It is true that only lifestyle management can help you control PCOS – namely good nutrition, stress management, physical exercise and timely sleep cycle.

If you’re tired of diets that you find impossible to stick to, and you’d rather follow practical dietary and lifestyle principles that are backed by real science  then here’s 7 essential steps you should take to achieve a healthy body weight that is sustainable long term.

Avoid restricting calories

Diets that restrict your energy intake do not work well for women with hormonal disorders especially  PCOS. PCOS creates an imbalance in hunger hormones, causing blood sugar levels to spike and crash throughout the day. Calorie restriction may cause for women with PCOS to develop an eating disorder, such as binge eating and yo-yo-dieting.  Rather than restricting calories, focus on making right food choices that keep you satiated and help in losing weight at same time.

Take high androgens & inflammation seriously

Any women with PCOS who’s having trouble with weight loss will have high levels of male sex hormones such as testosterone and chronic low grade inflammation. The key is to pack your diet with anti-inflammatory foods. Spices like turmeric, cinnamon, fenugreek, and ginger, are anti-inflammatory and can also help with insulin resistance.

Eat carbohydrates wisely

Go for foods that are sources of complex carbs, such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and legumes.Reduce your consumption of white pasta, bread etc.Try swapping fruit drinks  for whole fruit, because they contain more fibre, which is vital for a healthy gut. Fruits low in fructose are best, like grapefruits, clementines, lime, lemon, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.

Make peace with fat

Increasing healthy fats in your diet is a great way to keep you satiated, and can help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, K and help with healthy female hormone levels. Healthy fats include foods like avocado, all nuts and seeds.

 Eat more prebiotic foods

Prebiotics are foods that feed our microbiome and include things like garlic, onion, leek, spring onion, asparagus, beetroot, green peas, peas, sweet corn, and cabbage.

Sleep on time

Go to bed latest by 10 pm. This helps you fall asleep faster as this is when your cortisol levels are at their lowest.

Make exercise a habit

Working out is empowering. May not necessarily be in a gym, dance,swimming,zumba,jog any activity that excites you.It makes us feel great about ourselves, and boosts our emotional health with far greater effect than any antidepressant!

The main key is to make small meaningful changes to your lifestyle and eventually you will become fitter and change your body composition for the better.

Remember – today’s your day, so start over and finally give yourself the health you deserve.

For customised Nutrition Plans for managing your PCOS visit www.umanarula.com. Your Nutrition Plan is structured  taking into consideration everything from your body requirements to food preferences, your relationship with food to hectic routine, your food cravings to family responsibilities to make it practical and doable.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.

I’ve blogged about various aspects of women and kids nutrition but I feel it’s time we focus on the biggest kids in our homes – our men!

They always have the appearance of being strong and in charge of their health…but are they really?

High-stress jobs,  family responsibilities, dinner meetings, jet setter routines and fast food have made them more susceptible to obesity and lifestyle diseases than ever before.

Of course they will never admit it, but are they really fit?

Read this interesting blog to get the answers!

Let’s talk about the one common issue that all men have – a pot belly!

What is a pot belly?

Even the fittest father at some time fights that small or not so small bulge in the stomach. If we really pay attention, this starts setting in the late twenties ….slowly and steadily  becomes a part of our changing body.

Why does this happen?

There are two types of body fat in your body – subcutaneous & visceral fat.

Subcutaneous Fat: is the fat which you can pinch and sits under your skin.

Visceral Fat: is the fat that surrounds a person’s organs and is  linked to most obesity related lifestyle diseases.

In men stomach is the  largest deposit of these fats. So if these fats are not converted into energy, they are stored in the stomach area. As in men stomach is the only area where number of fat cells is the highest unlike women where fat cells are distributed under different parts of body like stomach, butt, breast etc.

What is also noticed is that in spite of a nutritive diet, walks etc – stomach fat is the most obstinate – it just refuses to go! The area on the body that stores more fat gets less blood flowing to them, which in turn means less fat can be released & used for energy.

Therefore a combination plan of rest, food, hydration and exercise is needed to beat the bulge.

The 3 S’s which obstruct weight loss for men

Stress:

A non negotiable part of our lives – stress is something most men live with. During stress our body releases cortisol – a hormone that causes the energy to store around the belly  and other parts of the body.  While short-term stress can lead to bothersome headaches, stomach cramps or  weight gain , chronic stress impacts every system of your body, from your digestive and reproductive systems to your immune system. So stress isn’t just making you grumpier — it may also be making you fatter and sicker.

According to a Gallup 2019 Global Emotions Report – 55% of our population feel stressed daily and most deal with stress by turning to food.

What is important here is that it is our food choices that can either increase or decrease our stress.Chips, biscuits or junk food will give you a temporary feeling of satisfaction but they have more long term effects in increasing the stress on your mind and body.

