Healthy New Year’s Resolutions

With the end of the year coming near, you’re back with the pen and paper, curating an endless list of new year’s resolutions. This time, why not make health and fitness your priority? Work towards making 2017 your healthiest year yet! Explore ways to boost your health and well-being, and be an inspiration to others around you. Here’s a how you can get started:

Take A Look Inward

The first step to making honest resolutions is to acknowledge your current health and fitness levels. Find out where you lack, be it terms of exercising too little or not being able to control sugar intake. Be true to yourself about what you’d like to improve or get rid of.

Devise a Plan

Just making vague resolutions like ‘lose weight’ or ‘eat healthy’ isn’t going to be of any use. You can work with a nutritionist or your doctor to pinpoint the exact ways you have to get going to achieve your goal.

Commit

Once you’ve made a promise to yourself, don’t let it go. Stay true to your word and work towards achieving a healthier and happier lifestyle.

Here are some holistic fitness resolutions you can make:

Touch Your Toes

Setting an exact performance goal may help you stay more motivated compared to a weight-loss goal. For example, an aim to do 10 pull-ups, or touching your toes, can create a good shift from focusing only on weight-loss to performance improvement. Think of a goal that would really motivate you, and a goal that you can enjoy the process as you strive for it.

Find An Exercise Buddy

Working out with a friend allows for a little friendly competition and increased accountability. Choose goals together and get to work. It’s always a little easier when you know someone is rooting for and waiting for you at the gym or exercise class.

Oral Care

Go beyond the regular resolution of brushing twice a day, to including floss into your daily oral care regime. Take an additional effort to speak to your dentist about the importance of genetics in dental health. Like cancer and diabetes, oral health is also influenced by genetics. Hence, it will be beneficial to know where you stand and what possible risks you may face in the future.

Contact our Dental Department for more information:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/dentalsurgery/generalservices.html

Be Strict About Sleep

If there’s one thing that can improve all branches of your health, it’s sleep. Make a vow to let your body have sound sleep for at least 6 hours every single night. The best way to achieve this goal is by exercising every day, avoiding long naps, and steering clear of alcohol, tobacco and heavy dinners.

Go Easy on your Mind

Year after year we burden our head with unnecessary thoughts and stress. From January 1, 2017, spare one entire minute each day to evaluate the present. Think about things you are grateful for at that very moment, and don’t let your thoughts jog back to the past or run towards the future. Include mindful thinking into your resolution list without fail!

Protection and Prevention

Protect yourself from general injuries or diseases by always being one step ahead. For example, reduce your chances of head injuries while riding by wearing a helmet, or protect your skin from UV ray damage by applying sunscreen every day etc. There is an abundance of little precautionary measures you can take to prevent diseases and dangers to your health.

Keep A Check

You’re the master of your own body, and it is your responsibility to ensure that everything is working just fine. This year, make sure to sign up for health check-ups, take necessary vaccinations or screenings to keep yourself up-to-date about your health.

To book a health check-up, visit our website:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/manage/shop/executive-health-checkup?id=executive_health_checkups

Do a kitchen cleanse

Throw away unhealthy products (chips, granola bars, sodas) from your kitchen and fridge. Then restock with healthier options, like carrots and dry fruits. Make it a habit to keep your kitchen filled with nutritious food that will encourage everyone to stop and take a bite.

Sustainable resolutions do exist, and even better, they can help you build the foundation for a long, healthy, happy life. So, go on, make yourself a fruitful new year’s resolution list!

Winter has finally dawned upon us. The lower temperatures and calmer weather helps reduce stress and irritability. Along with its joyful festivals, this season is welcomed whole-heartedly by everyone. However, little does everyone realise that, this in fact, is the season when wellness is the most important. Treat your body as a place of worship. Here is a quick guide on small ways to keep yourself as fit as a fiddle this season.

Diet

Diseases take their rounds during winter. Hence, it’s of utmost importance to keep yourself healthy and strong. Your immune system should be well-geared to ward off any threats to the body. Changing everyday food habits can greatly help. Here are a few measures you can take:

• Honey is a good alternative to sugar as a sweetener. It keeps the body warm and helps fight viruses that might cause cough and cold.
• Green leafy vegetables like spinach are an ideal inclusion in your winter diet. Its anti-oxidant properties and high vitamin count make it good for the hair and skin.
• A lot of citrus fruits, especially oranges, are in season during winter. Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C and are good for the skin and metabolism.
• Garlic helps keep the body warm and has antibacterial and antiviral properties that help fight different winter diseases.
• Avoid white carbohydrate foods like bread, cakes, pasta and rice. They promote weight gain as they are digested quickly and cause your blood-sugar and insulin levels to spike. Switch to whole-grain varieties instead.

