Author: Nutriworks Pune

Dt. Siddhi Takalkar-Deshpande is a Registered Dietitian and Founder at Nutriworks. She is Master in Nutrition and Dietetics from Symbiosis International University and a Certified Diabetes Educator by National Diabetes Educator Program (NDEP). She works as Clinical Nutritionist at Sahyadri Hospital Bibvewadi, Manohar Joshi Memorial Hospital, Ghole Road and Lokmanya Hospital, Mitramandal Pune. She has also previously worked as Locum Dietitian at Sahyadri Speciality Hospital, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune and Hrishikesh Health Care Pvt. Ltd (Prayag Hospital), Pune.

7 Heart Healthy Foods

Cardiovascular diseases have reached epidemic proportions in India. It was reported that in 2010, out of a total of 1.89 million annual deaths, 0.59 million (31%) occurred at age <60 years and 1.09 million (58%) at age <70 years.

Hence, it is extremely important to keep our hearts healthy. Consuming high amount of carbs and fats not only affects our heart, but also impacts our waistline. Eating heart healthy foods definitely reduces the risk of heart diseases. Also, eating well cooked, unprocessed foods are the key to have a healthy heart.

Below are some heart healthy foods:

Fish: Fish has a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids, which helps in fighting cardiovascular diseases. Opt for sea foods such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout.

Leafy vegetables: Green veggies like spinach, broccoli and asparagus is jam packed with vitamins. Spinach contains Vitamin K, while broccoli and asparagus are filled with vitamins C and E, potassium, folate, calcium and fiber. So, chuck the lays and deep fried wadas for breakfast, instead o for a healthy spinach sandwich.

Oats: Another healthy breakfast option, oats are a powerhouse of nutrients. Have them with milk, or with yoghurt, or try the spicy oats upma. You can sprinkle them with salads as well.

Soy: Soy is not only a rich source of protein, but heart- healthy as well. Replace regular milk with soy milk for a fat free choice. Add soya nuggets in your pulav, or make soy pakodas in olive oil.

Even better, replace paneer with tofu. Add a bowl of marinated tofu in a stir fry and fresh veggies for a healthy lunch or dinner

Legumes: Pulses like lentils, or dried beans such as kidney beans, or black beans are protein heavy foodstuffs. Not only that, they are high in fiber, Vitamin B, minerals. Rajmachawal or moongusal, anyone?

Fruits: Red and yellow fruits such as oranges and papayas are rich in beta- carotene, potassium, magnesium and fiber. So, next time, do not forget to add these vegetables in your fruit salad. Or, have a glass of orange juice in your breakfast.

Whole Grains: Replace all refined grains in your kitchen with whole grains like whole wheat, brown rice, oats, rye, barley, buckwheat and quinoa.

Whole grains are high in fiber, which may help reduce “bad” cholesterol. Studies suggest that eating whole grains is associated with lower cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. This lowers the risk of heart disease.

To keep a fit mind and healthy body, you can always consult the young and dynamic clinical nutritionist Mrs Siddhi Takalkar. One of the best diet consultants in Pune, Nutriworks brings a phenomenal lifestyle change in people by solving weight management issues. Nutriworks also caters to solving weight management issues or various disease issues through customized diet plan.

How to stay hydrated

Hydration and requirement for hydration varies from person to person. While water is the primary source to stay hydrated there are a few other ways you can do the same. No matter what your body type is hydration is very important. Here is how you can stay hydrated in these busy times:

Keep a track of your water drinking habit:

This will help you understand your daily routine and you will start keeping a hydration check for yourself. There are apps available nowadays which set alarm to remind you. This will day by day make it a habit of drinking water.

Make your water more likable:

If you don’t like the taste of plain simple water or you cannot get yourself to drink it, add a few elements to the water. Fresh cut fruits, few drops of lemon juice, fresh mint.

Don’t confuse thirst with hunger:

Many time we tend to confuse thirst with hunger. Whenever you feel hungry try drinking water first. Water will not satisfy your hunger but if it’s just thirst it will surely help you lose weight.