It would be great to keep the below mentioned options in mind and keep them stocked in your pantry for convenience and reduce stress in long term. These foods help produce dopamine or serotonin,  pleasure inducing brain chemicals and reduce stress. Avocado, banana, blueberries ,green leafy veggies , pumpkin seeds, sweet potato, oats are some stress reducing foods.

Gently help your man or men inculcate mindfulness, yoga and basic stretching in their daily lives. Just 10 minutes of deep breathing in the morning and night will work wonders.

Sugar:

We all know that excess sugar leads to weight gain and hence we make every single effort to cut down sugar and desserts. But do we know that sugar appears in almost all packaged food items including savoury snacks too! Ready to eat pasta, namkeen mixtures, packaged soups, bread, potato chips all are sugar laden.

You might not be able to completely go clean in a jiffy but small starts can help you and your family considerably.

Avoid white refined foods such as bread, pasta & potato chips as they increase the bloody sugar levels which promote fat storage. Be a label sleuth and read what goes into your foods correctly. Don’t fall in prey for sugar free products as their chemical constituents do disturb the hormones of the body again leading to weight gain. Substitute sugar with dates, raisins or prunes in your desserts.

Sleep: There is a correlation between  lack of sleep and an increase in hunger and appetite. According to a study , those who sleep less than six hours per day are almost thirty percent more likely to become obese than other individuals who got seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Hormone ghrelin stimulates hunger and leptin signals satiety. When a shortened amount of sleep is experienced, there is a decrease in leptin and an elevation of ghrelin, ultimately leading to weight gain.

If your man isn’t getting enough shut-eye, gently probe into the matter. A major cause very likely to be is the screens. Blue light radiation keeps our brain active and thus the mind takes longer to sleep.

Mediation and simple bed time rituals can be helpful in inducing sleep. Turmeric milk also induces good night sleep.The more they sleep, the body gets time to rejuvenate, repair and shed its weight.

Do low-fat diets work?

As discussed above the size of his waistline depends on number of factors and not solely on his fat intake. Cutting down fat alone from his diet may help him lose some inches but eventually it’s a gradual shift in his lifestyle which will  sustain that in the long run.

Excessive use of refined oils and processed foods rich in trans fats do add inches to his waistline. Also be wary of low fat/cal food products. Have you ever wondered what takes the place of the removed fat in low fat products? Answer: heaps of synthetic, non-food chemicals that wreak havoc on our metabolism and digestion. What’s more, most low-fat and fat-free products contain loads of sugar or artificial sweeteners to make up for the lack of taste.

A thoughtfully balanced intake of natural healthy fats such as coconut, avocados ,desi ghee,nuts and seeds help in burning the stubborn belly fat for a flatter tummy & lower body weight.In fact essential healthy fats help to slow down the release of nutrients into the bloodstream, so by all means, add a little ghee to your meals. This will help regulate appetite and keep his energy levels consistent.

Let him try a low-cal high nutritive diet

A meal plan that is wholesome and full of natural foods in required quantities can help reduce the tummy and overall body weight in a healthful manner. Lack of essential nutrients in diet often leads to dizziness, lack of energy,low immunity,migraine etc. When a meal plan is structured ensuring enough supply of essential vitamins and minerals and just the required amounts of carbs and fats, these complaints often subside and weight loss comes as an added bonus.

Veggies and fruits when eaten raw are way more nourishing than their cooked versions. Including  raw fruits and veggies help in reducing the stubborn  tummy fat too. Keeping portion sizes in control is another essential aspect of losing tummy fat. Including small meals in between the 3 big meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) helps in controlling the portions during big meals. The small meals need not be a fancy affair,  his favourite fruit after a morning meeting, a handful of nuts along with evening tea,  coconut water on the way back home, all will help him in eventually reducing his portion sizes,tummy fat and maintain energy levels throughout the day.

Focus on nourishing the body with right nutrients to lose weight and belly fat and not on only cutting calories or fats.

It does not work without physical activity

It is true that diet forms an integral part of a weight loss plan but core building exercise is well…’core’ to losing that paunch!

A healthful diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of the problems associated with it. Avoid sitting for long hours together. Take a stroll within your room/office wherever for 5 min after every hour.

Walks, swimming, yoga, jogs – let him choose what excites him. It might be difficult to find 30-40 mins together so one can break it up as well. The key is to move your body as frequently as possible.10 minutes of core building in the morning and evening – be it minute long planks, bicycle crunch exercises or push ups and pull ups – they all work well for deep core muscles, ab muscles and postural muscles.Either help him find a fitness buddy or best – do it as a couple or family activity.

I’m sure these tips will help your family and your man be more fit and happy.

For customised Nutrition Plans for keeping your  man’s weight off safely and effectively visit www.umanarula.com. Your Nutrition Plan is structured  taking into consideration everything from your body requirements to food preferences, your relationship with food to hectic routine, your food cravings to family responsibilities to make it practical and doable.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.

Have you ever marked when your tummy is well – all is well? And if the tummy is feeling out of sorts – you feel miserable for days, weeks, or even years at a time!

Why does this happen?

