Tomorrow is the dawn of a new beginning and the start of a new year filled with hope, ambitions, positive vibes and happiness. For many, it sets the platform for their aspirations and goals. It is an opportunity for each of us, somewhat like a blank slate, which can be filled with good things, new resolutions and accomplishments. We fervently make our own resolutions for the forthcoming year but statistics are pretty bleak on its success rate-less than 10% of resolutions are kept by the end of year and almost 25% of them fail before 15 January. Still, its enchanting to come up with some new resolution every year and this tradition is in fact much older than establishment of the Christian festival or even placing the new year in the middle of the freezing winter. It started with the Babylonians some 4,000 years ago where people promised to repay their debts and return borrowed objects. Egyptians, made sacrifices at the beginning of their year in July and in return prayed for good fortune and rich harvests. Romans started their year with promises made to Janus, the God after whom the first month is named. Some knights took oaths to renew their commitment to chivalry and a 17th-century Scotswoman wrote in her diary to pursue Biblical versus such as ‘I will not offend anyone’ as the starting point for resolutions (https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/01/05/the-origin-of-new-years-resolutions). While the means might be different the ideology behind the resolution remains the same-reflect upon self-improvement once a year!
Typical Resolutions Taken Isn’t it always losing weight or eating healthy food that tops the list of new resolutions taken every year? If you wonder why, each of us are overloaded with plum cakes, booze, cookies, salted greasy food and more following Christmas and New Year eve party which makes many of us inclined towards taking resolutions that are often health-driven after such elaborate partying and eating. Millions of people worldwide take resolutions to exercise more, eat better, drink less and lose weight but a study from the University of Bristol shows that 88% of people fail to meet them. Most common reasons for profound failure include setting unrealistic goals, failing from tracking our progress rates and forgetting. Also, most of the resolutions taken are those that we haven’t been able to accomplish in the last couple of years-they are challenging and hence we take them up as New Year resolutions which makes us doubt our own capability to accomplish them! Some of the top resolutions taken on this basis include losing weight, getting fit, quit smoking, drink less, eat healthier, learn something new, get out of debt, spend time with family, travel more, be less stressed, volunteer, make new friends and spend less time on electronic gadgets (http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2040218,00.html). Where there is a Will, There is a Way Though statistics are blank and discouraging the New Year is indeed the time to work towards making positive changes in life. To overcome mistakes, we need to learn the cause behind them. If you think, sticking to resolutions requires sacrifices from our end in the present to reap benefits in the future. For instance, eating a corn salad for snacks might be boring now when you are given an option to choose French fries but in the long-term your choice helps you become healthier. Research shows that people give into temptations about 1 in 5 times they try to resist and this number can increase even more when they are tired, stressed or busy. Our brains overvalue immediate pleasures rather than pursuing future ones. This is where willpower comes into picture. Each of us are blessed with this quality and only when we use it can we overcome our desire for immediate pleasure to stick to our long-term goals. Besides willpower, emotion is another important quality for succeeding in our resolutions. When we place more value on our future gains the emotions make persevering towards those goals much easier-we spend more time on tasks, don’t procrastinate, reduce impulsive behavior and enhance performance of the job. Relying on emotions surely does help you fulfill your promises which helps you look at the year with joy and a sense of pride for accomplishing your goals rather than seeing yourself as a failure once again. Before you take up a resolution it is always necessary to think why you would like to take up the goal and if you are taking it up for every right reason. Taking things at the spur of the moment will not last long. Whereas, if you think hard about your needs and pursue something that helps you restructure your life for the better you surely have a good chance at accomplishing it. You can take up big goals that might be life-changing and this might even influence the people around you to encourage and motivate you for fulfilling your dream. Work towards the goal by making daily to-do lists that help you feel accomplished by the end of day. Measure your progress by checking out the list and if the goal is something that cannot be measured in numbers split them into smaller ones that can be tracked for progress. During this process don’t be disappointed when you are not able to stick to your schedule a couple of days. Failures are part and parcel of life and we indeed learn things only when we fail. Ponder upon your reasons for failing to keep up with your promise, correct them and move forward with enthusiasm. Why Not Take Up Micro-resolutions? If you can’t stick to one big resolution all through the year why don’t you try something different this year? Choose 12 small resolutions for each month and accomplish them (https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2019/12/26/ditch-the-new-years-resolution-for-monthly-goals--12-ideas-to-improve-your-career/#5a7a7a724401). It’s much easier to focus and dedicate your time to smaller goals for a 4-week period. Following it for a month is a long enough time for making it a habit in your life. The 12 resolutions can be 12 bad habits that you would like to eliminate from your life or 12 habits that you would like to add to your life. Generally, adding good habits is more pleasant and satisfying compared to cutting off bad ones. Good habits could involve anything like meditation, reading poetry, sleeping for 8 hours during night for the entire month, communicating with nature, listening actively to your child/family without getting distracted with mobiles/television, moving more through the day, adding more fresh fruits and vegetables to your daily intake or showing gratitude to a different person daily for all 30 days. When you do something for a month it becomes a habit and you are likelier to follow it thereon. For instance, when you eat fruits and vegetables you tend to correct your eating habits pursuing the right path towards eating healthier. The small goal has paved way for achieving bigger goals automatically. Maybe this year each of you could set the stage for 12 small goals that can be followed, sustained through the period and would make you a much better person in life. References Here’s How to Crack Your New Year’s Resolutions: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/01/heres-how-to-crack-your-new-years-resolutions 5 Ways to Make a New Year’s Resolution Stick: https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2019/12/28/5-ways-to-make-a-new-years-resolution-stick/#445aa10d5a77 The Secret for Actually Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions , According to Science: https://www.rd.com/culture/secret-keeping-new-years-resolutions/ The Top 3 Reasons New Year’s Resolutions Fail & How yours Can Succeed: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/12/21/the-top-3-reasons-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-how-yours-can-succeed/#203a3b8f6992 Year-long Resolutions Don’t Work. Here’s How to Make 12 ‘Micro-resolutions’ Instead: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/27/health/mini-monthly-new-years-resolution-part-two-wisdom-project-wellness/index.html Ditch the New Year’s Resolution for Monthly Goals-12 Ideas to Improve Your Career: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecenizalevine/2019/12/26/ditch-the-new-years-resolution-for-monthly-goals--12-ideas-to-improve-your-career/#5a7a7a724401 Having good fun during the holiday season? Tomorrow is New Year and without doubt many of you would be gearing up for the midnight party bash in full frenzy. This is the time of the year when each of us are overloaded with cheesy cream cakes, plum cakes, rich dishes and thick desserts that still linger in our minds from the joyous Christmas party and we look forward to a grand entry into another great year with pompous celebration. Holidays indeed are for fantabulous fun with family and friends alongside yummy dishes that gratify our heart. The butter cookies, roasted chicken and more entrapped with fat, salt and sugar can surely make each of us overindulge in the vast array of dishes. Oh, we have not yet introduced the main element of parties and celebrations these days-our favourite booze that’s often advertised to be available aplenty in any of the parties. This deadly combination of fats, salt and booze can lead to what we term now as the ‘holiday heart syndrome’.
Oh Dear, What Can the Matter Be? Holiday Heart Syndrome is a term that was first used in the year 1978 to describe the patients whose numbers rapidly increased during the holiday season admitted for irregular heart rhythms called as atrial fibrillation or AFib. Festive seasons witness the absence of numerous physicians at hospitals as all of us indeed need a break from our hectic work schedule but it’s also the time when a greater number of people are admitted for several reasons. For instance, Diwali is the time of year when hospitals witness more cases of fire-related burns than any other time; wedding seasons bring about ample food poisoning cases that’s relevant to the meals served at marriage ceremonies and now, we have this syndrome that’s the result of overconsumption of food and alcohol. Atrial fibrillation is nothing but a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can result in blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Most people describe the feeling as though the heart skips a beat, bangs against the chest wall or flutters rapidly in the chest and this is mostly accompanied by lightheadedness, shortness of breath and chest pain. AFib puts the individual at a 5-fold increased risk of stroke and doubles the risk of heart-related deaths. So, while holiday heart syndrome can affect a perfectly normal individual with no heart problems it poses even greater risk to those with existing heart disease. In general, consumption of alcohol poses a threat to heart health and overconsumption during the holiday season increase the risk of atrial fibrillation in holiday heart syndrome that can also lead to release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Holidays typically revolve around good food that’s not just one meal during the season but a continuum of eating, drinking and repeating it that’s totally misaligned with your regular food habits and activity levels. Such increased food and alcohol intake double the risk of heart failure in those who are susceptible or already suffer from heart problems. While typically, the recommended levels stand at one drink for women and two for men the holiday season brings about more than 3-4 glasses of alcohol consumption that surely puts you at an increased risk for health issues. Moderation is the Key Start planning ahead of the holiday season. If you are the host ensure to take care of all the arrangements well before time else the stress can bust your happiness and the lack of sleep can once again increase stress levels. Plan the day, your commitments to a party and celebration well in advance. If you are visiting your friend’s place for dinner have a light lunch, indulge in some physical exercise and get a good night’s rest before you go. Be conscious about the intake of alcohol, don’t gobble up sweet treats, control portion sizes and have everything in moderation. Enjoy your food and drink slowly relishing every mouthful of it. This would help you avoid overindulging in your favourite chocolate mousse or cocktail booze. If you do have a couple of commitments over the same day it might result in binge drinking-a glass at your office party, one at your neighbour’s place and another one at your own! Go for a fresh fruit drink, choose a mocktail or go for a glass of soda at any of these places rather than indulging in alcohol at all places. Otherwise, there are classic chances that you might end up at the hospital with some discomfort in your heart. A complete elaboration on how to eat during the holiday season is just a click away at www.firsteatright.com. ![]() Food is divine and the love for eating is omnipresent. Sitting on the floor and eating meals was the unwritten law followed in earlier days. With the advent of dining tables and chairs the concept of sitting down on the ground for a meal has almost vanished from our culture and even kids hesitate to take a seat on a mat considering it to be below their dignity. But as we progress into a super-fast world where even time for a healthy breakfast is lacking our outlook on the way we eat also keeps changing. Its not new to see young adults rapidly gobbling up food (cooked with love and affection by their moms) on their way to college or office. Where is the time for them to sit down at the table with their family and finish breakfast before heading out? Its almost unimaginable as kids and adults these days finish their food on the go in a standing position. I agree that standing has become the latest trend-standing at work, standing while talking over the phone or even standing and having meetings. But haven’t we heard our moms and grandmas plead with us to take a seat, eat the food and then proceed with our VIP work? Alas, have we ever paid heed to their golden words? Never! But now, we have a new study that proves that food tastes better when we are sitting down. The study focused on how the vestibular sense that’s responsible for balance, posture and spatial orientation interacts with the gustatory sense that controls taste and flavor. Researchers confirmed this by recruiting 350 participants who rated the tastiness of a pita chip either in a standing or sitting position. It was observed that those who were standing gave it a less favourable rating than those sitting in a padded chair. Again, the researchers provided the participants with bite-sized brownies at a restaurant which they commented to be delicious, especially by those who were sitting down. The baker was told to add an extra serving of salt to make the brownie taste unpleasant. Again, when both the sitting and standing participants were served with the salted brownie those standing found it to be much tastier than previously compared to those who were seated. The standing participants couldn’t even decipher the change in taste in the brownie served as they were in a standing posture. On a lighter note, maybe its time for parents to make their children eat healthy, tasteless foods in a standing position! Or even consume your bitter