Do you feel there’s a plethora of information about what to eat or not?

#Keto#Paleo#Mediterranean#Detox -No idea who to believe and what really works?

Sick of trendy Nutrition Buzzwords?

Then this one is for you!

As avid readers of my blogs, I’m sure you’ve noticed that off late I’ve been slowly advocating to stay connected with your roots. Our Ancient food wisdom stands practical and perfectly complement  modern day health. Let’s follow our roots to end all confusion. Starting with focus on vital principle of Ayurveda which is ‘nourishing your prana’.

Ayurveda teaches us that there is energy in everything. This energy, called prana, or vital life force, exists everywhere. Everything that we eat is food for our souls. Nutrition lies at the centre of our life-force (prana) – which brings us vitality and health. Thus, when you eat, you are not simply ‘filling the tank’, you are creating prana. You are creating vital energy, which will give you joy to carry with you throughout your day.

Therefore, the foods we choose to eat are of paramount importance. Food should never be referred to as just ‘calories’. Rather eating is a sacred act which energises your body and heals you from within.

How to Incorporate more ‘prana’ in your food:

Eat More Plants

The plant kingdom is a wonderful source of prana. Plants are fantastic “condensers” of the prana of the sun and the earth. The more plants you eat, the more prana you’re getting. It’s that simple.Try to consume green leafy veggies once/day.

Include Raw

Try and eat some plant-based food raw  because it’s one of the best ways to retain a high level of prana. It can be in form of  fruit smoothie, veggie juice or salad, the way you prefer.

Source Fresh Foods

Procure organic or home-grown foods as much as possible. Shop more from local farmer’s markets rather than supermarkets.

Eat Mindfully

Make Lunch your biggest meal. One of the most important concepts in Ayurveda is ‘Agni’ or digestive fire in the body. Maintaining this ‘fire’ is key to good health. The idea for having a sumptuous lunch is that the digestive fire, like the sun is at its strongest at this time of the day and is at its optimum to digest a large meal. The “Agni” slows down later being minimum at the dusk. Hence comes the recommendation for light dinner.

Follow nature

Eat seasonal foods in abundance. Seasonal produce is not only fresher and cheaper but also has lot more prana than its non seasonal counterparts.It hence supports body’s natural nutrition needs.

Eat whole foods

Whole and simply cooked foods are more sattvic than overly processed refined foods and fancy preparations. Go back to what our fore-fathers ate and move away from food in a bottle or packet. Yes doing away totally may not be possible in present day scenario. But planning and prioritising helps in cutting down such foods considerably.  Limit non-vegetarian ,fried foods,processed Foods,artificial sweeteners,sodas,canned foods,white flour to once or twice per week.

How can you help to purify and vitalize your energy?

The root cause of most diseases and conditions today stems from a weak digestive fire and a build-up of toxins throughout the body.  Among the major causes of these toxins, improper food combining is at the top of the list.

Over time, poor food combining leads to gas formation, indigestion, fermentation, disturbed metabolism, and emotional imbalance, but eventually if prolonged this practice creates cellular confusion causing disorder and disease.

Why does this happen?

Firstly, different foods take varying times to digest.

Most foods generally take 4-6 hours for complete digestion.  However, some foods such as fruit only take 30 minutes.  Therefore, if fruit is taken with other foods, their normal 30-minute digestion time is now lengthened to several hours, as it mixes with the heavier food types.

The fruit stays in the stomach longer than it is supposed to which results in indigestion and fermentation occurring in the gut.  This eventually weakens the overall digestion; causing gas, cramping and other unwanted symptoms.

Another reason is because each food type releases a different enzyme. Certain enzymes can be released together while others cannot.  For example, each type of protein (i.e. red meat, chicken, fish, pork, eggs, dairy) needs a unique enzyme for proper digestion.  Unfortunately, only one of these enzymes can be released at a time.  So, if you are consuming multiple protein types in one sitting, the proper enzymes needed to complete the digestive process are not all available.  This once again will lead to indigestion of food, which then leads to toxic build-up and eventually disorder and disease.

Avoid Improper Food Combinations

1. Always eat fruit by itself

Eat fruit either 30 minutes prior to a meal, or at least 2 hours after a meal.  That means fruit is not a healthy dessert option, nor is it a side dish. Mid-morning or evenings are good times to eat fruit.

2. Only eat one protein per meal

Try not to combine different proteins in one meal as it makes it difficult to digest. For. Eg. Avoid prawn in starters if main course is chicken. Make sure that each meal  contains only one protein type.

