Winning the war against diabetes

 Winning the war against diabetes

Win the war against diabetes, take help of Health Care Providers, corporations that offer significant discounts on health care program such as a health check, blood test, self-health assessment.

Restaurants can Offer a variety of healthier inexpensive meals, low in fat and carbs, at attractive price points to help consumers make healthier choices when dining out.

The most important challenge for people diagnosed with pre-diabetes is to accept the fact that they need to change their lifestyle and act now.

The key players in the fight against diabetes should expand their focus and help those who are at risk of developing diabetes at an early stage to avoid becoming diabetic, as well as help the entire population to develop healthier habits.



Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Is Detoxification necessary

 Is Detoxification necessary

 Post festival or holiday season this is very common, right

"I need to rid my body of toxins, time to detox."

"I'm starting a detox diet this week."

"Time for my annual detox juice fast!"


Detox can be expensive, at times unnecessary and possibly damaging.They're popular because they offer an apparent 'quick fix' solution to poor lifestyle and diet habits. "You've done the bad thing, now here's the detox diet to absolve you of your sins so you can start a clean slate."

"If through a detox diet you start eating healthy that's a wonderful thing,". But if you're serious about improving your health, you need to make changes that last beyond the few weeks or months of your detox program.

Our bodies are smart. They have built in mechanisms to detox 'toxins'. Detox organs include: liver, kidneys, skin and lungs. Our bodies' digestive, lymphatic and circulatory systems all play a major role in the process of detox.

We encounter toxic substances all the time, but our body does a perfectly good job of removing them. 

Fruit and vegetables, for example, contain natural insecticides that could be harmful to our bodies, but our kidneys, liver and gut effectively neutralise such substances within hours of eating them, converting them into products that can be passed out of our bodies. Our lungs, skin and immune system are also primed to remove or neutralise toxic substances.

How ever Assisted Detox i.e natural, highly effective and safe form of 'detox enhancement' is exercise! Exercise speeds up your circulatory and respiratory systems and promotes natural sweating-all natural detox methods used by the body (lungs, skin and blood/digestive system).

Another very important part of natural detox is your hydration level! Your body will detox itself much easier if you are fully hydrated. Water, fresh fruit juices, herbal tea, detox water and coconut water are fabulous beverages to stay hydrated.

"If you cut out alcohol, stop smoking ,eat more fruit and vegetables and less processed foods i.e junk food, exercise more you will feel better. But that's not because you're eliminating toxins. You're just putting less rubbish in your body."Please give a thought to this before unnecesarily following a detoxprogramme.

Undergo a detox only if advised and under proper guidance

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Lets all celebrate a pollution free Green Diwali

 Lets all celebrate a pollution free Green Diwali

Now with the availability of so many colorful and attracting crackers in the market, it is tough to convince our children about the perils of the reckless usage of crackers,it is time for all to come together and pledge for pollution free Diwali. We might not only reduce the high environmental cost of buying and burning crackers, but also reduce the expense incurred in the treatment of asthma and other pollution related diseases.

Let’s redefine our Diwali celebration with lighting of Diyas, decoration with flowers and distributing sweets, gifts and, above all, happiness! After all, how long can we remain ignorant while we celebrate a festival of enlightenment!

Mrs Shilpa Mittal

Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

How does a stroke occur

 How does a stroke occur

 

Stroke, also known as a "brain attack," is a leading cause of death and disability. Every 40 seconds someone has a stroke. If you see any sign of stroke, consider it an emergency.

How a stroke occurs
•Blood gives the brain the oxygen and nutrients it needs to survive
•Arteries are the blood vessels that provide this blood to the brain
•When an artery is blocked or bursts, an area of the brain may not get enough blood
•This can cause brain cells to die and lead to brain damage


Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Stroke Risk Factors

Stroke Risk Factors

 There are some stroke risk factors that you can change or treat. Others you cannot. As the old addage says, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Knowing your risk factors can be the key to prevention. Focus on the factors you can change and you lower your risk for a stroke.

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Festive season special some healthy tips

 Festive season special some healthy tips

Be careful of how much food you 'taste' while preparing festival goodies. Often, while cooking we tend to eat more than normal without realising.

Instead of loading your plate to the brim with sweets, just take a few, may be one or two, items and eat them slowly and gradually.

Even if you indulge, balance it out. For instance, if you eat dessert, then compensate by not having sweetened fruit juice or aerated drinks with your meals.