medications while standing! The same participants were made to taste fruit snacks at a grocery stop with handful of bags. This created additional stress which made those standing and sitting to report negative comments on the fruit snacks. Hot cups of coffee served made those standing lack much insight into the steaming nature of the beverage but led them to reduced consumption of the same compared to those sitting. Maybe, eating while standing can lead to reduced consumption and increased weight loss? But of course, there is increased stress placed on the heart making it to pump more blood. Standing position causes stress muting taste buds-that’s because, there is more focus placed on the stress hormone cortisol which decreases sensory sensitivity decreasing taste perception and in turn, overall consumption. If you are interested in knowing more about cortisol’s effect on our body please visit www.firsteatright.com. Folks, its better to sit down and have a meal patiently than to rush with it in a standing posture. After all, we earn to live well and what’s there to life than eating a peaceful meal that provides us with health and nutrients for a good quality of life? ![]() January is fast approaching which means each of us are ready with our New Year goals. The latest craze besides losing weight or exercising is to embark on a vegetarian or a vegan diet. This might be an inspiration from your favourite celebrity or an inner enlightenment and many of you would be feverishly hoping that this switch over is rewarding and smooth. Becoming a vegan is advantageous to your health, benefits the environment and sounds ethical too from the perspective of many individuals and, according to a research from the University of Oxford going vegan is the single best way to reduce your impact on the planet. But doing something new and different evokes displeasure and anger-veganism is no exception. Though this might not be looked upon with as much contempt and hostility as shown to racism, sexism or likewise vegans are found to be annoying, preachy, unsettling and hypocritical. Another reason why many people loathe vegans is because these group of milk- and meat-haters are the perfect examples of how confused some people are about food choices and how illogical decisions might evolve out of this confusion. Vegetarianism has its roots in our country but veganism is a new concept that’s surprised everyone in the world, almost becoming some kind of a diet fad but one that’s here to last forever. We are familiar with the concept of vegetarianism that includes avoiding animal-based food and the individuals consume milk and milk-derived products. Veganism means avoiding animal-based foods, milk, milk products, honey, eggs and anything else that’s obtained from animals. Hmmmmm…There is so much to compromise and so much to lose when you plan to go about a new route in life! But most people pursue a vegan diet for health-related benefits-helps primarily in avoiding saturated fats present in animal products and dairy and reduces risk of cholesterol, obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension. You are promised a lower BMI, lower LDL levels and overall better health when you choose to consume a diet rich in dietary fibre, antioxidants, folate and phytochemicals by eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and beans. Studies also show that a vegan diet reduces risk of heart disease (probably due to decreased red meat consumption) and lowers risk of diabetes and even cancer but what about studies that show that vegetarians/vegans might also become victims of certain nutrient deficiencies due to avoidance of all animal-based products? Though the British Dietetic Association agrees that a well-planned plant-based diet can be healthy at every stage it is necessary to understand the important glitches and come up with reliable solutions (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sophiemedlin/2019/09/19/do-vegans-need-supplements-how-to-thrive-on-a-plant-based-diet/#726b8a7b3751). We are more bothered about what can be removed from our diet to incorporate a goal and the focus is least on what should be included in higher proportions for better health. While it is not impossible to attain optimal nutrition from a plant-based diet there are a few key nutrients that are hard to procure on a plant-based diet and even harder to come up with the right intake of supplements for the lacking nutrients. Common Nutrients that Remain Insufficient in Most Vegans Vitamin B12: Besides vitamin D, vitamin B has become one of the common nutrients that’s been lacking in most individuals these days. A nutrient that’s essential for brain function and an effective nervous system it’s the most-common nutrient that’s lacking among vegans as there are zero sources of naturally occurring B vitamin from plants. Ironically, the deficiency is not found any soon as the body has a support system on its own to manage vitamin B levels up to 6 months only after which symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, restlessness, weight loss and lack of desire to eat arise. This nutrient is present in abundant in nutritional yeast, fortified ready-to-eat cereals, soy milk, eggs, dairy and fish. Hence, vegans do need to take supplements regularly if they don’t consume other sources of this valuable vitamin after consulting with their doctor. Protein: Don’t be surprised as we all do know that plant-based protein sources are available but what individuals lack would be to get enough amino acids. Pulses, lentils, legumes, nuts and seeds are good vegan sources but missing out on their intake can lead to serious protein deficiency when an individual doesn’t eat eggs, meat and dairy too. The essential fatty acids required for brain health are concentrated in eggs, meat and dairy and hence, vegans must take algae supplements to compensate for it. Calcium: Individuals on a plant-based diet are at a higher risk of fractures and lost bone health as calcium is most-concentrated in milk and milk-based foods such as cheese and paneer. Besides dairy there are other sources (kale, turnip, broccoli and bok choy) but the problem is that these are not well absorbed by the body and can lead to deficiency. Calcium supplements is recommended for all vegans, especially pregnant women and children. Iron: This nutrient can be obtained from two sources-heme (animal-based foods) and non-heme (plant-based foods) iron and its absorption levels depend on the source from which the nutrient is procured. So, despite the presence of ample plant-based sources of iron our body is less able to absorb it leaving the individual feeling tired, weak and fatigued. One solution is to combine your iron-rich plant-based foods with vitamin C-rich diets to maximize absorption. For instance, drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice along with iron-fortified breakfast cereal. Vitamin D: This is a nutrient that’s commonly lacking in a majority of individuals, especially vegans as it is not present in any of the vegan diets. Sunshine is the primary source of vitamin D besides which there are only a few food sources, primarily animal sources, such as cheese, eggs, tuna and milk that supplement our needs. Zinc: Zinc is limited in plant-based foods and even when consumed its absorption is also restricted. Vegans can choose from fermented soya, whole grains and nuts while fortified cereals, cashews, yogurt, pumpkin seeds and chickpeas are also good sources. Iodine: this nutrient is needed for making thyroxine, a thyroid hormone required for normal growth. Its main sources are dairy, eggs and fish and vegans are at a definite risk of deficiency. While plants grown in iodine-enriched soil are proposed to be good sources the information is unreliable (https://www.forbes.com/sites/sophiemedlin/2019/09/19/do-vegans-need-supplements-how-to-thrive-on-a-plant-based-diet/#49dfade13751). It is better to take supplements to fulfil the needs. A vegan diet has been proposed for weight loss but one needs to keep in mind that many of them can overconsume biscuits, cakes, chips and beer while reducing consumption of fruits and vegetables. Many are very thin and this can be disadvantageous in old age; they are at a 30% increased risk of bone fracture due to lower bone density (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/dec/18/doctors-warn-vegans-to-take-risks-of-vitamin-b12-deficiency-seriously) and at a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and diverticular disease of the colon. Substitute rightly, eat the specified quantities and enjoy what you eat. Some nutrients do need supplements and please don’t choose one on your own. Get in touch with a nutritionist or health expert before choosing supplements and it’s even better to get their opinion before turning into a vegan. Meet them once a while to review your health and to ensure that you are getting a good supply of all the nutrients required for a healthy body. References The Four Nutrients Vegans are Most Likely to Miss: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/the-four-nutrients-vegans-are-most-likely-to-miss-20190501-p51izq.html Not Getting Essential Nutrients in a Vegan Diet? Food Hacks to be Kept in Mind: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/not-getting-essential-nutrients-in-a-vegan-diet-food-hacks-to-be-kept-in-mind/articleshow/62898341.cms Deficiencies Veganism can Lead to & Ways to Deal with Them: https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/society-news-beware-the-losses/301076 The 14 Things You Need to Know Before You Go Vegan: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/19/the-14-things-you-need-to-know-before-you-go-vegan ![]() The quality of relationship with your spouse has a great effect on your emotional stability. Men and women enter into a marital agreement promising to stand by each other in times of happiness, sadness, health and sickness. Once the ceremonies are over and they start living, marital bliss seems to fade away slowly, expectations from each other rise, the feeling of contentment minimizes and frustrations starts to set. Some way or the other, its mostly women who are unhappy with their partner. Men too feel deceived in quite many aspects but don’t vent it out on their wife but quietly succumb to smoking or drinking. Marriage can lengthen lifespan but it does depend on how successful it is. A failed marriage might only increase stress levels. Read more about marriage and its effect on health by visiting www.firsteatright.com. Women long for attention and love being pampered. Men can never understand a woman’s wishes howsoever they try to please the lady of the house. Otherwise too, men are completely involved with their office work, board meetings and friends that many of them don’t pay any attention to the so-called love of their life. Working or unemployed, every woman wishes to spend quality time with her husband, maybe go for a dinner, communicate with each other, share their day’s experiences and fall asleep with contentment. Many women are not blessed enough for such pleasures in life which makes them unhappy. During such situations women too look out for other ways to keep themselves engaged which would help them stop thinking about their ruined marriage. Working women focus more on their career, some start becoming shopaholics, some others try spending as much time as possible with their friends and for those women with kids, their child becomes the most important person in their life. It is not a rarity to see married women speak incessantly with their child treating him/her as a grown up. It is a well-known fact that the quality of a couple’s relationship has a strong impact on the child’s development with respect to behaviour, education and character. Also, the arrival of a child can strain a couple’s relationship as they have lesser time to spend with each other, lesser dinner dates and heart-to-heart conversations as both parents are busy spending time with their little bundle of joy. What remains a mystery is the impact of a couple’s relationship on parent-infant talk. How a Couple’s Relationship Affects Parent-Infant Talks Researchers from the Centre for Family Research at the University of Cambridge studied 93 parents and their interaction with their infants. Each of the parents were asked to rate their quality of relationship with their better half and each of the infants were fitted with a ‘talk pedometer’ that recorded all the parent-infant talks that happened over the course of day when both parents were at home. They used a software to analyse the number of words spoken by each parent to the child. Results showed that higher dissatisfied mothers spoke more to their infant. When the mom states the quality of relationship as ‘low’ she used 35% more words than those mothers who stated their relationship to be ‘average’ (they initiated 20% more conversations). But such changes or increased conversation was present only when the infant was a male child. What we don’t know here is the content of the conversation-whether the mom was complaining about her spouse or was carrying on with regular talks that could cheer up the baby. The surprise element in the study is the fact that moms considered their infant sons to be smaller versions of their spouse which led to more conversation with them while they considered infant girls to be smaller versions of themselves. Dads spent lesser time interacting with kids compared to moms irrespective of the child’s gender or quality of their relationship with spouse despite the fact that fathers these days are becoming increasingly interested in parenting. While dads might spend more time hanging around the child decreased interaction could be because of the basic fact that its women who mostly handle the child’s basic care needs such as changing the nappy, feeding or putting the child to sleep. Speaking with children is mandatory-it forms the basis for their language development skills. Rather than occupying them with a smartphone gadget spend more quality time talking with your kids sharing your childhood experiences. Use mealtimes and bedtimes to talk to them, laugh together and make them feel happy and comfortable in your presence. As students, we were introduced to the term ‘chlorophyll’ in our primary years at school and it was the first time when we realized what actually gave plants their green color! Kids love doing role play-based activities and most of them act as teachers, doctors and chefs during the game. Plants too love to be the chef! Just like we use different ingredients to cook up a yummy dish plants too use ingredients to make food. While we go to the market to buy them plants don’t have this option but are smart enough to use the ingredients available in the environment to make food. Plants turn energy into food by a process called photosynthesis which uses chlorophyll along with sunlight to capture and convert energy. Guess all of you are transformed to your primary school days where we used to draw a sun, a green plant, make some arrows and mark the photosynthesis process that uses chlorophyll. We forgot all about this chlorophyll until recently when our health industry came up with yet another sensational news that chlorophyll water is good for health!
