World Sight Day 2014

World Sight Day 2014

 

Eighty percent of all cases of blindness can be prevented or treated; the right to sight can and must be fulfilled

World Sight Day is an annual event focusing on the problem of global blindness; it aims to raise public awareness around the world about the prevention and treatment of loss of vision. 

Every five seconds one person in the world goes blind. One child goes blind every minute. It is estimated that over seven million people become blind every year.

"VISION 2020: The Right to Sight" is a global initiative, launched in 1999, which aims to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020. VISION 2020 programmes have been adopted in more than 40 countries.

Foods That Help to Improve Eyesight

Ocular nutrition and eye health is an important part of helping maintain our vision and eye health as we age. One can safely say that every part of the human eye needs ocular nutrition support and nutrition to improve eye health.

As we age, many things can go wrong with our vision. Ultraviolet light from the sun can damage the lens and the cornea. Wind, dust, chlorine fumes, automobile fumes, freezing temperatures and physical injury are examples of threats to good vision.

Vibration from driving and hitting potholes has a cumulative negative impact on eye health as well as long hours spent in front of a computer screen. And certainly we need foods that help to promote healthy eyes.

 Key points to remember: 
 
•Eat a good, balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

•New research suggests antioxidants and good nutrition may help prevent cataracts.Foods rich antioxidant vitamins like vitamin A and C, E may reduce your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Zinc helps your body absorb antioxidant vitamins and may have its own protective effects.

•Both flaxseed oil and fish oil may help relieve dry eyes and reduce the risk of other eye problems. 

•Discuss your diet or taking a vitamin supplement with your Dietician if you believe that your diet may be inadequate.

•The biggest avoidable risk is smoking.

•Protect your eyes from sunlight. Use good quality sunglasses, Wearing a brimmed hat also offers very good protection.

•Get your eyes tested at least every two years and more frequently if necessary. 

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

World heart day 2014

World heart day2014

World Heart Day is an annual event which takes place on 29 September every year. Each year’s celebrations have a different theme, reflecting key issues and topics relating to heart health.

2014’s theme is creating heart-healthy environments.

The places in which we live, work and play should not increase our risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Too often, society ';blames'; the individual for having CVD - you smoke, you eat and drink too much, you don';t exercise! But the environments where we live, work and play can have a huge effect on our ability to make the right choices for our heart health - especially increasingly urbanized environments that have changed our lifestyles and diets.

LIVE – By encouraging individuals to make heart-healthy choices, such as choosing healthy food options, increasing physical activity and saying no to tobacco. Avoiding Overwhelming displays of tobacco and fast food and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke

WORK – By encouraging activities in the workplace, such as promoting education in heart health and supporting active transport to work and school,  increasing availability of health food and smoke free zones. 

PLAY – By encouraging investment and use of active recreation areas, such as leisure facilities, sports centres and access to green spaces.

JOIN -  the movement Together with World Heart Federation members, World Heart Day spreads the news that at least 80% of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) could be avoided if four main risk factors – tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol – are controlled. 

Everyone has the right to make heart-healthy choices wherever they live, work and play. But we all need to take action to make it happen.

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

World Alzheimer's Day 2014

World Alzheimer's Day 2014

Every year on the 21st of September, Alzheimer associations across the globe unite to recognize World Alzheimer's Day. Together, we are making small but important strides toward increasing awareness and combating the stigma.  

 The theme for World Alzheimer's Month 2014 is ‘Dementia: Can we reduce the risk?', focusing on ways we may be able to help reduce our risk of developing dementia with brain healthy lifestyles.

Almost ten percent of adults above the age of 65 are affected by Alzheimer's and it is believed that the incidence and the rate of disease will increase with age and time. 

What is Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease of the nervous system where the patient starts to lose their memory and in later cases even show behavioral disorders and forgets their own identity. Dementia is the major symptom of Alzheimer's disease where the person loses the activity of the brain and the memory.Till now only symptomatic treatment are available for it and neither the reason behind the disease or its progression is clearly understood.

Let’s take a look at five ways you can reduce your risk of developing dementia

1. Look after your heart

Smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity all damage the blood vessels and, increase the risk for having a stroke or a heart attack, and, it now seems likely, going on to develop dementia in later life. These problems can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices, and treated effectively if they do occur.

2. Be physically active

Move more. Moderate to heavy exercise can decrease your risk of Alzheimer's by up to 45%. Moderate exercise includes house work, climbing stairs, and sports like bowling and golf. And start early -- exercising in your teens can protect you later in life. 

Being fit has been show to decrease brain shrinkage, a common finding in dementia, and may help fight depression, which also commonly occurs in Alzheimer's disease patients. Aim for an hour per day, but every little bit adds up.

3. Follow a healthy diet

Food is fuel for both brain and body. A healthy, balanced diet can be of great help. Some evidence suggests that a Mediterranean-type diet, rich in cereals, fruits, fish, legumes and vegetables can help to reduce the risk of dementia. Also up your Vitamin E which is a very potent anti-oxidant. Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is present in larger amounts in the brain, appears to be particularly important. 

4. Challenge your brain

By challenging the brain with new activities you can help build new brain cells and strengthen the connections between them. This may counter the harmful effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia pathologies. Learn some great new things, learn a new language or taking up a new hobby or sport, slove quiz, puzzles.