This is because your intestines are home to not only your digestive system but your nervous system and immune system as well.

Fad diets, high usage of antibiotics, stress and environmental toxins all play a part in weakening your gut.

Your gut is the pathway through which nutrients are incorporated into the body. If your gut health isn’t up to par, even the most nutritious foods may not be broken down or absorbed properly. Eating healthy food is only half of the nutrition story. You need to be in the ideal state to digest food, too.

So while it’s important to make wholesome food choices, it’s just as important to prepare your body to digest it.

How different parts of gut get affected:

Mouth: Not chewing food thoroughly is a setup for digestive troubles. Mechanically breaking your food down to a liquid state mixes in digestive enzymes that begin dissolving proteins, carbs, and fats even before you swallow. Always remember to eat your solids like liquids and liquids like solids.

Stomach: Your stomach digests food with enzymes and acids, distilling it into a slurry that moves into the small intestine. Over stuffing your stomach may lead to incomplete digestion that can negatively affect your assimilation of nutrients and encourage the overgrowth of bad bacteria and yeast leading to bloatedness.

Lymphoid Tissue: An important player in your immune system, about two-thirds of this tissue is located in the gut. It’s job is to filter, process or neutralize food-borne chemicals and bacteria. Add undigested food particles to the mix, and the immune system can become overtaxed.

Large & Small Intestine: If there is inadequate fibre in your system, elements of slow-moving waste can re-enter the system, creating a variety of inflammatory and toxicity problems throughout the body.

Gut Lining:  Under a continuous assault from processed foods, sugar, food intolerances, stress, toxins, alcohol, infections, and medications, it is easy to irritate or inflame this lining.

Hence, it all starts in the mouth and is scientifically taken forward to nourish our body. If we don’t take care of this process, it is easy for our digestive process to go out of whack.

How to heal your gut?

The 3 point Gut Healing Plan

Eliminate

The first step towards healing your gut is to identify and remove sources of gut irritation, rather than attempting to suppress its symptoms with drugs.

• The common irritants include sugar, dairy, gluten, soy,caffeine and the chemical additives found in many processed foods. It may be none, one or all that may be contributing to irritation of gut lining in your case. Try and eliminate one by one for two weeks, then reintroduce the food, and keep notes on its effects. If you feel bloated, fatigued, or gassy, add that food to your elimination list.
• Avoid alcohol and NSAIDs

Eat to Rebuild

The second step is to give your body what it needs to rebuild the gut lining.

• Whole foods to provide natural fibre to eliminate toxins from the body.Whole foods are also full of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and enzymes the small intestine needs to heal.
• Eat plenty of raw foods. Raw fruits and vegetables provide digestive enzymes that get killed after cooking.
• Get more omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds,fatty fish,walnuts are some natural sources.
• Add a probiotic: These beneficial bacteria strengthen your immune system, improve metabolism, help your body make vitamins, and aid in the absorption of minerals.
• Eat fermented foods: To get your good probiotic bugs to stick around, eat daily servings of prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt (dairy or nondairy), dosa or idli,sauerkraut and khimchi.

Eat mindfully. 

Before taking your first bite, look at your food and take in its aroma – this will trigger the cephalic phase of digestion, an initial release of enzymes that help break down your food.

As you eat, chew thoroughly, paying attention to your food’s flavour and texture. Avoid multitasking or rushing while you eat. Take pauses and breaths between bites, allowing your digestive system to keep pace.

Avoid screens while eating and focus on chewing your food well, listen to your stomach and stop when it gives you the full signal.

 Get stress and sleep under control: Lack of sleep and stress, both come in way to heal your gut. Do your body a favor and stay rested and practice stress management techniques so that it can focus on healing.

Super Foods to Heal your Gut

Sugar cane

Crunchy sugar cane releases good sugars and fibre slowly into your system. Known to stimulate and boost the immune system, sugar cane juice is a rich supply of Vit. C, antioxidants and relieves symptoms of constipation, bloating and cramping.

Gulkand

Prepared from dried rose petals, gulkand is known to improve appetite, better digestion, reduce stress, acidity and stomach heat. This flower wonder can treat ulcers, minimize intestine swelling and strengthen the heart, liver and central nervous system.

Coconut Water

We all know this – but here it is once again. Coconut water is composed of important sugars, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and phytohormones. It also contains inorganic ions that boost your body’s antioxidant system.

Desi Ghee

One of Ayurveda’s most treasured foods, ghee has incredible healing properties.

From our dals to khichdi and halwas to chapati; ghee is a high quality food source of butyric acid, which makes it an ideal pick to support the health of the intestinal walls. The cells of your colon use butyric acid as their preferred source of energy. Ghee also plays a key role in balancing hormones and maintaining healthy cholesterol.