Willing to Bet on the Chlorophyll Pill? Health drinks, energy shakes and nutrient-rich water line supermarket aisles and now you can even find chlorophyll water neatly stacked across many grocery shops. There are numerous theories surrounding the advantages of this water right from helping to detoxify the body to enabling weight loss. Besides water, there are companies fighting against each other with their own miracle chlorophyll supplements available in the form of pills, drops and capsules that they claim to help with odor control, blood detoxification, wound healing, gut health, energy and cancer prevention. Most of these supplements contain chlorophyllin, a water-soluble derivative of natural chlorophyll that’s best absorbed by the body. Though we have raw results showing that chlorophyll can help build red blood cells there are no authentic evidence proving this. The same is with odor control too but we do have better results when it comes to wound healing. Chlorophyll is said to contain antimicrobial activity and animal studies show that it can help in getting rid of the harmful bacteria and maintain healthy bacteria in the gut. With cancer again we do not have authentic evidence showing that the phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables are beneficial for treating against cancer. Chlorophyll water is nothing but purified water that’s fortified with nutrients and vitamins including chlorophyll. Available at juice bars and health outlets this water mainly contains chlorophyllin that’s rich in micronutrients and antioxidants. There are several claims attached to this chlorophyll water. It is believed to help in weight loss, good for the skin, reduce inflammation, has anti-bacterial property to fight against skin infections, is said to be a great detoxification drink, an aid to control tumors (a study shows that liquid chlorophyll binds to carcinogenic molecules in the body and helps to remove them). All these are theories that don’t have definite proofs to back their claims. All said and done, we do have sure insights that chlorophyll has beneficial effects on the body but the only disadvantage is that we don’t have evidences. With such benefits its always suggested to take chlorophyll-rich foods along with the diet rather than choosing to eat pills, water and supplement that don’t have the FDA approval nor have a clean chit about their list of ingredients. Some of the natural foods that are great sources of chlorophyll include dark green veggies such as broccoli, spinach, beans, peas, cabbage, spirulina and asparagus. Apart from being rich in chlorophyll these veggies are also full of nutrients that can keep you healthy! Get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who can help you plan a healthy and well-balanced diet plan suiting your requirements and body conditions. The smartphone hangs every time my child downloads a game and I can’t stand the scene when my in-laws help my child play the game or teach a new one! This irritates me strongly and I do believe there are many others like me who wish their lives weren’t complicated by these electronic gadgets. Mobile games have robbed us of our precious time and it’s not only kids and young adults who are addicted to these game formats but even those above middle-age and the elderly population who spend a major portion of their leisure time playing different online games. Gaming has become a multi-billion industry and companies are reaping bigger benefits out of this as staying mentally sharp is the biggest concern for everyone, especially the ageing population. While it might be confusing as how games can promote cognitive skills there are ‘Brain Health’ companies that come up with interesting gaming concepts to trigger your grey matter in terms of memory, attention, processing speed, mental flexibility and problem solving.
Gaming as a Two-Way Switch Games have been promoted not only for improving cognitive skills but also as a tool for identifying cognitive decline. If you take time and think for a second, gaming in fact needs your overall attention, demands the individual to be shrewd enough to overcome the hurdles that crop up and requires eye-hand coordination to succeed. Now, a new research by a group of researchers at the University of Kent shows that popular mobile games can now help physicians to serve as a means to detect cognitive decline which can even help in diagnosing conditions such as dementia. The research team included 21 healthy participants who were asked to take up a paper-based cognitive assessment test and 10-minute gaming session that included playing Fruit Ninja, Candy Crush Saga and Tetris (the researchers consciously selected these games as they are simple, easy to learn and also involve intensive interactions using a series of gestures) over two separate periods separated by a fortnight. The researchers used certain aspects to study cognitive performance and this included pattern of tap, swipe and rotational gestures. The information on cognitive performance using these parameters was collected using sensors installed in the mobile phones. These sensors provided a detailed information on the participants’ ability to perform visuo-spatial and visual search tasks besides checking for their memory, mental flexibility and attention span. The researchers were able to conclude that mobile games were indeed a great way to measure cognitive abilities or rather disabilities in an individual, especially those who are affected by conditions such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive-disorder. Learn more about dementia and how it impacts the quality of life of the patient and those attending the patient by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. The same study also shows that these games serve as a means to identify athletes affected by traumatic brain injuries such as boxers, rugby and football players. But in any case, it is crucial that the condition is detected at an early stage to offer effective treatment and prevention strategies. The main advantage of this strategy is that the individual is engaged in the assessment procedure, cooperates for regular tests and the test can also be customized to test for specific cognitive abilities. The researchers now are looking forward to design an algorithm that can carry out automatic monitoring of individuals’ cognitive performance while playing these games. So, maybe cognitive performance can also be added as a part of the annual routine healthy check-up package to understand your brain health. ![]() “Marriages are made in heaven” but they indeed happen in Earth only after the girl and the boy agree to get married which could be in their late 20s, early 30s or even late 30s. Kids these days are impossible-they want to get a taste of everything in life before they submit to enter a nuptial agreement. While education and graduation were followed by marriage proposals for young women with men agreeing to marry once they settle down with a decent salary post family commitment such scenarios have disappeared from today’s world forever. Both men and women resist their parents urge for marriage, try to postpone it as much as possible and even doubt whether such lifelong commitments and responsibilities are their cup of tea. This puts the parents in gloom as they have not yet found a suitable bride/groom for their kid and there are even questions on fertility issues and pregnancy is at stake in many cases. On the other side, even married couples these days wish to enjoy their days together, travel around the world, party hard and work harder building a stable financial foundation for their family before planning for a baby. This makes them procrastinate their plans to go the family way. It’s no surprise that chances of pregnancy slim down as the woman’s age increases which is a reason why couples are advised against postponing their pregnancy plans indefinitely. But now, we have a shocking news that surely makes every young adult revisit his/her marriage and family plans immediately! Young and beautiful, my close friend’s daughter finally agreed to a marriage proposal at the ripe age of 29. Planning for the wedding happened in full swing, her mom was delighted with her daughter’s choice of man and all things were happening perfectly. Some few months before the marriage date Divya started experiencing night sweats, hot flushes, mood swings and weight gain all of which were dismissed as effects of the marriage fear. She also started getting irregular menstrual cycles which made her worried mother take her to the gynae who bluntly told her that she was entering menopause. Both, the mom and daughter were shell-shocked upon hearing this as the poor daughter had not even been married yet! Unable to believe this they took the reports to another gynaecologist who reconfirmed the diagnosis. Divya is not the only rare candidate to suffer from an early menopause but there are many other Divya’s in this world suffering from premature menopause. While women around the world enter menopause around 48-54 years of age such sudden menopause some 20 years in advance puts the woman’s life in a turmoil. Doctors report that urbanization and inappropriate lifestyle practices have made women contract menopause as early as 35 years (this is 10 years early compared to mean age of contracting menopause than it was a decade ago) and now there are cases of it in late 20s as well. Physicians have presumptions that only 1% of women suffer from unexplained premature ovarian failure (POF) caused by entering menopause before the age of 40 (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2017022/Why-ARE-young-women-hitting-menopause-New-research-reveals-fertile-years-shorter-feared--women-discovered-.html) but new research suggests that as many as six percent of women (or one in 16) experience premature menopause. And mind you, this was the largest study of this kind that looked into almost 5,000 50-year-old women. Another study in India found that 432 of the 980 women (42% were working women) in the study entered menopause around 30-35 years of age and 216 of them entered around 35-40 years of age. Doctors primarily blame cancers and its treatment procedures that include radiotherapy and chemotherapy for such high rates of premature menopause whose another important cause remains as smoking. Other causes include thyroid problems, mumps, hyperparathyroidism and Addison’s disease. Women who hit menopause at an early age are likelier to suffer from heart conditions and die younger compared to other women. These women also suffer from increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, stroke, colon and ovarian cancer. Its been agreed upon that heredity does play a role in affecting premature menopause and certain genes puts the woman at a higher risk to it. For instance, when your sister suffers from this problem it puts you at a nine-times higher risk to it. Physicians suggest that those women with early menopause should opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to control side effects and protect bone and vascular health. All of this boils down to the very fact that we are in an era that’s dominated by processed foods, sedentary lifestyle and inappropriate eating practices that puts each of us in critical situations such as this. While a girl attained puberty around 14-16 years of age decades ago now children in their fourth or fifth standard start menstruating primarily due to overweight, obesity and a passive lifestyle. They start menstruating sooner than expected and stop menstruating too sooner than expected! All this is sure to change only if we take care to eat a well-balanced diet and perform regular physical activity. References New Scare for Urban Women: Menopause in 20s: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/New-scare-for-urban-women-Menopause-in-20s/articleshow/19312613.cms Premature Menopause on the Rise: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/Premature-menopause-on-the-rise/articleshow/36665763.cms Early Menopause Tied to Heart Risk & Early Death: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-menopause-heart-death-idUSKCN11L2K2 We might lose someone in life but their memories linger on forever making us happy and grateful for being a part of our loved one’s life. In times of despair and sadness we are filled with confidence and hope just by rewinding our brain and re-living our golden days with our special person. Memory helps us in this regard without which life would become a living hell. But old age brings on changes in our physical and mental health which includes diminishing memory as well. While some escape from the clutches of dementia there are some others who become severe victims to it losing out on themselves and the people around. For such people, there is no day and night nor sunshine and rain. We do have research evidences that help us minimize the risk of dementia (including Alzheimer’s) and this includes physical activity, an active lifestyle, solving puzzles and math problems and refraining from keeping the mind idle. But we do have certain other factors that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, the foremost of which is a family history of the disease. While we can do nothing about it there are certain other risk factors that can be avoided and this includes yo-yoing blood pressure levels.