 

Enjoy the company of the people around you, as much as you enjoy your meal. While eating, take small bites and relish your food. Most importantly, eat without guilt!!!!!

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Eat healthy during Diwali

EAT HEALTHY THIS DIWALI from Shilpa Mittal

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

OSTEOPOROSIS - STEPS TO BETTER BONE HEALTH

OSTEOPOROSIS - STEPS TO BETTER BONE HEALTH from Shilpa Mittal

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Healthy Gifting options

Healthy Gifting options from Shilpa Mittal

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

OSTEOPOROSIS steps to better bone health

OSTEOPOROSIS steps to better bone health

Real men build their strength from within

Make your bone health a priority

Appearances can be deceiving. DON’T LET OSTEOPOROSIS SLOW YOU DOWN

Men who look strong on the outside, may actually be weak on the inside and don’t realize it. Worldwide approximately one in five men over the age of 50 years will break a bone due to osteoporosis. The vast majority of them are neither identified nor treated for this ‘silent’ disease, even after they’ve had a fracture.

IT’S NOT JUST A WOMAN’S DISEASE

The common misconception is that osteoporosis affects only women,

BUT it affects millions of men around the world too, with devastating

consequences.

FIVE STEPS TO BETTER BONE HEALTH

Building strong bones throughout your lifetime will enable you to

continue doing the things you enjoy for longer. It will also help you live

independently, free of the pain and suffering caused by broken bones.

Take charge of your bone health today.

Regular exercise

Regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises jogging

brisk walking stair climbing are beneficial at all ages and important for maintaining strong bones and muscles.

These should be performed for at least 30 minutes, 3–5 days per week.

Muscle-strengthening or resistance exercises at least 2 days per week.

Don’t forget to target the major muscles around the hip and spine.

If you have osteoporosis or spinal fractures you need to be

cautious when doing activities that could lead to injury and you should have professional guidance when setting up a regular fitness routine.

Bone-healthy nutrients

Don’t let this ‘silent’ disease eat up your bones

Sufficient calcium, vitamin D and protein are essential for your bone and muscle health. Dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese, have the highest amounts of calcium and also contain protein and other minerals that are good for bones.

While dietary calcium is best, some people may need to take supplements if they can’t achieve their daily calcium goals from food alone.

Most of the vitamin D in the body is produced from exposure of the

skin to sunlight.However, depending on where you live, you may not be able to get enough vitamin D from safe exposure to sunlight alone. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in foods (e.g. egg yolk, salmon and tuna).

Avoid negative lifestyle habits

• Stop Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption (more than 2 units a day)
• Poor diet (low levels of calcium, less than 600 mg per day)
• Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency
• Lack of physical exercise or excessive exercise that leads to low body weight
• Maintain a healthy weight, low body mass index (BMI <20) puts ypu at risk for fracture.
  

Identify your risk factors

• Age - bone loss accelerates more rapidly at around age 70 years in men
• Family history of osteoporosis means you’re at higher risk
• A previous broken bone at the age of 50 years or over
• Long-term use of glucocorticosteroids (more than 3 months)
• Primary or secondary hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency
• Certain medications – in addition to glucocorticosteroids, other medications can also put you at increased risk. These include, but are not limited to, some immunosuppressants, thyroid hormone treatment in excess dosage, certain antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, anti-epileptic drugs, lithium, methotrexate, antacids and proton- pump inhibitors. 
• Some chronic diseases – diseases that place you at risk include, but are not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn’s disease), diseases of malabsorption (e.g. celiac’s disease), type 1 and type 2 diabetes, hyperparathyroidism, chronic liver or kidney disease, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, hypercalciuria, and thyrotoxicosis.

Adhere to your treatment

Get Clinical assessment done which may include bone mineral density (BMD) measurement with a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)

scanner.This is a quick and noninvasive method to measure BMD at the hip and spine.

Make sure you comply with your prescribed treatment regimen Because the benefits of treatment are not always evident, many

patients stop taking their medication – don’t let that happen to you.

By continuing on treatment you can protect your bones and avoid damaging and potentially life-threatening fractures.

