Category Archives: Healthy Eating

Egg white omelets?

You go to a restaurant and see people eating egg white omelets and feel guilty about ordering a regular egg preparation? No more fear, healthy egg is here!

So unappetizing!

The theory that egg yolk contains cholesterol which can raise blood cholesterol, which can in turn lead to heart disease, is OUTDATED!!!!!

Eggs are good for us. Whole eggs, yolk and all. Upto 3, even 6 eggs per day form part of a healthy eating plan.

Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, both help lower the risk of developing cataracts.

One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all nine essential amino acids. And lots of vitamins.

According to a Harvard School of Public Health study, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease. In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

One egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline, a nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system and cardiovascular system.

The thing is, many studies show that eggs actually improve our cholesterol profile. One study discovered that 3 whole eggs per day reduced insulin resistance and raised HDL, which means reduced risk for heart attacks.

Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D. Eggs may prevent breast cancer. In one study, women who consumed at least six eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and wide array of vitamins and minerals.

So ditch the guilt. And enjoy!

Hidden sugars in food items

Lets look at each of the items above in terms of traffic light colors.

Dates: Short yellow light. While dates are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they are also high in natural sugar. For the green light, limit yourself to 1 or 2 in a sitting.
Ketchup, BBQ sauce and other tomato condiments: Long yellow light. Most commercially prepared ketchups and BBQ sauces are loaded with the sweet stuff. In general, a 2-tablespoon serving of BBQ sauce will give you 3 or more teaspoons of sugar; as for ketchup, it’s one-quarter sugar! My recommendation: Teach your children to skip these.
Flavored yogurt: Red light. Low-fat yogurt typically contain 5 teaspoons of added sweeteners, plus artificial sweeteners. My recommendation: Choose full-fat, plain yogurt, or make your own.
Nut mix: Short yellow light. Filled with healthy fats, protein and minerals, (unprocessed) nuts are a great choice for snacking! However, many nut mixes include candy, chocolate chips, or an abundance of dried fruit, which contains a good deal of sugar. To get a green light, make sure your nut mix has mostly almonds, walnuts and macadamia nuts and less of dried fruit. Add variety with pumpkin or sunflower seeds, and forget the candy!
“Fruit snacks”: Red light! Processed fruit snacks are loaded with sugar (as much as 4 teaspoons per serving) plus artificial coloring and who-knows-what-else-that-your-body-doesn’t-need. My recommendation: Go with real fruit.
Soft drinks: Red light. A 12-oz can of regular, carbonated soda contains 10-11 teaspoons of sugar. My recommendation: Avoid all sodas, including the diet varieties. They are liquid candy. Even tonic water, which has a bitter taste, contains as much sugar per serving as regular soda.
Tomato / pasta sauce: Yellow light. Tomato sauce generally has more than 2 teaspoons of sugar for each ½ cup serving, not to mention high sodium content. For the green light, make your own sauce from fresh tomatoes.

Canned beans: Yellow light. Canned beans, especially baked beans, often contain added sugar.

Chocolate: Yellow light. While milk and white chocolate varieties get the red light, I am a big fan of dark (70 percent or higher) chocolate because it contains healthy compounds. Be sure to limit yourself to 1 or 2 small pieces at a time.
Granola: Yellow light. Granolas often list sweeteners, such as dried cane syrup, brown rice syrup, and evaporated cane juice, among the first ingredients. They may contain more than 2 teaspoons per ½ cup serving. My recommendation: Look for brands with lower levels of sweeteners, often advertised as “high protein” or no-sugar added varieties. Avoid products with canola oil. If you can, make your own granola (and use coconut oil).
Grapes: Green light. While grapes do contain some natural sugars, they are full of water, which makes them a better option than dried fruits. Grapes also contain lots of vitamins (especially C and K), as well as minerals and phytonutrients like resveratrol (in red grapes).
Fruits packaged in syrup: Red light. Fruits in cans, jars and plastic containers are usually loaded with sugar. Best is to just eat the real thing.
Protein bars: Long yellow light. Protein or meal replacement bars can contain from 5 to 7 teaspoons of sweeteners (not to mention GMOs, unhealthy fats, and artificial additives). My recommendation: look for bars lower in sugar; unprocessed whole food varieties get my green light. If you are looking for protein, there are much better sources, even if you are on the go, such as hard boiled eggs, unsalted nuts, or a can of wild salmon.
Popular cereals: RED light. These can be real sugar traps, particularly the one intended for children. According to the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that educates the public on environmental issues affecting public health, some products are as much as half-sugar by weight. Better, cook at home. Getting children hooked on sweet stuff for breakfast will help create a sugar addiction and early onset diabetes.
Sports drinks: Very long yellow light. Sports drinks offer a tasty replenishment for lost minerals (electrolytes) that occur from heat and heavy exercise, but most commercial varieties are loaded with sweeteners and may be high in caffeine. A 32-oz drink could contain more than 12 teaspoons of sugar (in addition to artificial colors and flavors).  What really gets my seal of approval is coconut water.
The bottom line: Select no-sugar-added foods whenever you can. Your body will thank you for it!