For comprehensive consultation on maintaining a healthy diet, contact our Nutrition Department:
https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutrition.html

Body Care

The cooler weather strips off moisture from the skin. A regular day time lotion may not be enough to keep your body moisturized for 24 hours. Try to replace your lotion with an oil or an extra-nourishing lotion. Aromatherapy can also work wonders. Use some lavender oil while in the shower or add a few drops of olive oil in the bucket. Avoid taking very hot showers or exfoliating too much, as it’ll just make your skin more fragile. Winter is actually as damaging as summer sun so apply a generous amount of sunscreen to any exposed areas before you step out. In the night, treat your skin to a rich cream massage. To support extremely dry, cracking heels or rough elbows, massage those spots with organic castor oil. Daily application during winter can help heal cracks and smooth out stubborn roughness.

For skin care treatments, contact the experts at The Aesthetic Clinic:
https://www.aestheticlinic.co.in/

Face Care

Your face is especially sensitive to harsh, cool winds. Following a strict face-care routine is advisable. This includes cleansing off all the dirt with a light face wash, followed by toning and moisturizing. You can indulge in natural moisturising by using warm almond or extra virgin olive oil and use it as a night massage routine. Home-made face packs are highly effective. Use ingredients like avocado, yogurt, honey, bananas, olive oil and aloe vera to make nourishing masks. Treat chapped lips by using petroleum jelly or an over-the-counter lip balm.

Hair Care

The cold weather can create a havoc on your hair. Keep your tresses silky and healthy with the following tips.

• Purchase a good quality shampoo and conditioner but avoid using too much of shampoo, as the chemicals may be harsh. Wash your hair not more than twice a week and use lukewarm water to avoid frizziness.
• Apply a nourishing hair mask once a week to keep your scalp healthy.
• Avoid using a hairdryer. It is always good to let your hair dry naturally.
• Moisturise your hair once a week with a hot oil treatment to promote a healthy scalp and nourished hair. Some natural oils that work effectively are coconut oil, avocado oil and almond oil.
•  Make sure to wear a scarf or a hat to lock in the moisture of your locks and to save it from breakage.
• Also, to avoid static-prone hair that flies all over the place, keep your hair tied up as much as possible, especially when outdoors, or while exercising.

Here a few additional tips to keep going strong during the winter:

• Varying temperatures often irritate the nose and throat. The beauty of ayurveda comes into play here. Nasya oil is usually a sesame or sunflower oil base, infused with stimulating herbs to energize and refresh the mind, such as eucalyptus, peppermint, or lemon. It helps to soothe the nasal passage.
• Consult a doctor about taking a flu jab. If you’re a diabetes, kidney disease or asthma patient, your likeliness of caching a flu is greater.
• Some of the ways arthritis patients can get pain relief is by dressing warmly, working out inside, and getting enough vitamin D.  Massages are also extremely comforting. If the pain is consistent, don’t hesitate to contact our Pain Clinic:
  https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicsatkh/painclinic.html

Winter can be rough for those who aren’t prepared to face it. Therefore, going that extra step to pamper your body is imperative.

‘Stress’ is something that affects everyone. It lingers around for days and months, causing headaches, anger, moodiness or poor judgement, and switches on your body’s’ danger mode. It leaves you frazzled, irritable and anxious.

Hence, the art of stress management comes in handy. It lays down a range of tools to regulate this never-ending battle. Without stress management, your body is susceptible to a plethora of diseases and health issues in the long run. You should take control of stress, before it takes control of you. Here are some useful stress management techniques you should follow:

Pen it Down

Stress is a fact of everyday life. It can be a result of a major change like marriage or moving homes, or a cumulation of little things. The main task is to pinpoint the exact factors that are causing stress. A useful method of measuring stress levels is by maintaining a journal. Though this may seem petty, writing down your thoughts and frustrations are a great way to not only let off some steam, but also identify the stressors in your life. You should try understanding why a particular stressor bothers you, and how you tend to react to it. Then, a clear pattern will come into view. Once the stressors are identified, the job is half done!

Fight it Back

You shouldn’t let stress get the better of you. Rather than coping sensibly with stress, most of us tend to be irrational and let ourselves fall deeper into the hole. Unhealthy methods of dealing with stress include consuming large amounts of alcohol, tobacco, drugs or caffeine, alienating yourself from your loved ones, procrastinating, eating junk food, oversleeping etc. Though these methods provide relief for the time-being, they have perilous long-term effects. You ought to focus more on creative and motivating tasks, or experiment with new hobbies or activities to clear your mind and fend off any unwanted stressors.

Get Active

An excellent way to reduce stress is by exercising. Be it as simple as cycling, taking a walk or climbing the stairs, any form of physical activity helps counter stress. It burns away anger and frustration, and releases the ‘feel good’ hormones in your body. By incorporating activities like dancing, swimming, yoga etc. in your daily routine, you will make it hard for stress to bother you.

Smile a Mile

You must surround yourself with happiness and have a good time with the people you love. Stress can be effectively beaten by giving it no reason to even arrive. It is of utmost importance to keep aside some relaxation time, shielded away from all kinds of stressors. Take a whiff of something aromatic, or dance along to the peppiest tunes, laugh to funny jokes or sip a cup of warm tea – there are plenty ways to keep happy!

