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Preventing Heart Disease: From Your Kitchen

We all know the importance of heart health. Once you read up on the implications of heart disease, it’s hard not to worry about keeping ourselves healthy.

Prevention is often the key to a healthy life, heart health-wise. You’re much better off adopting a healthy approach to nutrition. If you embrace healthy nutrition, you can nip heart health issues in the bud. If you’ve been diagnosed with a heart issue, you can follow these simple tips too.

Tip #1: Going Green

Before you dismiss all green leafy vegetables as ‘rabbit food’, take a second. Consider the benefits these can give you.

Incorporate greens like spinach, fenugreek, bok choy, lettuce and radish into your diet. All of these have extremely low fat content, amount to lower calorie counts, and are great sources of healthy natural fibre. Their rich mineral content is known to boost heart health, and even reduce the risk of cancer in your life.

Tip #2: Freedom From Fat

Our Indian diet is heavy on fats, rich as it is in ghee and various oils. Learn about the good and bad types of fat, and reduce how much fat gets in.

Absolute no-nos here: bakery products that are high in saturated fats and trans fatty acids, fried foods and heavy dairy products like ice cream, cheese, and cream. It’s also a good idea to switch to healthier oils like soybean oil, rice bran oil, and olive oil. Speaking of olive oil…

Tip #3: Embrace Olive Oil

This Mediterranean staple isn’t a common item on Indian kitchen shelves, but it should be.

Unlike other oils, olive oil isn’t bad for you. In fact, this ingredient is actually actively good for your health. Regular use helps you reduce the bad cholesterol in your body. Plus, olive oil contains monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which are both great for heart health.

Swap out that can of sunflower oil in your kitchen with the goodness of olive oil, and you’ll see the results for yourself.

Tip #4: Try Soy

Soybean curds (what we get in stores as tofu) are great. You can get both chunks of it, or their minced version. They can substitute red meats in your diet, helping you keep cholesterol intake under control.

As a bonus, you’ll be cutting out dangerous unsaturated fats from your body.

Try these simple tips, and you’ll have a head start on the road to healthier cooking. Your heart health is in your hands, so try and set things right before heart disease creeps up on you!

References:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/10-foods-good-for-your-heart/articleshow/7372589.cms

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Top-20-diet-tips-for-a-healthy-heart/articleshow/22650406.cms

Sher-Lock Those Thoughts: The Science Of The Mind Palace

If that title confused you, here’s a refresher: Sherlock Holmes, the famed British detective, uses this technique to store his considerable collection of memories. Retreating into a virtual palace that exists only in his mind, he sifts through data that includes everything from chemical formulae to chicken breeds.

But is this simply a great plot device, or an actual mnemonic (mental aid) you and I could use?

Let’s take a look at the science behind the ‘mind palace’.

The Invention Of The Mind Palace

This technique is thought to have been created by Simonides, an ancient Greek poet. After fleeing a party where the building collapsed, the poet realized he could recall the identities of his fallen fellow party-goers by visualizing where they were standing before the building fell.

He later put this technique to good use, making it a popular mnemonic device for people in ancient Greece.

How You Can Create Yours

The idea is simple.

You create an imaginary building in your mind. Visualize details like where the windows are placed, where room entrances are located, and how corridors are laid out.
The effectiveness of the mind palace lies in the attention to detail.
When you use this technique to memorize strands of seemingly unconnected data, use vivid imagery.

If you have to imagine a car, for example, picture it making loud noises in the (say) third floor living room. If the image you create is vivid and detailed, you’re less likely to forget it.

How Does The Mind Palace Work?

The core on which this mnemonic device works: you perceive space as a kind of image. In 2002, scientists studied the top 10 competitors of the World Memory Championships. Out of the 10 SMs (Super Memorizers), 9 used the memory palace technique.

The study showed that their brains weren’t somehow wired differently. The MRI scans showed that the mind palace users’ brains were more active during the memorizing process.

And that’s why it’s the secret for you and me: the mind palace doesn’t depend on superior intellectual capacity or IQ. All you need is practice; the people in the study we discussed had all been using the mind palace.

What’s more? You can use it at any stage in life. The mind palace technique has even been shown to improve memory during old age.

References:

https://www.magneticmemorymethod.com/memory-palace/

https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Memory-Palace

The 3 Best Workouts For Children At Home

In India, today is the day we celebrate children all over the country. Even as we cherish the precious ‘junior’ members of our families, there’s an increasing concern about their fitness.