Include wet food in your diet:

We end up with dry food in our tiffin or ordering something quick to eat, easy to carry while eating out. This because wet food makes a mess and we don’t have patience or time in our fast-paced life. Eat curry or gravy food rather than a burger or snack.

Juices, smoothies and many other alternatives:

Fresh fruit juices, fresh green smoothies, buttermilk and flavored water are really healthy options you can have throughout day when you don’t feel like drinking water. These not only keep you hydrated but also keep you healthy, help in weight loss and make you fit. You can have these in any flavor you want and like.

Fruits with high water content:

Fruits are natural and no effort thing you can have to keep yourself hydrated. Fruits like watermelon, grapes, orange, pomegranate and many more daily basis. These keep your body hydration in check and also add healthy nutrients to your body.

Hydration is very necessary to your body. It keeps your body temperature normal, helps your joints stay lubricated, water prevents your body from infections, help the nutrients to cells and keeps your body organs function properly. Hydration is not only important for your physical health but also your mental health, it improves your sleep quality, water can help you concentrate and increase your ability and agility to think, it is proved to help you calm down when in anger.

In these changing time, water and hydration is the only constant that will help you stay fit. Make sure you rehydrate throughout the day. Also in festivals and other important events require to stay healthy so hydrate and stay hydrated constantly. For more such tips contact and any doubts Dt.Siddhi Deshpande-Takalkar, nutritionist in Pune. For more diet tips contact the best dietician in Kothrud and Bibvewadi.

Importance of Incorporating Fruits and Vegetables in Diet

Fruits and vegetables are some of the easiest things to munch through. Be it a salad, or a smoothie, it is very easy and extremely to fill your stomachs on a busy day. Other than saving time, fruits and vegetables also have plenty of health benefits.

Importance of Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and Vegetables can be a great source of vitamins and minerals:

Fruits and vegetables are a treasure hunt of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables contain a horde of vitamins A, C, E as well as magnesium, zinc, phosphorous and folic acid. Potassium, a very important mineral, is found in avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas and prunes and tomato paste puree.

Lots and lots of fiber:

Most fruits and vegetables have a lot of fiber. Fiber makes you feel satiated, and enhance your gut health as well. Fiber rich vegetables include green peas, broccoli and cauliflower. High fiber fruits include raspberries, pears, apples and pumpkin.

They have low- calorie and low- fat

In general, fruits and vegetables have very low amount of calories and fat. This basically means that you can consume fruits without the fear of gaining calories. You can save more than 200 calories by eating half a cup of grapes versus a quarter cup of chocolates.

Protection against other diseases:

Many fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals, which are basically biologically active substances that protect and prevent from other diseases. By consuming fruits and vegetables, that you can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. Especially add broccolis and cabbages in your diet.

Low in sodium and cholesterol:

Fresh healthy fruits and healthy veggies have only a trace of sodium. Cholesterol doesn’t exist in fruits and veggies at all. They’re low in saturated fat, salt and sugar, which, in turn helps you to lose weight. Also, they can help you decrease inflammation, and lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Nourish your Hair with adequate nutrition

Our hair is riddled with problems during monsoon. Hair loss, oily scalp and dandruff are some of the common problems during the rainy season. A lot of products convince us to buy hair products that make our hair healthier. Nevertheless, a natural, healthy diet also contributes a lot to have nourished hair. Packaged and processed foods do no good to nurture those locks. It’s time to throw away those pack of chips lying on your bedside table!

A lack of vitamins like A, C, D and E, zinc, B and minerals like iron, biotin and fatty acids may slow down hair growth.

Below are few super foods that will work wonders for your tresses:

1) Eggs:

Eggs are a powerhouse of proteins, and since hair is made up of 95% keratin. Keratin, is a protein, and therefore, it is very important to include proteins for healthy hair.

2) Spinach and other Green Leafy vegetables

Spinach contains a lot of iron and iron is one of the important for hair growth. A lack of it causes a breakage of hair follicles and causes hair loss.

3) Citrus Fruits

Citrus or Vitamin C is used to absorb iron in the body. Hence, it is important to also include citrus fruits in your diet. Citrus fruits include lemons, orange, sweet lime. Start your day with a glass of lime juice with honey, and your tresses will be taken care of!

4) Peanuts and Peanut butter

Peanuts are a very rich source of biotin, as it is filling. Biotin is known for both stopping hair fall and stimulate hair growth. A quarter cup of peanuts serves upto 9 grams of protein, 4 grams of fibre, and packed with antioxidants.

5) Carrots and Pumpkins

Carrots and Pumpkins are filled with vitamin A. Drinking a glass of carrot juice every day helps in boosting hair growth. It also helps the scalp produce sebum, a natural oil, which keeps the hair roots healthy.

“Nutriworks” an initiative started by the young and dynamic dietician and clinical nutritionist Mrs. Siddhi Takalkar Deshpande. One of the best dietician in Pune, Nutriworks strives to plan a customized diet according to your body type so that you only deserve the best. Along with weight loss, Nutriworks takes care of the overall well-being and holistic development of your system.

Thus, to solve all your hair woes, head to the Kothrud and Bibvewadi branch ASAP!

8 best foods to beat PMS

Every woman has her own unique body signs that tell her when ‘aunt flo’ is about to visit every month. Bloating, headaches, mood swings and cramps can really dampen your spirits right before the periods start.

These symptoms affect different women differently, and if they have a negative impact on some aspect of your life, then it is termed as PMS, or premenstrual syndrome. PMS is a condition that may affect a woman’s emotional and physical health, as well as behavior.

Various over-the-counter pain medications are useful for treating the headaches and cramps, but there is another tool that you can use to fight off the wrath of the PMS-a healthy diet. It doesn’t matter whether you suffer a lot or very little. A healthy diet can help to reduce some symptoms of PMS, improve your energy levels, and keep you in an overall good shape.

So, before the next cycle of the mood-spoilers sets in, grab these PMS-friendly foods-

Low fat yogurt

Yogurt is a great option for a quick snack or even as a meal accompaniment. It is a great source of calcium, which is an essential mineral for women with PMS. According to a study, it has been observed that women who consumed around 1,200 mg of calcium daily, were 30% less likely to develop PMS than women who ate around 530 mg daily. 1 cup of low fat or non-fat yogurt provides around 400 mg of calcium.

Other calcium-rich foods include low fat milk, paneer, ragi (nachni).

Fatty fish like Salmon

Salmon, also known as rawas in India, is an excellent source of vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for proper calcium absorption. Research indicates that consuming at least 100 IU of vitamin D caused fewer symptoms in women with PMS.

Other vitamin D-rich foods include sardines, fortified milk or yogurt.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a great source of vitamin B6. Some studies claim that vitamin B6 can help to reduce breast tenderness, irritability and depression, however, the results are inconclusive. Still, adding vitamin B6 to the diet will not be harmful. Chickpeas can be incorporated into a variety of recipes, which are healthy and delicious. However, do not go overboard with chickpeas, since it can cause flatulence or other GI issues.

Other vitamin B6 rich foods are eggs, chicken, lentils, whole cereals like wheat, brown rice.

Pineapple

Pineapple is a great source of manganese, which along with calcium, has shown to reduce the symptoms of PMS such as depression, mood swings and irritability. More research is needed to verify whether manganese really has a positive effect, but, it is still a good idea to include manganese in the diet.

Other manganese-rich foods include wheat germ, peanuts, quinoa, brown rice.

Chamomile tea

A cup of hot chamomile tea will help to soothe those cramping muscles, since chamomile is effective in reducing muscle spasms and also irritability and anxiety.

Pumpkin seeds

Women who suffer from PMS are often found to be low on zinc. Zinc is essential for the optimum functioning of the sex hormones. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc, and are quite versatile. You can add them to a nuts mix, salads, hot cereals or on your yogurt.

Other zinc-rich foods are sesame, hemp or flax seeds, whole grains, milk and milk products.

