Why Amla is a Superfood

Exceptionally rich in Vitamin C – Amla supports immunity and helps the body fight infection.

Packed with antioxidants – Helps in reducing oxidative stress and slows down cellular ageing.

Promotes healthy digestion – Supports healthy gut and improves metabolism.

Nourishing hair and skin – It does by boosting collagen production.

Helps regulate blood sugar levels – Supports heart health when included as part of a balanced lifestyle.

While lemons do not have too many recipe options, the same is not the case of amla. You can have a slice with a pinch of black salt. Fresh amla juice in the morning is great for blood. Amla chutney or pickle is a good addon for regular meals if taken in limited quantity. Dried amla is a favourite Indian snack and amla powder can be used in a number of ways.

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Small grains. Big benefits

Nutrient Rich – Millets are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Aids Digestion – High fiber in millets support gut health and smooth digestion.

Helps Manage Blood Sugar – Low glycemic index helps in better blood sugar control.

Supports Heart Health – Rich in magnesium and potassium for a healthy heart.

Aids in Weight Management – Keeps you full longer and helps in natural weight management.

Boots Immunity – Loaded with antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system.

Nourishing the planet

Millets are local grains. They are grown by small and marginal farmers. They do not harm the environment and grow in the most difficult of the conditions.

With millets you will be helping the environment and the future of your children.

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Types of Millets based on availability in India

• Pearl Millet or Bajra – We all have heard about Bajre ki roti. Bajra is rich in Iron and Calcium. It supports immunity and because of naturally available calcium, it is good for heart health.
• Finger Millet or Ragi – Also known as nachni, it is rich in calcium ideal for healthy bones. The high nutrient content also make it ideal for managing blood sugar.
• Foxtail Millet or Kangani – Due to high fiber content, this millet supports digestion and helps in weight management. It is also high in protein.
• Little Millet or Kutaki – This millet has been in the focus due to the healing power for liver damage. Easy to digest, the high iron content also helps support heart health.
• Barnyard Millet or Sanwa Millet – Gluten free and rich in fiber, this is the millet which is best used in diabetic friendly diets.
• Kodo Millet – Rich in antioxidants, Kodo helps in regulating blood sugars and supports overall health.

Benefits of including in diet

I have been explaining to my clients, the benefits of local grain. Now that there is more awareness, I have made diet plans exclusively based on millets. There are superfoods which help manage blood sugar and support heart health. My millets powered diet plans help in weight management and boost strength and immunity.

Most important of all, they help sustain the planet and help small and marginal farmers.

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Are millets the miracle food that everyone is claiming or is there a catch to it. Millets are called ancient grains and let us first find out why these grains disappeared from out diet in the first place.

Fast food takes over

The boom in population also brought in fast food by the food scientists from America. Fast food involves use of large amount of all purpose flour or maida. Maida as we all know is basically a refined version of wheat stripped away of the fibre rich outer cover and nutrient rich germ. Maida is easy to handle as a dough and gives you those fluffy and crispy snacks. More important of all, the taste is awesome and addictive.

People generally agree that it is maida which is responsible for all the lifestyle related ailments of modern times. As an alternative fast food makers began offering wheat as a healthy substitute but that created the additional problem of gluten.

So now we are back to rectifying the mistake introduced by big corporations from outside India by turning back the clock about a 100 years to look for some ancient grains for solutions to current health problems.

What are millets

Millets are grain that have been part of diet of Indians for centuries. They are local grains, grown in various part of the country under local conditions.

Millets grow in hostile conditions with less rain and use local soil to grow.

It is packed with nutrients and local minerals.

It is grown by small and marginal farmers, so you will be actually helping them out and help with the local economy.

Millets are gluten free and are resistant to pests and insects.

They are packed with fibre.

For a change you are going to love the recipes used by our fore fathers.

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In this article we shall understand insulin resistance in a way that you can find your own way to deal with it.

