Health Solutions

To maximise nutrients and appeal, buy and serve different types of fruit and vegetables. Try to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season, and choose for freshness and quality. You should:
• Eat with the seasons – this is nature’s way of making sure our bodies get a healthy mix of nutrients and plant chemicals.
• Try something new – try new recipes and buy new fruit or vegetables as part of your weekly shopping.
• Let colours guide you – get different combinations of nutrients by putting a ‘rainbow’ of colours (green, white, yellow–orange, blue–purple, red) on your plate.

Increase non-exercise physical activity.
Your daily workout is very important. But if you go to the gym for an hour and spend the rest of the day sitting in a chair or laying on the couch, you are probably doing more harm than good when you exercise. Learn how to increase your daily activity level so that you burn more calories with NEAT, non-exercise activity thermogenesis.
• Burn more calories at the office.
• Burn more calories while you relax.
• Burn more calories with the kids.
• Burn more calories with daily chores.
• Burn more calories at social events.

There is no ‘magic’ food to decrease the risk of developing heart disease. You need to eat a healthy diet and have plenty of exercise. High-salt diets increase blood pressure and the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most of us consume more than ten times the amount of salt we need to meet our sodium requirements (salt contains sodium and chloride). However, there is evidence that plant foods – especially wholegrain cereals, legumes, nuts, fruits and vegetables – may decrease the risk of heart disease.

Apples – An Antioxidant Powerhouse.
Apples are a potent source of antioxidants with more than seven times the antioxidant capacity of bananas and more than twice that of an orange. Antioxidants are widely considered to be a measure of a food’s disease fighting potential and apples are a very rich source.

Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle, contributing to the longevity and your quality of life. A well-rounded fitness program includes aerobic, strength, core, balance and flexibility training. Including yoga along with cardiovascular and strength training helps you fit in all of these components as well as reduce stress.

Consuming herbs may help to prevent and manage heart disease, cancer and diabetes. While more research is needed to confirm their medicinal and health benefits, some initial studies have shown that:
• Garlic, linseed, fenugreek and lemongrass may help lower cholesterol.
• Herbs such as fenugreek, flaxseed and cinnamon can help control blood sugar and insulin activity.
• Onions, chives, leeks, mint, basil, oregano and many other herbs can help protect against cancer.
• Herbs are rich in antioxidants, especially cloves, cinnamon, sage and thyme, by helping to reduce low-density lipoproteins (‘bad’ cholesterol).
Fresh herbs often contain higher antioxidant levels compared to processed or dried herbs. They can also help to reduce blood clots and can provide anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour properties.

Monsoon Diet and Fitness Tips.
After the long, hot summer months, the monsoon rains bring much needed relief from the heat. The rains, which are a welcome change, can spell the end for outdoor exercises for all health enthusiasts. Here are some tips to help you continue your weight loss journey:

Exercise:
• Outsmart the rains and join a gym/aerobics/yoga/dance class. Since these are conducted indoors, the rains are highly unlikely to hamper your fitness plans!
• Keep yourself active-take the stairs whenever possible, jog inside the house, do simple home exercises. Doing this will keep your metabolism from slowing down.

Diet:
• Avoid binging on fried foods (pakoras, chips, namkeens, samosas,etc) as far as possible.
• Eat light meals and keep yourself hydrated by drinking loads of water.
• All vegetables and fruits should be washed well in clean water especially those that are consumed raw. Avoid eating salads and cut fruits, juices and chaats from the street vendors.

Eat healthier snacks. Buy unsalted nuts and add a little of your own salt until your taste buds are accustomed to eating them salt-free. Cut down on sweet snacks such as candy, chocolate, and cakes. Instead, eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.

There are many unhealthy misconceptions about weight loss. There are no magical foods or ways to combine foods that melt away excess body fat. To reduce your weight, you need to make small, achievable changes to your lifestyle. You need to change the way you eat and increase your physical activity.

Did you know??

Drinking water at the correct time Maximizes its effectiveness on the Human body :
2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs.
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal -helps digestion.
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure.
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack.