ACID Foods and ACID Producing Foods!!

Common Health Issues These Days

Every one is having health issues these days- fatigue and lethargic feeling is common.

Ever wondered as to why we feel tired even though we are cautious about eating healthy food through the week and take liberty of eating junk food during weekends.

-The whole problem lies in the kind of food that we eat!

-A diet that includes too many acid producing foods can cause bone and muscle deterioration and so the aches and pains in the body.

-We need to understand the difference between ACID FOODS and ACID PRODUCING FOODS.

**LEMON IS ACIDIC BUT HAS AN ALKALISING EFFECT ON OUR BODY ONCE DIGESTED.

**SIMILARLY MILK IS ALKALISING OUTSIDE THE BODY BUT ACIDIC UPON DIGESTION.

So often people find it difficult to digest milk..

Suggestion:

To maintain good health our diet should consist of 70%ALKALINE FORMING FOODS AND 30%ACID FORMING FOODS.

ALKALINE FORMING FOODS

ALKALINE FORMING FOODS CONSIST OF RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LIKE BEETS, CARROTS, BEANS, GREEN PEAS, LETTUCE, CAULIFLOWER, SPINACH, TOMATOES, PUMPKIN, PEPPERS, CUCUMBERS, SPROUTS, ONIONS, BRINJAL, BROCCOLI, CABBAGE, SEA VEGGIES,MUSHROOMS

FRUITS LIKE APPLES,  WATERMELON, STRAWBERRIES,ALL BERRIES, LEMON, ORANGES, PEAR, PEACH, GRAPES, FIGS, DATES, APRICOTS, BANANAS, TROPICAL SEASONAL FRUITS, etc.

FRESH FRUIT JUICE, VEGGIE JUICES, PROBIOTICS, HONEY, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, CURD, HERBS, MINERAL WATER , GINGER, GARLIC, COFFEE GINGER TEA, GREEN TEA, GINSENG TEA ,ALMONDS, COCONUT, WATER CHESTNUT, HOME-MADE PICKLES, WHEY,  ORGANIC MILK ,CINNAMON, MUSTARD ,SEA SALT,CAN ALSO BE SAFELY TAKEN.

**CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN THAT THE FRUITS SHOULD BE  FRESHLY CUT AND SHOULD NOT BE CANNED.

ACIDIC FOOD INCLUDES

ACIDIC FOODS INCLUDE CORNS, LENTILS, OLIVES, WHEAT, RICE, NOODLES, MACARONI, SOY MILK, BEANS, CHICK PEAS, ALL PROCESSED FOODS-CHEESES OF ALL TYPES, ICE CREAM, PEANUTS, CASHEWS, MEAT, FISH, BEEF, SUGAR , WINE, BEER, SOFT DRINKS, COCOA ,SWEETENED YOGHURT, PICKLES, JAMS,JELLIES, WHITE VINEGAR, PACKAGED GINGER GARLIC PASTE , BLACK TEA ,CRANBERRIES, TABLE SWEETENERS, Milk, ASPARTAME, PEANUT BUTTER.

Health Tip

I've given you a general list of foods that are alkaline forming and acid forming. So when setting the meal for the day ensure that 70%is taken from the alkaline forming foods and 30% from acid forming foods.

Diet Plan for Diabetics and Weight Management

Diet Plan 

Always have whole foods- unprocessed foods: A healthy meal for diabetics is whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

Have small servings of fruits:  Like apples, peaches, apricots, oranges, berries (strawberries, raspberries, Jamun, blue berries), pears, Melons (water melon, musk melon).

**It is beneficial to have whole fruits but a big NO to fruit juices, fizzy drinks, canned fruits , biscuits, chocolates etc.

Fruits should be best eaten raw . They have a good mix of soluble and insoluble fibre which is good for the bowel movement..

Fruit Intake Measurement

The best measurement for the ideal portion of fruit, to have: it should be palm size. Keep the fruit in your palm and clutch it from the sides. If the fruit is big have half, in case of berries you can have as many berries as can fit in your palm. In case of melons the bowl size should fit the palm. Thrice a day - breakfast, mid afternoon and evening three times 3 different types of fruits can be taken. All the above listed fruits are rich in antioxidants

Value Of Vegetables

• Vegetables are must - have 3-5 servings of vegetables everyday. 
• Make sure you eat lots of raw vegetables like cucumbers, tomato, carrots,peppers,radishes, lettuce, spinach etc everyday.
• Starchy vegetables like potato, corn, peas should be avoided.
• Non- starchy vegetables include beans, cauliflower, baby corn, cabbage, broccoli, beets, cucumbers, Bringal (eggplant), celery, spinach, mushrooms, sprouts ,tomatoes, turnips, okra, onions, mustard,bamboo shoots, radishes etc.
• Also avoid canned fruits and vegetables as they are loaded with sugar and salt respectively
• Have 1 cup of cooked vegetables  in every meal.
• In case of Daals - lentils, chicken, paneer, prefer having 1/2 to 1 cup during lunch and skip them during dinner.
• Have dinner by 7.30 pm and at bed time have a glass of milk to prevent any low sugar at night.

