Swine Flu - How to combat the mutated virus pandemic ?

Immunity is all about what you have been eating in the past that builds up to molecules recognizing & fighting deadly bacteria, fungi, amoeba, and virus. The current villain of course is the Swine Influenza Virus or SIV. Now how can you build resistance to a mutated virus as your immunity system has no recognition of it what so ever? Well you can't really fight it without being immunised and thats a fact especially when the virus mutates developing a vaccine is challenging. However your body can fight over to stabalise the trauma of the flu internally. There are a few basics to keep a checklist of to make sure you have got the immunity build up under control when the time comes like this one.
Checklist 1 Fat - Well we all know there is the bad fat and good fat but the quantity of this good or essential fatty acids in the food we eat is crucial. You need to select and eat the amount required every single day inorder to keep a constant biomolecules of immunity system to be available to maintain resistance and the strength of the body internally. Essential fatty acids are from Unsaturated Fat and are of two kinds Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 being the most crucial one in protection of our body. Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids have food sources like sardines, mackrel, herring, salmon, bluefish, pompano florida, tuna, trout, blackberry seeds, walnuts, almonds, soy, flax seeds, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, almond oil, cod liver oil. Around 4 - 6 oz of the fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids twice or thrice a week or 1 oz of nuts in a week or 3 oz of the vegetable oil in a week is a necessary dietary intake. It should be well remembered that all these foods already have a sufficient fat content and they shouldn't be eaten fried but baked or grilled or raw which ever suits the foods edible quality. Essential fatty acids like DHA & EPA which are one of the omega 3 fatty acids are the precursors or initiation points of immune molecules, hormones, blood vessel permiability, bone health, cardiovascular function, cerebral function, . Research has shown that excess of omega 6 over omega 3 can saturate the enzymes that inturn desaturate and elongate both the fatty acids. The ratio of O- 6 to O - 3 can inflence neurotransmission and thus brain activity. The ideal ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in a diet is 2:1 to 3:1. It is easy to have that balance when you buy food that has the ratio mentioned on the nutrition label. Essential fat is also necessary for the adequate absorption of antioxidants like Vitamin A, D, E, lycopene from cooked tomatoes, phytophenols, flavonoids, as these ultimately help the immune system to desaturate the stress caused by the free radicals in the body.
Checklist 2 Protein - Now fat isn't independently present in nature nor the body. It is always linked or attached to another molecule. Proteins like globulins, which are a part of the antibodies fighting against a foreign body are derived from high biological value (HBV) protein like caesin from dairy, fish, poultry muscles, lean meat. Because these sources have in them the essential amino acids that the body cannot produce and also as they are bioavailable, they are most essential sources of protein. Without HBV protein the body doesn't recieve repair & strength from structural protein ( bone , muscle, skin, organ tissue), protection (immune molecules like antibodies and enzymes), function (hormones, enzymes, neurotransmission, tissue). Basically we are structureless without protein.
Checklist 3 Antioxidants - I know this word makes more appearances than any other in any health related literature but that is only because it is the most crucial molecule for our survival and thriving in this environment. What exactly do we mean by 'ANTIOXIDANTS' ? Vitamins all of them (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E and K ), yes each one of them has some role to play in the other's function. Minerals like zinc, calcium, chemicals from plant sources like flavonoids from soyabean, pigments like anthocyanin,cyanidins, quercetin, zeaxanthin, alacinin, elagic acid, lycopene, lutein and many more derived from again the fruits and vegetables and condiments. Resveratrol from the skin of grapes present in grape juices and red wine or blueberries.
Well as mentioned earlier all this is to be ready when the disease is somewhere around in your vicinity or in today's scenario on the way to your vicinity. As it is rightly said prevention is always tastier than cure. Happy eating. Be safe of SIV, be clean and avoid crowds.

Wish you wellness,
Neha
Related Articles -
http://wellnessandi.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-transpires-beneath-part-2.html
http://wellnessandi.blogspot.com/2009/03/there-is-no-i-in-team.html
http://wellnessandi.blogspot.com/2009/04/under-apocalyptic-sun.html
R.D

No Resistance to Resistance

Whenever people talk about losing extra weight or getting into shape or just choosing a healthy lifestyle the words ‘ weight training’ don’t even remotely feature into the conversation. If at all they do its only discussed in a cynical manner completely omitting its positive effects. Its been quite some time now since we have been getting educated through newspapers, magazines and the internet about health but these still persists a resistance to resistance training or more commonly known as weight training.