In 2013 there were studies that showed that older people with high blood pressure were likelier to have biomarkers of Alzheimer’s in their spinal fluid. Yet another study showed that with more variation in blood pressure there was a greater risk of dementia. The latest study published in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Hypertension clearly showed that fluctuating blood pressure might be associated with worsened dementia risk in people with Alzheimer’s. This research was done on 460 people who were around 72 years of age and were suffering from ‘mild to moderate’ Alzheimer’s. 1.5 years from baseline, the researchers found that people who displayed maximum blood pressure variability showed a greater decline on the cognitive scale than those with the least amount of variability. Daily variations in BP was available only in the case of 46 participants but even in this group there was clear-cut associations established between variable blood pressure and dementia after one year and not 11/2 years. Altering lifestyles and introducing meds can minimize disease progression but what remains tricky is whether dementia might be a cause for blood pressure variability which presents itself as a risk factor for identifying people with Alzheimer’s. Our brain helps us think, act and react. With the onset of high blood pressure, the small blood vessels in the brain are damaged thereby ruining the parts of the brain that’s responsible for thinking and memory. A report by John Hopkins University published in the journal Neurology brought upon the good news that the use of potassium-sparing diuretics reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s by almost 75% while people who took any antihypertensive medication lowered their risk by about a third. It was also found that individuals who did not suffer from Alzheimer’s and were taking blood pressure medications were less likely to develop dementia. This might be because of better management of blood pressure or because of the fact that the dispensed drug might have properties that diminish other contributing factors of Alzheimer’s. Lowering blood pressure has its own advantages and it is feasible to keep it under control by resorting to a variety of lifestyle adaptations for the better-reducing intake of processed foods, foods rich in sugar, salt and fats and consuming those rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains and nuts; staying on normal weight ranges and engaging in regular physical activity can help people avoid increase in blood pressure rates and fluctuating blood pressure levels too. Get in touch with reputed dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com to help you in the process of planning a diet routine that would keep BP under control. Hence, rather than allowing for BP levels to fluctuate and cause further strain in health it is always better to regulate them in day-today life and avoid suffering from its consequences. ![]() The joy has no bounds when you realize that you are pregnant and your spouse is equally elated. Life is a giant wheel ride where you reach for the stars sometimes or lick the mud at other times! It doesn’t come with a guarantee or a warrantee. So, when someone who has just started enjoying marital bliss gets pregnant unexpectedly (couples spend more time planning for when to conceive these days) or when couples who are already parents of two kids conceive despite protection using contraceptives there arises the usual blame game-spouses blaming each other for being careless about birth control pills or even missing to take the dose! The family goes through emotional breakdowns, arguments, hard feelings and more when a decision regarding the fetus must be made. Actually, it might be the work of your naughty genes that affects your contraception and induces pregnancy. Pregnancy is a blessing and many couples these days fail to conceive naturally. Why don’t you meet RDNs at www.firsteatright.com if you face difficulties trying to conceive naturally as they are always there to help you in a scientific and practical way. Contraceptive’s Effectiveness Too in your Genetic Makeup? When a woman comes and broods over her pregnancy despite being on birth control pills the physician always gives some justification for the failure of the pill, all of it normally blamed onto the woman-maybe she did not take her pill, her method of usage was wrong or something else wasn’t as per plan! But some researchers were not for this and they wanted to find out if there were any other contributing factors for such disturbing effects. There hasn’t been much probing onto this field of a woman’s health and its high time that we start looking out for all other possibilities. To set off the initiative, a group of researchers had 350 women (most of them were in their early 20s) volunteers go for an etonogestrel implant for at least a minimum of 12 months and not more than 36 months. This implant is a small plastic strip inserted into the woman’s skin which releases hormones that prevent pregnancy over the entire course of the 36-month period. The research team measured every woman’s blood concentration of etonogestrel and also sampled her DNA for any specific genetic variants, more specifically on the CYP3A7*1C that could affect hormonal metabolism. The CYP3A7*1C gene is active only in the fetal stage but never during the infant stage. It codes for a protein namely the CYP3A7 during the initial stages of fetal development but later it becomes dormant and gene turns dormant later preventing the expression of the enzyme. But in men and women with the variant, enzyme production continues and the gene never becomes dormant. Researchers found that in their study almost 1 in every 4 women with the CYP3A7*1C genetic variant did not have enough etonogestrel levels to prevent fertilization. Those with a higher body mass index (BMI) and a longer implant use had lower blood concentrations of the hormone. Unanswered Questions This research takes upon an important place in the history of contraceptive pills as hormonal contraception has been used for centuries worldwide. We all know that the same pill doesn’t work the same way in two different people and it can also cause different side effects in each of them. It might even have beneficial effects on a lady while the other one despises taking it every day in life. Identifying women who had become pregnant by chance gives the researchers a ticket to really identify who might be at a risk of pregnancy even after taking the pill. Its high time we understand that there are factors beyond missing pills or improper use, such as genetics, that play an important role in handling effective birth control in the woman. This is a great step towards better future research. ![]() “Cleanliness is next to Godliness”-stands good as a saying only maybe! Personal hygiene is basic for well-being of individuals but its rare to find our homes tidy and our streets clean. Public toilets are in an unusable state most of the time and even our homes get a fresh look only during festive seasons. But our homes are comparably far better than our environment that’s filled with air pollution and extremely bad/dirty public spaces and this makes it even more necessary to ensure better care of our personal hygiene and hygiene of our homes to stave off infection. On the very utterance of the word ‘hygiene’ our minds whirl back to our restrooms and toilet seats. Many have the habit of cleaning their restrooms often, use disinfectants on toilet seats and try to maintain it clean as much as possible. A professor of microbiology at the Arizona University even states that you cannot find a germ researcher who does not recommend eating off the toilet seat as everyone’s afraid of butt-borne diseases but toilet seats tend to be the cleanest thing in the bathroom as we tend to clean them so very often (https://time.com/4620966/dirty-germ-bacteria/). While we have a list of things that we assume to be the dirtiest of the lot all of you reading this are in for a sure surprise as listed below are different other items that one would have never imagined to be infected by germs. Almost all of us believe that toilet seats are the dirtiest part of the house but shockingly there are about 200 times more faecal bacteria on a typical chopping board compared to the toilet seat! The part of the house (kitchen) that’s supposedly the origin of wellness and good health exists as the epitome of bacteria and germs. Put Your Thinking Caps to Use: How Many of You Can Think About a Few Germ-enriched Places/Things in the House? KItchen: Every kitchen has a hand towel by default, a sponge to clean the sink and a cutting board to chop veggies. Each of these items have a hundred ways in which they can be adulterated. Almost 15% of sponges and dish cloths have salmonella growing in them. Isn’t it common that most of use the same sponge that is used to wash the vessels to clean the sink as well? The hand towel in the kitchen is our saviour in times of cooking. But we use the same towel to dry the vessels as well spreading germs to every utensil around us. Bathroom: In the bathroom, do we even care a little bit more for our toothbrush stands or the had towel hanging in one corner of the room? Never! Our only concern is the ghastly toilet seat that’s treated with royalty and kept spick and span! Most people never bother to clean their toothbrush stands and a study found that almost 27% toothbrush holders were home to Coliform bacteria that can cause sickness. Likewise, hand towels are placed to dry our hands. But we are indeed lazy and try to wipe off germs using the towel without giving a proper wash to our hands. This way, the bacteria spreads from person to person who makes use of the towel. Ideally, any towel (hand towel or bath towel) must be washed every two days to maintain hygiene. The toilet lid is there to save us from the umpteen bacteria that is sprayed in the air when we flush but none of us take the pain to close the lid before flushing it off. Do we? Birthday Cake: Each of us wait around the birthday cake to grab a piece of the yummy treat once the candle is blown and the cake is cut into pieces. Hardly do we realize that the birthday boy/girl has showered us with his/her germs that’s now onto the cake because of our tradition of blowing off the candles. Study shows that blowing candles increases bacteria on the surface of the cake by 1400%. ` Purses: You can find a woman’s entire needs resting inside her cute little handbag. While women take care to clean the inside of it every once a while they don’t seem to care much about the outside. We can see the bags lying on the ground in hotels, shops and everywhere else becoming the breeding place for germs. Our purses too need regular cleaning as we constantly hold them with our hands after touching everywhere else. Pens: You might seem to be deep in thoughts chewing your pen but you are also ignorant of the fact that you are personally choosing to swallow some of the germs that have stuck onto it by different means. Smartphones: Mankind is unable to survive without a smartphone in hand but little do they know that mobiles are storehouses of bacteria. Studies show that one in six phones are covered with faecal matter (yikes! I know) but we happily take them inside restrooms and kitchens without bothering to think twice. Beard: Maybe you have re-read the word twice but a man’s beard carries more germs than a dog’s fur. Men with beard feel masculine but now they also have a reason to trim it off or at least, clean, wash and maintain it with equal care as they would do to the hair in their head. All these things don’t immediately call for a chemical cleaner as these cleaners cause more harm than good. The simple way to maintain personal hygiene is to wash your hands thoroughly with water and soap frequently, use a hand sanitizer and ensure to clean your house and keep it neat and tidy as much as possible. References Keep those Germs Away: Six Easy Steps to Hand Hygiene: https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/six-easy-steps-to-hand-hygiene-4773025/ Men with Beards have More Bacteria than a Dog’s Fur: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/men-with-beards-have-more-bacteria-than-a-dogs-fur-study/articleshow/68935868.cms Germ’s Found in Places You’d Least Expect: https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/germs-found-in-places-youd-least-expect-20120420-1xbql.html 10 Germ-spreading Habits to Give Up Now: https://www.thehealthy.com/habits/germ-spreading-habits/ Joint pain and arthritis affect a greater number of adults living in this Earth and no amount of medications can solve the problem. Many people keep it under control by practising physiotherapy exercises and maintaining a stable diet while many others suffer from pain relentlessly as they don’t do both! Despite therapy and diet, it is also common to hear many individuals complain of terrifying pain during colder days or as soon as they get up in the morning. I saw this with my very own eyes when my aunt suffered from rheumatoid arthritis-while her pain was bearable through the day it would go beyond a certain threshold in the morning while she suffered until the sun made its appearance brightly in the sky. History has it that arthritis and joint pain increase during winter months when its cold outside but what about it scientifically? We have been asking our physicians the reasons behind this incessantly but don’t get much answers that satisfy us! This hasn’t dampened the mood of our researchers who have been working diligently on finding solution to this problem.
