Obesity

GOINDIS NATUROPATHY TRUST(INDIA)
Charity Registration No.845/4 dated 03.09.2003

PANDEMIC OF
OBESITY
Causes, Complications and Cure with Naturo-Food Therapy
and
Guidelines for Healthy Eating

SANTOKH SINGH PARMAR

FOUNDER TRUSTEES:
Satyendra Singh Goindi, MSc, LLB, ND
Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi, BA, BEd, DPE, ND
Santokh Singh Parmar, B Arch, Dip TP, Dip LA, MRTPI, AITP, AIIA
Devinder Singh Saroya, PCS
Gurmukh Singh Girn, MSc, MCRP, AITP

PREFACE

(i)         Obesity, a lifestyle disorder on a global scale, is a complex and serious health problem and unless it is understood well, its management and control may not always lead to success. So much so, the World Health Organisation has coined a term “globesity” to represent the pandemic of obesity.

(ii)        More than 3,000 years ago, the founder of modern medicine Hippocrates of Greece had very appropriately said; (Let Food be Thy Medicine and Medicine be Thy Food). To this day doctors all over the world take Hippocratic Oath after qualifying. However, this golden doctrine has been hijacked by the commercial interests of pharmaceutical companies whose medicines are liberally promoted and prescribed by the conventional doctors.

(iii)       Wrong and irregular ways of eating, faulty selection of eatables and drinks, wrong cooking and frying, excessive use of oil/fat, salt, sugar and refined foods, a very rich diet, overeating, lack of activity/exercise and rest/sleep, stressful and sedentary lifestyle, and most importantly ignorance of Nature, are some of the potent causes of obesity and accompanied package of other diseases. Also medicines many a time interfere with the natural process of removal of accumulated waste materials from the body and fill the internal system with toxins, which often cause harmful side effects and which are acknowledged by the medical profession and the drug companies alike.

(iv)       The eminent husband and wife team of Naturo-Food Therapists Satyendra Singh Goindi and Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi have successfully revived the Hippocratic doctrine. It is an established fact that good natural food makes good blood and bad junk food laden with chemical additives makes bad blood which is the root cause of a multiplicity of diseases suffered by ever increasing number of human beings worldwide.

(v)        The most simple and the basic principle of Goindis Naturo-Food Therapy is to replace gradually the bad diseased blood with new healthy blood by consuming natural, health-giving and nutritious plant-based vegetarian diets of seasonal fruits and raw/steamed vegetables (organic if possible), sprouted wholegrains/seeds and a handful of nuts. The nutrient / antioxidant / fibre-rich natural diets mop-up harmful free radicals and strengthen the body’s immune system, which boosts the body’s ability to overcome virtually all kinds of diseases, increases the body’s resistance to infections and slows down the ageing process.

(vi)       We are generally quite hale and hearty during our childhood. As we age, our unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise become the prime causes of obesity and other illnesses. Those who think they have no time for healthy eating and active lifestyle will sooner or later have to find time for illness.

(vii)      Naturo-Food Therapy has been steadily gaining popularity throughout the world in recent times. Most people of course, turn to it as a last resort having tried unsuccessfully other methods of treatment. This is especially true of patients suffering from acute and chronic diseases. Naturo-Food Therapy should be a way of life in both health and disease – a way of simple, natural living as ordained by the founder father of modern medicine, Hippocrates. Unlike modern medical practice, Naturo-Food Therapy concerns itself more with the removal of causes rather than with fighting the symptoms of the disease. It concentrates on giving Nature full scope for removal of impurities from the body, preventing further accummulation of them, and establishing a balance between the various physiological processes. Naturo-Food Therapy stems from the unique gift of Nature – that the body can cure itself provided we allow Nature to take its own course without hindering it by unhealthy eating and by the unwise use of drugs and medicines.

 (viii)     I am an architect / planner and have worked and lived in England for 40 years (1965-2005). I have personally benefitted immensely by adopting the Goindis Naturo-Food Therapy as a way of life for over 4 years. I was suffering from high levels of cholesterol, severe osteoarthritis in the left knee joint and was moderately overweight also. I had also started losing body pigment due to vitiligo in 1986/87 and lost all body and hair pigment by 2003 and I went bald in the middle of my head. Orthopaedic Consultants in England said in 1994 that “at the end of the day, I will need a new knee joint or have athroscopy and washout.” I did not opt for either and decided to live with pain and to keep massaging / exercising. I have not taken any allopathic medicines including pain killers since 1973.

(ix)       In July 2003, I met Naturo-Food Therapists Goindis couple and started to follow their Therapy. After six weeks my cholesterol level and weight came back to normal and there was some relief for arthritic knee also. To my surprise, my skin pigment started coming back after one year. And after 2 ½ years my hairs started to turn black gradully and new hair growth started in the bald patch on my head. My nails on the right foot had fungus for many years and they too are healing and new healthy nails have grown underneath.

(x)        I was very much impressed with the results achieved through Naturo-Food Therapy. Some of my friends and relatives in England also benefitted from this Therapy. Since I had retired from my professional life, I along with like minded co-trustees established a charitable Goindis Naturopathy Trust in September, 2003. Now I live in India and my whole spare time is spent on promoting the concept of Naturo-Food Therapy. Our Trust’s Mission is to carry forward the Nature-Food Therapy concept of healing all kinds of human ailments holistically.

(xi)       This easy to read and follow book has been written as part of this promotion process after considerable research by reading Nature Cure books, health articles in newspapers and magazines combined with my own knowledge and experience. This book is likely to benefit all those who care and aspire to maintain disease-free health and especially those who desire to lose weight and wish to maintain a healthy body weight. It is packed with lot of basic information that can be used as a reference and ready reckoner for all interested in therapeutic nutrition. This book will also benefit students and health professionals.

(xii)      I have also published leaflets on Diabetes, Asthma, Thyroid Disorders, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and in the course of time will be writing more on Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Diseases, Arthritis etc. Eventually, it is hoped that all this material on Lifestyle Diseases will be incorporated in this book on Obesity.

Santokh Singh Parmar – Chairperson

B Arch; Dip TP, Dip LA, MRTPI, AITP, AIIA

PANDEMIC OF OBESITY

Causes, Complications; and Cure with Naturo-Food Therapy

and Guidelines for Healthy Eating

Contents

Para Nos.
	PREFACE
1 – 10	Introduction
11 – 20	Defining Obesity
21 – 29	Globesity – Some Facts and Figures
30 – 65	Obesity causing factors
66 – 75	Childhood Obesity
76 – 79	Obesity Complications
80 – 88	Dieting and Weight Loss
89	Dieting Myths and Blunders
90 – 114	Exercise and Weight Loss
115 – 118	Surgery / Drugs for weighT Loss
119 – 121	Metabolism and Weight
122 – 129	Laughter – the Best medicine for healthy living
130 – 170	Essential Nutrients for Good Health
	(i)	Proteins	131 – 135	(ii)	Carbohydrates	136 – 146
	(iii)	Fats and Oils	147 – 159	(iv)	Vitamins	160 – 161
	(v)	Minerals	162	(vi)	Water	163 – 170
171 – 191	Super Foods for Good Health
	(i)	Fruits & Vegetables	171 – 174	(ii)	Wholegrains	175 – 179
	(iii)	Sprouts	180 – 182	(iv)	Nuts and Seeds	183
	(v)	Food Enzymes	184	(vi)	Fibre (Roughage)	185 – 191
192 – 210	Three White Poisons
	(i)	Sugar	192 – 199
	(ii)	Salt	200 – 207
	(iii)	Starch (Maida)	208 – 210
211 – 219	Naturo-Food Therapy
	Hippocratic Doctrine		211 – 213	Inner Healing Force		214 – 216
	Fueling the Body Machine		217 – 219

220 – 274	Management and Control of Obesity
	Diet Guidelines		220 – 252
	Behavioural (Lifestyle) Changes		253 – 269
	Physical Activity (Exercise)		270 – 274
275 – 333	BENEFICIAL FOODS FOR GENERAL HEALTH AND WEIGHT CONTROL
	Introduction	275 – 277		Grapefruit		278 – 280
	Apple	281 – 286		Banana		287 – 294
	Water Melon	295 – 296		Figs		297
	Jujube (Ber) Leaves	298		Chestnuts		299
	Almonds	300 – 303		Cabbage		304 – 305
	Barley	306		Finger Millet (ragi)		307
	Tomatoes	308 – 311		Olive Oil		312 – 314
	Honey	315 – 320		Green Tea		321 – 327
	Fennel (Saunf)	328 – 329		Herbs and Spices		330
	Chilli Sauce and Mustard	331		Spirulina		332
	Lecithin	333
334 – 352	RAW JUICE THERAPY (JUICE FASTING) AND DIET FOR CURING OBESITY
	Introduction				334 – 338
	Favourable Effects of Raw Juices				339
	Combining Juices				340 – 342
	Juice Fasting				343 – 347
	Precautions for Juice Fasting				348
	Basic Ingredients of Diet for Obesity				349 – 350
	Suggested Sample Daily Diet for Obesity				351 – 352
353	NATURO-FOOD THERAPISTS – GOINDIS
	APPENDIX I – Height and Weight & Body Mass Index (BMI) Chart
	APPENDIX II – Exercise and Energy Expenditure
	APPENDIX III – Caloric Value of What You Eat
	GLOSSARY
	REFERENCES

PANDEMIC OF OBESITY

Causes, Complications; and Cure with Naturo-Food Therapy

and Guidelines for Healthy Eating

INTRODUCTION

1.       It should not be a surprise at all that the world has become gripped with the weight or obesity crisis – more correctly global obesity pandemic. Obesity is a product of incorrect lifestyle and wrong eating habits. It is the faulty attitudes, explosion of highly promoted energy-dense junk foods and sedentary lifestyles that are responsible for the increase in deadly cargo – your weight. This leads to the loss of figure due to bulging tummies and huge bums.

2.       We have become more attached to our cars. Life is also faster, there is less time to prepare food as both husband and wife are usually working. Meanwhile, the food industry has become hyper-competitive and in the aggressive battle for market share, children have become a fair game with enticing media adverts and branding machines dispensing junk snacks and drinks in schools.

3.       Obesity is mainly regarded as a problem of the affluent society. There is increasing evidence that children and adolescents of rich and even middle class families are generally obese. Poverty limits both purchasing power and motivation to make healthy choices of food. People on low incomes are more likely to suffer from diseases related to malnutrition.

4.       Obesity is more prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas, though latter are catching up fast. For urban people strapped to office desks and living room couches in front of big TV screens, struggling with shooting blood pressure, blood sugar levels and bulging waistlines, fitness is the new aspiration and “flab” the four letter word. According to World Health Organistion (WHO) report in 2003, 50 million Indians are overweight. This has boosted the slimming industry to around Rs.1,500 crore annually with fitness gyms, diet and slimming clinics, food supplements, weight loss kits, sugarless foods and beverages, fat free or less fat foods / snacks etc. etc. The market for weight loss baits is bursting at the seams. Isn’t it ironical that first we spend lot of money to buy the expensive wrong foods served in fast-food outlets and restaurants and then we shell out yet more money, time and effort to shed the extra cargo by going to gyms and health clubs!

5.       Obesity is not merely a cosmetic or appearance problem but a serious threat to health and longevity. Obesity with its related diseases is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the world. The problem of obesity is a global phenomenon – WHO has coined the word “globesity”. The old age proverb – “the longer the belt, shorter the life” – has been scientifically and statistically proved entirely accurate. Proper weight control is of utmost importance today in the maintenance of good health.

6.       Obesity is an abnormal biochemistry of the body caused by wrong diets and reduction in activity level when approaching adult life. Obesity may be described as a bodily condition characterised by excessive deposition or storage of fat in the adipose tissues. You gain weight when the intake of energy through food and beverages etc. exceeds the amount of energy used for metabolic processes, normal activities and exercise. Excess energy is stored as fat by the body for instinctive future needs. In a small number of cases, obesity could be the result of heredity and some abnormality in the body due to imbalance of hormones, thyroid, nervous system or due to faulty salt and water metabolism which results in the retention of fluids in the body tissues. Some weight gain also occurs when you quit smoking.

7.       Some doctors now warn that even slim people with normal weight can have internal fat surrounding vital organs, like liver, heart or pancreas and could be as unhealthy as the overweight people with obvious external fat that bulges underneath the skin! The good news is that internal fat like the external fat can also easily be burned off through exercise and / or even by improving the diet.

8.       It is worth mentioning that all body fat is not bad. Some body fat is needed for metabolic purposes. Fat preserves heat and gives the body the required cushioning for proper bodily functions. The average percentage of body fat for adults is about 15-18% for men and 22-25% for women as anatomically women have more body fat. According to the American Sports Academy, the minimum amount of body fat considered safe and acceptable for good health is 5% for men and 12% for women. Slipping below these figures is unhealthy because it interferes with normal body functions. Although some people, like singer Mick Jagger, can reduce fat levels much lower without any problems. People who keep within the normal range are considered healthy and don’t need to lose weight.

9.       A person who is 10-12 kg. overweight is, in effect, lugging around a fully-laden suitcase wherever he or she goes. If the muscles are weak and lose, they cannot sufficiently support the internal organs of the body. Obesity is a serious health hazard as the extra weight of fat puts a strain  on the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs as well as large weight bearing joints such as hips, spine, knees, ankles, which may ultimately shorten the life span.

10.     Overnight solution for the battle of the bulge is not advocated here. What is needed is a lifelong food management system along with exercise commitment that will ensure our optimal well-being. There is no need to flip-flop from diet to diet to diet. We must simply eat in harmony with our longstanding predisposition to food that is natural, whole and bio-energetic. If we do stick with nature, we will be delivering all the nutrients to over 100 trillion cells necessary for self-diagnosis and self-healing. We will achieve hormonal balance, boost our mood, remain vigilant, calm and alert. We will live longer, healthier life as destined by Nature.

 DEFINING OBESITY

11.     There is no fixed ideal weight for each person. Ideal body weight is based on (i) your age, (ii) your sex, (iii) your frame size and (iv) your bone structure. Years of research in this area worldwide has formulated indices and yardsticks to measure obesity and its associated health complications. Some of the more common ways to measure obesity, which are only guidelines are described below.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

12.     BMI is a fairly good indicator of healthy weight and the most popular tool used by World Health Organisation (WHO). BMI, which works the same for men and women, measures the relationship between height and weight. This is calculated by dividing the body weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters and falls into the following categories: –

BMI under 18.5 – Underweight; may be you want to eat a bit more nutritional food.

• BMI 18.5 to 25 – Healthy; this is the desirable weight range for good health.
• BMI 25 to 30 – Overweight; your health could suffer. Don’t get any fatter and try to achieve healthy weight by eating healthy and avoiding junk food and doing moderately intense exercises.
• BMI 30 to 40 – Obese; it is very important for you to lose weight gradually by reducing calorie intake, eating nutritional foods, avoiding junk foods and doing regular exercises.
• BMI over 40 – Morbidly Obese; this is serious and severe diseased condition. Treatment is urgently required. See your naturo-food therapist, dietitian or doctor at once.

13.     However, BMI is not a perfect universal tool, as heavily muscled players or athletes may register as obese according to BMI index, even though there is little fat on their bodies. For most of us, BMI is a good indicator of our fat status. Also remember that BMI alone is not the ultimate guide and that slim people with safe BMI (below 25) may still be at risk if they carry excess weight around their waists. In the Far East and Bangladesh, for example, studies have shown that the BMI of the healthy populations is between 16-18, which would be classed as underweight according to WHO standards.

14.     It is unfortunate that Indians and Asians have genetically a higher degree of abdominal obesity and thus are more prone to diabetes and heart ailments, even if their BMI is substantially lower than people in the West. WHO has, therefore, revised the standard of BMI for Asians and recommend that persons with BMI between 23-25 should be considered overweight and with BMI above 25 as obese.

 Waist Measurement

15.     Different people have different fat storage areas. The mode of fat storage is also different in men and women. Most men store fat around the abdomen (stomach) first; followed by hips and thighs (android obesity). Women store fat first around the buttocks, thighs, arms and breasts; followed by abdominal area (gynoid obesity).

 

16.     According to the saying, “longer the belt, shorter the life”, a tendency to put on weight around the abdomen is far more worrying health-wise than on hips, thighs or evenly distributed across the body. Abdominal fat or potbelly not only takes away the charm of wearing the good looking clothes but is mighty hard to get rid off as well. A person’s waist size seems to be a stronger indicator of health than BMI.

17.     To be healthy in the West, the waist circumference for men and women should be under 100 cm and 85 cm respectively. Those men with waist size above 100 cm in the West were up to 12 times more likely to have Type II diabetes. Since Asians and Indians have genetically a higher percentage of body fat at lower weight, they need lower cut offs for physical indicators of metabolic disorders. For Indian men waist measurement should be under 90 cm and below 80 cm for women.

Waist to Hip Ratio

18.     It has been argued that BMI and waist measurements are not the best ways to know if one is at an increased health risk from being overweight or underweight. Some doctors, therefore, believe that a person’s waist to hip ratio (WHR) is a better way to evaluate his or her health status. WHR looks at the proportion of fat stored in the body around the waist and hips. They say that the best way to determine the risk of obesity-related diseases is a measurement that divides the circumference of the waist by that of the hips. For women, the WHR should be less than 0.85. Men have a little more wiggle room – a healthy WHR for them is 0.90. The waist to hip ratio greater than 1 for both males and females is a risk for cardiovascular disease.

 Height and Weight Charts

19.     Some organisations have prepared height and weight charts giving ranges of weight for particular heights to determine obesity levels. A Height and Weight Chart prepared by the British Heart Foundation and a Body Mass Index Chart are reproduced in Appendix I. For example, a person with a height of 5’-8” and weight below 54 kg. is regarded as underweight, between 54 to 72 kg. as healthy (normal), between 72 to 86 kg. as overweight, between 86 to 118 kg. as obese and above 118 kg. as morbidly (severely) obese.

Other Indicators

20      In simple terms, obesity is the state of the body wherein the weight of the body is higher by 10% as compared to the ideal or desirable weight. If the weight is higher by 20%, it is a state of morbid (severe) obesity. Also if a person gets breathless, even at the slightest exertion, he should generally take it as an indication of excess weight. A fat person is less efficient as he or she consumes more energy while performing any activity. Our naturo-food therapists, Goindis have even more simple and easy way to stay healthy – their abdomen should not protrude more than their chest if they want to stay healthy and free of obesity.

 GLOBESITY – SOME FACTS AND FIGURES

Globesity = Global Obesity

21.     It is a world which tips the scales on the unhealthy side of weight. And with over 1.1 billion persons across the globe suffering from obesity, the weight of the facts is too alarming to ignore. So much so, “globesity” – a term coined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to represent the pandemic of obesity – is being used with increasing frequency. WHO says that globesity is taking over many parts of the world (both developed and developing countries) and people with bulging bellies can be time bombs for diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and other diseases for adults as well as children.

22.     International Obesity Task Force says, we need to stop the worldwide trend towards unhealthy junk food. While fast-food chains like Macdonalds, Pizza Hut, Wimpys, Domino’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and many more similar international establishments are counting their annual turnovers with an overflowing cash registers, more and more people are making rounds to the doctor’s clinics and hospitals and paying huge amounts of money for a multitude of ailments arising from the fast lifestyle and the fast food they indulge in everyday. This trend of Americanised eating habits is leading to a new group of people termed “Generation XL” – meaning a generation wearing Extra-Large clothes. A store for obese Gen XL people has recently been opened in Chandigarh and many such stores exist worldwide.

 Obesity Facts and Figures

23.     The following statistics on obesity should serve as eye openers: –

• Globally there are more than 1.1 billion obese adults and the trend is sharply upwards.
• Worldwide an estimated 17.6 million children under the age of 5 are obese.
• Obesity levels range from below 5% in China and Japan, to more than 75% in urban Samoa.
• Globally 18% of adults are obese, 33% in USA and 23% in the U.K.
• India is not far behind USA with 25% of males and 36% of females above the age of 20 years falling into the obese category.
• In the USA, the medical expenditure due to obesity-related illnesses amounts to 51.6 billion US dollars and in the U.K. to 7.1 billion pounds.
• A study by the All India Institute Medical Sciences revealed that 27% of school children in Delhi are obese. A similar trend has been reported in Chandigarh.
• Fat intake in India has gone up by more than 20% over the past 50 years.
• Obesity and overweight conditions pose a major risk for many chronic diseases.
• Obese people are twice as likely to miss work.
• Researchers have found that an increase of 1 kg. over normal healthy weight increases cardiovascular diseases risk by 3.1% and conversely, shedding 1 kg. excess weight reduces the risk by 3-4%.

Shift in Food Habits and Weight Gain

24.     The role assigned by Nature to food for fueling the body machine has changed for the worse. Food is now much more than the fuel that keeps us going. Our taste buds rule our eating habits. We look to be lavished with new and more exotic dishes to satiate our taste buds. The notion of cuisines, the idea that food is something to experiment with, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Every meal now is a culinary adventure, and nothing is more annoying for the modern housewife than to be able to constantly surprise and delight her demanding family with newer dishes and recipes.

25.     Comparing active lifestyles of our forefathers to our present day sedentary lifestyles, our energy consumption has dropped to a fraction of what it used to be. Wrongfully, our diets have shifted from natural and healthy whole foods in favour of energy-rich higher calorie unhealthy foods mostly from refined flour loaded with fat, sugar, salt and chemicals. This shift from healthy foods has led to growing waistlines and obesity – serious enough to be declared as a global pandemic (globesity) by the World Health Organisation.

26.     To regain lost health, we must eat the way Nature intended us to, as our forefathers. Our digestion, absorption, distribution and elimination processes have not changed in 100 years – only our food choices have adversely changed due to aggressive, misleading advertising and promotion of highly processed and refined junk foods by the food industry whose primary motif is simply to make profit.

27.     Remember that our food preferences, desires, cravings and loves are literally hardwired into our basic instincts for survival and safety. What we eat, directly or indirectly affects all our hormones and neurotransmitters, which in turn influences our energy levels, moods, food cravings, stress levels, sleep habits and inherited genetic traits.

28.     A diet high in fat, refined starches, sugar and salt leads to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity. Carrying excess weight does not just increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, infertility etc. etc; it is also associated with fatigue, low self-esteem and poor physical and mental performance. So choose your foods wisely. Avoid highly salted and sweetened processed foods which are also full of unhealthful chemical additives and devoid of protective nutritional factors. Good news is that the addictive taste for sugar and craving for salt is an acquired one, which means that with determination it can be replaced by a new health-giving habit.

29.     Good health is seldom an accident – it has to be worked at and requires lifelong commitment, knowledge and above all discipline. There are no shortcuts and it can be extremely challenging in today’s social environment. To make a start for weight loss, only minor adjustments may be needed. Begin eating natural bio-energetic whole foods that are in harmony with your longstanding genetic pre-disposition to food and avoid junk food. A diet consisting of a variety of natural foods, adequate calories and rich in fresh fruits, raw vegetables, nuts and seeds, wholegrains and sprouts, is both a source of high quality fuel, and a positive feedback loop of hormonal modulators of mood, abundant energy and mental activity.

OBESITY CAUSING FACTORS

Surplus Calorie Intake

30.     “You are what you eat” slogan can very appropriately be linked to obesity. It is obvious that the basic cause of obesity is surplus calorie intake. If your intake of calories is in excess of what your body burns to meet its needs, then the surplus calories are converted into fat to promote weight gain. You can’t get away from this basic law of physics. With cheap energy-dense foods, labour-saving devices, motorised transport and sedentary lifestyle at work and at home, obesity is rapidly becoming a consequence of modern life and the world is sleepwalking into a disaster. Hence it is very important to always keep in mind that despite the other obesity causing factors listed below your diet is singularly an overriding factor.

 Junk Food

31.     Changes in our diet, coupled with stress-filled lives, more sedentary modern existence and lack of exercise are taking their toll on health and have increased globesity to unprecedented levels. Consuming wrong and faulty foods is a primary cause of obesity. There has been considerable decrease in the consumption of simple and traditional high fibre, low-fat whole foods (like dal / roti, unpolished brown rice, vegetables, fruits, nuts) in the last 3-4 decades. Modern replacement diets characteristically comprise, low-fibre, high-energy, fat-rich, low-nutrient, low-grade junk foods such as refined and processed foods laden with saturated / transfats, sugar, salt, starch and chemical additives, preservatives, flavourings, colourings and stabilisers etc. etc. Junk fast foods include pizzas, noodles, burgers, French fries, ice cream etc, which are universally available. Chhole Bhature, puri, potato tikkies, samosas, pakoras, papri chat etc. are Indian fast food junkies. There are other feel-good, weight promoting culprits like chocolates, cakes, pastries, aerated drinks and colas, confectionery etc. High insulin secretion in response to junk foods promotes fat deposition and weight gain.

Sedentary Lifestyle

32.     Another main cause for gaining weight is the low level of habitual physical activity i.e. sedentary lifestyle in the urban population compared to their rural counterparts. Easy access to various mechanical / electrical gadgets, watching too much T.V. and sitting in front of the computer and play station makes physical activity to burn fat almost negligible which results in the promotion of obesity.

 Lack of Demanding Exercise

33.     Without regular exercise one becomes lazy and lethargic which results in burning less calories and weight gain. Lack of moderate intensive exercise including some weight training reduces the build up of muscle mass which slows down resting metabolic rate – so you will burn less calories even when you are asleep. Benefits of exercise are immeasurable, including keeping body weight under control.

 Eating for Appetite but not for Hunger

34.     Hunger is the body’s physical response to the need for fuel for energy. Hunger is a feeling you are born with. Symptoms of hunger, which are relieved by eating, include hunger pangs, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and loss of concentration. Appetite is quite different from hunger. It is your desire to eat based on the pleasure you get from eating certain foods with appealing taste, texture or aroma.

35.     When hunger and appetite work together, you have a nice healthy balance. But if you let appetite drive your eating behaviour, you eat even when you are not feeling hungry which results in weight gain and obesity. To strike a right balance between hunger and appetite, you need to understand when and why you eat. You should make your food selections based on sound nutritional practices.

Excessive Indulgence in Food

36.     It has been observed that in obese persons, the initial cues for being healthfully fed for hunger are very weak while the cues for appetite like aroma, taste, etc. are very strong. As a result of this, obese people seem to have an insatiable desire for food and they generally overeat, thereby perpetuating obesity.

37.     It is clear from the high incidence of globesity that people are overeating in relation to their energy needs and growth (in case of children). Further, the cheapness, easy availability and heavy marketing of energy-dense foods make overeating easy to do, coupled with an increasing reliance on unhealthy snacks and ready to eat meals, which make selecting healthy foods harder. Healthy eating messages by the government and NGOs are drowned by the fat advertising budgets of large multinational companies which are usually aimed at children to spoil their taste buds for natural food.

38.     A person of medium build requires about 30 calories per kg. body weight daily. And if one is serious about not being obese and unhealthy, he/she must ensure that any surplus intake of calories is burnt with regular exercise on daily basis or better still don’t consume extra calories at all.

39.     Some persons, especially old, who are lonely, unhappy, bored or unloved, those who are discontented with their families or social or financial standing, usually tend to overeat as eating is a pleasure and solace to them; but at the cost of their health.

 Food Cravings

40.     Sugary, carb-rich foods, chocolates, sweets raise the level of feel good chemicals, like endorphins, in your body. The trouble with eating high sugar foods is that sugar enters your blood stream very quickly and causes a rush of insulin along with a rush of endorphins. If there is a sudden rise in sugar levels, the insulin breaks it down very quickly, leading to a drop in both sugar and endorphins. This leaves you feeling worse than before and you may crave for more sugary foods to boost your mood, setting up a vicious cycle of food cravings, weight gain, fatigue and mood swings which is usually hard to break but not impossible.

41.     Eating a balanced nutrient rich diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts and seeds will help you break this cycle of cravings, sugar and weight grain. This is because eating well, not only nourishes your body but regulates your blood sugar levels so that you don’t get those lows, when you crave sugary pick ups. Your energy levels are less likely to dip, which means you are less likely to crave foods that you don’t need or are not good for you.

 Food Intolerances

42.     If you eat the same food everyday, for years, you can often become sensitive to those very foods, sometimes referred to as food intolerances. And, usually, the foods we crave are the same ones that lead to weight gain. It is again a vicious cycle. Food intolerances can have a direct effect on the assimilation of nutrients, digestive organ function and weight management. The more common foods such as wheat, corn, sugar, dairy, are often implicated as food intolerance triggers. It is easy to become food intolerant these days, especially if you eat too many chemically altered and processed foods. When you eat intolerant foods everyday, you cause a drastic slow down of metabolism. Digestive enzyme function is impaired which means that your body will not break down fat properly. In addition, by eating the same foods everyday, you limit your intake of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. So always rotate a variety of foods.

Excessive Fat Consumption

43.     One important reason for being obese is that we eat too much fat especially saturated and hydrogenated trans-fat varieties. The fat we eat makes our bodies fat in several ways: –

(i)           Fat is most concentrated form of calories, so it is easy to gobble down more than your body needs without knowing it.

(ii)          Fat on your plate is easily converted into body fat. Calories come from fat, protein and carbohydrates. The body spends about 30 calories converting 100 calories of excess carbohydrates or protein to body fat, but it takes only about 5 calories to convert 100 calories of excess dietary fat to body fat.

(iii)        Food prepared with fat is generally very tempting and tasty and you tend to eat more than the body needs and gain weight.

(iv)        Fat-laden foods don’t have much fibre, so you don’t feel full and tend to overeat leading to weight gain.

 Excessive Salt Intake

44.     Some salt is needed for body functions but salt intake above a certain level (5,750 mg, about a teaspoonful) can, in addition to raising blood pressure and causing osteoporosis and other ailments, tends to attract and hold water in the body resulting in weight gain. Salt also makes a person thirsty to drink more water, which means more weight. Just one teaspoonful of extra salt will retain 3 litres of water in the tissues of the body. So reducing salt and salt-laden foods is an easy way to slim by shedding liquid weight only but not fat. However, eliminating salt will generally help to reduce appetite and the bulges of fat too, for salt is a stimulant and excites the appetite by increasing the flow of saliva, thereby creating a greater desire for food.