While people dwell in this common notion that if one takes to weight training then

(A) They’re going to develop bulging biceps.

(B) They’re going to injure themselves or if they are injured they absolutely cannot even look at weights

(C) Weights = Heavy weights and nothing from light to moderate a weight training is only meant for those body building competitions.

Its time to wake up and smell the coffee and also differentiate from tea. To begin with if you are a woman you’ll need to be reborn as a man to develop bulging biceps as a result of weight training, as females do not possess the hormone responsible for the bicep’s bulge and that is TESTOSTERONE. So those females who have been misled by their peers or by their own common sense that muscle development due to weight training equals to biceps bulge get it out of the system NOW!! Then there are a few men and women who shy from weight training out of fear of injuring themselves. Let me take this oppurtunity to enlighten all the readers, one could very well injure oneself without weight training as well and if not pursuing exercise scientifically injury is just around the corner anyways. Most of the people who do get injured while weight training is only the outcome of faulty handling of the weight and it could very well be your own body weight. One need not resort to heavy weight training to result into injury infact most of the injuries incurred are because of ill- handling of the lightest weight possible and secondly due to incorrect form or body posture while working out.

Now that two categories of resistance to resistance training have been nullified the third most prevalent one is the very picture of weights in the mind is being drawn very negatively. The moment someone consults for getting into shape the look on the face is worth a kodak moment when I dare to utter the two magical words, ‘ Weight Training’. When one says go for weight training how can the mind take these words and convert them into the picture of a heavily muscular man lifting pounds that is equal to the weigt of a human ? I could never know !!! For once let the picture be that of a healthy and fit young bloke or young teenage girl who run to college or a senior citizen who has prevented or cured his/ her bone disease because they took to weight training or a woman in her mid 30’s who continues to live a fit lifestyle.

Wish you wellness,

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10 Fitness Faux Pas

This is a wake up call for all those who want to get up every morning and see themselves thinner in the mirror. Yes if it were only with the help of a magic wand that Cinderella or Harry Potter got what they wanted, but we live in reality that few want to embrace. Looking thin is not only about what the mirror tells us but also what we feel within. It is what our heart, mind , body and soul that make or break us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The combination of heart, mind, body and soul is what is called our Wellness. People always make a lot of mistakes or buy into the short cuts to gain fitness or lose weight and finally end up frustrated and having a misconception about diet , weight loss, working out and health in totality. Here are 10 fitness faux pas most of us have made unaware that its like stepping into a trap.

FITNESS FAUX PAS: FITNESS BLUNDERS

1) DIET. The very mention of the word makes people cringe. This could be easily slated as the most misused and therfore misinterpreted. Diet is nothing but what one eats in everyday life. It could be right or wrong but it does not imply or equate to starvation. Infact skipping meals big or small is the biggest blunder people make to lose weight. I’ve had people say that they want to lose weight without dieting. As a Dietitian it only meant that one wants to lose weight without eating food, how is that ever going to sustain for life? A healthy diet whether to lose or gain or maintain weight is all about a well calculated meal plan customised for an individual’s lifestyle, fat percentage, weight and height. It could be less in calories, fat and have a low glycemic index but would be high on frequency through the day. A diet could also be dense in protein, calories and carbohydrates but less in portion size of the meal. So next time when anyone asks you whether you diet, don’t hesitate to say YES !! Doesn’t matter if you are gaining your losing weight, the answer is still YES.

2) Weight Loss on Scale. If you have lost a good amount of weight in the first 2 months of your weight loss regime don’t be too excited. As the scale is not your friend but can be a cheater at times. During the first 2 months of working out our body loses water as its not used to so much energy expenditure in a day. Therefore most of the weight lost initially is water rather than fat. So when the scale doesn’t show much difference from 2nd month to 3rd month its because our body starts retaining water making it prepared for the dehydration that takes place while burning fat. Good amount of water content in the body also indicates good lean mass free of fat that is muscle, bone, and other body tissues. Rely on your outfit or inch loss that’s the real indicator of fat loss not the scale. The scale does serve as a motivator but towards the middle it plays a mind game and helps nothing but frustration.

3) LOW CARB. Yet another gimick, but how many can go on for life on a low carb diet. At what cost? Your kidney, brain, liver or heart. Your brain needs glucose as its source of energy to just help you think. How can it survive your low carb game if its defficient of glucose most of the time? Low carb also means extremely high protein so as your kidneys to go into a failure and ketoacidosis in the blood leading to high acidity in the blood. High acidity int he blood points its finger directly to the brain and heart. The goal of losing weight has lead to that of taking one’s life instead. Why open the doors to a hospital unnecessarily?