5. Enjoy social activities

Social engagement may also be beneficial to brain health because it stimulates our brain reserves, helping to reduce our risk of dementia and depression. Try and make time for friends and family, you can even combine your activities with physical and mental exercise through sport or other hobbies.

Make changes to your lifestyle today, and be consistent, to decrease your risk of Alzheimer's disease. All of the things mentioned above work much better for prevention than for slowing of progression or treatment.

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

Spice up your life

 Spice up your life

Here is a slideshare of the spices and its benefits presented during nutrition week for your quick reference.
http://www.slideshare.net/ShilpaMittal/spice-up-your-life-38986278

Spice up your life from Shilpa Mittal

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

Summary of Nutrition event held on 11th september 2014

Summary of Nutrition event held on 11th september 2014
Session on Packaged foods – read your labels right by shilpa mittal

Covered topics like what to look for in terms of nutritional labels-

1.Check the claims in front of the pack like cholesterol free, low fat, sugar free, 100% natural with the information at back of the product for eg- cholesterol free may be true as all vegetable oils are naturally free in cholesterol, cholestersol is present only in animal product like meat, fish, eggs, dairy. Be a smart consumer.

2.Source of fat, sugar, percentage of calories coming in from them in total calories.

3.Check for salt content, can be present in terms of preservatives too.

4.If sugar free check which other form is used like dextrose, fructose, invert syrup, liquid glucose.

5.Serving size is very important eg-  20gm fats in 50 gms chips i.e one serving, what if you finish one full pack of 200gm, that will contribute to 80 gm fat.

To make healthy choice read your labels right.

Yoga by Mrs Neelam
Breathing exercise that can be performed anywhere.

If you don’t have time just do 6 assanas…2 before breakfast, 2 before lunch, 2 before dinner.

Love yourself and hug your know self, let go things don’t hold them.

How by concentrating on sounds that disturb you, you can relax eg- snoring.

Healthy childhood By Dr devang Shah
Was an open session of questions and answers included topics like positive thinking, never say no, you are role model and powerful influence in your child's life. Spoke about teenage emotional behavior handling. After 2 kids do not become referre instead handle each one with care and nagging.

Don’t force feed your kids, avoid forcing kids to write especially before 4yrs of age.

Restrict use of mobiles, computer games limit duration otherwise restoring, cognative activities of brain is reduced by 20%.

The event ended with health score quiz and the highest was 36 out of 36.

Health Riddles too was fun with prizes sponsored by RISO, RITEBITE, YAKULT and OPTIUM HEALTH.

Not to miss out on the BMI, Fat% and Neuropathy testing camp which got a very good response.



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

Shilpsnutrilife celebrates Nutrition Event on occassion of national nutrition week 2014

 Shilpsnutrilife celebrates Nutrition Event on occasion of national nutrition week 2014

https://www.facebook.com/shilpa.mittal.568/media_set?set=a.784269531614077.1073741834.100000931129849&type=1


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

Post Nutriday details in navbharat Times nutriweek2014

 Nutriday details in navbharat Times  14th sept 2014

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

My name featured in today's Bombay times in an article on 4 junk foods masquerading as healthy foods

 My name featured in today's Bombay times in an article on 4 junk foods masquerading as healthy foods

 Here's the list...
Protein bars: Protein bars are very close to being considered junk food if not eaten in the right manner. Dr Seema Tyrewala, celebrity nutritionist, says, "People have a huge misconception about protein bars. For those who don't work out, a lot of protein increases uric acid levels, and is heavy on the kidney." She cites the example of a client who snacked on many protein bars in a day as he thought he was getting his dose of protein from them, plus they were tasty. "They also add to the cholesterol content of the body as they are heavy on sugar," she adds.

Breakfast cereal: The popularity of breakfast cereal can be attributed to heavy marketing, which began in the early 19th century in North America. While earlier, they were oats and corn 'grits', it was the cornflakes that took the market by storm. But what's available these days is quite different, "Breakfast cereals are loaded with sugar. The ones that are made of chocolate and other sweetened dried fruits are high on calories. People should buy non-branded corn flakes that are cheaper. For sweetness, fruits or honey can be added as that's a healthier option," says clinical nutritionist Shilpa Mittal. "While cereals do provide nutrition, one doesn't know in what quantity they are absorbed by the body and we often end up consuming large amounts of sugar instead," she adds.

Sports drinks: Marketed as 'beneficial to all', sports drinks are far from that tall claim. "Most sports drinks have sugar content that is three times more than what is needed," says Dr Tyrewala, who has often encountered patients who were actively working out but had sugar problems. "If you are consuming that much sugar, what is the use of working out?" she asks. People, she adds, need to read the labels carefully and see the amount and forms of sugar — including dextrose — that is included in the drink. Mittal reccomends homemade nimbu-paani as a better alternative. "It has the electolytes you need, and one can control the amount of sugar they want to consume," she explains.

Multi-grain products: Products like flour and bread are often sold as containing 'seven-grains' , 'multigrain' and 'bran', but what the clever labelling hides is that the nutrients are added later, after the processing step. Says Mittal, "Most multi-grain products have very smart labelling. They cover up how there's very little multigrains present in the mix. At times, multigrain flour merely has 10% of wholegrain, which means it's not even one percent in one roti," she says, adding that people should instead make the flour at home.

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

Nutrition event details in navbharat times

The details of my nutrition event to be held on 11th September 2014 featured in today's Navbharat Times.

The details of my nutrition event to be held on 11th September 2014 featured in today's Navbharat Times.

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