Category Archives: Summer Session

Summers needs a two-thronged solution, one to keep replenishing body fluids and then cool the body!
Here are some of the tips that will help you to achieve this.

Tip 1: Go on more of rice and millet, stay away from wheat. Have more of legume than pulses.
Tip 2: Salads are the saviours; they keep you hydrated and provide the all-important fibre to keep your body cool.
Tip 3: Fruits are a must eat every day. Don’t worry much about the ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ concepts. Have any fruit with more than 80% moisture.
Tip 4: Curds will be a great add-on to your general diet. Eat or drink the way you want. They are such great pro-biotics that can keep you away from diseases and cool your body at the same time. Butter milk is a great drink. Just combine them with veggies like cucumber or carrot in grated form for a nourishing drink break.
Tip 5: Cut back on sugars and fats as far as possible. Go for shallow fried dishes, fruit juices with natural sweeteners. Use gingely oil daily in your cooking. A simple drink with jaggery water with a squeeze of lime is no match to any of those fizzy drinks.
Tip 6: Add a lot of natural coolants such as Gulkhnad (rose petal halwa), Kokum, Green mangoes and coconut water to daily diet whenever possible.
Tip 7: Have loads of fluids but cut down on coffee and tea as caffeine can dehydrate the body. Also do not go on too much of chilled aerated beverages. These are loaded with sodium and make you even more thirsty. Carry out a bottle of water with you wherever you go!
Tip 8: Green tea is must if you are unable to avoid the junk foods! Chilled green tea is great, make shots with almond, resins or sabja seeds and try mocktails with elaneer or tender coconut water. Do not avoid milk though as it is a great coolants too as rich in vitamin B. Also acts as an antidote for many of those ‘heaty’ foods.
Tip 9: Have foods rich in iron as they enhance the absorption many nutrients that can keep you disease free through the hot days. Green fruits and vegetables is must on your daily diet.
Tip 10: Take green breaks from AC environment whenever possible to get some fresh air and to help your body to replenish fluids.
Tip 11: Take an early morning walk or late evening walk at least for 10 minutes every day. Try and hit the pool once in a week.
Tip 12: Eating ice-creams is not harmful. Do combine them with fruits and nuts. Also try some homemade recipes to avoid the chemicals. Go in for some health friendly deserts based on millets and unrefined cereals.
Grandma’s advise of a castor oil massage below your feet helps. It is time to get back the oil massage for your head too.
Go bust the heat this summer.

More and more people are becoming victims to unhealthy living due to lack of time to completely focus on themselves. However, the best jobs or houses won’t mean anything if you aren’t in the best of health to enjoy the perks that come with them. Health is wealth, and if you don’t take proper care of yourself in the present, then there could be a problem for you in the long run. If you are looking for ways on how to maintain good health, there are three important things to look into.

Eating healthy, eating well

Nutrients- One of the most important ways to maintain good health is by eating well and eating the right food. This means consuming food that is filled with minerals, vitamins and all the other nutrients that are essential for the body. Some of the things you need to do include having a healthy breakfast, savour every bite and eat slowly and avoid in-between snacks.

Fiber- To ensure you are getting the right nutrients, increase your vegetable intake, add salads to your daily meals, and switch to a fruit for snacking instead of chips or other unhealthy snacks. For boosting your fiber consumption, opt for wholegrain, seeded or wholesome bread instead of white bread. You can also choose to add fruits to your breakfast cereal to make it more wholesome.

Meats- Meat eaters who are looking to stay healthy without giving up their intake of meat should choose lean meat cuts and poultry. It is also advisable to trim off the skin and fat from the meat to keep it healthy. Additionally, you should also include healthy accompaniments with your meat like low fat yogurt, avocado, low fat margarine or mayonnaise. Remember to opt for monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, and stay away from high fat meat products like bacon, salami, ham and sausages.

Water- Along with eating the right foods, you should also look into your water consumption. Ensure you always have a bottle of water within your reach, whether you’re sitting at your work desk or travelling anywhere. You can also add some mint leaves or lemon juice to a jug of chilled water for added flavor if you like.