Bananas

Bananas are a great source of vitamin B6 and potassium, which can help to reduce water retention and bloating. Potassium also helps to prevent muscle cramps.

Other sources of potassium include oranges, lemons, cooked broccoli, sweet potatoes.

Green leafy veggies

Magnesium is an essential mineral for optimum mental health. A study reports that consumption of magnesium supplements by women suffering from PMS helps them to be in a better mood, than those that do not consume these supplements. Dietary sources of magnesium are also quite beneficial in enhancing the mood. Leafy greens are a great source of this mineral, along with vitamin B6, calcium and iron.

Other sources of magnesium are cashews, quinoa, sweet potatoes, millet.

Bonus foods-

Ginger

Ginger is a great antidote for an upset stomach, which may be caused due to PMS in some women. Ginger helps in digestion and has various immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. Indian cooking does involve good amount of ginger, but if you don’t consume enough, you can just add it to hot water and sip it.

Dark chocolate

A bar of good pure chocolate, containing at least 70% cacao, contains a good amount of magnesium to help soothe your headaches and cramps. It also contains anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Plus, a piece of good chocolate never fails to lift your mood!

To conclude, the best diet is the one that you find helpful. Note the foods that help to reduce the symptoms, as well as those that don’t. Modify your meals during those days of the month accordingly. It’s okay to have different requirements during different weeks of the month!

About the author-Siddhi Takalkar is a nutritionist and lifestyle consultant in Pune. She is also the founder of NutriWorks and is a Registered Dietitian in Pune with a Masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a vast experience in advising diets for various age groups as well as medical conditions. She is one of the best women health consultants in Pune. A young dietitian in Pune, she knows how to make your diet healthy, as well as tasty!

3 Best Healthy Oats Recipes

Oats are gaining a lot of popularity due to its various health benefits. Like wheat and rice, oats are also whole grains. However, they are more nutrient dense, containing more carbohydrates, fibre, protein and fats, as compared to other grains. They are also rich in various vitamins and minerals like thiamine, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, etc.

Fitness enthusiasts, people with certain disease conditions and even those without, who are looking to incorporate a healthy lifestyle, swear by oats as their go-to option for grains. They try to incorporate oats in various forms and even get innovative with traditional recipes.

However, there are so many others who absolutely detest oats and run away even from the thought of it. The main concern these people have is that they don’t know how to incorporate oats in ways which they can enjoy.

If you belong to this category of people, fret not! Here are 3 amazing healthy oats recipes that will make you love oats!

Oats Granola Bars

Some healthy snacks can be a bit boring, but not all. Here is a tasty, nutritious oats recipe which can be a wonderful substitute to boring or unhealthy snacks. Granola bars are available in stores, but once you see how easy it is to make, you will never have to buy one again!

Oats Granola Bars
Serves-4	Prep Time-10 min	Cooking Time-20 min
Ingredients- 1 cup rolled oats ¼ cup finely chopped nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, shredded coconut, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.) 2 tbsp raisins ½ cup powdered jaggery 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional) 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee ½ cup crushed cornflakes
Method- Dry roast oats in a wide pan till they get aromatic. Set aside.Roast the nuts, seeds and raisins each separately in oil or ghee. Set aside.Melt jaggery in a wide pan on a low flame.Add oats to it, mix well and roast till they turn brown. Keep stirring well to prevent burning.Add the nuts mixture and keep stirring constantly on low flame till the mix turns dark golden or brownish.Add Corn flakes and mix. Turn off the heat and keep stirring for another minute. Set the mixture in a greased tray or dish and cool completely.Cut it in rectangular or square pieces and store it in an airtight container.
Nutritional Content (approximate values)- Calories- 1200 kcal Carbohydrates-200 g Protein-18 g Fat-35 g Fibre-13 g

This recipe contains jaggery, so if you are diabetic or need to watch your sugars, ask your dietitian for substitutes.

Oats and Eggs

Egg-lovers should definitely try out this recipe. It is so easy to incorporate oats into this dish, that you will hardly notice it. Yet, it will pack so many nutrients into the humble egg bhurji, that it can definitely qualify as a one-dish meal.

