12 foods to cut fat

You don't have to acquire a taste for olive oil, seaweed or soya to maintain a low-fat, healthy diet. Indian cuisine can be healthy too, if it's cooked with oil and ingredients that take care of your heart and health. 

Ayurveda suggests you include all tastes - sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent - in at least one meal each day, to help balance unnatural cravings. Here are 12 foods that can help you lose weight and gain health: 


Turmeric : Curcumin, the active component of turmeric, is an object of research owing to its properties that suggest they may help to turn off certain genes that cause scarring and enlargement of the heart. Regular intake may help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, increase blood circulation and prevent blood clotting, helping to prevent heart attack.

Cardamom : This is a thermogenic herb that increases metabolism and helps burn body fat. Cardamom is considered one of the best digestive aids and is believed to soothe the digestive system and help the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies : Foods containing chillies are said to be as foods that burn fat. Chillies contain capsaicin that helps in increasing the metabolism. Capsaicin is a thermogenic food, so it causes the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after you eat the chillies.

Curry leaves : Incorporating curry leaves into your daily diet can help you lose weight. These leaves flush out fat and toxins, reducing fat deposits that are stored in the body, as well as reducing bad cholesterol levels. If you are overweight, incorporate eight to 10 curry leaves into your diet daily. Chop them finely and mix them into a drink, or sprinkle them over a meal.

Garlic : An effective fat-burning food, garlic contains the sulphur compound allicin which has anti-bacterial effects and helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.

Mustard oil : This has low saturated fat compared to other cooking oils. It has fatty acid, oleic acid, erucic acid and linoleic acid. It contains antioxidants, essential vitamins and reduces cholesterol, which is good for the heart.

Cabbage : Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits the conversion of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat. Hence, it is of great value in weight reduction.

Moong dal : The bean sprouts are rich in Vitamin A, B, C and E and many minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium. It is recommended as a food replacement in many slimming programmes, as it has a very low fat content. It is a rich source of protein and fibre, which helps lower blood cholesterol level. The high fibre content yields complex carbohydrates, which aid digestion, are effective in stabilising blood sugar and prevent its rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey : It is a home remedy for obesity. It mobilises the extra fat deposits in the body allowing it to be utilised as energy for normal functions. One should start with about 10 grams or a tablespoon, taken with hot water early in the morning.

Buttermilk : It is the somewhat sour, residual fluid that is left after butter is churned. The probiotic food contains just 2.2 grams of fat and about 99 calories, as compared to whole milk that contains 8.9 grams fat and 157 calories. Regular intake provides the body with all essential nutrients and does not add fats and calories to the body. It is thus helpful in weight loss.

Millets : Fibre-rich foods such as millets - jowar, bajra, ragi, etc - absorb cholesterol and help increase the secretion of the bile that emulsifies fats. 

Cinnamon and cloves: Used extensively in Indian cooking, the spices have been found to improve the function of insulin and to lower glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes. 

Acne...? Eat a Low-Carb Diet....!

Curbing carbohydrate in your diet not only helps reduce your tummy, but may also improve acne, according to a report. 

WebMD News reported that low-carb eating could help clear up acne by controlling glucose levels, which can promote a healthier complexion.

People with acne may have what is called hyperinsulinemia, which is characterized by excess levels of insulin in the blood.

"Foods that are low in the glycemic index (GI) may contribute to the hormonal control of acne," the Independent quoted Alan R. Shalita, MD, chairman of the department of dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in New York, as telling WebMD.

"I would encourage patients with acne to moderate the amount of carbs that they eat and not to overdo dairy," which can also cause acne, he added.

Selecting foods lower on the glycemic index means avoiding blood sugar spikes with white rice, sweets, and white flour breads and opting for fresh foods, such as vegetables, meat, and fruits.

Shalita also debunked the myth that chocolate triggers blemishes, noting that for people who do react to chocolate, it is more a result of the sugar and fat in the candy. 

Bright Skin with Tomato and Oatmeal

 

From soaps to creams to whitening facial kits everyone promises to make you look like the model on billboards. However, certain factors work to determine the colour of your skin. Understanding what is it that is making your skin looking sallow instead of crowding your dresser with skin-whitening products will help you.