Chew your food properly-Chewing your food properly  helps in better digestion of food. Your intestines are able to absorb more nutrients from same food if you chew it properly.Most importantly it helps to maintain portion control and hence weight. Better grind with teeth to eat  without speed, greed or waste.

Eat at consistent times

Do you run your car without oil in its engine? No, Never! Remember your body too  is like a well-oiled machine which runs the whole day. You must nurture this machine by giving it right fuel (nutrition) at consistent intervals. The body then sets its own rhythm and works at optimum levels. Lack of consistency in eating leads to bloating, acidity, constipation and lack of Energy. Regulate your digestion, balance your emotions and keep yourself energized by eating at consistent times.

7-9 am: Breakfast

12-2 pm: Lunch (remember this should be the largest meal of the day)

6-8 pm Dinner

Last but not the least cook with love and gratitude, giving attention to freshness and hygiene. You are not just a “consumer” of prana; you’re also a “producer” of it. We’re all part of the life force that gives our physical bodies energy. So try to make cooking a type of mindful meditation. Consume with gratitude and awareness – food is your life force. Give it respect.

If you can master these, you’ll notice remarkable changes in your everyday life. Higher energy, less sick days, and more happiness are just a few of the benefits of increased prana.

You do not have to make all these changes overnight; rather  focus on one, get comfortable there and then add the others in, one at a time.

Good Luck!

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As a nutritionist, I come across various kinds of literature on nutrition, varied dietary patterns, eating behaviours, lifestyle modifications etc. Reflecting back, I conclude that most of this knowledge we already know, it’s been passed onto us from our mothers and grandmothers…it’s in our system but we’ve lost the thread somewhere!

We come from the land of Ayurveda, from the land of Krishna. Developed centuries ago, his knowledge as passed on in the Bhagavad Gita remains true even today.

To quote, “Yukaharaviharasya yuktachestasya karmasu. Yuktasvapnavabodhasya yoga bhavati duhkhaha”. (Bhagavad Gita chapter 6 shloka 17).

It means “the one, whose diet and movements are balanced, whose actions are proper., whose hours of sleeping and waking up are regular, and who follows the path of meditation, is the destroyer of pain or unhappiness.” 

Thus, if you read carefully, the Bhagavad Gita clearly explains how we can optimize our health and wellbeing through eating right, balanced sleep and exercise.

We are what we eat – the importance of eating right:

The origins of this sage advice come from ancient traditions which guided us on how to harmonize ourselves with the Greater Universe that exists within and around us.

As Krishna says in The Bhagavad-Gita 17 Chapter 8–10 Verse.

“Foods in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such nourishing foods are sweet, juicy and palatable. Foods that are too bitter, too sour,too  salty, pungent, dry and hot, are liked by people in the modes of passion. Such foods cause pain, distress, and disease. Food cooked more than three hours before being eaten, which is tasteless, stale, putrid, decomposed and unclean, is food liked by people in the mode of ignorance.”

Thus, the food we eat not only nourishes our body but also affects our mind and emotions. As per scriptures, nature, which is a primary force of life is composed of three qualities called Gunas. These are Sattva (Tranquil or subtle energy), Rajas (Active energy) and Tamas (dull energy).

Like all things in the universe, the food we eat also has one or more of these qualities or energies that affect our mind, body and soul. Therefore, food is divided into Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic foods and each of these affect our mind, body and soul.

Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamsic Foods

Sattvic Foods

āyuḥ-sattva-balārogya-sukha-prīti-vivardhanāḥ
rasyāḥ snigdhāḥ sthirā hṛidyā āhārāḥ sāttvika-priyāḥ

(chapter 17, verse 8)

Satvic foods promotes longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and joy are juicy, smooth, substantial, and nutritious. 

Sattvic food is always fresh, natural (very less or no further processing on food), freshly cooked and lightly seasoned. It is a wholesome meal which consists of whole grains and legumes and fresh and organic vegetables and fruits.

Rajasic Foods

kaṭv-amla-lavaṇāty-uṣhṇa- tīkṣhṇa-rūkṣha-vidāhinaḥ
āhārā rājasasyeṣhṭā duḥkha-śhokāmaya-pradāḥ (chapter 17, verse 9)

Rajasic foods are those that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning.

