The same way you maintain your house and keep track of plumbing, electrical and carpentry problems, you need to regularly maintain the home your soul resides in – your body. This basic maintenance is necessary as it helps in timely diagnosis of any silent killer in the body.  “Prevention is better than cure.” Not only prevention but it can also  cut potential healthcare costs for more extensive medical care in the future.

Here is a ready reckoner to ensure that you keep your body in optimum health:

In your 30s: Do these tests annually (may be required more than once in a year in some cases):

Complete Blood Count (CBC): Used to diagnose anaemia, infections, certain types of cancer, and so on, it’s especially important for Indian women as we tend to suffer from iron deficiency anaemia and may require supplementation.

Blood Pressure Test: A reading equal to 120/80 is ideal. This is an important indicator for health: past, present and future.

Blood Sugar Test: Done after a 12-hour fasting period, this helps detect diabetes. The reading helps to determine if one’s sugar levels are normal or in prediabetic or diabetic stage. In cases of pre-diabetes and diabetes, an additional test, HbA1C that indicates the average blood sugar levels over the previous 3 months is done.

Lipid Profile: Considered an  indicator of your heart health, this blood test measures the total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL(good cholesterol) and  LDL(bad cholesterol) levels. Testing once in 2 years is recommended for people with normal readings.

Urine Analysis: It checks for presence of proteins, sugar and blood which could indicate kidney disease, among other conditions.

Kidney Function Test: A high reading of serum creatinine may indicate impaired kidney function. Even though a reading of 0.3-1.2 is considered normal, the weight of an individual also needs to be considered.

Thyroid Function Tests: These blood tests are important in detecting underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism).

Vitamin D Deficiency: An extremely common condition, Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis in later years, among other things. Timely supplementation prevents bone loss.

Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Another of the most common micronutrient deficiency. Cannot be corrected solely with diet but improves with supplements.

Pap Smear Test: It can catch pre-cancerous changes in the cervix, and is recommended for every sexually-active woman after age 21. The test can be repeated every 5 years.

Routine Breast Examination: You must self examine your breast 3 to 5 days after start of the period as breasts are tender and less lumpy.Any unusual discharge from nipple,redness or lump should be discussed with gynae though it may not always indicate cancer.

Routine Dental Check up: Good oral health plays an important role in the overall health of your body.Must go for a dental check up once in a year to nip any small cavity or inflammation in the bud.

In your 40s: Continue with the tests started in your 30s. And introduce these new tests:

Calcium: This blood test measures bone metabolism. It’s especially important for women after menopause, as they are at an elevated risk for developing osteoporosis.

Uric Acid Test: It’s a blood test to detect gout (painful swelling of toes and ankles). Prominent levels of uric acid in the blood often leads to gout.

In your 50s: Continue with the screening from your 30s and 40s and include a colonoscopy.

Eye Checkup: Eye doctors can check for glaucoma and other vision related issues. Recommended atleast once every 2 years.

Colonoscopy: It helps detect colon cancer. The colonoscopy involves looking for polyps or lesions in the colon and rectum. If the results are normal, the test needs to be repeated every decade.

What are you waiting for? Make this small investment to add healthy years to your life.Also, check with your insurance company or your employer if and how they help to cover  health check costs. Most hospitals and multi speciality clinics offer special discounts on women and family health check packages.But beware of fake lab reports and get it done from a trusted source.

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This month is all about love: the love we have for our loved ones, the love that encompasses us as we care for our friends and family, the love and compassion we have for all human beings.

But what we often forget is to love ourselves. Health and happiness begin with loving yourself unconditionally…always.

Ayurveda defines health not only as an absence of disease, but also as a very holistic level of vitality throughout our lives. The beauty of Ayurveda lies in a simple message: first know yourself and above all – love yourself.

In what started out as a quest to add more love into my life, ended with a completely different outlook on life. I realized that love, like wellness, is made up of multiple components. Incorporating these into my life has resulted in bringing more love, positivity and authenticity to my marriage, parenting, relationships and encounters with strangers.

I realized, yes, there is an amazing relationship between love and wellness. When you practice gratitude,  self-compassion, have faith and a sense of purpose in life, things like exercise, eating healthy, stress management, positive relationships, and happiness all come a little more naturally.

Today, I’m sharing a bit of this time-tested wisdom with you, that can help you to understand why this is vital to your health.

Embrace your uniqueness: As an individual with a unique combination of physical, mental and emotional qualities, the way you relate to the world is specific in every way to you. And your “formula” for health and happiness will be a unique combination of food, activities, environments, and relationships. Understanding what works for you (and you alone) is a matter of asking the right questions and knowing where to look.

Eat for Your Mind-Body Type

In Ayurveda, there are three mind-body types, or doshas, and the types of foods that are optimal for you depend upon your individual dosha. The foods that keep one person in balance and energetic may not be the right choices for someone with a different dosha. The doshas explain why some people can eat a hot, spicy meal and feel fine, while others could eat the same meal and experience heartburn or indigestion.

