some health related questions...

Pooja Makhija, a nutritionist answers some health related questions... 
When cola companies claim 'Diet' and 'Lite', what do they mean? Are these really low in calories? And are they safe for consumption on a regular and daily basis? 

Conventional aerated drinks are sugar-laden carbonated beverages. Their 'diet' counterparts are the carbonated waters without the 'empty sugar calories' rest of the remaining ingredients being the same. Yes, diet colas are low in calories (because the chief contributor sugar is missing). But they are not a dieter's dream! They may not have as many calories but do have artificial sweetener aspartame as the main sweetening agent. Aspartame have long list of harmful effects. Enamel erosion, bone loss, kidney damage, weight gain, frequent headaches, brain cell damage being the feared ones. I wouldn't consider diet sodas 'safe' for daily consumption. 
Health shops are selling palm jaggery, which they advertise as the safer alternative to sugar. Is this so? Can palm jaggery be substituted everywhere for sugar? 

Palm jaggery is collected as sap from date palm trees. It's a natural sugar substitute, with a lot of health benefits. It has natural cleansing properties that aid digestion and help remove toxins from the body relieving constipation. Jaggery is used as home remedy to help alleviate dry cold coughs, hiccups, migraines and more. Because of its mineral content, it also helps reduce water retention, bloating and lower blood pressure. It can replace sugar in most Indian recipes. Although jaggery has many medicinal properties versus refined white sugar, it does have the same number of calories (source parent is same) thus for those on weight loss programs, keeping consumption to a minimal should be considered. 
Pre-packaged salads with short shelf lives are being sold in departmental stores. Are these safe to consume? 

With the much created awareness about importance of fresh fruits and vegetables, but always falling short in time to procure them; prepackaged salads and salad bars are mushrooming all over. Remember that fresh produce always has a short shelf life, thus the best before date must be carefully observed before purchasing these items. In the quest to gain healthy fibre rich snacks, we should not contract unhealthy bacteria laden diseases. The salad should be ideally packaged and refrigerated immediately after cutting vegetables and must be consumed within a day for best nutrient availability. 
Is it harmful to have the yolk of egg? If I mix one yolk with the whites of five eggs in my breakfast omelets, would that be okay or am I still asking for cholesterol problems? 

No, consuming the yolk is not totally harmful, especially if not eaten daily. Yes, the yolk contains most of the fat (99 per cent) of the egg, but it also contains a chunk of the nutrients, including 90 per cent of the calcium, iron, Vitamin B6 + B12, zinc, and folate content. Majority of the protein (100 per cent complete in all essential amino acids) content is in the egg white, and since it has just 1 per cent of the fat; it contributes very little calories to the daily intake. Thus egg whites can be had in multiple numbers daily. 

8 glasses of water a day, is it nonsense??!!

A medical practitioner has argued that the recommendation to drink six to eight glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration is not only nonsense, but is thoroughly debunk nonsense.

There is currently no clear evidence of the benefit from drinking increased amounts of water, yet the we-don't-drink-enough-water myth has endless advocates including the NHS, claimed GP Margaret McCartney.

The NHS Choices website states: Try to drink about six to eight glasses of water (or other fluids) a day to prevent dehydration.

While many schools also feel it appropriate to insist that pupils are accompanied to school by a water bottle, other organisations, often with vested interests, reinforce this message, she said.

For example, Hydration for Health (created by French food giant Danone - makers of bottled waters including Volvic and Evian) recommends 1.5 to 2 litres of water daily as the simplest and healthiest hydration advice you can give.

It also claims that, even mild dehydration plays a role in the development of various diseases.

But McCartney disagreed that that there is no high quality published evidence to support these claims.

While there are some conditions that do benefit from drinking increased water, such as in people with recurrent kidney stones, other evidence for preventing disease is conflicting, added McCartney.

There are many organisations with vested interests who would like to tell doctors and patients what to do. We should just say no, she concluded.

Big breakfast does not make you lose weight.....

German researchers have suggested that eating a big breakfast may lead to gaining more weight. 

The study, which refutes previous findings that eating a big breakfast reduces total calorie intake over the day, found that those who enjoy a hearty breakfast are likely to have a big lunch and dinner. 

Volker Schusdziarra at the Else-Kroner-Fresenius Center of Nutritional Medicine, Germany, and his team conducted a study on over 300 people who were asked to note down what they usually ate. 

Within the group, some always ate a big breakfast, others ate a small one and some skipped the meal altogether. 

"The results of the study showed that 'people ate the same at lunch and dinner, regardless of what they had for breakfast," said Schusdziarra. 

This meant that a big breakfast boosted overall calorie intake. A big breakfast (on average 400 kcal greater than a small breakfast) resulted in a total increase in calories eaten over the day of about 400 kcal. 

The only difference was when people who ate a really large breakfast decided to skip a mid-morning snack. But this was not enough to offset the extra calories they had already eaten. 

According to Schusdziarra, the previous study only looked at the ratio of breakfast calories to daily calories while his study found that this ratio seems to be most affected by people eating less during the day. 

In other words, their breakfast was proportionally, but not absolutely, bigger. 

The researchers claimed that a large breakfast must be counteracted by eating substantially less during the day. 

In order to lose weight sensibly, the National Health Service guidelines suggest restricting calorie intake, cutting down on saturated fat and sugar, and eating 5-a-day fruit and vegetable. 

The study is published in Nutrition journal. 

See Green...

When you look around your home, what do you see? A few plants strategically placed for a touch of green and decor, perhaps?

Did you know that house plants – beyond being pretty – are actually good for our health?

Aside from removing carbon dioxide from the air and giving off the oxygen that we need to breathe, plants also act as natural filters.

They remove types of toxins and indoor pollutants – many of which are found in our homes and are both invisible and unavoidable.

They help remove chemicals and toxins produced by carpets, drywall, paint, printer ink and even glues!

A study done by NASA researchers recommends office workers to have at least one plant in their personal breathing space.

Weight loss in the obese boosts vitamin D levels

Older women who are overweight or obese and lose more than 15 percent of their body weight could significantly boost their levels of vitamin D.

Since vitamin D is generally lower in persons with obesity, it is possible that low vitamin D could account, in part, for the link between obesity and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The study, conducted in Seattle, America indicates that the surge in vitamin D could help scientists explore new avenues for the prevention of these chronic diseases.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble nutrient that plays many important roles in the body, including promoting calcium absorption and is needed for bone growth and bone healing. Along with calcium, vitamin D helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. The nutrient also influences cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduces inflammation. Many gene-encoding proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis (programmed cell death) are modulated in part by the vitamin.

It's found in certain foods, such as fatty fish, and produced naturally in the body through exposure of skin to sunlight. Just 10 minutes of sun a day is enough to trigger adequate vitamin D production. The estimated average requirement via diet or supplementation is 400 international units per day for most adults. The optimal blood level of vitamin D is thought to be between 20 and 50 ng/mL, Levels under 20 ng/mL are inadequate for bone health and levels over 50 ng/mL are associated with potential adverse effects, such as an increased risk of developing kidney stones.

Researchers conducted a year-long study to assess the effect of weight loss on vitamin D. They assigned 439 overweight or obese postmenopausal women to one of four regimens: exercise only, diet only, exercise plus diet and no intervention. About 70 percent of the participants had less-than-optimal levels of vitamin D when the study began; at baseline, the mean blood level of vitamin D among the study participants was 22.5 ng/mL. In addition, 12 percent of the women were at risk of vitamin D deficiency (blood levels of less than 12 ng/mL).

Women who lost up to 10 percent of their body weight (10 to 20 pounds) through diet and exercise saw modest increases in vitamin D, those levels were roughly three times higher in women who dropped more than 15 percent of their body weight, regardless of dietary intake of the nutrient.

The researchers were surprised at the effect of weight loss greater than 15 percent on blood vitamin D levels. It appears that the relationship between weight loss and blood vitamin D is not linear but goes up dramatically with more weight loss. It is thought that obese and overweight people have lower levels of vitamin D because the nutrient is stored in fat deposits. During weight loss, it is suspected that the vitamin D that is trapped in the fat tissue is released into the blood and available for use throughout the body.

The findings suggest the greater the weight loss, the more meaningful the surge in vitamin D levels. However, the researchers noted that the degree to which vitamin D is available to the body during and after weight loss remains unclear. They also cautioned that more targeted research is needed to understand any link between vitamin D deficiency and chronic disease.

HEART ATTACK TRIGGERS !