 Excessive Use of Alcohol

45.     Alcohol is a weight promoting high density carbohydrate loaded with sugar and calories (about 80 calories in 30 ml.- about the same as in an ounce of fat) like all other highly processed carbohydrates. Alcohol’s value as a source of nutrients is almost nil. Alcohol causes changes in our appetite, affects our mood, eating patterns, sleeping patterns, thought process and personality. So after excessive consumption of alcohol, you may not want to eat because you feel full after gobbling huge amount of calories, even though your body is not getting any nutrition. On the other hand, intake of alcohol in moderation excites your appetite and you generally tend to overeat and gain weight. So either way you tend to put on weight. Alcohol also depletes the body of many precious nutrients; including Vitamins A, C and B1, Zinc, magnesium and causes erosion of stomach and intestinal lining and damage to the liver which is the basic organ for fat metabolism. Alcohol also slows down your ability to burn body fat and it may even lead to the storage of fat in the “beer belly” where it is more dangerous. People of Asian origins are not able to metabolise the quantities of alcohol that Europeans do.

Skipping Breakfast

46.     Skipping breakfast slows your metabolism but having a moderately substantial breakfast increases your metabolism by 25% which helps to burn more calories. Studies show that a breakfast providing about 25% to 30% of daily energy needs can be important in maintaining a healthy weight. Those who eat high fibre nutritious breakfast tend to be noticeably slimmer than those who skip the all important first meal of the day. This is because a healthy breakfast lowers mid morning cravings for fat and sugar laden foods such as chocolates, cakes, biscuits and sweets which would otherwise promote obesity.

 Too Much Choice of Food

47.     Although a varied diet is likely to be rich in nutrients, US Scientists found that the availability of lots of different foods can also encourage overeating as variety decreased the feeling of satisfaction, making people more vulnerable to obesity.

 Lack of Breast Feeding

48.     According to American research, breast milk contains important protein “adiponectin” and “leptin”. Adiponectin is secreted by fat cells and affects how the body processes sugars and fatty substances in the blood. Low levels of this protein have been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, Type-II diabetes and coronary artery disease. It has been established that there is a clear link between breast feeding and a reduced risk of obesity later in life. Children who are breast-fed during first 6-12 months grow into healthy adults with less of weight problems.

Chronic Stress

49.     According to a study by Georgetown University, chronic stress at work and at home has a direct effect on fat accumulation, body weight and metabolism. Scientists have demonstrated that neuropepticle Y (NPY), a molecule the body releases when stressed, can unlock Y2 receptors in the body’s fat cells through physiological response, stimulating the cells to grow in size and number and result in weight gain. Higher levels of NPY also cause the heart rate and blood pressure to go up.

50.     It has been known for a long time that people who are chronically stressed produce large amounts of body steroid hormone called “cortisol”, secreted from the adrenal gland, which has direct connection to fat accumulation. The adrenal system is linked to the stress response of “fight or flight”. The large doses of cortisol not only results in weight gain on the belly but also many other disorders connected to insulin malfunctioning.

51.     A recent study suggests that stress not only increases consumption of food but can also shift people’s food choices from lower fat to higher fat foods resulting in weight gain. Other psychological factors like boredom, anger and depression can also cause weight gain.

Poor Metabolism

52.     Metabolism is the rate at which the body breaks down the nutrients in food to produce energy. Simply put, it is the process by which the body makes and uses energy (calories) for everything from the cellular absorption of nutrients to running a marathon. Everyone has a unique metabolic rate that can affect how quickly he or she loses or gains weight. If your metabolic rate is lower than average, you can gain weight even when dieting.

53.     How much fat you have also depends on your basal (resting) metabolic rate (BMR), which is essentially  the amount of calories you burn when you are sitting still, lying down, doing nothing and just being alive to maintain basic bodily functions, such as heartbeat, breathing, muscle tone etc. BMR numbers can vary from person to person from 1,000 calories a day or more, which is why some people can stuff their faces and still stay slim, while others start storing fat after each meal. Out of the daily requirement of calories for an individual, about 60-70% are consumed in the basal (resting) metabolic state. Thus even slight changes in a persons’ BMR can make a significant difference in his / her calorie requirement over a long period.

Age

54.     The prevalence of obesity increases with age in both sexes. However, age-related increase is generally more pronounced in women, especially during menopause. BMR normally decreases by one percent after age 45 every year for both men and women. For an individual who continues with the same pattern and quantity of food and exercise, the gain in weight is about 5 kg. in 10 years. Therefore, one needs to reduce the calorie intake by 10% for every decade of the life from 45 years of age and add some cardiovascular exercise to his/her daily routine.

Lack of Sleep

55.     Average amounts of sleep have fallen and many studies tie sleep deprivation to weight gain. Researchers at Columbia University found that people who sleep for 4 hours or less per night are 73% more likely to be obese, those sleeping for 5 hours are 50% likely to be obese and those who sleep for 6 hours were 23% more likely to be substantially overweight. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that kids who sleep less than 10½ hours a night are twice as likely to pile on weight as other children of their age. An average adult person needs about 7-8 hours of sleep.

56.     Levels of the hormone “grehlin”, which makes people want to eat, have also been seen to increase in people who are sleep-deprived. Insufficient shut-eye appears to increase the production of the stress hormone “cortisol” which regulates appetite. High levels of cortisol seem to worsen bingeing and hunger resulting in weight gain. Moreover, too little sleep could keep your body from burning calories, which translates to more stored fat.

 Heredity / Genetics

57.     Obesity is known to run in heredity. It is an undeniable fact that generally the children of fat parents are also fat. Some experts feel that a person inherits only the structure of the body and not obesity. Obesity develops depending on factors like faulty eating habits and family lifestyle of parents, since we tend to imbibe our parents’ habits. A British study has established that parental obesity, high birth weight, rapid weight gain in the first year, rapid growth up to 2 years and high pre-school body fat levels are factors which put children at obesity risk later in life. A study by PGI, Chandigarh found that 30% of obese children had obese parents. Researchers from U.K. have provided an explanation for why some children hate to try new foods; it is in the genes. Both humans and other animals show reluctance to the new foods, known scientifically as “food neophobia”. However, repeatedly offering new foods about 10 times to children can make the foods more familiar and eventually even liked. It is considered that nutritious diet and cutting down on fats, sweets, alcohol and processed junk foods and adding exercise as an essentiality can offer an escape from inheritance related obesity.

Hormone – Leptin

58.     Scientists at Cambridge University have discovered that “leptin”, one of the key hormones responsible for reducing hunger and increasing the feeling of fullness, also controls our fondness of food. They studied patients with a rare genetic disorder resulting in a complete lack of leptin. These patients ate excessively, liked all types of food and developed severe obesity. After treatment with leptin, their hunger was reduced, they became choosier about food and they lost weight.

 Insulin Resistance (Syndrom X)

59.     When we eat food, glucose from the digestive breakdown of food is absorbed into your gut and blood. The body takes what glucose it requires and then produces insulin to lower glucose levels back to normal, converting the excess glucose into a compound called “glycogen” which is stored by the liver and muscles for energy use when required. On a healthy diet this process works perfectly, but excessive consumption of refined carbohydrates, particularly sugary foods, upsets the balance and everything starts to go haywire. Your body has to produce increasing amount of insulin to break down the sugars. Eventually you become resistant to insulin, and instead of converting excess glucose into glycogen, it turns into fat. An imbalance of the hormone insulin can often be the root cause of gaining weight. Too much sugar causes glucose intolerance in the body and when you are overweight, you breakdown sugar less efficiently. It becomes a catch 22 situation.

 Thyroid Disorder

60.     Metabolism, regulated by the thyroid hormone, plays a key role in weight management by regulating energy production and oxygen uptake. Continual stress can negatively affect the thyroid gland, depressing its normal function. Over stimulation of the thyroid gland is caused by the excessive consumption of sugar, coffee and alcohol, sending thyroid into an exhausted state (known as hypothyroidism) which can cause weight gain (inspite of eating very little), especially around your middle, hips and tops of legs that is very hard to shift. Foods rich in magnesium, calcium and potassium are recommended to avoid thyroid disorders.

Other Body Disorders

61.     Hormonal imbalances due to disruption of functions in the body’s organs, such as hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, adrenal, and pancreas can be the cause of weight gain. But glandular disorders account for only 2% of the total incidence of obesity. Sluggish liver, weak kidneys, poor digestive system, abdominal bloating, dirty colon and incoordination of assimilation and elimination of food can also trigger weight gain. Parasites and worms in the stomach can cause a voracious appetite leading to overeating and weight gain. Many gynaecological conditions like menstrual irregularity, the menopause phase, pregnancy, pelvic infections and yeast overgrowth can often lead to an obesity-like situation. A study in Japan has established that children whose mothers smoked in early stages of pregnancy are at nearly three times greater risk of obesity later in life.

Cold Virus

62.     New research at Louisiana State University has found that when human stem cells, the blank slate of the cell world, are exposed to a common virus, called “adenovirus-36” from a family of viruses that cause colds and pink eyes in people, they turned into fat cells. They did not just change, they stored fat too. While this may be a guilt-free explanation for putting on kilos, it does not explain the growing obesity problem fully. But it adds to other recent evidence that blames expanding waistlines in only a few cases on more than just super-sized appetites and underused muscles.

 Friendly Virus!

63.     After a research study spanning three decades, researchers at Harvard Medical School found a very unusual, unbelievable cause of obesity – that obesity can spread from person to person, much like a virus. Close friends of obese persons tend to gain weight too. One explanation could be that friends affected each others’ perception of fatness. When close friend becomes obese, obesity may not look so bad. The study monitored the weight of 12,067 friends and relatives between 1971 and 2003 and found that if your friends are fat, your chances of being fat increase by 57%. Same sex friends and siblings had a greater influence than did those of the opposite sex

 Medications

64.     All medicines/drugs often have one or the other types of side-effects. But certain medications induce weight gain directly or indirectly. A recent example of the latter type is American addiction to sleeping pills. The most popular sleeping pill “ambien” had an unusual and funny side-effect on some people – causing them to indulge in bouts of nocturnal feasting without knowing a thing about it the next morning. In one instance, a woman put on 45 kg. weight. Another patient would eat in sleep, things like raw eggs, uncooked rice, potato chips, loaves of bread, candy etc. Artificial sweeteners tend to increase the appetite and result in weight gain too.

Air conditioning / Heating

65.     Air conditioning in the summer keeps us in a comfortable temperature range in which we do not have to regulate our body heat naturally by sweating to stay cool. Also our appetites decrease naturally in summer and we eat less but in case of air conditioning, our appetites don’t decrease and we tend to eat more as in winter and gain weight. Similarly heating in the winter limits calories burnt naturally through shivering, which results in weight gain.

 CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Introduction

66.     The problem of obesity in children is fast assuming mammoth dimensions in the present day scenario. A study found that about a quarter of children are either over-weight or obese. For the first time, obesity is regarded as a disease of childhood as well as adulthood. The origin of adult obesity often lies in early childhood. Statistically, children who are over-weight by the age of 2 years turn into fat adults more frequently than their lean playmates. Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi were surprised to see a 14 month old baby boy weighing 17 kg. in April 2007. The weight should have been between 8-11 kg. The baby was morbidly obese as he was fed every one hour. The perception that puppy or baby fat in children disappears as they grow old is a great myth!

 Main Causes of Childhood Obesity

67.     There are many and varied causes of childhood obesity. Some of these are listed below: –

 (i)      Faulty Feeding Patterns – Early feeding patterns set the stage for adult obesity. The most common cause is mistakenly fattening the child with formula or cow’s milk, excess starch, especially refined, around 4 months of age. This is far too early for proper digestion and sets the stage for later allergies. Babies, who are bottle-fed take in more calories than breast feeding and are more likely to suffer from obesity later in life. Bottle feeding could also lead to a pattern of overeating which may become difficult to overcome. It seems breast-fed babies for 6-12 months are better able to regulate their energy intake than formula-fed babies and have less chance of being obese. However, if the breast-feeding mother is herself on an improper diet of excess refined carbohydrates, sugar and excess fats/oils, she is not only laying the foundation for infant obesity, but also for a generally unhealthy child.

(ii)     Obese Parents – The adolescents are more likely to become overweight if their parents are obese. There is a 40% risk of being an obese child if one parent is obese and 80% if both are obese. However, the risk of being an obese child is only about 10% if both parents are healthy and slim.

(iii)    Parents and Child Bonding – Interestingly, the stronger the social bonds are between parents and child, the more likely the child will be overweight. The closer children are to their obese parents, the more likely they are to internalise the values and norms that their parents promote or model. Even non-obese parents not wanting to criticise their children’s faulty eating habits when they are young can also cause weight problems later in life.

(iv)    Compulsive Overeating – Compulsive overeating usually starts in early childhood when eating patterns are formed. It is characterised by uncontrollable eating and consequent weight gain. Most people who become compulsive eaters, never learnt the proper way to deal with stressful situations and used food as a means to cope with such conditions. They usually feel out of control and are aware that their eating patterns are abnormal.

 (v)     Sedentary Lifestyle of Families – A study by Arizona State University researchers found that when children grow up in families with bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyles dominated by tele-watching, video games and internet browsing, they are 33.3% more likely to become overweight or obese as young adults. This is also confirmed by studies in India.

(vi)    Dieting by Adolescents – The scientists from Minnesota University found that dieting adolescents are three times as likely to become overweight as their non-dieting peers. They are also twice as likely to develop eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia. People who have anorexia nervosa develop unusual eating habits to remain thin, such as avoiding food and meals, picking out a few foods only and eating them in small amounts, weighing their food, and counting the calories of everything they eat. Also they may exercise excessively. On the other hand, bulimia nervosa is eating large amounts of food secretly followed by purging. Purging methods usually involve vomiting and laxative abuse. Other forms of purging can involve exercise, fasting, use of diuretics, diet pills and enemas.

(vii)   Junk Food Marketing – There is a great concern about the eating habits of children. If, in early childhood, they get great satisfaction and become accustomed to tantalising taste of unhealthful, processed, refined, fast junk foods – those habits may persist throughout their lives as their taste buds would have lost interest in natural healthful foods. This phenomena is called “programming” or “brain washing”, intelligently pre-determined by seductive, compelling, slick multi-crore advertising by the food corporates. Fast food chains like Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Wimpys, Domino’s have hit the nail on the head by targeting children as their prime consumers by offering free venues and gifts for their birthday parties. “Pester power” marketing techniques used by the food industry to target children for the promotion of unhealthy foods deliberately undermines parental control over children’s nutrition. Children are bombarded with marketing messages on TV channels like Nick, Cartoon Network, Pogo, MTV etc., most of them for foods high in saturated fat (mostly hydrogenated), sugar, salt and starch; the latter three being regarded as the three “white poisons”.

 Childhood Obesity Complications

68.     Being fat at a young age is gradually becoming an epidemic, especially in urban areas. There is a simplistic equation for obesity – eating too much and moving too little. Only 5% of obese children are overweight because of clinical reasons, the remaining 95% are caused by unhealthy excessive diets and inactivity. Complications due to childhood obesity are numerous and life long.

69.     Children who are fat at a younger age are prone to develop diabetes, heart disease (they can grow bigger left ventricles in their hearts), stroke, hypertension (BP), breathing problems, skin disorders like rashes etc. etc. They will usually develop orthopaedic problems such as weight stress in the joints of the lower limbs, tibial torsion, bowed legs and separation of the hip joint from the thigh bone. In 2004, death of a 3 year old child from heart attack failure directly attributed to obesity was reported in the press!

70.     The stigma that society attaches to obesity can cause children immediate and possibly, lasting harm. Overweight children and teens are commonly teased, bullied or ostracised by their peers, and sometimes treated differently by teachers and even parents. This can lead to low self-esteem, poor school performance, avoidance of physical activity and in the more serious cases to psychological disorders like sleeping disorder, anxiety, depression and even suicide in some cases.

71.     Childhood obesity is contributing to a worrying new global phenomenon – a sharp increase in the number of girls reaching puberty by 9 years of age – a trend doctors say, entails health and social problems. The researchers from the University of Michigan Health System have found that girls who are obese at the age of 3 are more likely to hit puberty around their 9^th birthday – in a study 80% of obese toddlers attained early puberty. One study by the Bristol University showed that one in every six girls reached puberty even before the age of eight! Children who face precocious (early) puberty are more prone to psychiatric disorders, are likely to start drinking and have sex at an earlier age, risking teenage pregnancies.

 Avoiding Childhood Obesity

72.     On the age of India’s 60^th Independence Day, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked all state governments to tell the schools to ban junk food and junk beverages, encourage students to a nutritious healthy diet and promote physical activity. Parents and caretakers should promote confidence and positive self-esteem in children as this is an important element in preventing them from the long term health risks of excessive weight. So you, the parents should set a healthful example for your children’s sake. You and your children must adapt lifestyles wisely to survive well. It is that basic!

73.     Healthy eating habits can only be inculcated at home. Parents should be role models and set an example by making the right nutrition choices such as eating high-fibre, low-fat, low-sugar foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, sprouts etc.) and avoiding and not stocking energy-dense junk and processed foods and colas at home. Eating a healthy breakfast is a habit that will benefit you as well as children throughout life. Parents and children should eat at regular times, limit portions, not overeat and not battle over food.

74.     Children should be taught to prepare and cook healthy home-made foods at home and as an integral part of education at school, not an optional extra. They should be encouraged to taste different natural foods to get over “food newphobia” – an inbuilt reluctance in humans and animals to try new foods. Do not put a child on diet and avoid labeling him/her as fat and occasionally, let him/her eat fast food in moderation only. Focus on fitness rather than thinness is the mantra.

75.     Food apart, the importance of physical activity, exercise and team sports should not be overlooked. Parents need to limit television and internet browsing time because this not only decreases the time available for physical activity, but also encourages consumption of fried foods, snacks and cold drinks.

 OBESITY COMPLICATIONS

Introduction

76.     Obesity is a chronic disease and its symptoms develop only gradually. Body fat may not be a direct cause of death but it is a visual marker for risk factors to health such as bad diet, abdominal fat, poor fitness, high stress or family history of disease. Obese people are often bullied and discriminated against because of the ancient fear, that fat humans may be diseased and causes their thinner counterparts to dislike them. The researchers have found that the mere sight of someone who is obese can trigger feelings of disgust and nausea similar to encountering rotten food.

77.     By itself obesity is not a killer but the penalties attached to it make life miserable. Morbid obesity becomes a “package deal” full of unwanted “bonuses”, almost always attached, in the form of all kinds of disorders known as “co-morbidities”. The statistics clearly show that obesity-related diseases have an adverse impact on both health and quality of life and that they increase your odds of dying early by up to 9 years. If your extra weight is carried around your waist, you are at an even greater risk because the abdominal fat cells secrete a hormone that directly causes inflammation of your blood vessels.

78.     The extract below from the UK House of Commons’ Health Select Committee should serve as a stern warning to the governments worldwide as to how debilitating and deadly the incidence of obesity has become: –

“Should the gloomier scenarios relating to obesity turn out to be true, the sight of amputees will become much more familiar in the streets of Britain. There will be many blind people. There will be a huge demand for kidney dialysis. The positive trends in recent decades in combating heart disease, partly the consequence of decline in smoking, will be reversed. Obesity will soon supercede tobacco as the greatest cause of premature deaths in the U.K.”

Diseases Caused by Obesity

79.     Obesity, which has assumed pandemic proportions worldwide, is a primary cause of a multitude of illnesses which include the following: –

(i)      Syndrome X or Insulin Resistance: “Syndrome X” is a term to describe a cluster of symptoms, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, decreased good cholesterol (HDL), increased bad cholesterol (LDL), increased ratio of total cholesterol to HDL and more importantly obesity. These symptoms tend to appear together in some individuals and indicate a pre-disposition to Type-II diabetes, raises the risk of full blown condition up to five fold. The main indicator of Syndrome X is a large potbelly. Experts estimate that up to one in five of the population has Syndrome X and Indians and Asians are genetically more prone to it. Syndrome X has also been linked with another term – “Insulin Resistance”. Insulin is the hormone responsible for getting energy in the form of glucose into our cells. A person who is insulin resistant has cells that respond slowly to action of insulin. People who are insulin resistant often have elevated triglycerides which usually coincide with low HDL. People who are obese show signs of insulin resistance more often than people who are of normal weight. Studies have shown that waist size is a good indicator of a person’s risk of insulin resistance at an early stage in the development of diabetes and heart disease. A waist circumference of less than 90 cm (35.5 inches) for men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) for women mostly excludes them from being at risk of insulin resistance. Because the symptoms of Syndrome X or insulin resistance occur in a cluster, the steps you take to bring one of the symptoms into a healthy range will likely improve the others. For example, if you are obese, simply losing 10-15% of your current body weight can bring blood pressure down and increase your cell sensitivity to insulin.

(ii)     Diabetes: Obesity, in particular, abdominal or apple shaped type is detrimental for pre-disposition of diabetes, especially males. Obese women get relative protection from diabetes-induced coronary heart diseases because of estrogen secretion till menopause sets in. Diabetes and obesity are so strongly linked that the physicians have coined a new combined term “dibesity”. Excess weight increases the body’s demand for insulin. Obese people have larger fat cells and it is believed that these do not respond well to insulin and the result is elevated blood sugar or Type-II diabetes. It is unfortunate that Indians and Asians have genetically a high degree of abdominal obesity and thus are more susceptible to diabetes than Americans or Europeans.

(iii)    Increased Cholesterol Level: People who are obese are the most likely to have high levels of cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. All these three problems increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Obese people tend to have abnormal lipid profile disorders like high level of triglycerides, free fatty radicals, high bad cholesterol LDL which sticks to artery walls and can lead to plaque build up, clogging them overtime and leading to cardiovascular problems. In obese people, the good HDL cholesterol is also low which results in harmful higher ratio of total cholesterol to the protective good HDL cholesterol.

(iv)    Cardiovascular Diseases: Obesity has long been recognised as a risk factor for congestive heart failure, coronary artery diseases and strokes. Obesity places an increased burden and pressure on the heart to supply blood to more than 99,000 km. of arteries, capillaries and veins in the adult human body. The tendency to put on weight around the waist and the abdomen (Truncal Obesity) has been associated with double the risk of heart attack and diabetes, with Indians genetically falling in an even higher risk category because of their tendency to harbour potbellies. Indians have smaller bones, less muscle mass and more body fat as compared to Caucasians. A potbelly on an otherwise skinny frame is an even greater risk of cardio trouble. Abdominal fat is hormonally active, begetting diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol which all exacerbate cardiovascular diseases. On average, if you are obese and reduce your weight by 10% or more your blood pressure and triglyceride levels are lowered and your chances of dying at any age are reduced by 10%. French researchers have found that being simply obese, in the absence of high BP, does not clearly increase the risk of death from heart attack or strokes. But this should not lead to complacence because there are other risk factors for being obese as detailed in this section.

(v)     High Blood Pressure: Overweight people tend to have higher blood pressure (BP) than thin people. This is partly because obese peoples’ bodies have to work harder to burn up the excess calories they consume to support their higher basic metabolic needs, partly because they tend to eat more salt than normal and possibly because fat people have a tendency to be resistant to the hormone insulin, which deals with blood sugars and this may be involved in causing high BP. High BP can also be caused by narrowing of the blood vessels in all tissues due to fatter cells in obese people. Direct excess weight pressure over the abdominal organs, like the kidneys, may also result in high BP. Population surveys have shown that the variation in BP between people in relation to their weight, is about one millimeter of mercury (mmHg) per kilogram in weight. When you put on weight, the amount you gain is a good guide to the amount by which your BP will rise. If you lose weight, your BP will fall by an amount that can be predicted using the same formula. From a practical point of view, losing weight in addition to cutting down on salt and alcohol is a very effective way of reducing your BP.

(vi)    Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis also known as “old age” or “degenerative joint disease”, involving progressive deterioration of cartilage and bone in the joints, is the most common form of arthritis and obese persons are more prone to it due to increase in the load. It affects weight bearing joints, especially the spine, hips and the knees, but may affect other joints too. Excess weight puts excess stress on the joints. If you are overweight, for every kg. you lose, you will subtract about 6 kg. from the load your knees have to support. Say, if you are 5 kg. overweight, it puts extra 30 kg. weight on the knees. It is just like having car tyres on a truck! Maintaining a healthy weight and adopting exercise, healthy eating and active lifestyle schedules immensely help the patients of osteoarthritis to remain overall fit.

(vii)   Cancers: Several types of cancers are associated with being obese, including especially of prostrate, colon and gall bladder. Obesity has also been linked to the cancer of the lungs and the liver and fatty liver disease. Obesity in women can also cause breast, uterus and ovarian cancers.

(viii)  Infertility: It has long been known that being overweight reduces a woman’s fertility. Now it seems it could have the same effect for men. A team from Reproductive Biology Associates in Atlanta has found that as a man’s body mass index rises, the number of strong-swimming sperms he produces falls and more of them have damaged DNA. Scientists in Denmark have found that men who have obese mothers are likely to have lower concentration of sperms. More and more obese women are finding it hard to conceive. The reason: nearly 90% of them suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a complex hormonal disorder, caused by obesity that affects a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility and insulin production. What is worse, an increasing number of obese girls, as young as 10 years of age are being diagnosed with this condition. Obese women can also face problems like, urinary incontinence, complications during pregnancy, including miscarriage and still birth, gall bladder disorders (stones). Overweight expectant mothers are more at risk of having heart disease, diabetes, infections and blood clots. A study in the UK found that more than half of mothers who died during childbirth between 2003 and 2005 were obese.

(ix)    Lungs Disorders: Lung function is impaired with extra body weight, breathing becomes difficult and inadequate oxygen enters blood because of laboured breathing. Children who are obese at a young age can suffer from asthma. It has also been noticed that obese asthmatic children are more prone to severe bout of the asthma disease than normal weight children.

(x)     Kidneys Failure: Kidneys filter wastes from the blood to form urine. Two main causes of kidney failure are high blood pressure and diabetes which are primary risk factors of obesity.

(xi)    Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): In obese people simple heartburn or acid indigestion (hyperacidity) can turn into chronic GERD, which if left untreated can lead to more serious conditions including “erosive oesophagitis”. In GERD, a ring of muscle, that acts like a valve between the bottom of the esophagus and stomach, is weakened overtime with weight gain and ageing. The extra weight squeezes your belly and forces the acidic digestive juices back up into your wind pipe. Losing those extra kilos may help relieve your symptoms.

(xii)   Binge-Eating Disorder: Binge-eating disorder is much like bulimia except the individuals do not use any form of purging (i.e. vomiting, laxatives etc.) following a binge. Here the person is often genetically predisposed to weigh more than the “average” person. Individuals usually feel out of control during a binge episode, followed by feelings of guilt and shame. Binge-eaters eat faster than the normal individuals until they feel too full for comfort; they tend to eat large quantities without any hunger or even appetite arousal. They usuallly prefer to eat alone due to feeling of embarassment of eating too much in front of others.

(xiii)  Other Diseases: Other problems caused by obesity include: gout, varicose veins, swollen feet, skin disorders, hearing problems etc. Doctors have long recognised that the risk of complications during any type of surgery is greater for obese people than those of normal weight. Obese people are prone to accidents, psychological damage, depressions, sleep apnoea, breathlessness, fatigue, laziness and low vitality.

(xiv)   Early Ageing: Tulane University (USA) researchers have demonstrated a biological link between obesity, insulin resistance and signs of early ageing. Obese people with insulin resistance have prematurely shortened white blood cell telomeres – a widely recognised sign of ageing. This means as their body weight and insulin resistance increase, they are more likely to get old at a younger age. Furthermore, a recent study by the University of Munich has revealed that the advent of obesity caused by the junk food in the USA has reduced the average height of Americans who used to be tallest in the world in the 1950s. Today, American males are only the 9^th and women the 15^th tallest in the world.

(xv)    Mortality: Most studies show an increase in mortality rate associated with obesity (BMI over 30). Obese individual have a 50-100% increased risk of death from all causes, compared with normal weight individuals (BMI upto 25). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes.

(xvi)   Other Downsides of Obesity: Most corporate officials would choose a normal weight applicant over an obese applicant with the same qualifications and experience. Similar discrimination occurs in promotion also. Obese children also face social stigma of discrimination and low self-esteem. They also face teasing and bullying at school. High fat diet usually consumed by obese children also results in fall in scores in the exams.

 DIETING AND WEIGHT LOSS

Harmful Effects of Fad Diets

80.     A fad diet is one that promises quick and unrealistic results. Fad diets take advantage of people’s emotions and give them false hopes. These diets promise a quick fix for obesity and lead you to believe that weight loss takes little effort. Fad diets usually include eating plans that do not provide adequate nutrition.

81.     Conventional fad or crash diets (like low fat, low carbohydrate, high protein, or grapefruit and soup diets) to shed weight are dangerous and usually don’t work and will not work in the long term and even worse, most of them are tedious, pointless and downright dangerous to the body. There are many branded diets worldwide such as Atkins Diet, Dr. Hay Diet, Cretan Diet, Cambridge Diet, Hollywood Diet, Mediterranean Diet, Detox Diet, and Fruitarian Diet etc. etc. If you follow any of these diets that restricts one or more of the macro-nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat), most of the time you will actually lose lean muscle and lower your metabolic enzyme function. Sure, they might, in the short term, help you lose some weight in a few weeks or even in a few months but it would be virtually impossible to sustain. This is because the rate at which food is broken down and used for the body – a process called thermogenesis – is weakened by the stress of constant dieting, making it difficult for you to lose weight and keep it off. So in the long run, most of the dieters won’t be able to continue with these fad diets because ultimately they will gain the weight back and won’t be doing their body any favours. Many people make dieting their second career but always end up in a frustrating cycle of dieting.

82.     It is estimated that 95% (if not more) of all crash dieters put the weight back on within one year of ending the miracle diet guaranteed to lose 2 kg. a night while you sleep. When we diet, our body only recognises a “famine mode” and does what it has always done – slows down metabolism to conserve its portable energy stores from fat. We mainly lose water, muscle and bone. Once we begin eating again, we “feast” and our body will store fat at a greater capacity than before the diet, because it now recognises that there still are famines.