Hormone disturbances in women

Hormone disturbances in women can lead to disorders like

infertility

too heavy / too light periods

irregular periods

PMS

Polycystic ovaries

Fibroids / polyps

Breast cysts / fibroadenoma

 

Simple strategies to Adopt

Eliminate / Reduce processed foods, refined flours, refined oils, sugar and other sweeteners and trans fats.

Increase onions, ginger, garlic, cruciferous veg ( cauliflower, broccoli), fruits, nuts and seeds. and fatty fish. The nutrients in these foods help balance estrogen.

Add omega 3, vit B complex, antioxidants, calcium magnesium vit D, multivitamin and probiotics.

Adopt stress reduction and weight management techniques, and incorporate exercise into a daily regimen.

 

Stay Healthy!

Insulin Resistance – What is it, what to do

Insulin resistance is a condition when the body does make insulin, but the cells don’t permit transfer of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, and are ‘resistant’ to the action of insulin.This condition is associated with diabetes, and predates it by few years.

If we can identify that we have Insulin Resistance, and treat it, it stands to reason that we can avoid developing full-blown diabetes.

So how do we know we have insulin resistance?  

If we have

– sugar craving

– irritability, dizziness in case of delayed meals

– sleepiness after a meal

– polycystic ovaries or infertility

– waist-hip ratio > 0.8 females or > 0.9 men

– chronic fungal infections.

Also, if we have family history of diabetes or history of gestational diabetes, we are likely to have insulin resistance.

How do we confirm / refute the suspicion?

A simple blood test will do it. Check the fasting Serum Insulin level in the blood. Any lab will do it. It should be between 2 ad 5, as explained in the post, ‘Diabetes‘. If it is higher, then you are insulin resistant, and at risk for developing diabetes.

What to do?

Are we condemned to developing the illness, with subsequent risk of complications? Emphatically no. If we follow the diet suggestions in the post, ‘What should I eat‘, and follow a regular exercise plan, we can virtually be safe. This does not mean that a doctor’s advice is no longer required, but it does mean that we can take responsibility for our health.

Stay Healthy!

Image Courtesy Google

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Our intestines do a great deal more than just digest food and excrete waste. 

The intestine actually contains about 100 trillion microorganisms, 10 times more than the cells in the body. And these good bacteria – the gut flora – play a very important role in maintaining our health. 

The inner lining of the intestines, under normal conditions, is intact. Obviously. But when assaulted, this lining gets damaged and becomes porous, or ‘leaky’. The lining is highly selective, screening everything we take in, and allowing only desired elements ‘entry’ into the body. The rest, including toxins and harmful bacteria, are ‘shooed away’, ie excreted. 

When this lining is damaged, the undesirable elements are able to ‘enter’ into the body, causing inflammation. The liver is the first to receive these and it fights against them. But when the toxin load increases and the liver is unable to cope, these foreign bodies now cause our immune system to enter into the fray.  It goes into full battle mode to fight the evil intruders and get them out of the body ASAP.  More often than not, the body cannot keep up with the task at hand and the majority of these foreign bodies absorb into tissues throughout the body… causing them to inflame. And now that the body is busy fighting this major war, it has to ignore small battles such as filtering blood and calming inflamed areas. 

So undesirable elements have got entry into the body. And they form deposits in various tissues. When this happens, the body no longer recognises these tissues as its ‘own’, and it establishes a ‘foreign body’ response to its own tissues. And this is the basis of auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis. Brain conditions such as Alzheimers, autism and Schizophrenia are also connected to a leaky gut.

How do we know we may have leaky gut syndrome? If we have:

– Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome.

– Seasonal allergies or asthma.

– Hormonal imbalances such as PMS or PCOS.

– Autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease. Also chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia.

– Mood and mind issues such as depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD.

– Skin issues such as acne, rosacea, or eczema.

then it is likely we have leaky gut.

What are the conditions which cause leaky gut syndrome?

 Diet: Consuming high amounts of refined sugars, processed foods, preservatives, refined flours, and flavorings introduces massive amounts of chemicals into the body. Wheat gluten is not tolerated by many.

Chronic Stress causes leaky gut, which almost always results in a suppressed immune system, which can itself increase inflammation and permeability of the intestinal lining.

Inflammation: Any type of inflammation in the gut can lead to leaky gut.  This can be brought on by low stomach acid (which passes undigested food into the small intestine irritating everything it passes by), yeast overgrowth (Candida), bacteria overgrowth, infection, parasites and excessive environmental toxins.

Medications: Any medication or even over-the-counter pain relievers with Aspirin or Acetaminophen irritate the intestinal lining. This can start or continue the inflammation cycle (more bacteria, yeast, and digestion issues) and promotes an increase in permeability.

Food allergies or food intolerances.

What can we do

1. Remove the bad. The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract, such as inflammatory and toxic foods, and intestinal infections.

2. Replace the good. Add back the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption, such as digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid and bile acids.

3. Reinoculate beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good bacteria. These are present in probiotics.

4. Repair, with nutrients which help the gut repair itself.

So its simple! If we eat healthy, we stay healthy!

Images courtesy Google