Traffic exposure

According to previous studies, traffic exposure triggers about 8 percent of heart attacks among those who are vulnerable, and it can affect you if you're a driver, a passenger, or even a bicyclist riding along the road.

Exertion

People who are sedentary most of the time, and then suddenly engage in heavy-duty physical activity, are most at risk. The best protection against this is to regularly engage in exercising.

Alcohol

Too much alcohol can increase inflammation and interfere with your body's ability to dissolve blood clots, putting your heart at risk.

Air pollution

Smog, vehicle exhaust, and other polluting particles emitted by vehicles and other sources of air pollution, combine to form a potent, but silent, killer.

Strong emotions

Both intense positive (extreme happiness, excitement, joy etc.) and intense negative emotions (depression, grief, anger etc.) can stress the heart.

Smoking

A number of studies have proven that a person's risk of heart attack greatly increases with the number of cigarettes he or she smokes. There is no safe amount of smoking. Smokers continue to increase their risk of heart attack the longer they smoke.

Stress

Stress is a normal part of life. But if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological, and even physical problems, including heart disease and high blood pressure

Drug abuse

Taking illicit drugs such as cocaine and marijuana has been linked to constriction of blood vessels leading to heart damage or stroke, irregular heartbeat, and death.

Being overweight

Being overweight or obese can raise your risk for heart disease and heart attack because it increases the odds of getting blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes

Sedentary lifestyle

Inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are active.

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)

What is Body Mass Index?

Body mass index (BMI) is a statistical measure of body weight based on a person's weight and height. Though it does not actually measure the percentage of body fat, it is used to estimate a healthy body weight based on a person's height.

What is it used for?

BMI is used to identify weight problems within a population, usually whether individuals are underweight, overweight or obese.  BMI is frequently used to assess how much an individual's body weight departs from what is normal or desirable for a person of his or her height. The excess weight or deficiency may, in part, be accounted for by body fat although other factors such as muscularity also affect BMI.

BMI Classification Chart

Classification Asians   Risk of co-morbidities Underweight < 18.5 Low Normal range 18.5 - 22.9 Average Overweight > 23 Increased* Obese I  > 25 Moderate** Obese II  > 30 Severe*** As per MOS-India Guidelines *, **, *** degree of risk of co-morbidities.

LACTOSE INTOLERANCE

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance means the body cannot easily digest lactose, a type of natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. When lactose moves through the colon (large instestine) without being properly digested, it can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, belly pain, and bloating. Some people with lactose intolerance cannot digest any milk products, while others can eat or drink small amounts of milk products or certain types of milk products without problems. Lactose intolerance is common in adults.

What causes lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance occurs when the small intestine does not make enough of an enzyme called lactase. The body needs lactase to break down, or digest, lactose. Lactose intolerance most commonly runs in families, and symptoms usually develop during the teen or adult years. Most people with this type of lactose intolerance can eat some milk or dairy products without problems. Sometimes the small intestine stops making lactase after a short-term illness such as the stomach flu, or as part of a lifelong disease such as cystic fibrosis. In these cases, the problem can be either permanent or temporary. In rare cases, newborns are lactose-intolerant. A person born with lactose intolerance cannot eat or drink anything with lactose. Some premature babies have temporary lactose intolerance because they are not yet able to make lactase. After a baby begins to make lactase, the condition generally goes away.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of lactose intolerance can be mild to severe, depending on how much lactase the body makes. Symptoms usually begin 30 minutes to 2 hours after consuming milk products. The symptoms may include: Bloating.  Pain or cramps.  Gurgling or rumbling sounds in your belly.  Gas.  Loose stools or diarrhoea.  Throwing up.

What is the treatment?

There is no cure for lactose intolerance, but the symptoms can be treated by limiting or avoiding milk products. Some people use milk with reduced lactose, or they substitute soy milk and soy cheese for milk and milk products. Some people who are lactose-intolerant can eat yoghurt without problems. One can take dietary supplements called lactase products that help digest lactose. In time, most people with lactose intolerance get to know their bodies well enough to avoid symptoms. One of the biggest concerns for people who are lactose-intolerant is making sure they get enough of the nutrients found in milk products, especially calcium. Calcium is most important for children, teens, pregnant women, and women after menopause. There are many non-dairy foods that contain calcium like broccoli, sardines, tuna, and salmon, calcium-fortified juices, cereals and almonds.