An excess of flavour defines Rajasic foods. Rajasic foods are irritants and stimulants. Any canned food (fruits, beans, vegetables) that are sweetened or salted are Rajasic. Also Bottled Fruit Juices and Fermented Foods are Rajasic in nature. All tempting foods come under the category of Rajasic food. This includes fish, meat, eggs, sharp spices and stimulants such as coffee, tea, chocolate etc

Tamasic Food

yāta-yāmaṁ gata-rasaṁ pūti paryuṣhitaṁ cha yat
uchchhiṣhṭam api chāmedhyaṁ bhojanaṁ tāmasa-priyam (chapter 17, verse 10)

The foods are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuses and impure.

This includes over-processed, no longer fresh, and difficult to digest foods. It also includes food that is prepared unconsciously or with the distracted mind. Examples include French fries, pickles, preserved meats, hard liquor etc.

All 3 of these qualities (Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic) are necessary for survival and to move in a progressive direction in life.

A Sattvic mind has a calm, clear, creative thinking that allows it to easily find effective solutions to life’s problems. Then we need a little bit of Rajas to implement these creative ideas and solutions. A little bit of Tamas is required to bring these activities to an end when the problem is actually been solved.

How to Balance Your Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Diet:

The base of our diet should always be Sattvic. As mentioned above, the majority of your diet should consist of fresh or freshly prepared grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, milk, ghee (clarified butter), cold pressed oils and natural sweeteners (Honey, Jaggery).

We need just a small amount of Rajasic foods to stimulate creativity and Tamasic food can be helpful when an excess of Rajas is present to bring the stability.

Keeping Your “Inner Flame” Burning Bright Through Diet

 “You are only as old as your Agni” – Dr Vasant Lad

According to ancient wisdom, we have our own mini-sun, also known as inner flame within us. Just as if the sun were to disappear, all life would come to an end. Similarly, if our inner flame were to be extinguished, we would also die.

Physical and mental strength, enthusiasm and courage, and especially longevity and overall health are all said to be directly related to the health of our agni.

We can protect and balance our inner Agni via the proper consumption of food and drinks in the right quantities and at the right times, keeping the seasonal effects of foods in mind.

In Conclusion

To conclude, I’d like to say moderation is the key. Educate yourself on proper nutrition, be kind to your body, and see what foods work for you.

Lord Krishna also spoke about spiritually charged foods. When food is prepared with love and consumed mindfully and with reverence, the body is believed to become filled with health, serenity, vitality, hope, and joy.

Do try and incorporate Sattvic food into your lifestyle with small steps at a time.

Wishing you all abundant physical, mental, and spiritual health this Janamashtmi – Jai Shri Krishna!

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Packaged food is the quick fix for today’s on- the- go generation. From the early morning biscuits to the breakfast cereal, mid morning chips to post lunch chocolate, evening tea cookies to instant noodles – the list is endless!

Yes, I know you look for reassuring words  printed in bold- sugar free, low calorie, fat free, no preservatives, all natural before picking any packaged food item. But those bold claims at the front of  your favourite or usual go-to packaged foods can be quite misleading if you don’t read closely. The so called food packets are full of harmful hidden ingredients that are posing hormonal disturbance and other serious health problems and keeping you away from your health goal.

Here we learn  handy ways to understand food label ,detect marketing deceptions and make healthful choices:

1. Read the ingredient list: Don’t just read the calories. The most important thing to look at FIRST in any packaged food item is the ingredient list, mentioned at the back of the box. The Ingredient List states the main ingredient first(by weight), followed by the rest of the ingredients in descending order(by weight).

For e.g:

In this particular biscuit packaging, sugar is the biggest component , bigger than even the flour, making it an unhealthy choice .

2. Length of the Ingredient List: The fewer the ingredients the better is the packaged food. Would recommend to buy foods with max five or less ingredients. The longer the list, the more questionable the health quotient of the product.

The above packaging is of a popular tea time snack but how many ingredients can you relate with  actual food in the long list? Most of ingredients are actually chemicals in form of preservatives, colourings ,emulsifiers and  added hidden sugars.

3.Look for real ingredients:In comparison, when you see this label for a sweet granola type product, the list is also long but the ingredients are real making it a better  choice.

Many times sugars and trans fats are mentioned by different names such as high fructose corn syrup, barley malt, sucrose, maltose, maltodextrin, rice syrup or trans fat as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Be wary of such food products.