Each dosha has a different type of metabolism, which affects how we process the foods that we eat. Two people can eat the same foods and have the same activity level, but look and feel quite different. One dosha may naturally be able to handle a heavier type of food, while another dosha may be more in balance with lighter foods. When you are eating according to your individual mind-body type, it is easier to keep the body in balance.

Meditate and Rest

Meditation takes you beyond the mind’s busy thought traffic to the silence and peace of expanded awareness. Meditation allows you to experience a profound sense of relaxation that dissolves fatigue and stress. In fact, scientific studies have found that a daily meditation practice can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, decrease anxiety and depression, and even reverse some of the biological markers of aging.

We all know we need about eight hours sleep to feel balanced and energized. If you don’t feel refreshed when you wake up in the morning, you aren’t getting enough restful sleep. Its not only about the total duration but also about the time when you sleep.Try and sleep at a fixed time atleast on the weekdays.

Rediscover the Pleasure of Moving Your Body: Thousands of years ago, the Ayurvedic physician Charaka observed, “From physical exercise, one gets lightness,  capacity for work, firmness, tolerance of difficulties, elimination of impurities, and stimulation of digestion.”

Our bodies are designed for movement, yet many of us associate exercise with pain, boredom, or drudgery rather than with lightness and feelings of wellbeing. The secret is finding some physical activities that you like and that are suited to your mind-body type, or dosha. No matter what your current fitness level is, you can begin to move your body and breathe on a consistent basis, even if the most you can do right now is walk in your building or some floor exercises within your home.

Know that you are forever in flux: According to Ayurveda, everything that goes on outside of us goes on inside of us as well. Your mind and body experience daily and seasonal changes just like everything in the environment around you. In practical terms this means that who you were when you hopped out of bed this morning is slightly different to who you are now (and who you’ll be later). Tuning in to YOUR daily and seasonal cycles provides powerful clues for understanding how and why you look and feel the way you do. It also reveals simple things you can do to be at your very best throughout the day and the year.

Your digestion runs your show: In the Ayurvedic model everything we experience is a form of “food” for the mind, body or soul, including all the sights, sounds, emotions, ideas and sensations that we encounter every day. Digesting this volume of “food” is no small task. The mind and body must work together to distinguish and assimilate the good stuff and let go of what doesn’t really serve us. And when that process is undermined or overloaded it compromises everything! Moderation is the Ayurvedic mantra.

Attitude of gratitude along with giving yourself (and your digestion) a break, are perhaps the most powerful health and wellness tools around.

Positive Affirmations to live your life by:

• God made you perfectly. Enjoy who you are.
• Love yourself so you can accept love from others.
• Forgive yourself and others. You can’t move forward and enjoy life without forgiveness.
• Praise your efforts.
• Acknowledge your strengths.
• Appreciate and thank those important to you.

If you enjoyed this post, we’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!

Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.

Yipee! Its 2018 and you can feel this growing sense of excitement bubble up. And you’re all set for a fresh start with a healthy new lifestyle in mind.

So you have plans for walks, for the gym,yoga and you’re probably going to go on a detox and cutting out all sugar, gluten, dairy, alcohol and caffeine all at once.

So far…all good.

But what happens after a few weeks or a month? What happens when you’ve stayed up all night for that presentation?  What happens when your kiddo falls sick?  Or when you start missing yoga class because there’s so much to do? When you finally get home at night, and you feel too tired to cook up a healthy meal…

Of course, you get back, but you can’t shake that feeling that you’ve somehow failed. It starts to feel like a lot of effort to keep up this perfectly healthy lifestyle, and the next time life gets in the way of your resolutions, you automatically fall back into your old routine of crashing in front of the TV with your comfort food after a stressful day.

Does this all sound familiar?

While a total transformation of your body and health surely sounds appealing, too many drastic lifestyle changes at once usually isn’t the recipe for long-term success. Research proves we only have a limited amount of willpower each day. Therefore it’s much easier to focus on creating small, doable changes until it’s a part of your natural routine.

Instead of focusing on what you did from 25^th Dec to 31^st Jan, think of what you can do from 1^st Jan to 31^st Dec. To help you kickstart a healthier lifestyle without too much stress and effort, here’s my list of 18 simple habits that can make a big difference.

Clean up your mind: ‘We are what we eat’ and ‘We are what we think’. Your thoughts can positively or negatively affect you and your well-being. Be aware of what you fill your mind with. Notice the books and magazines you’re reading, the articles you’re browsing online or how the TV shows you watch every week make you feel. The goal is to spend less time with media and people that suck away your energy or create pointless drama and focus more on those who inspire and motivate you.Focus on making one change at a time and do not expect perfection (atleast for initial few days.)