Oats and Eggs
Serves-1	Prep Time-5 min	Cooking Time-15 min
Ingredients- 3/4 cup oats1 or 2 eggs2 chopped tomatoes1 finely chopped onion1/2 tsp garam masala or chicken masala1/4 tsp red chilli powdersalt to taste1 tbsp oil1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method- Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and sauté till they turn translucent.Add the tomatoes and sauté till they turn mushy and leave oil from the sides.Add the masala, chilli powder and salt and cook for around 1 minute.Add in the oats and cook for another 2 minutes.Beat the eggs and add to the mixture. Keep stirring so that the egg breaks into pieces as it cooks.Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve hot.
Nutritional Content (approximate values)- Calories- 430 kcal Carbohydrates-45 g Protein-13 g Fat-20 g Fibre-7 g

Instead of bhurji, you can also make an omelette. After adding the eggs, leave it as it is to cook. Rest all steps can remain the same.

Busy Oats

We all know how stressful weekday mornings can be. Sometimes, it means compromising on breakfast-either quantitatively or qualitatively. But since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, why settle for anything less than the best? This is an easy overnight oats recipe that can be customised as per your taste.

Busy Oats
Serves-1	Prep Time-5 min	Cooking Time-5 min
Ingredients- 3/4 cup quick oatsMilk, as required2 tbsp chopped almonds1 or 2 chopped dates1/2 small banana, finely chopped
Method- Add the oats and half of the almonds to a jar. Add milk to completely immerse the oats.Refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.Before serving, add the dates, banana and rest of the almonds.Consume within 2 hours of removing from the refrigerator.
Nutritional Content (approximate values)- Calories- 300 kcal Carbohydrates-30 g Protein-8 g Fat-6 g Fibre-10 g

You can make a lot of variations in this overnight oats recipe by adding your choice of fruits like mango, strawberries, sapota (chickoo), blue berries, etc. You can also add walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds or sunflower seeds instead of almonds.

Oatmeal is such a versatile ingredient that it can be made into savoury as well as sweet dishes. I hope these quick and easy recipes inspire you to incorporate oats in your everyday meals!

About the author-Siddhi Takalkar is a nutritionist and lifestyle consultant in Pune. She is also the founder of NutriWorks and is a Registered Dietitian in Pune with a Masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a vast experience in advising diets for various age groups as well as medical conditions. She is the best diet consultant in Pune for all your Nutritional needs. A young nutritionist in Pune, she knows how to make your diet healthy, as well as tasty!

5 key Factors to Help You Prevent Night Snacking

Do you find yourself sneaking at night and rummaging through the refrigerator and cabinets for snacks? Do you empty a whole bag of chips while binge watching TV shows at night? Can’t seem to stop snacking at night? Well, you are not alone. A large portion of our population is habitual of night snacking and it eventually affects their health both physically and mentally. Night snacking leads to obesity, high blood pressure, insomnia, stress and the list goes on. It is necessary to curb this habit of night snacking in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are 5 key factors to help you prevent night snacking.

Recognize the cause and triggers

Analyze yourself and ponder upon the reasons why you are having an urge to snack at night. The causes may be physiological or psychological. Physiological causes might be mostly due to low blood sugar that causes you to eat untimely. Or is it due so psychological reasons that are caused due to stress, anxiety, depression and has built up a habit. People often use food as a measure to curb the emotional baggage they are carrying like anger or sadness. This leads to night snacking even when they are not hungry. Night snaking can be caused due to boredom, stress, depression, eating disorders. It is also caused due to lack of sleep where you consider your tiredness for hunger. When you snack at night, your sleep gets disturbed which makes you feel tired throughout the next day and then you binge eat because of that. This creates a loop which might lead into developing an eating disorder and other health related issues such as insomnia, anxiety etc. Hence, monitoring your behavioral patterns and identifying what triggers you to eat at night will help you break the cycle of emotional eating.