4.Understanding the Nutrition Facts on the label:

Pic Courtesy: FDA

1. Look for Number of Servings Per Container: This tells us the size of a single serving and the total number of servings per container (package).As clearly mentioned there are two servings in the above container and it is not meant to be finished at one go. Next time before having that packet of chips all at one go, check the mentioned number of servings.
2. Check the calories per serving and how many servings you’re really consuming:  As mentioned in the point above, if you double the servings you eat, you double the calories, fats and carbs too . If you eat whole packet at one go, as per the label above you eat two servings and hence 500 Calories (250*2).Similarly the amount of fat and carbs you ate also doubled the amount mentioned on the label.
3. Check for saturated fat,sodium and trans fat:This one is a no-brainer, limit the amounts of saturated fat and sodium, and avoid trans fat Choose foods with as less of these nutrients whenever possible.                              An important not to be missed point here is, your packet food is not trans fat free even though its label mentions trans fat as 0g. As per FDA, If one serving of any food product contains less than 0.5 gram of trans fat, it is mentioned must as 0 g. As given in the label below, when the Nutrition Facts label says a food contains “0 g” of transfat, but includes “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list, it means the food contains trans fat, but less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. So, if you eat more than one serving, you could quickly reach your daily limit of trans (as per the American Heart Association). For e.g.

• Secondly, sodium levels are another red flag that you must check. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults. We consume 2,300 milligrams (mgs) a day in 1 teaspoon salt! While we cook with salt levels in check, most of us overdose on sodium from processed, pre-packaged and restaurant foods. This significantly affects blood pressure and heart health.

4.Dietary fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients: These are beneficial nutrients and you may look for them in real whole foods like fresh fruits, vegetables,seeds and nuts and not in packaged foods.

5. Information shown in these panels is based on 2,000 calories/day: Unless you are an athlete or do hard labour, most of us need less than 1600 calorie per day. Hence, most of these values are already on the higher side for us.

6.The % Daily Value (DV) :tells you the percentage of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount. (in this case, in one serving of 228g, this is the percentage of the nutrient that you are consuming.)

To simplify it,use 5:20 ratio rule. If you want to consume less of a nutrient (such as saturated fat or sodium), choose foods with a lower % DV — 5 percent or less. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as fiber or protein), seek foods with a higher % DV — 20 percent or more.

I hope this blog helps you making healthier and better food choices . You may find retaining this information overwhelming at one go. I urge you to go point by point and make it a gradual learning process. Do educate your family and your children as well. A nutritionally knowledgeable family is a healthy happy family!

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Step up on the scale-is it a daily ritual for you? The number on scale decides your mood and happiness for the day?

Then you have landed at the right place.

Your health is not linked to the number on scale!

Nor just the size of your jeans defines your complete wellness.

What if I tell you today to ditch the scale and still measure your wellness correctly?

Yes the scale gives some indication about one’s health but not all round perspective.

Weight naturally fluctuates. Sometimes your body holds onto more water than normal. If you’re a woman, your weight will move with your cycle. Food and drink consumption can also wildly impact the scale within a couple of hours. Exercise is the same. Want to try a (weird) little experiment…weigh yourself before and after going to the bathroom. You might see a difference of upto a kg!

This is not fat loss or gain. It’s simple weight fluctuation and it really gives you no indication of health status.

A scale only reveals your body weight at a specific time, but not overall health. Your overall health depends on your fat mass, lean muscle, water mass, bone mass, daily activity, food intake, metabolism, age and genetics, which a scale does not report.

Yes, forget the trauma of standing on the scales ever so often and read on about other ways of measuring your wellness which will not only make you feel good about yourself but may give you an insight to tackle those problem areas as well.

If you are already trying to eat more healthy, managing daily physical activity or workouts and making a gradual shift in your lifestyle, do not rely solely on scale. Celebrate these victories instead:

How you feel in YOUR body?

Do you feel lighter in your stomach? Bloating, acidity ,gas or constipation has reduced? This all shows your digestion has improved. You are regaining your gut balance.

 Is your skin clearer?

Do you feel any changes in your skin? Has your skin started glowing or is becoming bright or the onset of pimples has reduced. Its all  because of the reduced toxins in your body. New efforts that you are making are actually paying off.

Does your mood stay stable throughout the day?

 Less irritability, anger, feeling of positivity and happiness are all result of hormonal balance which your body is slowly regaining back.

Are you are already receiving complements from your friends or colleagues?

Not only is it an instant feel-good but also a visual stamp of approval. It gives a boost to your confidence, you feel good internally, motivating yourself to stick to the path.

 Are your clothes fitting better?

Again your pant or kurta fitting is an instant judge. The inches are lost only when one loses body fat unlike the total body weight. If  you are fitting better in your old clothes, your efforts are already showing results.

