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Diet is an important part of any person's life as food that goes in your body is what replenishes the resources lost in a day's work. The wrong kind of food will have adverse effects on the body in all sorts of ways, and that holds especially true for nursing mothers.
A mother, after carrying a baby to a full term, has to go through many hormonal and physical changes, which can be very stressful. After childbirth comes one of the other most important phases i.e. nursing and it is important to ensure that the mother gets proper nutrition during this phase. This is because it is the mother's milk that provides the baby with the required nutrients for growth as well as to build and immune system, which is why it is very important for a nursing mother to have a proper diet.
Let's look at some of the food items that should be consumed during this time:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables - These are important during the nursing period for the mother as she needs to supplement important minerals in her body such as calcium and iron. Green, leafy vegetables are a must.
- Dairy products low in fat - As the mother's body produces milk, certain minerals get drained quicker than others and a direct supplement for them would be dairy products. However, it is important to ensure that their fat content is low as this can add cholesterol and thus, may adversely affect the health of the mother.
- Lean meats - Lean meats are a great source of protein that can supplement many of the minerals and nutrients. However, rich meat-based foods and heavy red meat should be avoided. Chicken in roasted form or tikka form is also healthy proteins that can be consumed 2 - 3 times a week. Fish, especially Salmon fish, is also a healthy and rich source of omega-3 as well as high in protein.
- Legumes - Legumes are a great source of iron, which is an extremely important mineral for a nursing mother. This is also an alternative for vegetarians. Legumes are not only a rich source of iron, they are also high in protein and helps the mother to stay fit and energetic to be able to take on the additional responsibility of her new-born baby.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Very few people are lucky enough to reap the benefits of a good metabolic system. Being overweight could be a serious problem as it complicates existing health problems and can even result in unusual diseases and disorders. Cribbing about increased body weight, low energy levels and a protruding paunch is too common a phenomenon to be ignored. People try out bizarre ways to deal with an excess of adipose tissues. They, run, jog, cycle and diet. The numerous efforts made in losing weight go down the drain in most cases. The reason behind this is simple; you are not doing things the right way. Exercising in combination with a balanced diet is necessary to keep yourself fit and healthy. However, weight loss is not a silly affair without a rule book. One must keep to a set of norms to reduce weight effectively.
Valuable tips to lose those extra kilos:-
You may lose weight in whichever way you want but doubt remains regarding the consistency of such reduction. Weight loss could be drastic but things might revert to square one as soon as you slacken from a rigorous regimen. Try out tips that suit your subjective case and find yourself in good shape.
- Breakfast is the most important meal of a day- Being on an empty stomach for long stretches can result in bloating. In such a situation a person feels lethargic and tends to give up after least physical exertion. If you intend to retain your appetite for dinner by skipping breakfast you are slowly moving towards obesity. Have a heavy breakfast every single day.
- Stop being a couch potato- Sitting in front of the television set or computer screen for long hours can make you gain weight. Remind yourself to indulge in these activities in restriction.
- Have a high- fiber diet- A high- fiber diet is good for digestive processes. It rids your body of excess gases and acids making you feel light. Such kind of food can be easily broken down to produce energy.
- Exercise regularly or at least thrice a week- Exercising is extremely important to keep the extra kilos in check. It also adds strength to your muscles. Exercising can improve a person's mental agility as well.
- Have four meals a day- Having small but frequent meals throughout the day is the best possible way to maintain an optimal body weight. Through this practice the body is assured of regular food supply and hence won't store fat.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
3 healthy unhealthy dietary habits
With the vast amount of available information, ranging from age-old wisdom to health magazines and health sites, most people are prone to misinformation when it comes to what to eat and what to avoid.
From drinking copious amounts of water to eating a light lunch, it is the time that these commonly known health tips are debunked.
These 3 habits that may seem healthy on the surface but are actually harming you!
1) Drinking large amounts of water
It is advisable to drink a healthy dose of water each day, but you should drink water only when you feel thirsty and not otherwise. If you drink water beyond your level of thirst, it can lead to excess water intake. This excessive intake can be the cause of conditions like obesity, skin and digestive problems among other health conditions. An average person consumes 8 glasses of water each day. But you are advised to drink that much, only if you are thirsty enough. It is also recommended not to drink cold water or ice-cold drinks.
2) Eating uncooked foods
It is essential to preserve the nutrients of the ingredients you eat, but it is equally important to make them digestible. Cooking involves subjecting the ingredients to heat, which helps to remove and kill certain impurities and bacteria in them. Cooked foods are easily broken down, and hence, digested with ease. Some vegetables and foods are even more beneficial when lightly cooked. Vegetables like Brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and kale should not be consumed raw.
3) Eating a light lunch
The ideology behind eating a light lunch may be to keep your weight in check and to stay healthy, but if the food you're having is not nutritious, it can still cause you to gain weight. Some food joints even offer a lunch menu of light proportions while the dinner menu may be packed with heavy amounts of food. This is wrong. It is advisable that people have larger proportions of food in their lunch while dinner should be meager as your digestion slows down as the day progresses.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Do you need vitamin supplements? Here's how to find out
Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is increasingly becoming common these days. People generally opt for these supplements to ensure good health as their diets are usually lacking in vitamins due to the pursuit of a hectic lifestyle.