Set up your surroundings for success: Sticking to new habits can be challenging since we are all creatures of habit. So how do we form better habits? You could place a bowl of fresh fruit on the counter if you want to make healthier food choices, have your running shoes waiting for you by the front door or set the alarm on your phone to remind you to take deep belly breaths and quiet your mind for 10 minutes, place water bottle on your office desk to drink enough water. Subtle changes in your surroundings will improve your health and happiness.

Periodically clean your kitchen: Go through your cabinets, pantry, fridge, and freezer. Take a look at all the foods hiding in the nooks and corners and ask yourself “will this help me achieve my goals?” If it’s not going to help, toss it away.

Eat mindfully: The next time you’re thoughtlessly gobbling your food, ask yourself: am I hungry or am I eating because I’m bored/stressed/thirsty?Mindlessly putting food into your mouth is an unhealthy eating habit and leads to weight gain. Try to be fully present when you’re eating and really enjoy your meal. Make a rule to sit down when you’re having a bite, chew slowly and notice how your food smells and tastes.Practice to stop once you feel almost full. This will also help you avoid overeating.

Wake up 30 min early to exercise or walk: A walk in the early morning sunshine helps in vit D absorption for you plus you are more likely to stick to the morning routine rather than do it after work.Yoga or simple exercises can even  done in bedroom if there’s a time,space or weather constraint.

Eat the bulk of your meals in the A.M.:  Eating your favourite high calorie dessert or fried snack earlier in the day positively influences weight changes. Gradually reduce your processed or junk food intake towards the evening hours. Thumb rule: Hearty breakfast, moderate lunch, light dinner.

Don’t eat your kid’s leftovers. Every mom does this. But please don’t!How we top up kid’s portion with more of ghee,cheese and butter? Every little bit of food adds up, especially what we call “BLTs” (bites, licks and tastes).

Floss daily: Oral health greatly affects your overall wellbeing. Practicing good oral hygiene doesn’t just protect you from tooth decay and gum disease, but it also helps clear away harmful oral bacteria that are linked to heart disease and gut problems.

Skip the fancy lattes and opt for plain coffee: Those extra-large “designer” coffees pack way too many calories. Stick to fruit smoothie,herbal tea or regular latte instead.

Spice up your food with herbs: Adding herbs and spices to your meals is one of the tastiest ways to boost your health. Not only are these seasonings packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that protect your health, but herbs and spices can also be used to replace salt and sugar in recipes without sacrificing flavour. Sprinkle cinnamon on your cappuccino, sip on a fresh mint tea, make your own tomato sauce with garlic, basil and oregano, or toss fresh parsley into your salad.

Include veggies  in your big meals: Eating plenty of vibrant veggies is a key element of a healthy lifestyle. Why not make a small effort each day to add vegetables to  your  big meals?

Thinking of how you can fit veggies into your breakfast, lunch and dinner helps you make overall healthier food choices too. Luckily, consuming more vegetables can be as simple as mixing spinach into your morning eggs or putting slices of tomato and cucumber on your regular sandwich, adding your favorite veggie to make stuffed paratha out of it, grating some carrot in dosa or idli batter.

Add In, Don’t cut out: Rigorously cutting out beloved comfort foods or activities often leaves you wanting that  even more than before. So why not focus on adding healthy habits to your routine instead of thinking about all the things you supposedly can no longer do? Start by trying one new healthy ingredient each week, that automatically leaves less space for unhealthier options.

Prep in advance: Pre-sliced veggies and fruits are a great ready to go snack whenever you need them. If you feel too pressed for time to slice your own fruits and veggies, take help from other family members or domestic help.You may involve kids too in same. Prepare dry snacks like Poha Chiwra,Murmura,Popcorn over the weekend and store them in airtight containers in office drawer to last for a fortnight.

Present your food well: One of the main reasons we love eating out is because of the way food is presented. We eat with our eyes as much as we do with our mouths. Plate your veggies in colorful crockery, or cut different colored veggies and fruits for a rainbow salad or simply garnish your food with herbs…the possibilities are endless.

Find yourself a buddy: A buddy system works well when there’s two of you working towards a common goal. It’s easier to stick to the plan when you have a friend or loved one motivating you on.

Take the time to look your best: When we look great, we feel great. Dressing well exudes confidence and happiness. Well-fitting clothes motivate you to maintain your healthy lifestyle as well.

Put yourself first: Many people (women in particular) put everyone else ahead of themselves and let their health fall by the side. Remember you can manage caring  your loved ones way better if you ensure your wellness first.

Remember: It’s not all or nothing: Give yourself time to adapt the new changes focussing on one change at a time. If you fall off the bandwagon, jump right back on. Don’t let yourself continue to fall until all progress has been lost.

