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?

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!

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?

The past couple of days have witnessed trending news in the form of the stunning transformation of Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, MD of Reliance Industries Limited. Anant, who had previously been burdened with excessive body weight due to intake of some strong medications, has achieved an unbelievable target of losing 108 Kgs of body weight in just 18 months!

Many people suffer from obesity and many other conditions as an aftereffect of excessive body weight, but don't know how to address the issue to attain a healthy weight. In this regard, the story of Anant is an inspirational lesson for all those who want to lose weight and follow a strict diet plan and exercise regime continuously to achieve their goals. Just like him, now you too can attain a healthy body weight and a fit physique too through the techniques mentioned below:

1. Following an Appropriate Diet Plan -
A healthy diet is the key to a good weight loss regime besides the implementation of an effective exercise plan. Anant had opted for a strict low-carb diet without the presence of sugar. This type of diet has a lot of benefits including weight loss in a healthy way. This type of diet requires you to avoid all types of processed food items including breads, soft drinks, cereals, pastas, sweets etc. And increase the intake of foods rich in healthy fats and proteins.

2. Weight and Functional Training -
Weight training is known for burning calories and functional training helps in increasing your core stability through exercises like squats, stretches, lunges etc. A combination of these two in your exercise regime will not only help you lose weight, but will also enable you to do it in a healthy way.

3. High-intensity Cardio Exercises -
High-intensity cardio exercises are recommended by most gym instructors to people who want to lose weight as they increase your heart rate and consume lesser amount of time to eliminate the extra fat from your body.

4. Yoga -
There's no better way to stay fit and healthy than making yoga a part of your daily lifestyle. This ancient tradition not only tones your muscles and burn calories, but also gives you a healthier life by helping you relax your mind and body both. This was also one of the techniques followed by Anant to reach his destination of a having a healthy body.

We've put together a sample diet plan exclusively for you, which can help you lose weight in a healthy natural way:

Early Morning (6:30 am - 7:00 am) - a glass of warm water + 1/2 lemon juice + pinch of salt; walk for 30 minutes.

Breakfast (8:00am - 9:00 am) - 1 cup milk/tea, with fruit, oats with milk/namkeen oats, veg. Dalia, veg. Upma, veg. Poha, veg. Sandwich, 2 egg whites/1 whole egg and toast.

Mid-Morning (11:30 am) - fruit/sprouts

Lunch (1:00 pm - 2:00 pm) - 2 chapattis with vegetable, salad, dal/curd/idli + sambhar (alternatively, if you want to have 1 bowl rice, have it with 1 katori rajma/kadhi/dal/chhole + salad)

Tea-Time (4:30pm - 5:00pm) - tea/coffee + 2 biscuits/rusks

Evening Snacks (6:00 pm - 6: 30pm) - roasted chana, sprouts, popcorn, veg sandwich, sometimes 4-5 almonds, walnuts, pista, raisins

Dinner (8:00 pm - 8:30 pm) - 1-2 chapattis with vegetable, salad or 1-2 veg sandwiches, or roasted chicken/grilled fish (if non-vegetarian)

Post-Dinner (if required, at 10:00 pm) - 1 cup of milk.

We hope the above suggestions and the sample diet plan will inspire you to embark on a journey of transforming yourself into a healthier and happier person! There/s no happiness better than feeling good about yourself!

If you liked this health tip, do 'Share' it with your loved ones.

If you would like a more comprehensive and customized diet plan for yourself or your family, along with a 7-day unlimited text chat, just click on 'Consult'!

How To Successfully Lose Weight Like Anant Ambani + A Sample Diet Plan!

If you are into healthy eating, but like a dose of fat in your diet, we have a surprise for you. Not all fats are unhealthy. Saturated fats should be taken as a part of your diet while trans-fat should be banished. There are a lot of fats that are healthy and can actually help in promoting good health. So, read on to know how to eat lots of fat and still be healthy!

1. Avocados: The fat in Avocados is a mono saturated fat. Other than fats, Avocados provides potassium, fibre, magnesium, folate & vitamin E.

2. Eggs: The fats found in eggs are considered healthy. Moderate consumption of eggs is not associated with increased heart disease risk in healthy individuals. Though eggs contain cholesterol, it is also rich in protein, biotin, choline, vitamin A & antioxidants lutein & zeaxanthin. Choline is needed to produce acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions. Thus, egg being a good source of choline & other nutrients should be consumed in moderate amount. 

3. Fish: Fish has proven health benefits thanks to the omega three fatty acids which can actually aid you in your weight loss journey and keep your heart healthy. This lean protein also helps in giving you essential nutrition when ingested on a regular basis.

4. Seed Oil: Sunflower, olive oil and flaxseed oil have healthy fats with proven health benefits for everyone. The fats present in this kind of oil are very healthy and can actually help in retaining the good health of bones.

5. Nuts: Dry fruit, almonds, figs, pistachios and raisins help in giving you your daily dose of natural fats that are healthy. You can munch on these for essential vitamins and minerals along with the fat content.

Improve your overall health as well as the quality of your hair and skin with these essential and healthy fats!

Fats & Health - Can They Go Hand In Hand? 

5 Ways to lose weight with tea

Apart from going on a diet and / or hitting the gym, there are many natural ways to shed the extra kilos. One of these highly effective ways is drinking / sipping tea. Consuming Green tea, nowadays, has become very popular because of its many health benefits.

Also  tea is very effective at improving cellular function and your body's immune system.
Tea Contains nutrients known as phytonutrients that are found in fruits and vegetables. Also its flavonoid content can help you in losing significant amount of belly fat.

To help you to lose weight while improving your overall health, it is recommended to have tea without any milk or sweetener added into it. The many different ways that tea can help you to lose weight are-

1.Adding tea drinking When you are working out / going to gym:
A study reveals that having 4-5 cups of green tea every day alongside a 25 minute workout for 12 weeks can help an individual lose 907 grams more weight than an individual who doesn't drink tea.
Another Brazilian study has highlighted the fact that individuals who take about 3 cups of green tea every day tend to experience fewer cell damage brought on by workouts. So, to accelerate your body's recovery rate following an intense workout, it is best to consume green tea.

2. Before heading out for dinner
Having a cup of green tea before going out for a dinner can significantly reduce your desire to eat. This is because EGCG, the active compound found in green tea, brings about a boost in the production of the cholecystokinin (CCK) hormone, which is responsible for suppressing hunger. The more this hormone gets released, the more your desire for food decreases.

3. Before going to bed
Tea is also known to contain compounds that can reduce your stress levels, induce sleep and subsequently cut down your body's ability to store fat. For this reason, making a habit of having tea before your bedtime will prevent you from experiencing sleep deprivation, which is a factor that contributes to weight gain.
Before going to sleep, consuming a cup of chamomile tea can help to calm your nerves and release stress.

4. After you wake up
Having green tea right after you wake up can help in weight loss, as this is the best time when your body is better at absorbing EGCG, the active ingredient in green tea that is responsible for fat burning.

5. Adding it to your salads as a dressing
Adding green tea to your salads can increase your chances of losing weight. A study found that when used in salads, green tea can reduce your appetite by 40%, thereby helping in losing weight.  

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

How To Sip TEA Most Effectively for a Visible Weight Loss

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