How are your energy levels?

  Do you have sustained energy throughout the day or are you still feeling a mid-day slump? How often do you hit the snooze button? Do you feel energised or tired when you wake up? These are indicators that you should pay attention to.  A balanced eating pattern gives you enthusiasm and vigour, it will help you remain constant and steady without any slumps in the day.

Are you keeping track of your strength levels?

When you work out, do you feel strong and empowered? Your endurance level is another good indicator to measure your fitness. Every rep that you can increase, every minute more that you can hold a position, every added weight you hold and succeed is a positive indication that you are on the right track.

Sometimes the weight may not change on the weighing scale inspite of regular workouts. This is because though your fat mass has gone down. Due to weight training, muscle mass has increased. This is an excellent change inside the body as higher is the muscle mass better is the metabolism. Better is the metabolism, faster is the fat loss.

How is your sleep quality?

We all know that a good night sleep improves our focus, attention, memory and creativity. This is not enough. It does much more than that by reducing stress and depression. Helps in balancing your hormones and hence the metabolism.  The repair and regeneration of the damaged tissue happens only during the sleep. It also helps in improving the immune system.

If you are sleeping better, all the above functions in the body are happening much more efficiently.

How are any previous symptoms or medical conditions? Have they improved?

If any of your blood test reports are not normal be it lipid profile (cholesterol), uric acid, blood glucose or thyroid, it indicates your overall body function is affected. Any efforts which lead to improvement in blood reports indicate improvement in your overall health.

Is there any improvement in your blood sugar levels or your thyroid pill dosage is reduced or you are put off medication for the cholesterol or uric acid. All these improvements are part of your achievement towards wellness.

In a nutshell: Use how you feel to measure your health

Always be mindful of your wellness and your body as you keep up (or don’t) on a balanced eating pattern, exercise and sleeping habits. Compare yourself in both cases: do you feel more active and flexible or lazy and tired for no reason? Can you climb up the stairs two at a time or do you feel out of breath?

Look for signs of progress. Feedback from friends and family, in your workout performance, in the way your clothes fit – everything counts. Nothing is too small.

All these are small live indicators that point towards your overall health. Celebrate your wins, create mini-goals and achieve them. Reward yourself with your favourite non-food item or experience.

Focus on health and wellness that goes much deeper than a number on the scale and you will have a true focus of adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

P.S. : On the occasion that you have to use a scale, measure yourself on the same scale. Weigh yourself max once a week, first thing in the morning after voiding.

Healthy living starts with addressing your belief system and then following with consistent action towards total mind-body wellness.

Eat healthy move more be persistent.

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You are well on your journey to wellness, you cook more at home, make smarter choices and avoid fast food. But still at times, you may feel flummoxed that the not so healthy food gets the better of you.

Before I share the tips about how to eat clean, let me explain what does it mean?

The major key to understand about eating clean for beginners is that it’s more of a lifestyle than a “diet.”Rather than focusing on tracking calories, carbs, or fat intake, clean eating involves choosing fresh and  whole foods(fruits,veggies,whole grains,nuts and seeds) that provide maximal nutritional benefits. Avoiding processed foods, foods loaded with excessive sugar and salt, eating less meats and making environmentally sound food choices. Thereby  creating a healthy, conscientious approach to what foods you eat.

To make it simple, One hundred calories from a packet of chips will not fuel or heal your body the same way as one hundred calories from a mango or any other fruit.

While trying to eat clean

Ist choice         Pineapple(natural state)                                         Almonds(natural state)

IInd Choice     Canned Pineapple(somewhat processed)           Roasted Salted Almonds(somewhat processed)

Last Choice     Pineapple Slush(highly processed)                      Almond Cookies(highly processed)

Here I share a few tips and tricks for the times you find the most challenging.

When you Shop

Supermarkets are designed to entice shoppers to succumb to their craving. To ensure you make smart selections – try these tips out.