In a country like India where every month seems like summer, tanning is inevitable. You just can't avoid the sun and if you were born with a wheatish complexion, then it's time you accept that about yourself. If your job involves a lot of travelling as against working in the cosy confines of an office, your skin is bound to take a beating.However with a little help from nature, you can get rid of that dull, lifeless skin. Read on:

-Do not throw away orange rinds after you are done eating the fruit. Dry the rind in the sun till it is devoid of all moisture and turns crisp. Grind it to make a fine powder. Add a little raw milk to the orange powder to make a paste. Apply this paste on your face and neck as often as possible.

-Add yoghurt and tomato juice to a teaspoon of oatmeal and apply it on your face. Oatmeal acts as an exfoliator without being harsh and tomato juice is an excellent astringent while the yoghurt leaves your skin moisturised.

-Mix a teaspoon of milk powder, one teaspoon lemon juice, half a teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon of almond oil and apply this concoction to your face. Wash off with cold water after 10 to 15 mintues for baby soft skin.


Grated tomato with lemon juice leaves skin radiant and bright

Trick your mind ....tackle weight gain !

Trick your mind into doing the things you hate and battle weight. Excerpts from the book Change anything 

Mentally prepare your body to get back into shape 
Love what you hate 
Here's the motivation challenge you face. Right now, while you're reading this book and thinking your best thoughts, you have plenty of motivation to do the right thing. You think, "No big deal; I'll just tough it out." Unfortunately, later, when temptation strikes, your motivation will weaken, and you'll give in - overeating, eating the wrong foods, or ducking a chance to exercise. Human beings are simply horrible at predicting how challenging a future temptation will feel, even when they have faced it over and over for years.

To overcome this motivational mistake, learn how to tap into your existing personal motivation, especially in times of intense temptation.

Find what you love 
This obvious tactic is frequently overlooked because people can't conceive of the fact that eating healthy and exercising regularly could ever be enjoyable. Fortunately, when it comes to food and exercise you can find options that you actually enjoy. For example if you dislike vegetables, broccoli in particular, then explore the vegetable world more carefully. Maybe you'd like broccoli if it were prepared differently, or maybe you can find a different kind of vegetable that tastes better to you. In any case, don't keep suffering through a food you can't stand.

The same is true for exercise. For instance, Mary S loathed using gym equipment but found she enjoyed people watching along the bustling streets of Manhattan. She could walk from her apartment to Greenwich Village and back, logging four miles, and having a good time. Be equally inventive. Take the time to find the best of the worst. Keep experimenting until you find options that you actually enjoy. By all means don't commit to a plan you can't find a way to like.

Tell the whole vivid story 
Ask yourself why you want to lose weight or improve your fitness. Most people spend too little time contemplating the answer. They give themselves generic or vague excuses like "I want to look better," "I want to fit into my clothes," or "I want to have more energy." While these responses provide a starting point, they're too indistinct to carry you through moments of temptation - say a delicious piece of chocolate cake goes head to head with your "I want to feel good someday" reason to avoid it. When a murky vision is all you have to conjure, the crystal clear certainty of the cake will win every time. Here's what John H did to bring his vision into focus. He first described his motivation for losing weight and improving his fitness as "I want to look and feel better. I want to have more energy." This was not the whole story nor was it vivid enough to keep his attention. So he went further.

Visit your default future 
Fortunately, when John looked at what might lie ahead for him, he was able to fill in the details. In his case, he made a mental visit to a rather prominent person who faced similar physical challenges.

"I thought of Larry M." John explains. "He was a prominent local business, philanthropist, and family man. He was about my age and was also overweight like me. We even had the same body type. For the last several years I watched him suffer through diabetes, a heart attack and kidney failure. He lost both his legs to diabetes and then he died - still in his early sixties. Larry's unfortunate demise was my default future. So now, when I'm ready to order a T-bone steak, I focus in Larry M. I can see him right in front of me. Then I order the salmon instead.

Creating a vivid and believable image of your default future provides the detail you can draw on during moments of temptation. But it has to be specific and vivid. As John dug deeper into his reasons for changing he was able to provide the detail he needed. That's key.

Value your words 
After visiting your default future, distill some of your motivating insights into a Personal Motivational Statement you can use at crucial moments. Be sure to capture the feeling as well as the facts. "I'm doing this for my wife Louise. It's the most heartfelt thing I can do to show her my love. It's like Pearls and earrings times a thousand."

By visiting his default future, telling the whole vivid story, and selecting value words, John was able to craft a statement that if he meditates on it during crucial moments can profoundly affect his emotions. To ratchet up the power, he combined this statement with a photo of Louise. The measure of a good Personal Motivation Statement is whether your use of it jars you out of the spell of temptation. If it doesn't, then it is too anemic. Keep at it until it reconnects you with what you really want when it matters most.