Eat at regular intervals throughout the day

When you don’t have the right amount of food and starve yourself throughout the day, you tend feel ravenous hunger at night. This leads you to consume unwanted amount of food and increases your calorie intake. To avoid this you need to eat a proportionate and filling amount of food at regular intervals so that you are satisfied and full by the end of the night. Look into it that you don’t eat too much right before bed as it also disrupts your sleep which in turn has a negative impact on your blood sugars. It reduces the satiety hormones and increases the hunger hormones. Another thing that might help you is scheduling your meals. Eating meals at scheduled time will make you habitual in a while and you will not be starving yourself.

Hydrate and Increase Protein and Fiber intake.

Protein and Fiber can help you feel full faster and for a longer period. Thus, Including protein and fibrous foods will keep you satisfied and full which will prevent you from snacking at night. This also helps in maintaining a healthy intestinal and heart health. Include small amount of nuts and fruits, legumes, whole grains, oats and foods like these. They taste good and feels good at the same time. Along with this hydrate yourself well during the day. If you feel hungry or see yourself reaching for snack, try drinking water and eating a fruit or some nuts and dry fruits. This will help eliminate your mindless snacking.

Avoid buying junk food.

What are the foods or snacks that you tend to reach at night? If your answer is junk food then you should probably avoid purchasing them. It’s not like we stop after eating 3 or 4 chips rather we end up eating the whole bag. Detect your trigger foods and completely avoid buying them .Well as they say “Out of sight is Out of mind”, Isn’t it? Junk food is kind of self-explanatory. It is named junk food for a reason. These foods have high amounts of sodium, MSG’s and other preservatives. They are linked to a number of health problems as well.

Distraction is the key

You usually eat at night out of boredom or out of habit. If you work on keeping yourself busy, you might trick your mind to not think of food all the time. As they say ‘Empty mind is a devils workshop ‘, this saying totally applies here. Distraction does not mean binge watching shows or movies. Doing that makes you crave for more junk food as Movies = Snacks is the equation followed. Instead, you need to keep yourself busy doing household chores, do some artwork which is relaxing, cultivate some good hobbies. Along with this you can start exercising your body by taking brisk walks, meditating. This will help you relieve stress and keep you mind busy. Keep your health in check and aspire to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Despite all this, do you still crave for a snack at night? Let’s be real and say it won’t be easy to mend this habit in a jiffy. Hence, it is okay to snack once in a while. Instead of consuming the junk food you can try to replace the unhealthy food with some nutritional alternatives like Nuts, berries, boiled eggs, raagi or kale baked chips, fruit bowls etc. You can have additional help from a dietician along with this. One of the best dietitian in Pune Dt.Siddhi Takalkar-Deshpande,a registered dietitian and a renowned lifestyle consultant in Pune, can assist you with your queries and problems. You can visit ‘Nutriworks’ for further assistance.

What to eat & not to eat on your periods

Menstrual cycle/ Periods are natural, normal body process which purifies or cleanses body through releasing the tissues that are not needed in the form of blood. It involves hormonal changes that cause development of eggs, ovulation and periods in which the lining of uterus is shed out. Periods make women physically strong and mature. You can feel mood swings, period cramps, pelvic pain during your periods. It’s natural to have pain but it also depends on what you serve your body?

All you need to do in your periods is just serve healthy food to yourself. Period’s drain a lot of energy in you which needs to be stored largely again, all you need is getting essential nutrients in these 5 days. Women should eat healthy especially when they are on their periods. For this, consulting a women health consultants is essential, consult and decide your healthy diet on your periods with the dietitians.

To have something essential, you should first know what to avoid which makes easy to sort the essential nutrients.

Don’ts:

1) Do not eat processed and preserved food which include junk food, frozen food, bacon, canned soups, papads and pickles etc. that are gone through a process to preserve and use it for a long.

2) Avoid dairy products like paneer, cream and cheese, they are high in arachidonic acid which can cause menstrual cramps.

3) Avoid coffee it increases blood pressure and heart rates and worsens PMS symptoms.

4) Do not consume fatty food like burgers, pizzas, meat, cream based desserts which my worsen more and cause dehydration and dryness.