• Never shop hungry or in a hurry. Go with your list in hand.
• Shop at the perimeter. Fill up on your fruits and veggies first.
• Stock up on plant based proteins whole grains, dals, pulses and beans.
• Shop like you eat: Fill your grocery cart similar to how you’d fill your plate at meals—half veggies, one-quarter whole grains and one-quarter protein. This will almost always guarantee that you can create well-balanced, properly portioned meals at home. 
• Beware of products marketed as “healthy” or “natural”:Remember that it’s all about marketing and that just because it’s located in the “health” section of your store (or even if in a health food store itself), doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for you.
• Remember: less IS more:The fewer ingredients an item has, the “wholer” it is, as in less processed. Try to purchase items with five or six ingredients at the most.
• Choose ingredients with which you can make your snacks.
• Downsize your trolley : you will only buy what you require.
• Steer clear from these aisles  :

1. Soft Drink Aisle
2. Chips and Packaged Snacks Aisle
3. Candy Aisle
4. Cereal Aisle
5.  Baked good Aisle

For those midnight pangs

The three key factors that determine the satiety of a food item are protein, fibre and energy density. If you make sure to  include  wholesome foods in your day-to-day routine, it can certainly help  prevent unnecessary cravings for fatty, sugary or salty foods and keeping you in shape.

Rather than blindly reaching for a box of cookies or a bag of chips, do a quick inventory of what you’ve eaten for the entire day.

Did you get enough fruit?

Did you eat any vegetables?

How was your protein intake?

Are you thirsty or hungry: Before starting your hunt for the right snack for the odd time hunger pangs, stop for a moment and think conciously Are you really hungry or just thirsty? So often we mistake our thirst for hunger and eat wrong at the wrong time.

Consider what you missed: You are likely to feel those pangs if you miss your Breakfast or didn’t get enough sleep. Also reflect upon what all you had eaten through out the day.If you are lacking in any one group, let that be your first choice. Aim for 100 calories’ worth, and a glass of water.

Healthy options: ¾ cup plain yogurt topped with fruit, whole grain pita with hummus, 1 banana with nut butter, cottage cheese and pineapple, sliced veggies with Greek yogurt or hummus,Boiled Herb Potatoes,Mixed Sprouts,Roasted Chana,a fist full of nuts.

Have a slow snack: Those two tiny cookies you portioned out for Netflix are generally over before the end of the opening credits, and you’re ready to go back for more. Try having something that you can eat slowly like a 100-calorie pack of pistachios. Because they’re in shells, they take longer to eat, reducing the risk of mindless munching.

Remove temptations from the snack cupboard: You already know what and how to shop? This way your environment will encourage you to make healthy choices.

When you Travel

This is a time when you feel dependent on airline/train/hotel food or are stuck with what is available easily. This is also the time you may feel most uneasy or bloated.

What to do

Pack the right food: Fruits, Nuts and seeds of your choice. Carry nuts in pre-portioned nut bags to keep portions in check.Sandwiches/Vermicelli/Upma/Idlis and  home made trail mix also help you to keep your stomach satiated and avoid over priced airport food. A protein bar but check the ingredient list before picking. The lower the number of ingredients,the better it is for you.

Avoid salt-heavy snacks. Chips and crackers are very simple carbohydrates that are high in fat as well and can cause gastrointestinal upset in some people.

Break at right spot: Google in advance about the local and healthy eating joints on the way rather than stopping anywhere. Vegan restaurants mostly serve the healthiest options.Try Salads:  Stop somewhere where you can craft your own salad, if available. That can help you avoid the unexpected calories of pre-packaged or restaurant salads drenched in creamy dressing or loaded with crunchy noodles. Try to get your salad built on veggies, topped with protein (such as grilled chicken), with beans and your dressing on the side.

Buy your own water: Avoid drinking  calories in name of packaged juices or other sugary beverages. Stick to water instead.

Refill your mini bar: On reaching hotel, refill the refrigerator with fruits you are carrying or grocery(greek yogurt/wholesome bread/cherry tomatoes/cheese) you do from nearby local store.

Hope this helps in your new journey. Make clean choices. Eat Healthy. Live Happy.

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Have you ever stopped to think that our body works non-stop, day in and day out…late nights, parties, early morning preps, midnight binges, training for a sport, studying for an exam, preparing a presentation – our body just does whatever we demand of it….no rests….no stops…no complaints.

At times, there are hiccups and loud alarm bells – and that’s the time we slow down only to pace it up once we feel well again…

But is that the way to live?

Our body is like a temple which houses our soul. It’s the only thing that will remain constant with us throughout our life – how are we nurturing it?

Fitness, diets, meditation, yoga, laughter workshops, walks are probably some of the answers which I get – but doing only one is not enough…overall body care and wellness comes from taking care of your body from different dimensions.

WHO defines as “Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Wellness as an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life.

Just as various parts of your body come together to perform one task, similarly these 7 various types of nurturing will help your body,mind and soul stay fit, happy and healthy.

Here we’re going to delve into the 7 dimensions of wellness and how one can measure oneself on the wellness scale.

