet and lifestyle every four years. Results showed that compared to those who had one sugary beverage a month those who consumed two drinks every day were at an:
Yet another study too showed that consuming more than one sugary drink every day increased the risk of stroke, heart attack and premature death in women above 50 years of age. Though both the studies imply the same effect researchers are still unsure of the exact association between drinking artificial beverages and the risk of premature death. The only solution here to prevent any sort of mishaps in the first place is to choose water over any beverage. It’s simple and straightforward with zero calories. Cut down on sugary drinks, the so-called energy drinks and juices that add nothing but sugar to your body. Its not only the calories that are accumulated with each drink that you consume but also the amount of risk that is posed to your health that increases multi-folds.
![]() There’s something stylish, righteous yet mysterious about going vegan. Ditching meat, fish and mutton for veggies, fruits and more veggies seem intriguing and challenging at first but once you cross the initial hardships the journey thereon becomes easier and smoother. The underlying question is whether we require such an initiative in the first place and does going vegan promote weight loss faster and quicker compared to other forms of diets? The Big Announcement Deciding to quit eating non-veg or even avoiding those products that are animal-based such as dairy is 100% dependent on the individual solely-basically his/her views, thoughts and approach to life. The killing instinct to quit could be taken at the spur of the moment or it could be the action of long-term thoughts and effects. Reasons quoted for quitting varies person to person and the commonest reasons include love for animals, weight loss and spiritual ones too. Celebrities taking up vegan diets have off late become predominant and this instigates the common man too! If you are one of those who wishes to go vegan to lose weight and doubts its effectiveness (and also fearing that your hard efforts to stay away from your favorite steak or chicken would go in vain) reading through this article might help you decide confidently. Harvard-approved A Harvard-controlled study that compared different diets from various studies concluded that vegans lost most weight comparatively which is the best inspiration one needs to cheer up and focus on planning to go the vegan way to lose weight. Vegans lost as much as 8-10 kilograms in six months. A 2016 study compared weight loss over 6 months among people who consumed a vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and omnivorous diet and concluded that vegans lost more weight and consumed least quantity of saturated fats compared to others. Another 2016 review of around 100 vegan/vegetarian studies also showed that plant-based diets were effective compared to other diets in enabling weight loss. There are various other advantages in consuming a vegan diet shown in study results that includes lowered risk of cancer and diabetes, dip in cholesterol levels, lower risk of inflammation, improved heart health and lowered risk of metabolic syndrome. Nuances of a Vegan Diet Vegan diets are a type of diet that rely on eating only plant-based foods and these diets mostly avoid foods high in fat, cholesterol, calories and saturated fat. Also, processed foods mostly contain animal products and relying on vegan diets motivate people to choose fresh and wholesome foods that add more nutrition and health. On the other hand, many people these days lack in vitamin B12, a nutrient that is naturally present in animal products. Its upon the vegan individual to supplement his/her B12 needs from other sources such as fortified plant milk such as almond, soy and oat, fortified cereals, nutritional yeast and supplements. While consuming fortified foods is encouraged it is advisable to go for supplements only after discussing with your physician. Likewise, it is also generally seen that vegans may lack in other important nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin C, calcium, protein and omega-3 fatty acids when they don’t consume enough of foods rich in these nutrients. Vegan diets are minimal on fats and cholesterol and focus mainly on adding nutrients such as proteins, good fats and vitamins to the body. Eating foods such as quinoa, soy and tempeh rich in proteins, soy and almond milk rich in vitamin D and nuts and seeds high in omega-3 fatty acids help the individual add nutrients to the body as well as satisfy his/her taste buds. Do’s & Don’ts Any weight loss diet’s basis is to burn more calories than what is consumed. In other words, consume fewer calories that what is burned via exercise and day-to-day activities. Sticking to a few do’s and don’ts can help an individual take up weight loss through a vegan diet more confidently:
Switching over to a vegan diet is a good choice when you consciously include foods that are rich in proteins, iron, vitamin B-12 and other nutrients. Meats and dairy are calorie-rich and becoming vegan can help a person lose weight when done correctly. It is better to get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who can help you plan a vegan diet for weight loss. The intervention of a nutritionist/dietitian is needed as individuals must stay in line with the nutrients consumed, avoid restricting intake unnecessarily and go about choosing foods that add health and energy. ![]() While we sit and moan that we don’t have enough time for our precious little ones burdened by our work overload and other chores new research says that modern parents spend more time with their kids than what parents did some 50 years ago. It might be a world which cruelly (or you might call it gender equality) insists on both parents working to make both ends meet with the steadily rising economic crisis and hovering on us to enroll our kids in extracurricular activities than surpass the number of periods