Human body requires a minimum amount of fat from the diet to help in the functioning of hormones, memory and in the absorption of specific nutrients. If one includes meals containing healthful fats, those tend to create a sense of fullness and also take time to digest the carbohydrates. Let us take a look at some of the most healthful high-fat foods:

Avocado: Avocado contains a high monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, which provides a number of health benefits. Oleic acid is anti-inflammatory in nature and thus plays a crucial role in the prevention of cancer. They are high in fibre and a single fruit provides 13.5 g out of the 25 grams, recommended for females and 38 grams for males every day.
Dark Chocolate: Taking only 1 oz of dark chocolate can be sufficient enough to get rid of sweet cravings. It provides enough amount of healthful fat along with other nutrients like potassium and calcium. Research suggests that having dark chocolate helps to lower the risk of heart disease in people living in the United States.
Eggs: Over a number of years, people have known egg whites to be healthy but in reality; egg yolk contains a number of important nutrients. The egg yolk has Vitamin D and choline, which is a Vitamin B that provides support for the proper functioning of brain, liver, nerves and muscles. A study this year has come up with the report that having an egg per day can lower the risk of heart disease.
Flaxseeds: Flaxseeds have omega-3 fatty acids and a healthy dose of fibre. Every 2 tablespoon of flaxseeds contains 9 gm of unsaturated fat and 5.6g fibre. The fibre gives a feeling of fullness and leads to the reduction of cholesterol.
Nuts: Nuts are rich in healthful fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and thus aid in preventing heart diseases and Type 2 diabetes.
Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fats which are good for heart s health. It has Vitamin E, Vitamin K and antioxidants which are potent. One can use it at a regular basis for cooking and dressings.

Healthy Fats Important For The Body!

Why are your gaining weight despite working out?

Many people have a common workout woe that while they are working out for hours they are not losing weight. The reason on a broad sense is simply that you are undoing your workout. Let me explain the reasons here.

1. Calorie overload/dieting - A general opinion amongst a lot of people is that since they are working out, they can binge on their favourite foods. Another group of people are those who workout with utmost sincerity but do not eat post workout.  Both are equally harmful and aide fat generation.
2. Not staying hydrated - While working out, our bodies lose a lot of water. Often, we confuse the feeling of being thirsty as being hungry. So after a workout, when one might actually be hungry, one ends up filling the stomach with food. Stay hydrated at all times, especially before and after workout.
3. Drinking alcohol - A lot of people workout during the day and drink in the evening. This is a strict no-no and if not adhered to, you will end up gaining more weight than losing. Usually it is recommended staying completely off alcohol while trying to lose weight because drinks have calories and high sugar content. If abstaining is difficult, restrict the quantity.
4. Not working out enough - Human mind can be fooled very easily into believing what is not. We often believe that we our workout is enough and we don’t need to increase the number of counts, level of difficulty etc. It is good to give yourself a pat in the back, but never too soon.
5. Rewarding yourself - Rewarding yourself after losing every kilo is a very bad idea. Set a big goal and reward yourself only once achieved.
6. Drinking energy drinks - Advertisements promote energy drinks as a must for people who are working out. What they conveniently hide is the fact that these drinks are full of sugar.
7. Not eating enough vegetables - Many people turn to protein shakes and unhealthy foods instead of eating regular home-cooked vegetables which are packed with nutrients.


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Do You Know Why You Are Gaining Weight Despite WorkOuts?

Introduction to Panchkarma therapy: Panchkarma is not only a common term in today s Ayurveda treatment, it has been put to use from the time of Acharya Susruta. While Ayurveda is a genuine and very effective field of medicine, its therapies are also to the point. Panchkarma, by definition, is a spa, or power massage with Ayurvedic help. It keeps the whole body fit and healthy by curing and also preventing diseases. It eliminates doshas and malas from the body and purifies the skin. Ayurvedic massage experts perform this therapy skillfully with dry herbal powder or herbal paste and medicated oil. They give the rubbing and strokes in the opposite direction of a conventional massage.

Brief Description: As the name says, Panchkarma is a combination of five different processes that are acted one after another. They are-

Vamana (Emetic therapy)
Virecana (Purgative therapy)
Nasya (Inhalation therapy or Errhine)
Anuvasana basti (Type of Enema)
Niruha basti (Type of Enema)
These processes eliminate Kapha, Pitta and Vata and bring tenderness to the body. Before all these processes, it is important to check if the patient is physically and mentally capable of undergoing the treatment. So there are some pre-monitoring procedures where one must take the necessary precautions and diet. There are also post-treatment measures that consist of some special medicines and procedures.