We have studies from the past that show that rain, humidity and other weather-related factors don’t show evident effects on arthritis while some suggest that the primary variable here is rise in barometric pressure but we also have some studies that show that falling pressure could provoke joint pain and stiffness. All these confuse us whether factors such as humidity, temperature, barometric pressure and precipitation affect arthritis and even if we confirm that any/all of them do affect the question ‘why’ remains yet to be answered. A couple of years back two studies tried to study the effect of weather on arthritis symptoms and both of them showed a positive effect. In one study 222 Dutch participants with osteoarthritis over a 2-year study period found that pain and stiffness increased with rising barometric pressure and humidity. In the other study including 800 participants from 6 different European studies suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip and knee the study found that while weather changes did not affect symptoms, increase in humidity was linked with increasing pain and stiffness much more during colder weather. Osteoarthritis can ruin the quality of life of the individual and for help in improving it please visit our website www.firsteatright.com for tips and tricks. Now, we have a latest study from the University of Manchester that shows that people suffering from health conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine and neuropathic pain are 20% likelier to be susceptible to increased pain during humid, windy days with low pressure. The study included more than 13,000 participants who recorded their symptoms using a smartphone app while scientists used GPS to record weather conditions on specific days. Results showed that high humidity levels were more important in determining pain levels while low pressure and high wind speed also increased pain but to a lesser degree. Rainfall showed no association with pain changes and dry days showed least pain in the participants. Though researchers proposed that whether has a strong influence on mood and mood in turn can influence pain it was found that weather and pain were strongly interrelated even when the researchers took care of mood. This proves one more thing-sometimes pain levels are not in our hands and we need not blame our self-management ways in times of intense pain. A clue about our upcoming pain levels also helps us prepare for the worst, complete our tasks beforehand and plan activities accordingly to skip any intense activities during those days when we predict greater pain. Though we haven’t got an answer to ‘why’ the pain happens due to weather changes at least we not have a clearer picture on ‘when’ greater pain exists which can help us plan our day-to-day life accordingly. Fat or Fate?
A 70- or 80-year old person succumbing to heart attack is considered as normal, but people panic and notice when a 30- or 40-year old person suffers from the disease. What makes heart attack common in younger people nowadays? Though a vast percent of heart diseases in the younger people is triggered by abnormalities of the coronary artery, some can be due to blood clots that form elsewhere but get carried to normal coronary arteries while some others can be due to a blood clotting system that increase the risk of clot formation throughout the circulatory system. Other common reasons include inflammation of the coronary arteries, chemotherapy treatment given for chest tumor, chest trauma and abuse of drugs/cocaine. The risk factor for a heart disease almost remains the same in older as well as younger people. This includes smoking, abdominal obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, genetics, inactive lifestyle, metabolic syndrome and ignorance about the problem. Though risk factors are many and indications too are so, almost 50% heart attacks in middle-aged people go unnoticed, according to a study in the journal Circulation. The study followed nearly 10,000 participants whose average age was 54 years devoid of any heart disease at the start of the study. During the nine-year follow up, participants were questioned on various things and their ECG or electrocardiogram readings taken to find out any risk of heart disease. While 4% participant experienced heart attacks during the follow-up period, another 3% participants suffered from silent heart attacks (blood flow stops but there are no symptoms defining it) accounting for almost 50% of all heart attacks in the study. Though statistics show that men are affected greatly by silent heart attacks, it is women who face the risk of increased death due to this. Risk Factors Elevate Risk Middle age seems to be the perfect choice for heart disease to occupy central position in life as numerous factors that negatively impact heart health amplify during this period. These factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and absence of physical activity. A detailed analysis of 18 studies once again establishes the fact that differences in risk factor burdens in middle age can totally impact cardiovascular risk lifelong. When a person in his/her 40s or 50s has high BP or cholesterol, his/her chances of a heart disease risk increases over the lifetime by multi-folds. If one looks at the core risk factors for heart disease, except for genetics controlling all other risk factors depends on us entirely. While rates of heart disease among middle-aged people are dramatically on the rise, the key to controlling it lies with us. Significant small changes in due course of time can impact cardiovascular risk positively in many ways. Health care professionals as well as individuals must take every step possible to minimize risk. Physicians must ensure to comply with the ABCs of heart health that include
During olden days, when our ancestors were devoid of any money to procure vegetables they relied on chopped onions to fulfill their hunger alongside some curd rice. Even those thriving with money enjoyed this curd rice-onion combination as it is a definite treat to your tongue. Onions and tomatoes are like twins which need each other’s presence to boost their taste and are a staple in every Indian kitchen. We have a rack dedicated for our prized possessions-onions, tomatoes and potatoes-and we ensure that their presence is never deplete. But now, many of our homes and even restaurants lack the presence of the omnipresent onion due to soaring price hikes throughout the country.
Onions are almost used in every preparation from dals, sambar and sabji to meat gravies and raithas. Most North-Indian gravy preparations are not complete without the onion-tomato gravy base, ginger and garlic. Neatly cut onion rings alongside lemon pieces are a statutory presence in most restaurants and we too dutifully eat them up after finishing up a lip-smacking greasy meal with the greed that these onion rings will extract away all the fat off our body! But since September we hardly find onions in onion dosa and hotels have virtuously replaced onion kachumber with shredded radish or bottle gourd. This makes complete sense given the pricing of this species of Alliums- anywhere between 90-160 rupees per kilo. Yes! We are not talking about some exotic vegetable like Broccoli or color bell peppers but our very own locally grown onions. The heavy rainfall and foods in the key onion-producing states of Karnataka and Maharashtra is the reason behind such price hikes as most of the produce was damaged and supply interrupted. We are now importing them from other countries such as Turkey. As the prices are going to take a while to come down why don’t we have a look at some of the substitutes that taste equally great and provide a test to our culinary skills? Choose to Substitutes Nothing is impossible and with a little effort and pain we can come up with some of the best replacements for onions. Don’t we stay away from meat and animal-based products during pooja seasons? Don’t Jains prepare tasty delicacies without onions and even without garlic? Some people hate garlic and onions which might be surprising but their families do prepare fulfilling meals to satisfy hunger. Or, think about those suffering from medical conditions such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or are supertasters (they have an elevated sensitivity to certain tastes such as the pungent smell of alliums including onions or that coming from cruciferous vegetables). So, this is not only good until onion crisis lasts but can also help these people enjoy a pleasurable dining experience.
References Smart Substitutes you Can Find in Your Kitchen Without Compromising on Taste: https://www.readersdigest.co.in/better-living/story-onionpricehike-smart-substitutes-you-can-find-in-your-kitchen-without-compromising-on-taste-125079 What Can I Substitute for Onions & Garlic to Combat IBS: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/30/best-foods-for-ibs Smart Substitutes that Match Onion’s Taste: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Smart-substitutes-that-match-onions-taste/articleshow/23401323.cms The heart skips a beat at the sight of yummy frozen treats submerged in your favorite strawberry sauce and topped with nuts, cheesy pizzas or a chilled can of soft drink. The mind relishes the food and the heart feels content but what is missed in this process is the extra fat that gets tucked away inside our cells. Diabetes is not new to us and remains as one of the prevailing problems of our century in terms of health. Its mostly type 2 diabetes that strikes us and people with diabetes cannot use insulin effectively, the hormone that helps the body convert blood sugar into energy. This failure to use insulin effectively called as insulin resistance increases blood sugar levels in the body which has the potential to invoke debilitating health consequences such as kidney problems, blindness, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
Obesity remains as a serious risk factor for type 2 diabetes. 1 of every three overweight/obese individuals suffer from diabetes. Dietitians, nutritionists and health experts have always recommended going for a healthy lifestyle change that includes eating a healthy diet and doing physical activity daily to keep diabetes under control but it is easier said than done, isn’t it? Statistics show that most people find it difficult to cope up with these demands and fail miserably. What we need are alternative therapies to control diabetes and obesity that can coexist with the current ways on highlighting the needs of a healthy diet and exercise routines. Diabetics who are interested in correcting your blood sugar levels with the proper meal plan or those in prediabetes stage who would love to correct their problem only with a change to their eating habits are always welcome to get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com. Subcutaneous White Fat Versus Belly Fat All obese people are not diabetics and almost 30% of them show no signs of insulin resistance nor do they develop type 2 diabetes. Subcutaneous white fat that represent 80% of fat tissues in mice and people is stored in the hips, arms and legs. Excess food consumption makes it difficult for the fat cells to store calories in subcutaneous white fat and excess fat spills into other organs such as the liver, pancreas and muscles that are not meant for such fat storage. It is usually seen that people with diabetes have more fat stored around their abdomen and researchers are now trying to find out ways in which subcutaneous white fat deposits can be expanded so that fat is not stored in the liver or abdomen. Obesity also has the capacity to kickstart a low-grade inflammatory response which in turn has the potential to disrupt the metabolic functions of subcutaneous white fat tissue. The presence of an inflammatory response disturbs the subcutaneous tissue’s ability to respond to insulin thereby increasing the likeliness of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. So, the immune system seems to play a key role in the obesity and diabetes game play. But what is different in those obese individuals who remain unharmed by insulin resistance and diabetes? miR-30a When a team of researchers started on a project with the intention of understanding fat metabolism and helping people lose weight. they found a microRNA called as miR-30a (non-coding RNA that regulates gene expression) that could stimulate pathways important for fat metabolism. While they expected this RNA to be associated with staying lean it was in fact associated with a form of obesity in which the individuals maintained their insulin sensitivity. Reduced miR-30a expression in fat tissues was associated with insulin resistance in obese mice and obese humans and overexpressing miR-30a expression in both obese mice and humans improved insulin sensitivity, reduced blood lipid levels and minimized fat accumulation in the liver. Also, increased mRNA expression reduced inflammation in subcutaneous white fat tissue. This shows that diabetes is not only linked to obesity but also opens the gates to other forms of their entry as well. Hence, disentangling obesity from insulin resistance or other problems such as heart diseases is possible. We also come to realize that obesity doesn’t mean that your next stop is at diabetes. What we need now is to find a way out become metabolically healthy by expanding the subcutaneous white fat deposits. Not a single day passes by without a sound word of advice from nutritionists/dietitians on safeguarding heart health by following a healthy lifestyle, eating nutritious foods and doing exercise and their efforts are not wasted as a new study shows that those health policies and measures that do good for your heart are good for reducing the risk of diabetes too. Isn’t this happy news that following the same guidelines helps us stay away from not one but two of the frequent and debilitating diseases that affect mankind?