that schools offer. Despite this I think its obvious from today’s scenario that parents these days just LOVE their kids. It’s evident from how the mom and dad take every step to never miss out on their child’s annual day celebration, are present for every parent-teacher meet at school and take equal responsibility in helping their kids with school studies and outside activities. Also, how many of us remember both our parents, especially our father being present for a parent-teacher meet or accompanying us to our sports day celebration back then? Sadly, some of our dads couldn’t even remember in which class we used to study. But now, the dad and the mom are well-aware of the minutest of details concerning the child. Mother’s love is natural and uncompromising. What surprises (as well as makes me joyous and encouraged) me is the undevoted attention given by dads these days to their little munchkins! Cheers to you dads! But sadly, we have also gone to an extent that modern parents are branded as being ‘too involved’ with their kids. Parenting or Baby Sitting? At office, during travel or even while out on a dinner date with our spouse all that we think about is our little one-has he/she eaten veggies today? Did he/she sleep in the afternoon? How was her evening play? Parents are overwhelmed by parenthood. They beg for a small ‘me’ time where he/she can drink coffee at peace, go to the loo alone or take some time off to meet friends but once they are given these opportunities their minds go back to their kids. The pressure on moms and dads are ever higher than before as they are constantly being judged of their parenting skills by outsiders, are surrounded by ample opportunities to take advantage of and many more activities to do for themselves too. This dilemma was not present in earlier times as rich parents who could afford were a handful while the others were content with what they had. But these days, the upper middle-class society is steadily growing in number, exploring their advantages and making use of every step to climb the ladder and succeed. This puts them in a constant stress mode where the need to accomplish surpasses the need to enjoy. Many of their efforts are beneficial and appreciable but the question that remains in our minds is whether parents must neglect their own well-being in this process. The answer would be an absolute no. In fact, parents are better parents when they consider their needs and requirements as well. Stepping Up & Meeting Your Needs A life full of sacrifices is not a life well-lived. Giving up on your needs and wishes to fulfill someone else’s desires is not the basis of love. Many parents these days neglect their needs and its women especially who sacrifice many of their needs for the needs of the family. More than half our parents feel dejected as they don’t even have time to meet their friends, involve themselves in a hobby or at least go for a walk. My question is how would you have the time when you are busy taking your son/daughter to 10 different classes that you can’t even afford to spare time for your health and well-being? Its moms especially who push their exercise time to the backseat to make more time for their kids. Dads squeeze in their schedules to accommodate some time for a game of tennis or a jog but moms don’t seem to ever find time beyond their cooking, cleaning, parenting, working and helping chores. This can make you stressed and stress can put your life in a shackle. Unshackling it is a tedious effort which needs smart practices as those described at www.firsteatright.com. But why don’t you stop putting yourself into a shackle in the first place? Despite this, working parents feel that it would be ideal when they are able to pump in extra hours for their child’s education or activity. During times before the Internet ruled our lives parenting was all about keeping the kid safe, sound, active and loved. But now, the Internet is flooded with suggestions about what we could be doing, how we could do that and so on. Hundreds of parenting books exist, talk shows have joined the crowd and the society and culture don’t seem to help us out in much ways as they were doing during earlier times. Undo Your Doing We need not do more but all we have to do is stop doing more. Kids learn and meet requirements when we provide them with an opportunity. Sometimes it might get a little late to pack your kid’s snack but its ok. Maybe this makes him/her step up and start packing on their own. If you are late to pick your child back from school don’t become stressed. Your kid might do a lap or two before you turn up at the school gate. Society too should stop telling them what is wrong but start telling them what is right to do. Take time to drink your cherished cup of coffee, go for a relaxing bath or out for a walk to clear your mind and feel cherished. You need to value yourself for others to value you. Give respect to your needs and you can see that your children too start giving respect to your deeds and requirements. If your current parenting skills don’t give you time for even any one of your wishes its times to rethink your approach and seek a better plan. Each of you is a great parent. No second thoughts about it. Cheers! Do you underestimate or overestimate yourself? Most of us belong to either of the two categories and there might be a handful of those whose judgement about their very own performance are true to the dot. A classic example is that of exam scores. Ask a student how well he/she has performed and here again, its either inclined towards underperformance or maximized performance assumption. Assumptions have become an integral part of every human. These assumptions are what also lead mankind its distraught situations, manhandling of resources, difference in opinions and classic cases of misunderstandings. When we are clear on our views, speak with genuine evidence or results in hand and don’t try to manipulate things that are not straightforward life becomes simpler and easier to live.