83.     Yo-Yo dieting decreases your body’s immune function in the long term. Crash dieting also brings with it many harmful side-effects. Losing and gaining weight repeatedly reduces the activity of the cells that fight colds and infections as well as kill early cancer cells. A recent study revealed that 1/3^rd of obese persons who went on a crash diet of 500 calories a day developed kidney stones. Luckily the damage done by Yo-Yo dieting is reversible. The key is to aim for permanent weight loss strategy instead of bouncing back and forth with the kilos. If you are thinking of jumping into a fast weight loss fad diet (say by eating less and exercising more), slow down and ponder. A “quick-fix” diet won’t work in the long run. Real progress can only be made if the actual biochemistry of the obese person is changed. The answer to the dieting aspect of the obese person is not necessarily to eat less and exercise more, but to eat properly and exercise moderately. Dieting is not about starving yourself but rather a new lifestyle with an abundant of healthy, wholesome foods. Obesity is the product of modern living and its legacy of incorrect lifestyle habits.

84.     One should avoid being over-enthusiastic in the slimming programme and should not starve to lose excess weight. The fat that has accumulated over a period of years becomes a part of the body and it is not desirable to make any undue haste in trying to shed it. Healthy weight loss should be a gradual and steady process, you simply cannot create a lean and toned body within weeks and it does take time. Aim to lose no more than ½ kg. a week. Losing more than this can be dangerous for your health. That is because during weight loss, stored fats are used for energy. As these fats are transported through the blood stream to be metabolised, they can clog arteries.

85.     If you want a healthy life and weight, you will need to learn the skills to make life-long changes and find support (family and friends) you need to create one that is right for you. It does not mean changing everything overnight, but simply being open to new ways of doing things. Making small changes, such as being aware of your portion sizes, eating more fresh fruits and raw vegetables, avoiding junk food and pushing yourself a bit more everyday during your exercise routine, can all add up to significant improvements in your health.

86.     It is, therefore, very important to stop falling for the fad dieting gimmicks, and understand that as humans we are meant to eat a balanced diet full of a diverse array of foods from healthy natural sources of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. This gives your body all of the macro-nutrients as well as all of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes that your body needs to run like a well-oiled fat burning machine – your own body you love the most.

 New Emerging Paradigm for Dieting

87.     Most people are obsessed about their weight and we spend so much money and time every year feeding that obsession to achieve an impossible ideal of thinness and beauty that is virtually unattainable to the vast majority of the people. It seems that all those devices and diets such as potions and powders, supplements and artificial sweeteners have done little to nourish what is really important – one’s self-esteem. This factor has been largely ignored by traditional approaches to weight loss.

88.     The solution to being overweight, then, is not simply to eat less and exercise more. The new emerging weight paradigm focuses on things in addition to weight loss: healthy eating, regular exercise, positive self-esteem and perhaps most importantly, self-acceptance. Being healthy has less to do with a number on a weighing scale than the ability to balance and nurture all aspects of one’s life: emotional, mental and spiritual, as well as physical.

 DIETING MYTHS AND BLUNDERS

89.     April Fools Day comes once a year, but falling for dieting myths and blunders is an everyday occurrence. Here are some mistakes dieters make: –

(i)      Most dieters don’t have the patience and they want to get rid of fat immediately – It is a blunder to be avoided. They forget that it took several years to reach their current weight. Now that they have decided to lose it, they want it off right away. Get real and reasonable with your time frames and aim to lose about 500 grams a week. If you start a sensible diet, follow it properly. Don’t spend half your life dieting. Do it once and do it properly.

(ii)     Fad diets help lose weight quickly – Not true. The only fallout of this belief is that weight loss clinics and consultants have become millionaires while people they advise are stuck with yo-yo dieting and their weight. For lifelong weight loss, you have to change poor eating habits, cooking techniques, and exercise has to become a must. When you try a fad diet, you don’t learn habits you can live with for a long time. With hundreds of diet variations out there and every health professional, diet guru, and actress telling you they have the diet, how can you find what’s right for you, Simple! Stop listening to what works for everyone else. You’re an individual. Your wants and needs are your own. What worked for your colleague at the office, or your brother; or your next-door neighbour might not work for you. Why? Probably they used the juice / soup only diet and only had 5 kg. to lose. Sure it worked for them. It was a limited diet and they didn’t have to use it very long. Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to follow a diet that’s way too strict. Choose a way of eating you can live with for a lifetime.

(iii)    Going hungry will reduce weight faster – It is a big blunder. If you plan to cut too many calories out of your diet, you’d fail. Eventually, you’ll break down and gorge on food, erasing all your gains. That’s why people who diet on and off, regain the weight they lost and more. If you get hungry when you’re dieting, then EAT. It may slow down your weight loss a fraction, but at least it’ll help you stay on track. If you can’t face big meals, it’s perfectly OK to eat several small meals through the day to recharge your metabolism. Snacking between meals is crucial to making a diet work, just don’t make a habit of it. The secret is finding a non-fattening and low-in-calorie snack that tastes good, say a carrot or an apple.

(iv)    Skipping meals will achieve weight loss goals in shorter period – Again a big blunder. No matter what diet they choose, most dieters fall into the trap of skipping meals. The logic is, if they don’t eat one or two meals, they’re not taking in as much energy and they’ll lose more weight. Unfortunately for meal skippers, when the body doesn’t get regular nutrition it holds onto fat and stores it for later use because it’s not sure when its next meal is coming. Consequently, they end up creating digestive problems that make it harder to lose weight. What’s worse, when you lower your calories too much, the body goes into starvation mode; this is when you’ll really start to have problems. Then most of the weight you’re losing is muscle and water, not fat. Since muscle burns calories, your metabolism slows down.

(v)     Eliminating proteins will help reduce weight – Not true. Some diets will eliminate all proteins, but even vegetarians eat protein everyday – protein is a necessary nutrient just as carbohydrates and fats are. The protein source and the quality of that protein are what counts. But we’ve been conditioned to believe that the only source of protein is from an animal which is a myth. Good non-animal sources of protein include beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, sprouts, tofu and other soya foods. It is not advocated that you give up meat, but consider replacing some of your protein from other sources and make sure you eat animal proteins sparingly and that too, lean meat as chicken or fish and avoid red meat.

(vi)    Eliminating carbohydrates will help reduce weight – Not true again. Dieters feel carbohydrates are bad for you and that they’re to be avoided at all costs. But just as with fats and proteins, there are some carbs that are good for you and some that aren’t. Vegetables and fruits are also carbohydrate foods, but they contain valuable nutrients, your body should not be without. Grains are also not as bad as they are made out to be; just make sure to eat whole-grains. Generally speaking anything that mentions it’s ‘white’, ‘extra white’, ‘refined’, ‘quick cooking’, ‘instant’, ‘ready-to-eat’, ‘cooks in 1 to 3 minutes’ or ‘kids love it’ will generally be loaded with bad carbs that should only be eaten very occasionally.

(vii)   Eliminating fats will help reduce weight – Unfortunately, this is another dieting fallacy that has persisted. Fats are essential to health – things like Omega 3, 6 and 9 and important vitamins such as A and E are found in certain fatty foods that most dieters would cringe at. Fats to avoid include saturated fats from animal sources and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Good fats should come from nuts, seeds, oily fruits like olives, oily fish and whole-grains.

(viii)  Restricting calories to remain thin is the best way to be healthy and happy – Not strictly true. Healthy relaxed eating in response to hunger and satiety cues is the key to developing a comfortable relationship with food and avoiding disorders. People naturally have different body shapes and sizes, and need to accept themselves for what they are. Disordered eating patterns caused by pressures to be thin can result in zero self-esteem. And by constantly rating yourself against some ideal standard offers little more than a lifetime of dissatisfaction and frustration. But the choice to be healthy and happy by self-acceptance rather than an enforced ideal of thinness is yours and yours alone!

(ix)    Taking Tea/Coffee frequently does not add much to calorie intake compared to fried foods – A calorie is a calorie whether it is coming from any of the food groups. What is important is how much of that particular food is consumed. For example 4 cups of coffee a day with 100ml of semi-skimmed milk per cup can contribute to 440 calories compared to 216 calories coming from 20 pieces of fried potato chips, Extra 250 calories a day over the normal requirement can add ½ kg of weight in four weeks.

 (x)     Spot fat reduction is possible – This myth is a fallacy. Body fat is not used to provide energy in a localised manner. Therefore, by exercising particular area of the body, like doing sit-ups to reduce potbelly, will not help lose body fat from that area alone. Fat can only be reduced in a systematic way from the whole body by increasing calorie expenditure through, say aerobic exercise. Passive abdominal exercises with electronic machines to lose weight around the spot is a big misconception and not proven in any research.

(xi)    As we grow older, we get weaker and suffer from more aches and pains – Not strictly true. It is accepted that fatigue, joint discomfort, losing muscle, gaining fat are all part of the natural process. But the fact is that many age-associated declines occur not because of the ageing process, but largely as a result of our lifestyle habits including faulty eating and lack of activity / exercise. By increasing your strength and flexibility with exercise, you can prevent aches and pains and slow down loss of muscle mass and enjoy life as ever. Fauja Singh took up running after the age of 80 and today at 95 years of age is winning races all over the world. His secret of success is simple traditional diet and exercise.

(xii)   People over 50 years cannot exercise anymore – Not true at all. Exercise does not necessarily mean walking briskly, swimming or cycling. Activities like raising the arms lifting the legs can get one started and eventually get into the exercise programme and achieve the desired weight loss.

EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS

Benefits of Exercise

90.     The calorie burning power of our metabolism increases during moderately intensive exercise and play, and can remain high for many hours afterwards. Your metabolism increases if you have more muscle tissue as a result of exercise, since it burns more calories just to stay “alive” in addition to its biological functions. Exercise, therefore, should also include movements that stretch and strengthen your muscle. Sitting in just one position stores lactic acid in muscle and mass. Any weight loss programme without exercise will lose both muscle and fat which is counterproductive because muscle loss significantly reduces basal (resting) metabolic rate.

91.     An exercise plan should incorporate both cardiovascular (aerobic) exercises and moderate strength training. Exercises should be performed before breakfast or after dinner. By exercising before breakfast, the body utilises its stored fat. By exercising after dinner, you burn off sugars and starches you have consumed during the day thereby forcing the body to access fat stores for energy while you sleep. Do your weight training first, followed by your cardio. This will ensure that your strength is at a maximum for lifting and you will continue to burn fat during your cardio session. You should work on strengthening your legs, abdomen and lower back. Legs are home to the largest muscle groups, so by strengthening them, you are maximising your ability to build lean muscle mass and to burn more calories through improved metabolism.

92.     Benefits of exercise are immeasurable. Regular exercise makes the body healthy, increases digestive fire, gets rid of laziness, gives stability; help evacuate faeces and other wastes / toxins. Exercise can change your body, it can tone, firm, trim, tighten, lift, strengthen muscles and joint structures, mobilise and define your body helping you to improve stamina and reduce fatigue and stave off the effects of ageing. Once you give exercise a chance, you will begin to enjoy its positive benefits on your psyche as well, you will literally become “hooked”! But be careful – don’t get addicted to exercise for hours at a stretch!

93.     Exercise improves the functioning of all the body systems – it can stimulate digestion, improve your circulation, aid detoxification, strengthen your heart and keep bones strong and stimulates the nervous system. Your brain and mental capacity can also benefit with an improvement in memory, coordination, clear thinking and speed of learning.

94.     Exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, by improving blood circulation throughout the body, increasing good cholesterol and decreasing bad cholesterol, and keeping body weight under control. Exercise prevents osteoporosis, lowers blood pressure, reduces severity of asthma, reduces diabetes complications through improved insulin tolerance, plays a role in preventing cancer, help you to manage arthritis better, induce better immunity to fight off colds and flu. There is evidence that obese persons who keep fit through exercise have half the death rate than those who don’t exercise.

95.     Exercise is a great stress buster. It can help burn off excess andrelanin, reduce muscular tension, improve the mobility of stiff joints and reduce stress levels considerably. The release of endorphins and certain brain neurotransmitters that occur during exercise and play can give you a “natural high” and bring about a sense of joy and overall well-being. Emotionally and spiritually, exercise can be of great benefit – it can change your mood entirely leaving you more relaxed, uplifted and happier. A good, sweaty workout does not just burn fat and calories it also keeps your complexion glowing by boosting blood flow. Exercise pumps water and nutrients to all the capillaries in your body, helping skin cells stay healthier longer and slowing wrinkling. Last but certainly not the least, regular exercise is the closest thing to an anti-ageing pill. Exercise can slow and even reverse many components of the ageing process. Best of all regular exercise coupled with healthy eating habits and positive attitude will help you live longer, healthier, fulfilling and happier life. In other words, exercise can add years to your life and life to your years.

 Exercise and Energy Expenditure

96.     The table in Appendix II shows the average time needed for various exercises and activities to burn 100 calories.

 Exercise Types

97.     Broadly there are four exercise types: –

A.      Strength Training – This is the primary weapon against ageing. It helps to combat the age-related decline in muscle mass, bone loss and density and metabolism and helps to shed unwanted cargo. Appropriate strength training also helps to ease back pain, reduce arthritic discomfort by lubricating and nourishing the joints and providing greater support to the joints through strengthened muscles and helps to prevent / manage diabetic symptoms through improvement to the age-related decline in glucose sensitivity. Physical inactivity causes an average muscle loss of about 5% each decade from 25 to 50 years of age. This muscle loss if not replenished leads to a metabolic rate reduction of 2-5% per decade, resulting in gradual weight gain. Strength training helps to gain muscle mass, which results in slowing down the decrease or even increasing metabolic rate, thereby helping weight / fat loss. Drinking a glass of skimmed milk after workout increases muscle mass and burns more fat than drinking sports drink.

B.      Endurance Exercises – These are activities which build your energy and staying power, such as walking, jogging, swimming, cycling etc. These exercises, also known as aerobic or cardiovascular exercises, increase your heart rate and breathing for an extended period of time and contribute to weight loss through increased oxygen and improved metabolism.

C.      Stretching Exercises – These warming exercises before workout prevent muscle and tendon injuries and become important as we age. While stretching won’t help you much to lose weight or strengthen muscles, it does increase your flexibility, which in turn allows you more freedom of movement. It also improves posture; circulation and balance; lengthen muscles; soothes painful joints; minimises post-workout fatigue and prevents or helps relieve lower back pain.

D.      Balance Exercises – Improving lower body strength will help improve your balance, and better balance means reduced risk of falls. Try these exercises: –

• Stand on one foot for about a minute and then on the other leg. Repeat 2-5 times.
• Walk heel to toe. Your heels and toes should touch or almost touch, Walk for 2-5 minutes.
• Practice sitting down in the squatting position and standing up without supporting or using your hands. Repeat 5-10 times.

 Health Benefits of Walking

98.     At the cost of repetition, it is important that multifarious benefits of walking should be highlighted as it is the most popular form of exercise. A good way to lose weight, without sweating in the gym or forcing yourself to do things you hate, is through a natural way – walking. It burns calories, strengthens muscles, carries a low risk of injury, builds denser bones, is easy on fragile joints, requires no equipment except a good pair of walking shoes, requires little preparation and can be done anywhere, anytime. During lifetime, a person walks more than 1,50,000 kilometers. If you walk a little faster for a few more minutes each day, obese persons will lose weight and gain better physical and mental health. From normal brisk walking, you can progress to “meditation walk” also called “mindful walk”, which combines basic principles of meditation such as deep breathing, concentration and relaxation with rhythmic walking when the health benefits will be even better.

99.     Walking improves metabolism, respiratory functions and immunity; reduces cholesterol, increases circulation and blood flow to the skin giving you glow. Walking boosts the mood, improvers posture, helps to treat mild to moderate depression, promotes self-confidence, helps control stress, anxiety and anger and increases the ability to cope life generally. It can improve glucose tolerance, can reduce the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis and lower back pain. Walking can improve quality of sleep and resistance to common cold.

100.   Brisk walking is preferable to running in view of practical feasibility and less risk of trauma to knee joints in the longer term. Walking shoes should be comfortable and well-fitting, should have good ankle support and soft bouncy insole. Slow walks are a waste of time. The physical stress on the body has to be sustained for 30-40 minutes to get fat loss benefits. One should gradually progress and aim to do 4 km. of brisk walking in 30-35 minutes at least 5 days a week to achieve maximum benefit.

 Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises and Weight Loss

101.   The word aerobic means air, but more specifically it refers to the oxygen in the air; and anaerobic means without oxygen. Aerobic exercise is intensive exercise facilitating synthesis of high energy compounds in the presence of oxygen. The muscles need oxygen to function and their need goes up when we work them.

102.   The picture perfect weight reduction programme cannot be completed without suitable exercise as it helps you to lose fat, build muscle and increase metabolism. Obese persons are advised not to use strong weight reduction therapies. It is seen that mild and long term therapies to combat obesity produce more sustainable and safe results. Experts suggest that the only type of exercise of real significance for obese persons is moderately intense aerobic exercise. Sufficiently prolonged aerobic exercise changes the body on a biochemical level, altering the deeply ingrained way the obese handle carbohydrates and fat. Aerobic exercises stimulate and improve the endocrine system which may be a factor in weight gain in the first place. Certainly, thyroid disorders have been implicated in obesity, as have disorders of the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, pancreas, adrenal and sex glands.

103.   Fats are burnt in the presence of oxygen i.e. doing aerobic exercise such as cycling, jogging slowly, jumping rope, running (but not sprinting), walking briskly and long distance swimming which will burn 300-400 calories in 30-40 minutes. Even moderate walking will burn about 150 calories. Exercising at 60-80% of the maximum heart rate is ideal for burning fat, providing there are no health complications to make this inadvisable. An intensity greater than this will fall into anaerobic category and this may build your heart and burn some calories but will not burn fat. As a thumb rule, the maximum heart rate can be deduced by subtracting the age from the figure of 220.

104.   In comparison, high intensity anaerobic exercises of short duration, like sprinting, soccer, football, racquet ball, downhill skiing, decrease the oxygen intake leading to the decrease in the burning of calories. If during exercise one cannot carryout conversation without stopping, that means one is working too fast in an anaerobic manner which will not get rid of fat.

105.   In aerobic exercise muscles draw on oxygen in the blood and as well as fats and glucose that increases cardiovascular endurance. If your goal is body fat loss, then at least 30 and up to 60 minutes 5-6 days a week of moderately intensive aerobic exercise is the perfect answer. If it is not possible to set aside a big chunk of time, cardiovascular exercises for e.g. 30 minutes a day can be broken down into three 10 minute sessions and health benefits will be the same.

106.   Benefits of aerobic exercise include: –

• Conditions the heart and lungs by increasing the oxygen available to the body and by enabling the heart to use oxygen more efficiently.
• In conjunction with strength training and proper diet will reduce body fat through improved metabolism.
• Increases resistance to fatigue and promotes extra energy.
• Tones muscles and increases lean body mass.
• Improves mood, reduces depression and anxiety.

Abdominal Fat and Exercise

107.   It is an established scientific fact that abdominal fat (potbelly) is a precursor of many lifestyle diseases. To exploit this, numerous bogus claims are increasingly being made that worthless gadgets like “ab-belt”, “ab-roller-rocker” etc. can reduce belly fat overnight. The hard truth is you don’t lose belly fat by doing exercises or using gadgets that target the stomach area. Spot fat reduction does not occur as fat is burned with exercise uniformly over the whole body. A certain amount of abdominal exercises are great to tone your belly muscles and help you maintain a healthy back. Therefore, direct abdominal exercises should only form a small part of your workout routines.

108.   The majority of your time should be spent focusing on multi-joint exercises that work the largest muscle groups of the body, like legs, chest and back. The increased and strengthened muscle mass improves metabolism and fat burning hormones both during exercise and many more hours afterwards which helps to burn more fat. That is one of the real secrets of ridding yourself of some of that sloppy belly fat for good. You simply don’t get this metabolic or hormonal response by wasting most of your time with specific abdominal exercises and gadgets. To burn fat on the potbelly and elsewhere, one should follow a combination of a suitable fat loss diet along with cardiovascular workouts and muscle conditioning.

 Weight Loss Plateau

109.   The weight loss plateau can be described as a flattening out in the weight loss curve while following a diet or eating plan. When after a few weeks / months on a weight loss programme, you suddenly stop losing any weight, you have hit a “plateau”, and this is very common. After you have lost a certain amount, your body thinks it is starving and sets up road-blocks that make it harder for those last kilos to come off. In fact, unless you continually review and adapt your programme to reflect the changes your body has already experienced, you will certainly hit a plateau at some point along your journey towards reaching your goal weight.

110.   If you hit a plateau, first determine the cause. Could you be eating more calories than you think. Remember that as you lose weight, you may lose some muscle, so your metabolic requirement for calorie intake reduces because there are less of you to fuel both at rest and during activities. So you could assess and lower your calorie intake further. This option, though, should be exercised with care, for you may not get sufficient nutrients from a diet that is low in calories. So moderation in reduction in calories, if desirable, should be undertaken. To help balance intake with expenditure, a good rule of thumb is to multiply your goal weight by 22 calories per kg. for resting metabolic rate, and add more calories according to how realistically active you are.

111.   The other option is to increase the time you spend being active and doing aerobic exercises. Again moderation should be exercised to increase the duration of exercise. Another means of getting you off the plateau is strength training which has proved to be effective in helping people manage their weight because the added muscle helps increase metabolism. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat and other tissues; therefore, the more muscle you can add, the higher your metabolism will be to burn calories.

112.   Another technique to break through a plateau is interval training. This is a type of training that includes bursts of high intensity periods followed by lower intensity recovery times. You may also need to change your workout routine, at least, every 4-6 weeks. The human body is an amazing piece of machinery, capable of adapting to just any circumstance or stimulus. By shaking things up a bit and varying your programme by introducing some new element, you are likely to find yourself off the plateau and back on the road to weight loss progress in no time.

 Exercise Risks

113.   Be aware of the following risks during exercise: –

• Planter Fascitis – This, also known as “arch pain”, is sometimes caused by frequent stress on the bottom of the foot, in a cardio routine. When the plantar fascia, a supportive band of tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot becomes inflamed, pain on the bottom of the foot results.
• Dehydration – This is a condition in which, the body, or certain body tissues, suffer from depletion of water. The results are discomfort and sometimes cracking of the skin (unless it is protected by natural lubrication or lotions) and increased susceptibility of the respiratory systems to infections.

Exercise Precautions

114.   Pay attention to the following precautions: –

• Keep Hydrated – One of the most important principles to follow is to drink enough water. Your body depends on water to sustain many chemical reactions and to maintain correct body temperature. Sweating during exercise depletes body’s water reserves and can lead to dehydration and other complications, if fluids are not replaced.
• Start Slowly – Build up your activities and your level of effort gradually.
• Do Stretching, Warming Exercises – Stretching promotes flexibility. Make sure you always do warming exercises before workouts to prevent injury and soreness.
• Pay Attention to Breathing – The rule for breathing is to exhale during muscle exertion and inhale during relaxation. Breathing-in can be done through nose and breathing-out through the mouth.
• Don’t hang about in the Gym for long – Time and intensity are inversely proportional. If you work harder, you don’t need to work as long. If you know, you have 40 minutes to get through, you can focus, give it your best effort and be done before you know it. If you are there for hours in the gym you may workout your jaw muscles more in the canteen!
• Hire a Personal Trainer – Hiring a personal trainer might be expensive but your health is priceless. Seeing a trainer even once a week can help to keep you accountable, measure your progress, help you establish new goals and attain your dream body.

 SURGERY / DRUGS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

115.   Some of the morbidly obese people, who do not care to get rid of the fat through naturo-food therapy and exercise, opt for quick but very costly and risky fat removing surgical methods. One such method is “liposuction”, also known as “lipoplasty” – a cosmetic surgery in which localised areas of excess fat are removed from subcutaneous tissues through a metal cannula with side holes connected to a high pressure vacuum. Though fat reduction by liposuction is instant, but this is short-lived as the causes of obesity still persist. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine explains that having kilos of fat removed from the belly surgically only makes you look slimmer; it does not protect you from heart disease and diabetes – both of which are fat-related. The study found that the surgery only removed belly fat, leaving untouched a deeper layer of viceral fat found outside the abdominal wall and around the organs. The secretions from the viceral fat go directly to the liver and may interfere with the roles liver plays in helping regulate levels of glucose and cholesterol in the blood.

116.   Another surgical method used is stomach stitching or gastric banding in which a silicon band is fitted around the uppermost part of the stomach, creating a smaller pouch. This new stomach can only hold smaller amounts of food and creates a long-lasting feeling of fullness, which means you can’t consume very much, digest more slowly, thus losing weight. But this may deprive the body of essential nutrients due to inadequate intake of food. One other technique to reduce the stomach capacity is the introduction of gastric balloons in the stomach. The weight loss with this technique is low and there is a significant risk of gastric mucosal ulcers. Jaw wiring also often results in weight loss as the patient’s food intake reduces and many foods are restricted due to the loss of chewing capacity. However, the weight loss due to jaw wiring cannot be sustained after the removal of wires.

117.   To some people anti-obesity or weight loss drugs / pills, now available over the counter, may seem an easy and convenient way of shedding the extra kilos in conjunction with diet control and regular exercise. The drugs either block the absorption of fat and carbohydrates or act on the brain to reduce appetite. Most of them can have harmful side-effects such as psychological, memory loss, dizziness, high BP, irritability and nervousness, nausea, fatigue, tremors, headaches, bloating and palpitations, insomnia, dryness and even can induce allergies and cause heart attacks in some cases. One anti-obesity drug “orlistat”, which reduces the body’s ability to absorb dietary fat, is known to deplete vitamins A, D and E.

118.   Naturo-food therapists and nutritionists strongly feel that surgery and drugs to reduce weight should be a strict no-no. There is no quick-fix for a complex problem as obesity. Long term gradual weight loss through natural means of lifestyle and dietary changes coupled with suitable regular exercise can be more healthy and permanent. Actor Akshay Kumar’s muscular and lean body is the result of consuming the right natural foods and doing intense workouts. If Adnan Sami; singer, can lose more than 127 kilos in one year through natural means, so can you! Long term and permanent weight loss is about lifestyle and dietary changes. So heed the writing on the wall; dependence on surgery or anti-obesity drugs is not such a good idea.

METABOLISM AND WEIGHT

What is Metabolism?

119.   Metabolism is the process of transforming food stuffs into tissue elements and into energy for use in the growth, repair and general function of the body. It is the metabolic rate that influences your energy level, your mood and exactly how quickly you gain or lose weight.

120.   Your body burns calories to provide three main functions: –

 (i)      Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – This is the amount of energy / calories required when the body is at complete rest – even when you are lying down doing nothing – to maintain vital body functions such as breathing, heart beat, muscle tone, maintaining body temperature etc. BMR accounts for 60-70% of the calories burnt for an average person. High BMR is a major factor in maintaining ideal healthy weight. To roughly calculate BMR calories multiply the body weight in Kilos by 22.

(ii)     Activity – This is the energy used doing movement and exertion – from lifting your arm to operate the remote control to doing housework, walking and exercising. The calories burnt depend upon how active or passive lifestyle you have. The activity level calories roughly are 30% of BMR for inactive persons, 50% of BMR for average activity and 75% of BMR for strenuous activity.

(iii)    Dietary Thermogenesis – This is food induced heat production – the calories burnt in the process of eating, digesting, absorbing and assimilating food in the body. Digestive calories will be about 10% of both BMR and activity level calories. Also if you drink two litres of iced water a day, your body will burn 100 calories just heating the water to normal body temperature.

          Example – For a person weighing 60 kilos with average level of activity the guideline daily calories will be: –

1,320 (BMR calories 60 x 22) + 660 (50% of BMR for activity level) + 198 (10% of BMR and activity level calories for thermogenesis) = 2,178 calories.

 How to Improve Metabolism?

121.   Whether you are trying to lose extra kilos or compensating for the inevitable slowing down of the metabolic rate that comes with age or simply you want to remain hale and hearty, the following are some surefire ways to boost your metabolism to keep your energy pulsating and your body in shape. The more of these ways you are able to incorporate into your lifestyle, the more you will boost your metabolism. So bring discipline to your lifestyle, get rid of negativity, have positive attitude and bounce back with high spirits and vibrant energy with these health-giving tips: –

(i)      Never Skip Breakfast – Breakfast breaks the fast after about 10 hours or more since your last meal and sleep. Your stomach and spleen are at their strongest first thing in the morning. Eating substantial healthy breakfast improves your metabolism as much as 25%. On the other hand, if you skip breakfast or just have tea / coffee and a light bite, your body thinks it is “famine” and its natural reaction, as protective mechanism is to completely shut down your metabolism or slow it down to a crawl in an attempt to preserve whatever fuel reserves it contains for the future “famine”. Since basal or resting metabolic rate accounts for 60-70% of energy expenditure, it is clearly the largest form of energy expenditure to maintain healthy weight. Those who skip breakfast are also the ones likely to develop high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood sugar problems linked to diabetes and heart diseases. Eating breakfast has been proven to improve concentration, problem solving abilities, mental performance, memory and mood, besides good health. So make it a point to eat “breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper”. A healthy and fulfilling breakfast should provide your 25-30% of daily nutrient needs to keep you healthy and bubbling with energy. This will also provide you the nutrient boost and will banish your cravings to binge on high calorie weight promoting foods in the latter part of the day, which happens if you skip breakfast. So, if you have been skipping breakfast, start eating from now on, even when you don’t feel hungry. It will take you about 3 weeks to reset your hunger clock, once you begin.

(ii)     Avoid Fasting and Feasting – Eat Frequently – Long gap between meals is the next biggest destroyer of metabolism. There is some evidence to suggest that eating small, more frequent meals keeps the metabolism on the right path i.e. burning calories faster than large, less frequent meals. The more frequently you eat, the more frequently your metabolism will get a boost. There are two reasons why meal frequency may improve metabolism. Firstly, the levels of thyroid hormones begin to drop within hours of eating a meal which slows metabolism. Secondly, it may be that thermogenic effect of eating several small meals is higher than eating the same amount of calories at once. So it is better to eat 5-6 small meals in a day, instead of 2-3 big meals. Also severely restricting your food intake for several hours to reduce weight is crazy as it slows metabolism. Recent studies show that eating smaller meals every 2½ – 3 hours aids metabolism and weight loss.