Diabetes can affect blood vessels (including those in the heart) and this can lead to a heart attack or stroke. This shows that there is nothing to be shocked when people with diabetes end up with a heart attack or stroke. The Precious Seven The American Heart Association puts down some of the most-important tips that help each of us safeguard our hearts and these include:
Getting a health checkup done at the physician’s place to monitor blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels is indispensable as these levels indicate whether a lifestyle change is all that is needed to correct the numbers (if needed) or there is a demand for introducing medications to serve the individual’s purpose. Rather than meeting a physician when some health problem arises isn’t it helpful to get a check on these levels occasionally to get an idea of your existing health condition? Healthy or unhealthy, diseased or diseases-free, busy or free, youngster or an aged person-whatever might be your background, abiding by the seven guidelines can surely help you move towards positivity, better health and a better mind. ![]() A few years back there weren’t enough people who knew to pronounce the word ‘hummus’ but now even local shops sell different varieties of this chickpea-based dip. Chickpea has been used authentically by Indians to make Chole masala or as a pulse in Sambar but now we make dips and spreads using it in the comforts of our own homes. Do you know that this dip is a favorite of many kids? One of my friends makes batches of these at home and quickly sets up a healthy snack by spreading it over bread or simply gives it as a side dip for crisps. Of course, you need the patience and perseverance to prepare it at home however simple the recipe might be when there are innumerable stores outside loading up on different varieties of hummus for sale. It might never be as popular as salsa but the last couple of decades has seen an enormous increase in the consumption of hummus comparatively. In the USA, sale of hummus has seen a gargantuan growth from less than $10 million to around $700-$800 million as almost 50% of the American population purchased this product in the last few years. Touted to be an ethnic delicacy long back in the West, Britain now gets more than 12,000 tons of hummus every year and it has grown from a $5 million industry to $325 million industry in the past two decades in the USA (https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-15148342). This Middle East discovery has gone over to rule the world owing to its different attractive features such as being a rich source of protein and a gluten-free product. But despite its benefits, the addition of oils makes one always wonder if hummus is as good as it has been projected to be or whether it’s yet another ingredient that provides satiety to taste buds only. A Blend of Interesting Ingredients Traditional hummus is made from a blend of chickpeas, olive oil, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice and spices which contribute to a nutrient-dense end-product that’s rich in vitamins, minerals, calcium, folate and magnesium compared to other dips and spreads. Firstly, chickpea, the main ingredient in hummus, contributes mainly towards this dish’s maximized health. Also known as garbanzo beans, they belong to a class of legumes called as pulses which occupy one of the highest places in the list of healthy foods for their rich availability of B vitamins, calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphate, potassium and zinc. Chickpeas are also excellent sources of fiber and protein where 2 tablespoons of hummus contain two grams of protein and one gram of fiber. But this is never sufficient to fulfill daily fiber requirements as each of us need about 50 g of protein per day and 25 g (women)/38 g (men) of fiber based on your gender. Such nutritional combinations offer protection against heart disease and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Hummus is the house to a rich combination of all three macronutrients that help in keeping a person full and satisfied. Even a study reported in a reputed journal found that individuals who consumed any amount of chickpea, hummus or both had markers for better health compared to those who don’t eat any of these. These individuals also had smaller waist and lower body mass index. Besides, traditional preparation of hummus adds healthy fats to the body owing to the use of olive oils that’s rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. But not all types of hummus are equal and there is significant difference between the home-prepared and store-purchased ones. There are innumerable options to choose from-roasted red peppers, beetroot hummus, quinoa hummus, peanut butter, pizza, chocolate flavored, wasabi, curry or caramelized onion. But such commercially manufactured hummus might increase your totally calorie intake as it could be rich in oils and sugar. There are also a couple of brands that shower generous quantities of sodium with as much as 80 mg, 3 grams of fat and 50 calories for a 2-tablespoon serving. Your tub of hummus might be over even before you realize it and one must be extremely careful while handling portion sizes. Read the ingredient list and choose those varieties that resemble the ingredients used in traditional recipe while avoiding those that contain other types of oils, sugar and preservatives. Hummus is actually higher in calories than some other dips and at the same time, it is also healthier comparatively. Enjoy a dollop of hummus with veggies such as carrots or celery sticks, spread them over pita chips or bread or pair them with anything of your choice to get a taste of all the nutrients that many vegans and vegetarians lack generally. Hummus is good for health when you eat one that’s not filled with extra sugar or oil. In short, preparing your own hummus at home is an excellent option but how many of you are ready to spend time doing it? That’s the biggest question here! References Is Hummus Good for You? https://www.consumerreports.org/nutrition-healthy-eating/is-hummus-good-for-you/ Is Hummus Actually Healthy? Here’s What the Experts Say: https://time.com/5331376/is-hummus-actually-healthy-heres-what-the-experts-say/ Your Hummus Habit Could be Good for the Earth: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/07/10/npr-your-hummus-habit-could-be-good-for-the-earth Is Hummus Healthy or Not? https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/hummus-is-it-healthy-fat-good-for-you-vegan-protein-calories-weight-loss-a8335896.html “Beta, lower the TV volume”, “Honey, we don’t want people in other houses to hear our music” These are common sentences that’s often heard in many of our houses. Elderly people have hearing problems and this is nothing new to us. We can understand and empathize when they talk loudly or watch TV soaps with a blaring volume. But even kids, youngsters and middle-aged people wish to hear at a higher volume as they find it more comfortable and better. If you are going to maximize the volume at this age, how are you going to manage it when you grow old? Hearing problems are sure to hit you sooner than later causing trouble not only to you but also to other people around you! Times are changing and our health is also witnessing radical changes (for the worse) owing to inappropriate lifestyle practices and eating schedules. It is now seen that hearing loss during middle age is on the rise and such loss can increase the risk of dementia later in life.
A study in the journal JAMA followed more than 16,000 men and women and found that hearing loss diagnosis done between 45 and 65 years of age doubled the risk of dementia diagnosis in a decade or so in both men and women. 8,135 patients diagnosed with hearing loss and another 8,135 patients without hearing loss were included in the study. All of them were free of dementia at the beginning but in course of time 1,868 people developed dementia in which 59% of them belonged to the hearing loss group. It was 19 persons affected by dementia for every 10,000 persons in the hearing loss group while it was 14 per 10,000 in the group without hearing loss. Hearing loss accounted for a 17% increase in risk for dementia and it was mostly in the youngest people involved in the study. This study clearly shows that screening for hearing loss must happen in all individuals in their middle age. The study team also observed that even a mild hearing loss during middle years of lives increases the risk of cognitive decline which make it absolutely necessary that individuals go for screening, hearing protection and hearing aids to prevent deteriorating their health. Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia is mostly due to heredity and research suggests that two-thirds of dementia cases are genetic and only one-third is due to modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, depression, alcohol-related illness, diabetes, smoking and hearing loss (this accounts for almost 10% of dementia risk). Ignoring Hearing Loss to Feel Younger People have associated certain factors with ageing and hearing loss is one of them. Read more about the other factors that occur as a result of ageing by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. We feel that we are ageing when we can’t hear properly and hence, those with hearing loss mostly don’t discuss it with their loved ones until it seems impossible to tackle without a hearing aid. These people stay out of conversations, sit silently in a group or party, stay isolated and don’t participate in activities fearing that their hearing problem might become visible or make them seem incompetent. Such social isolation leads to loneliness that impacts quality of life. It also increases the risk of depression, stress, poor sleep, irregular eating habits and dementia. We are facing a rise in the elderly population and the world is moving towards a stage where there are a greater number of elderly people than kids and teenagers. Hence, the risk of dementia is too high and hearing health must be attended to in all populations of people to prevent the risk of dementia due to hearing loss. ![]() Why ignore fertility when we have diets for weight loss, PCOS, cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes? Its right that we only frame a set of guidelines, do’s & don’ts, recommendations and foods to avoid instead of chalking down a whole new diet for women trying to conceive. But this has already been done by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health who conducted their research on more than 15,000 women who had no history of infertility but were trying to conceive. This team arrived at the logical conclusion that the quality of your diet, activity levels and smoking habits play a determining role in supporting or delaying fertility. Know what’s recommended in the diet and get complete details of the allowed/to be avoided foods by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Assisted reproductive technology (ART), using IVF or IUI methods for conception or surrogacy is not the solution when you are unable to conceive. Rather than spending money on medicinal treatments and procedures isn’t it worthy to spend your time and effort on changing your lifestyle and making a few alterations to successfully conceive naturally? Fertility diets do help couples conceive naturally many-a-time and this is the expert opinion of many. A Toast to Fertility A few registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) feel that the fertility diet proposed by the Harvard researchers is a great option for women with PCOS and also helps women increase their intake of all the nutrients that are advantageous for conceiving. There has also been research evidence showing a positive link between fertility diet and decrease in infertility risk in some women. This brings us to yet another important phase of fertility-is it really the diet or the resulting weight loss due to compliance with the diet that improves the chances of conception in women? Obesity/overweight issues have always been major contributors for infertility as your excess weight affects egg quality and also a series of hormonal imbalances in the body-as in insulin levels, testosterone and FSH and TSH. FSH & TSH play important roles in ovulation and when you are stuck with excess body weight these hormones go for a roller coaster ride and fall off the alignment leading to serious consequences with your ability to reproduce. Achieving weight loss and reaching normal weight helps in ovulation. Losing even 10% of your body weight improves insulin sensitivity and also triggers ovulation in women suffering from PCOS. But what about those women who are of normal weight but still face problems with ovulation due to insulin resistance? In such cases what these ladies eat becomes the core concern. Quality of the diet matters more. Maybe they can opt for eating less of processed carbs, more of whole grains such as quinoa and opt for whole-wheat varieties instead of others. For instance, whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or whole-wheat pasta instead of white pasta. This decreases insulin production and rise in blood sugar levels which are great for fertility. Here also, according to the Harvard researchers’ fertility diet they recommend eating full-fat dairy due to the presence of certain hormones in dairy that promote conception. But we need to take care that the quantity doesn’t go overboard when weight is a concern and weight loss is prescribed for the woman trying to conceive. What Else? Its not only the Fertility diet proposed by these researchers that help women conceive but studies propose quite a few other diets too. For instance, the Mediterranean diet helps in elevating the chances of pregnancy and delivery of a healthy baby when women undergo in vitro fertilization. So, you might choose ART methods for conception but still a healthy diet plays the primary role in helping you conceive successfully and deliver a healthy baby. But all these diets have a few things in common-they are all rich in fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and legumes. There was a diet plan devised by the same set of Harvard researchers: a pro-fertility diet plan rich in vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, dairy, soy and reduced-pesticide fruits and vegetables. This diet plan offered better outcomes in people undergoing ART methods compared to the Mediterranean plan. But again, the pro-fertility diet’s results were completely based on the woman-how keen is she to follow it? But if you ask bluntly if eating a particular diet can redeem you from infertility completely there is not a decisive answer here. If you are in your 20s and planning for a kid but not ovulating it is always better to try these diets before jumping into IVF or other methods. But if you are above 40 you cannot wait indefinitely. Maybe give a year or so, try a diet plan and when things don’t work as planned decide onto something else. Remember, the fertility diet mainly focuses on women who have problems conceiving due to ovulation and has not got to do anything with the fallopian tubes. A good night’s sleep can do wonders to your health but most of the times we ignore to give due importance to this daily routine in life. Sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is a group of physiopathologic conditions that are characterized by an abnormal respiratory pattern during sleep that can be isolated or can coexist with other respiratory, nervous, cardiovascular or endocrine diseases. Snoring is present across all individuals with SDB but it is required to know that not all who snore have SDB. Most common conditions included in SDB include obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), central sleep apnea and OSA syndrome.
