Healthy Gift Ideas for your Valentine and Healthier ways to be together lifetime

Valentine's Day is celebrated worldwide as a day to share the love and show gratitude towards our loved ones. 

When we love someone, what is the first thing that comes to our mind, is health and wellbeing of that person. 

So isn't it a good idea to gift something that can help our loved ones to start living healthy and fit life. 

Few ideas can be: 

 (Ideas to help your valentine to appreciate you every time he/she will have/use it) 

-Gift Gulkand (Rose Petal sweet) instead of giving roses. It can help to keep the body cool in the upcoming summer.

- A healthy goodie bag of Nutrition Supplement Kit / dryfruits-nut mix box/ Chyavaprash/ home made laddos than chocolate box. 

- Fitness tools like yoga mat/fitness active wear/fitness wrist band/dream book/self help books/gym bag than soft toys/dresses.

- Enroll together for fitness classes. 

- Gift Skin care range. 

- Gift spa coupon. 

- Register for couple health checks up.

- Hire a family Nutrition / Fitness coach. 

Love is about sharing (Sharing time/ideas/work/responsibilities). Few ways to enjoy quality time with your loved ones in a healthier way (not only on Valentine's day). 

- Have a Breakfast/Brunch together than wait for late-night dinner. 

- Go for a post dinner walk for chitchat than watching TV. 

- Keep a 15-30 minutes session a day for  book reading  than scrolling on social media posts. (Chose a book that can add positivity and right values. Few books for healthier relationship are Five love language, Personality plus, Men are from Mars and women from venus). 

- Prepare Sunday lunch together than Food mall outing. 

- Do a workout together. 

- On some weekends go for activities like trekking/nature trail/photography/beaches  around your city. 

**Also to note here, if another partner is not ready for a healthy shift currently, you lead by example. 

** If you don't have valentine, Gift your parents or yourself. 

And most important, appreciate... Say thanks to your loved ones for every small thing they do for you. 

#healthychoices #healthyfamily #healthycouples #valentinesgift

It’s not only Mr. Cholesterol – Enemy of cardiovascular system

What is commonly known- A heart attack is a result of blockages in arteries that completely blocks the passage of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

Reason of Arterial Blockages: Cholesterol, really? 

We need to understand the relationship between heart disease, cholesterol, and inflammation. Inflammation of arterial wall is a primary contributor to cardiovascular disease. Without inflammation, cholesterol might not be harmful at all.

What is Inflammation:

Think of what happens when your finger gets a little cut. Within a fraction of a seconds, chemicals are released by the damaged tissue to initiate the process known as inflammation. Inflammation prevents bleeding and protects from outside infection, this allows that little cut to heal.
Oxidation is a chemical process in the body caused by the release of unstable particles known as oxygen-free radicals. It is one of the normal processes in the body, but under certain conditions like mental stress, exposure to fumes of harmful chemical, these free radicals are overproduced. In excess amounts, they can be very dangerous, causing damages to the internal lining of arteries.
Similarly, obesity, high concentrated blood sugar, High blood pressure are also causing factors that put add-on pressure on the arterial lining.
 When this damage occurs to the lining of our arteries, (or even elsewhere) chemicals are released to initiate the process of inflammation (Arteries contract, the blood becomes more prone to clot, white blood cells are called to the area to gobble up damaged debris, and cells adjacent to those damaged are told to multiply. Ultimately, scars form inside our arteries, which we call plaque.) 

Cholesterol wouldn’t be nearly as dangerous without this process. When low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is comparatively in thicker consistency (also known as bad cholesterol) gets stuck at this plaque. And this whole thing inhibits regular blood flow and one point fully blocks blood circulation. And if this happens in an artery connecting to heart, causes a heart attack or stroke as the heart stops getting blood supply. 

A Blood Test of Inflammation: C-Reactive Protein (CRP test)
One of the most extensively studied markers of inflammation in the body is C-reactive protein, which is a protein made by the liver. C-reactive protein levels increase in infection, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

Role of Diet:
Inflammation appears to be aggravated by a poor diet. Research shows that high-calorie, high-fat meals cause a sudden spike in CRP and other inflammatory markers because of blood glucose and triglycerides overload.

Inflammation should be managed through maintaining healthy body weight, physical fitness exercise, pranayama, correct sleep cycle and overall healthy living. 

Daily Nutrition Intake

· Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fishes like salmon and tuna/ Salmon fish Oil, Walnuts, Flaxseeds or flaxseed oil, omega3 supplements capsule. Omega3 is the best antioxidant and powerful anti-inflammatory nutrient. 

· Turmeric, ginger, garlic, tulsi, pudina are also good for the heart.

· Green tea, herbal tea, lemon juice, Amla juice are great stress buster as well as antioxidant drinks. 

- Increase Dietary Fiber intake like 2 to 3 serves salads, oats, fruits having edible skin like mosambi, orange, strawberry, fresh anjeer. 

- Liver nourishing, organic herbs and nutrition supplements made by key nutrients like green tea, milkthistle, dandelion, turmeric. As efficiency of liver deteriorates as we age, in taking these supplements helps to recover its functioning. 