To sum up the biggest factor in developing a healthy eating lifestyle is a positive, determined frame of mind.The real difference comes from telling myself, “I can.I will.” Dont focus  on weight loss but on empowering yourself to set health goals and then meet them.

You may face tough times during your journey. The key is to stay focused on your goals and you will always reach them. Always remember, “Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality.”

For customized Nutrition Programs considering your age, medical history, eating habits ,food preferences, overall lifestyle and goal reach us at www.umanarula.com.

Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.

Travelling is a lot of fun but the struggle is real when it comes to eating healthy while traveling . But just because you’re travelling doesn’t mean you have to eat foods that will leave you feeling depleted, bloated, and tired.            Well, fear no more! Making better food choices will have a positive impact on your leisure time.  Here are some simple yet effective strategies to help you stay healthy during travel this season and enjoy some delicious food as well.

Before you go:

Plan Ahead-A little planning and discipline can go a long way when it comes to eating healthy while travelling.

• Read up: Check out food recommendations on Trip Advisor or google before you visit a place. This gives you an insight on what kind of food is available, where are the best places to eat ,healthier restaurant chains and relishing some local delicacies.
• Ask the locals: Alternatively, you might want to ask around in your hotel or even friendly shop-keepers on where are the best  places locals eat.
• Pack  Smart: Pack foods that are nutrient-dense, non-perishable, and provide sustaining energy.  Carrying some travel-friendly foods for travel always helps as we dont have access to food at regular intervals.Even if you’ve skipped your meal time, you may have some snacks to fill you up on the go.Following are the best picks:
• Nuts
• Dried Fruits
• Roasted Chana
• Popcorn
• Trail mix or Energy Bars( Preferably Homemade or Read the Nutrient Label Carefully before buying.)
• Puffed Rice Mixture(Murmura)
•  Rice flakes Mixture(Poha Chiwra)
• Roasted Lotus seeds(Makhanas)
• Fresh fruit-Apple,bananas and oranges are great go -tos for this.

Nothing like if you can manage to carry an ice box or a cooler to help perishable food items last longer. Never the less here are few healthy perishable food items which may last for a day or two ( depending on weather):

• Low-fat yogurt
• Low Fat Cottage cheese
• Sliced cucumbers/baby cucumbers/baby carrots/cherry tomatoes
• Chutney Sandwiches
• Cheese slices
• Idli and Chutney
• Roti Rolls stuffed with veggies
• Dhokhla
• Methi Thepla

On your Trip:

Healthy eating starts where you stop:This can make or break your diet. If you pit-stop at a fast food joint, your food choices are limited to fast food. But if you stop at a proper restaurant or even a grocery store that offers whole or healthy snack options(idli/dhokhla/salads/humus), you will quickly expand your food choices.

1. So look around(and get some physical activity too)before you stop.
2. Scan the buffet.You will find healthy options too.
3. Take a look at the menu online or ahead of time, if available.
4. Choose meat and fish items that are steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted.
5. Choose vegetables that have been steamed over sautéed or fried. Avoid rich gravies.
6. Ask for dressing accompaniments on the side such as dressing, sour cream, cheese, and mayonnaise.

Buy It on your way:If you weren’t able to pack in advance,  you CAN make the right choice when purchasing food on the go. Salads, fruits,nuts,dried fruits,humus,idli,dhokhla are healthy options available in grocery stores. Though the options available will vary from place to place.

Have frequent small meals:Eating small amounts of healthy foods throughout the day sends a signal to your brain that the food supply is plentiful, so it’s okay to burn through those calories quickly.Eating too much or overeating in one meal—even if they’re healthy options—leads to storage of energy in body as fat. Also eating too much at one sitting can also make you sluggish and sleepy. So ensure you eat every 2-3 hours. It doesn’t have to be much. A handful of dry snacks you packed is enough.

Practice Hara Hachi Bu: A Japanese concept that means to eat until you’re 80 percent full. This prevents over eating and that bloated feeling. Rather eat smaller meals throughout the day and measure fistfuls for portion control.

One and done Rule: You’re allowed to cheat while travel, but breakfast, lunch, and dinner don’t all have to be gut-busting affairs. Pick anyone favourite high-calorie item a day, eat it, enjoy it and choose healthy rest of the day.

When in doubt, eat vegetarian:  If you are not sure of the meat or the method of preparation, it’s safer to stick to salads and vegetarian food.
Don’t give in to Family or Friends: Whether you’re travelling with others or staying in their homes, our relatives and friends love offering food. Help them find other ways to express love and warmth such as spending  good time over common hobby or sport or some  other common interest.

Add edible tourism activities: To your itinerary — like visiting an artisan’s shop, a farmers market, a culinary walking tour or even taking a fishing lesson. This way you will get a chance to know about local foods and relish them.

Rent a condo with a fully equipped kitchen. It’s usually cheaper than standard hotel rooms if you are a large group and allows you to cook at least part of your meals.