Hearing your mom, dad, sibling or spouse snore is annoying and you feel like just exiting the bedroom and sleeping on your couch. Besides being troublesome to the person who sleeps behind the one who snores, this action also brings upon great trouble for the person who snores too. While SDB increases oxidative stress levels, inflammation and several age-related health disorders there haven’t been much studies on its effects on epigenetic ageing. A new study published in the reputed journal SLEEP shows that SDB accelerates ageing process in individuals. We all have two different ages-biological and chronological age. While chronological age refers to the actual age of the person since his/her time of birth, biological age determines an individual’s true state of health based on his/her physical and mental well-being. Read more about chronological age and biological age by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com. Leaving SDB untreated leads to physiological effects on the individual increasing the biological age. The study included 622 participants (average age of participants was 69 years and 53% were women) who were measured for blood DNA methylation- a marker for epigenetic age acceleration (this includes measuring a person’s biological age based on changes in DNA methylation at particular locations in the genome) and had their sleep evaluated at home by polysomnography by using blood samples. Age acceleration measures were calculated as residuals from regression of each epigenetic age on chronological age. Every SDB trait with age acceleration was measured using linear regression by controlling health behaviors, BMI and study site. Every SD increase in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) which is a measure of SDB severity is associated with the equivalent of 215 days of biological age acceleration. Also, each SD increase in arousal index (a measure for sleep disruption) was associated with the equivalent of 321 days of age acceleration. The association was stronger in women compared to men despite the fact that women suffer from less severe SDB. Usually, a person’s biological and chronological age might not be the same and individuals whose biological age is higher than chronological age experience faster ageing. But epigenetic ageing is reversible and epigenetic age estimators might be useful in identifying and validating anti-ageing interventions. SDB is common, its treatable but the only concern is that it remains undiagnosed and under-treated. It’s a condition that affects every single organ in the body sometimes. It is as common and dangerous as diabetes but sadly, not many people know about the consequences of sleep apnea much. This study is surely useful as it brings about the risky effects of untreated SDB and also creates an impact on individuals who are sure to abide by the treatment protocols once they realize that it affects their ageing process. ![]() How about exercising after filling up your tummy? Sounds weird and makes us raise our eyebrows after being pounded with the fact that fitness specialists and health trainers vouch for an early morning workout for maximized benefits. Even otherwise, its been proven without doubt that fulfilling physical activity requirements before proceeding to breakfast and more has been the principle of life and it stands the test of time. But suddenly we have been fed with this question that makes us revisit our goals and ideologies. Breakfast is quoted as the most important meal of the day despite many individuals daring to miss it regularly. It’s the powerhouse for your day’s energy without which there is going to be a lot of irritation, imbalance and lag in work schedules. We get up, go for our morning walk/jog/gym, have a bath, eat a hearty breakfast and go off to school/college/work. Shall we bring about a small twist to the tale? What if I suggest that you get up, finish your morning chores, prepare food, eat food and after an hour or two take up walking/jogging/gym and finally head to office? It might sound ridiculous but that’s the latest recommendation for maximized carbs burning. If you are perplexed over what to eat and how much to eat please get in touch with registered dietitian nutritionists at www.firsteatright.com who can help you with personalized diet plans and exercise routines. To Eat or to Exercise? We have always suggested on taking a light meal before exercising and leaving ample time before doing physical activity as presence of fullness prevents us from committing 100% towards exercising. Its always better to have a goal, an upsurge or motivation to exercise more which helps each of us take up physical activity with passion and josh. So, when I tell you that eating first and exercising later is going to help you better aren’t you game for it? That’s the result of a new research which says that eating breakfast before exercising pushes the body to burn carbohydrates during exercising and also helps in rapid food digestion after exercising. The researchers compared the result of eating breakfast versus fasting overnight before exercising (here, it means 1 hour of cycling). Breakfast here included a bowl of porridge with milk some two hours before exercising. After both exercise and rest the research team tested blood glucose levels and muscle glycogen levels of the 12 healthy male participants who underwent the test. Results showed that eating breakfast increased the rates at which the body burned carbohydrates while exercising and also increased the rates at which the body digested and metabolized food consumed after exercising. This is slightly off the map as it’s the first study that focuses on how eating breakfast before exercising affects our response to food after exercising. This study also showed that eating breakfast before exercising is also better in many ways including the speed at which we digest, absorb and metabolize carbohydrates that we might eat after exercising compared to skipping breakfast altogether. Also, eating before exercising not only increased burning of carbs that’s stored in the body due to breakfast but also those stored in our muscles and glycogen. Such an increase in muscle glycogen use shows us how eating breakfast before exercise helps in maintaining blood sugar levels after lunch. This study clearly shows the difference in result that occurs due to changes in mealtimes and moreover, its greater impact on metabolic response. We have now got an important clue that when you eat affects metabolic response and digging more into this can lead us to greater treasures. There’s no end to these diet fads and superfood hacks when it comes to weight loss. And, going gluten-free has been in fashion for some time now as people believe it to aid in weight loss efforts. A diet that was available only by prescription sometime back has now become a global health fad. OK, firstly gluten is a protein commonly present in wheat, rye and processed foods such as breads and pasta. Going gluten-free was introduced for the sake of those individuals suffering from Celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder where the body mistakes gluten to be threat to health) or gluten intolerance. Even until a decade back, the term ‘gluten’ was something foreign but now it has become a household name in most of our houses. Thanks to celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus and Victoria Beckham who are very much responsible for popularizing this diet.
Do you remember an entire section of the supermarket dedicated to ‘free-from’ foods a couple of years back? Definitely not! But now, the market in gluten-free products is booming and supermarket aisles are stocked with umpteen such products whose labels boast of being free from lactose, dairy and most importantly gluten. We are sure to come across gluten-free breads, cakes, sauces and even Easter eggs. Marketing is an art and producers utilize the goodness of any product to capture the interest of the audience. These people have gone to such an extent that those foods that have never contained gluten are marketed to be ‘naturally gluten-free’! There are cookbooks with gluten-free recipes, promotions encouraging the consumption of a gluten-free diet for sorting out Alzheimer’s and even sports personalities like Novak Djokovic crediting a gluten-free diet for the positive change in his health. But for those actually suffering from celiac disease and gluten sensitivity It must indeed be frustrating and irritating to see their illness and dietary needs marketed as a trend and hyped about! Isn’t Our Body Trained to Accept these Grains? Humans have been consuming gluten in some form or the other since thousands of years. On the other hand, celiac disease too has a detailed past dating back to the first-century physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia who gave the first known description of celiac disease terming it the disease of the abdomen- koiliakos. While the grains we eat remain the same the food system has taken a drastic overturn. Our forefathers did not eat grains that were sprayed with pesticides, bread-making process involves use of more chemicals and industrial bakeries are adding more gluten to their products. Many enzymes added to the bread have been identified to cause hazard to bakery factory workers which makes us wonder if it could also affect the consumer’s health. Researchers have also found that emulsifiers, food additives found in industrial bread and baked goods, increases intestinal inflammation. The bread making process has also changes-a food item that took close to 16 hours to prepare with natural fermentation hardly takes more than 2 hours these days. This might disrupt the way in which grains start breaking down and some people can’t digest such grains properly to absorb the micronutrient contents (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/aug/07/not-just-a-fad-the-surprising-gut-wrenching-truth-about-gluten). Maybe that’s also one of the reasons for a steady rise in the number of people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Though vital for people with celiac disease to avoid gluten (otherwise small intestine lining is damaged and nutrients are not absorbed) it is seen that almost three-quarters of individuals with celiac disease remain undiagnosed of the problem. Only 1 % of the world’s population suffers from this disease and while many of them remain unaware of it too there are millions out there who pursue a gluten-free diet in their daily routine! So, who are these people and what is their ultimate motive? Last year in UK sales of gluten-free products was up by 15%, in the US nearly a quarter of the products launched have gluten-free claims and there are exclusive gluten-free restaurants trending now. This might come both as a boon and a bane to the gluten-sensitive and celiac-disease having individuals. Though the need for a gluten-free meal is important for some people there are some others who pursue such diets for the sole purpose of weight loss or simply because they consider it to be healthier. Sadly, there are not any evidences showing that avoiding gluten helps to promote weight loss in any individual. But, based on logic we clearly understand that eating a gluten-free diet encourages the consumption of unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, millets and brown rice. Reading nutrition facts and food labels becomes the second nature of such people and this makes them avoid high-calorie foods and switch to something healthier. Maybe, this is how weight loss is achievable with a gluten-free diet but there is nothing magical in itself that can enable weight reduction in such individuals. In fact, we have evidence showing that decreased intake of gluten foods limits intake of whole grains and increases risk of heart disease, reduces the presence of good bacteria and sometimes, increases weight gain as these individuals experience reduced stomach pain which makes them increase their intake of gluten-free foods that are quite high on calories. That’s because these products are made with rice flour and other starches and contain more of fats and sugar that increase calorie value tremendously. So, when you don’t suffer from gluten-related problems why take upon a diet that’s gluten-free? Besides all these the latest research shows that people who eliminate gluten from their lives on their own without any sensitivity or allergy are bound to suffer more problems than goodness. More Pain with No Gain A research was conducted on 2,00,000 people for over 30 years on gluten intake and results showed that 20% of the participants who consumed more gluten had a 13% lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who consumed minimal gluten. The Harvard research team behind the study comments that there is an inverse association between gluten intake and risk of type 2 diabetes-those with highest gluten intake are at a minimum risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. By indulging in a diet trend that seems to be good presently, there are ample chances that some individuals are unknowingly increasing their risk for diabetes in the future. Rather than spending more money on gluten-free products (some of them are 3-4 times costlier than regular ones) and wasting time choosing them carefully divert your money, time and energy on buying more fruits and vegetables, working out more, staying active and leading a healthy lifestyle. These changes are all that are needed to lose weight and keep off the lost weight. References Gluten-free Diets Linked to Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/gluten-free-diets-type-2-diabetes-reduced-risk-health-harvard-university-bread-pasta-a7623451.html Gluten-free Diet not Healthy for Everyone: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/13/health/gluten-free-good-food-drayer/index.html Gluten-free: Health Fad or Life-saving Diet? https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/25/gluten-free-diet-life-saving-fad Every woman dreams of marrying someone like Virat Kohli or Tom Cruise and every man has a crush on Aishwarya Rai or Emma Watson. ‘Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’-while the proverb proves to be 100% true one must also not deny the fact that it’s a person’s beauty that attracts someone in the first place to the individual when we don’t know anything about the individual’s characteristics or personality. Looks are indeed deceptive and once we get to know about the person striking changes in our thoughts and reactions become evident. The days when our parents went in search of the right mates for us is almost over as the younger generation has taken over the reins of this issue in their very own hands. The omnipresent dating sites and social media platforms provide the individual with abundant opportunities to get to know a person well enough before committing to a relationship. What exactly are the qualities that we expect from our partners in case we wish to commit to a relationship?
