Dr. Sobha

Healthy navratri fasting
With the onset of chaitra navratras, it’s again the time to fast. 

Instead of fasting, most of us end up feasting on high-calorie food. 

Follow this tips to fast in a healthy manner:-
- Eat small meals at regular intervals like fruits, nuts, dry fruits, coconut, makhanna.

- Use spices like cumin, black jeera, turmeric, choti elachi, saboot kali mirchi, khuskhus and water melon seeds. Fresh coriander, mint, green chillies and ginger wil help in keeping stomach well.

- Milk products like milk, yoghurt and paneer will give necessary proteins.

- Flours used are — singhare ka atta, kottu ka atta, rajgiri ka atta, saboodana, arrowroot and samak will provide energy.

- Vegetables like – potatoes, raw papaya, sweet potato, bhopla, arbi, raw banana will benefit.

- Hydrate well with lots of water, coconut water, lemon water, herbal tea.

Most important thing to follow during navratri is the purity of heart and thoughts. Think good! do good! speak good! be calm and peaceful!

Polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS is a condition in which a woman experiences fluctuation of hormone levels, estrogen, and progesterone which causes cysts in her ovaries, dysfunctional menstrual cycle, cardiac problem, fertility and changes in appearance. Hormones are chemical messengers that can trigger a number of issues in the body. Long term problems due to PCOS can be avoided with an early diagnosis and a proper treatment.

Causes:

• Genetics and hormonal imbalance have been identified as the main causes of PCOS although the exact reason has not been discovered.
• Overproduction of androgen, a male hormone in a woman can cause small lumps in the ovaries, irregular development of eggs and abnormal insulin level.

Symptoms:
The severity of the symptoms depends on the constitution of the person but the most common one is irregular periods. PCOS occurs when there is a decrease in sex hormones which can lead to the development of certain male features like:

• Deeper voice
• Growth of hair on face, toes, stomach, chest and back
• Reduction in breast size
• Loss and thinning of hair

There are other symptoms as well which can help one to determine the syndrome including:

• Oily skin leading to acne
• Irregular egg formation causing fertility problems and miscarriages
• Depression, anxiety and mood swings
• Hyperinsulinemia, that refers to the presence of too much insulin in the body which can cause obesity
• Difficulty in breathing while sleeping

The severity of the symptoms varies but if you are experiencing any of these problems, it is advisable to seek a professional consultation. A healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, nutritious diets are some of the preventive measures you can take. There are hormone regulating medicines and treatments that attempt to curb the condition but there is no permanent cure. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

Tofu is produced using soybean drain and appears to be like paneer. Though paneer can be effectively be made at home by souring milk, planning of tofu is not as basic. The complicated procedure of making tofu makes it rich in certain nutrients and protein and successfully helps in warding off illnesses like cancer. Here is how paneer and tofu are different:

1. Protein content: Paneer is an astonishing source of protein for vegetarians. 100 grams of paneer contains 18 grams of protein, which makes it an astounding source of protein for vegans. It is also perfect for individuals on a weight loss diet or those who want to develop muscles. Tofu then again has just seven grams of protein as it is produced using soy drain.

2. Fat substance: Although paneer is referred to be a weight reduction agent and it also keeps you full for quite a while, the fat per 100 grams of paneer is 20 grams, which rate higher than tofu as it just contains 2.5 grams of fat for each 100 grams. Tofu makes a great alternative for paneer for someone who is on a weight reduction spree, without compromising on the taste.

3. Calories: Paneer is high on calories when compared with tofu. A 100 gram serving of paneer has 265 calories, while tofu just has 62 calories. This again shows its potential as a perfect weight reduction food.

4. Calcium content: Tofu is additionally known to be a rich source of calcium. However, it neglects to beat paneer in this specific situation. A 100 gram serving of paneer has 200 grams of calcium, while tofu contains 130 milligrams of calcium, thereby making paneer more valuable to gain solid bones and teeth.

5. Press content: Tofu is rich in iron, while paneer has less iron. Iron is basic to keep up the blood hemoglobin levels and tofu can be incorporated into the eating routine by somebody who experiences paleness.

    

Which is more beneficial?
With regards to the healthful data of both tofu and paneer, it appears that paneer can be substituted with tofu for somebody on a weight reduction routine. Maintaining distance from paneer totally would not be possible due to its other medical advantages like high protein and calcium content. Utilization of paneer with some restraint is better over totally disregarding it. Diabetics could change to tofu from paneer because of the starch content, although consulting a specialist before doing this is important. After comparing tofu and paneer, it is evident that those who do not look forward to losing weight and want to live a vegan life can go ahead and opt for tofu. However, paneer is a much healthier choice.