Connect to who you're becoming 
Some people focus their Personal Motivation Statement on the person they want to become. For example think of someone or a group of people who do what you hate to do right now but who actually enjoy doing it. Then instead of dismissing them as crazy, become one of them. See yourself as one of them. As you follow through on your vital behavior, pause and mentally celebrate the fact that you're becoming one of them.

For example if you have trouble forcing yourself to work out, tell your self (out loud!), "I'm an athlete in training, and this is what athletes do." Make this identity even more specific. Say, "I'm a hiker," "I'm a runner," or "I'm a skier"; then dig into this new interest more deeply. Read a hiking, running or skiing magazine and imagine yourself in the pictures. Take your eyes off the sacrifice and place them on the accomplishment. Whenever you're tempted to revert to your old self, dispute the rationalizing thoughts with statements that tie you to who you are becoming.

Make it a game 
To finish off his motivation plan, John turned it into a game. He bought a device that displayed his calorie burn rate on a wrist watch. At first john tracked his burn rate; then he manipulated it. He learned that if he got up from his chair at work and walked up and down a few flights of stairs, not only did his burn rate double during the walk, but it took a full two hours to return to his sitting rate. Within two weeks John was posting his scores and celebrating his caloric consumption like an Olympic result. The behaviors themselves become more enjoyable because they were part of his achievement. 

Bizarre diets

Hollywood  celebs like Lady Gaga, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Cheryl Cole have reportedly used the baby food diet to slim down. Here's looking at the three craziest celeb diets. 

The Maple Syrup Diet 
Singer Beyonce used this diet to lose weight for her role in Dreamgirls.

The Kids' Cutlery Diet 
According to actor Liz Hurley eating on a nursery plate using children's cutlery is a great way of reducing food intake as she believes it tricks her into thinking she's eating more than she really is. Also, when she is trying to lose weight, she restricts her food intake to just watercress soup.

Raw Food Diet 
Actor Demi Moore swears by this diet; which even extends to raw meat.

Golden glow in minutes

Mix 2 tablespoon orange juice with 2 pinches of coarsely ground turmeric. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and wash off with cold water.

Soft and supple skin

Scrub your skin with 1 teaspoon each of walnut powder, honey and lemon juice.

Skin treatment with Tomatoes

Tomatoes are excellent for oily skin and help the skin feel clean and tight. They also help tackle pores and blackheads. Cut the tomato in half and rub on skin. Leave on for 15 minutes to let skin ‘’ feed ‘’ on the juice. Wash off.

Smoother skin with Cabbage

Cabbage is rich in minerals and vitamins. The next time you boil cabbage, don’t throw away the water. Wash your face with this water for soft, smooth skin.

Tips...Acidity...Acne

Acidity

• Consume a small piece of jaggery after having all three meals and see what wonders it can do to keep acidity away.
• Take a cup of water and boil it. Add 1 tsp of Aniseed (Saunf) to the water and leave it overnight. On the next morning, filter the water and add 1 tsp of honey to it. Drink it thrice a day and bid goodbye to acidity.
• Take a cardamom and a clove and powder it. Consume it like a mouth freshener after having your each meal. Not only this remedy will take care of your acidity problem, but also will keep away bad breath.
• Take about 1-½ liters of water and add 1 tsp Caraway seeds (shah jeera) to it. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Drink it while warm at least 2-3 times a day for 5-6 days.

Acne

• Gently apply fresh limejuice on pimples and blackheads.
• Dab the mixture made by combining 1 tsp fresh coriander powder and a pinch of turmeric powder on the pimples, while going to bed in the night and wash it off when you wake up the next morning.
• Take a few fresh curry leaves and make a paste. Apply the paste on the acne-affected area and keep it overnight and wash it off with warm water the next morning.
• Apply the paste made of nutmeg (Jaiphal) and raw milk on acne and wash it off after 20 minutes. Do it for about 10-12 days and see the magical effects.
• Take some fresh fenugreek leaves and make a paste to apply on the acne pimples overnight.
• For people with oily skin, the perfect home remedy is to apply a paste made by mixing sandalwood and few drops of rosewater on the acne affected area for about an hour and then wash off gently.
• For dry skin, the best remedy is to take a piece of sandalwood and rub it on a smooth stone and make a paste using a few drops of raw milk. Apply the mixture on the acne and keep it for an hour and thereafter gently wash with water.