Strong Women Make Stronger Women

Mrs Shilpa MittalNutritionist and Diet ConsultantFounder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

People with osteoporosis can feel their bones getting weaker

 People with osteoporosis can feel their bones getting weaker

Osteoporosis is commonly called a “silent disease.” Often, breaking a bone is the first clue you have osteoporosis. Some people learn that they have osteoporosis after they lose height from one or more broken bones in the spine. These broken bones can even occur without any noticeable pain.

Each year, 1.5 million people suffer a fracture because of weak bones. The most common breaks are of the wrist, spine and hip. Bone disease is costly for society and individuals with the disease. Four times as many men and nearly three times as many women have osteoporosis than report having the disease.

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

World Food Day
16 October 2013

 

16 October 2013 is World Food Day.  The day is about recognising the worldwide problem of hunger.   And this year the theme for the day is “Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition”.   

However, it is not just about donating food to the world's hungry and undernourished peoples. It is about doing something to help them help themselves. If I was hungry and someone gave me a plough to farm my land I would be far more grateful than if they gave me a sack of potatoes.If I had a plough I could be self-sufficient and produce my own food.That is what the day is trying to encourage.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation is a division of the United Nations, and is responsible for World Food Day.  Along with raising awareness of hunger and poverty, the day aims to encourage economic and technological cooperation between different governments and with non-governmental organisations.

With an estimated 1.02 billion malnourished people across the globe it is a pretty serious matter and worth the public and private investment that is being sought out.So that's why it is important to raise awareness via World Food Day.

Have you heard of stomach binding?  Ziporra Mbungo ties a rope tight around her stomach so that she can stave off hunger pangs – food is scarce and she gives what little food she does have to her grandchildren.
 
What kind of world are we living in when a human being needs to do this? This method is in common use right now in Somalia.  After one of the worst droughts experienced in more than fifty years the current famine has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and more are dying.

There are a number of factors that decide whether famine will be declared.  Some of these factors include whether 20% of the population is living on less than 2,100 calories, the presence of civil war and when people have access to less than four litre of water per day.

They need aid right now and that means sending food and water.  It might be time for World Food Day yet, but the struggle against hunger should be fought all year round.

Global Handwashing Day October 15

 Global Handwashing Day October 15

Global Handwashing Day is a campaign to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap. It takes place on October 15 of each year. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.

Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including the common cold, staph infections and the flu.

SIMPLE WAY TO TEACH KIDS HANDWASHING
WASH HANDS FOR 20 SECONDS (SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TWICE TO TIME YOURSELF)

Combine water, soap and friction -- for as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice, or at least 20 seconds and germs won't see their next birthday.
However, when soap and water are unavailable, alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be substituted.

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestyle makeovers

Slide share -Colour your Diet

Colour your diet from Shilpa Mittal

Ideas to make your diet more colourful!

Ideas to make your diet more colourful!

If you are cooking new recipes, or traditional favorites, you can improve your health by incorporating as many colors as possible.

Here are a few ideas on how to get more color on your plate:

• Add chopped carrots, tomatoes, or cabbage to any soup or stew.
• Increase flavor of  pasta sauce by adding a mixed vegetable medley.

• Make desert sweetly healthy by using tons of colored fruits, and skip the ice cream!
• Turn a sandwich into a more filling treat by using fresh veggies.

•Add colourful fruits and veges to your bhel whether it is sprouts bhel, kurmura bhel or khakhra bhel.
• Order a pizza without cheese! Just tell them to pile the veggies up high instead.

• Ask for broccoli, spinach, tomato, garlic, mushrooms, onions, and peppers on your next pizza.

• Make a simple salad with lettuces, tomatoes and a healthy addition of toasted walnuts or almonds. Follow this with grilled eggplant and zucchini with a drizzle of olive oil. And for dessert, enjoy a slice or two of melon with a handful of berries.

For Breakfast or in between meal filler always provide a fruit! Bananas, Apple Slices, Seedless Grapes, Pears Slices. If you eat dairy and your kids like to dip their fruit, yogurt works well! incorporate the fruit yoghurt into the meal Or handful of Raisins to a bowl of oatmeal.

Snack can be Veggie Time!! Cut up Celery, Carrots, Cucumbers, Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes. Once again, a dip might be helpful or try hummus, or perhaps a great homemade dressing, a store bought salad dressing works fine too!

Multi-colored meals are a great way to get all your important nutrients without going hungry. Beef up any meal by adding a veggie from every color group for a filling, and satisfying healthy meal. 

The above suggested idea layout gives you at least 6 opportunities a day to eat a colourful fruit or vegetable! I really encourage parents to make this fun and keep it light, no pressure, no battles. If your child starts off by eating one colour a day that is a great start…you can build up to a rainbow over time.  Healthy bodies are made one bite at a time so celebrate every step towards the rainbow!

Once your family gets used to eating a rainbow a day you can start working towards eating two rainbows a day.

World arthritis day -October 12 2013

World arthritis day -October 12 2013

The 2013/2014 the theme is  

‘Healthy ageing for people growing up and growing older with arthritis.’

It covers the physical and mental changes that occur as part of the ageing process from birth throughout our lifespan, as well as all the other factors that affect our ability to enjoy an optimal quality of life, including access to buildings, transport, technologies, medicines and treatments; societal attitudes; the lifestyle choices we make, and more

World arthritis day is dedicated to create awareness in people relating to pains caused in knee, joints and other body parts. Arthritis is seen in every age groups-men women, children, and young people but mainly found in elderly people. Mostly the age group of 50-66 is affected with the problem of arthritis. This causes in pain, swellings, and stiffness in joints. Therefore a day has been dedicated in order to aware the people all over the world about arthritis. In this day person come across with problems related with arthritis, take the steps to tackle it.

A healthy eating plan can greatly reduce the painful symptoms of arthritis.

Eat a balanced, nutritious diet which includes limiting sodium and avoiding foods that contain too much fat, sugar, or refined grains as well as consumption of “vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, seafood, lean meats, eggs, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.” This helps support the body so it can heal itself naturally. While some arthritic conditions may not be reversed, many sufferers can reduce their pain considerably by following some simple dietary advice. A consultation with a nutritionist or a physician about holistic medicine for arthritis may yield additional diet or lifestyle advice to help you manage your condition.

Diet should provide good amounts of calcium and vitamin D, Calcium and vitamin D work together to maintain strong bones. The body needs sufficient amounts of vitamin D to absorb and use calcium. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficient calcium absorption can weaken existing bones and prevent the formation of strong, new bone.

People with RA need a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, including antioxidants (vitamin E, C, and selenium),  vitamin B6 and B12, folic acid, collagen, and zinc, which have potential benefits in managing RA symptoms.

Nutrition can help, either with medicines or, in some cases, instead of them. Foods affect the joints in two major ways. First, certain foods trigger the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and eliminating these foods sometimes causes even long-standing symptoms to improve or even remit entirely. Second, certain fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory action that can reduce joint pain, stiffness, and swelling.

Your weight is the single most important link between diet and arthritis, as being overweight puts an additional burden on your hips, knees, ankles and feet. If you are unable to exercise as much because of your arthritis, you should reduce your calorie intake.This will prevent excess energy from the food you eat being stored in your body as fat.

However keeping active can minimise the ill effects of arthritis, so say the experts.

So stay active eat healthy and fight arthritis.