Gut Healing Benefits from your Masala ka Dabba

• Turmeric/Haldi: A powerful anti-inflammatory agent.
• Cumin/Jeera: A natural digestive, it relieves diarrhoea, bowel spasms, gas and stomach aches.
• Garam Masala: Improves digestive fire. It increases your body temperature which raises your metabolism and decreases constipation.
• Carom/Ajwain and Fenugreek/Methi: The seeds have water-soluble fiber which can help soothe an upset stomach, constipation and inflammation in the stomach.
• Mustard/Rye: An excellent source of magnesium and dietary fiber, so it can help with constipation or irregular stools. Mustard seeds can also stimulate your appetite, soothe an upset stomach, and act as a laxative.
• Sesame/Til: These seeds are packed with fiber which can help reduce constipation and diarrhoea both. There is also a lot of copper in sesame seeds which reduces inflammation and assists in the intake of iron.
• Fennel/Saunf: Provides relief from constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion and flatulence. Fennel also has an amino acid called histidine that can help treat anaemia.

 Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,weight loss,eat right and much more.

Visit us @ www.umanarula.com.

You have taken a test and those two magical lines show up-a positive pregnancy test!

You are excited and nervous at the same time and soon your whole life begins to change.

Most significant to you now is your baby’s normal growth and you want to be super sure about eating right to meet the increased demands.

Before we discuss the nutrition needs for each trimester, let’s see how much should be the ideal weight gain?

• Women who are overweight pre-pregnancy should aim to gain between 7 to 11 kgs during their entire pregnancy. It may be even less depending on the weight when conceived.
• Underweight women can gain anywhere between 12 to 18 kgs.
• Women having normal body weight can increase about 11 to 16 kgs.

First Trimester

Do not eat for two:

Yes you read it right you don’t need to eat for two  atleast in the 1st trimester, where your foetus is peanut sized and all the weight is going on the mother. What is of utmost importance for your baby’s growth and your health is not just eating more but eating  right! Focus on meeting the micro-nutrient (vitamins and minerals) requirements keeping your caloric intake normal during first trimester.

Have frequent small meals:

Eat after every 2.5-3 hours gap during the first 12 weeks.This helps in meeting the increased nutrient demands and reducing nausea and vomiting.

Nutrients to focus:

Folic acid: Found in beans, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables ,beetroot, eggs, broccoli, banana, nuts and seeds.

Calcium: Apart from milk and milk products, following foods too are rich and infact better sources of Calcium.

Iron: Apart from eggs,poultry and meat following are other rich sources of iron:

Choline: Found in eggs,tofu,quinoa.

Vitamin B12: Found in meat, poultry, seafood, milk and milk products ,fermented foods like idli,dosa and in mushrooms.

Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fatty fish, chia seeds, flax seeds and walnuts.

Discomforts

Morning sickness –  Nibble small meals instead of larger portions at one go.Here are some additional tips:

Anaemia – Apart from including enough iron rich foods in your daily routine be sure about iron absorption too. The following tips will help in better iron absorption and combat anaemia.

Tiredness – Happens because of changing hormones that lead to frequent dips in blood glucose levels. Take power naps during the day and go to bed early.Avoid the temptation to eat sweet foods. Instead, give your energy levels a boost by eating snacks based on wholegrains and fruits/vegetables .

Second trimester

Do not eat for 2

While everyone you know will tell you to ‘eat for two’ do remember that you only need about 300 extra calories during this trimester. Not even one additional burger or packet of chips and you are cross 300 Cal. So focus on more nutrient dense food and not eating for two.

Eat at Right Intervals

Increased intervals between meals lead to  acid build up in the stomach – causing acidity and over eating at the next meal. Reduced intervals between meals do not provide enough time for the stomach to digest its food – causing bloating and indigestion.So maintain maximum of 2-2.5 hourly gaps during the 2nd trimester.

Nutrients to focus

In addition to the important nutrients for first trimester include the following:

Magnesium: Found in nuts and seeds, bananas and yoghurt.

Vitamin D: Expose your body to direct sunlight for 20 min/day. Be regular with your supplement as vit D requirements cannot be solely fulfilled by diet.

Discomforts

Heartburn – eating smaller meals and more regular snacks often helps. Avoid eating late into the evening (leave 2 hours between food and bed). Common triggers include rich, spicy and fatty foods, and caffeinated drinks.

Constipation –the increasing size of foetus exerts pressure on the digestive organs leading to indigestion and constipation. Including plenty of whole grains, millets, fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses  help. Drinking plenty of fluids and being physically active also helps reduce constipation.

Third trimester

Do not eat for two

You need around 450cal extra in a day. Have an additional chapati or rice serving, extra bowl of dal, green leafy veggies and an extra serving of your snack. An additional teaspoon of desi ghee.This will help  in meeting the increased requirements.

Eat at Right Intervals

To avoid frequent heartburn,acidity and constipation a maximum of 2-2.5 hourly gaps during the 3rd trimester must be maintained.

Nutrients to focus

Apart for the nutrients from Ist and IInd trimester ,these are the add ons

Vitamin C – your vitamin C requirements are up an extra 25% this trimester. Including at least one vitamin C-rich fruit a day will help you meet this. Amla,guava,oranges are good sources of vit C.