Don’t forget to:

• Eat Breakfast: Don’t sleep in and move straight to lunch. Breakfast gives you the energy to start your day right.
• Get your sleep: Your body needs rest when you’re crossing time zones, carrying luggage to and fro, walking all day, and so forth.  Traveling is harsh on your body so make sure you get plenty of rest.
• Stretch: Refresh yourself with 5-10 minutes of stretching in the morning or night – It’s easy to sneak in simple neck and shoulder stretches throughout the day while you’re waiting for your food, the bathroom, transportation, etc.
• Walk: Get your daily exercise and truly learn about a place at the same time. Ditch the escalator, take the stairs.
• Keep yourself hydrated: Carry water bottle with you at all times as thirst often masquerades as hunger.It will also help you avoid travel lag, symptoms of overexposure to the heat or sun, and junk-food cravings. If you are prone to upset stomachs or nausea, bring along a few herbal tea bags such as ginger or chamomile.Water and herbal teas are great ways to keep you going.
• Moderate alcohol and sweets Alcohol and non-alcoholic sweet drinks are packed with calories.  Keep your calorie count and sugar intake lower by drinking lime water,coconut water,sparkling water instead.
• Eat Fruit As Snacks: Enjoy the complimentary fruit basket and eat easy to source fruit like banana’s, apples and oranges as quick go to snacks.
• Stay Mindful and Avoid Feel Bad food:Who wants indigestion, an upset stomach, or low energy when travelling? Eating unhealthy foods while travelling may be easy, but it won’t make travelling fun. Keep this in mind when perusing your options.They’re foods you crave, but leave you feeling sick or depleted after you eat them. When you’re on the road, it’s particularly essential to avoid foods that drain your energy and deflate your mood.
• Don’t worry. Be happy:  While all of these tips can help you eat healthy food while travelling, the most important thing you can do throughout your trip is to not stress about food imperfection.Restrict yourself to limited guilt free and stress free indulgences. As the number one cause of digestive distress is stress. This means, you could be eating the most nutrient-dense food but if you’re stressed, you’re not only impairing the breakdown and absorption of your food, you’re also suppressing your immune system and increasing your likelihood of experiencing a reaction to a gut pathogen or food toxin.

In short, enjoy yourself and the opportunity you’ve been given to be on vacation.  Don’t miss out on exploring all that new cuisines have to offer.

I hope you now have more confidence to eat healthy while travelling.

We would love it, if you share how you manage your travel  here.  

Coming Soon! Our Next Blog on Healthy New Year.

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for New Year Fitness and much more about Nutrition.

Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.

We live in an age of convenience and its difficult to eat healthy when there are hundreds of things to do and no time. That is the reason most homes eat unhealthy instant and packaged food. But there is a food which marries nutrition with convenience. It is super healthy, is easy to make and yummy?

Presenting the humble soup.

A bowl of soup is what our moms gave us when we weren’t feeling well. Soups don’t just feed us, they are comforting and give us a warm, homely feeling especially during the winter. Be it as an appetiser or a cold remedy or a filling  whole meal, soups are considered as healthy in almost all cultures. Since it is prepared in by boiling vegetables, it is healthier than stir-fries or regular cooking.

Some benefits:

• As we eat soup, our basal metabolism goes up by 10-20%.This is due to an effect known as thermogenesis. If you eat something hot, the body compensates for this sudden increase in heat by taking the (warmed-up) blood to the skin to disperse it.
• As it is in a liquid form, it is easier for the body to process the various nutrients  present in vegetables faster without giving much digestive load to the body.
• Children and the elderly can get the nutrients in soups without eating them directly.
• Soups help restore the water balance in our body which keeps your blood pressure in check.
• Being rich in  water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin B, C, K as well as dietary fibre and a range of minerals,  soups helps to regulate the digestive tract and ensure that we get the number of key nutrients we need every day.
• The healthiest soups include fresh veggies and a minimum of salt and extra fat making them nutritious and hydrating.We take in plenty of liquids when we eat soup, while at the same time getting the nutrients from a variety of vegetables, spices and herbs. Soup has the benefit of juices as we become hydrated and blend the nutrients, while still keeping the fiber in the foods.
• Ingredients such as ginger, garlic, turmeric,thyme,rosemary,holy basil, spices not only taste good in soup but  are excellent for all kinds of ailments from normal cold,asthma, cardiovascular diseases to diabetes.
•  You can use up leftovers and create new variations of favorite recipes, since soup lends itself to experimentation.

A simple meal addition or replacer, it is important to note that homemade soups are your best option. This way you can control the type and amounts of ingredients that you use to make your soup.

Say NO to Packaged Soup Pre-mixes

Packaged soups do not carry half as many health benefits of natural soup simply because nutrition cannot be stored for such a long time. Besides, all the preservatives used to improve the shelf life of these perishable goods destroys the antioxidant qualities of the vegetables. The vegetable content of any packaged soup is almost negligible beside containing depleted nutrients.