(iii)    Munch Healthy Snacks – If you can’t avoid 2-3 large meals, the next best thing is to munch a carrot or an apple or anything healthy and nutritious between meals. Snacking prevents you from becoming too hungry. The hungrier you are, the less control you have over what and how much you eat. Also it will keep your energy / sugar levels stable.

(iv)    Eat Light Dinner Early – Research has proved that you can lose weight simply by eating a substantial breakfast, a moderate lunch and light dinner. It is best to eat your dinner at least 2½ – 3 hours before your bed time to enjoy good sleep and store less calories.

(v)     Eat More Plant-Based Food – Of the three major macro-nutrients; protein, carbohydrates and fat; protein requires the most energy to digest. Hence, it is less likely to be stored as fat and will help you build metabolically active muscle mass. Carbohydrates from whole grains also use more energy for digestion, boosts metabolism and have fewer calories for the same weight of fat.

 (vi)    Drink a Cup or Two of Green Tea or Coffee – Coffee and tea (especially green) are known to boost metabolism. However, never overdo on caffeine because of its undesirable side effects also. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee, hence green tea is known to stimulate metabolism longer and more effectively than coffee.

(vii)   Include Herbs and Spices in the Diet – Herbs and spices stimulate the rate at which food is broken down and promote weight loss. There is evidence that spices, especially chilies, can raise the metabolic rate considerably for up to 3 hours after you have eaten a moderately spicy meal.

(viii)  Ditch Sugar – Sugar is zero-nutrient and high empty calories. When you eat sugar or foods laden with sugar, you throw your metabolic switch into fast fat storage mode.

(ix)    Drink Water – Drink at least 8-10 glasses (2½ – 3 litres) of water/liquid at regular intervals throughout the day. Your metabolism needs plenty of water to function properly. Staying well hydrated is essential to flushing the body of toxic waste products that are released when fat is burnt.

(x)     Avoid Alcohol – It is loaded with calories, it suppresses metabolism and stimulates appetite, all of which promote weight gain leading to obesity.

(xi)    Build Muscles – Muscle tissue largely determines your metabolic rate. It is the single most important predictor of how well you metabolise your food, how well you burn calories and body fat. Your muscle tissue uses 16-22% of your daily calories just to exist. So smarter up and increase the muscle mass in your body with moderate strength training exercises. Toned muscles send your metabolism through the roof and your metabolism stays pumped up for many hours after you finish your workout. For every extra ½ kilo of muscle, your body uses up to 60 extra calories a day on average. This is because muscle is metabolically active and burns more calories than other body tissues even when you are not moving.

(xii)   Do Aerobic Exercises – Your metabolic rate is directly related to the intensity of exercise you perform. Remember, if you are not getting tired after your brisk walk or any other exercise, then you are fooling yourself into thinking that you are doing the right thing. You have to push yourself and come out of the comfort zone to get results by exercising at 60-80% of your maximum heart rate (220 – age).

(xiii)  Get Active and Fidget More – A recent study found that one of the biggest determinants of who is overweight and who is skinny was their level of fidgeting and routine activity. Leaner subjects burnt 350 calories a day more than obese subjects, simply because obese were more inert, sluggish and slow with sedentary lifestyle. Be aware of this fact and adopt the hard way to do things, i.e. take every opportunity to shift, move and keep fidgeting. A few ideas for burning calories are: – stand rather than sit; tap your feet; swing your legs; drum with fingers; stand up and stretch; move your head from side to side; change position; pace up and down, use stairs more than lifts; walk or cycle than using a car for local shopping etc. etc.

(xiv)   Adopt Walk Therapy – In addition to your regular aerobic or strength training exercises, take a 10-15 minutes brisk walk at lunch time and / or after dinner. Walking gives you a shot of natural morphine, endorphin, which is responsible for that “feel good” effect, you experience every time you walk. Doctors think it is an alternative form of medicine which helps increase heart rate and skin response such as sweating. Walking, in addition to burning calories and improving metabolism, makes you feel nice, puts you in a positive state of mind and helps you think clearly.

(xv)    Avoid Stress and Learn to Relax – Stress can actually cause weight gain, particularly around the tummy. Physical and emotional stress activates the release of cortisol, a steroid that slows metabolism. Yogic or simple exercises, meditation, music, body massage and laughter will help you get rid of stress and achieve calmer disposition.

(xvi)   Avoid Pills, Powders and Fad Dieting – These are promoted for weight loss through advertisements and should be avoided at all costs. There are no quick fixes and in the long term these miracle potions wreak havoc with your metabolism. Depending on your body structure / weight, never eat less than 1000-1200 calories through balanced nutritious food intake necessary to support your basal metabolic rate. Anything less than that will slow your metabolism.

 Laughter – The Best MEDICINE for Healthy Living

122.   Readers Digest slogan – “Laughter is the Best Medicine” is more than true, after all. If not a panacea for all ailments, it is certainly a good preventative measure that also makes you feel great. Research, the world over, has proved that health and happiness go hand in hand. Humour and positive attitude to life is health – the happier you are, the healthier you are. You need to laugh enough naturally or as learned behaviour to release natural pain killers and feel good hormones (endorphins) and to reduce stress hormone cortisol levels to stay healthy.

123.   Like exercise, a hearty laugh (laughtercising) releases and tones the facial and other muscles, improves oxygen uptake at both the cellular and organ level and improves respiration, makes blood less stickier due to reduced levels of fibrinogen which improves blood circulation and keeps your heart in shape and blood pressure in check – all this can make you look younger and live longer.

124.   Laughter also bolsters your immune system and suppresses stress hormones by producing enough antibodies in the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory passages. Funnily, but truly, even the anticipation of watching a humourous video can raise levels of immune boosting hormones in the blood and the benefits can last up to a day. Researchers have proved that energetic, happy and relaxed people are less likely to catch a cold than those who are depressed, angry and nervous. Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain to enhance learning.

125.   The idea that humour is healthy and that a hearty laugh can make a person feel better has gained much more medical respectability in the last 2 decades. Humour therapy is now used extensively in Yoga and other alternative therapies. The fun frolic and childist attitude generated by laughter not only reduces inhibitions but also curtails tensions. Humour / laughter is now often an essential part of the physiotherapy given to heart and other patients. The laughter acts as an exilir to soothe pain and aids faster recovery of ailing persons.

126.   Laughtercising, according to scientists and dietitians, not only exercises muscles of the stomach but emphatically helps burn calories and shed excess fat. So laughing yourself skinny is no joking matter. Laughter is equivalent to jogging and massaging of the best kind for inner organs of the body. Proof of this is in the ever increasing number of thousands of laughter clubs worldwide. As a testimony to the homage the world pays to healing powers of laughter, May 1^st is celebrated as a “World Laughter Day” every year.

127.   A study has shown that on average a toddler laughs dozens of times a day as compared to a few times for adults. This is a shame because laughter has numerous psychological, physiological and therapeutic benefits. Positive emotions like laughter put a new life into body’s healing mechanism and make it stronger and resilient. When we laugh together, it can bind us closer together instead of pulling apart and thus connect socially; our work, marriage and families all need humour and light moments.  So why not double or treble your laughs to 30 or 45 or even more a day! It does not cost anything!

128.   According to Osho, “laughter is spiritual and a prayer. In laughter, the noise of the mind stops for a few precious moments, allowing us to experience mindlessness or meditation, however fleetingly. Laughter is the highest religious quality and seriousness a sickening of the soul. Unburden yourself with laughter.”

129.   Khushwant Singh, writer, says that “you should have a sense of humour and the ability to laugh (at any age) at other people’s foibles as well as your own. You will find lots of things about people which are comic, funny and will provoke laughter. Try it out. It will be good for your health.”

Caution – Persons who are predisposed to asthma may trigger attacks with emotions attached to hearty laughter.

 ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS FOR GOOD HEALTH

130.   Food contains substances which nourish the body for growth and development. These substances are classified into six groups. These groups are (i) proteins, (ii) carbohydrates, (iii) fats/oils, (iv) vitamins, (v) minerals and (vi) water. Of these six, first three groups (called macronutrients) i.e. proteins, carbs and fats/oils provide energy for the body in the form of calories. The remaining three i.e. vitamins, minerals and water, are essential for the body to use the macronutrients properly and to maintain the metabolism and the immune systems.

 Proteins

131.   Like carbohydrates and fats/oils, proteins are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but they also contain nitrogen and sulphur. All proteins are made up of amino acids. There are about 20 amino acids; 11 of them can be made in the body. 9 others, called “essential amino acids” that cannot be produced in the body, must be supplied by food. The proteins in food are sometimes classified as “complete” or “incomplete” proteins. A complete protein is one that contains all nine essential amino acids. Generally foods that come from animal products contain complete proteins. Most proteins that come from plant sources are incomplete.

132    Protein makes up about 15% of the mass of the average person. The basic structural unit of protein is the amino-acid. If you do not have enough protein, you can’t build muscle mass. The body needs to break protein down to amino acids to build muscles. Protein is required for the growth, maintenance and repair of all body tissues and for the formation of enzymes and hormones that regulate body processes. Much of the fabric of our body – muscles, tissues, cartilage, ligaments, skin, nails and hair – is constructed from the large protein molecules. In addition to these large-scale structures that hold us together, smaller protein molecules play a vital role in keeping our body working properly. Enzymes, haemoglobin, hormones, antibodies (to resist disease and fight infections) are all examples of the less obvious smaller proteins. The protein in the food we eat is the main source of the chemical building blocks we need to build our own protein molecules. Proteins should make up about 10% of the daily calorie intake for adequate nutrition. On average, most individuals get about 15% of their daily calories from protein, more than enough to meet basic physiological needs of maintenance of tissue and repair functions. Protein tends to make people feel fuller and less hungry, it improves cholesterol and triglyceride levels and burns more calories in digestion.

133.   Meat, Chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products have complete protein needed by the body. But these are not the best sources as the liver finds it harder to digest all that fat as well as the antibiotics and other chemical hormones used in raising and fattening of animals. These chemical hormones along with excess fat in meats can trigger weight gain. If you are non-vegetarian, avoid red meat and go for lean meat such as turkey / chicken and oily fish. Also choose low fat dairy products – so you get the protein and not the fat. Plant foods like wholegrains, beans, legumes, sprouted grains / seeds, nuts in moderation and green leafy vegetables are cheaper and healthier sources of protein. Plant-based proteins are easy to breakdown in the body but they are incomplete proteins. To create a complete protein from plant sources, combine foods from at least two of the following three groups at a single meal.

           Legumes including dry beans, peas, soyabeans, tofu, peanuts, peanut butter.

Grains including wholegrains (barley, oats, rice, wheat, rye), corn, pasta.

Nuts, Seeds including almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.

134.   A dieting protein deficiency can have a profound effect on the body; wasting of body tissues, fatty liver, diminished immune response, weakness, loss of vigour, and a host of other metabolic and physiologic complications.

135.   Although protein is vital for our health and well-being, eating too much is not good for you as the body cannot store the protein it does not immediately need. Instead the liver converts excess protein into glucose and toxins, which increase your risk of poor health and weight gain. High protein diets, suggested by some nutritionists e.g. Atkins Diet, should be avoided as they put a strain on your liver and kidneys and contribute to artery diseases and bone loss. The key to good health is to choose lean protein sources, or those rich in healthy fats (such as fish, nuts and soya), to avoid starchy or sugary foods and those high in saturated fat.

Carbohydrates

136.   The carbohydrate name is derived from the chemical elements in it i.e. carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. In fact the oxygen and hydrogen in carbohydrates are in the same proportion as found in water. Therefore, we get the name carbo (carbon) and hydrate (water).

137    Carbohydrates are one of the least expensive chief natural fuel for our body i.e. energy giving foods for the brain, mood, attitude and nervous system, which on absorption are converted into blood glucose in the body. These are starches, sugars and fibres that derive mainly from plants.

138.   Carbohydrates, gram for gram, have less than half the calories of fat. Your body needs carbohydrates to burn the fat you eat. Carbohydrates speed up the metabolism enough to use most, if not all, of the calories you take in from the carbohydrates. But any extras you don’t burn, your body breaks down and stores as fat. 100 grams of excess carbohydrates translates into 30 grams of body fat. Fortunately, a fourth of their extra calories get used up in the fat storage process. On the other hand, you burn up almost no calories in storing excess fat calories than you do from an equal number of extra carbohydrate calories. Most nutritionists advise to aim for about 50-60% of your total daily calories intake from carbohydrates, (of which no more than 10% should come from simple sugars) mainly from plant-based foods and skimmed milk.

139.   There are two kinds of carbohydrates, complex and simple – a healthy diet contains a lot more of the first kind than the second: –

(i)      Complex Carbohydrates – These are also referred to as “slow” carbohydrates because they release sugars for metabolising into the blood slowly enough to keep the energy levels stable. You get these important starches and fibre from wholegrains, pulses, legumes, beans and vegetables.

(ii)     Simple Carbohydrates – These are also referred to as “fast” carbohydrates because they boost the energy level fast and quickly. You get these in milk, fruits, juices, refined sugar and starches.

 Glycemic Index

140.   Another way to categorise foods is according to their glycemic index (G.I.) i.e. low glycemic index or high glycemic index, which roughly equates to complex or simple carbohydrates respectively. G.I. ranks foods based on the effect they have on blood sugar level. G.I. uses a scale from 0-100 and usually uses glucose with G.I. value of 100 as a reference point. Foods that have only a small effect on the rise of blood sugar have a “low G.I.” value, while those causing a rapid and massive rise in blood sugar followed by a dramatic fall have a “high G.I.” value.

141.   Low G.I. Foods – Foods with low G.I. also known as “slow” foods, are digested slowly and converted into glucose more gradually, resulting in less hormone insulin being secreted, greater satiety (you feel fuller and longer with less food cravings) and likelihood of more efficient weight loss or no increase in weight. However, some foods which have low G.I. but are high in fat, e.g. whole milk, crisps, chocolates should still be limited to avoid weight gain. Wholegrain foods, less sweet fruits and vegetables with low G.I. are also rich in nutrition because of their high fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and low sugar content.

142.   Low G.I. foods include unrefined whole foods with minimal or no processing like wholegrains and cereals; legumes; beans; pulses; lentils; whole wheat flour and bread; brown rice; corn; less sweet fruits like apples, pears, papaya, oranges, grapefruit, guavas, bananas, strawberries; jamuns; lemons; most vegetables including sweet potatoes, yams, bitter gourd, green leafy vegetables; fish; skimmed milk and low fat yoghurt. Some dietitians are of the view that foods like celery, cucumber and lettuce have negative calories i.e. may burn up more calories in digesting them than you gain from them.

143.   High G.I. Foods – Foods with high G.I. also known as “fast” foods are broken down to form glucose rapidly providing a quick energy fix and a peak in blood sugar level. This peak in blood sugar level causes the release of large amounts of the hormone insulin which encourages the body to store fat. Moreover, higher the peaks and troughs of insulin levels, the more we tend to eat and thereby gain weight.

144.   High G.I. (fast foods) include refined cereals like white flour starch and its products such as white bread, biscuits, cakes, croissants, doughnuts; refined breakfast cereals like cornflakes, polished rice; sugar and foods high in sugar like cookies, pastries, jams, ice-cream, alcohol, sports drinks, colas and fizzy drinks; fried foods rich in fat and oils like burgers, pizzas, potato chips and crisps, samosas and pakoras; packaged and tinned meals, noodles, soups, ready to eat snacks, pretzels, namkeen; packaged and fresh fruit juices; fruits high in sugar like dates, mangoes, grapes and dried fruits; high starch vegetables like potatoes, parsnips.

145.   It is important to remember that processed and refined foods are mostly devoid of lot of the nutrients and fibre. A diet rich in high G.I. i.e. fast foods causes insulin resistance (Syndrome X) and can result in obesity followed by Type-II diabetes and associated disorders. But not everyone has the same response to every food – so it is important to figure out your own G.I. response.

146.   Research indicates that a diet made up of many suitable low G.I. foods can be a healthy way to lose weight permanently by reducing food cravings, delayed hunger, more energy and a lower risk of certain diseases. The best diet approach for the obese is a balanced diet of suitable fresh fruits and raw vegetables, small amount of protein especially vegetable protein; and unaltered, unrefined high fibre carbohydrates including sprouted grains. Avoid energy-rich foods made from white starch using excess sugar and fat.

Fats and Oils

147.   Fat is the most concentrated form of energy in food. Along with carbohydrates, fat is an important fuel for the body, yielding 9 calories per gram. One table spoon contains about 13½ grams of fat or 120 calories. Like carbs, fat also consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but these elements are arranged differently. Fat in the diet belongs to a class of compounds called lipids. Lipids in moderation are essential for good health. Many hormones including the sex hormones, are made from lipids.

148.   Fats and Oils are required by the human body for many functions – as part of cell membranes, hormones and as part of biological messengers. It is also part of skin and tissue and nerve endings. Fat takes a longer time to digest than either carbs or protein, and it therefore contributes to that sense of fullness that lasts for several hours after a meal. Besides staving of hunger, fat helps in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K and cartenoids, which are essential for better vision, strong bones, healthy heart and quick blood clotting. When eaten in moderation, fat is an important energy source for growth, development and maintenance of good health. Oils which are cold pressed are healthy since they have heart-friendly antioxidants. When any type of oil is heated beyond the smoking point, it undergoes harmful structural changes and is unhealthy, so deep frying is toxic for the body. Research from Spain shows that cooking oils get worse for your heart the more often it is reused. More than three repeated heatings of oil produces dangerous levels of harmful compounds.

149.   The body has a tendency to resist using its stored fat reserve for energy unless absolutely necessary as it sees stored fat as a fuel which should only be used in emergencies. Because the body does not recognise the fat in food as energy for immediate use, it does not tell the brain to cut hunger signals, so we go on eating and wanting more. That is why moderation is the key word when consuming foods laden with fats and oils.

150.   Fats are categorised as saturated and unsaturated due to the difference in their chemical structure, which affects their physical state at room temperature and their fate in the body: –

(i)      Saturated Fats – Also called saturated fatty acids (SFA), are largely found in animal products such as butter, ghee, milk, cheese, meats, lard, dripping and also in coconut and palm oils. Other oils can become saturated partially or completely when hydrogenated. SFAs are known to increase the low density lipoprotein (LDL) i.e. bad cholesterol.

(ii)     Unsaturated Fats are divided into polyunsaturated and monounsaturated: –

 (A)     Polyunsaturated Fats – Also called polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are largely found in corn oil, cottonseed oil, groundnut oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, soya oil and oily fish or fish oil. PUFAs can help lower bad cholesterol LDL but also lowers high density lipoprotein (HDL) i.e. protective and good cholesterol required for declogging of arteries. However, Omega-3 and 6 fats also called essential fatty acids (EFA) are a particular protective type of polyunsaturated fats found in plants (except palm and coconut oil) and fish oil, which prevent blood clotting and help reduce harmful triglyceride levels.

(B)     Monounsaturated Fats – Also called monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), are largely found in rice bran oil, mustard oil, olive oil, canola oil, sesame oil, almond oil, walnut oil. MUFAs can help lower bad cholesterol LDL and helpfully do not lower good cholesterol HDL.

Hydrogenation of Oils

151.   Hydrogenation of vegetable liquid oils by the junk food industry turns them into solid more dangerous fats – called Trans Fats. Trans fats are used by the food industry because they make the food, such as biscuits, cakes, cookies, French fries, crisps, noodles, namkeens etc., have better flavour and taste and above all increase the shelf life. This may be profitable commercially for the food industry and have helped junk food market to explode, but it wreaks havoc with the health. Consumption of trans fats – also called trans fatty acids (TFA) raises levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), reduces good cholesterol (HDL) and increases the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, which is a powerful indicator of coronary heart disease risk. Heating oils to high temperatures, and deep frying changes them into TFAs.

152.   TFAs have been implicated as causative or exacerbating factors for a multiplicity of lifestyle diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, obesity, diabetes, immune problems etc. etc. TFAs can cause you to gain weight as they interfere with the metabolism and breakdown of EFAs. It is a pity that extremely harmful foods loaded with TFAs are aggressively marketed with eye-catching and misleading labels, such as cholesterol free, low fat, low in saturated fat, light, sugar free, 100% natural, no animal fat etc.

153.   More alarmingly, children consuming higher amounts of TFAs in the junk diets may be increasingly likely to develop allergic diseases such as asthma, hay fever and eczema, according to a study published in the medical journal “Allergy”. Yet, despite the danger, it is a Herculean task especially for younger people – whose new age nutritional regimes are rapidly being Americanised – to avoid TFAs, since a great number of processed, refined junk foods contain them. As a thumb rule, 5 grams of TFAs a day will raise the risk of heart attack by 25%. Be warned! A portion of fast food French fries contains 6.8 grams of TFAs!

154.   We should totally refrain from consuming foods containing TFAs which produce harmful free radicals. We should consume other fats in moderation and less of SFAs & more of MUFAs & PUFAs. But remember, if you eat too much fat of any kind, you can ruin your chances of ditching the extra baggage. One gram of fat has 9 calories, no matter what the source. Some naturo-food therapists believe that no “visible” fat (animal or plant-based) is necessary if you eat a variety of wholegrains, fruits and vegetables, beans, pulses and non-fat dairy products and you will get more than enough “invisible” fat to satisfy your body’s need for EFAs. For example, chick peas contain 4.5% oil. Even onions and celery contain some fat.

155.   To stay healthy, eat the whole foods, not its oil; corn not corn oil; olives rather than olive oil; soyabean products instead of soyabean oil. As a bonus, when you eat the whole food, you get all the vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytochemicals that Nature pairs with the “good” fats.

156.   Cholesterol – Cholesterol is a fat like substance which is mainly made in the body by the liver from saturated fats in food. Very little cholesterol is found in foods, except for eggs, liver and kidneys which contain some cholesterol. Cholesterol is part of the membrane around the cells, and provides some protective covering to nerve fibres in the body. Cholesterol plays a vital role in how every cell wall works throughout the body. It is also the material which the body uses to make other vital chemicals, like sex hormones, vitamin D and bile salts which are used in the digestion of lipids – name for all the fatty substances in the blood including HDL, LDL and triglycerides.

157.   Cholesterol has a special “transport system” for reaching all the cells, which need it. It uses the blood circulation as the “road system” and is carried on “vehicles” made up of proteins. These combinations of cholesterol and proteins are called lipoproteins. There are two main kinds of lipoproteins; (i) Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL – also referred to as bad cholesterol) which carries cholesterol and other fats from the digestive system through the blood/liver to the body’s cells for cell processes and (ii) High Density Lipoprotein (HDL – also referred to as good cholesterol because it is thought to provide some protection against heart disease) removes cholesterol from the circulation in the blood by returning the extra cholesterol that is not needed back to the liver.

158.   The fatty substance called “atheroma” develops when excess bad LDL is chemically changed (a process known as oxidation) and is taken up by the cells in the coronary artery walls where the narrowing process of blood vessels begins. Eventually if there is too much bad cholesterol in the blood, it can clog the arteries and restrict the supply of oxygenated blood supply to the heart, resulting in heart attack.

159.   The most common cause of high blood cholesterol levels in people is too much fat in the diet. Saturated fat in the diet is thought to cause the increase in cholesterol levels by affecting the LDL cholesterol absorbed by the liver. Therefore dietary guidelines suggest reducing the intake of foods that are high in saturated fats to help lower cholesterol levels. The other root causes of high cholesterol are obesity, diabetes, stress, anxiety, thyroid imbalances, hereditary condition or addictions such as drugs, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine.

Vitamins and Minerals for Weight Loss

160.   The body’s weight-related functions, like appetite, hunger, metabolic rate, metabolism of fats and sugars, blood-glucose levels, calorie-burning, et al. operate more efficiently when we have an optimum intake of minerals and vitamins. But if you have been on a yo-yo diet for many years, it is likely that you are deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals, which are necessary in maintaining optimum health and weight. Try incorporating the specific foods mentioned under Vitamins & Minerals below in your diet.

Vitamins

161.   Vitamins are compounds that help regulate certain chemical reactions in the body. Though vitamins do not supply energy, they are essential for good health. The only vitamins the body can make are Vitamins D and K. Vitamins are grouped into two categories – (i) fat-soluble that dissolve in fat and can be stored in body fat and (ii) water-soluble that dissolve in water and cannot be stored as excess vitamins are excreted in the urine. Fat soluble vitamins include Vitamins A, D, E and K. Water Soluble Vitamins include B group Vitamins and Vitamin C and you must have consistent source of these to prevent deficiency diseases. The most important vitamins for weight loss are: –

(i)      Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) – Needed to release energy from fats, proteins and carbohydrates so that it can be used by the body. Good food sources of Vitamin B1 include legumes,  wholegrain foods, fortified cereals, nuts, pork and liver.

(ii)     Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – Needed for normal thyroid function and metabolism. Good food sources of Vitamin B2 include milk, liver and kidney, almonds, hard cheese, eggs, wheat germ, dried beans and leafy green vegetables.

(iii)    Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – Like B2, vitamin B3 is essential for normal thyroid hormone production. Vitamin B3 is also part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) which is released every time blood sugar rises. Good food sources of Vitamin B3 include wheat bran, liver, tuna, turkey, chicken, meat, eggs, mackerel, salmon, oats, barley, wheat flakes, cheese, dried fruit, brown rice.

(iv)    Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) – It helps in assisting the process of energy generation and assists adrenal function. Good food sources of Vitamin B5 include liver and kidney, meat, poultry, nuts, wheat flakes, wheat bran, wheat germ, eggs, barley, beans, wholegrain bread and green vegetables.

(v)     Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – Vitamin B6 aids in regulating the production of thyroid hormone and ensures the smooth functioning of your metabolism system. Good food sources of Vitamin B6 include wheat bran, wheat germ, oats, poultry, meat, avocado, bananas, brown rice, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, molasses, eggs.

(vi)    Choline – A member of the Vitamin B complex, Choline is not a real vitamin as it is made in the liver. Choline is needed for efficient fat metabolism. Choline deficiency leads to fats becoming trapped in the liver. Good sources of Choline include egg yolks, wheat germ, cauliflower, cucumber, peanuts.

(vii)   Inositol – Inositol is a member of the Vitamin B complex and manufactured inside the body. Inositol combines with choline to assist in fat metabolism. Good sources of Inositol include wheat germ, soya, eggs, citrus fruits, wholegrains, nuts.

(viii)  Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) – Vitamin C helps in proper conversion of glucose to energy in the cells. Good food sources of Vitamin C include blackcurrants, broccoli, chillies and green peppers, kiwi, amla, brussel sprouts, lemons, oranges, melons, strawberries, cabbage, green vegetables.

Minerals

162.   Minerals are naturally occuring substances that contribute to the normal functioning of the body. More than 20 minerals are necessary for healthy functioning which are divided into two categories called macrominerals and trace minerals. Former include calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur. Trace minerals include chromium, flourine, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc. Macrominerals are needed in large amounts by the body, and trace minerals are needed in smaller quantities. All minerals are found in nature in combination with other minerals. Their combinations are known as salts. Ordinary table salt is a combination of sodium and chlorine. When salts are in solution, they dissolve to form charged particles that are capable of conducting an electric current. These dissolved salts are called “electrolytes”. Proper electrolyte balance is needed to keep the body’s internal environment stable. The best minerals for weight reduction are: –

(i)           Calcium – Recent clinical studies demonstrate a positive relationship between calcium intake and weight loss. Controlled weight loss studies indicate that increasing calcium intake by the equivalent of two dairy servings per day can reduce the risk of obesity, perhaps by as much as 70 percent. Low-calorie fat-free milk contains even more calcium than full-fat milk. The same goes for low-fat yoghurt and reduced fat cheese.

(ii)         Chromium – It’s needed for metabolism of sugar and without it insulin is less effective in controlling blood sugar levels. This means that it is harder to burn off your food as fuel and more may be stored as fat. It also helps to control levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood. Chromium also helps to control cravings and reduce hunger. Good food sources of chromium include egg yolks, molasses, meat, hard cheese, liver, fruit juices, and wholegrain bread.

(iii)       Zinc – This is an important mineral in appetite control and a deficiency can cause a loss of taste and smell, creating a need for stronger tasting foods (which tend to be sweeter, saltier and more fattening!) Good sources of zinc include shellfish, herring, wheat germ, lean meat, eggs, lentils, brazil nuts, almonds and chicken.

(iv)        Magnesium – Essential for protein synthesis, regulates blood sugar, releases energy from nutrients, increases calcium absorption, helps muscles relax after contraction, and conducts nerve impulses. Many studies show that magnesium also reduces PMS symptoms including cravings for carbohydrates and chocolate. Found in many foods, including fish, milk, green leafy vegetables, nuts, wholegrain breads, and yoghurt.

(v)         Manganese – It helps regulate fat metabolism and blood glucose. It is needed for a healthy thyroid function which itself is essential to maintain a healthy weight. Good food sources of manganese include tea, wheat-germ, spinach, split peas, nuts, oat germ, oatmeal, pineapple, and green leafy vegetables.

Water

163.   Water is rightly termed as nectar or fountain and elixir of life and is an essential compound in your diet. About two-thirds of your body weight is water (65-70% in males, 55-65% in females). The percentage of water in the body depends on the amount of body fat a person has. People with high percentage of body fat have lower percentage of body water than normal. Much of this water is found inside your cells. The remaining water is found in the spaces surrounding cells, and in your blood stream and digestive juices. It is the medium in which most of our bodily functions take place. It is essential for our digestion, absorption and elimination systems. If you don’t drink enough water you can’t get the full benefit of the nutrients in the food you eat. Metabolic processes such as energy production, muscle building and fat burning require water. Water lubricates joints too. Hence taking an insufficient amount of water would deter such biological functions. Drinking adequate amount of water maintains consistency, quality and thinness of blood. Your blood is about 90% water and this is your body’s transport system for transporting nutrients around the body. Adequate amount of water lessens the burden on the kidneys and liver by helping to flush out harmful toxins and waste products. Water rinses cell wastes, blood poisons and environmental pollution. Water helps maintain acidity at proper levels.

164.   Water regulates body temperature. If you don’t drink enough water, you compromise the evaporation process your skin uses to keep you cool. Water will do wonders for your skin too. It flushes out impurities in your skin through sweating, leaving you with a young looking clear and glowing complexion. About 16% of the body’s water is stored in the muscles, which will become soft and flabby if you become dehydrated. Drinking less water can lead to hyper acidity, gas formation and chronic constipation. All these conditions lead to excess pressure on the heart and can develop into serious health problems. Acidity is just the beginning of many bigger problems.