4) Avoid refined grains or processed cereals which may cause constipation and bloating.

5) Also avoid high salt content like chips, bakery products with baking soda, canned products, canned soups,etc which causes water retention.

Do’s:

1) Eat fruits like bananas and watermelons which contain high levels of potassium and vitamins that help to reduce tiredness and weakness and watermelons also help to reducing the bloating of the stomach.

2) Whole grains can be a good choice during your periods.

3) Consume Yoghurt that acts like a probiotic and comes with power-packed nutrients.

4) Can also have almonds and pulses and legumes.

5) Fresh fishes containing omega 3 fatty acids helps in relaxing the muscles which help you to reduce cramps.

6) And your favourite is in the list! Chocolates? Yes Chocolates but Dark! Dark chocolate is full of magnesium which helps you to balance your mood swings!

Healthy diet and exercise is essential not only during periods but also before and after periods that is through-out the month for optimum health and minimum of period symptoms. Do the do’s and avoid the don’ts. Have a happy period!

Siddhi Takalkar-founder of NutriWorks is a Registered Dietitian in Pune with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a vast experience in advising diets for various health conditions and is the best Dietitian and Nutritionist in Pune for all your Nutritional needs.

Increase Haemoglobin Naturally

Low haemoglobin called anemia is a most common condition in majority of population especially in females. Recently I volunteered a blood donation camp in which I observed many healthy people who were eager to donate blood were unfit for blood donation just because of a low haemoglobin count. Low haemoglobin levels without any underlying conditions like in pregnancy, liver or kidney diseases, absorptive disorders, thalassemia, cancers, bleeding wounds etc. can be usually due to improper eating habits, low nutritional content of foods, inadequate nutrient intake or improper cooking methods which can lead to deficiency of nutrients like iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C and proteins together responsible for low levels of haemoglobin.

When you have blood haemoglobin levels below 12.5g% it is termed as anemia. Adequate haemoglobin is required for transport of oxygen to your body cells. It also transports carbon-dioxide to lungs to be exhaled. Our body uses dynamic mechanism to maintain its haemoglobin. It tries to maintain normal haemoglobin by using these stores of nutrients like iron. Once the stores are depleted, slowly the haemoglobin levels start decreasing below normal showing various symptoms. Low haemoglobin gives you general fatigue, paleness, weakness, pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness, cold extremities (hand and feet), tingling sensation in legs, fast or irregular heartbeat, cravings to items that are not foods (mud, clay, chalk etc.), brittle nails, headaches, etc.

Donating blood for a social cause is a good initiative for which we should keep ourselves fit not only from health point of view but also to maintain your haemoglobin count. To maintain haemoglobin throughout the year we need to have a balanced diet rich in various nutrients. Haemoglobin is made up of heme and globin which requires iron, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B12 and proteins. To improve your haemoglobin, you need all these nutrients in your diet in correct amount. Iron deficiency anemia is most common and is seen in majority of females than males.

Improve your iron intake by increasing following iron rich foods in your diet:

Non – veg : Meat and fish
Eggs
Pulses and Beans, peas and lentils.
Nuts – Walnuts, Roasted almonds, peanuts
Seeds – Garden cress (Aliv seeds), Pumpkin, Sesame and flax seeds
Whole grains
Most dark green leafy vegetables – Spinach, Shepu, Cauliflower leaves, Broccoli, Rajgeera.
Iron fortified breakfast cereals and breads

Usually the vegetarian varieties contain non-heme iron and require vitamin C rich foods consumed along with iron rich foods for better absorption. These foods include:

Amla and Guava
Sweet lime, orange
Fermented products
Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, peas
Green leafy vegetables

Diet should contain a considerable amount of good quality protein to improve your hemoglobin levels. They include:

Egg
Lean Chicken
Meat and Fish
Milk and milk products
Pulses
Legumes

If you have a anemia due to folic acid and vitamin b12 deficiency, you need to incorporate following foods in your diet.