Signaling of the insulin hormone

Hormones are released by the body as a messaging system to trigger certain actions. Insulin is secreted by the pancreas to signal the cells to accept glucose to start producing energy.

Triggering of insulin is almost immediately after you have a meal. Even a tiny snack, solid or liquid will trigger release of insulin. It is the signal to start sugar burning to reduce the rise in blood sugar level because of the food intake.

Insulin is also the trigger to stop fat burning and start conserving energy.

Foods with High GI

There is an increased awareness about foods with high glycemic index. There is a direct connection between glycemic index and insulin resistance.

High GI food spikes the blood sugar level in your body. To counter that, your body has to release large amount of insulin. Your body is now working overtimes to push in glucose in your cells and force them to produce energy.

The process of energy production

After a meal, glucose is released into the blood. That triggers the release of insulin to allow cells to open up to accept glucose. That triggers to energy generating mechanism to produce energy in the form of ATPs. These are then used by the body to do work.

The cells cannot keep producing energy if it cannot be spend by the body doing work. At some point they stop. If there is still excess sugar in your blood, it is either send to the liver for storage or the body tries to push in more glucose in the cells by releasing more insulin.

This is the beginning of insulin resistance.

Absolute precautions should start right at the beginning

Changes in lifestyle and food habits have largely contributed to insulin resistance. If not reversed, it will definitely lead to pre diabetes.

You can follow a pattern of eating window of 8 to 10 hours in the day after which the body will get rested from insulin. That is one of the way to increase insulin sensitivity.

Avoid any kind of late night meal. Especially after sunset when melatonin is released to put the body to sleep.

The main reason for insulin resistance is the diet. Your food intake has to be as per your body needs. It has to be carefully curated so as to provide you with just the amount of nutrition and energy for your daily needs. This way the body is able to store just enough fat to get you through the day and most of the night.

You can replace high sugary commercially made snacks with homemade ones which has the same taste but low on GI.

Start your wellness management journey today.

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Insulin enters into your bloodstream to be distributed throughout the body. This hormone acts as a key to unlock cells into accepting glucose. Blood sugar is used a raw material and starting point to generate energy which is further used by the body to do work.

Insulin is an important hormone

There is no doubt that insulin is important for synthesis of energy from food. Problem begins with three modern trends.

• Consuming too much carbs and ultra refined sugars. These foods release large amounts of glucose in a short time. The body tries to get rid of this sugar by releasing insulin to open the cells.
• Eating food in excess of body requirement. Any food that you eat will trigger release of insulin and the body has no other mechanism to expel excess glucose from the body. If the body does not consume energy, the cells will resist the insulin which is trying to open cell walls.
• Eating too many times a day. This overwhelms the insulin system. Once the cells cannot produce any more energy they shut down the entry of glucose inside the cell. The body produces more insulin to get rid of excess glucose in the blood. This cycle of cells blocking the effects of insulin and body producing more insulin leads to the condition of insulin resistance.

Insulin Resistance and metabolic disorder

Metabolic disorder is related to the disturbance of the process of converting food to energy. One of the most common disorder is Type 2 Diabetes.

Diabetes is stage two after insulin resistance. While insulin resistance does not have any visible symptoms and can develop over a period of many years, type 2 diabetes has some visible signs, first of which is high blood sugar. Skin in certain areas like under arms and neck start darkening. Cuts take longer time to heal and you will feel thirsty more often.

Controlling Metabolic Disorders

The most natural and healthy way to control and reverse metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes is by lifestyle changes and diet management. I call this the wellness circle. Under a coach you can make guided changes to your routine which will help manage the conditions which lead to disorders. You will be enjoy living once again.

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Cucumber

Cucumber has a number of advantages, among them the most important one is that it is locally grown and have a very short shelf life. If purchased from the local farmers market, you will be assured that you will have the freshest ones grown in an organic way. In the open they last for just one or two days. The perfect organic food which zero or no preservatives and pesticides.