The Fitness Trio Observational studies and questionnaires bring out what you and I think without solid evidences or results backing these theories. Coming to conclusions based on these theories are not the basis of a great outcome. When you ask someone about his/her fitness levels they either categorize themselves as poor, medium or extremely fit. But what are the reasonings and conditions that induce this categorization remains a matter of concern. A study on how people report their fitness levels to the actual fitness levels measured by fitness trackers shows the reality of the situation. An international team of scientists have discovered how physically active people assume themselves to be fit compared to how fit they are in reality with the help of fitness tracking devices. How about taking an American, a Brit and a Dutch individual for a walk together for study purpose? While it might sound impossible at least we are close to getting an answer to our questions on fitness. The international research team was shocked to realize that none of the participants were right in their assumption at the end of the study. As a part of the study the American replied that he was as fit as the Dutch or the Brit. This is somewhat equivalent to how older people consider themselves to be as active as the young. Neither are the Americans equally fit nor are the older people equally active. So, must we conclude that both the Americans and the older people are lying? Absolutely not! It’s the perception of the people that change. People in different places and of different age groups reply differently to the same questions. Environment, culture and society play an integral role in defining the perception of individuals. This is clearly proved by the difference in the living styles of people residing in different countries. The American is used to riding cars to work, for errands or elsewhere. Whereas, the Dutch relies on his/her cycle to reach office, do small jobs or even go by foot to get things done sometimes. Understand how even small steps taken to increase activity can lead to better fitness results by visiting www.firsteatright.com where clues on imparting smaller chores to increase health and time management are beautifully laid down. We are well aware that even a few minutes of exercise per day can impact body weight and fitness levels greatly. So, when the Dutch does such chores on a daily basis and though these errands don’t strike him/her as a part of the daily fitness routine ultimately Dutch people remain healthier, fitter and better than the American. A Small Insight on the Study The study involved 540 participants from the United States, 748 participants from Netherlands and 254 from England. Participants were aged 18 years and above and were asked to measure their fitness levels on a five-point scale between inactive to very active. They were also asked to wear a fitness tracker in their hand to measure their activity level over a week. While the Brits and Dutch gauged themselves somewhere in the middle of the scale the Americans’ ratings were either of the two extremes- either very inactive or very active. The study clearly showed Americans to be less active than the Dutch and English. They were in fact twice as much as inactive than the Dutch participants. Older the participant likelier was their chances of remaining inactive. The study too showed that 60% of Americans were inactive, 42% of Dutch were inactive and only 32% of Brits were inactive. In any given country those participants who either perceived themselves to be extremely inactive or extremely active showed maximum changes in the fitness tracker results. With health and physical activity becoming an indispensable part of human life it is necessary to take caution and double check things relating to fitness before coming to conclusions. Also, rather than relying on an individual’s opinion it is better to confirm it with the use of devices or instruments that can measure fitness levels. With more choices comes more confusion! One or two oils were used in cooking earlier but now we see dedicated sections for oils in supermarkets. People are perplexed over the choices and finally land in more trouble than before. Health and lifestyle shape our lives and the foods that you choose have a direct impact on heart health. Excluding unhealthy foods is important but even more important is including foods that are rich in nutrients. Nutrients doesn’t include only fruits, veggies and nuts but is an umbrella term for all macronutrients, micronutrients and food groups. People are even more confused when it comes to fats. Articles talk about healthy fats, trans fats and saturated fats that are unhealthy and advise people to include a portion of healthy fat each day. This has taken people by surprise as they wonder how fats can be differentiated as healthy or unhealthy. Understand the role of cholesterol in your life and how it can take away good health by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com.