While our guesses would be anything from beauty to money the results of a survey take us all by surprise but still keeps us contended that humanity has not yet lost its charm and values to some extent! Physical attraction is undeniable and each of us love to be the love of some handsome junk or a pretty woman but lust loses its charm in quite some time and so does money which cannot buy everything in life. So, what only is it that delights us all when we are in search of a life partner? That’s the survey done by a research team at Swansea University on over 2,700 college students across the globe. The survey was conducted keeping in mind that culture and our inner qualities too contribute a great deal towards our appreciation for various values in life. The study looked at the dating preferences of students in the so-called Eastern (Singapore and Malaysia) and Western (Australia, Norway and U.K) countries offering up to 8 attributes on which each of them could spend ‘mate dollars’ (a fixed budget that could be used to buy these attributes) and the attributes included physical attractiveness, good financial prospects, kindness, humor, chastity, religiosity, the desire for children and creativity. There was nothing surprising in the fact that people belonging to the Western and Eastern countries displayed differences in their behavior but what was even more surprising was the fact that they also showed some remarkable similarities. The participants initially spent a great deal of money on all attributes but as days progressed it was kindness that occupied a vast portion of the budget allocated-almost 22-26% of the total budget was spent on kindness and a larger part on physical attractiveness and good financial prospects. Characteristics like creativity and chastity occupied not even 10% of the total funds. It was seen that men belonging to both Eastern and Western world allocated a huge sum of their budget on physical attractiveness compared to women (22% vs 16%) while women were much bothered about good financial prospects than men (18% vs 12%). It was also noticed that Western men prioritized on children comparatively. Married individuals have a greater lifespan compared to others on fulfilling certain criteria and for more information on this please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. This research helps in establishing the fact that kindness is the No.1 virtue that can alter a person’s life and make it better. The set of people involved in the study are from radically different cultural backgrounds but there are some behaviors that are common despite such differences. This study is a solid proof that we still remain as individuals who are instilled with values and good qualities. The study also severs as a guidance for the younger generation today. Men can start improving their financial aspects for enhancing their attractiveness. Despite progress and scientific advancements its always emotions and good will that superpowers all other aspects in life. Chubby cheeks and a roly-poly body may be definition of a ‘cute’ baby but as the same baby grows up, he/she is expected to shed away extra fat and stay on a healthy body weight. School-going kids face ample trouble due to issues with body shaming, teasing and mockery. Overweight/obese children become heartbroken due to being isolated by their fellow classmates in sport activities and, apart from physical health they face immense issues with emotional and mental well-being too. If we look, on one side happiness is a state of mind and it is absolutely in our hands to keep ourselves unshaken by the factors surrounding us. Ignoring gross comments and name-calling owing to excess weight is possible but what’s not possible to ignore is the side effects of this excess weight on our physical body. Obesity/overweight rates have tremendously peaked in children and this can jeopardize the health of our future generations.
Obese Teens are at an Increased Risk of Heart-related Diseases as Adults Excess body weight is a risk factor for elevated blood sugar and blood pressure levels, cardiac ailments and stroke in any individual. A recent study has found that men who were even slightly overweight around the age of 18 were likelier to develop cardiomyopathy in adulthood compared to those who have a normal body weight during the same age. Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that can cause heart failure. As cardiomyopathy progresses the heart becomes weaker, heartbeat becomes irregular, can lead to heart valve problems and also a condition called as ‘broken heart syndrome’. The syndrome definitely lives up to its name and if you are curious to know more details about it please visit the website www.firsteatright.com. While cardiomyopathy can be inherited or acquired due to other health conditions the actual cause is remains unknown in many cases, especially in children. The Swedish study discussed here is an eye-opener in the sense that, excess body weight nearing adulthood exists as a risk factor for cardiomyopathy. The research group noted down measurements of height, weight and fitness levels of more than 16 million men who were 18 or 19 years old and enlisted in compulsory military service. Almost 10% of them were overweight and 2% were obese at the start of the study. The study group followed all of them up to the age of 46 during which 4,477 were diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at an average age of 45.5. Those who had a BMI number less than 20 were at the lowest risk of the disease while those who were only at the other end of the normal BMI range (22-25) were at a higher risk. This clearly shows that risk for cardiomyopathy increases as the body weight increases. Men who had a BMI above 35 were at an 8-times higher risk of dilated cardiomyopathy (heart muscles become weak and cannot pump blood efficiently) compared to those who had a lean body and a very normal BMI. The study clearly indicates two points:
My 22-year-old friend comes with cushions to office to get better relief from the agonizing lower back pain! My 60-year-old mother suffers from back pain to the extent that she refuses to sit together for a continuous 30 minutes but keeps walking, sitting, doing some household chore, then again walking and sitting. This is her regular day-to-day schedule and it doesn’t matter where she sits-in a chair, on the comfy couch or the plush sofa at the five-star restaurant-all that she gets is a constant back pain that has become her best friend nowadays. So, she has started accepting the fact that sitting down would indeed be a pain in her ass, literally too! Maybe, its not sitting that causes pain but how we sit that exists as the root cause of all our problems.
None of us are innately born with the knowledge to use our bodies rightly but we do have certain inbuilt skills that help us. For instance, infants and toddlers tend to sit correctly but as they grow up sitting for long hours in schools in chairs designed by us adults who seem to have forgotten the right way to sit, their postures too become inappropriate. The human body has 206 bones each of which has a definite purpose for its existence. When we exert too much pressure on those muscles that are not meant for such extreme forces in the first place they result in pain. Our ancestral hunter-gatherers lived by hunting for food, cooking using fire, dug for tubers, chopped nuts with stones and worked hard to get their hands on every wild edible food possible. Basically, they moved more, walked a lot at a great speed and used their upper body tremendously to do chores. Our bodies were not meant to sit down for such long hours but industrialization, job cultures and lifestyle changes have immensely changed the way we live, work, sit, move and stand. So, we cannot keep blaming the evolution of the world into what it is today. While we take privilege of the technological improvements, pleasures, medical advancements and opportunities that this world has to offer it is equally right that we groom ourselves into individuals who adapt to these changes with a positive frame of mind and work towards a better quality of life. Why Can’t we See the ‘C’ in Our Postures? If you notice from sideways, its obvious that most of us sit like cashew nuts on a chair-our back is curved like the letter C where the shoulders curve over and the butts curve under which hurts our backs (https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/08/13/636025077/to-fix-that-pain-in-your-back-you-might-have-to-change-the-way-you-sit). Such a posture also hurts the spine, the shock absorbers called the intervertebral disks and can cause disk degeneration in course of time. Now it sounds familiar isn’t it? Yup, many of us suffer from disk collapse, disc degeneration and dislocation. Slouched shoulders, curved backs and drooped necks immediately calls for our parents, teachers and others’ attention. Immediately we get reminders to sit up straight and out goes our chest to get into the perfect posture. But, do you know it is all there in our butt and it’s the lower body that needs primary attention? Pelvis position changes help greatly in reducing back pain and other things fall into place once the lower body is set right. Imagine that you have a tail and the aim is to put this tail behind and not sit on top of it. For this, you need to bend your hips instead of the waist (that’s usually common) when you sit. This puts the butt (or your imaginary tail) behind the spine. Relax the muscles in the back and chest and finally, you get to sit like an ‘I’ with your spinal vertebrae stacked up precisely in a straight line instead of a ‘C’. Good Posture: A Fairy Tale? The question here is whether or not we have something called as a good posture! To the common man, a good posture is to sit up straight correcting your slouched back straightening out some of the curves. Till date, we don’t have relationships between postural factors (shape and curves of the back) and back pain and also between sitting and back pain. While sitting can aggravate back pain it cannot be termed as the root cause of back pain. Data from the British Chiropractic Association reveals that 32% of the population spends more than ten hours a day in sitting position. Almost 50% of these people don’t leave their desk even for lunch, they have it at their own cubicle and 2/3rd of these people again sit down when they go home back from work. While most quote that sitting up straight is best there is a study that compared three different postures-a slouching posture where the body is hunched forward as in viewing the computer, an upright posture 90-degree sitting posture and a relaxed posture where the person leans back at 135 degrees but the feet remains firmly on the ground. While the slouched posture reduced spinal disk height indicating a high degree of wear and tear and the 90-degree posture had more pronounced disk movement, the disk movement was least pronounced in the 135-degree posture suggesting that this displayed less strain on the spinal disk. This might be news! Buts it’s just one study and we cannot change our entire sitting styles owing to this. What we can do is to sit in an ‘I’ posture instead of the ‘C” posture! While we argue on what is a good posture, we do know what a bad posture is. A poor posture affects the spine, circulation, causes fatigue, affects our mood, causes neck pain, shoulder pain and finally impairs quality of life. You might be the CEO of the organization or the head of a chain of businesses but you need to take time to correct your posture and start sitting in the correct way to avoid health complications. References Are You Sitting Comfortably: The Myth of Good Posture: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/mar/05/are-you-sitting-comfortably-the-myth-of-good-posture Is Your Posture Causing You Back Pain? https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/fitness/is-your-posture-causing-you-back-pain-try-the-gokhale-method/article26702414.ece |
AVOID FRAUD. EAT SMART.+91 7846 800 800
AuthorDietitian & Nutritionist Dr. Nafeesa Imteyaz. Archives
September 2024
Categories
All
Dr. Nafeesa's Blog @blogspot |
- Home
- Written Testimonials
- Consult
- Clinics
- Blogs
-
Diet & Nutrition
- Diabetes Reversal
- IVF IUI not needed for PCOS PCOD Infertility
-
Medical Nutrition
>
-
Disease & Conditions
>
- Infertility | PCOS
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Cholesterol
- Hypothyroid
- Kidney Problems
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Liver Diseases
- Gastro intestinal disorder
- Cancer
- Metabolic Disorders
- Orthopedic Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Dietary Recall
- Weight Record Filled By Clients
- Online Payment Transaction Details
- Online Clients Weight Check Form
- Our Program Package Service Charges
- Weight Record 2017 Clients
- Measurements sent by Clients
- Terms & Conditions Of Payment
- Thanks. Your Form is Submitted
- Video Testimonials
- Lifestyle & Wellness
- Lifestyle & Wellness Blog
- Allergy & Intolerance
- Weight Loss / Gain
- Weight Loss / Slimming Blog
-
Disease & Conditions
>
- Life Cycle Nutrition >
- Sports Nutrition >
- Integrity in Nutrition
- Knowledge Centre
© COPYRIGHT 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FRST HEALTHCARE PVT LTD.
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.