Egg yolk
Curd
Spinach
Gingelly seeds
Sorrel (Ambat Chuka), Ladies finger, Cluster beans (Gavar), Tomatoes
Whole Wheat

Some Important Tips to improve your haemoglobin:

Avoid intake of tea and coffee along with meals to improve iron absorption.
Cook at least 1 to 2 dishes in cast iron pan to provide two to three times more iron content than the one cooked in any other pan.
Consume foods rich in vitamin C and iron together to improve absorption of iron.
Soak, Sprout and ferment foods to improve bioavailability of iron. It reduces amount of phytates and improves iron absorption.
Consume minimum of processed foods which lack iron. Consume plenty of natural foods to improve overall intake of nutrients.

Improve your haemoglobin levels… Maintain it all the time…

Take a balanced diet…

Maintain your nutrition and be fit for blood donation…

As one of the few Registered Dietitians in Pune, I feel that everyone should focus on staying healthy, instead of later finding ways to fight off the diseases. I have been working as a diet consultant in Pune and I find that even common illnesses take weeks and months to get better. That’s why, “prevention is better than cure!” If you are looking for a nutritionist in Pune for such preventive diets, Nutriworks is the right place for you.

Improve brainpower of your kids with these diet tips

The kind of stress and competition that our kids face is increasing and getting tougher day after day. It is important that we prepare our kids and make them strong and capable enough to face it.

One way to do that is helping them to focus, concentrate and excel at what they do by boosting their brain power. A proper diet and adequate nutrients are extremely essential in brain health. Here are some tips to make sure that your kids eat healthy-

Include whole grains

Like everything else in our body, the brain requires energy (glucose) to function well. Your child can concentrate and focus better when there is a steady and adequate supply of energy. Whole grains like wheat, brown rice, jowar, bajra, etc. help to release glucose slowly in the body, thereby ensuring a sustained supply.

Don’t forget the Proteins

Proteins are the building blocks of our body. They are essential for the formation of neurotransmitters which send messages across the brain and nervous system. According to research, the healthiest sources of proteins include lean meats, fish, poultry, dairy and plant based sources such as nuts and legumes.

Animal sources of protein are also rich in B complex vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, B6, B12 and folic acid and choline. These vitamins, especially choline has been linked with boosting memory. If you are vegetarian or vegan, look for fortified foods or opt for supplements.

Fats are good

Did you know that almost 70% of our brain is made of fat? It is but natural then that it requires fat for adequate functioning. However, the type and quantity are important. Omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA, are essential components for learning and memory. They are found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. Plant sources include flaxseeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, etc.

Saturated fat such as ghee, coconut oil, full fat dairy products are also essential.

However, it is important to remember that trans-fat, hydrogenated fat, found in deep fried, bakery and processed foods are harmful, since they cause oxidation and damage to the cells.

Include fruits and veggies

Most Indian parents complain that their kids don’t like vegetables or they hate eating fruits. However, apart from being high in fibre, this food group contains loads of antioxidants which are beneficial for preventing oxidative stress, thereby preventing fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, etc.

Make interesting recipes and get them interested in what they are eating.

Ensure that they are hydrated well

Dehydration can cause a decrease in brain function by affecting the concentration, causing irritability and a generalised lethargy. Avoid this by making sure that they have enough fluids throughout the day. Water, smoothies, milkshakes, soups will provide adequate hydration. Of course, avoid sugary, packaged, caffeinated beverages, since they do more harm than good.

Make them go out to play

Exercise in any form helps to boost the brain function by releasing substances that boost memory, cognitive function and help to process information effectively. It also increases the heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain.

So let them run, skip, hop, jump, play cricket, football-whatever they wish!

A balanced diet with ample play time and less of screen time is beneficial in improving your child’s cognitive development. ‘Practice what you preach’! Incorporating healthy habits yourself will provide a good example to your children and make the implementation easier. Happy eating!

Siddhi Takalkar is a child nutrition specialist in Pune. She is also the founder of NutriWorks and is a Registered Dietitian in Kothrud, Pune with a Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics. She has a vast experience in advising diets for various age groups. She is the best diet consultant for all your Nutritional needs.