Works in Belly Fat Reduction: Even though Panchkarma therapy mainly removes toxins from the skin, still Ayurvedic doctors have recommended it for fat reduction too. It reduces fat by removing the excess cellulite accumulated under the skin. The power massage gives rubbing strokes on certain pressure points for fat loss. There are two types of actions-

Snigadh
Ruksha
According to Susruta Samhita, there are three categories of actions-

Utsadana
Udgharshana
Udvartana
Herbs Used In Panchkarma for Fat Loss: Amalaki, Bibhitaki and Haritaki are three herbs that are called Triphala. They are used to reduce cellulite and fat by rubbing and massaging as a paste on the body. All these three should be mixed in equal proportions before applying.

The formulas of pastes are different for Kapha-type and Pitta-type people.

Kapha: Ingredients Proportion
Amalaki 20%
Bibhitaki 20%
Haritaki 20%
Soap nut 10%
Pushkarmool 5%
Dried Ginger 5%
Vacha 5%
Black pepper 5%
Long pepper 5%
Barley 5%

Pitta: Ingredients Proportion
Nut grass 50%
Barley 20%
Amalaki 15%
Tagara 5%
Haritaki 5%
Gotu Kola 5%

There are two other formulas for fat reduction in Panchkarma-

Kolakulathadi Choornam
Kottamchukkadi Choornam
Pros and Cons:
Clearly, Ayurveda is a better option than chemical medicines because it does not harm the body in any way and it makes the skin beautiful. Although there may be a little pain, excessive dryness, thirst, weakness and stiffness as side effects of the therapy.

To conclude, even if there are some cons, Ayurveda is always better than anything else. So Panchkarma therapy is a well-recommended option for belly fat reduction.

Importance of Panchkarma Therapies for Belly Fat Reduction!

Body fat or adipose tissue is a constituent of the human body. Its primary function is to provide energy to the body. Body fat builds up differently in men and women. Recent studies explore the health consequences ensuing from these differences. 

Usually, men have an  apple-shaped  body. This is because men accumulate visceral fat   fat that is stored in the abdominal cavity   around the belly. Women, on the other hand, depict a  pear-shaped  body because they have more fat deposits around the hips. Visceral fat is extremely dangerous because it affects the internal organs of your body, including the liver, intestines, and pancreas. 

Body Fat Percentage in Men and Women 

To evaluate your health, it is essential that you know your body fat percentage (BFP). A healthy body fat percentage depends on a number of variables such as age, body type, gender etc. For example, BFP range tends to be higher in women than in men because women require more body fat. The average BFP of females falls in between 25% and 31%. 

What is a good body fat percentage?

Ideally, for men between ages 20-40, healthy BFP ranges from 8%-19%; between ages 41-60, normal BFP ranges from 11%-22%; between ages 61-79, the normal should be between 13%-25%. For women aged between 20-40 years, healthy BFP ranges from 21%-33%; between ages 41-60, normal BFP ranges from 23%-25%; between ages 61-79, the normal should be between 24%-36%. 

What body fat percentage is unhealthy?

Body fat percentage below or above the normal range (as stated above) is considered unhealthy. For instance, if the BFP of a woman aged between 20-40 years is more than 30%, then it is considered overweight. Similarly, if a 50-year-old man has BFP below 11%, he is deemed underweight. Nevertheless, there are several ways to maintain a good body fat percentage.

How to Lose Body Fat Percentage?

Many people come up with questions like   Is it hard to lose body fat percentage? Certainly not, unless you have a serious underlying condition (obesity or PCOD). You can reduce your BFP by following the pointers below- 

  Follow a protein-rich diet   It will decrease your appetite, reduce calorie intake, and preserve muscle mass. Good protein sources include dairy products, meat, eggs, legumes, seafood etc.   Add vinegar to your diet   Induces a sense of feeling full, lowers body fat, and reduces calorie intake 

  Eat more healthy fats   Helps you burn fat quickly. Coconut oil, olive oil, and avocados are good sources. 

  Reduce carb intake   Cutting down on refined carbohydrates like white bread/rice, pasta, snacks, cereals etc. can help you shed that extra flab. 

Besides following a healthy diet, you should also engage in physical activities to bring down your body fat percentage to its normal range. Exercise more often   begin strength training to get rid of belly fat and build muscle mass. You can also lose fat by consuming these natural fat burners:

  Caffeine   boosts metabolism and helps you burn more fat as fuel

  Green tea extracts

  Protein powder/supplements   boosts metabolism and reduces appetite 

  Soluble fibre 

Having a healthy body fat percentage is the key to staying fit and steering away from a host of ailments. Therefore, maintaining a balanced diet along with moderate exercise and routine check-ups is extremely important. 