Boils Down to Oil Use Cooking includes adding ingredients, seasonings and spices but let me ask you a simple question. What’s the base on top of which all these are added? Its none other than oil! The choice of your oil can make or break your dish adding health or making it unhealthy. Replacing saturated and trans fat (bad fats) with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (healthier fats) is good for the heart. Experts suggest using non-tropical vegetable oils instead of solid fats such as butter or tropical oils such as palm oil. There has also been data showing that replacing saturated/trans fat with poly/monounsaturated fats resulted in a 29% dip in heart disease risk. When such are the advantages, why not choose the oils carefully and cook food accordingly to experience maximized benefits? Given here is a complete list of cooking oils that contain ‘healthy’ fats in increased proportion compared to unhealthy fats: Canola oil:This oil not only contains maximum quantity of unsaturated fats including omega-3 fats but also has the lowest level of saturated fat. A study published in a renowned journal showed that replacing saturated fats with canola oil reduces total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels. This oil is made from the rapeseed plants widely cultivated in Canada. It has a neutral flavor and can be used in different ways right from baking and frying to making sautéing and dressing salads. Olive Oil: Of course, olive oil is healthy as it occupies a prominent role in Mediterranean diets and contains the high amounts of monounsaturated fats. This oil is obtained from the fruit of the olive tree, a tree commonly found in the Mediterranean regions. Refined or pure olive oil is better suited for cooking at high temperature (such as frying) than extra-virgin olive oil which starts to burn at increased temperatures. The oils are used for making pizzas, added to dips or used for frying and salad dressing depending on people’s choices. Peanut Oil:This is the oil made from the nut of the peanut plant. Peanut oil is high in monounsaturated fats and low in saturated fats, but the same oil has been shown to clog arteries in animals. It contains more saturated fats compared to other healthy oils suggested yet this can be included in making dishes that require withstanding high heat. Safflower Oil:Procured from the safflower plant this oil is used widely for cooking purpose. It’s said to contain chemicals that can thin blood and prevent a clot and also lower BP levels. On the whole, it is said to lower the risk of heart disease and cholesterol levels. Soybean Oil:Soybean oil is extracted from the soybean plant and used to lower total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels. It contains essential fatty acids and promotes good health. Sunflower Oil:Pressed from the seeds of the sunflower this oil is used to lower LDL cholesterol levels. It contains more of monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. This can withstand high heat and is often used for frying purpose. A combination of any of these oils is what is sold as ‘vegetable’ oil. There are other oils such as avocado, rice bran and sesame which are also healthier, but the problem is that they are quite expensive and also not commonly found. A good rule of thumb is to choose oils that contain less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon and no partially hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Also, its better to explore the various oils mentioned here and taste them before finalizing on your day-to-day ones. Each of these have a distinct flavor and taste and the preference varies according to the individual’s choice. Enjoy a great dish made with any of these oils-use them in stir fries, drizzle over foods, make your salad dressing, season them, use them instead of butter and even bake foods with them. Stroke doesn’t come with much warning and doesn’t leave the person with much time too to seek help before causing worse nightmares, disabling the person permanently or leaving him/her with a whirlwind of problems. Stroke is nothing but an interruption of blood flow to the brain which results in loss of neurological functions. This interruption, when it is in the form of blockage results in ischemic stroke-the most-common form of stroke in more than 85% of stroke-affected people. Sooner that blood flow to the brain is restored better it is for the individual. Lack of oxygen and nutrients puts the brain cells at an increased risk of damage or death. This damage is irreversible mostly and might be cognitive, physical or mental damage.