But before you begin consuming vitamin supplements, it's necessary for you to know whether your body actually needs them. According to nutritionists, you should plan your diet appropriately to fulfil your nutritional needs and not depend on vitamin supplements to do so. If your diet includes foods like fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, legumes, fish and lean meat, you won't need vitamin supplements.
So, when exactly do you need vitamin supplements?
You might need vitamin supplements in the following cases:
- If you are above the age of 50, you can take vitamin b-12 supplement. Additionally, you may consider eating food items fortified with vitamin b-12, like fortified cereals.
- If your diet does not meet the normal requirement of 1, 600 calories a day, you should consider dietary supplements. Moreover, the diet of people who do not consume red meat usually lacks in zinc and iron, which can be supported by vitamin supplements.
- If you are a woman whose menstrual cycle is associated with heavy bleeding, you might need vitamin supplements.
- If you suffer from a disorder that has a negative impact on the nutrient absorption process of your body, you need to take vitamin supplements. These conditions include chronic diarrhoea, food intolerance, food allergies or any disease related to the liver, pancreas, intestines and gall bladder.
- If your body has difficulty in absorbing and digesting nutrients because of a surgery of the digestive tract.
- If you are a woman who is planning to have a child. Women who want to get pregnant should consume 400 mg folic acid, which can be obtained from dietary supplements or fortified foods.
- If you are pregnant, you should include a prenatal vitamin in your daily diet. This vitamin should contain iron. You may also fulfil this iron requirement by consuming a separate iron supplement. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Dietitian/Nutritionist.
After a whole lot of research and even more controversy, fats are back in our diets. But choosing foods with “good” (saturated and unsaturated) fat is now the main problem. So to help you with your diet, here are 12 foods that contain healthy fats:
- Olive oil: Olive oil contains secoiridoids and oleic acid which protect the body from diabetes, cancer and other heart diseases. It also slows down aging on the cellular level.
- Fish: Fishes such as anchovies, salmon or sardines contain essential Omega-3 fatty acids (a type of monounsaturated fat), which are important for healthy brain function.
- Avocados: Avocados contain monounsaturated fats that reduce bad cholesterol.
- Eggs: Eggs are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and eating them for breakfast keeps you full and satisfied.
- Nuts: Nuts are a good source of unsaturated fatty acids, which makes them a good snack to munch on.
- Nut butter: Nut butter actually keeps you full and satisfied, which curbs down cravings. Just make sure to read the labels carefully because the extra sugar and salt in them can be harmful.
- Coconut oil: Coconut oil contains lauric acid which is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory.
- Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate is actually good for your cardiovascular health. Chocolate triggers the good bacteria in your gut to produce anti-inflammatory compounds which are good for strengthening the immune system.
- Greek yoghurt: Full-fat yoghurt is, surprisingly, good for you; just don’t forget to read the label. Sometimes they may contain trans-fat which is the real villain.
- Seeds: Seeds are so small, that they are often overlooked as the powerhouses of nutrition that they really are. Seeds such as sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flax, hemp and pumpkin seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammations.
- Soybeans: Soybeans, besides being an excellent source of proteins, also contain essential fatty acids. You can substitute meat with soy products such as tofu and other dairy products with soy milk.
- Cheese: For a long time, the healthy diet’s number one villain has been cheese. While processed and packaged cheese used in most junk food nowadays are extremely unhealthy, you can add aged cheeses such as Parmesan, or simple cottage cheese in your daily diet. Cheese has essential fatty acids which actually help you digest vegetables better. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist and ask a free question.
Extreme diet or crash diet, is a method to lose a significant amount of weight within a limited time period. But crash diets are not meant for long term weight loss plans. Since crash diets usually cut down on one or more food groups to reach a desired weight level, these diets skip out on important nutrients that your body needs.
The ways crash diets can affect your body include:
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Dehydration: You realise you are losing weight after implementing the crash diet, but this is just an illusion. All the weight lost isn’t fat, but water. When you restrict calories, your body first burns glycogen—not fat, for energy. Glycogen is a form of carbohydrate stored in the muscles and liver, and water is attached to every gram of glycogen. So when your body burns glycogen, you end up losing water, which causes dehydration.
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Unstable blood sugar: When your body doesn’t get a steady supply of fibre, fat, protein and carbohydrates, your insulin and blood sugar levels run amok. Some diets, such as the detox diet, can lead to type II diabetes.
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Muscle break down: Energy comes from calories and restricting calories adversely affects your muscles. When you start losing weight, your body starts harnessing muscle proteins for energy. This leads to muscle loss and your physique deteriorates. For instance, liquid diets (that have low calories) cause rapid muscle loss and can lead to ventricular arrhythmias.
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Slow metabolism: Your metabolic rate crashes automatically when you lose muscles. This implies that you burn less calories when you talk, exercise and walk. You start feeling sluggish, and even after you get back to your normal diet, your metabolism won’t change back to how it was before.
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Malnutrition: A lot of crash diets recommend eating less than 700 calories a day, which will help you lose weight, but it harms your body. The body needs calories, since they are an important energy source. Soon your body adapts to the lack of calories and becomes malnourished.
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Intellectual problems: Some crash diets cut down carbohydrate consumption, and this ends up affecting your brain. The brain needs carbs to function properly. So, when there is a severe carbohydrate deficiency, the level of corticosterone (the stress hormone) increases in your brain, making you vulnerable to stress, depression and binge-eating behaviours. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist and ask a free question.