How Body Fat Affects Men's & Women's Health Differently?

Lemons are known worldwide for the amazing health benefits they offer. Lemons are indeed a perfect source of so many nutrients like riboflavin, thiamin, magnesium, iron, pantothenic acid, potassium, vitamin B6, etc. And, when it s the combination of lemon and water, it becomes as tasty and refreshing drink as beneficial to one s health. The practice of drinking lemon water is quite common among people as it is not only rich in nutrients, but also very easy to make. But there can be a possibility that you might be drinking it the wrong way and missing the many health benefits of lemon.

The common practice of drinking lemon water
People choose to drink lemon water regularly to enjoy all its benefits. But often, what they misunderstand is the ideal way in which the lemons need to be used in making the lemon water. And as a result, they miss out on a number of health benefits, offered by lemons.

The majority of people simply slice up the lemons, squeeze out the juice from them and then throw the lemon peels right away. And, it is exactly where the whole way of drinking lemon water gets wrong. Because it is the lemon peels that are mostly the nutrient rich parts of the entire lemon fruit.

The proper way in which lemon water should be drank
The best way to drink lemon water in the right way is by adding the peels to it. You must make sure to buy organic lemons that are fresh and seem juicy enough. Wash them properly and cut them into thick or thin slices, as per the preference of one. Then, squeeze the freshly sliced lemons into either hot or cold water. But be certain not to dispose of the peels.

Rather, one needs to grate the peels of the already squashed lemons into the lemon water, to make it filled with all the nutritional values of lemon and also the right way of having a healthy glass of lemon water.
One can also put the rest of the lemon slices aside in a travel cup or mug and fill it up with cold or boiling water to have another healthy cup of lemon water later.

The benefits of having lemon water the right way
When one includes both the juice of the lemons as well as the grated peels in his or her lemon water, the drink becomes the best source of consuming all the nutrients of the entire fruit. Lemon peels are known to contain 5 or 10 times more the vitamins that lemon juice does. As a result of adding all the parts of the lemon to the lemon water, one can receive a boost in the intake of antioxidants, vitamins C and B, volatile oils, and an increase in the resistance power of the body s immunity system.

Lemon Water - Did You Know You Were Drinking It The Wrong Way?

Milk is nutritious, but sometimes, avid dieters shrink away from consuming milk. It is generally believed that the fat content in milk hinders weight loss. On the contrary, milk has a lot of benefits.

Here are some facts you need to remember before you say no to milk:

Nutrients and milk: Particularly, milk is an excellent source of zinc, vitamin B, protein and most importantly, calcium. So when you ditch milk in your crusade of weight loss, you skip out on calcium, the mineral primarily responsible for good bone health. Some studies suggest that calcium can actually add to weight loss, but this needs more research to back it up. 
Health and milk: Previously milk did get a bad reputation when it was linked as a supposed cause of stroke and heart attack. But a recent study produced a result which proved the complete opposite, milk can actually prevent stroke and heart attack! According to research, milk can actually lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 
Muscles and milk: Milk contains whey and casein protein, both of which are high-quality proteins if you are looking to build muscles. Whey is a fast protein (gets digested faster) while casein is a slow protein (gets digested slowly). Your body gets a good and healthy supply of proteins when you consume milk, so don t write it off just yet. 
Fat and milk: As mentioned before, calcium can cause your body to burn fat. There is research pending on it, but the preliminary results suggest that dieters shouldn t skip out on milk. You might argue that you can just consume calcium supplements in that case. However, it has been discovered that other milk proteins to add to fat burning, which you cannot get from supplements. Milk is good for you, but it isn t a miracle weight loss food. So yes, you will need to follow a healthy diet as drinking a glass of milk with a couple of doughnuts will not help you at all.
So, milk is not all evil as people think it to be. It could be good for your weight loss plan. And the best way to incorporate milk into your weight-loss diet is to consume the low-fat skimmed milk variant than the whole fat milk as you get 90 calories from one cup of skimmed milk as compared to 150 calories from whole milk with nearly the same protein and calcium content. This way you get the best of milk without worrying about the fat in it plus an extra fat loss of 1 kg (9000 calories) from 150 cups over the time with a saving of 60 calories in each cup.

Milk - Is It Good or Bad for Your Weight Loss Plan?

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