165.   Drinking adequate amount of water prevents fatigue, improves physical performance and blood circulation, enhances the functions of the brain which is about 90% water, prevents headaches and bladder cancer, helps you to stay energised and alert, and reduces the risk of other diseases and infections. Water relieves mild fever, high blood pressure, colds, loss of appetite, gastric troubles etc.

Dehydration

166.   Water is so vital that it is rare to live for more than few days without water, even though you could live several weeks without food. When the amount of water you excrete exceeds the amount of water you take in, you are in a state of dehydration. Dehydration can occur as a result of heavy physical activity, sweating or an illness that includes vomiting, diarrhoea, or fever. Drinking too much alcohol or eating a high protein diet can also cause dehydration. A prolonged state of dehydration can lead to kidney failure and even death. It is especially important to drink enough water if you are trying to lose weight.

Water for Weight Loss

167.   Water is probably the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. If you are serious about becoming leaner and healthier, drinking water is an absolute must. Water has a filling effect so that you don’t overeat. A decrease in water intake may cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce the fat deposits in the body by making kidneys and liver function efficiently. Adequate water intake reduces water retention, helps muscles to contract more easily, thereby making the workout more effective and helps prevent sagging of the skin that often accompanies weight loss. A well hydrated body will have greater level of oxygen in the blood stream and will not only burn more fat but will have more energy because of increased oxygen levels.

How Much Water / Liquid?

168.   You normally, on average, lose equivalent of 7-8 glasses of water through perspiration, urination, defecation and exhaling. To replenish this loss and for other metabolic functions, an average person needs to drink about 2½-3 litres (8-10 glasses) of water/liquid a day; and more if you exercise, drink alcohol (it causes dehydration) or live in a hot climate to compensate for excessive sweating or for excess weight if you are obese. Water should be drunk slowly in sips (not gulped) at small regular intervals throughout the day and not in 2 or 3 sessions. Drink only minimal amount of water after 7 PM if you don’t want to disturb your sleep by rushing to the bath room during the night.

169.   One should not wait until feeling thirsty to drink water. By the time our body sends us the thirst cue, we are already on the pathway to dehydration. One way to determine, if you are getting enough water is to check the colour of your urine. If it is colourless or light yellow, then your water intake is sufficient. If it is medium or dark yellow, more water is required. One very important rule is not to drink water with meals. Drink water about one hour before and after meals. If drunk with meals, it dilutes and drowns your digestive juices / enzymes and only partial digestion takes place. Moreover, excess water taken with meals passes out of the stomach relatively quickly and carries the digestive juices with it and inevitably fermentation and putrefaction follows. Eating and drinking together also leads to bloating.

170.   Caution – For diabetics, who are taking anti-diuretic hormones (ADH), which prevent the body from losing water, the excess water cannot be excreted and the result is water intoxication, which produces symptoms ranging from mild headache to confusion, coma, and seizures. These diabetics, and people with kidney problems, or other conditions where fluid intake needs to be limited, should seek expert advice before trying any new diet, or changing eating and water drinking habits.

SUPER FOODS FOR GOOD HEALTH

Fruits and Vegetables

171.   Liberal intake of fruits and vegetables enhances one’s sense of well-being, while junk food makes one moody and downcast. One of the best ways to increase body’s immunity and thereby avoid or fight disease and enhance your health is to include plenty of nutrient/antioxidant-rich fresh seasonal fruits and raw or steamed vegetables in your diet. If one is unable to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, the next best option is to drink their freshly squeezed juices – but remembering that juicing gets rid of fibre and some nutrients.

172.   Antioxidant vitamins A, C and E in fruits and vegetables mop up excess “free radicals” that attack cells and tissues and are linked to various diseases including heart disease and cancer. Fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with potassium which is excellent for people with high blood pressure.

173.   The alkaline salts present in fruits and vegetables neutalise most stomach acids and thus promote intestinal elimination of toxic wastes. The fibrous matter in fruits and vegetables helps reduce cholesterol and keeps the digestive track running smoothly. As diuretics, the potassium, magnesium and sodium content in fruits and vegetables increases the frequency of urination and at the same time control its density, thus controlling water retention in the body.

174.   With the consumption of fresh fruits and raw/steamed vegetables, the elimination of toxins and cleansing capacity of body’s 24 hour workers, namely liver, kidneys, lungs and the skin, is greatly improved. Almost all the vital nutrients of fruits and vegetables are assimilated directly in the blood stream, thereby affording much needed rest to these 24-hour workers.

Wholegrains

175.   Wholegrains with the husk removed, are the seeds of grasses like wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, buckwheat, millets etc. These have always been a major food source for humans as well as animals. Wholegrains were the first food our ancestors learned to cultivate, marking our transition from hunter-gatherers to agricultural societies. Our ancestors relied heavily on wholegrains because they are excellent food, providing lots of carbohydrates for energy plus protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

176.   Wholegrains contain three components: –

(i)      Bran – Each seed is protected by an outer coating of bran which is rich in fibre.

(ii)     Germ or Embryo – This is the tiny part that becomes a new plant if allowed to sprout. Germ is firmly attached to the bran and contains most of the nutrients including proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals. If the seed is broken open, the germ almost immediately turns rancid i.e. goes bad.

(iii)    Endosperm – This is the largest part of the seed that feeds the embryo on germinating or sprouting. Endosperm is virtually 100% starchy carbohydrates.

Health Benefits of Wholegrains

177.   Wholegrains contain no cholesterol, are very low in fat, high on dietary fibre and complex carbohydrates, provide plant proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Complex carbohydrates help meet energy requirements at a steady pace and proteins are essential for growth and development. The key vitamins and minerals in wholegrains are vitamin E, selenium, zinc, vitamins B including B6 and folic acid which are powerful antioxidants that help in prevention of several diseases, including heart disease. Wholegrains also contain iron, needed for haemoglobin formation. The benefits of wholegrains also come from their numerous non-nutrient components like lignans, tocotrienols, phenolic compounds, phytic acid, tannins and enzyme inhibitors, all of which are lost during the refining process.

 Wholegrains and Blood Sugar

178.   Wholegrains, being complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index, are digested very slowly, thereby maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Unprocessed wholegrains cause blood sugar to rise gently, then drop back down slowly, providing a steady stream of energy over a long time. The many sugars in the fibre are so tightly bound together that they cannot be separated from this parent molecule and therefore cannot be absorbed in the small intestines. They bind to and delay absorption of sugars that are in the intestines at the same time, helps to prevent the steep rises in blood sugar levels that cause ageing and nerve damage.

Eat Wholegrains and Whole Foods

179.   Nowhere in “Nature” do you find sugar or starch without fibre. Do your body a favour and eat mostly foods that have not been refined to remove the fibre and valuable nutrients. The fibre in wholegrains also promotes growth of friendly bacteria or probiotics. With an ever increasing upsurge of obesity, diabetes and heart disease, a diet rich in wholegrains is more important than ever. Children, as a matter of extreme urgency, too must be encouraged to eat wholegrain-based products. Whole foods must be introduced to them early in life as taste preferences are largely established in the first decade of life. If we don’t do this, fast food chains will keep on changing their taste buds to savour their unhealthy junk foods. Let us endeavour to put “Nature” back into our food. This is the only sensible salvation from disease. Healthy eating corrects most disease conditions.

 Sprouts

180.   Sprouts are essentially young living plants germinated from say, nuts seeds, wholegrains, beans, legumes as well as various grasses such as barley or wheat. Sprouts are considered “wonder foods” and “nutritional superstars”. They rank as the freshest and most nutritious of all vegetables available to the human diet. By a process of natural transmutation, sprouted food acquires vastly improved digestibility and nutritional qualities when compared to non-sprouted embryo from which it derives. There is an amazing increase in nutrients in sprouts when compared to their dried embryo. In the process of sprouting, the vitamins, minerals and protein increase substantially with some decrease in calories and carbohydrate content. For example in moong sprouts; calories decrease by 15%, carbohydrates decrease by 9%, protein increases by 30%, calcium or vitamin B1 by 208%, Niacin or vitamin B3 by 256%, vitamin A by 285%, riboflavin or vitamin B2 by 515% and an infinite increase in ascorbic acid or vitamin C.

181.   Sprouts, therefore, contain a high concentrate of antioxidant nutrients that fight against the damage caused by free radicals. Sprouts are also packed with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fibre as well as two anti-ageing constituents – RNA and DNA (nucleic acids) – that are only found in living cells. Sprouts supply food in predigested form, i.e. the food which has already been acted upon by the enzymes and made to digest easily. During sprouting, much of the starch is broken down into simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose by the action of the enzyme “amylase”. Proteins are converted into amino acids and amides. Fats and oils are converted into more simple fatty acids by the action of the enzyme “lipase”. Funnily, during sprouting, the grains / seeds lose their embarrassing gas producing quality!

182.   Thus sprouts are extremely inexpensive, especially for poor people, method of obtaining a concentration of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. They have in them all the constituent nutrients of fruits and vegetables and are “live foods”. Eating sprouts is the safest and best way of getting the advantages of both fruits and vegetables without contamination and harmful insecticides / pesticides, which are virtually eliminated in the sprouting process.

Nuts and Seeds

183.   These should be included in your diet regularly. These contain high levels of essential fatty acids i.e. good mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats. When you eat these good fats in moderation, you won’t put on weight – they can even help you lose excess weight. Nuts and seeds contain a powerhouse of other nutrients also, especially the full profile of amino acids needed to form complete and digestible protein, plus vitamins A, B, C and E and a large number of minerals. Almonds, chestnuts, cashew nuts, brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, are particularly beneficial. Nuts and seeds are so nutrient-dense that you don’t need to eat a lot of them – a teaspoon or two, a day or every other day, would more than do.

 Food Enzymes

184.   Food enzymes – proteins that initiate biochemical reactions in the body in the same way as spark plugs initiate combustion – that remain intact in raw foods are the life force of food that help the digestion process. Fruits, raw vegetables, sprouted grains/seeds all contain live food enzymes. We need an abundant supply of food enzymes to nourish our bodies, provide us with energy and balance our metabolism. Enzymes are released as soon as you begin to chew. These are the essential catalysts for all the chemical reactions in the body – digestion, immunity and all other metabolic and regenerative processes. Without enzymes the body lacks the digestive “spark plugs” to easily break down foods and you would simply cease to function or exist.

Fibre (Roughage)

185.   Dietary fibre, also called roughage, is found in most “whole” plant foods such as grains, pulses, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Meat, fish, poultry, dairy products and refined food products do not have any fibre. Fibre, which does not provide energy (calories), is made up of the indigestible parts of the substances, usually present in the cell walls that give plants their structure and form, which pass almost unchanged through the stomach and intestines.

Types of Fibre

186.   Fibre is actually made up of six different types which are divided broadly into two types: soluble and insoluble, and we need to eat both as part of our daily diets, but for different reasons. Most plant foods contain a mixture of both types: –

 (i)      Soluble Fibre – Soluble fibre, found mainly in plant cells, includes pectins, gums and mucilage. Soluble fibre dissolves easily in water and becomes a soft gel in your intestines. It sops cholesterol and guards against heart and gall bladder diseases and constipation. Good sources of soluble fibre include fruits (apples, guavas, grapes, bananas, apricots, plums, berries, oranges, peaches), vegetables (cabbage, green leafy, carrots, okra / lady finger, green beans), oats, rye, barley, seed husks, flaxseed (alsi), dried beans, lentils, peas, fenugreek (methi), soya milk and soya products.

(ii)     Insoluble Fibre – Insoluble fibre made up of structural part of plant cell walls includes cellulose, hemi-cellular and lignin. Insoluble fibre, as the name implies, remains unchanged, fills you up and it speeds the transit of food through the digestive system to elimination. Thus it guards against diseases of the digestive and waste tract, such as colon cancer, haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, varicose veins and constipation. Good sources of insoluble fibre include fruits (bananas, apples, peaches, pears, strawberries, blue and purple berries); vegetables (leafy greens, cabbage, green beans, carrots, peas, tomatoes, potatoes); wholegrains, wheat, corn and brown rice; dried beans; millets; pulses; nuts; seeds; dried beans; peas.

How much Fibre?

187.   An average adult person should consume about 30-40 grams of total fibre daily. For children over 2 years, the recommended intake is age + 5 grams. A daily intake of more than 30 grams can easily be achieved if you eat wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. However, don’t consume more than 40 grams daily as this decreases absorption of some important minerals, such as iron, zinc and calcium. Remember to drink plenty of water or the fibre may cause constipation instead of relieving it. Also adding too much fibre to your diet too quickly can cause unpleasant effects like gas, bloating, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. Your best bet is to increase fibre intake (i.e. if you are not eating enough already) gradually over a period of time (say 3-4 weeks) to avoid abdominal problems.

Health Benefits of Fibre

188.   Dietary fibre plays an important role in keeping you healthy and protecting against many diseases. If you eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you will get all the fibre you need and all the benefits of fibre. Additionally, you get most of the nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, proteins and fat, which are firmly attached to bran fibre of whole foods. Thus, fibre is considered to be far more beneficial if it is consumed as an integral part of Nature’s nutritious package i.e. whole foods, rather than as bran cereals, bran supplements or fibre containing drinks promoted by profit hungry companies. The main role of fibre is adding bulk to the diet to assist digestion, assimilation and elimination, and help prevent many chronic problems.

189.   Natural fibre-rich foods are almost always low in fat and rich in vitamins, minerals and healthful plant compounds. In any case, a high fibre content of whole foods earns a “gold star” for any food. The optimal amount of fibre from whole foods in your diet has many health benefits. The benefits include weight control, digestive health and mobility, the prevention of some health conditions and improving the nutritional status of the body. Certain kinds of fibre known as prebiotics encourage the growth of healthy bacteria that populate the gut. This not only helps protect the gut from harmful bacteria and other organisms but can improve nutritional status, since the “healthy” bacteria in the bowel can make B-vitamins and vitamin K. They also aid the absorption of calcium and vitamin K – essential for healthy bones. Prebiotic fibre is found in whole wheat, lentils, peas, beans and oats, onions, leaks and artichoke.

190.   Dietary fibre from whole foods plays an important role in keeping one healthy and in protecting against diabetes, heart diseases and cancers. Bumping up the fibre intake in your diet can help you avoid the following ailments or deal with them in a healthy way: –

• Tackles Obesity – Insoluble fibre increases the bulk by soaking up water and soluble fibre mixes with the liquid in the stomach to form a gelatinous mass that reduces appetite and you eat less. Fibre-rich diet of complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index whole foods is processed more slowly which promotes satiety for longer and exhausts hunger. Just be sure to drink plenty of water if you eat fibre-rich whole food diet. What is more, the dietary fibre (soluble and insoluble) is not digested by the gut, so it adds only negligible calories. Thus, eating fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and wholegrains can be a big step in taking off extra weight and in abating and controlling obesity.

• Clobbers Cholesterol and Keeps Cardiovascular Diseases at Bay – This benefit comes from soluble fibre. Studies show that regular intake of foods high in soluble fibre – such as oats, beans and soyabeans – can reduce blood cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption. The soluble fibre, particularly beta-glucan fibre in oats, works by binding digestive bile acids; which are made from cholesterol, and shunting them out of the body before they can be recycled. So the body forces the liver to produce more bile acids for digestion, and to do so it turns to cholesterol in the blood. As bile acids are eliminated, and more cholesterol is used up, it leads to a gradual drop in the cholesterol levels in the blood. Fermentation of the soluble fibre during digestion creates chemicals that may further slow the liver’s production of cholesterol itself. Cereal soluble fibre seems to be more protective against coronary heart disease than the soluble fibre from fruits and vegetables. The good news is that nearly all of the total cholesterol reduction through the consumption of soluble fibre, comes from the bad LDL cholesterol and not the good HDL cholesterol. This means an even better ratio between total cholesterol and HDL, ensuring increased protection against cardiovascular diseases. Even an extra 5 grams of soluble fibre a day for persons not consuming sufficient fibre, lowers the total cholesterol level by 8 points meaning a 12% lower risk of heart attack.
• Defeats Diabetes – Numerous studies have linked fibre, especially the soluble variety, intake to reduced risk of insulin resistance and type-II diabetes. High fibre foods take a long time to digest, thereby helping to delay the absorption of glucose in the small intestine and also slowing the rate of glucose uptake from the small intestine. This means the sugars from the high fibre foods are released slowly into the bloodstream, need less insulin, prevent sharp rises and falls in blood sugar levels and ensures that you have plenty of energy throughout the day. A high fibre, low fat diet is good for the lipid profile and lowers blood sugar and blood cholesterol by an average of 32%.
• Busts Blood Pressure – Researchers have concluded that consumption of 25-30 grams of total fibre everyday lowers both the systolic and dialostic blood pressure, thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Prevents Colon and Rectal Cancers – High fibre (especially insoluble variety) diet defends against colon and rectal cancers in two ways. Firstly, the more bulky, fibre-rich foods people eat, the less unhealthy fat they consume. More animal fat in diet causes higher incidence of bowel cancer. Secondly, a healthy portion of fibre dilutes and speeds cancer causing compounds and toxins out of the digestive system more quickly – before they have a chance to make trouble to the colon walls. There is also evidence that healthy gut flora, encouraged by prebiotic fibre, helps protect against bowel and some other cancers – this may be linked to the production of butyric acid in a healthy gut which has been shown to lower the incidence of cancer cell growth. Fibre is known to reduce bile acids in the intestines, as well as certain bacterial enzymes, both of which are possible cancer promoters.
• Prevents Constipation and Related Diseases – Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal chronic ailment of particular concern to the middle-aged and the elderly, which may lead to severe conditions like high blood pressure, cancers of colon, stomach, pancreas, and breast and prostrate. Gastrointestinal tract is highly sensitive to dietary fibre. Fibre, especially insoluble, adds bulk to your stool by absorbing water in the intestines and making it soft to speed the transit time of undigested wastes and toxins through your lower intestines. This rapid passage prevents constipation, irritable bowl syndrome and other digestive problems. Lack of fibre causes the stool to become small, hard and difficult to eliminate without the intense straining that can cause ailments such as haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, and varicose veins. It is considered that fibre is also a protector against other conditions like gall bladder disease, osteoporosis, hiatal hernia, appendicitis.
• Prevents Hormone Imbalance – Fibre helps to normalise oestrogen levels during menopause and assists in the detoxification of used hormones via the bowel.

Tips to Increase Fibre Intake

191.   The following simple changes in your eating habits will give you all the fibre you need to stay healthy: –

• Consume wholegrains, brown rice, wholegrain cereals and brown bread, dalia, oats instead of white refined foods, refined cereals and white bread.
• Put whole beans, pulses, legumes on your plate rather than meat or chicken which never has any fibre.
• Eat well-washed whole fruits with skin and membranes instead of drinking fibre-deficient fruit juice.
• Eat raw or steamed vegetables with tender skins.
• Add dried fruits, nuts or seeds to yoghurts, salads etc.
• Do not eat any meal without salad.
• Limit or avoid your intake of processed junk foods like chips, chocolates, cakes, pies, pizzas, pastries, ice-cream, burgers, noodles, puddings, cookies, biscuits etc. etc.
• It is important that increase in fibre intake should be accompanied by an increase in water intake.

THREE WHITE POISONS!

192.   Most naturo-foods therapists consider that there are three white poisons (three Ss) namely sugar, salt and starch (maida). The intake of these should be avoided as far as possible.

 Sugar

193.   Sugar is not a natural substance and it is foreign to the body. It is the result of an industrial process that refines sugarcane and sugarbeet with the aid of harmful chemicals which strips off all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other nutrients. So it becomes a pure carbohydrate with zero nutrients and empty calories which induces weight gain and obesity. In the western world consumption of too much sugar is referred to as “suicide with a spoon!” This is how dangerous and deadly it is.

Sugar Mistaken as Food

194.   The biggest reason why sugar does more damage than any other poison, drug or narcotic is, because it is mistakenly considered as food and consumed in vast quantities, not only in tea, coffee, soft drinks, sweets, chocolates, pastries, cakes, biscuits etc. which taste sweet, but also in highly refined and processed foods such as baked beans, bread, breakfast cereals, soups, tomato ketchup, pizzas etc. Shockingly, to give an example, tomato ketchup contains 23% sugar and 300 ml. cola seven teaspoons of sugar.

 Reading Food Labels for Sugar Content

195.   According to the World Health Organisation, consumption of sugar in the UK is about 20 teaspoons per person in a day. However average affluent Indian consumes up to whopping 40 teaspoons in one day – a sure shot recipe for a health disaster. Get smart about reading “nutrition facts” on the labels of the food you buy in the supermarket. Sugar derives in various forms such as sucrose, glucose, syrup, honey, fructose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, sorbitol etc. To determine how much sugar you eat – seven grams of sugar equals one tablespoon of sugar.

 Sugar is Addictive

196.   Children and adults are generally addicted to sugar, having had their first taste in the womb and then usually in their mother’s milk. Due to this, infants generally have a sweet tooth but they should be weaned on to healthy natural savoury snacks / foods rather than sweet ones. White sugar is not a food. It is a chemical whose biochemical makeup is identical to alcohol except for one molecule. It is an addictive chemical drug, which once removed from your diet, can make you experience withdrawal symptoms, as severe as alcohol withdrawal, including tremors, flu like symptoms, headache and mood swings.

 Sugar and Health Problems

197.   Not only sugar is addictive, but also this common product that is believed to be harmless is responsible for many health problems. Excess sugar intake throws your body’s homeostatis (equilibrium) off kilter. Typical problems include: –

• Sugar Cravings and Hypoglycaemia – You will crave sugar if your blood sugar levels are constantly out of balance; if you have nutrient deficiencies, yeast overgrowth; and if you eat a diet high in refined, processed carbs and junky food. Sugar cravings are a sign that you may suffer from hypoglycaemia, causing you to crave even more sugar.

• Excess Weight Leading to Obesity – After eating a sugar-rich meal, the body increases its use of glucose as the major energy source. When the amount of glucose entering the body is more than the requisite quantity to fuel its metabolism, some of the excess is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. The remaining is converted into fat, especially in people already having excess body fat, and this promotes obesity. The added sugar in your diet not only adds inches to your waistline, it also causes secretion of excess insulin that, in large amounts, keeps weight from coming off inspite of a strict diet and exercise.
• Diabetes – Excessive sugar puts stress on the pancreas and can lead to the onset of diabetes or blood sugar irregularities. If there is excess sugar in your blood, your body will try to produce more insulin to transfer it to your cells as energy. As this cycle continues, an insulin resistance (Syndrome X) develops. And when your pancreas can no longer produce enough insulin to push the sugar into your cells, the result is diabetes.
• Depressed Immune System – As sugar has no nutrients, its digestion robs many of your body’s precious resources. Vitamins B and C, chromium, calcium, zinc, magnesium are all needed to digest sugar, which it essentially derives from the body. So the deficiency of these vitamins and minerals depresses the immune system. Sugar causes depletion of white blood cells needed for strong immune function and reduces the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases including common cold and flu.
• Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol – Sugar promotes high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels which are significant factors in cardiovascular diseases. Sugar reduces the helpful HDL cholesterol and elevates the harmful LDL cholesterol. Sugar causes high insulin which triggers the adrenergic (related to adrenalin) roller coaster, and that causes the spasm of coronary arteries, which is the beginning of heart problems. Sugar consumption lowers the body’s resistance to bacteria, viruses and yeasts that may cause inflammation in the heart and arteries. Plus, excess sugar also leads to deficiencies in Vitamin B complex, needed for healthy arteries.
• Endocrine System – Sugar can unbalance the endocrine system, affecting hormone balance and cause harm to liver, adrenal glands and pancreas.
• Fungal Infections – Sugar encourages the growth of fungal infections. Bacteria thrives on sugar and an acidic environment, and the more sugar you consume, the more the acid formation, and thus more the bacteria. Conversely, the more the bacteria, the more the acid produced. So it is a vicious cycle – you create an environment that turns increasingly destructive with time.
• Dental Diseases – Sugar is the leading cause of dental diseases like cavities, bleeding gums and loss of teeth. Eating sugar, bacteria in the mouth and a susceptible tooth surface are all factors that act together to create dental caries and cavities or holes in your set. Saliva has the ability to neutralise acidic environment created by sugar, but it takes the saliva 20 minutes to do this. So it is advisable to rinse your mouth especially after eating sugary or starchy foods.

• Binge Eating and Side Effects – Sugar can trigger binge eating which can cause indigestion, depression, mood swings, headache or migraine, fatigue or chronic tiredness, worsened PMS symptoms, anxiety, irritability, stress and panic attacks.
• Gut Lining – Sugar can penetrate the gut lining more readily than anything else and cause havoc with your body. It creates an imbalance of the flora that lives in the digestive tract which compromises the immune system.
• Ageing and Skin – Rapid rise in blood sugar, mainly due to sugar-rich foods, leads to inflammation, which is the basis of ageing. Also, this causes sugar to attach itself to collagen which makes the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of the skin produces deep wrinkles and makes one look old. Furthermore, the refined sugar has no nutritional value and the body needs to raise its own mineral reserves – including important skin nutrients such as chromium and zinc – to digest it. Dietary sugars have been observed to mess with the symmetry of the skin cells, which leads to increased folding, causing wrinkles and general ageing of the skin.
• Decreased Athletic Performance – High levels of sugar significantly increase blood serum saturated fatty acids, which depresses the oxygen transport system. This delays the delivery of oxygen to the muscle cells and consequently reduces athletic performance.
• Hyperactivity – Excessive intake of sugar or sweet foods, giving immediate boost to the energy level, can cause hyperactivity in about 50% of children. No wonder, children like colas which have abundant supply of sugars in them!
• Other Implications – To scare you even more, excessive sugar consumption has been implicated in gallstones, arthritis, circulatory diseases including asthma, haemorrhoids, varicose veins and even contributing to Alzheimer’s disease.

 

How Much Sugar to Eat?

198.   A wide range of moderate sugar intake is compatible with a balanced diet and sugar must be seen as less important source of carbohydrates. However, there is no need to eat sugar to obtain all the glucose the brain and muscles need. Complex carbohydrate wholegrain foods such as whole meal bread / chapattis, brown rice, legumes, pulses and potatoes will achieve this, while also providing protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and dietary fibre. Nutritious alternatives to surgery snacks include fresh and dried fruits, vegetables like carrot and low-fat dairy products. Honey, although another, but healthy sugar can be sometimes used as an alternative to refined sugar.

Stevia – the Wonder Substitute for Sugar

199.   Many people, particularly diabetic, use artificial sweeteners to reduce their intake of sugar but most of these, such as saccharin, nutrasweet and aspartame, which are just synthetic chemicals, have been controversially linked to health risks and side-effects. Best alternative to sugar is the recently popularised herb “stevia” – not its crystalline extract or tablets but the chopped dried leaves you get from health food stores. Stevia has been termed as the “calorie-free bio-sweetener of high quality without any toxicity or side effects”. Scientific research has indicated that stevia effectively regulates blood sugar and blood pressure. Powder of stevia leaves tastes on average 30 times (depending upon the variety) sweeter than cane sugar or sucrose and has zero calories. It does not cause any insulin response. It is a dream come true for diabetics and those obese and overweight people trying to shed the deadly cargo of fat and of course conscious eaters like you!

Salt

200.   Salt is a mineral compound (sodium chloride) containing two minerals – 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. It is the sodium that is needed by the body. The human body contains about 4 ounces of sodium in fluids that surround the body’s cells, such as blood and lymph fluid. Sweat and tears contain sodium. Without enough of it, muscles would not contract, food not be digested and the heart would not beat. Sodium plays an important role in the regulation of blood pressure and it is essential for overall good health in the required quantity. Sodium acts with other electrolytes, especially potassium, in the intracellular fluid to regulate and maintain proper fluid balance in the body. It is a factor in maintaining the acid base equilibrium in transmitting nerve impulses, and in relaxing muscles. Sodium is also required for glucose absorption and for transportation of other nutrients.

 Downsides of Excess Salt

201.   So much for the benefits and now why it has been included in the “three white poisons” along with sugar and starch (maida). While it is true that some salt is needed for healthy functioning of the body and less importantly to make food palatable, it is also important to know that excess of it can also lead to serious health problems: –

• Water Retention (Oedema) and Weight Gain – When sodium intake exceeds the amount the body can handle, it builds up in interstitial areas and the kidneys have to work extra hard to excrete it. A build up may cause the body to hold extra fluids in the blood and around the cells, which contributes to weight gain and increased blood pressure. Almost all the body’s tissues have plenty of capacity to hold water without looking abnormal but looking fat. Some people mistakenly drink less water to avoid gaining weight. It is strange but the less water you drink, the more of it your body retains. If you are even slightly dehydrated, your body will hang onto its water supplies, and cause water retention and subsequent weight gain. However, the saving grace is that weight gain you experience through consumption of excess salt is fluid gain, it is only temporary. The day to day body weight fluctuations are commonly caused by loss or gain of body fluid. Water retention can also cause bloating, painful swollen joints, puffy eyes and breast tenderness.
• Increased Blood Pressure and Heart Problems – Water retention can cause the blood pressure to increase. Extra retained water, due to excessive salt intake in the blood creates more pressure. To pump the added fluid, the heart has to work harder, putting an added strain on the heart and develop associated complications. It has been observed in a British study that reducing salt intake by 300 mg, systolic pressure (first number) is decreased by 2-4 points and diastolic pressure by 1-2 points. Triple that reduction and you will triple the benefit of B.P. reduction. People who consume high amounts of salt are also at risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease. The study found that an extra 6 grams of salt daily can increase the risk of heart disease by 21% and stroke by 34%.
• Osteoporosis – High salt intake may be responsible for demineralisation of the bones and may cause osteoporosis – which means weak bones prone to easy fractures. Too much sodium makes the body excrete calcium, threatening bone density and strength.
• Kidney Stones – A diet high on salt and proteins can result in kidney stones. Kidney stones, hardened minerals, are formed when waste materials filtered by the kidneys are unable to dissolve in the urine due to insufficient water. So eat less salt and drink more water to increase quantity of urine. The more urine you produce, the more stone causing minerals you flush out.
• Stomach Cancer – The incidence of stomach cancer is high in populations with high salt intake like Japanese. A report from Japan found that men with highest salt intake had double the risk of stomach cancer.