Re-routing Blood Flow to the Brain The percentage of damage or recovery in a stroke-affected person depends on how quickly the condition is identified. Such a clause doesn’t surprise us when FAST is used as an acronym to identify stroke occurrence in people where it stands for Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time to call emergency services. Be fast to understand FAST and take the necessary action (if you wish to know what it is, please visit the website www.firsteatright.com) immediately to save the patient. But once stroke is identified quickly physicians can save the patient with the help of clot-busting drugs and other procedures to enable continuous blood flow to the brain. The damage to brain cells doesn’t stop where the blood flow is cut off but the damage continues to spread rapidly unless preventive measures are taken. The area surrounding the dying region (penumbra) can be saved when blood flow is normalized and further damage might be prevented henceforth. Physical Clot Removal While the physical removal of blockage for up to six hours after stroke is advantageous to the patient and has been approved a new trial wanted to find out whether the same advantages hold good and if it is possible to remove the clot safely up to 16 hours after stroke in a patient. Of the 182 participants 92 of them were randomly assigned to receive both thrombectomy and standard medical therapy while another 90 of them received medical therapy (control) alone. All the participants were examined at the beginning, the next day after randomization, after discharge from the hospital and at 30 and 90 days respectively. It was found that three months after the procedure fewer patients (14%) who had their clot removal procedure done died compared to controls (26%). Almost 45% patients who received thrombectomy were more functionally independent compared to 17% of controls. On a positive note, neither of the two groups faced any serious side effects. Though the study was to be pursued for a longer period there was no need for it as the team could identify overwhelming benefits from the clot removal procedure. The study results show that such physical intervention to remove blood clot has a positive effect on people curbing their risk to death or permanent disability. While stroke exists as a condition which needs immediate intervention to save the patient’s life, the new research comes as a pleasant surprise to all of us as this provides physicians with a possibility to treat it even hours after the initial symptoms. Everything has got its pros and cons in life and so does thrombolysis. While minor risks involve bruising the punctured site in the neck or groin in the affected limb major risks involve the risk of blood clot travelling deeper into the artery or vein or maybe even an injury to the affected area after treatment. There are possibilities of bleeding too as a result of thrombolysis and thrombectomy and when this is the case, the treatment must be stopped immediately. Recreation is the most sought-after word by people of all generations and of any age group. Life is a game which some play to win while some play to enjoy the course of the game rather than the win. In between winning and losing are the events that make it interesting. For some, recreation is about swimming, movies, reading or exercising but for some others recreational activities transports them to yet another world-it might include smoking, drinking or drugs of which marijuana is the most preferred one.
Marijuana or cannabis gives you a ‘high’ feeling and might even get you addicted. Mostly used for recreational or medicinal purpose the use of this drug has been approved in certain countries worldwide for its medicinal property. There is much evidence backing the use of marijuana for treating chronic pain and muscle spasm but only limited evidence exists for their advantage in reducing nausea during chemotherapy, improving appetite in HIV/AIDS patients or for improved sleep. There are some who suggest using cannabis for treating arthritis, anorexia, migraine and glaucoma when other treatments fail. Soothes the Heart but Breaks its Function Smoking marijuana or eating it is a pleasure and once someone is habituated its extremely difficult to break the addiction. Your mood is elevated and you feel as though you are at the top of the world for a few hours after consuming it. The happiness and advantages stop right there. Using marijuana is a tricky affair. A research presented at the American Heart Association shows that active marijuana doubles the risk of stress cardiomyopathy especially in younger men. Active marijuana users were 2-times likelier to suffer from stress cardiomyopathy compared to others despite considering other cardiovascular risk factors. The researchers analyzed this by seeking the medical history of the patients or with the help of a marker in the patient’s urine. Stress cardiomyopathy occurs when emotional or physical stress causes heart muscle weakness. This reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood resulting in chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. Heart-breaking Study The research team analyzed data of more than 33,000 patients who were hospitalized for stress cardiomyopathy between 2003 and 2011. Of the total participants only 210 were marijuana users. Although the statistics showed less than 1% marijuana users, most of them were younger males with reduced risk factors such as decreased BP risk, diabetes and cholesterol compared to non-users. Although these younger males suffered from fewer cardiovascular risk factors compared to non-users they were likelier to suffer from cardiac arrest and require an implanted defibrillator to correct abnormal heart rhythms on a comparative basis. Likewise, marijuana users were more likely than non-users to suffer from depression, psychosis, alcoholism, anxiety disorder, tobacco use and multiple substance abuse. The existence of any of these risk factors can increase the risk of stress cardiomyopathy and the researchers adjusted for these before linking marijuana use with stress cardiomyopathy. To Use or Not to Use Medical marijuana is approved in different countries and many more are awaiting an approval for use in the healthcare sector. When such is the case, researches like this that talk about the dangers lurking ahead of the use of marijuana create unrest among people. Know more about medical marijuana by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. It cannot be misinterpreted that there is no harm in consuming cannabis and advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Researchers are also concerned that we must not take a hasty decision when it comes to medical marijuana as it has proven to be helpful in chemotherapy treatments. Medical potential is abundant, but regulations are not many which makes it difficult to exactly understand how much marijuana is not too much. We need much more research and insight into this drug’s effect to appreciate its advantages and minimize risks. Rewards motivate us to work harder and smarter. Mankind has always been interested in doing things that lead to beneficial outcomes and selfishness has been the triggering factor in most cases. Newton’s third law of motion that ‘Every action has an equal and opposite reaction’ has once again been proved to be right to the dot in terms of nutrition and fitness too!