4) DIET FALLOUTS. Many people discontinue to maintain a healthy diet after losing the excess weight. They mistake the weight loss to be a vaccine which once taken prevents the disease. Obesity is a disease that one needs to keep in check consistently. Agreed that a little fun here and there is natural and should be recommended ut to continue beyond ones control is the biggest faux pas and most people do it. This only leads to gaing all the lost weight back into your kitty. The amount of hardwork taken was not at all taken into consideration. A sheer waste of time and energy which is more valuable than money.

5) EXERCISE. The next thing people ward off from their weight loss regime is a good workout. We all know that its not possible for our body to lose those extra pounds without physically doing anything about it, yet some buy into the idea that some tonic, pill, powder or belt can help lose the extra weight. Health and wealth are both connected in terms of a balance sheet. Our body stores those excess calories in the form of fat that’s one bad income. The body only shells out excess fat if one exercises and that is the kind of expenditure our body is waiting for us to do. So to balance the income one has to spend.

6) GYM WORKOUT. There have been many a squables about this one major misconception. If I could get a rupee for every person who thinks that working out in the gym leads to weight gain after one stops it then I’d be a millionairess. Well the truth is related to what has been mentioned about energy expenditure. People fail to see exercise as a part of one’s lifestyle; healthy lifestyle that is. One can be assured that after ceasing any form of exercise be it the gym, just a walk in your garden or jogging one has to gain the excess weight that he/ she could have burnt had they continued exercising. This goes to show again that if one was burning 500 Kcals everyday while working out in the gym and has come down to burning just 150 Kcals per day after stopping it, then its a visible difference of 350 Kcals that are stored instead of being burnt. Why wont one put on? Why blame the gym? After all its the physical workout that has stopped the consequence is obvious. Accept fitness as a part of your lifestyle and if its not then blame yourself not those who help people achieve it.

7) CARDIO IS THE ONLY WAY OUT. When you read of people (celebs) who’ve lost great amount of weight they usually refer to 1 hour on the treadmill. Little do they realise how many people are being misled. If you ask any fitness related professional the answer would be a strict NO NO to 1 hour on the treadmill. Those who are doing it please stop it right away as it leads to injuring your knees. Plus the point is cardio work out is meant for building up your stamina of heart and lungs, and to a certain limit burning fat. But its certainly not the only way to burn fat and good amount of excess fat is burnt by weight training combined with cardio. Research has shown that people who’ve resorted only to cardiovascular workout have had fat loss upto a limited time period after which the exercise has only helped to build the stamina of the body. Those who have taken to weight training alternatively to cardio have seen not only inch loss but also prevented bone erosion or calcium depletion from the bones thus preventing the silent killer called OSTEOPOROSIS. Effects of weight training have also shown some degree of increase in immunity of the body thus preventing from minor infections.

8) FITNESS LEVELS UNKNOWN. People do this mistake repeatedly may be due to denial or unawareness. Most of the people who want to just kip fit as they put it are unaware of the fact that they are no where close to being fit but think that by reducing their tummy inches they’d gain fitness. Abdominal inch loss does play a major role in preventing heart disease, diabetes but cannot claim to fitness on the whole. Fitness is all about strength of the body , stamina of the heart and lungs, stamina of each body part arms, legs , abdomen, back, flexibility, and above all total fat percentage.

9) LACK OF COMMITMENT. This ones about committing to your own wellness. It’s like lying to yourself. People who don’t commit themselves to a better fitness usually give reasons that have no two ways to it. Work being the world number 1 in ranking, travel or family matters, education, self admitting to lack of commitment is also a reason to not workout or control on the diet. Health is a decision one needs to take to excel in life. If not taken correctly the repercussions are visible first to everybody else but you. You’re always the last one to find out.

10) MORE WORKOUT MORE WEIGHT LOSS. Remember how you used to spend hours exercising for 7 days a week and after a while nothing good came out of it, instead you felt tired and seemed to gain more weight than ever because you couldn’t live up to it. Don’t worry your not alone you have atleast a thousand good friends around the world. People have the wrong idea that the more time they spend workingout the more weight they’d lose. Would you believe it to be other way round? The time you work out doesn’t determine the energy burnt but the intensity put in. If one works out for 30 - 45 min for 5 days a week with low to moderate intensity they would easily burn more fat out of their body compared to those who do not take a day’s rest and workout for more than an hour. Remember to take atleast one-day break in between your regime and give your body
complete rest no matter what. People have exhausted themselves into fatigue, when exercise is meant to enliven you and make you feel energized.