• DNA Damage – Researchers have found that as they increased salt levels in laboratory cells, DNA strands began to break and cell repair mechanism shut down. When salt concentrations returned to normal, the cells began to repair DNA again. The same DNA mess was found in the kidneys of mice. The next step was to see if these results hold true for human kidneys.
• Other Problems – In addition to the above, too much salt can worsen symptoms such as swelling in pregnant women and shortness of breath. It has been found that there is improvement in Asthma symptoms after reducing salt intake.

 Salt Laden Foods

202.   Experts estimate that today, we eat much more than twice the salt we should and we can do that without even touching the salt-shakes. The sodium hides in processed foods, put there by the food companies to preserve products for longer shelf life that would otherwise go bad, or to make bland or bitter food taste better, or may be just to appeal our craving for the stuff. Salt is omnipresent in the modern diet as many canned and pre-packed foods contain high levels of it, e.g. baked beans, pizza and spaghetti can contain 50 to 70% of recommended 2,300 mg. daily allowance of sodium. There are salt bombs like pickles, papads, potato chips / crisps etc. A burger contains 1,000 mg of sodium, a portion of cottage cheese 918 mg., small pizza 900 mg., a bowl of cornflakes 532 mg., and even 330 ml. zero calorie cola has 50 mg of salt. In comparison a chunk of shredded wheat (dalia) has only 6 mg. of sodium and a bowl of cooked oatmeal even less than 5 mg.

203.   One should also beware of the boasts on the food labels. For example, “light in sodium” chips / crisps have half the amount of salt you find in normal variety. “Reduced” or “less sodium” means 25% less than normal. Even “sodium free” foods have up to 5 mg. sodium per serving.

 Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

204.   Addition of MSG, a flavour enhancer amino acid called Chinese salt, further adds to the content of sodium in processed or freshly prepared food, especially Chinese. Soft drinks, candy and chewing gum are also potential sources of hidden MSG. Those people sensitive to MSG, can become ill after eating food containing MSG.

Recommended Daily Allowance of Salt

205.   The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for sodium intake is 2,300 mgs. which translates into 5,750 mgs of salt (about a teaspoonful) because sodium content of salt is 40%. For children salt intake should be less than 1,000 mg per day from 0-6 months, 1,000 mg per day from 7-12 months; 2,000 mg per day from 1-3 years; 3,000 mg per day from 4-6 years; and 5,000 mg per day from 7-10 years. In fact on average 75% of the sodium in modern diet comes from processed foods, with just 10% coming from the salt we add during cooking or at the table, and remaining 15% occurs naturally in food. However, there is another school of thought that although sodium is an essential nutrient your body needs, no one fails to get enough from natural sources. They say, you only need 200 mg. of sodium a day to keep fluid in balance. Yanomamo Indians of Brazil survive with less than 200 mg. per day of sodium. At the opposite extreme, average daily intake in northern Japan is more than 10,300 mg. of sodium per day per person. Some of us in India may be consuming more than 5000 mg. of sodium a day.

 Eating Healthy and Salt

206.   Most people put in so much effort and time cutting back on their fat, sugar, protein and carbohydrates intake for weight loss that they forget about the world’s most popular and potent seasoning: Salt. It is believed that the intake of excessive salt as well as sugar and starch is the worst thing a human being can do. We have enough salt and sugar needed for the body in natural foods like wholegrains, beans, fruits and vegetables. That is why, when it comes to eating, it is wise to stick to basic natural foods. Some people are used to eating too much salt. The encouraging news is that you can deprogramme your taste buds. Unlike sugar, you are not really addicted to salt. You will lose the taste for excessive salt after eating healthy for a week or two. The key to keeping salt intake down is to avoid or eat fewer processed junk foods. Many of these foods which are rich on salt are also high in calories and fat, making them poor choices if you are trying to lose weight or eating healthy.

Tips to Reduce Salt Intake

207.   Here are some guidelines to help reduce the amount of sodium in your diet: –

• Learn to enjoy the smell and flavours of unsalted natural foods.
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and raw / steamed vegetables. They are a good source of potassium, which keeps sodium away and lowers blood pressure.
• Try flavouring foods, meat, poultry and fish with herbs, onions, garlic, ginger, spices and lemon juice in cooking or at the table.
• Cook food without salt or with only a minimal amount of coarse grain (rock salt) which adds a burst of flavour with about 25% less sodium.
• Take the salt-shaker off the dining table.
• Rinse salt from canned vegetables / foods, fish, meat and poultry.
• Read food labels carefully and buy no-salt added or low / reduced sodium versions of food and breakfast cereals.
• Avoid salt laden fast and Chinese foods which are also rich in calories.
• Drink plenty of water to flush out sodium and other waste products.

 Starch (Maida)

208.   With more and more people adopting western and urban lifestyles, refined grains have largely displaced the healthier wholegrains. When a wholegrain is refined, its nutrition profile changes for the worse. During the refining process, the outer coating i.e. bran is removed. Since the nutrient rich germ is attached to the bran, even the germ is ripped off, leaving mainly endosperm or the starch minus the fibre, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. Examples of such refined grains include starch (maida), polished rice and even sooji. These foods are devoid of the goodness of wholegrains and provide mainly carbohydrates for quick energy.

 Starch and Blood Sugar

209.   Starch contains thousands of sugar molecules bound together which must first be split into single molecule sugars by the body before they can be absorbed. These reactions occur so rapidly in the intestines that most starches cause soaring rises in blood sugar levels and then bring them back crashing down. Eating starch has almost the same effect on blood sugar levels as eating table sugar. Ideally, you do not want your blood sugar level to rise too high because it causes sugar to attach to the outer surface membranes of cells. Sugar, by itself, is harmless, but after being attached to membranes sugar is converted to sorbitol, which damages cells. That is why diabetics who carry high blood sugar levels can suffer extensive nerve damage with many associated complications.

 Junk Starchy Foods

210.   Foods that have been stripped off its fibre, vitamins and minerals content are categorised as junk foods. Therefore, all foods made from white starch (maida) like white bread, pizzas, burgers, pastries, cakes, chocolates, samosas, white noodles etc. fall under this category. Moreover, to add to their unhealthy woes, the foods containing refined carbohydrates (maida) are generally prepared either with a lot of refined oils, saturated fats or more dangerously with hydrogenated oils. They terrorise and traumatise your metabolism and set the foundation for the development of a whole range of degenerative diseases like obesity, blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and food allergies.

NATURO-FOOD THERAPY

Hippocratic Doctrine

211.   The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates (460-357 BC) of Greece, very appropriately pronounced the golden doctrine; “Let Food be Thy Medicine and Medicine be Thy Food”. The former part of the doctrine is for the sick and the latter for the healthy. For the sick, appropriate natural foods act as the true natural drugs. For the healthy, natural foods are the means to lead a disease-free life. Hippocrates fully believed that natural foods have unlimited medicinal properties to sustain health and to restore it when sick.

212.   To this day, doctors all over the world take the Hippocratic Oath after qualifying. However, over the ages, his far-sighted golden doctrine for healthy living has lost ground to the commercial interests of pharmaceutical / drug companies whose medicines liberally promoted and prescribed by the doctors may alleviate the symptoms of the disease, but invariably fail to remove the causes. Moreover, it is acknowledged by the medical profession and the drug companies alike that allopathic medicines often have harmful side-effects.

213.   There is hardly a health problem or natural metabolic process of the body that is not influenced in some way or the other by the foods we eat. There has been an increase in the variety and frequency of diseases in proportion to the process of degeneration of food stuffs through refining and processing and increase in prescription drugs. Research has proved that natural foods like wholegrains, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs etc. possess the properties of curing almost every disease as envisaged by Hyppocrates 2,500 years ago.

 Inner Healing Force

214.   Too many of us do not have the slightest idea of how to maintain good health by following the laws of Nature. When illness strikes, we rely more on our doctors to cure us. What we fail to realise is that “the cure” comes from within. Nature has provided us with a wondrous immune system, and all we have to do is take proper care of this God-given “inner healing force” by consuming health giving foods and beverages.

215.   Does this sound too simple? Basically, it is simple; our modern lifestyles have pushed us off the right track with fast foods, alcohol abuse, drug dependencies, a polluted environment, and high-tech stress. Nature intended to fuel our inner healing force with the right natural substances in order for the body to function at its fullest potential. Nature’s resources – whole foods, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, water and other natural bounties – are designed for use in our immune system. However, because most of us have a profound “lack of knowledge” as to what our bodies need to function properly, we find ourselves out of balance and susceptible to all sorts of illnesses.

216.   All individuals should take an active part in the maintenance of their health and in the treatment of their disorders, preferably, with the guidance of their naturo-food therapist or health care professional. The more we take it upon ourselves to learn about nutrition, the better prepared we will be to take that active role. Attitude is also an important factor in the processes of health maintenance and healing. We must have a positive state of mind in order to bring harmony to the body. The realisation, that body (lifestyle), spirit (desire) and mind (belief) must come together, is the first step to better health.

 Fueling the Body Machine

217.   Our body is a very complicated machine, not yet fully unravelled by science. As the car needs the right kind of fuel and service regularly, so the body needs the right kind of food fuel and looked after all the time. Food gives our bodies energy they need to grow (in case of children) and to function properly. If we don’t inject the right quality and quantity of fuel into our body machines, we just won’t feel as healthy as we could. We all have upto 100 trillion cells, each one demanding a constant supply of daily nutrients through more than 99,000 kilometers of arteries, veins and capillaries in order to function optimally. Food affects all those cells and thereby affects every aspect of our being: energy levels, food cravings, mood, thinking capacity, sex drive, sleeping habits, immune system, metabolism and general health. In short, healthy eating is the magic golden key to our well-being.

218.   When good things turn bad, your health pays the price. The “obesogenic environment” created by the growth of portion sizes, increased sodium levels and fat content, added sugars, refined starch and chemical additives in food have adversely transformed the healthy meal into unhealthy, nutrient-deficient diet-traps. Everyone knows that “prevention is better than cure” but still prevention of obesity to maintain good health is usually given a low priority. Ideally, the prevention of obesity, the mother of several top killer diseases, should start during childhood. It is well known that a fat daughter will grow into a fat mother. So fighting obesity is not easy until society at large becomes more health conscious and supportive of weight loss endeavours.

219.   Remember, “You are what you eat”. Apart from genetic factors, you were born a healthy person. It is said that “all ailments enter through the mouth”, meaning your wrong and faulty diet is a big promoter of ailments. Reducing obesity and keeping it under control by following and observing the basic rules for good health will lead to a better lifestyle as well as longer fulfilling life health-wise. Good health is more than the absence of disease. The concept of good health requires a balance of five components; physical health, social health, mental health, emotional health and spiritual health.

 MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF OBESITY

220.   The three parts of a successful weight loss programme are: (i) a proper diet; (ii) behavioural (lifestyle) changes; and (iii) physical activity (exercise). While, it is true that health is a complex interplay of genetics and lifestyle but it has been established that diet plays a dominant role in any weight management or reduction programme.

221,   Nutritionists emphasise that there is no “best” or “ideal” diet and no “good” or “bad” foods. Variety, moderation and balance are the keys to healthy eating. Also it is worth bearing in mind that food is more than the nutrition it provides. It is also a part of the way we enjoy and celebrate life. The following diet guidelines have been prepared accordingly.

 Diet Guidelines

222.   WHO guidelines for healthy diet – A group of 30 international experts commissioned by the WHO has recommended broad guidelines on what constitutes a healthy diet: –

Carbohydrates should provide the bulk of energy between 55 to 75% of daily intake.

• Limit fats and oils to between 15 and 30% of total daily energy intake wherein saturated variety should be less than 10%.
• Protein intake daily should be between 10 to 15% of total calories.
• Intake of fruits and vegetables should be more than 400 gms every day.
• Energy from free sugars should remain well below 10%.
• Salt intake should be less than 5 gms. a day and should preferably be iodised.

223.   Balance calories input and output – Your calorie output should not be less than your input, otherwise surplus food intake will be converted into fat leading to weight gain.

224.   Know your calorie intake – Calorie intake for weight maintenance should be about 30 calories per kg. of body weight. For example a person with a body weight of 60 kg. will need an intake of 60 x 30 i.e. 1800 calories a day. Persons with muscular bodies may need more calories.

225.   Know your foods and the calories they contain – For example, 1 cup of full fat milk has 170 calories as compared to only 70 calories in skimmed milk. One egg or 40 grams meat has 70 calories. One portion of pulses provides 100 calories, one chapatti or one slice of bread 70 calories and one serving of rice 220 calories. 100 grams of leafy vegetables 40 calories, one average serving of less sweet fruits provide 40 calories but a banana 100 calories. Vegetable (samosa) has 260 calories, meat samosa 320 calories and chicken korma 870 calories. A caloric chart for basic foods forms part of Appendix II.

226.   Achieve balance with healthy diet – To achieve balance within ourselves; we must balance our diet as well. This means eating the right foods, in the right proportions, at the right times of the day. If you do this, you will be able to synthesize, transmit and receive high fidelity messages in the hormonal internet between your brain and body – throughout your entire life. This is a state of hormonal balance that can only be achieved by the food you eat, the water you drink, the stress you reduce and the restorative sleep you get in the dark cycle of each night.

227.   Go for a variety of healthy low calorie foods – We should eat a large variety of whole foods (fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, sprouts, nuts, seeds, herbs, digestive spices) daily to ensure that we have covered all of the nutritional bases. Their treasure chest of organic vitamins, minerals, macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates), fibre, water, antioxidants will maintain a healthy weight; strengthen muscles, bones, blood vessels, connective tissues, blood stream, organs and glands. These special live natural foods give our body ultimate protection, through strengthened immune system, from viruses, bacteria, fungi, invasive yeast, intruding environmental and agricultural toxins, petrochemicals and a host of ever present carcinogens.

228.   You are what you eat – Mahatma Gandhi even believed that your thought processes are also influenced by what you eat. The most healthy way to eat right is to eat intelligently – meaning what one eats and avoids is as important as the way it is  cooked and the quantity consumed. We must aim to eat a well balanced, suitable, light diet that is high in nutrients and is easily digestible. A healthy diet depends on the right balance of macronutrients i.e. protein, carbohydrates and fat / oils. Foods prepared from wholegrains, brown unpolished rice, sprouts, fruits, vegetables, salads, nuts, seeds and herbs are rich in vitamins, minerals and are loaded with live enzymes, the key to nutrient absorption and vibrant health. Moderate amounts of low fat or skimmed milk, yoghurt, eggs, oily fish and chicken can form part of a healthy diet in suitable cases. Avoid red meat such as pork, mutton and lamb.

229.   Try to consume organic foods – Today, we have much more work and greater stress and we are surrounded by a much harsher environment characterised by polluted air, water, soil and subsequently contaminated food. So we need to eat much more conscientiously than prehistoric man / woman did in order to survive. We need to return to Nature and to those foods that are grown organically, and eat them in sync with our daily and seasonal circadian rhythms.

230.   Avoid junk foods – Consuming wrong and faulty junk fast foods is a primary cause of obesity. So keep away from these high energy, fat rich, low nutrient, low fibre, low grade junk foods prepared with refined and processed ingredients such as sugar, salt, trans fats, starch. Junk foods containing an array of harmful chemical additives include, pizzas, burgers, noodles, French fries, chhole bhature, purees, tikkies, namkeen bhujia, potato crisps, samosas, pakoras, papri chat, ice creams, cakes, pastries, biscuits, sweets, confectionery, chocolates etc. Also say no to aerated beverages and colas laden with sugar and chemical additives and preservatives. Instead drink fresh lemon water, lassi and fruit / vegetable juices.

231.   Go slow on fats and oils – But do not completely ignore them as they create a feeling of fullness and you need some fats for your brain, nerves and body to work. Avoid excessive consumption of saturated fats especially from animal sources. Go for plant-based polyunsaturated and more of monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats. Totally avoid hydrogenated oils and foods prepared with them as they create harmful free radicals which clog the arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids tend to reduce weight and help maintain weight loss. As such they should really be renamed as Omega-3 thinny acids!

232.   Cut out fizzy drinks and colas – According to a study by Boston University School of Medicine published in “Circulation”, it has been found that persons who drink one or more fizzy drink a day had about 50% higher risk of “metabolic syndrome” – a cluster of risk factors including excessive fat around the waist, low level of good cholesterol, high BP etc, all likely to lead to heart disease and stroke. This finding was true for both regular and diet varieties of fizzy beverages. The clear message is: go for natural fresh fruit and vegetable juices and other traditional drinks, like “nimboopani”, “lassi” etc. as far as possible.

233.   Scan ingredients and nutrition information on food labels – Generally, most people are interested and look for just two things when buying convenience food – how much it costs and how it tastes. We need to learn how to decipher labels so that we don’t fall for marketing gimmicks. One should check the ingredients and nutrition information carefully. Avoid foods that have too much fat (especially saturated & trans fats), sodium and have a host of harmful chemical additives, preservatives, flavourings, colourings, stabilisers etc. etc. – there are more than 4,000 chemicals used in the food industry.

234.   Watch your blood sugar levels – Reducing food cravings by eating small and frequent meals also keeps your blood sugar levels stable and wards off the risk of diabetes. Choose foods with low glycemic index like complex carbohydrates and proteins from whole natural foods, which also help to stabilise sugar levels as these are digested and absorbed slowly in the blood stream. Cut out high glycemic index foods that cause hike in your sugar levels, particularly sweets and refined starchy and processed foods. Each meal should be a combination of proteins and carbohydrates. But try and skip carbohydrates, especially starch at dinner as then your body does not produce insulin that causes starch to be stored as fat but ends up using stored body fat for its night time energy needs. Pair fruits with protein, which slows down the absorption of sugar into your blood stream and prevents it from becoming fat right away.

235.   Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper – In other words, make breakfast the biggest, lunch the big and dinner the smallest (light) meal of the day as you are more likely to be active during the morning and the day and burn off more calories to offset obesity.

236.   Know how to combine foods – Generally avoid eating proteins and carbohydrates at the same meal. Vegetables, salads can be eaten with either proteins or carbohydrates. Fruits should mostly be eaten on their own, as far as possible, at least 30-60 minutes away from proteins, carbs and vegetables.

237.   Watch your portions – With the advent of “supersize” meals and increasingly huge portions at restaurants, our concept of normal serving sizes is a distant memory. Be mindful of the amount of food you consume at a sitting in the restaurant and as well as at home. Pay attention to your hunger level and stop-eating when you feel comfortably full and not stuffed.

238.   Curb overeating tendencies – Obviously to lose weight or stay slim, one should not overeat: a tendency that may be carried over from days of eating refined carbohydrates. Until the stomach adjusts to its proper size, some restraint in the diet is obviously required. Please remember overeating even the most nutritious of foods can interfere with weight management plans. A useful rule to eliminate the habit of overeating is to eat only while eating i.e. no other activities or distractions when eating. This will eliminate the tendency to munch instantly and requires that the person be hungry enough to discontinue all other activities to eat. A helpful tip is to start your meal with salad or soup and you will naturally eat less during the rest of the meal.

239.   Eat in moderation – Eating till you burst is a wrong strategy for weight management. Always get up from the table feeling slightly hungry i.e. with a feeling that you can eat more. Eat as much as your body needs and no more. This voluntary caloric restriction will ensure that your body does not take in extra calories, gain unnecessary weight or produce an abundance of harmful free radicals. How much food you take at one time is very important – 1/3 of the stomach should be filled with food, 1/3 with water / liquid and 1/3 should remain empty for breathing air.

240.   Look after your digestive system – Like so many lifestyle ailments, digestive malfunction responsible for constipation, bowel cancer etc, is a fall out of “quick fix” way of life. According to Ayurveda, mere nutrition without proper digestion is meaningless. Digestive system is a process from mouth to intestines where food is broken down into nutrients which are assimilated and absorbed in the body. One should chew food slowly, calmly and properly to release enzyme-rich digestive saliva to jump start the process of digestion. To aid the digestive system, consume fibre-rich fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, sprouts, nuts and seeds and avoid fatty junk refined and processed foods loaded with chemical additives. Optimum digestive system will help get proper nutrition and aid in weight management.

241.   Consume digestive spices – Ginger (adrak), cumin seeds (jeera), fennel (saunf), aesphotida (hing), black pepper (kali mirch) and black rock salt are carminative and digestive spices. Their moderate use in diet releases digestive juices, prevents spasm and distention, expels the abdominal wind and allays digestive impurities.

242.   Go on a detox diet – Go on only fruit and raw vegetables diet once a week, say on Mondays to offset weekend bingeing and to detox the body and give much needed rest to the 24 hour worker organs like liver, kidneys. Getting rid of toxins stored in fatty tissues will help improve weight management.

243.   Drink at least 2½-3 litres of water/liquid – To replenish the loss of water through perspiration, exhaling, urination, defecation and for other metabolic functions, an average person needs to drink about 2½-3 litres (8-10 glasses) of water / liquid a day. And drink more if you exercise, drink alcohol (it causes dehydration), or live in a hot climate or for your excess weight if you are obese. In order not to dilute the digestive juices / enzymes and for proper digestion, drink water one hour before or one hour after meals – but not during meals.

244.   Drink warm water first thing in the morning – Drink warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon and honey on waking to get your metabolism going. This will go right through the bowels and cleanse mucus out from the day before and flush away the toxins and pollutants.

245.   Cook vegetables conservatively – Do not cook vegetables in lots of oil. Fresh vegetables should be steamed, lightly sauted, stewed or baked, grilled or roasted and not fried. Avoid frozen and canned vegetables. The proportion of cooked vegetables should, if possible, be less than raw vegetables/salads.

246.   Consume more fruits and vegetables – Preferably seasonal and in raw form (not juices) for maximum vitamins, minerals and fibre benefit. Do not eat fruits which are high in sugar like mangoes, bananas, cheekus, grapes, dry fruit etc.

247.   Avoid paneer and full cream dairy products – Have skimmed milk, lassi or soya milk. Low fat dairy foods increase fat burning in the abdominal area because these foods are rich in calcium which encourages the release of fat and also reduces the amount of fat absorbed.

248.   Control the intake of three white poisons – i.e. salt, sugar and starch.

249.   Avoid high fat salad dressings such as mayonnaise – Have low fat dressings such as honey, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

250.   Eat nuts and seeds regularly – Eat a handful of nuts with skins (like almonds) and seeds 5-6 times a week.

251.   Study the dining table at parties – Go for tandoori roti or missi roti, rather than the rumali roti or prautha; Bengali rasgulla rather than gulab jamun; sandesh rather than burfi. Say no to sweets and have whole fruits or fruit yoghurt.

252.   Don’t follow fad diets – These diets don’t include all the food groups and nutrients and these never work in the long term.

 Behavioural (Lifestyle) Changes

253.   Modify your lifestyle – If you are not willing to sit down and change the way you live each day to include exercise, healthy eating and time to enjoy and nurture yourself with relaxation and adequate sleep then it is very hard to lose weight and be healthy. Make your diet a lifestyle change and not just a month or so long foray.

254.   Make behavioural changes to achieve weight loss goals – It is important to focus on long-term behavioural changes to form new health-conducive habits. When breaking any ingrained habit, self-discipline and will power is the key. You must want to lose weight and you must take the sole responsibility for achieving your weight loss goals. But then work hard and be conscious to keep the weight off permanently. For this, perseverance is the answer, so do not give up your efforts without a fight. Adnan Sami, singer, was morbidly obese with a cargo of 217 kg. and his wife and son deserted him. Now (July, 2007) with naturo-food therapy and exercise, he has lost 127 kg. in about a year. Before that he “would eat because he was depressed and depressed because he ate too much”. He has gained his wife and son and he says that he has been given a second lease of life. If Sami can do it, you can do it too!

255.   Change your mindset – Think more about selecting foods that will help your body’s health and worry less about foods that will affect your body’s weight. Many people become more successful at long term weight loss when their motive changes from “wanting to be thinner” to “wanting to be healthier”

256.   Get motivated: –

(i)       Think about why you want to lose weight and how good it will be for your health and well-being.

(ii)      Know your ideal or normal healthy weight and write down your attainable weight loss and healthy eating goals and make a commitment to yourself as you are only accountable to yourself for achieving these goals.

(iii)    Set goals that focus on small, cumulative changes in your activities and diet that will lead to long term health changes.

(iv)    Your goals should be specific, within your reach and flexible enough to break once in a while.

(v)     Start writing down everything you eat or drink in a daily diary. Once you become more aware of your eating pattern and what triggers food cravings only then you can start to deal with them.

(vi)    Initial weight loss should not be a therapeutic goal. A bigger challenge is to find an effective way to sustain this weight loss.

(vii)   Instead of focusing purely on weight loss programmes which are rarely successful over the long term a better way is to change your focus to improving your health.

(viii) Tell yourself that you are not on a diet. From now on you are simply eating healthy to create a new and exciting you! Commit yourself to your well-being.

257.   Find out what is eating you – All too often overeating is triggered by stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, depression and other emotions. Learning to deal with emotions without food i.e. by meditation, yoga, music etc. is a significant skill that will greatly help long term weight loss.

258.   Reduce stress – Though occasional stress is not bad for health but excessive stress levels need to be kept manageable. Stressed eaters tend to gain more weight and demonstrate increased release of obesity promoting hormones. Elevated levels of stress hormones can have a negative effect on body composition by increasing breakdown of muscle mass and increasing the deposition of fat around the abdomen. Stress reduction training and relaxation techniques like Yoga, music, meditation, deep breathing, walking, exercise and adopting the right daily routine for eating, work, relaxation and sleep should prove helpful in leading a healthy life. A good social life with a circle of like-minded friends, keeping a pet and gardening hobby can also help beat stress and improve health. Sauna baths can be taken whenever possible 2-6 times per week. Spinal manipulation and body massage 2-3 times a week will prove beneficial in reducing stress. Alternate hot and cold showers stimulate the circulation and endocrine system.

259.   Get quality sleep – Make sure adults get 7-8 hours good quality sleep in a totally dark room without any light contamination. Children need much more sleep and older people less. Avoid sleeping during the day except for after lunch nap of 10-20 minutes: that too if your body needs. Sleep deprivation increases the risk of unhealthy eating, leading to weight gain. Sleep is prescribed by Nature and good sleep improves your defence mechanism.

260.   Avoid alcohol – Alcohol is a weight promoting calorie-dense carbohydrate and has nil nutrients. Alcohol excites the appetite and encourages overeating, resulting in weight gain. Excessive alcohol also depletes the body of vitamins A, C and B1, zinc, magnesium; and causes erosion of stomach and intestinal lining and damage to the liver, which is the basic organ for fat metabolisation. Alcohol also slows down your ability to burn body fat and it may lead to the storage of fat in the “beer belly” where it is most harmful. At parties nurse a single drink all evening and hit the dance floor as often as you can. However, many studies worldwide have found that one or two drinks, especially red wine containing a compound called resveratrol, has a beneficial effect in preventing cardiovascular diseases. Resveratrol is known to temper the damage done by fatty diets, helping to extend healthy life and battle fat-related disease.

261.   Breathe deeply – Breath is the carrier of vital life force within us that makes our body-mind organisation function well and survive. Most of the time, our breathing is too quick or too shallow through the upper chest which results in an inadequate intake of oxygen and insufficient elimination of carbon dioxide. The correct breathing for maintaining good health is important (i) for supply of oxygen to each cell of the body and (ii) for removal of waste products (including carbon dioxide) and toxins from the body. Process of deep breathing can tone the belly, makes you fit, calm, happy, improves your mental focus to think creatively, gives you a new outlook to life by harmonising the body and mind and empowers you as an individual. Deep breathing and Yoga breathing exercises clear the lungs and increase their capacity, improves immunity and relieves stress and tension. For practising deep belly breathing exercise; inhale normally through the nose to inflate your stomach by pushing down the diaphragm, and exhale fully through the mouth (taking more time than inhaling) to get the trapped air in the lungs out by pulling your stomach in and pushing up the diaphragm.

262.   Let go the counting game – Don’t let counting calories take over your life and don’t get hooked on trying to achieve the perfect nutrient ratio. As long as there is enough activity and less energy intake, the weight should come down, no matter how many carbs / proteins are consumed.

263.   Eating slowly and calmly can help get rid of kilos – That is because from the time you begin eating, it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to signal a feeling of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. Also you physically can’t digest food properly if you are upset or have just had an argument. Eat when calm, your digestive system will work much better. Don’t have distractions when eating, like TV, radio and reading etc. So slow down, take smaller bites, chew well to release digestive saliva / enzymes and enjoy, savour and taste every morsel. Eating should be a celebration. Well-chewed food will pass through your digestive system with maximum nutritional uptake.

264.   Eat light dinner 2½ – 3 hours before hitting the bed – Late night eating is a recipe for weight gain because the body stores more unburnt calories during sleep. The earlier you go to bed, the better you will feel. The old doctrine of “early to bed and early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise” is not without merit. The liver and gall bladder conduct their detox works generally between 2300 and 0200 hours.

265.   Make your meals small and frequent and never skip breakfast to keep your metabolic fire stoking. Eat 5-6 small meals instead of 2-3 large meals a day. Never go more than 3 hours without eating a meal or a healthy snack. Eat when you feel slightly hungry but before you feel too hungry to keep your metabolism going.

266.   Ignore misleading advertising – Do not pay any heed to aggressive and misleading sponsored messages promoting unhealthy products and junk food in the media. Do not go near the vending machines, in schools and other public places, dispensing high-fat and high sugar snacks and beverages laden with harmful chemical additives.

267.   Get support – A big key in long-term weight control comes from receiving encouragement and support from your family members, colleagues and friends.

268.   Be positive – Above all obese persons should make every effort to develop a positive and cheerful attitude in their thinking and have faith in themselves that they can achieve a healthy body and mind. Learn to let go of negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, hostility and insecurity connected with longstanding issues that can’t be resolved.

269.   Love yourself – Learn to celebrate your own body for what it is and the fitness and health you can achieve. Use measures other than weight to track your progress in reaching your health goals. Realise that today’s media overemphasises extreme thinness which makes people feel bad when they cannot achieve such an unrealistic body size.