Pre-made soups and packet soup mixes also tend to be exceptionally high in sodium (salt) with the average packet soup containing a massive 800-1200mg of sodium or a third to half of your total daily sodium limit.

Here are some of the ingredients found on the packet of Sweet corn with chicken flavored soup mix:

Potato Starch, Wheat Flour, Corn (8%), Skim Milk Powder, Chicken (5%)[Chicken, Antioxidant (319), Food Acid (330)], Salt, Maltodextrin (from Corn), Food Acid (332), Flavours, Sugar, Chicken Fat, Yeast Extract, Beverage Whitener [(contains soy & milk), Mineral Salts (340, 451), Emulsifiers (471, 481), Anti-caking Agent (551)], Flavour Enhancer (635), Garlic Powder, Spice, Colour (100).

So not only does this Sweet corn and chicken soup contain only 5% of chicken and 8% of Corn, it contains plenty of thickening agents like potato starch, wheat flour, milk powder and artificial colours and flavours.

Same is true for above soup base. Not only it has chemicals but also vegetable extracts and not real vegetables.

The artificial components of packaged soups may cause hormonal issues and even cancer.

What are the best types of soups

A soup can be a filling afternoon snack or an entire lunch or a light evening meal.

Soups with rice, noodles, legumes and pasta do add considerable carbohydrates and protein to your soup and can be had as light evening meal.

On the other hand, broth-style, vegetable-based soups have  can be consumed relatively freely as healthy snacks.

Almost any vegetable lends itself to use in soup, from pumpkin or tomato  to bottle gourd or spinach soup. Soups made with beans, pulses and lean meats such as fish provide lean protein. Beans and pulses also give you fiber.

Some good-to-eat soups

Cabbage soup: Cabbage is hailed as the weight loss food with a low glycemic index and cancer fighting agents.

Chicken soup: Known to treat colds, most of the ingredients in a chicken soup have properties which help your body recuperate faster.

Tomato soup: The most popular choice for soups, tomato contains lycopene which has cancer fighting properties. Tomato is also known as a blood purifier.

Spinach Soup: Spinach contains iron, magnesium, folate, vitamin A, C and Vitamin K. Spinach soup is great for those who are suffering from anaemia, skin disorders and those with bowel disorders.

Mushroom soup: Mushrooms are rich in anti-oxidants and vitamin B complex. Great for diabetics and heart and cancer patients.

Pumpkin soup: Whip up this silky texture pumpkin and garlic soup full of fibre, potassium, and vitamin C to warm up over winter and keep away colds and flu bugs at bay.

Broccoli Soup: Broccoli  is one of the top 10 foods that pack a wallop for health. Besides vitamin C, broccoli also contains vitamins E and B6, as well as the cancer-fighting agent known as sulphoraphane. It is also one of the best sources of calcium,  rich in anti-oxidants and contains glutathione, which is known to enhance the immune system.Prepare the soup with  some potato to beat the sharp broccoli flavour.

Some healthy tips :

• Don’t add thickening agents to your soups, they will reduce the benefits of your soup. Instead blend them well and avoid straining for that desired thickness. Also avoid adding cream and milk as it makes soup difficult to digest and also adds calories.
• Add herbs and spices like ginger, garlic, black pepper, lemon grass, coriander to your soup which will increase the flavour and give you plenty of benefits.
• You can treat soup as your meals if you add more vegetables and ingredients like tofu, lentils , millets like ragi,barley etc.
• Try combining different veggies together to prepare your soup. The more the merrier! Will not only enhance flavour and taste but also the nutrition.

Long dreamt plans of losing extra fat. Winters seem stubborn? Well folks, Soups are your catch.Include soup in your daily menu this winter.Eat your way through a slimmed body. Or should we call it a healthy slim body? Yes, that sounds more liking. We hope you had a better insight of how soups are beneficial in winters. Having Slimming, Happy Staying Healthy, HAPPY EATING!

We would love it, if you share some of your favourite soup recipes here.  

Our Next Blog Coming Soon-Winter Travel

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for Winter food Recipes and much more about Nutrition.

Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.

Aachoo….and that’s generally how our winter season starts. Dreaded as the cold and cough season, we are always looking for home remedies to increase immunity.

So here we are to dispel a few myths. Winter is actually good for you. It’s the season when nature is ready to nurture you. Thus your entire focus should be on nurturing your mind and body by  eating the right foods and  getting more rest to meet the body’s increased requirements.

Winter is when your digestive system is at its strongest hence people feel hungrier and eat better. There is a rise in hunger levels to meet the increased energy demands. Human body’s thermostat is working all the more to beat outside cold and conserve body’s energy to produce heat in body.The mistake we make here is that we eat more junk and heavy hard to digest foods hence weakening our immunity instead of building it up.