Vitamin A – include a variety of bright yellow and orange coloured fruits and vegetables and low fat dairy products.

Discomforts

Apart from heart burn,acidity and constipation discussed above, these are additional short term discomforts:

Increased urination – Occurs as the big size foetus exerts pressure on the bladder. But don’t reduce your fluid intake.This short term trouble will end soon.

Swelling (oedema) – Drink plenty of water, keep your sugar and salt intake low.

Our Indian diet is quite wholesome by itself, as it comprises all the food groups required to keep you healthy. But you cannot eat one or two healthy meals and expect it to carry you through the day. Here is a break up of all food groups along with their reference intakes.

Foods to avoid and limit:Certain foods pose serious risks or harbour harmful bacteria that could potentially affect your child for the rest of their life.

Alcohol-There is no safe limit of consuming alcohol  during pregnancy. Research relates its consumption with birth defects and hence it is to be strictly avoided.

Processed foods-The healthiest of processed foods are unhealthier than the calorie densest natural food. Confused?? Simply put;  The health quotient of food is judged by its nutrients and not merely the calories. Processed foods are loaded with preservatives, artificial colours & flavours, additives and chemicals. These components harm the delicate metabolic balance in the body, resulting in hormonal imbalances and may have adverse effects on your little one too.Limit the following for sure!

• Colas, canned juices, juice mixes, flavoured drinks.
• Packaged chips and mixtures.
• Commercial breads, buns, biscuits, cookies, cakes, pretzels
• Packaged ketchup, sauces, salad dressings.
• store-bought muesli, oatmeal biscuit and fortified juice.
• Canned food.
• Caffeine.

The immune system during pregnancy gets weakened. So its better to avoid following  foods that have high chances of harbouring pathogenic bacteria causing infections.

• Soft, unpasteurized cheeses (often advertised as “fresh”) such as feta, goat, Brie, Camembert, and blue cheese.
• Unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider.
• Raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse and tiramisu.
• Raw or undercooked meats, fish, or shellfish, sushi.
• Processed meats such as hot dogs and deli meats (these should be thoroughly cooked).
• Fish that are high in mercury like sword fish,mackerel.
• Raw Sprouts.
• Tap Water.

For customised Nutrition Plans for pregnancy visit www.umanarula.com.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.

Are you popping a pill the moment you wake up?

If yes, then you are not alone, sadly as per a recent  survey , nearly every 3^rd Indian suffers  from some or other form of thyroid disorder. Perhaps the most stunning statistics are that up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition and that women are five to eight times more likely than men to have thyroid problems.

So is there any route out from thyroid or is it to be a pill-popping process for the rest of your life…lets find out some life truths about this little butterfly shaped gland at your lower neck, which is causing you so much of stress!

What is Thyroid?

The thyroid gland is in your neck, just below the Adam’s apple. A part of the endocrine system, the thyroid creates hormones and controls how your body uses energy and your body’s sensitivity to other hormones.

The thyroid produces a hormone called triiodothyronine, known as T3. It also produces a hormone called thyroxine, known as T4. Together, these hormones regulate your body’s temperature, metabolism, and heart rate. They  also regulate various functions in the body including digestive function, bone maintenance, brain development and muscle control.

Poor functioning of thyroid leads to poor metabolism, weight gain and high cholesterol levels.

What is TSH?

The thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is a pituitary(pituitary gland is the master gland in our body) hormone that stimulates the thyroid gland to produce triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormones.

What is Hypothyroid?

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones. This condition may cause weight gain, dry skin, constipation, feeling cold, hairfal , brittle nails,frequent infections or low immunity,dizziness and slow heart rate.

If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels and adviced statins, get yourself checked for thyroid too. As it is very likely that your cholesterol levels are high due to an underfunctioning thyroid and fixing your thyroid will fix your cholesterol as well.

What is Hyperthyroid?

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which thyroid gland produces excessive hormones. This condition may cause signs and symptoms such as weight loss, irritability, sweating, and irregular heartbeats.

More than 80% of thyroid disorders today are hypothyroid in nature. So sharing practical tips, do’s and don’t’s for hypothyroidism. Hence forth read thyroid as hypothyroid in the article.

Why should I do the Full Thyroid Profile Test and not just the TSH?

The Thyroid Profile  test measures the levels of total thyroxine [T-4], total triiodothyronine [T-3] and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in your blood.

If you have normal levels of T3, T4 and TSH, you have a great thyroid function. But if you have a normal TSH and an abnormality in your T3 and T4, you still need to improve your thyroid function. In nutshell your thyroid health depends on all 3 above hormone levels and not only TSH. If the levels of T3 and T4 are not normal the body cannot convert fat into energy leading to weight gain.

What causes an imbalanced thyroid and why is it rampant now?

Thyroid is majorly a lifestyle disorder caused by wrong eating pattern, regular junk food consumption, irregular sleep cycle and chronic stress. It’s rampant now because of processed food choices, high-stress lives and an indisciplined lifestyle.