 Physical Activity (Exercise)

270.   Do regular exercises – Say good bye to sedentary life. Leading an active life and regular exercise are musts to burn stored fat in the body. Exercise raises the metabolic rate, so calories are used up faster. Exercise before breakfast and an hour or so after dinner is an essential long-term weight management tool and ingredient for a healthy happy life. Any type of moderately intensive exercise for 30-60 minutes a day for 5-6 times a week, like stretching, walking, bicycling, swimming, even dancing will help move lymph, expel toxins, motivate the blood, reduce stress, uplift mood and revitalise the body and mind. Losing weight with diet and without exercise causes you to lose both fat as well as muscle which pushes the metabolic rate down. This means you can gain weight even though you are eating less food.

271.   Aim to build lean muscle mass – This can be achieved through suitable strength training which will increase metabolic rate and result in much needed weight / fat loss.

272    Keep fidgeting and be active – Adopt the hard way to do things. Don’t sit for too long in one position. Standing, walking, climbing stairs and doing household chores in the house and kitchen will help you burn more calories to stay fit and lean. For example you burn double the calories in the standing position than in the sitting position.

273.   Aim to lose no more than ½ kg a week – This can be achieved through moderate changes in food intake and exercise. A reduction of 500 calories daily – say 250 by reducing food intake by combination of less food, less fat, less sugar and less junk food and 250 calories burnt through exercise. A drastic reduction of energy will only lead to hunger pangs, nervous exhaustion, weakness and inadequacy of essential nutrients.

274.   Lose weight slowly with exercise and small reductions in food intake – The more quickly weight is lost, the more likely the loss is coming from water, muscle and bone loss and not from fat loss. Since muscle tissue is critical in keeping your metabolism elevated, losing muscle actually leads to a decrease in the amount of calories we can consume each day without gaining weight.

 BENEFICIAL FOODS FOR GENERAL HEALTH AND WEIGHT CONTROL

Introduction

275.   The health of an individual is directly related to what one consumes in day-to-day life. It is believed that intake of 200 calories daily beyond the normal requirement can result in weight gain of 7 ½ kg in one year. Weight gain is a very gradual process and if no brakes are applied one can become morbidly obese and its reverse is certainly not an easy task.

276.   Proper weight control is of utmost importance in the maintenance of good health. Obesity usually results from consumption of food in excess of physiological needs. Obesity is a serious health hazard as the extra weight of fat puts a strain on the heart, kidneys and liver as well as the large weight-bearing joints such as hips, knees and ankles, which ultimately shortens the life span. Overweight persons are susceptible to several diseases.

277.   Diet plays a dominant role in any weight reduction programme. There are specific foods, which contain certain compounds helpful in weight reduction. The following foods, not in any order of importance, in addition to the super foods described in the section headed “Super Foods for Good Health” – namely fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, sprouts, nuts and seeds, food enzymes and fibre should be considered in any weight management plan.

 Grapefruit

278.   Grapefruit, orange, sweet lime, lemon, tangerine, satsuma are all fruits of the citrus family with their abundance of vitamin C (ascorbic and folic acids) in the form of pectin – a kind of soluble fibre that lowers bad cholesterol LDL and reduces the narrowing of arteries. In addition to excellent source of vitman C (just ½ a grapefruit will give you a full day’s supply), the luscious grapefruit also contains potassium, magnesium as well as B-vitamin inositol. By eating the red and pink fleshed varieties, you will also benefit from lycopene (a carotenoid that gives the fruit its colour) which appears to protect against several health problems, including stroke, heart disease and cancers.

279.   Best of all, grapefruit is healthy, low calorie and fat-free food and has been an important part of a weight loss plan since the 1930s as it supposedly contained a fat-burning enzyme. Grapefruit also helps in the reduction of insulin which promotes weight loss. Its high fibre content make you feel very full and results in weight loss too.

280.   Through citrus fruits are believed to be acidic, the truth is that they have an opposite effect. This makes them good for digestive complaints like heartburn, nausea and constipation.

A word of caution – In people, prone to kidney stones, grapefruit juice increases the risk of forming kidney stones. Grapefruit juice may sometimes block the absorption of certain drugs and other times it makes your body absorb the drugs faster.

 Apple

281.   There is no easier way to add a dose of nutrition to your day than by crunching on a tasty apple. Looking for a convenient, easy to carry snack packed with nutrients (vitamins and minerals) complex carbohydrates, fibre (soluble and insoluble), water, and a burst of flavour, try the original flavonoid-rich health food – an apple. Our forefathers had rightly adopted the maxim, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Apples are replete with iron, calcium, arsenic, phosphorus; and small amounts of vitamins C, E, A and B complex, potassium, folate.

282.   Eating nutritious, fibre-rich and low calories apple snack makes you feel full longer and keeps you away from bingeing, so if you are watching your weight as part of a defence against obesity, diabetes or heart disease, make apples a part of your diet everyday. A medium size apple has only 80 calories including 20 gms of complex carbohydrates and 4-5 gms of fibre for steady energy. Studies prove that people who eat at least 3 apples a day lose weight. In fact, Tammi Flynn, a registered dietetion from Texas, in her book, “The 3-Apple-a-Day Plan” suggests that people who eat an apple before every meal lose weight even faster.

283.   Flavonoid-rich apples inhibit the kinds of cellular activities that lead to the development of chronic diseases. Researchers found that apple extract was able to protect cells from damage and death by interfering with communication between cells. The antioxidants, called polyphenols, in apples are the same that are found in red wine, berries and dark chocolate.

284.   Phytonutrients and fibre present in the apples reduce blood cholesterol, improve bowel function, reduce risk of stroke, heart disease, prostate cancer, Type II diabetes and asthma. Phytonutrients in apples and apple juice prevent oxidation of the bad LDL cholesterol and thus protect against heart disease and stroke. Apple contains plenty of heart healthy fibre to beat cholesterol. Its two minerals, potassium and magnesium help in lowering BP and keeping your heart beat steady and regular.

285.   Another active medicinal ingredient, pectin, in apples aids detoxification by supplying the galacturonic acid needed for elimination of certain harmful substances. In Chinese medicine raw apples have been used to treat constipation, while cooked ones have been used to help in diarrhoea. The malic acid in apples is beneficial to the brain, liver and bowels. The acid of the apple also exerts an antiseptic influence upon the germs present in the mouth and teeth when it is thoroughly chewed.

286.   Natural nutrients in apples can increase lung power and can reduce the risk of respiratory diseases, like asthma and can lower the incidence of lung cancer as well as colon cancer. Apples contain quercetin, which has been found to have anti-cancer property and anti-inflammatory property to aid arthritis sufferers. The essential trace element, boron, in apples has been shown to strengthen bones – a good defence against osteoporosis. Apples are also found to play a role in inhibiting ageing-related problems, preventing wrinkles and promoting hair health and growth. Thus, an apple a day just might keep the doctor away!

Note: Apples and also other such fruits with the skin have higher antioxidant activity than without skin. Vitamin content also decreases gradually towards the centre of the fruit. The skin of the apple contains 5 times more vitamin A than the flesh.

 Banana

287.   Banana is the most unique of all fruits because, unlike any fruit, it does not come from trees at all but from large plants that are giant herbs and are related to lily and orchid family. One of the most ordinary and common fruits, bananas, containing three natural sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) are a virtual storehouse of instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy and valuable nutrients. Banana contains no fat or cholesterol and only a minimal amount (only 1 mg.) of sodium. The high grade protein in banana helps constitute almost a complete balanced diet in combination with milk.

288.   Although low in vitamin C, carotene and phosphorus, bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, an essential mineral (whopping about 450 mg. in one fruit), which keeps high BP and water retention in check and reduces the risk of stroke and heart disease. Bananas are believed to prevent dangerous LDL cholesterol from oxidising which causes it to stick to the walls of the arteries. Research shows that BP fell by 10% in people who ate two bananas a day for a week. Banana has to be the cheapest and fastest to nix high BP.

289.   In combination with sodium (from other sources), potassium in bananas helps maintain heart function and fluid and electrolyte balance (preventing dehydration) in the body cells thus maintaining healthy nerve and muscle functions. Potassium is also essential for helping muscles to contract properly during exercise and reduce cramping up. Magnesium in bananas also plays a role in energy transport and is involved in the synthesis of proteins which helps to recover from fatigue.

290.   Vitamin B6 in bananas helps metabolise more than 60 proteins and assists in red blood cell production that transport oxygen to muscles. 30% of daily value of Vitamin B6 is provided by one banana. Vitamin B6 keeps your nervous system in top working condition and boosts immunity. Folate, needed for proper tissue growth and protection against birth defects, heart disease and cancer is also found in bananas.

291.   Banana is a prebiotic food like yoghurt which boosts immunity of the gastrointestinal system. Bananas protect the lining of the stomach against injuries from the acid in the digestive system as well as from alcohol. Bananas have long been recognised for their protection against ulcers and ulcer damage. They seem to act like a natural antacid. First bananas stimulate the stomach’s production of protective mucus which helps to prevent harsh acids from touching the tender stomach lining, causing an ulcer. Second the protease inhibitor in bananas appears to kill the harmful bacteria that causes ulcers.

292.   Bananas are also a smart move if you suffer from elimination problems. A bout of diarrhoea can quickly deplete your body of important electrolytes. Like apples, bananas are good for constipation and diarrhoea. Including banana in the diet can restore normal bowel action in constipative persons without resorting to laxatives. Bananas are a good source of pectin, a soluble fibre, that asorbs fluid, thus helping to normalise movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation. In bananas, pectin is combined with a good supply of starch, supplying complex carbohydrates for slow burning energy. Ripe banana can be eaten when one has a cold as it has no allergens and it is the only fruit which can be had with milk to form a balanced diet.

293.   For weight control, one medium size banana can be eaten 30-60 minutes prior to a meal. This serves two purposes. It helps in combating acidity and also makes one feel satiated. As a result, one does not end up overeating during mealtime. This goes a long way in helping keep one’s weight under control. Another suggestion is to replace high-calorie dessert with a comparatively low calorie banana with all the other benefits. Having said that it should be borne in mind that banana has about 110 calories and its consumption must be restricted if one follows a sedentary lifestyle.

294.   A ripe banana mashed in plain cow’s milk, mixed with a tablespoon of fresh banana flower juice is an excellent weight reducing food. This mixture should be taken 2-3 times a day for about 2 months but eliminating sweets and fried foods. It helps the weight reduction by supplying low calories, increasing urinary output and washing out extra sodium chloride from the body.

Water Melon

295.   Water melon, naturally high in water content (90-95%), is a perfect treat in replenishing body fluids lost in hot weather and during exercise, a healthy food choice and is low in calories – only 16 per 100 gms. It is practically a multivitamin unto itself, it gives you a nutritious dose of vitamins A, B and C, iron and potassium. Water melon is a good source of lycopene, even more than fresh tomatoes, which may help protect against certain forms of cancers including prostate. It helps fight cholesterol, constipation, arthritis, kidney and bladder stones, high BP and stroke, is important for optimal eye health, boosts immunity due to antioxidant properties, helps cope with anxiety and panic and avoids muscle cramps. Its iron rich seeds are good in curing anaemia.

 

296.   If you are watching your weight and want to satisfy your sweet tooth, fill yourself up with nutrient-rich and low calorie water melon slices. Foods with high water content, like water melon, help you lose weight. What is more, one slice contains only a single gram of fat. So don’t pass up dessert just because you are watching your weight – make for the water melon.

 

“A word of caution” – Water melon is best eaten on its own as it ferments rapidly in the stomach.

 

Figs

297.   Figs are a good source of dietary fibre and are a sweet way to lose weight. Figs are very filling, so you would decrease your consumption of other unhealthy food if you ate more figs. They are not super-high on calories or fat. You will just get 48 calories and no fat in every dried fig. In one study, women who increased their fibre intake with supplements significantly decreased their energy intake, yet their hunger and satiety scores did not change. Figs, like other natural high-fibre foods, may be helpful in a weight management programme. Besides, figs help lower blood pressure because of their potassium content and promotes bone density because of their calcium content.

 

Jujube (Ber) Leaves

298.   The leaves of jujube (Indian plum) are a valuable food in reducing weight. A handful of leaves should be soaked overnight in water and this water should be taken in the morning, preferably on an empty stomach. This treatment should be continued for at least one month to achieve beneficial results.

Chestnuts

299.   Watching your calories and fat intake, along with exercising, are key strategies in the battle to lose weight. Because chestnuts have only a fraction of the fat and calories of other nuts, they make a great alternative. Someone who ate a cup of warm, naturally sweet chestnuts will gain about 300 calories and feel better and more satisfied than someone who ate a sugary doughnut which has 400-500 calories with lot more harmful fat. Countries like Italy, France, Korea, China and Japan, where obesity is still rare, are places that still grow and eat chestnuts, but it follows that if they eat natural foods, like chestnuts, they are following other good dietary habits. Moreover, chestnuts contain healthy monounsaturated fat, the kind that lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, risk of heart disease and cancers.

 

Almonds

300.   Most people avoid almonds because of their high fat content, but fat in almonds is healthy and a good source of monounsaturated variety and Omega-3 essential fatty acids that protects against heart diseases, diabetes and other lifestyle diseases and promotes overall wellness.

 

301.   Nuts including almonds with skins are a good source of fibre and a number of nutrients – B-vitamins (thiamine and niacin), vitamin-E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and proteins. Nuts should be eaten raw as roasting them destroys some nutrients including vitamin E and thiamine.

 

302.   A study in British Journal of Nutrition has highlighted that moderate intake (about 40-50 gms.) of good old almonds contributes to weight management and serves as an effective remedy to shed weight – because of the effect on hunger satiety due to their energy-dense nature which displaces less nutritious foods in the diet.

 

303.   Another study by the University of Toronto has found that people who ate a handful (approx. 20-25) almonds daily for one month lowered their LDL or bad cholesterol level by an average of 4.4% and those who ate twice as much lowered the LDL by 9.4% on average.

Cabbage

304.   Cabbage is considered to be an effective home remedy for obesity. Recent research has discovered in this vegetable a valuable content called tartroric acid which inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates to fat. Hence it is of great value in weight reduction. A helping of cabbage salad would be the simplest way to stay slim. A hundred grams of cabbage yields only 27 calories while the same quantity of wheat bread will yield about 240 calories. Cabbage is found to possess the maximum biological value with minimum calorific value. Moreover, it gives a lasting feeling of fullness in the stomach and is easily digestible.

 

305.   Cabbage is part of the brassica family of vegetables, along with brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, broccoli and collard greens. Cabbage is high in fibre, vitamins C and E, a powerful antioxidant and immune booster and it helps prevent cancers. Raw cabbage cleans the waste from the stomach and upper bowels, which improves digestion and reduces constipation.

 

Caution – Although cabbage has many advantages to offer, it can interfere with the uptake of iodine and those with thyroid disorder should consult their physician before eating cabbage.

 

Barley

306.   Fibre in barley can help you lose weight. A certain hormone in your gut, cholecystokinin (CCK) is associated with feeling of fullness. When people eat even a low-fat diet, their CCK levels go up, then back down to normal, or fasting level. When they eat barley, their CCK still goes up after the meal, but it never makes it all the way down to fasting level. This means you will probably feel more full after a barley meal. And if you feel full, you are less likely to overeat and put on unwanted kilos. It is pointed out that fibre intake itself does not cause weight loss – energy restriction due to feeling full causes weight loss. The challenge for most people is to stay in control between meals. If something, like fibre, promotes a little bit of a feeling of fullness, it can help in that phase.

 

Finger Millet (Ragi)

307.   Finger millet is a weight reducing food for obese people because its digestion is slow and due to this carbohydrate takes longer time to get absorbed. By eating ragi preparations, the constant desire to eat gets curbed, thereby reducing the daily calorie intake. At the same time it supplies abundant calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin B1 and B2 and prevents malnutrition inspite of restricted food.

Tomatoes

308.   Botanically a fruit, tomatoes popularity stems from its ability to combine well with many foods. Tomatoes are an excellent source of helpful nutrients. A cupful of fresh tomatoes will provide daily value of vitamin C (57%), vitamine A (23%), fibre (8%), potassium (11.5%), vitamin B3-niacin (5.6%), vitamin B6 (7%), folate (7%) and vitamin K (13.5%). Tomatoes also contain calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, boron and vitamin E.

 

309.   Tomatoes are an excellent source of a phytochemical called lycopene which gives tomatoes their brilliant colour. Lycopene, along with vitamin A and vitamin C, acts as a powerful antioxidant offering protection against damage by free radicals. Lycopene is present in all fresh, canned and all forms of processed tomatoes including tomato ketchup. Lycopene is closely associated with a reduction in the risk of cell damage and developing heart disease and cancers including colorectal, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, pancreatic, cervical, oral and esophageal.

 

310.   Besides, tomato juice promotes gastric secretion, acts as blood purifier and works as intestinal antiseptic. According to experts tomatoes play a role in liver health by acting as useful detoxifiers because of the presence of chlorine and shlphur, two very important detoxifying trace elements. According to dietetions, if two raw ripe tomatoes are taken before meals, their high folic acid content prevents heart disease and cancers. Tomatoes also reduce bad LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure.

 

311.   Tomatoes are low in calories, just about 30 calories in two small tomatoes. Thus they are a useful addition to a weight reducing diet. One or two tomatoes taken raw early in the morning, without breakfast, for a couple of months is considered a safe method of weight reduction, at the same time supplying the essential food elements which preserve the health.

Caution – (i) The roots and leaves of tomatoes are poisonous. (ii) Solanine in green tomatoes can trigger migraine. Also their intake should be restricted by those with a tendency towards renal stones or those suffering from gout or elevated uric acid. This is because of high oxalic and purine content of tomatoes. (iii) If you suffer from heartburn after every meal, a chronic cough, sore throat – these are all the symptoms of acid-reflux disorder, an uncomfortable condition where stomach acid is forced up into your throat; stop eating tomatoes and tomato products and see your naturo-food therapist. Along with smoking, alcohol, caffeine and large meals, tomatoes probably make your discomfort worse.

 

Olive Oil

312.   Greeks know how to eat well. Their typical diet includes lots of fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins from fish and very rarely from red meat, moderate amount of red wine – and fat. But not just any fat. Unlike the standard American diet, Mediterranean diet uses olive oil as its main source of fat. Olive oil containing Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, made from pressing ripe olives, is 77% monounsaturated fat, the good kind that helps rather than hurts your body. It also contains vitamins A, D, E and K and has several compounds that resist cancers. This flavourful oil fights heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis; and as a mild laxative, olive oil may also help with gall bladder problems. Mustard, sesame, peanut, canola, almond and walnut oils are also of the monounsaturated variety with benefits similar to olive oil.

 

313.   Inspite of their high-fat diet, the Greeks hardly ever develop heart disease or hardening of the arteries called arterioscelerosis. The compound, phenol, in olive oil, especially in virgin or extra virgin, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and clot-preventing powers. Studies show that oleic acid in olive oil may reduce your risk of breast, colorectal, prostate and esophageal cancers.

 

314.   No one considers oil an important diet food, since most oils, including olive oil contain 120 calories a tablespoon. But there are reasons why substituting olive oil for others could help you lose weight. Researchers at Penn State University found that oils rich in monounsaturated fat, like olive oil, fill you up more than others. In their study, people who ate mashed potatoes prepared with monounsaturated oils were less hungry later in the day than people who ate the same food cooked with polyunsaturated oils. If you are less hungry, you are less likely to snack, overeat and put on extra kilos. And because olive oil has such a rich flavour, you don’t need to use as much of it.

A word of caution – Don’t start eating high-fat meals thinking olive oil will save the day. Just continue to eat sensibly like the Greeks, and add olive or other monounsaturated oil to your diet in moderation whenever possible and when your taste buds and heart will approve.

Honey

315.   Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. This wonderfully rich golden liquid is a miraculous product and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar – one of the so called three white poisons along with starch and salt. Primarily composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron and phosphate, honey also contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and C. Copper, iodine and zinc are also present in small quantities.

 

316.   If you are on a diet to lose weight and have to stay off sugar, you don’t want the usual unhealthy sugar-free artificial sweeteners eithter. Go for honey! One tablespoon of sugar has 64 calories as opposed to only 46 in honey. Not only will it cut the calories, and make your fare as sweet, it will also keep you going on the energy circuit longer. Honey has carbohydrate compounds that are singularly acceptable and practical and is considered most effective to generate heat, create and replace energy and furthermore form certain tissues. Compared to sugar, honey has healthier low glycemic index, with slower absorption of honey sugars into the blood stream and hence more gradual and healthier digestion process.

 

317.   Honey has several antioxidants and has been shown to improve cholesterol and other blood lipid levels. When mixed in carrot juice, it helps improve one’s eyesight. It also protects against colds, coughs, and helps cure sore throat and a runny nose if added in ginger juice.

 

318.   Ingestion of honey is an excellent home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra deposited fat in the body and puts it into circulation which is utilised as energy for normal body functions, For tackling obesity, mix lemon / lime juice with honey and warm water and drink a glass first thing every morning. More effectively mix 3 teaspoons of lemon / lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of honey and one cup warm water and drink this for 3 months.

 

319.   Some naturo-food therapists suggest that fasting on honey and lemon / lime juice water is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without the loss of appetite and energy. In this mode of treatment, one teaspoon of honey should be mixed with a juice of half a lemon / lime in a glass of luke-warm water and taken at regular intervals throughout the day.

320.   Or simply add a little honey instead of sugar in your morning coffee, lunchtime yoghurt or afternoon cup of green tea and reap many benefits of honey.

 

Caution – Honey should not be put in boiling or very hot liquids. It should not be given to children under one year because of a rare, but serious risk of botulism.

 

Green Tea

321.   Both black and green teas are made from the same bush – “camellia sinensis”, discovered about 5000 years ago by a Chinese Emperor. Unlike black tea, which is fermented, green tea leaves are steamed soon after being picked. This steaming process destroys enzymes so that other healthy chemicals are not oxidised. Steaming preserves green tea antioxidants, called tannins and polyphenols. Like fruits and vegetables, green tea is a natural source of polyphenols called “catechins” which may help reduce body fat accummulation and cholesterol levels.

 

322.   Scientists believe that green tea antioxidants are more powerful than those found in most fruits and vegetables – there is more than twice the antioxidant power in a cup of green tea than there is in an apple. Green tea contains B vitamins and vitamin C, potassium and manganese; is lower in caffeine than black tea and much lower than coffee – a cup of green tea contains one third the level of caffeine of a cup of coffee. Green tea is also a natural source of flouride which helps teeth health.

 

323.   Because of powerful ability of green tea’s antioxidants to fight cell damaging free radicals, this natural drink is gaining a reputation as a warrior against diseases and ageing – a study in Japan found that those who drink a lot of green tea live longer. Drinking small amounts of tea throughout the day (4-6 times) might be the secret to keeping antioxidants circulating in the body.

 

324.   As well as contributing towards your daily fluid requirements (2½ to 3 litres), drinking green tea can offer you protection against diseases like heart disease and strokes (amino acids, thiamine in green tea help keep blood less sticky, so it can move smoothly through the arteries); cancers of the breast, stomach, mouth, colon, prostrate, oesophagus and skin; osteoporosis; Alzheimer’s; rheumatoid arthritis; diabetes; liver damage; high levels of BP and cholesterol. Researchers have established that green tea contains a powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG – 3-4 times more than black tea) that has the ability to neutralise free radicals causing cancers. This is hundred times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E at protecting cells from damage related to cancers and other ailments. Besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, EGCG kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL bad cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots.

325.   As if green tea wasn’t busy enough saving the world from diseases, it can help you to lose weight too. Coffee and tea, especially green tea, are known to boost metabolism. A higher metabolism means you burn calories faster. Green tea helps fat oxidation and what is more, it can help you lose excess water weight – the kind that makes you feel bloated. Just think, sipping for good health might also help you fit back into your skinny clothes!

 

326.   Green tea inhibits fat absorption and helps glucose regulation. Catechins in green tea help inhibit the movement of glucose into cells. Green tea may also act as a “glucose regulator” by helping slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal. This prevents high insulin spikes and subsequent fat storage. Continuous intake of green tea is suspected to decrease appetite (meaning less food intake and less weight). This may be due to the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.

 

327.   Green Tea – how to get the best out of it – Green tea appears to be a panacea to fight diseases including obesity. The following tips would help to obtain the maximum benefits from drinking tea: –

 

• For making tea, always boil fresh water – reboiling water takes oxygen out and gives a slightly metallic taste.
• Because boiling water destroys some of the antioxidants in tea, you should steep tea in water that is hot, but not boiling.
• Brew tea for 3-4 minutes for optimal benefit.
• Drink brewed tea before it gets too cool and turns to a dark brown colour.
• As far as possible, consume tea without any additional sweeteners.
• But if you just can’t deny your sweet tooth, add a half teaspoon of honey per small cup and / or add a squeeze of lemon or use stevia leaves.
• Topping it with a little skimmed milk will sneak some calcium into your diet but won’t change the health benefits of tea.
• If using a teapot, put milk in the cup first to avoid scalding the fats in the milk.
• If using a tea bag in a cup, put the milk in second.

Words of Caution – (i) Although green tea has less caffeine than black tea and about one-third as much as coffee, too much of this good thing might keep some of you awake at night or feeling jungled during the day. (ii) Also some people experience stomach irritation by drinking too much tea. If this is true for you, switch to decaffeinated tea, either green or black, that will give you super antioxidant protection without these side effects. (iii) For people who have heart trouble, high BP or stimulant sensitivities, caffeine in green tea may cause irritability, heart palpitation, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, loss of appetite, dizziness and nausea – in these cases moderation may be the answer!

 

Fennel (Saunf)

328.   Fennel has digestive, aromatic and carminative properties. It relieves flatulence and helps relieve phlegm from the bronchial tubes. The fibrous fennel contains phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin C and calcium.

 

329.   This popular culinary spice is credited with the property to reduce weight. The ancient Greeks were well acquainted with the weight reducing power of this herb, as the Greek name for fennel is “Marathron”, which is derived from “Mariano”, meaning “to grow thin”. The best way to take fennel for the purpose of reducing weight is in the form of tea made from fennel seeds. This tea is prepared by putting four teaspoons of the seeds in one litre of boiling water and allowing them to simmer for 5 minutes. The container should be kept covered and allowed to stand for 15 minutes and then strained. One cupful of this tea be taken 3 or 4 times daily. Fennel also acts as a diuretic which helps in excretion of waste from the body and helps reduce obesity.

 

Herbs and Spices

330.   Herbs/spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and ginseng can all help stimulate the rate at which food is broken down and promote weight loss. These and others like turmeric, garlic, aesphotida, fennel, black pepper, nutmeg, oregano, sage, parsley, rosemary, thyme, caraway (ajwain), tamarind, coriander, cumin (jeera), basil (tulsi), mint have antioxidant properties in addition to bringing out the delectable flavour.

 

Chilli Sauce & Mustard

331.   These foods increase your calorie burning capacity by five to ten percent for up to two hours after eating. This is because they contain capsaicin which speeds the metabolism.

Spirulina

332.   Spirulina, the most promising of all microalgae, used as a natural dietary supplement is available in tablet, flake and powder form. Spirulina is very rich (55-75%) complete protein containing all essential amino acids. It is claimed that Spirulina is 1,000 times potent in protein content than assorted vegetables. In addition, it has no bad cholesterol, and is the richest source of betacarotene, an antioxidant that combats free radicals. Spirulina aids in protecting the immune system, cholesterol reduction and in mineral absorption. It curbs the appetite and helps in controlling obesity, heart disease and arthritis.

 

Lecithin

333.   The use of lecithin, a fatty food substance, mostly extracted from soyabean, is of great importance in any weight reduction programme. It helps control weight by pulling fat deposits from fat bulges in the body and burning them out. It also helps a person feel well-fed on less food intake so that one is not tempted to overeat or nibble between meals. Lecithin is available in the form of capsules, granules or liquids. Foods rich in lecithin, besides soyabean, are vegetable oils, wholegrain cereals and unpasteurised milk.

 

RAW JUICE THERAPY (JUICE FASTING) AND DIET FOR CURING OBESITY

Introduction

334.   Many strategies for losing weight have been planned and tried over the years because, as a rule, losing weight and keeping the weight off are extremely difficult. This is particularly true for those individuals who are 25% or more overweight.

 

335.   A suitably planned course of dietary treatment, in conjunction with suitable exercise, physiotherapy and other measures for promoting elimination, is the only scientific way of dealing with obesity. The chief consideration in this treatment should be the balanced selection of foods which provide the maximum essential nutrients with the least number of calories. The Raw Juice Therapy is widely acknowledged as an effective treatment of obesity.

 

Health Benefits of Raw Juice Therapy

336.   Raw juice therapy is a method of treatment of disease through an exclusive diet of juices of fruits and vegetables. It is also known as juice fasting. It is the most effective way to restore health and rejuvenate the body. During raw juice therapy, the eliminative and cleansing capacity of the organs of elimination, namely lungs, liver, kidneys and the skin, is greatly increased and masses of accumulated metabolic waste and toxins are quickly eliminated. It affords a physiological rest to the digestive and assmiliative organs. After the juice fasting or raw juice therapy, the digestion of food and the utilisation of nutrients is vastly improved.

337.   An exclusive diet of raw juices of fruits and vegetables results in much faster recovery from diseases including obesity and more effective cleansing and regneration of the tissues than the fasting on pure water. Dr. Ragnar Berg, a world-renowned authority on nutrition and biochemistry observes:

“During fasting the body burns up and excretes huge amounts of accumulated wastes. We can help this cleansing process by drinking alkaline juices instead of water while fasting. Drinking alkali-forming fruit and vegetable juices, instead of water, during fasting will increase the healing effect of fasting. Elimination of uric acid and other inorganic acids will be accelerated. And sugars in juices will strengthen the heart. Juice fasting is, therefore, the best form of fasting.”

 

338.   As juices are extracted from plants and fruits, they possess definite medicinal properties. Specific juices are beneficial in specific conditions. Besides specific medicinal virtues, raw fruit and vegetable juices have an extraordinary revitalising and rejuvenative effect on all the organs, glands and functions of the body.