Poor digestion is synonymous with weak immunity, hence building up good food habits is a must for our growing generation.

In simple words you need to include more nutrient dense foods(Ghee,nuts,seeds,root vegetables) to keep you warm and  immunity-boosting foods (Citrus fruits,green leafy veggies,herbs and spices) to fight infections.

Some power foods you must include:

 Nuts: Nuts are one of the best foods that keep you warm during winter. Cashew nuts, almonds, peanuts,pistachos, hazelnuts and walnuts, eat one or eat them all, you are sure to stay toasty in winter.

Root vegetables: Root vegetables like  carrot,radish,beet,potatoes,sweet potatoes,turnips help to meet the increased energy demands along with being  super rich source of Vit. A. They are your best bet to protect your skin and build your first line protection against the cold and air-borne bacteria.

Ginger: Grandma’s favourite and used commonly to flavour teas in India, ginger prevents those nasty viruses from attaching themselves to your respiratory tracts cells. Try preparing a concoction of ginger with herbs of your choice for a warming healthy beverage.

Garlic: A superfood thanks to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, this pungent bulb encourages white blood cell production making sure your system is ready to ward off bacteria.

Herbs and Spices:  Herbs such as holy basil(tulsi),mint(pudina) contain components that help to boost our immune system.Besides these, some spices also have anti-microbial properties that protect us from colds and infections. They also act to increase digestive enzymes and cellular metabolic function, and ensure complete assimilation of nutrients.Spices like black pepper (kalimirch), carom seeds (ajwain), asafoetida (heeng) and cinnamon (dalcheeni), turmeric(haldi),black cardamon(badi elaichi) are effective home remedies against colds and coughs. For best results, boil them in water and then drink that water. They are also useful in regulating the digestive system.

Green Leafy Vegetables: Winter season brings us a variety of greens. Apart from spinach and methi( fenugreek) dont forget to pick your local greens such as mustard(sarson),suva(Dill),bathua(pigweed)etc .They are all storehouses of   betacarotene and vit C both potential antioxidants to fight disease and build immunity.

Citrus fruits:Most people turn to vitamin C after they’ve caught a cold. That’s because it helps build up your immune system. Vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells. These are key to fighting infections. Citrus fruits include orange, lemon,musambi(sweet lime), amla(indian gooseberry) etc. Amla is richest source of vitamin C. Can be included in form of chutney,pickles,jam etc.

Seeds:Sesame seeds,flaxseeds,fenugreek seeds,pumpkin seeds all are nutrient dense and provide natural warmth to body apart from being rich in essential fats, fibre and mutivitamins.

Desi ghee/Clarified Butter: Yes Desi Ghee is not your enemy. It contains healthy and essential fats that cut the bad fat in your body to stay in shape. It is also a storehouse of Vit A, helps in absorption of vit D. Having 3 teaspoons every day can help you achieve its many benefits like good skin, lean body and warmth during cold winter mornings.

(Pics Courtesy:google)

Foods that are hard to digest should be avoided if you want to increase your immunity. Commercially processed foods, as well as canned, frozen, and packaged foods are old and difficult to digest, so they weaken immunity. Also leftovers, foods grown with chemicals and laced with preservatives tax the digestive system and clog circulation, creating a sluggish, compromised immune system.

Lifestyle also impacts immunity. Staying up late, working at night, eating at irregular times, exposing the body to stress and fatigue, and sleeping during the day can all affect the digestion and body rhythms — In winter, when the days are shorter and the nights are longer, it’s natural for the body to crave more rest. Try going to bed a little earlier, and you will wake up with more vitality and freshness.

If you enjoyed this post, we’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!

Our Next Blog Coming Soon-Winter Soups

Follow us on fb https://www.facebook.com/UmaNarulaNutriguide/ for Winter food Recipes and much more about Nutrition.

Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.

From Pre diabetes to diabetes, from one medicine to two to three and then finally large doses of insulin. That, in a nutshell, is life of a diabetic. The main cause of diabetes today is a combination of sorts. Poor Nutrition, high stress levels, lack of physical activity, desk jobs, motorised transport all result in one leading a very sedentary lifestyle.

What’s frightening about this is that India –The Diabetes Capital of world has more than  50 million diabetic patients , and the number is likely to touch 70 million by the year 2025.

Though the onset of prediabetes at age as low as 20 years is  common today, the largest age group currently affected by diabetes is between 40-59 years .  If one does not take adequate care, diabetes mellitus is one particular disorder, which can affect each and every organ of the body in some form or the other.

Whereas Type II Diabetes is almost always reversible, only the right diet and lifestyle changes will reverse it.

If you are constantly asking yourself “What can I eat?” It’s time to stop worrying! Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean feeling deprived. Today I will help you learn to balance your meals and make the healthiest food choices.