It is entirely reversible with clean eating habits and a healthy lifestyle.

Shouldn’t medicines cure the imbalance?

The thyroid tablet prescribed to you does not cure or repair your thyroid gland. It only helps in producing some thyroid hormones and the dosage keeps on increasing based on your lifestyle.

The medicine also interferes with the absorption of vital vitamins and nutrients like Vit. B12, Calcium, Selenium, Vit D to name a few. To supplement these thyroid pills, most people are also given calcium and multi-vitamins. The pills and supplements both have their own list of side effects.

So choice is yours -Living rest of your life with thyroid pills and its side effects, increasing dosage and weight with time.

Or

Working towards  naturally curing and nourishing the thyroid gland  and losing excessive weight with a  healthier lifestyle and be free from medicines.

What are the main triggers and how can I work around them?

Though certain genetic  factors or thyroid surgery may also cause thyroid. The most common triggers for alarming rise in thyroid disorders today are:

Chronic Stress: The No. 1 killer for most lifestyle diseases. Under stress body produces excessive cortisol hormone and less thyroxine . Leaving your immunity levels low and causing constant fatigue.

Poly unsaturated fats(PUFA) and Refined oils :Soyabean oil,corn oil,sunflower oil and most of the other refined vegetable oils are rich in PUFA. PUFA does not allow production of thyroxine by thyroid gland which is required to convert fat into energy. So when these PUFA rich oils are consumed the fat is not converted into energy and hence the slow metabolism and weight gain.

What are some natural healers or preventers that I should have for my thyroid?

Relieve your stress: Proper time management, mental stimulating activities, deep breathing, regular sleep pattern, a hobby or just time out with your friends can do wonders for you.

Balanced Nutrition: Your thyroid is likely to function at its best by  “mind- fullness” and “moderation” in everything you consume. Most of the food we eat outside or the highly processed junk we love is rich in poly-saturated fat! Refined vegetable oils have been stripped of most of their nutritional value. Eat home cooked as much as possible and be aware of what’s going into your body – its as simple as that!

Right cooking technique: I recommend cooking oil-free and  as much as possible. Yes you can cook all lentils(dals), gravies and most of routine and fancy foods at home using zero oil. Desserts too can be prepared without adding refined sugar or chemical laden sugar free. You just need to unlearn  bit of the traditional cooking and relearn some basic cooking techniques.(Log on to www.umanarula.com and get in touch with me today for more info on cooking techniques and recipes.)

Use of Natural Oils: Natural oils contain vitamins, minerals and other nutritional factors that help nourish your thyroid gland and produce hormones that convert fat into energy. Unrefined, cold pressed and natural saturated fats are the right choice. They include olive oil, canola oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil,sesame oil and home made desi ghee or clarified butter.  But do check labels for ‘blended oils and refined oil’.

Special benefits of Coconut oil for thyroid: Un-refined coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid oil with innumerable  benefits. It is the only food besides breast milk that contains the immune boosting lauric acid, from being one of the best oils to cook foods that need to be cooked at high temperature, to usage on the skin and hair.  It energises and cures the thyroid gland unlike your morning pill.It also helps in the burning of belly fat due to its thermogenic and MCT properties. Include 2-3 teaspoons  raw or use  while cooking.

Improve on the Selenium: Selenium gets depleted when your thyroid gland is not functioning well. Sometimes in severe cases of thyroidism you may need to supplement with selenium. Natural foods like nuts and seeds, almond, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are rich in Selenium.

Avoid eating the cruciferous veggies  raw: Cruciferous veggies like cauliflower,broccoli,cabbage etc contain goitrogens which interfere with normal functioning of thyroid gland. So avoid eating them raw. However the goitrogens are destroyed while cooking. So you may have them in cooked form.

Physical Activity: It improves your blood circulation and  increases nutrient supply to your underfunctioning thyroid.

Relaxation, deep breathing and neck exercises: Simple yoga asanas help in reducing stress levels and neck exercises speed up the recovery of thyroid.

Adequate Sleep: The repair and regeneration of body cells and organs takes place only during sleep.  If your sleep routine is disturbed, repair and regeneration of thyroid gland gets affected.

P.S.:It’s important to realize that intake of  thyroid medication cannot be stopped in a day or two.  First we  make necessary lifestyle changes and over a couple of weeks slowly the medicine dosage is first reduced keeping your doctor in loop and gradually discontinued. Thyroidism is reversible but it happens over a period of time and the approach is not one size fits all. For a customised nutrition plan to suit your needs and thyroid levels, do get in touch with me, I would be happy to guide!

For customised Nutrition Plans, visit www.umanarula.com.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.

Diwali time is family + dessert time. We all look forward to meet old and new friends,  relatives ,party and yes, we are plied with sweets of all kinds as well.

We all love sweets! Our body responds most dramatically to sweet flavour. It satisfies, relaxes, makes us happy, and leaves us feeling sated and content.