To all of you who have felt like going down bad memory lane while reading these 10 blunders its never too late to be fit and become healthy by shedding that excess baggage you don’t deserve to carry in the first place. So take a decision stick to it. Eat well, Workout well and your wellness will help you to live well.

Wish you wellness,

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Under the Apocalyptic Sun

Its now our reality which we are haplessly bound to live and there is no turning back to our self created weather discomfort. What with the abrupt, uncalled for changes in our climate and worse the harsh effects of the blazing sun rays on our skin, eyes, hair, internal organ functionality and in totality our homeostasis. Welcome to the Apocalypse !!!
There is no point in fusing and throwing tantrums about the change, all we can do is combat it, prevent it from worsening. How??? Well we don't possess the human brain for nothing do we ? Lets start from inside out.
1. Internal homeostasis (equillibrium of environment) - When in doubt or in trouble always rely on the basics and our basics began with water and oxygen, so lets get more of it inside our body. Remember the blog on What transpires beneath? Water in its plain identity or as a concoction or juice as long as its healthy and fresh is just what keeps the body equillibrium intact. So it guzzle it down as much as you can. Always remember to take in water in normal temperature and not freezing cold as it is fluid that runs down faster giving your system a cold shock every now and then. Of course drinking fresh fruit or vegetable juices with good amount of water content also helps in keeping the circulatory and gastroenteric as less of free radicals causing stress in the body over all. It goes without saying that these juices ought to be sugar free as they already contain sourse of sugar which is natural and sufficient if taken in good amount. However never try to replace your mini meals or big meals of the day with these fluids as that is exactly opposite of burning energy. As you dont allow the body to burn energy while digesting solid food instead give it a continuous flow of energy conserving easily absorptive source. This water therapy or fluid therapy helps in cleansing, moisturising, restoring balance of temperature and content and combating any harm to the body from the inside out.
2. Functional resistance - Its not just the antioxidants in fruits and vegies that are helpfull in fighting free radicals but the one's that can be obtained from a protein source is a dual combating strategy. A non - fat source of protein like feta or cottage cheese, yoghurt non- sweetened, de-fat soy flour, processed soy bean tofu or soy bean, lentils, kidney beans, brussel sprouts, rye, lentil flour, whole bulgar wheat, mackerel, tuna, salmon, cod fish, deskinned chicken or duck can be good source for high biological value protein as well as antioxidants like essential omega 3 fatty acids, phytophenols, Vitamin E, Vitamin B complex, Vitamin D, apart from the micronutrient minerals that they resource in them like calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium etc. This turns out to be an all in one package. It helps in restoring strength, building the necessary immune power for future, curbing ongoing stress inside the body, and a good energy source. If you might have noticed some of the enlisted food items are also good source of complex or simple carbs and that only accentuates its position as a complete food store as a whole meal. The ability to give functional resistance and strength to our ever so hurt body under the tormenting heat of the sun and climatic changes that inervate the hormones to react accordingly building up stressfull reactions that can surface on the outside by predisposing themselves as skin disease, mental distress, gastric problems, bone and joint disorder, insulin resistance leading to early signs of diabetes, fatty depositions in the circulatory system causing cerebral and cardiac disorders, liver disorder, kidney failure etc... Not intending to scare you but this is the scorching truth.
3. Nutcracker guard - Being nuts about nuts can go a long way in moderation. A mix trix each morning before breakfast which comprises of 3 roasted almonds and 2 roasted walnuts with a cashew or apricot coated in a super thin layer of organic jaggery or organic honey, is like a wonder pill you can pop in for all the distress in your body. Works wonders with under eye skin, hair texture and shine, nails, skin tone and of course the immunity system.
4. Fruit pulp - While eating whole fruit or squeezing juice out of them save some skin and pulp to apply over the skin not just the facial but in general. The fruit pulp rich in its nutrients works wonders on the skin on external application as much as its intake. They work as a great tan remover, dead cell removal, controlling oil secretion on the surface, and the even supple tone. Fruits rich in Vitamin C like berries, oranges, tangerine, etc can be your best bet for a good complexion, fine lines and acne.

More to come on the combat of the apocalyptic sun in my next post.... Till then,

Wish you Wellness,

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