Avoid- An important part of knowing how to maintain good health is to understand what foods you should avoid. Sugar is one of those things that you need to avoid if you want to maintain healthy eating habits. You don’t have to completely cut out sugar from your diet, but you can gradually decrease your intake by reducing the amount of sugar in your tea or coffee, choosing diet sodas or drinks that do not have added sugar. When it comes to snacks, opt for fruits over chocolates, cakes and biscuits.

Get your daily dose of exercise – Another essential factor in knowing how to maintain good health is daily exercise. Whether it is walking, jogging, running, swimming or cycling, adding about 30 to 40 minutes of exercise to your daily routine can work wonders for your health. Not only does exercise help you shed weight and keep you fit but it also improves your lungs and heart health, reduces stress, decreases blood pressure and enhances flexibility, co-ordination and balance.

While cardio workouts are great for reducing weight and toning muscles, they are not the only form of exercise you can choose. You can also opt for yoga or pilates, or for a more interesting take on exercise, sign up for dance classes. Dancing is a great way to keep fit and it can help you learn something new and meet people. To make exercising more fun, you can alternate between different forms of exercise, to prevent from getting bored.
Ensure you get adequate sleep – To keep up with a healthy lifestyle of exercise and good eating, it is vital that you get adequate sleep every day. Adults need a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep for the body to be rejuvenated and replenished completely. It is also advisable to go to bed at the same time everyday and wake up at the same time every morning. This way you create a healthy routine for your body and your mind. Remember- early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
All these things can help you enjoy a healthier and fuller life, and in the long run you have a longer and better life. Health is wealth, and if you aren’t already paying attention to your body and mind as yet, it is advisable to start as soon as possible. You don’t have to make a complete change to your lifestyle immediately. Instead start with small changes like going to bed on time, waking up early, and then add daily exercise and better diet to your routine. Eventually, you’ll be doing everything right and will start feeling and seeing the difference in your body and mind.

Mango, also called as “king of fruits” is one of the nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavour, fragrance, taste, and thus promoting health benefits to humans. We all love mango. There is hardly anyone who will not like this amazing fruit. The only good thing about the hot summers in India is that it is also the season of mangoes.

Variety
There are almost 500-1000 varieties of different mangoes in India. This huge variety not only differs in shape, size and colour but also in its taste. Alphonso, Badami, Langada, Mallika, Dussehri, Baiganapalli are some of the popular varieties available in India.

King Sized Benefits of Mango 
Mango fruit is rich in Dietary fiber, Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidant compounds. This makes it a good choice as a desert for Diabetics, Thyroid and those having High Cholesterol.

It is an excellent source of Beta Carotene, a pre cursor to Vitamin A and Potassium.

Mango is also a good source of folate which will help in purification of the blood and production of RBCs.

The antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia cancers.

The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically LDLs (Low Density Lipoproteins).

Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood. The traditional home remedy involves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning.

Boosts immune system.

The fiber in mangoes improves digestion and elimination of toxins from the body.

The potassium and vitamin content in mangoes helps to ward off the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Mango juice helps to prevents heat stroke.

The malic acid, tartaric acid in the mango helps in alkalizing the body.

Mangoes are also good for your skin and hair because they contain vitamin A, a nutrient required for sebum production that keeps hair moisturized.

GOOD OR BAD – Dietician’s Take
A lot of people have apprehensions whether to have a mango while on weight loss or high sugar or not.
Mango provides all the essential vitamins and minerals, has a low Glycemic index and has approximately 135 calories per fruit.
Consuming a whole mango as a fruit during the day as a mid meal is a good way to enjoy the original taste of mango. What we do is make juices, milkshakes, smoothies, aamras, phirni, mango ice creams, sheera, etc. So it is these other ingredients that increase the calories and the sugars that make mango the forbidden fruit.
So enjoy this season by having your mango guilt free!