Children are increasingly becoming both unfit and unhealthy. The increasing number of cases of child obesity, and lifestyle diseases, underline this fact. We need to do something about this, or we’ll be letting our children lose the health and wellness they deserve.

These 3 workouts are a step in the right direction. What’s great about them is that you can do them all at home. No gym/equipment required!

Workout #1: Push Ups

What do US Navy SEALs and your child have in common? Well if your kid tries, push-ups, that’s one thing!

Like the rest of the workouts on this list, the push up is highly effective, and requires little to no equipment. Start by lying face down and placing your hands a little wider than a shoulder width apart. Steadily lower yourself, keeping your form correct. That means that your head, shoulders, and butt are all in one straight line.

With pushups, it’s all about maintaining good form; you burn considerable energy, and an improper form can cause damage.

Workout #2: Ab Crunches

Also called curl-ups because you curl up your chest towards your knees. You start by lying in a face-upwards position, keeping your knees bent so that your heels are quite close to your buttocks.

Then, bring your shoulders up and towards your knees.

Ab crunches have two-fold benefits. They help your abs get proper definition, and also increase your core strength.

Workout #3: Squats

Simple, and once your children get through the initial ‘finding it tough’ stage, they’ll find it fun. Squats are often the workout of choice of every type of exerciser: gym freaks, athletes, bodybuilders, power lifters, sprinters, novices, pros, everyone.

How you do them: the starting position is to stand with your legs set about shoulder-width apart. Lower yourself in a deep knee bend, keeping your entire body upwards of your buttocks in a firm vertical line.

Imagine yourself sitting on an invisible box between and slightly behind your legs: that’s the best form for a squat.

With these three exercises (done with the right form, with an adult supervising), you can start your child on the path to fitness right at home. You won’t need any equipment either!

References:

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/proper-push-up/

https://www.babble.com/parenting/working-out-with-kids/

We Need To Talk About Suicide Prevention

Thoughts of suicide are common and can happen to anyone. The person you know is still the same person they were before, they are just feeling very distressed and distracted at this point in time. They may certainly be just as scared about the unusual thoughts of suicide as you are for them. You should talk to them about it.

How to have the conversation?

You can often feel at a loss about what to do when it comes to beginning a conversation with someone who is at the brink of committing suicide.

With these 4 simple steps, learn how to help the person through this phase and to get help.

Step 1 : Identifying their concerns

Observe how the person is looking and feeling. What are they are saying and doing? What is it that indicates that the person may be having suicidal thoughts?

Consider these signs a chance to check in with the person to help or connect with them.

Step 2 : Ask them

A good time to talk to the person is after you have noticed their symptoms and then express your concern. Empathize with them; tell them that others in similar situations have had thoughts of suicide. This might help them open up. Do not ask directly or they might hesitate to speak about what they are going through.

Step 3 : Listen

Show them that you are open and willing to listen will help the person to not feel uncomfortable. Remain calm and non-judgmental. Allow them to express their worries. It can be tempting to offer solutions and deal with the problem at this point, but don’t jump to problem-solving. Listen to their concerns and show that you’re taking their experiences seriously.

Step 4 : Help them

Be honest in telling them that you are concerned and that you are willing to support them even if it may require extra help. Show them that you care and assist them to get extra help if required.

By starting conversations about suicide, we can all contribute to suicide prevention. Developing skills to respond we are preparing ourselves to protect someone when they are at their most vulnerable.

5 Steps To Help Someone Recover From A Sports Injury

We all go through injuries from time to time. If you’re an athlete, or have an athlete at home, you probably are used to the occurrence of injuries, in some form! With a sports injury, recovery usually follows a similar pattern.

We’ve put together a list of these steps through which people recover from sports injuries. Reading through, you’ll see how you can help a loved one recover at home.

Step 1: Dealing With The Acute Stage Of The Injury

This is the immediate aftermath of the injury. The victim is likely to experience the worst of the pain from the injury at this stage.

The key to recovery at this stage is rest: plenty of it. It’s your job to ensure they get enough sleep. If it’s an impact injury, use the RICE approach: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation to prevent, or reduce, inflammation or swelling. Make sure the injured person doesn’t get restless and ‘test things out or could have major repercussions.

Step 2: Rehabilitation (Part 1)

Make sure the patient does all the exercises their physiotherapist recommends.The first part of rehabilitation is called getting the ‘full range of motion’ back which simply means that the physio helps the patient move the injured part as well as they could before the injury.

For example, being able to flex the ankle all the way again.

The first part of rehab also involves the patient working to restore their normal gait, or walking posture. No athlete can get back to their sport till they are walking and jogging like they used to.

Step 3: Rehabilitation (Part 2)

The major component here is regaining muscle strength. This often involves weight training; you can make do without metal weights. Simply use baskets of vegetables or bottles of water.

Step 4: Regaining Endurance

Once your patient has moved through rehabilitation and regained sufficient muscle strength, they will need to work on their endurance. The key here is making sure they don’t push too hard.

Swimming is a great exercise here, as are stationary bikes and rowers. At this stage, 3 half-hour workouts are a good idea.

Step 5: Regaining Sport-Specific Skills And Building Confidence

Towards the end of their recovery, patients can start working on their sports skills. This could be dribbling a football, practising their batting or bowling, or working on their free throws. Help them deal with the dip in their performance; this is bound to happen after an injury. You will have to help them face frustration and even mild depression: regaining athletic skills is equal parts mental exercise and physical training drills.

Especially if you’re helping a child recover from a sports injury, be careful—kids are likely to try and start playing before it’s safe for them to do so. Work through these 5 stages with care and use medical supervision wherever necessary; that’s the safe path to recovery from an athletics or sports-related injury.

References:

http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/general-safety/injury-treatment/recovery-from-youth-sports-injury-step-by-step+process

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2013/05/08/recovering-from-injury-in-5-steps/

5 Mental Health Myths We Indians Need To Get Over

Mental health is quite a divisive topic; we all tend to have different versions of what ‘being mentally healthy’ means. However, we all seem to be unified in our belief of certain topics; it also doesn’t help that the whole mental health concept is still sort of taboo in India.

This is why we’ve created this list of 5 mental health myths that need to go away.

Myth #1: ‘Mental Illness’ Is A Poor Excuse For Bad Behavior

Mentally ill people may act out in ways that seem strange to others.

Most people with mental illnesses are ashamed when they act out because of their illness. They aren’t trying to use the ‘mental illness’ plea; they simply lose control when their mental illness surfaces.

In instances like this, it’s important that we understand what they’re going through, and not judge them harshly based on their external behavior.

Myth #2: You Can’t Recover From Mental Illness

A number of people recover from mental illnesses, through adequate care, medication and the support of loved ones.

When a mental illness is identified early on, it can be treated a little more efficiently than when it is detected at a later stage. Irrespective of the stage or progress of the illness, a number of mental illnesses can indeed be cured.

Myth #3: Mental Health Is An Adults-Only Issue

To the contrary, mental health issues often start during childhood. This means that a number of children suffer from mental illnesses today.

The sad truth is that we don’t take mental issues in children as seriously as we should. Children younger than even 1 year old have been diagnosed with mental illnesses. We shouldn’t ignore the fact that children may be affected by mental illnesses too.

Myth #4: Everyone Is Depressed; It’s A Part Of Becoming An Adult

No, they aren’t. And this attitude is a major reason why a number of depressed people don’t seek help. While it is true that older people face depression, this is often due to a change in their social circles and their role in life.

If you get depressed as you get older, you need help, and not a blanket statement saying “it happens to everyone.”

Myth #5: Mentally Ill People Are A Violent Threat To The Rest Of Us

This is categorically untrue. People with mental illnesses are no more violent than people who don’t suffer from such problems. In fact, people with mental illnesses have a long history of being the sufferers of violence.

This misunderstanding causes a nasty and unnecessary stigma. People with mental illnesses are often ostracized from society, even by people who mean well, because of such wrong ideas.

If we are to make a change in mental healthcare, myths like these need to be eliminated from our collective consciousness. Only then can we make progress and help more people enjoy true mental health.

References:

https://www.thebetterindia.com/118587/mental-health-and-illness-10-myths-busted/

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/10-Myths-about-mental-illnesses-you-must-debunk/articleshow/55386445.cms

Intermittent Fasting: The Diet Hack You Needed?

Everyone has heard the saying “Eat breakfast like a king, eat lunch like a prince, and eat dinner like a pauper.” However, there’s a new fitness trend that’s turning this old advice right on its head. Through intermittent fasting, people are actually skipping breakfast to lose weight and live healthy lives.

Fascinated? We were, too. Here’s what we’ve learned about intermittent fasting.

We take a look at what intermittent fasting is, how it works, why you should consider it, and how you can go on an intermittent fasting program.

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

First off, this isn’t a diet. It’s an eating pattern.

If you go on an intermittent fast, you eat for 8 hours a day, and abstain from any food during the remaining 16. These cycles of eating and fasting help with weight loss, metabolism rates, and may even help protect you against illness.

The great news, and why a lot of people prefer intermittent fasting: you only watch when you eat, not what you eat.How Does It Work?

With the 16/8 system, you will be eating a little more at each meal. However, you will end up consuming fewer calories than when you eat as usual, because you eat fewer meals now.

Contrary to popular opinion, your body is designed to survive an intermittent fasting regimen, and easily. When you eat regularly, your body constantly has a source of energy: the food you eat. When you go on an intermittent fasting regimen, your body needs another source of energy: the fat stored in it.

When you work out in the ‘fasting state’, your body craves fuel, and uses your fat reserves. That’s a win!

Another way this works (warning: we’re getting a little scientific here) is that fasting deprives you of glycogen, a starch stored within your body. This makes you more sensitive to insulin, means that most of the food you eat will be burnt as energy or stored in muscles. You won’t be adding more fat to your body.

Why Try Intermittent Fasting?

We’ve already addressed this, so here are the highlights: improved metabolism, weight loss, improved muscle growth, and no more overeating.

Okay, So How Do I Go On An Intermittent Fast?

You can start with a 12/12 fasting-feasting schedule, where you eat all your meals for a day in a 12-hour window. Then, progress to 14 hours, and then 16 hours, of fasting.

The results will speak for themselves!

References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-intermittent-fasting

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-guide

5 Ways To Help Your Child Cope With School Stress

Kids going to school today take on quite a bit of responsibility: they have to worry about classwork, homework, school and government exams, mandatory activities, bullying and peer pressure.

We often overlook the stress our children go through, laughing it off in the face of the ‘real’ stress us adults experience. However, a number of kids undergo what’s called ‘school stress.’

Here are 5 ways you can help them deal with it.

Method #1: Create A Calm Stress-Free Atmosphere At Home

Often, the most stressing event in a child’s life happens at home, every day: the chaos of getting ready in the morning. When the entire household is rushed, on edge, and losing their tempers, this has an effect on your sensitive school goer.

Make sure things are a little calmer, by planning ahead. Your child’s stress levels are bound to come down!

Method #2: Talk It Out

Address the situation if you think your child is under stress. The last thing you shouldn’t do is sweep things under the table. If your child is a little older, and doesn’t like listening to you, try to help them come up with solutions of their own.

Method #3: Be Your Kid’s Stress-Reaction Model

Your child’s lessons in dealing with stress aren’t ones you tell them about. They learn mostly from observing you, and how you react to things that cause you stress.

Imagine you’re telling your child to deal calmly with bullies on the car ride to school. If you lose your head and start screaming because someone almost hit your car, you’re setting a bad example. What’s more, your child is likelier to react the way you just acted, and not how you just explained.

Method #4: Get Rid Of Daily Clutter

We now live in a culture where any moment you’re not busy with something is seen as a wasted moment. Catch yourself choking your child’s schedule with school, sports, fun activities, play dates and more?

Reconsider, reschedule, and make sure your child has room to breathe.

Method #5: Make Sure They Get Enough Sleep

Children, just like adults, tend to get irritable when they don’t get enough sleep. Set a healthy bedtime through the week, and make sure the relaxation isn’t too much during weekends and holidays.

It’s a good idea to establish a 30-40 minute bedtime ritual. This will help your child get used to bedtime, and will ensure that they get enough sleep to deal with stress.

Given the way things are for school going children today, school stress is unavoidable. Use these 5 methods to ensure that your child deals well with this.

References:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/19/10-ways-to-help-your-child-handle-school-stress.html

http://www.heysigmund.com/how-to-help-your-child-cope-with-stress/

How To Deal With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome At Home, Through Your Diet!

A number of women (1 in 10) suffer from PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. This terrible disorder can wreak havoc on your confidence, affecting the menstrual cycle and causing acne and hair loss. This is because it is a hormonal disorder.

What’s worse, PCOS puts you at risk of an number of other health hazards like heart disease, endometrial cancer, diabetes and BP issues.

A suitable diet goes a long way in helping you recover from this disorder.

The Deal With Insulin And Carbs

Most sufferers of PCOS tend to be overweight or obese. Women with PCOS often have high insulin resistance, meaning that the insulin their bodies produce doesn’t get used effectively. It’s harder for them to lose weight because of this reason.

A diet that’s loaded with refined carbohydrates (that’s all the sugary and refined foods you eat) can make it hard for you to overcome insulin resistance.