Cucumber has 95% water and high alkaline levels. It helps reduce acidity in the body and help with the stomach acidity and inflammation. It is rich in minerals and micro nutrients. Locally grown cucumbers have loads of local beneficial bacteria.

Watermelon

Another food with a high water content and this one has the added bonus of tasting sweet. It is a rich source of electrolytes. It is a natural coolant for the body. Avoid consuming large quantities.

Coconut Water

Fresh coconut water is loaded with electrolytes. It is instantly refreshing and cools down your body rapidly. After a trip out in the sun, coconut water is the best for recovery. Make sure you do not consume the bottled water as it is nowhere close to the original.

Yogurt/Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a traditional local drink for summers. The recipe is suitable of local summers. Both yogurt and buttermilk are loaded with good bacteria. The cooling effects of curd work on the body keeping it levelled before yo head out for your day.

Other beneficial food in the same category will be mint, citrus fruits, fennel seeds, leafy greens and aloe vera.

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Understanding Prebiotic and Probiotic Food

Bacteria are living organisms inside the body which perform some critical functions. There are lakhs and lakhs of these bacteria out of which gut bacteria are most important because they complete the food cycle and mood cycle of the body. Gut is called the second brain of the body.

Prebiotic food is the one which feeds the good bacteria in the gut. It is essential that good bacteria gets the right food so that it can multiply and maintain the good bacteria layer in the inside of the gut.

Examples of Prebiotic food are banana, garlic, onion, asparagus, oats, flaxseeds and of course the humble apple.

There are times when due to unhealthy food habits and some other factors, the gut bacteria layer might thin out or go altogether. If that happens, it is the Probiotic food which will help get the bacteria back.

Examples of probiotics are curd, buttermilk, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso and tempeh.

Benefits of a balanced gut

Since gut is mostly about food, a healthy gut means you will have more energy, more nutrients at your disposal. It will also lead to better immunity and help with healthy skin and good moods. Your overall digestion will also feel better.

You must take a good balance of Prebiotic and Probiotic food daily.

Foods to keep you cooler in summer

The most important way to eat in summer is to eat light and eat during the early part of the day. Avoid eating masala laden food late evening. Also a majority of your diet has to contain these most beneficial food for the summers.

• Cucumber
• Watermelon
• Mint
• Coconut Water
• Yogurt/Buttermilk
• Fennel Seeds
• Leafy Greens
• Citrus Fruits
• Aloe Vera

Let’s build healthy habits that last a lifetime!

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Bring in the happiness

Wellness bring in lots of energy for the day. It will make you raring for the day and help solving problems. Wellness also brings in the happy hormones in your life.

Benefits of Wellness Coaching

• Nutrition & Lifestyle – Real food. Better habits. Sustainable results.
• Weight Management – Healthy weight. Strong body. Confident you.
• Stress & Hormone Balance – Calm mind. Balanced hormones. Happier you.
• Energy & Wellbeing – More energy. Better sleep. Happier you.
• Mindset & Self Care – Heal within. Grow daily. Glow naturally.

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Customised nutrition

Busy lifestyle takes a toll on nutrition. Fast food and ultra processed food cause hormonal imbalance and further cause problems like bloating. Today, supplements have become a necessary part of your food but you will still need expert advice. Customised nutrition helps you begin with a start point.

Good food needs texture, smell and taste. That is where the fast food score high. Customised nutrition helps with tasty food every meal. It helps you to experiment with variation so that you do not have to endure the same food again and again.

Lifestyle Guidance

Lack of physical activity means that our body does not burn those calories necessary to keep the body healthy. If you do not have the time or the opportunity to exercise, lifestyle guidance is a must. A lifestyle guide is a trainer and a mentor who will attend to your daily needs.

It involves major and minor changes in your routine, activities and nutrition requirements. It will take care of your hormonal imbalance and leave you with enough energy for going through your day.

Woman Wellness is your right

Every woman has a unique body and needs. But does she get the attention she deserves?

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