**Please keep monitoring your sugar levels regularly

For Non-Vegetarians

For non-vegetarians fish rich diet helps to manage diabetes better. Fish should be baked, steamed or broiled but NOT FRIED.

Home Remedy

• Take 1 /4th tea spoon of cinnamon in water and boil for a minute. Take this cinnamon tea everyday in the morning. It helps in controlling sugar as well as the cholesterol levels.

• Walnuts( soaked overnight) in summers also help in managing sugar levels

Exercises

• Have smaller portions of meals every 2 hours and walk around as much as possible. 
• Use stairs as much as possible. This helps in maintaining weight.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Have you ever wondered why certain things grow better in one part of the world better than the other?

Well all will tell about different types of climate, soil, rainfall, weather etc. on which growth of that particular plant depends.

Most of the food channels that we see show that olive oil is the most preferred oil to be used in cooking and is the best oil for our body. These channels talk about super foods that grow in the Mediterranean region and the Mediterranean diet to be the best and healthy diet.

In India people are shifting to olive oil/ virgin olive oil/ brocoli, zucchini, variety of breads ,blue berries etc.

My question is- Is all this required by our body?

Nature knows best what is required by our bodies.What ever grows in a particular area is what is required by the people of that area. Eg. In North India we get red carrots in the winters and we make gajar ka halwa to be add in the winter season. If we were to freeze it and have it in summer season we will not enjoy having it.

 It is so cold in the winters that our bodies need dry fruits, desi ghee etc.

Mustard(sarson) is grown in abundance and burnt mustard oil is the best medium to cook in this part. It is better than all refined oils. Lot of chemicals go in refining of oils which negate the benefit of oils.

In the same way in south India coconut is used in mostly all the dishes as it has a cooling effect. Coconut oil is the preferred oil used there. People eat lot of rice based dishes because they can digest these better and keeps the body cool.

 In Rajasthan millets, jowar, bajra is grown and that is what is required by the people along with ghee. 

Don't remove ghee from your diet as it is the good fat required by our brain( brain is made up of fat cells), heart and all our joints. Joints need lubrication and home made ghee is the best fat that one can consume. 5gm of ghee should one had every day for proper functioning of our body parts.

Avoid yellow butter, processed cheese and ready to eat meals. These are loaded with fats to preserve the food.

Where ever a person stays he should eat what is locally produced in that area because that is what our bodies need. Karnataka grows watermelon, mangoes etc in the months of Jan ,feb ,march and it is fine to eat these fruits in south India. Having watermelon for breakfast in these months in north India is not a great idea.

So let's not mimic the west and enjoy what nature has given to us.

Importance of Fats in food

Fats are equally required by our body as other nutrients. Our body needs a healthy combination of protein, cards, vitamins,minerals and fats to function properly. We need to be  choosy  as to what  kinds of fat we are eating. 

Nuts- Like almonds (soaked 4-5) , walnuts (soaked 1-2) , are nutritional boon. They are good for the heart, bone health,immunity building  and also help in reducing cholesterol.

Flax seeds- These are power packed fat packages. Toasted flax seeds fight against diabetes and act as natural laxatives. (1 spoon a day)

Eggs- Excellent source of protein and energy for the  day.

Olives- Have antioxidant, anti - inflammatory and anti cancer properties.  Use in salads, pastas or sandwiches.

Sesame seeds- are loaded with good fats along with calcium. 

Use groundnut oil, ricebran oil , olive oil or even burnt  mustard oil for cooking purposes so as to  get a great balance of MUFA (monosaturated fatty acids) and PUFA ( poly saturated fatty acids ) which help in overall weight management.

Balanced Diet For Children

It is essential for us to teach our children about TASTY food and HEALTHY food.

#CHILDREN need to eat PROTEINS, CARBS , FATS, VITAMINS, MINERALS, EVERY DAY.

Chips, #burgers #pizzas, cold drinks only satisfy our taste buds and should be eaten once a week. 

These provide superficial energy burst and very soon kids  start feeling hungry again.

Proteins help the kids to grow so it is very important that every meal of theirs should have some #protein like milk, curd, dal, roasted nuts, eggs, fish, chicken, coconut etc.

Minerals are very important for proper growth of bones, teeth and cartilages.

"Fruits give us minerals and vitamins and keep diseases at bay".

Vitamins  help us in #building #immunity of our kids. 