Write up By Prachi M. (Post graduate diploma in Dietetics with sports nutrition certified, Professional experience since 2007).

Contact: 9969326096

Healthy Eating Tips during Festival and Holidays

Naturally, it's hard to maintain weight in these fun times! Starting from the eastern Durga puja to Dussehra to Diwali then Christmas and Lohri, it is a good four months of indulgence. Not to mention weddings, as the winters are considered an auspicious time to marry. With all the celebrations, comes a truckload of fried food and sweets. A lot of these foods are hard to resist and one just can’t help but eat. Excessive indulgence brings with it tons of guilt and to pacify the guilt, you tell yourself it’s the festive season after all and everyone indulges. This makes you indulge even more and you postpone eating healthfully to the first of January. As a result of this, the pounds just pile on and bring with it more guilt.
Indian sweets are loaded with milk, milk products and dry fruits...and calories!. With all the extra calories, it’s not surprising that this is when people put on the most weight. With the festive season, any diet caution goes for a toss. Add to this the social gatherings, all the alcohol, the late-night snacking, etc.
The solution lies not in giving up food totally, but in changing the way you eat during this season. Read on for some guilt-free and slimming tips through the festive season…Reports say that majority of the Diwali celebrating communities undergo a nearly 20 per cent weight gain during this festival. But you don't need to give up those savouries, altogether, but change the way you eat during this season.
Be picky- Don’t eat because you’re being offered. Friends and family will try to force-feed you, but be firm with them. If you must for courtesy, then eat a small portion.
Indulge in the healthy sweets- We have the guide to the healthiest Indian sweets. Sandesh is a healthy option- since it is dairy-based and is steamed. There are many low sugar desserts also available. For instance, try a range of sweets that are sugar-free and made up of chenna (cottage cheese) or gur (jaggery), so that they don't play havoc with your blood sugar.
· Have halwas and fried sweets in moderation or just for taste. Rather switch to mithais (sweets) made from chenna, which is rich in protein. Try sweets such as rosogulla, chenna murki, chum chum as these are low in fat and high in proteins.
· Go for jaggery-based mithais over the refined sugar-based ones as the nutritional value of jaggery is higher than sugar. Jaggery also contains carotene, Vitamin-B, iron and magnesium.
· While making gajar ka halwa, make sure you avoid butter and ghee/mawa/khoa completely. It should be made completely from toned milk.
· Eat dry roasted nuts and dry fruits in their natural form instead of the fried, salted or sugared version.
· Use skimmed milk to prepare dishes like shrikhand, rice puddings like kheer, phrini, Bengali sweets, fruit custards, etc.
· Make salted munchies such as mathris, shakarpalis, chaklis, kachoris, etc, using high-fibre flour such as finger millet or bajra, ragi or soya flour along with wheat flour. Add green leafy vegetables such as methi (fenugreek), palak (spinach), kothmir (coriander) or mint to salted snacks.
· Baking is healthier than fried snacks.

When does food become fat?

Your weight will increase after eating or drinking, but this isn't permanent weight gain. It's related to the actual weight of the food or liquid you just consumed. It's not related to the calories or fat content of the meal itself.

One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. / 1Kg = 7000 calories. That means you have to create a 3,500-calorie deficit through diet and exercise to lose one pound of body fat. To gain a pound, you'd have to consume 3,500 calories more than your body can use.

Nutriion for special situations

A Job Interview

Yogurt – because it helps bring about proper nerve impulses
Amla/lemon juice –
Rich in vitamin C that can reduce levels of stress hormones while strengthening the immune system. Blood pressure and cortisol levels returned to normal more quickly by taking 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C before a stressful task.
Green banana 

–
It contains tryptophan that is a precursor of serotonin. This is an excellent antidepressant.
Black tea –
Black tea can help you recover from stressful events more quickly


The Big Meeting/Presentation
Blueberries -
A daily blueberry fix can help you do away with those shaky-cue-card hands, report researchers at the UK's University of Reading. In another study, aged animals fed the blue gems for 12 weeks saw a 26 per cent increase in memory performance.
Walnuts/flax seeds –
These foods are rich Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are a major component of the grey matter of the brain and can improve brain activity.

Boiled Potato / boiled sweet potato / banana / grape juice / glucose powder –
The key ingredient is glucose, which boosts people's cognitive performance. Glucose fuels the brain and makes the brain always ready to learn more.
Almond –
It improves memory and strengthens it many folds.


Before You Hit The Gym
45 minutes before exercise à
Chapati / whole wheat bread / rolled oats –
Source of complex carbohydrates.
A slow-release carbohydrate with low to moderate Glycemic Index.
Maintain blood glucose and steady insulin levels throughout the weight training session.

Skimmed cow’s milk / Whole egg –
Supply amino acids for energy use during weight training to spare the breakdown of muscle protein for obtaining the same amino acids throughout the workout.

Milk, egg yolk, green leafy vegetables, legumes / B complex capsule –
To optimize energy production and release.

Coloured vegetable juice –
Rich in antioxidants that help in fighting stress inducing free radicals.