 

Favourable Effects of Raw Juices

339.   The favourable effect of raw juices in the treatment of disease is attributed to the following facts:

 

• Raw juices of fruits and vegetables are extremely rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes and natural sugars. They exercise beneficial effect in normalising all the body functions. They supply needed elements for the body’s own healing activity and cell regeneration, thereby speeding the recovery.
• The juices extracted from raw fruits and vegetables require no digestion and almost all their vital nutrients are assimilated directly in the bloodstream.
• Raw juices are extremely rich in alkaline elements. This is highly beneficial in normalising acid-alkaline balance in the blood and tissues as there is over-acidity in most conditions of ill-health.
• Generous amounts of easily assimilable organic minerals in raw juices especially calcium, potassium and silicon help in restoring biochemical and mineral balance in the tissues and cells, thereby preventing premature ageing of cells and disease.
• Raw juices contain certain natural medicines, vegetable hormones and antibiotics. For instance, string beans are said to contain insulin-like substance. Certain hormones needed by the pancreas to produce insulin are present in cucumber and onion juices. Fresh juices of garlic, onions, radish and tomatoes contain antibiotic substances.

Combining and Selecting Juices

340.   Fruit and vegetable juices may be divided into six main types: –

• Juices from sweet fruits such as prunes and grapes.
• Juices from sub-acid fruits like apple, plum, pear, peach, apricot and cherry.
• Juices from acid fruits like orange, lemon, grapefruit, strawberry and pineapple.
• Juices from vegetable fruits, namely, tomato and cucumber.
• Juices from green leafy vegetables like cabbage, celery, lettuce, spinach, parsley and watercress.
• Juices from root vegetables like beetroot, carrot, onion, potato and radish.

 

341.   Generally speaking, fruit juices stir up toxins and acids in the body, thereby stimulating the eliminative processes. Vegetable juices, on the other hand, soothe the jaded nerves and work in a much milder manner. They carry away toxic matter in a gentle way. Owing to their differing actions, fruit and vegetable juices should not normally be used at the same time or mixed together.

 

342.   It is desirable to use juices individually. In any case not more than three juices should be used in any one mixture. The following broad rules apply when using mixtures of juices:

 

• Juices from sweet fruits may be combined with juices of sub-acid fruits, but not with those of acid fruits, vegetable fruits or vegetables.
• Juices from sub-acid fruits may be combined with juices of sweet fruits, or acid fruits, but not with other juices.
• Juices from acid fruits may be combined with those of sub-acid fruits or vegetable fruits, but not with other juices.
• Juices from vegetable fruits may be combined with those of acid fruits or of green leafy vegetables, but not with other juices.
• Juices from green leafy vegetables may be combined with those of vegetable, fruits or of the root vegetable, but not with other juices.
• Juices from root vegetables may be combined with those of green leafy vegetables, but not with other juices.

A proper selection of juices in treating a particular ailment is very essential. Thus, for instance, juices of carrot, cucumber, cabbage and other vegetables are very valuable in asthma, arthritis and skin disease, but juices of orange and maussami aggravate their symptoms by increasing the amount of mucus.

 

Juice Fasting

343.   To begin with the patient should undertake a short juice fast for 7 to 10 days. Juices of lemon, grapefruit, orange, cherry, pineapple, papaya, cabbage, beetroot, lettuce and carrot may be taken during this period. Short juice fasts should be repeated at regular intervals of two months or so till the desired reduction in weight is achieved.

 

344.   After the juice fast, the patient should spend a further four or five days on an all-fruit diet, taking three meals of fresh juicy fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, pineapple and papaya. Thereafter, he may gradually embark upon a low-calorie well-balanced diet of three basic food groups, namely (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables and (iii) fruits, with emphasis on raw fruits, vegetables and fresh juices.

 

345.   The foods which should be drastically curtailed or altogether avoided are high-fat substances such as butter, cheese, chocolate, cream, ice cream, fat, meats, fried foods and gravies; high carbohydrate foods like bread, candy, cake, cookies, cereal products, legumes, potatoes, honey, sugar, syrup and rich puddings; beverages such as all fizzy drinks, colas and alcoholic drinks.

 

346.   Along with dietetic treatment, the patient should adopt all other natural methods of reducing weight. Exercise is an important part of weight reduction plan. It helps to use up calories stored in body fat and relieves tension, besides toning up the muscles of the body. Walking is the best exercise to begin with and may be followed by running, swimming, rowing and other outdoor sports.

347.   Certain yogic asanas are highly beneficial. They not only break up or re-distribute fatty deposits and help slimming, but also strengthen the flabby areas. These asanas include bhujangasana, shalabhasana, chakrasana, vajrasana, yogamudra and trikonasana. They work on the glands, improve circulation, strengthen many weak areas and induce deep breathing which helps to melt off excess fat gradually.

 

Precautions for Juice Fasting

348.   Certain precautions are, however, necessary in adopting an exclusive diet of raw juices.

 

• All juices should be made fresh immediately before drinking. Canned, packed and frozen juices should not be used. It will be advisable that one should have one’s own juicer for extracting fresh juices.
• Only fresh ripe fruits and vegetables, preferably organically grown, should be used for extraction of juices.
• Only as much juice as needed for immediate consumption should be extracted, raw juices oxidise rapidly and lose their medicinal value in storage, even under refrigeration.
• The quality of the juices has a distinct bearing on the results obtained. In case of incomplete extraction of juices, their effective power is proportionately reduced due to the absence of the vitamins and enzymes which are left behind in fibre and the pulp.
• If juices are too sweet they should be diluted in water on 50:50 basis or mixed with other less sweet juices. This is especially important in some specific conditions such as diabetes, hypoglycaemia, arthritis and high blood pressure.

 

Basic Ingredients of Diet for Obesity

349.   The basic diet includes the following: –

 

(i)      Raw fruits – Moderate amounts of raw citrus and sub-acid fruits are allowed. No sweet fruits such as grapes, mangoes or dried fruits should be consumed. Fruit juices are also forbidden (except in Raw Juice Therapy) since these are in essence “refined”, being devoid of their pulp and roughage. The only exception is diluted red grape juice taken half an hour before all meals. This helps decrease the appetite, allowing one to eat less, and does not signal a weight gain.

(ii)      Raw vegetables – allowed almost without restraint. A raw salad meal should be taken once or twice each day, alone, or with other compatible foods such as protein or unrefined starch.

 

(iii)     Vegetables – The only cooked vegetables allowed are fresh and conservatively cooked (steamed, stewed, lightly sauteed, or baked, but not fried) fresh vegetables. No frozen, fried or canned vegetables are to be used. The proportion of cooked vegetables consumed should be less than raw. Vegetables properly cooked are still slightly crispy. Potatoes are allowed 2-3 times per week but only if eaten with the skin.

 

(iv)     Proteins – Beans, sprouted beans, sprouted seeds, nuts in moderation, fish, chicken and turkey (wild, if possible), low-fat yoghurt, and poached eggs are the major proteins with the vegetarian sources stressed. No meat is allowed unless it is from wild game, which has far less fat content. Most meats you find in the supermarkets have been raised with the use of hormones which can trigger weight gain and should be avoided.

 

(v)     Carbohydrates – All refined carbohydrates are absolutely forbidden. This means sugar, alcohol, white flour and its products (bread, pastry, macroni, etc.), quick oats, most packaged cereals, and any other processed starch. Eat only conservatively cooked, unrefined brown rice, millet, barley, rye, buck-wheat, wheat berries, bulgur, corn, and any other whole grain. These should be taken in their natural state and not ground into flour for bread or cooked cereal. Let your teeth do the grinding.

 

(vi)     Fats – Cold pressed unsaturated oils are allowed for salad dressings with lemon juice and / or apple cider vinegar plus herbs, or when needed in cooking in very small amounts.

 

350.   Obviously, one should not overeat. It is also far better to eat five to six smaller meals than two or three larger ones. A useful rule to eliminate habit of unnecessary snacking is to eat only while eating. In other words, when eating, concentrate only on the meal or snack to hand. No talking, reading, listening to the radio, watching TV, or any other mental distraction is allowed. This eleminates the tendency to munch incessantly and requires that the person be hungry enough to discontinue all other activities to eat.

Suggested Sample Daily Diet for Obesity

351.   A sample diet for obese persons might be as given below but this can be adapted to suit particular circumstances of individuals.

 

Half an hour before breakfast

• 190 ml. glass of diluted grape juice, 2:1 with water, sipped slowly.

 

Breakfast

• Fresh raw fruit (especially citrus) or fresh raw fruit with low-fat yoghurt
• or fresh raw fruit and a small handful of nuts.
• or poached egg and fruit.
• or poached egg and wholegrain such as brown rice or millet.
• or salad and nuts.
• or salad and low-fat yoghurt.

 

Midmorning

• Fresh vegetables such as carrot or celery sticks.
• or Apple.
• or 1 fruit plus 8-12 almonds
• or Raw or baked tofu
• and Herbal tea or green tea

 

Half an hour before lunch

• Diluted red grape juice.

 

Lunch

Always have a raw mixed salad composed of at least three vegetables that grow above the ground for each that grows below. In addition, choose from:

• Beans.
• Fish.
• Turkey or chicken (twice per week only).
• Wholegrain.
• Baked potato with skin (2-3 times per week in any meal).
• Nuts or seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc.).

 

Midafternoon

• As midmorning

Half an hour before Dinner

• Diluted red grape juice.

 

Dinner

• Raw salad or cooked vegetables.
• or protein and wholegrain (1 cup) individually cooked and served as a casserole dish.

 

352.   Variety and interest must be maintained. With a little experience you will learn to make nearly anything out of whole foods. Use your imagination, but use whole foods. In addition to the basic diet, you may take 1 tablespoon raw bran with 1-2 glasses of water 10-15 minutes prior to each meal. This tends to reduce appetite and constipation.

 

Naturo-Food Therapists – Goindis

353.    Many sufferers of obesity and other ailments have benefited and restored their health through carefully chosen individual suitable diet regimes by our naturo-food therapists Satyendra Singh Goindi and his wife Gurkirpal Kaur Goindi. For appointments with Goindis for treatement, lectures, seminars and media interviews, please contact:

 

Santokh Singh Parmar on telephones:

+91(0)172-5095500 & 5097700, Mobile: +91(0) 9815922330

Websites: www.naturofoodtherapy.org & www.foodtherapy.org

November 2007

 

Note:              The above information and advice is not a substitute for the advice, your doctor or naturo-food therapist may give you based on his/her knowledge of yourself.

APPENDIX-II

Exercise and Energy Expenditure

          The table below shows the average time needed for various exercises and activities to burn 100 calories.

Dusting                                                40 mins

Cleaning                                               23 mins

Mopping floor                                        23 mins

Ironic clothes                                        43 mins

Tidying your room                                 43 mins

Dancing                                                23 mins

Trekking                                               17 mins

Brisk walking                                        25 mins

Cycling                                                 25 mins

Pull ups, push ups and sit ups               12.5 mins

Weight lifting                                        34 mins

Yoga and stretching                              25 mins

Aerobics                                               17 mins

Climbing stairs                                     20 mins

Jogging                                                14 mins

Badminton                                            23 mins

Cricket                                                 20 mins

Golf                                                      23 mins

Table tennis                                          25 mins

Lawn tennis                                          14 mins

Swimming                                            17 mins

APPENDIX-III

CALORIC VALUE OF WHAT YOU EAT

          The chart below gives approximate and average caloric value of some of the basic foods. Each portion of food is 100 gms and of beverages 100 ml., unless otherwise stated. A caloric or kilocaloric (kcal) is a unit of energy. One calorie is the measure of the exact amount of heat required to increase the temperature of 1,000 gms. (1 Kilo) of water by 1 degree Centigrade.

 

Fresh Fruits	Calories	Fresh Vegetables	Calories
Apple	80	Aubergine (Boiled)	25
Apricot	60	Beetroot (raw)	45
Banana	110	Cabbage (raw)	26
Cherries	48	Cabbage (boiled)	18
Guava	50	Carrots (raw)	34
Grapefruit	20	Carrots (boiled)	24
Grapes	60	Cauliflower (raw)	34
Lychee	60	Cauliflower (boiled)	28
Mango	85	Courgette (boiled)	18
Maussami	45	Cucumber (raw)	10
Melon	19	French Beans (boiled)	25
Orange (medium)	40	Lady Finger (boiled)	35
Papaya	30	Lettuce (raw)	14
Peach	50	Mushrooms (boiled)	19
Pear	45	Onions (raw)	36
Pineapple	45	Onions (boiled)	17
Plum	55	Peas (boiled)	79
Strawberry	27	Potato (boiled)	72
Water Melon	31	Potato (baked with skin)	136
		Pumpkin (boiled)	20
Dried Fruits	Calories	Radish (raw)	12
Apricots	305	Round gourd – Tinda (boiled)	18
Dates	655	Spinach (boiled)	19
Figs	227	Spinach Greens (boiled)	20
Raisins	275	Tomato (raw)	17
		Turnip (boiled)	12

Cereals / Pulses	Calories	Flour / Bread	Calories
Bengal Gram (Chana)	360	Bread slice	70
Corn Flakes	385	Bread (medium)	220-280
Maize	345	Chapatti	335
Masoor Dal	345	Cornflour	354
Oatmeal	375	Rice brown (boiled)	141
Peas (dried)	315	Rice white (cooked)	383
Rajmah	345	Soya flour	447
Soyabean	430	Wheat flour (whole)	310
Semolina (Suji)	350
Starch (Maida)	350	Eggs	Calories
Wheat flour	340	Boiled	147
Urd Dal	350	Fried	179
		Poached	147
Nuts / Seeds	Calories	Omelette	266
Almonds	612	Scotch	251
Cashewnuts	550	White (raw)	36
Chestnuts	170	Whole (raw)	147
Coconut	660
Hazelnut	650	Fish and Seafood	Calories
Peanuts	564	Fish fingers	233
Pistachio	600	Fish (grilled)	214
Sesame Seeds	578	Lemon sole (steamed)	91
Sunflower Seeds	581	Prawns (boiled / cooked)	107
		Salmon (steamed)	197
Dairy Products	Calories	Salmon (smoked)	142
Butter Milk	15	Tuna (in oil)	189
Cheese	350-450
Cream (fresh)	586	Fats and Oils	Calories
Cream (whipped)	373	Butter	730
Milk (full cream)	170	Ghee (desi)	850
Milk (half fat)	70	Ghee (vanaspati)	900
Milk (skimmed)	49	Oils (all)	900
Yoghurt (full cream)	115	Margarine	730
Yoghurt (low fat)	56

Meat / Poultry	Calories	Soft Drinks	Calories
Chicken (cooked)	204	Coca Cola	36
Chicken (roasted)	155	Pepsi	38
Chicken (Tandoori)	163	Lemonade	21
Meat (fried / grilled)	269
Meat (curried)	374	Salad Dressings	Calories
		French	649
Alcohol / Beverages	Calories	Mayonnaise	691
Beer	40	Salad Cream	348
Cider	36-42	Tomato Sauce	87
Coffee (no sugar / milk)	1
Horlicks	378	Sweeteners	Calories
Liquors / whisky (30 ml)	80	Honey	320
Tea (no milk / sugar)	1	Jaggery (gur)	385
Wine (red / white / dry)	67	Jam (30 gms)	75
Wine (sweet)	94	Sugar	394
Juices	Calories	Confectionary and Snacks	Calories
Apple	38	Chocolate	529
Grapes	46	Potato chips (fried)	364
Lemon / Lime	7	Potato crisps	546
Orange	36	Samosa (vegetable)	260
Pineapple	41	Samosa (meat)	320
Tomato	14	White Pastry	327

Glossary

 

Aerobic: Aerobic means air but specifically means using oxygen in the air.

Allergy: Sensitivity of an individual to certain substances (allergens) which are harmless to most other people.

Amino Acid: A chemical compound mainly occuring naturally in plant and animal tissues and forming the basic constituent of protein.

Anaerobic: Means without air or oxygen.

Appetite: Appetite is the natural desire for food, a pleasant sensation, aroused by the thoughts and the pleasure you get from eating certain foods with appealing taste, texture or aroma. It is not the same as hunger.

Antibody: Any of a class of blood proteins (immunoglobins) produced in the body in response to and countering antigens.

Antigen: A foreign substance (e.g. a toxin) which induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.

Antioxidants: These are biological substances (e.g. vitamins A, C or E) that slow oxidation and protect against cell damage caused by oxygen free radicals.

Balanced Diet: A diet that contains all six essential food groups i.e. carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and water in proper proportions and in quantity that is adequate for current needs of the body as well as for the needs in future. It provides requisite energy, maintains health and vitality and provides fibre (roughage).

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): It is essentially a measure of the minimum amount of energy (calories) the body burns when you are awake but sitting still or lying down doing nothing just being alive to maintain basic bodily functions, such as breathing, heart beat.

Beta-carotene: A derivative of vitamin A, widely accepted as a cancer preventative. Carotene is a yellowish plant pigment which can be converted in the body to vitamin A.

Bile: A greenish brown fluid secreted by the Liver which aids in the emulsification of fats.

Bioflavonoids: Strong antioxidant phytochemicals found next to the peel in many fruits, are essential for the stability and absorption of ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Blood Pressure: The pressure exerted by the flow of blood as it is pumped by the heart through the main arteries. This is often measured for diagnosis since it is closely related to the force and rate of the heart beat and the diameter and the elasticity of the arterial walls.

Body mass Index (BMI): An index that measures the relationship between height and weight. This is calculated by dividing the body weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters.

Calorie: A calorie or Kilocalorie is the unit of energy supplied by food. One unit (calorie) is the measure of the exact amount of heat required to increase the temperature of 1,000 grams of water by 1⁰C

Carbohydrate: Any of a large group of organic compounds containing carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, e.g. starch, glucose and other sugars. This is the main fuel and souce of energy for the body.

Carcinogen: Any substance or agent that produces cancer or increases the risk of development of cancer.

Cardiovascular Disease: Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.

Collagen: The protein substance of white fibres of connective tissue, cartilage or bone.

Cortisol: A steroid hormone produced by the adrenal cortex (outer part of the gland).

Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fat like crystalline substance which is mainly made in the body by the liver from saturated fats in food. It facilitates the transport and absorption of fatty acids in the body.

Complex Carbohydrates: These, like wholegrains, are digested slowly and raise blood sugar level also slowly. Also called low glycemic index foods.

Electrolyte:A chemical substance with an available electron in its structure that enables it to transmit electrical impulses when dissolved in fluids.

Endocrine Gland: A gland that manufactures one or more hormones which are secreted directly into the blood stream. Includes the pituitary, adrenals, thyroid, ovaries and testes.

Endocrine System: A group of ductless glands and tissues that secrete hormones directly into the blood stream to regulate the function of specific tissues or organs or of the entire body.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA): Substances that the body cannot manufacture and therefore must be supplied in the diet.

Enzymes: Proteins that initiate biochemical reactions in the body. They remain intact in raw foods and help in the digestion process. Enzymes are also present in the saliva.

Fibre: Dietary fibre, also called roughage is made up of indigestible parts of whole plant foods which pass almost unchanged through the stomach and intestines. Soluble fibre helps get rid of extra cholesterol and insoluble fibres relieves constipation and diarrhoea.

Free Radicals: Highly reactive family of molecules which cause random damage to structural proteins, enzymes and DNA. These play major role in inflammation and hyper-oxidation.

Gluten: The insoluble protein found in grains like wheat

Glycemic Index (GI): This ranks foods based on the effect they have on blood sugar level. Foods, such as complex carbohydrates (wholegrains etc.), that raise the blood sugar level slowly have low GI value while those, such as simple carbohydrates (starch, sugars etc.) have high GI value.

Haemoglobin: An iron containing pigment in the red blood cells which carries oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): Also referred to as “good cholesterol” which removes cholesterol from the circulation in the blood by returning the extra cholesterol that is not needed by the body back to the liver.

Hormone: A chemical substance that is produced in the body by an organ or cells of an organ and released directly into the blood stream. It has a specific regulatory action on the activity of a certain organ, cells or tissues.

Hunger: Hunger is the body’s physical response to the need for food for energy. Hunger is a feeling you are born with.

Hydrogenation: It is a process by which liquid vegetable oil with the aid of hydrogen is turned into solid fat – called Trans Fat and Trans Fatty Acid (TFA).

Immune System: A collection of body cell substances and structures that work to protect the body from disease causing organisms and from the development of cancer.

Immunity: A state of resistance to diseases through the defence activities of the immune system.

Glycogen: Main carbohydrate reserve stored in the liver and muscle of the body which is easily converted into glucose for energy when needed.

Insulin: The hormone produced by the pancreas to help transport glucose from the blood stream to sites of utilisation in the body and to control blood sugar levels.

Insulin Resitance: See Syndrome X.

Lipids: This is the name for all the water soluble fatty substances, including good and bad cholesterol and triglycerides present in the blood. These are stored in the body and used for energy.

Lipoproteins: A family of lipid-carrying water soluble proteins that are responsible for the transport of cholesterol and triglycerides through the blood circulation.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL): Also referred to as “bad cholesterol” which carries cholesterol and other fats from the digestive system through the blood / liver to the body’s cells for cell processes.

Lymph: A transparent, slightly yellowish fluid which plays an important part in the immune system and in the absorption of fats from the intestine.

Metabolism: It is the process of transforming food stuffs into tissue elements and into energy for use in the growth, repair and general function of the body.

Mineral: A metallic inorganic substance found in nature. Many minerals are essential for human and animal nutrition.

Monounsaturated Fat: This, also called Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) is largely found in certain vegetable oils like olive, mustard and nuts like almonds.

Morbid Obesity: This a disease where the weight of the body is higher by more than 20% as compared to the ideal or desirable weight. Also a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 indicates morbid obesity.

Nutrients: Any food material used by the body that provides essential nourishment to sustain life and health e.g. carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals.

Obesity: An excessive accumulation of fat in the body resulting in an increase in body weight more than 10% over the maximum desirable weight for one’s height.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid: This, also called Essential Fatty Acid (EFA), is a particular protective type of polyunsaturated fat which prevents blood clotting and helps reduce harmful triglyceride levels.

Oxidation: A chemical reaction that occurs when oxygen is added and results in a chemical transformation.

Phytochemicals: Neither vitamins nor minerals, these are naturally occuring substances in foods like fruits, vegetables and wholegrains that trigger beneficial chemical reactions within the body (“Phyto” means “plant”). There are thousands of phytochemicals including bioflavonoids, resveratrol.

Polyunsaturated Fat: This, (a liquid at room temperature) also called Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) is largely found in certain vegetable oils like corn, sunflower, and oily fish. This is generally known to lower bad as well as good cholesterol.

Prebiotic: This family of carbohydrates, mainly found in plant foods feed the probiotics (beneficial microorganisms present in the intestines).

Probiotic: This is a Greek word meaning “for life”. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms (bacteria) present in the intestines.

Protein: A complex compound formed from nitrogen and found in all animal and vegetable food tissues. Proteins contain amino acids and serve as enzymes, hormones and are needed for the growth and repair of body tissues.

Resveratrol: This phytochemical helps to ward off heart attacks and strokes with its blood-thinning property. It is found in grapes, especially in red, grape juice and wine.

Saturated Fat: This, also called Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) is largely found in animal products such as milk, butter, meat. This is known to increase bad cholesterol.

Simple Carbohydrates: These, like refined starches and sugar are digested quickly resulting in sharp rise of blood sugar levels. Also called high glycemic index foods.

Sorbitol: A sweet-tasting crystalline alcohol found in some fruits and used in the industry as a food additive such as in sugar substitute for diabetes.

Spasm: A sudden involuntary contraction of the muscles occuring in an exaggerated form.

Sprouts: These are essential young living plants germinated from wholegrains and seeds. They rank as the freshest and most nutritious of all vegetables. Sprouted food acquires vastly improved digestibility and nutritional qualities when compared to non-sprouted embryo from which it derives.

Syndrome X: Also linked to Insulin Resistance, it is a term to describe a cluster of symptoms, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol and obesity which appear together in some individuals and indicates a pre-disposition to diabetes and heart disease. The main indicator of Syndrom X is a large potbelly.

Thermogenesis: This is food-induced heat production by burning calories in the process of eating, digesting, absorbing and assimilating food in the body.

Toxins: Any of a group of poisonous substances produced by living organisms, especially those formed in the body and stimulating the production of antibodies.

Trans Fat / Trans Fatty Acid: See Hydrogenation.

Triglycerides: A compound consisting of glycerol and a fatty acid. These are fat storage molecules and are the major lipid component of the diet.

Virus: Minute particles of any group of infectious agents that reproduce only in living cells and capable of infecting all animals, humans and plants. These are not affected by antibiotics.

Vitamin: Any of a group of organic compounds essential in small amounts for many living organisms to maintain normal health and development. They cannot be synthesised by the body.

REFERENCES

Nature Cure Books

• Prescription for Nutritional Healing; James F. Balch, MD & Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 1990
• A Complete Book of Nature Cure; Dr. H.K. Bakhru; 2004
• The Scientific Way to Managing Obesity; Dr. Mini Sheth PhD & Ms. Nirali Shah (BSc, PGDHMI, ADSE)
• Naturopathy for Longevity; Dr. H.K. Bakhru; 2004
• Better Health through Natural Healing; Dr. Ross Trattler, D.O. and Dr. Adrian Jone, MD; 2003
• Herbs that Heal, Natural Remedies for Good Health; Dr. H.K. Bakhru, 2005
• The New Holistic Herbal; David Hoffmann; 1990
• The Healing Foods, The Ultimate Authority on the Curative Power of Nutrition; Patricia Hausman & Judith Benn Hurley; 1989
• Nature Cure, Physical Mental Fitness without Drugs; S.K. Sharma; 2005
• Eat and Heal; Publishers of F.C. & A Medical Publishing; 2004
• The Food Connection, The Right Food at the Right Time; Sam Graci; 2001
• Healing Through Natural Foods; Dr. H.K. Bakhru; 2003
• You – the Owner’s Manual; An Insiders Guide to the Body That Will Make You Healthier and Younger; Michael F. Roizen, M.D. & Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. with Lisa Oz & Ted Spiker
• Health Disease & Hope, a support for the common man; B.L. Manocha; 2004
• Diabetes Total Control – Cholesterol Total Control; Rinny Eapen; 2004
• High Blood Cholesterol, Causes, Prevention and Treatment; Dr. Krishan Gupta, MD, MRCP, FACP
• Speaking of Asthma; Dietrich Nolte, MD; 2004
• Diabetes; Dr. Alexander D.G. Gunn, MRCGP, DPH, D Obst; 1981
• Ageless Body, Timeless Mind – A practical alternative to growing old; Deepak Chopra, 1998
• Diet for Diabetes; G. Padma Vijay; 2003
• All You Wanted to Know About Diabetes; Dr. Savitri Ramaiah
• Type II Diabetes, Reducing Your Risk; American Medical Association; 1997
• Diets to Help Diabetes; Martin Budd, ND, DO, Lic Ac; 1983
• Secrets of Energy Work; Paul Brecher; 2001
• Family Doctor Guide to Blood Pressure; The British Medical Association; Professor D.G. Beevers; 200
• Life Without Arthritis, The Maori Way; Jan de Vries; 2001
• Arthritis, Causes, Prevention & Treatment; Ada P. Kahn MPH; 2003
• Aushadh Darshan, A Repertoir of Proven Miraculous Ayurvedic Remedies; Swami Ramdev; 2005
• Yog, Its Philosophy and Practice, Swami Ramdev
• Secrets of Ayurveda; Gopi Warrier, Dr. Harish Verma & Karen Sullivan; 2001
• Pranayama, Its Philosophy and Practice; Swami Ramdev
• Simple Ayurvedic Remedies; Dr. H.S. Puri; 2002
• Herbs for Health and Healing; Ranjit Roy Chaudhury; 2005
• Juice Diet for Perfect Health; Dr. D.R. Gala, Dr. Dhiren Gala & Dr. Sanjay Gala; 2004
• Herbal Healers; Dr. Sonica Krishan; 2005
• Asthma & Allergies, Causes, Prevention & Treatment; Dr. O.P. Jaggi, MD, PhD, FCCP (USA), FACA (USA)
• The Human Body – The Circulatory System, The Digestive System, The Endocrine System, The Muscular System, The Nervous System, The Reproductive System, The Respiratory System, The Skeletal System
• Holt Health; Jerold Greenberg Ed. D & Robert Gold, PhD; 1999

Magazines

• Health and Nutrition, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, Readers Digest, Good Health, Yog Sandesh, Glamour, Life Positive.

 Newspapers

• The Tribune, Hindustan Times, Times of India, Indian Express, The Times (UK), The Guardian (UK), The Independent (UK), Times and Citizen (UK), Washington Post (USA).

Newspaper Articles

• Alka Sahani, Anjali Mukerjee, Arun Kochar (Dr), Anuradha Mane, Chiranjit Parmar (Dr), Ishi Khosla, Ishita Yadav, Jaspreet Nijher, Jatinder Kaur Tur, Khushwant Singh, Kushalrani Gulali, Mandeep S. Dhillon (Dr), Namita Bhandare, Nancy Sahni, Neelam Sharma, Neelanjana Singh, Parizaad Khan, Pooja Vashist, Prachi Raturi Misra, Preeti Verma, Rachna Aneja Sikka, Rachna Singh, Rajneesh Kapoor (Dr), Rashmi Uday Singh, Ravinder Chadha, Renu Manish Sinha, R Vatsyayan (Dr), Sarah Susan, Sachin Kalra, Sanchita Sharma, Seema Goswami, Shikha Sharma (Dr), Shimona Kanwar, Shveta Vashist Gaur, Simmi Waraich (Dr), Simran Sandhu, Smita Mitra, Sonic Krishan (Dr), Subhash Chander Gupta, Toufiq Rashid, Vandana Shukla, Veenu Singh, Vidya Menon, Vikram Kapoor, Vimy Singh, Vir Sanghoi.

Santokh Singh Parmar

Naturo-Food Therapist & Lifestyle Consultant

Mobile: +91(0) 9815922330

Websites: www.naturofoodtherapy.org & www.foodtherapy.org

November 2007

Note: The above information and advice and indicative remedies are not a substitute for the advice, your doctor or naturo-food therapist may give you based on his/her knowledge of yourself.