In fact, did you know, if our diet already contains  small portions of something sweet, we eat in controlled portions, we have fewer cravings, and we stop binge eating. The body feels relaxed and satisfied with less, making it easier to achieve and maintain our fitness goal.

Of course, this does not quite work if you are plying yourself with flour laden, sugar loaded and rich delicacies.

Few tips to enjoy the festivities guilt free:

Do not store excess  sweets at home. Rather share them with your friends.

Take a small serving ,eat it slowly while chewing properly. This helps you control your portions.

Avoid buying your sweets and snacks from stores as they are adulterated, full of artificial colours and flavours.

Don’t get trapped by bold claims of sugar free and diabetic mithai. They cause more harm than good due to chemicals present in them.

Desserts are most effective and tasty when made with superior quality, fresh whole ingredients/whole grain flours, organic seasonal fruits, nuts, seeds and natural  sweeteners. Not only do they satisfy your sweet desires, but there is no compromise on your health either.

Here is a list of desserts you can whip up for your loved ones and they will thank you for not only your efforts but also helping them eat guilt free! It’s just a matter of switching around a few ingredients and making better choices.

Besan Laddoo

Ingredients

1.5 C besan/chickpea flour

½ C sugar

½ C dates puree

½ C home made desi ghee

¼ C mixed Nuts for garnishing

Preparation

1. Heat a pan and add ghee to it. Roast besan until the raw smell goes away. Remove from the heat .
2. Allow the besan to cool for 5 min and mix chopped dates with besan and keep it aside.
3. Roast the chopped mixed nuts on a low flame stirring constantly for few minutes.Let them cool down a bit. Add to the roasted besan.
4. Grind sugar with cardamom.
5. Add to the besan mixture and mix all the ingredients well.
6. Grease your palms with little desi ghee and roll the mixture into laddoos.

Kaju Kathli

Ingredients

1 1/2 C cashewnuts

3/4C sugar

1/3 C water

1/4tsp elaichi powder

1 tsp ghee for greasing

Preparation:

1. Powder the cashews in a grinder until its fine powder.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add water and sugar.
3. Let it boil until sugar is completely dissolved and add cardamom powder.
4. Boil it for one more minute.
5. Turn the heat to low and add cashew powder and stir well.
6. Keep stirring continuously until it forms in the dough.
7. Grease a plate with ghee and transfer the dough to it.
8. Roll the dough with the help of a rolling pin.
9. Cut into diamond shape using a sharp knife.
10. Kaju katli is ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Rasmalai

Ingredients

1 Mashed sweet potato

2Tbsp almond flour

2 Tbsp tapioca starch

¼ tsp+1/2 tsp cardamom powder

1 fistful chopped pistachios

1 fistful chopped almonds

1C Cashew milk

3tsp Jaggery Powder

Preparation

1. Boil the sweet potato, drain, peel, mash well without any lumps.
2. Add ¼ tsp cardamom powder, starch and almond flour and shape them into balls.
3. Slightly roast from both sides on a tawa and keep aside.
4. Roast the chopped nuts on low flame for few minutes.
5. Heat the cashew milk on low flame,add ½ tsp cardamom powder, jaggery powder and mix well. Add the roasted nuts.
6. When the mixture begins to thicken add the sweet potato dumplings and turn off the heat.
7. Chill before you serve.

Mixed Dry Fruit Laddoo 

Ingredients

100 gm mixed nuts (pista, cashew, almonds)
2 tbsp grated dry coconut
100 gm dates
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp elaichi powder

Preparation

1. Chop the nuts and dates coarsely into small pieces.
2. Add ghee and roast the nuts in a pan on low flame. Once they are golden, add coconut, and continue roasting for few more minutes on low flame. Add the dates and elaichi powder and mix well and keep.
3. Remove from the flame and allow it to semi-cool. Roll the mixture into small balls and store in airtight containers.

Carrot Halwa

Ingredients

250 gm grated sweet carrot

1/2 tsp elaichi powder

1 C coconut milk

½ C date puree

Finely sliced almonds/pista for garnish

Preparation

1. Cook carrot in a heavy bottomed pan on low-medium flame for 5 minutes until all the moisture is completely absorbed from carrot.
2. Add coconut milk and cardamom powder.
3. Cook for another 5 minutes until the milk level is reduced.
4. Add dates puree and cook for 5 more minutes or till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan.
5. Garnish with chopped nuts and serve either hot or cold.

 Fig Date Burfi

Ingredients

250gm dried figs

250gm dates

400 gm mixed nuts (almonds, pistachios, and cashews)

1 tbsp. desi ghee

Preparation

1. Soak the figs in water over night and then purée them with little water.
2. Deseed the dates and chop fine. Add a little water and purée.
3. Finely chop the mixed nuts.
4. Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and add puréed figs and dates. Cook on medium heat , stirring continuously till the mixtures thickens.
5. Add chopped nuts and cook till the mixtures becomes heavy and leaves the sides of the pan.
6. Pour in a greased plate and spread evenly. Leave it to cool.
7. When cold, cut square slices, and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy guilt free :)) !!