These dimensions integrate social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual and physical wellness to improve our quality of life.

• Social Wellness:measures how we relate to and connect with other people in our world. Our ability to maintain positive relationships with family, friends and colleagues contributes to our Social Wellness.

• Emotional Wellness:is all about how we cope with life’s challenges. The ability to acknowledge and share feelings of anger, fear, sadness or stress; hope, love, joy and happiness in a productive manner contributes to our Emotional Wellness.
• Spiritual Wellness:is the ability to establish peace and harmony in our lives. Whether it is the peace and order our religion brings or the values we live with and the actions we take in our day to day  lives. Basically our ability to discover meaning and  purpose to life.

• Environmental Wellness:is the ability to recognize our own responsibility for the quality of the air, the water and the land that surrounds us. The ability to value and improve on the quality of our environment, be it our homes, our communities or our planet contributes to our Environmental Wellness.

• Occupational Wellness:is the ability to get personal fulfilment from our jobs and work-life balance. Our desire to make a positive impact on the organizations we work in leads to Occupational Wellness.

• Intellectual Wellness:is the ability to open our minds to new ideas and experiences that can lead to our own betterment and continued growth. The desire to learn new concepts, improve skills and seek challenges in pursuit of lifelong learning contributes to our wellness.

• Physical Wellness:is the ability to maintain a healthy quality of life that allows us to get through our daily activities without undue fatigue or physical stress. The ability to recognize that our behaviors have a significant impact on our wellness and adopting healthful habits (routine check-ups, a balanced diet, exercise, etc.) while avoiding destructive habits (tobacco, drugs, alcohol, etc.) will lead to optimal Physical Wellness.Taking  charge of our health by making conscious decisions to be healthy.

Creating a culture of wellness

You can’t change and sustain your entire lifestyle overnight! What you need to do is take a deep breath, analyse your daily routine, habits, eating pattern and factors which stress you out.

Prioritize tasks in order of importance, plan ahead in terms of work preparations, meal preparations and activities that you want to do.

Make small do-able changes that make you feel happy, energised and positive about yourself.

Do remember, wellness is not about deprivation and achieving infinite tasks in one day! Go slow, listen to what your body wants and be in tune with your deeper needs.

My quick tips would be:

• Eat right
• Move more
• Breathe easy
• Stress less
• Work smart
• Live well

Recently I found this extremely good resource  from North West Wellness Services, Missouri and I’d really like to share it with you.

Print the attached wheel or draw it out and answer the questions that follow. There’s no answering to anyone, no right or wrong and it just gives a wonderful perspective on where you individually stand today.

All you need to do is fill in the corresponding pie-shaped section of the wheel to the degree you are achieving this.

For example, question #1 is: “I eat a balanced nutritional diet”

If you feel you are doing this 100% of the time, colour in all of section 1. If you do this 60% of the time, colour 60% of the section.

Complete this for all 36 sections of the wheel.

1. I eat a balanced nutritional diet.
2. I exercise at least 3 times per week.
3. I practice safe sex.
4. I do not use alcohol or use in moderation, am a non-smoker and avoid street drugs.
5. I am generally free from illness.
6. I am a reasonable weight for my height.
7. I have a solid balance between saving for the future and spending for the present.
8. My beliefs/values surrounding money are harmonious with my behaviour.
9. What I am doing with work has purpose.
10. I use money positively, e.g. no gambling or excessive massing of goods.
11. I have a balance between work and the other areas of my life.
12. I have financial plans for the future.
13. I have specific intellectual goals, e.g., learning a new skill.
14. I pursue mentally stimulating interests or hobbies.
15. I am generally satisfied with my education plan/vocation.
16. I have positive thoughts (a low degree of negativity and cynicism).
17. I would describe myself as a life long learner.
18. I commit time and energy to professional and self-development.
19. I have a sense of fun and laughter.
20. I am able to feel and label my feelings.
21. I express my feelings appropriately.
22. I have a sense of control in my life and I am able to adapt to change.
23. I am able to comfort or console myself when I am troubled.
24. Others would describe me as emotionally stable.
25. I am able to resolve conflicts in all areas of my life.
26. I am aware of the feelings of others and can respond appropriately.
27. I have at least three people with whom I have a close trusting relationship.
28. I am aware of and able to set and respect my own and others boundaries.
29. I have satisfying social interaction with others.
30. I have a sense of belonging/not being isolated.
31. I practice meditation, pray or engage in some purpose in my life.
32. I have a general sense of Serenity.
33. I have faith in a higher power.
34. I have a sense of meaning and purpose in my life.
35. I trust others and am able to forgive others and myself and let go.
36. Principles/ethics/morals provide guides for my life

Your response will vary depending on your age and stage of life. Consider the wheel you have created as a source of feedback.