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Is Osteoporosis is inevitable - treasure your bones

Is Osteoporosis is inevitable

While getting older is the strongest risk factor for osteoporosis, many elderly individuals never develop the disorder. Dietary or supplemental calcium, vitamin D, exercise and good genes probably play a role. Avoiding risk factors is also important. Besides age, risk factors include:

• Being a postmenopausal woman or a man over age 70
• Being bedridden
• Having low body weight
• Smoking
• Having low testosterone (in men)
• Taking certain medications (such as corticosteroids, anti-estrogen drugs, or some anti-seizure medicines)
• Having certain medical conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, or an eating disorder
• Being Caucasian (as compared with African American)
• Missing menstrual periods
• Having alcoholism
• Having a family history of osteoporosis
• Having a low intake of calcium

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

world food day 16th oct 2014

Family Farming is the focus of World Food Day 2014

World Food Day is celebrated in honour of the date of the founding of the FAO of the United Nations in 1945. It is also now considered as Food Engineers’ Day.

“Feeding the world, caring for the earth” – has been chosen to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farmers. It focuses world attention on the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas. 

Family Farming importance

• Family and small-scale farming are inextricably linked to world food security.
• Family farming preserves traditional food products, while contributing to a balanced diet and safeguarding the world’s agro-biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.
• Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies, especially when combined with specific policies aimed at social protection and well-being of communities.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that there are 803 million hungry people in the world.This means they regularly do not have enough food to live an active life.  These family farmers feed the world, yet are hungry themselves.

Why are farmers who produce food hungry?

The answer to this question is complex, but it is easy to see that by focusing on the needs of these family farmers we could reduce the global hunger problem significantly.
Many family farmers lack access to good seeds, adequate storage for their crops, transportation, well-functioning markets, financing, and policy support. Supporting family farmers in these ways can improve productivity, reduce food losses and increase farmers’ incomes.
Join us in a toast to thank the farmers that work hard every day to ensure that our food is grown with care and is healthy for us to eat.

source: http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/contest/2014/en/?no_cache=1#sthash.hAxEKr4o.dpuf

Family and small-scale, sustainable use of natural resources.
• Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies, especially when combined with specific policies aimed at social protection and well-being of communities. - See more at: http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/contest/2014/en/?no_cache=1#sthash.hAxEKr4o.dpuf

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

World Mental Health Day 10th october 2014

 World Mental Health Day 10th october 2014

World Mental Health Day is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy, first celebrated in 1992. It's an initiative run by the World Federation for Mental Health,

Schizophrenia affects around 26 million people across the world and is the focus of World Mental Health Day this year.

The word schizophrenia comes from the Greek roots schizo (split) and phrene (mind) to describe the fragmented thinking of people with the disorder. 

Despite being a treatable disorder, more than 50% of people with schizophrenia cannot access adequate treatment, and 90% of people with untreated schizophrenia live in the developing world.

Schizophrenia affects how a person thinks, feels, and acts but it's actually a word that describes a number of symptoms that psychiatry has labelled a disorder.Not everyone with schizophrenia has the same symptoms and the definition of the disorder is wide, including a number of combinations of different things. 

Here are 10 tips which can be of help you or a loved one is recovering from Schizophrenia

1. Eat a Diet High in Nutrients

Nutrients in foods support the body's repair, growth, and wellness. Nutrients we all need include vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and even a small amount of fat. A deficiency in any of these nutrients lead to our bodies not working at full capacity -- and can even cause illness.

2. Fill Your Plate With Essential Antioxidants

Damaging molecules called free radicals are produced in our bodies during normal body functions -- and these free radicals contribute to aging and dysfunction. Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E combat the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants have been shown to tie up these free radicals and take away their destructive power.

 

Studies show that the brain is particularly at risk for free radical damage. Although there's no way to stop free radicals completely, we can reduce their destructive effect on the body by eating foods rich in antioxidants as part of a healthy diet, including:

• Sources of beta-carotene: apricots, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato. 
• Sources of vitamin C: blueberries, broccoli, grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato. 
• Sources of vitamin E: margarine, nuts and seeds, vegetable oils, wheat germ. 

 3. Eat "Smart" Carbs for a Calming Effect

Don't shun carbs -- just make smart choices. Limit sugary foods and opt for smart carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which all contribute healthy carbs as well as fiber.