For customised Nutrition Plans, visit www.umanrula.com.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.

Our ancestors had access to only fresh fruit, vegetables and grains available in season in their region.

Today, with access to frozen foods, super markets and artificially grown food, most produce is available all year round. No longer do we wait eagerly for the start of the strawberry season or enjoy corn in the monsoon, or prepare for a season of mango feasting!

As our ancient texts say, the universe has a place for everything and everything is best suited for where the universe puts it. It is nature’s design for people to eat locally and seasonally as all foods in nature are designed as per that.

In the spring the abundance of light and refreshing fruits and veggies help us alkalize and detox  after a long winter of heavier foods. Summer foods provide us with extra beta-carotenes and other carotenoids that help protect us against sun damage, they also provide more minerals to make up for mineral loss as sweat. Fruits in monsoon are naturally rich in vitamin C which is needed to fight against infections that we are prone to in that season. In winter we are provided by roots and tubers which are high in carbs for meeting the increased energy requirements during the season. Building a lifestyle around seasonal food meets the body’s nutrition demands in better way and facilitates the body’s natural healing process.

Relish the flavour of the season with increased nutrition

Did you know when crops are transported from a distance, they are harvested early and refrigerated so they don’t spoil during transportation.Then when they get to their destination they are heated in a hot house to artificially ripen the produce before it goes onto the shelves. This greatly reduces the flavour, changes the texture and the taste.

Seasonally fresh produce is picked when they’re ripe and fully developed. The produce has had more sun exposure, which means it will have higher levels of antioxidants! Thus, freshly picked produce has the optimal flavour – crispy, fragrant, juicy and colourful. Produce that is purchased in season is fresher, consumed closer to harvesting and higher in nutritional value.

Lesser chance of chemicals and pesticides: go natural as much as possible

Seasonal produce can grow without too much added human assistance i.e. pesticides and genetic modification.This makes it more environmentally sustainable.  Off-season foods travel much longer as compared to seasonal fruits and vegetables, to reach the local markets. This leads to higher amounts of wax coatings, preservatives and ripening agents to make them look fresh and healthy.

Knowing where your food is coming from is important. Farmer’s markets are a great option to explore. There are many organic food community groups on social media as well, that guide on markets happening in your area and stimulate you to ask questions and engage in your own local environment.

Spend less eat more

When farmers are harvesting a large abundance of produce due to the crop being in season, the cost of the produce will go down. Also when the produce is locally sourced because it’s in season in your area, then travelling expenses and storage are not required therefore reducing the production costs. When produce is in season, cheaper and often on sale it’s a wonderful time to buy in bulk and preserve, pickle, ferment, freeze and store your own  at home.

Add to the variety in menu

Changing your home menu seasonally  adds to the variety and helps you be creative in the kitchen! Feel free to try new recipes and experiment with different combinations and styles of cooking as well. Variety is healthy for our bodies; by changing our menu according to what’s seasonal you are less likely to develop food intolerances.

If you’re not familiar with what’s “seasonal” where you live, it’s not too difficult to find out. Take a quick glance around the produce section of your grocery store. Pay attention to the way prices are trending, what’s in abundance and how the produce looks.

Compiled is a ready reckoner list of fruits, veggies, grains and pulses given season wise. Going seasonal particularly with fruits and veggies helps long way.Though all pulses and grains can be eaten throughout the year. Its better to try and refer as and when possible. Print this off and stick it where you can see it every time you replenish your larder.

Happy Eating!

The onset of Navratri marks the change in season and encourages us to prepare our body for the upcoming winters.  The produce available during autumn is plentiful with a combination of sweet, tart and crunchy flavours. Make the most of the season by gorging on yellow foods and filling up fibre with cruciferous veggies.

Winter

The Winter food list has a lot of carry-overs from the autumn list with dark leafy veggies and fresh strawberries adding oomph to your multi-coloured palate. Try out soups, stews and one-pot dishes for maximum flavour. Baked and pureed fruit add flavour to desserts.

Spring

Spring brings in an infusion of new flowering plants, greenery and the harvest season. Fill up on the rainbow of coloured fruits and veggies on your plate.Enjoy the end of winter and bring in the summer  in style!

Summer

Make way for the King of the Season – Mango and sink your teeth into the watery goodness of melons. Steam and grill veggies for better taste and nutrition. Enjoy homemade smoothies and fruit pops all this season.

Indigenous to India and tropical climates, the monsoon is a combination of a hot climate and cooling rains. Perfect for corn curries and corn on the cob. Hot and cold soups are a welcome addition. Beware of leafy veggies though and rinse carefully before consuming.

Stay Tuned!! Our next post on Guilt Free Desserts perfect for this festive season…coming soon!

For customised Nutrition Plans, visit www.umanrula.com.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for regular tips on health,wellness,eat right and much more.