Health is Wealth

Yes, this old saying stands true when it comes to countering stress. Simple eating habits play a major role in increasing immunity and reducing vulnerability to stress. You should indulge in eating healthy greens and beans, and keep your body well-nourished at all times. By avoiding alcohol, drugs and tobacco, you can ensure that your body has no reason to complain. Last, but not the least, maintaining a regular sleeping pattern is the key to a clear and fresh mind!

Train the Thoughts

A major contributor to stress is overthinking. By training your mind to block out redundant thoughts, you can safeguard yourself from unnecessary stress. It nevertheless requires a great deal of motivation and resilience, but is worth all the effort!

Other effective means of managing stress include:

• Learning to say ‘No’
• Extracting some ‘me time’
• Investing in a massage
• Finding a new hobby
• Dialing a friend
• Engaging with nature
• Getting a pet

Stress can be harmful in the long run. It leads to various health problems like asthma, diabetes, headaches, ageing, heart diseases, gastrointestinal diseases and even premature death. Hence, it is up to you to take matters in your own hands and effectively undertake stress management. So, straighten up, take in a deep breath and shove away all your stress. And remember, it’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it!

Studies have established that stress and anxiety have a negative impact on fertility, and that managing stress effectively is useful for an overall improved quality of life and increased pregnancy rates.

Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital’s Mind-Body Medical Institute offers a well-structured and holistic Mind-Body Program to address stress associated with infertility. You can find more details about the service, here:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/reproductiveendocrinologyfertility/stressmanagement.html

Winter is here and most of us are enjoying the slight drop in temperature. The cooler weather makes us crave for foods like tea, coffee, spicy foods, fried foods, chocolates and hot soups. Many people believe that winter is the time of bingeing, but that is always not true. These extra calories are valid only if you are living in freezing conditions, as in the north of the country. Elsewhere winter is mild, but it definitely is the time to enjoy some seasonal delights!

It is that time of the year to eat foods full of nourishment, to make your body and immunity strong for the rest of the year.
Certain winter foods generate heat and help cope with the falling temperature. The heat produced in the body by these foods is called diet-induced thermo-genesis. The energy released during digestion and assimilation eventually helps increase body heat.

Keep yourself healthy and warm with some of these winter special foods:

• hyawanprash – Chyawanprash is magic potion made of herbs. It is a delicious nutritive jam made with many herbs and amlas which is the main ingredient. Chyawanprash is said to be an anti-aging supplement. It aids rejuvenation and anti aging hence its link with youthfulness. It also enhances the assimilation of nourishment from the foods we are eating. Amla with its phytonutrients, antioxidants and digestive enzymes acts as anti-aging. It also works as a mild laxative and thus help you relieve the bloated feeling when you wake up and also with the constipation too.
• Our basic grains – Traditional grains like jowar, bajra, barley, oats and corn have great warming properties. Relish these grains in the form of rotis.
• Garlic – Garlic is known to be the easiest home remedy to cure fever and cold. It has the ability to increase the levels of enzymes that help the liver detoxify the blood that gives it special immune powers. Eating raw garlic provides maximum potency but if you cannot tolerate the strong taste, you can have it in cooked form.
• Green tea and chamomile tea – Green tea is a powerful antioxidant and has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties. Drinking approximately three to five cups of green tea a day keeps your immune system in check. Chamomile tea is also said to possess antioxidants that help fight against cold and flu during the winters.
• Honey – It is known to be the safest and the easiest way to cure cold and fever during winter. Honey is known for its antibacterial properties that help fight bacteria and virus. You can have honey every night before going to bed, or mix it in a cup of warm milk for added advantage.
• Spices – Besides generating heat, spices like cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, garlic, cloves and pepper also contain phytochemicals that act as decongestants, are anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory. Ginger and garlic especially are great decongestants and improve blood circulation.
• Hot soups – They are definitely the season’s favourite. A bowl of healthy and wholesome soup is not only nutritionally sound, but will also make you feel full and prevent you from eating junk food. Avoid ready soup mixes as they contain high amount of starch and preservatives. Homemade soups and stews are the way to go.
• Dry fruits – Snack on unsalted nuts and dry fruits like almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, walnuts and apricots. They are nutritionally dense and take longer to digest, keeping your appetite in check. Have them in appropriate quantities (6-8 pieces) and balance the intake with a healthy dose of exercise.
• White radish, onion and garlic – They are rich in isothiocyanates and indoles, phytochemicals that help prevent cancer. Their strong flavour helps to pep up the taste of food.
• Leafy greens – Methi, Palak, Sarson are all available in abundance and are a good source of beta-carotene and Vitamin C – both powerful antioxidants that help fight disease and build immunity. Others in this category are coriander, amaranth, celery, radish greens, etc.

So this winter eat fresh, eat healthy and build a strong immune system. Healthy nourishment is the first step towards a healthy body.