Balance your blood sugar and avoid stimulants

Your intake of sugar, refined carbohydrates, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes, as well as stimulant drugs, all affect the ability to keep one’s blood sugar level balanced. On top of this common antipsychotic medication may also further disturb blood sugar control. Stimulant drugs, from amphetamines to cocaine, can induce schizophrenia. The incidence of blood sugar problems and diabetes is also much higher in those with schizophrenia.

Methylation, B12, folic acid and B6

Methylation is a critical process in the brain that helps maintain the right chemical balance. An indicator of faulty methylation is having a high level of a toxic amino acid in the blood called homocysteine. The body makes homocysteine from dietary protein and, provided you are getting enough of certain vitamins, especially folic acid, B12 and B6, homocysteine levels decrease. Many people with schizophrenia, especially young males, tend to have a high level of homocysteine, despite no obvious dietary lack of these vitamins. High levels of homocysteine and low blood levels of folic acid have been reported by many research groups.  People diagnosed with schizophrenia are more likely to have inherited a genetic variation of a key homocysteine lowering enzyme, which may make them need more of these and other nutrients.

Vitamin B6, zinc and pyroluria

Possibly one of the most significant ‘undiscovered’ discoveries in the nutritional treatment of mental illness is that many mentally ill people are deficient in vitamin B6 and zinc. But this deficiency is no ordinary deficiency: you can't correct it by simply eating more foods that are rich in zinc and B6. It is connected with the abnormal production of a group of chemicals called ‘pyrroles’. A person with a high level of pyrroles in the urine needs more B6 and zinc than usual, since they rob the body of these essential nutrients, increasing a person’s requirements to stay healthy, this was reported by Brain Bio Centre.

Check for allergy

Some people with mental health problems are sensitive to gluten, especially wheat gluten, which can bring on all sorts of symptoms of mental illness. This has been known since the 1950s, when Dr Lauretta Bender noted that schizophrenic children frequently had coeliac disease (severe gluten allergy).Include other grains like rice, jowar, ragi, maize, bajra.

7. Include Essential Fatty Acids in Your Diet

We build our brain from specialised essential fats. Of course, this isn’t a static process. We are always building membranes, then breaking them down, and building new ones. The breaking down, or stripping of essential fats from brain, membranes, is done by an enzyme called phospholipase A2 (PLA2). This is often overactive in people with schizophrenia, and this leads to a greater need for these fats, which are quickly lost from the brain. This explains earlier findings that schizophrenic patients have much lower levels of fatty acids in the frontal cortex of the brain.

Sources of : fatty fish (anchovy, mackerel, salmon, sardines, shad, and tuna), flaxseed, and nuts.
  
8. Watch Your Lifestyle Habits


Many people who are depressed also have problems with alcohol and/or drugs. Not only can alcohol and drugs interfere with mood, sleep, and motivation, they can also affect the effectiveness of your depression medications. 

These substances temporarily give you a lift, but actually deplete and blunt valuable hormones in the long run. Avoid the stimulant cycle.

In addition, drinks and foods containing caffeine can trigger anxiety and make it difficult to sleep at night. Cutting out caffeine or stopping caffeine after noon each day can also help you get a better night's sleep.



10. Exercise to feel  good.

Exercise is a natural stimulator of many important “mood” hormones, including serotonin and dopamine. Don’t think of exercise as a chore to lose weight or prevent heart disease “someday”. Realize that 15 or 20 minutes of exercise every day will naturally release these feel-good hormones that are so vital to feeling happy and calm.Exercise is about feeling good, not just looking good. Even just a simple WALK will do.

However weak or strong the effects of nutrition are on depression, providing the body with the nutrition it needs is a positive step individuals can take toward combating their condition. With adequate nutrition, we are all better prepared to face the challenges of the day.

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Gandhiji’s message “Eat simple food”

Gandhiji’s message “Eat simple food”

 

According to Gandhiji, "when food submerses the body, and through the body the soul, its relish disappears, and then alone does it begin to function in the way nature intended it to."

Gandhi never had a problem with being overweight. He followed a strict vegetarian diet and frequently cooked his own simple food, which was locally produced.

He ate this simple food from a small bowl, a reminder to eat moderately, and at the same time he ate mindfully, often accompanied by prayers.

We should eat to live and work, Gandhiji felt earnestly. He propagated that we should consider food as energy, even a medicine that is required to keep our body healthy and fit for work.

So eat simply and moderately. 

Happy Gandhi Jayanti

Mrs Shilpa Mittal Nutritionist and Diet Consultant Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover