10 Commandments of Good Health for the year 2015

‘Being healthy & fit isn’t a trend or fad, instead it’s a lifestyle’

Welcome the New Year with a renewed way of life that benefits your health and future. These wellness resolutions will keep you, fit, energized and healthy from the inside-out:

Rule 1– Reduce stress. Stress is one of the major causes of death all over the world. Fast paced lifestyle and the pressure of doing too much in too little time can easily make you tensed and trigger multiple health problems in the long run. Stress can have a negative impact on sleep, digestion and the immune system. Involve yourself in activities that keep your mind occupied and helps you unwind at the same time. Join a hobby class, add a fresh form of workout to your daily regime, meditate, take a walk at the beach or simply participate in various relaxation techniques.

Rule 2 –Incorporate at least 15 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine. There are 700 muscles in our body and without any kind of physical activity these muscles become sluggish & weak, which in turn results in the build-up of fats and harmful toxins. Use the stairs instead of elevator, do some household chores, indulge in gardening or walk your dog. Daily gym workouts, walking, cycling, swimming etc. could also prove to be extremely helpful.

Rule 3 – Give up all bad/unhealthy habits like cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. These habits can cause severe damage to the vital organs of your body. Moreover it could also have a detrimental effect on your loved ones. Alcohol consumption impairs the judgment skills of people due to which they end up making poor choices for themselves and their family. Secondhand smoke is equally damaging to the health of your near & dear ones

Rule 4 – Increase your water intake. Water consumption not only flushes out harmful toxins from the body but also protects you from dehydration and keeps you feeling full for a long time as a result of which you do not crave for aerated drinks and junk food.

Rule 5 – Get sufficient sleep throughout the day. It is recommended for adults to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night, failing which one could develop serious health ailments like heart disease, diabetes, mental health problems, infertility etc.

Rule 6 – Give your vital organs a break and help them relax by fasting for one day a week. All organs of the body work incessantly on a daily basis. When you abstain from eating solid food for a day, your system gets time to recuperate and perform better for the future. On the day of fasting, you must avoid milk, tea, coffee, liquor and aerated drinks and consume citric fruit juices, coconut water, fresh buttermilk (without salt/sugar/spices) and warm water.

Rule 7 – Always maintain personal hygiene. Bathe once or twice a day. Maintain oral hygiene by brushing your teeth daily. Wash your hands multiple times and carry a hand sanitizer when outside, wear clean clothes, keep your feet clean, take good care of your skin especially during the winter season and most importantly if you are ill with an infectious diseases, do not venture outdoors and be extra careful about your personal hygiene.

Rule 8 – Eat colorful fruits & veggies. In addition to being loaded with vital antioxidants, some researchers now have sufficient proof to believe that seasonal, colored fruits also contain cancer-fighting properties.

Rule 9 – Stay away from calorific junk and processed food items. They not only contain high amounts of saturated fats but are also loaded with sugar and sodium, both of which are extremely bad for the health. Instead of abstaining from such foods forever, what you can do is, limit their consumption to a bare minimum. (For example – once in 1 or 2 months)

Rule 10 – Get a periodic health check-up. When it comes to health, it is always better to be safe than sorry. Schedule a complete health check-up, once in every 6 months in order to know about your health status. Also remember, early detection is the only way to proper treatment and faster recovery from any disease.
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The year 2014 is nearing its end and it’s that time of the year when people look forward to partying and spending time with family & friends. Christmas & New-year parties are planned on full swing and during this period, people hardly think about diet & healthy eating.

It’s not wrong to enjoy the party season but what’s important is that you do not let this be a reason to gain weight. With healthful choices, you can stay in shape whilst being a part of all the celebrations:

• Drink a lot of water throughout the day. It will not only make you feel full for most part of the day but also help in flushing out harmful toxins from the body.
• Keep away from temptations. Fried Appetizers, Junk foods, Aerated dinks and Alcoholic beverages are extremely tempting. The best way to avoid this temptation is by keeping a safe distance from such food items. If you know that they are placed at a certain part of the serving table, it’s better to position yourself far away from it. The lesser such foods are visible to you; the lower would be the chances of you wanting to have them.
• Consuming 1 or 2 standard alcoholic drinks may add to the enjoyment of your celebratory events, but over-consumption of alcohol can lead to weight gain and have a negative impact on your blood sugar. What’s more, Alcohol affects certain parts of the brain that control concentration, behavior, coordination and emotions. It can also diminish your judgment skills and lower inhibitions, leading to poor food choices
• Opt for sea food and lean protein. Avoid carbohydrates. Chicken is one of the finest forms of proteins. Always choose breast meat as it contains the lowest amount of fat
• After each glass of alcohol, drink a glass of water. Here’s how you can reduce the calories in wine – Mix ½ glass of wine with ½ a glass of carbonated water.
• Have a healthy snack from home before leaving for a party. This way you will reduce the chances of snacking on high calorie party food later at the venue. A bowl of cereal/oats or even a brown bread sandwich could be a better snacking option.
• If you are extremely tempted to have some of the delicious food at the party, then you can do so but make sure to keep a watch on the portion size. Also do not forget to burn all the excess calories the next day at the gym

A word of Advice – This is not the time to focus on losing weight (That’s something most health conscious individuals do throughout the year) as doing so could ruin all the festive fun. Christmas & New-year is an occasion to make the most of the time that you spend with your loved ones. All you need to focus on is, to maintain your body weight and not gain extra pounds.

The frantic pace of modern life and/or the urge to lose weight often compels people to skip meals but what’s important here is to understand that skipping meals can have serious repercussions on the overall health and well-being.

Here are a few health risks associated with skipping meals:

When you miss a meal, your digestion becomes erratic and the body finds it difficult to break down a big meal which automatically results in weight gain. This is the reason why people who skip meals to lose weight always tend to gain the weight back. The human body utilizes the food that is consumed as fuel. When you skip meals, the body begins to utilize stored fats as fuel in order to carry out its normal functions. This can prove to be harmful in the long run.

When you eat, you provide your body with essential nutrients but when you starve yourself, the body’s metabolic process is disrupted. This results in reduced energy levels and makes you feel weak and lethargic. This is precisely why it is very important for people who are physically active to eat small portions of food every 2 hour so as to conserve their energy. In order to have a healthy metabolism, you must have at least 3 nutritious meals in a day.

Skipping meals can make you feel hungry and irritable. Mood swings are common amongst people who skip meals and eat after long intervals.

When you skip a meal, your blood sugar drops dramatically. This not only makes you feel sluggish and tired but also wrecks havoc with the insulin in your body. If you make it a habit to skip meals, you can be exposing yourself to the risk of developing Diabetes later in life.

Skipping meals and restricting calories will create cravings. Also you might end up eating fatty foods (pastries and ice cream), which may result in too much consumption of fats. When you give in to these cravings, it may trigger high blood sugar

Skipping meals and not drinking enough water can make you feel dizzy especially in the hot summer months and after exercise. Try to eat 3-6 meals throughout the day, specifically within every 2 hours. These meals do not have to be huge meals, but enough to get your metabolism going.