Foods You Should Add To Your Diet

Foods rich in fiber are your highest priority: they actually slow down your digestion, meaning refined starch will find it harder to get absorbed into your system.

Pick items like broccoli, cauliflowers and such cruciferous vegetables. Other fiber sources include greens, capsicum, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

Lean proteins are another great choice. They help you feel full, and are much healthier than carbohydrates.

Foods that reduce inflammation are great choices. These include tomatoes, fruits, olive oil, and fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Foods You Should Avoid

All sorts of unhealthy foods need to be cleared off your dinner table. High up on the list are unhealthy fats, such as processed fatty items like mayo, and red meat.

Carbs are to be avoided for the most part, including refined flour, white bread, white rice and more. Generally, these all have high GI (Glycaemic Index). These are tastier, but that is done by removing healthy components such as fiber. Avoid all of these. No more feasting on pizza, burgers, pasta, muffins and pastries.

Dairy is another thing people with PCOS should avoid. Milk is known to increase testosterone levels, which is already a problem caused by PCOS.

Couple The Diet With Healthy Lifestyle Changes

A diet is a great way to deal with PCOS symptoms, but it needs to be paired with effective lifestyle choices if it is to have an effect.

Exercise regularly, try and manage the stress you go through, and treat yourself to the occasional indulgence. Make it a habit to share your burden within your trusted circle. Stress management goes a long way when you’re dealing with PCOS.

Know That There Is No Cure

Sadly, we don’t know of a cure for PCOS as of today. Following this diet and incorporating a few lifestyle changes will help you deal with the symptoms, though. And take courage in this fact: a number of women lead full, uncompromised lives even with PCOS.

References:

https://www.pcosdietsupport.com/the-best-pcos-diet/

https://youngwomenshealth.org/2013/12/12/pcos-nutrition/

4 Healthy Treats For Children

When you’re sending your little one off to school, there’s hardly enough time to cook up something healthy.

But with these five recipes, you are set for the next few days. Read up: we’ve curated five recipes that are as healthy as they are fun, ensuring that your kids get the nutrition they need. They’re also easy to prepare, and the rest of your family will likely enjoy them too.

Recipe 1: Lentil And Mushroom Burgers

Burgers that are healthy: a win on both counts, tasty and healthy.

How you make them: sautée onions in olive oil. Pan fry the mushrooms in olive oil, until the liquid melts and the mushrooms turn golden brown. Mix both, and set them aside. Add the mixture to a food processor along with lentils, and pulse it. Don’t let it become a purée, though.

Mix this with egg, adding salt and pepper. This is the base for your patty. Shallow fry patties, and place them in whole wheat buns, with caramelized onions. Healthy and tasty, all in one!

Recipe 2: A Quickie Twist On Noodles

This is a healthy dish you can whip up quite easily, with whatever veggies you have lying around your kitchen.

Heat oil to boiling point. Add slice onions, peppers, carrots, mushrooms and ginger garlic paste. Stir fry this mixture and then add soy, schezwan, turmeric, and sugar to this. Add this mix to boiled noodles that you’ve strained and let cool.

Toss well, add seasonings, and garnish with chopped coriander, toasted crushed peanuts, and lemon juice. Gourmet done the healthy way for your young diners!

Recipe 3: Idlis, Made Using Oats

Counting those calories? This recipe would be a great choice.

Dry roast oats till they’re slightly brown, and powder them in a mixer. Fry mustard seeds and urad and channa dal in oil, and add chopped chillies, coriander and grated carrots to this. Then, fry this mixture with some added turmeric powder. Add this to your powdered oats. Use curd to develop all these ingredients into idli batter.

Recipe 4: Simple, Healthy Upma

This South Indian breakfast staple is a breakfast staple for one good reason: it’s really easy to make, and is loaded with healthy ingredients.

To make upma, start by frying mustard seeds and cumin in oil. Then add onions, curry leaves, chopped chillies, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and salt. Stir fry this for minutes, and then add vegetables and tomatoes, and fry for 3 minutes. Add the semolina then, and cook for two minutes before adding water and curd. Then, cook till the mixture is dry. You can garnish the upma with coriander, and add tang with lemon juice.

Steam this for hot, healthy idlis that you can serve with onion chutney.

These recipes are all designed to help your children get the nutrition they so need. They’re tasty too, so you won’t have to cook ‘substitute’ meals for the rest of your family.

References:

http://food.ndtv.com/lists/10-best-kids-lunch-box-recipes-1434784

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