So it is a must for children to have 3-4 fruits a day. 

"Fruits give us minerals and #vitamins and keep diseases at bay".

Importance of Sleep

Sleep is as important for children as food because during sleep only growth hormones are secreted. So good sleep equates to good health.

Bring a few changes in the diet of children to see them #growing better.

Helpful Tips 

• Encourage children for outdoor activities. They help in #digestion of food, building muscles and strengthen the bones. So the kids grow better when they play some sport every day.
• Discourage children from video games, mobile/tab.While indoor let them read books, solve #puzzles, do sudoku, play #carrom etc.

See You Soon ... With more #informative blogs!!

Stay Healthy! Stay Happy!

Health Problems in New Borns, Part - II

DIARRHOEA

Loose stools with frequency more than 10 in a day are labeled as Diarrhoea in small children.In babies who are teething( 6 months+),at times the number of stools goes as high as 15-20 ion a day.The stools can be watery, frothy, with mucus, smelly, whitish or multi colored.

Causes :

• Food poisoning
• The stomach of babies is not used to too many variety of foods. At 6 months of age, one fruit is to be started and continued for a week before the second fruit / vegetable is introduced in the babies diet.
• The water is added in the child's diet and the water should boiled before giving.
• Rice and wheat should not be given together
• During teething the metabolism of the child changes and that he passes loose stools.
• Formula diets can also cause diarrhoea

Suggestions

• Baby fluid intake should be in plenty.
• Exclusive Breast feeding. Certain elements in breast milk can inhibit the growth of the germs that cause diarrhoea.

Homeopathic medicines for Diarrhoea

Common Homoeopathic medicines are Belladonna, Ipecac, Pulsatilla, China, Chamomilla, Calcarea Carb, Calcarea Phos,Podophyllum.

CONSTIPATION

There are many causes of infant constipation. One of the most common causes of constipation in babies is the introduction of solid foods.

Causes

• Introduction of solid food(s) – breastfed babies may be more prone to constipation when solid foods are introduced. This is because their tiny tummies are used to processing the easily and highly digestible mother’s milk
• Diets low in fiber
• Diets of excessive dairy products (yogurt, cheeses, milk)
• Foods such as Bananas, Cereals, Breads, Pasta and White Potatoes may contribute or cause constipation.

Exercises to Help Relieve Infant Constipation include:

• Tummy Massage – Gently massage and rub baby’s tummy in a clockwise direction. Place your hands at baby’s navel and massage in a circular motion, moving your hand(s) out and away from the center of baby’s belly.
• Bicycle Legs – Place your baby on her back and lightly hold her legs in a half-bent position.  Gently begin to move your baby’s legs as if she is riding a bicycle. Alternate “Bicycle Legs” with Tummy Massage.  *”Bicycle Legs” also may help to relieve a baby who is gassy.
• A Warm Bath – A warm bath helps relaxing the baby.

Suggestion:

• Start with one fruit (apple) or Vegetable (carrot) steamed and pureed.  Give it for 10 days before starting new vegetable or fruit. 
• In a month can start with two fruits and two vegetables.

For Babies younger than 4 months

Try giving one to two ounces of diluted fruit juice such as grape, prune or apple-prune twice daily and practice some of the above exercises. 

Homeopathic Medicines for constipation:
Some Homoeopathic medicines are Nuxvomica,Calcarea Carb, Bryonia, Alumina.

 
These medicines are only suggestive and should not be taken without consulting a homoeopathic physician.

to be continued...

The mother post child birth

Today we will talk about the mother post child birth.

Usually in the Indian households the whole family is excited about the new baby specially more so if it is the first baby and also if it is male.So all the attention is on the baby and the mother 's nutrition gets neglected.

Mantra to staying fit post child birth

• A mother's body needs to recover from the trauma of childbirth. She needs added nutrition for lactation.
• Milk, curd, cheese should  be in the daily diet(800-900 ml).
• Protein in the form of dal, egg, fish or chicken.
• Coconut,almonds,pistachio are also essential
• Green leafy vegetables and fruits-oranges,apples ,banana,papaya etc are a daily must.
• Good fat in the form of omega 3fattyacids present in flax-seeds, olive oil, home made white butter are required to make the joints work better and the skin to get back its luster.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is also common in new moms. For this the mother should have a segregated 'my' time which she is using to communicate with her friends,parents office people or at times getting a massage done or meditating.

During this time she should be stress free and relaxed knowing fully well that her husband or mother or someone is taking good care of the baby.

The Husband should also be appreciative of his wife as to how well she is handling the new role of the mother and should be supportive in handling the baby.

The touch and hug therapy works very well here too wherein it has to be reinforced into the mother that she looks as good as she used to look before.

Keep reading

Stay Healthy..