Superfoods for Diabetes:

Walnuts: Walnuts contain polyunsaturated fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, which has been shown to lower inflammation caused by diabetes. The L-arginine, omega-3s, fiber, vitamin E, and other phytochemicals found in walnuts and other tree nuts make them potent: scientists have found them to have antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, and anti-high cholesterol actions.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon is rich in chromium, a mineral that enhances the effects of insulin. It’s also loaded with polyphenols, antioxidants that gather up all the free radicals in your blood to protect you from cancer and also lower systemic inflammation.

Turmeric: Curcumin the active ingredient in turmeric has the power to reverse insulin resistance and high blood sugar.

Brocolli: Broccoli is an anti-diabetes superstar. As with other cruciferous veggies, like kale and cauliflower, it contains a compound called sulforaphane, which triggers several anti-inflammatory processes that improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from the cardiovascular damage that’s often a consequence of diabetes.

Garlic: Garlic is known to increase the amount of insulin released and regulates blood sugar levels.The best way to eat garlic is by crushing one or two pods and eating it raw on an empty stomach.

Leafy greens: Leafy greens such as Fenugreek,Spinach,Kale have been shown to drop the risk of developing diabetes. Greens are rich in vitamin K, along with several minerals including magnesium, folate, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. They are also a good source of the plant chemicals lutein and zeaxanthin, and various flavonoids.

Jamun/Black Plum: Studies show that jamun has hypoglycemic effects with upto 30 per cent reduction in blood sugar reported in some studies. Diabetic patients can consume jamun fruit daily to control their sugar levels, which certainly helps to enhance the insulin activity and sensitivity.

Guava: Guava’s high antioxidant (lycopene) ,Vit C and Potassium contents makes it a super fit for diabetics.

Sweet Potatoes: The best carbohydrates to incorporate into your meal plan are those that pack solid nutrition to balance their impact on your blood glucose, and by that measure sweet potatoes are a clear winner. That 1/3 cup of baked sweet potatoes provides over 20 percent of your day’s requirement of vitamin C, substantial amounts of B vitamins and minerals, over 2 grams of fiber, and – most notably – enough vitamin A for almost three days.

Debunking some Myths

Myth: Avoid Sugar at all costs.

Fact: Enjoy your favourite treats in limit. Plan properly and avoid hidden sugars.

How to spot Hidden Sugars

Being smart about sweets is only part of the battle. Sugar is  hidden in most packaged foods, fast food meals, and grocery store staples such as bread, cereals, canned goods, pasta sauce, margarine, instant frozen dinners, low-fat snacks, and ketchup. The first step is to spot hidden sugar on food labels, which can take some sleuthing.

Myth: Cut down carbs totally.

Fact: Carbs are essential to a healthy diet. They are the primary sources of energy for each cell of our body. Focus on your serving size and pick whole grain carbs instead of processed or refined carbs.

Myth: Diabetics need special food.

Fact: Expensive diabetic , sugar free, diet food is not necessary. The principles of healthy eating remain the same for everyone. You just need to be a little more cautious.

Myth: A high-protein diet is best for Diabetics.

Fact: Too much protein, especially animal protein may actually cause insulin resistance. Our body needs protein, carbohydrates and fats all in balanced amounts  to function properly.

Manage your sugar levels:

Reduce soft drinks, soda and juice. For each serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage you drink a day, your risk for diabetes increases by about 15 percent. Try sparkling water with a twist of lemon or limewater  instead. Cut down on creamers and sweeteners you add to tea and coffee.

Sweeten foods yourself. Buy unsweetened iced tea, plain yogurt, or unflavoured cereal and add sweetener  yourself. You’ll likely add far less sugar than the manufacturer.

Check labels and read the Ingredient list and not just calories of packaged foods.  Use fresh or frozen ingredients instead of canned goods. Be especially aware of the sugar content of cereals and sugary drinks.

Avoid processed or packaged foods like canned soups, frozen dinners, or low-fat meals that often contain hidden sugar.

Reduce the amount of sugar in recipes by ¼ to ⅓. You can boost sweetness with mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract instead of sugar.

Find Natural ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Dates, figs, raisins, prunes all are rich in natural sugars along with plethora of other vital nutrients. Reach them when you have a sweet craving. Instead of ice cream, blend up frozen bananas for a creamy, frozen treat. Or enjoy a small chunk of dark chocolate, rather than a milk chocolate bar.

Start with half of the dessert you normally eat, and replace the other half with fruit.

If you enjoyed this post, we’d be very grateful if you’d help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!

Stay Tuned!! Tips for Diabetic Kids ,Coming Soon.

We at Nutriguide help reduce your dependence on medication by making the right dietary and lifestyle choices. Uma Narula is an award winning practising Nutritionist since 10 years.If you have any queries you can email  on uma@nutriguide.co.in or call  on +91 99676 35556/+32 468 29 79 49.