REFLECTION

Which section of your wheel has the most colour? Which section of your wheel has the least colour?

GOAL SETTING

As a result of doing this assessment, how can you improve your life balance?

What will be your first step? How will you achieve your goal?

Also do set a timeline for your progress!

Wishing you a healthy happy life!

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In today ‘s working environment an increasing number of executives in corporate world are ending up as victims of lifestyle diseases such as obesity,hypertension,diabetes,cancer etc. Tight deadlines,work pressure,targets travel or slouching on chairs for long hours have forced the current  workforce to lead an erratic lifestyle where health has become the last priority.In such a scenario the employer needs to give their employees a complete well being so as to enhance their performance productivity thereby making Corporate Nutrition & Health Program essential.

Have you ever thought of cultivating a culture of wellness in your organisation?

A study shows that the impact of diet on productivity can be as high as 66%.People are often surprised by the difference nutrition can make in physical as well as mental health. And all it takes is a few adjustments to make a big difference.

Most of us today spend more time in our workplace than our homes or otherwise. So nutrition and wellness at work holds key to employee productivity, health and overall engagement.

Good Health is the best gift you can give your employees!!

Late nights, hectic travel schedules, constant eating out and errant lunches and dinners lead to rising health issues and healthcare costs. Changing how people eat is the single behaviour that can have the biggest impact on their health. It can  help lose weight,reverse chronic disease, strengthen immune system and, ultimately, lower healthcare costs for companies.

We specialise in helping busy professionals integrate healthy habits for the long term, step by step, in a way that fits working life.

The result? More productive, engaged and motivated employees.

The Challenges of Healthy Eating

Today’s so-called fast food is calorie dense, additive and full of salt, sugar and fat. Thus, people are challenged to make smart food choices every day at cafeterias, restaurants and while buying impulse food at the supermarket.Have worked with numerous professionals and each one has a different set of challenges.Helping and educating them  making smaller changes in their day to day routine has led to significant improvement on how they feel at work.You will be surprised by the difference nutrition can make to your employee’s physical as well as mental health. And all it takes is a few small tweaks to make a big difference.

Core Benefits of Nutriguide iPlan

Everyone can benefit from a nutrition tune-up.  The foods we choose to eat are linked to the energy. We have to be productive in our careers, present with our families, and enjoy the activities that make us who we are.  Learning to choose the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right time is the key to feeling and performing the best you can in whatever you choose to do.  Our nutrition program focuses on food as the fuel for our lives and provides simple strategies to get the most out of every time we eat.

With Nutriguide iPlan we aim for sustainable, long-term gradual change by customising food plans for each employee and pointing individuals to the healthy options all around them — at home, at the grocery store, at their office cafe,  in local restaurants or eateries anywhere across the world.

Nutrition is not a one size fits all package. Hence, we specially focus on various job profiles like Night Shift workers, Desk Lovers, Frequent Travellers etc.

Monitoring without Meeting

Most corporate nutrition programs address nutrition as a whole only through workshops and talks. But in today’s fast paced world it’s difficult to make time for ourselves and our well-being. Regular visits and face to face meetings are not possible always. Thus, the iPlan model is designed as a flexible,digital,holistic and personalised nutrition counselling program that can be done from the comfort of home,office or anywhere in the world irrespective of location. Nutrition consultancy takes place over the phone or chat or e-mail or video call at the convenience of the employee and the Nutrition Plan is fine tuned each time based on the progress made.

We work 1-on-1 with each employee to analyse their specific needs and equip them with knowledge, insights and meal plans to help them make better choices and adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Tools which help monitoring include online food journal option on  the portal,  live chat  support and  monitored  food plans which helps us to stay connected with your employee always.

When implemented effectively, employees enjoy improved productivity, enhanced morale and lesser absenteeism. The health outcomes are many, including weight loss ,reversal of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol,uric acid and also stress resilience.

The impact can be seen in just 21 days.

Apart from increasing the overall productivity, the organisation also gets benefited by lowering the cost of health care, reduced absenteeism, Lower company health insurance premiums ,Increased Staff Retention  and overall healthier and happier workforce.

To Get Your Organisation Started On Its Wellbeing Journey, log onto  www.umanarula.com or contact us at 9967635556/+32 468297949

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