Cause & Effect Weight loss involves training vigorously, eating diet foods and leading an active lifestyle as its baseline. Every nutritionist and dietitian insist primarily on following portion control irrespective of the physical activity involved. Time and again various studies have proved that diet overpowers exercise in determining weight loss effects greatly. The common man reads about nutrition, health and fitness in newspapers and magazines every now and then but doesn’t take it to the mind strongly. Beyond the age-old concept of diet and exercise involved in assuring good health the latest study gives a new dimension to this. It shows how exercise affects diet preferences and alters a man’s food choices. More surprising is the fact that a woman’s diet preferences remain unaltered by exercise. There have been studies previously which have focused on how physical activity imposes the individual to make healthy diet choices but there have been none until now which focused on the gender-based differences in diet choices post-exercising. Study on Rats The study group involved both male and female rats which were divided into two mixed-sex groups where one group were given access to a running wheel (exercise group) and the other group were denied access (sedentary group) to the same. During the first week of study both groups received the same standard diet but during the second week it was replaced by three different diets (high-fat diet, high-sucrose diet and high-cornstarch diet) all of which contained the same amount of protein. This diet was accessible to the rats for a period of four weeks during which male and female sedentary rats chose to eat the high-fat diet compared to other diets. In the exercise group the choice of the male rats was different after these rats performed physical activity, but the female rats showed no changes in diet choices. Exercising female rats continued to eat high-fat diets in fact tended to consume slightly more calories than sedentary rats but exercising male rats started choosing high-sucrose or high-cornstarch diet moving away from the high-fat diet. The gut microbiota too showed differences between male and female rats on analyzing fecal samples of the exercising group proving that the gut microbiota might hold an upper hand in contributing to the sex-dependent dietary choices to exercise. Analysis of the brains of these rats showed that male and female rats showed differences in reward-related mRNA expression. Females possess a higher capacity for reward. Hence, running might satisfy hunger in males but the same encourages females to opt for high-fat foods. While the study group expected to witness huge differences in dietary choices between sedentary and exercising rats it was the different choice of foods between the sexes that surprised them more. Grassroot Differences Logically it is imperative to eat a healthy diet after exercising to double the goodness and reap beneficial results. A good dose of activity along with healthy food is a sure-shot way to weight loss. For a healthy diet plan suiting your requirements please get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. The main motive of exercising is to maintain good health. Healthy food choices supplement your ideas and even the mind prompts you to choose foods that are not high in fats or sugars as your motive gets disrupted otherwise. The choice of high-fat foods by female rats comes as an unusual twist to the tale suggesting researchers to look more closely into both men and women during studies instead of going by the usual practice of mostly choosing men for studies. The female’s higher capacity for reward too plays a primary role in modifying their choice of foods post-exercising. |
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Dr. Nafeesa Imteyaz of First Eat Right clinic, is the Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Bangalore. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Pune. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Hyderabad. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Chennai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Mumbai. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Delhi. Best Dietitian Nutritionist in Kolkata.