All posts by HealthyLife

HealthyLife is a part of www.WeRIndia.com, an all India – centric website (https://healthylife.werindia.com) and is solely owned and operated by WeRIndia.com. It is a Indian nutritional portal providing educational articles.This nutritional port was launched on February 5th, 2015.

The fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may reduce the risk of developing

  • osteoporosis
  • macular degenerative disease
  • heart disease and type 2 diabetes
  • osteoarthritis and lung cancer

The answer is: Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 28, 2017
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Yoga veterans

Yoga Benefits Veterans

Our veterans who served in the military for a long time go through so much stress by staying away from home, country, families, friends and they sacrifice all their life for the country and people. Once they return from their active duty, many veterans go through post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The implications of PTSD, often referred to as an invisible wound, manifest in homelessness, drug use, spousal abuse, and suicide. PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that affects not only the veterans, also many others -that results from experiencing or witnessing life-threatening events ranging from combat to child abuse.

Life after active duty is leading warriors to their yoga mats in  veterans’ centers of several countries. Many countries have been adopting Yoga to help these veterans.  This is not very new.  The concept of “healing mind” from yoga is helping people around the world to overcome their stress. Once the mind heals, the body naturally responds positively by regaining will power. Nearly a decade ago, the Department of Defense in US began to investigate the positive effects of yoga on veterans. In 2006, the department funded research that ultimately led to a yoga-based program called iRest.

A Green Beret and co-founder of the Veterans Alternative Center in Holiday, Florida Mr. Brian Anderson, feels that, “Too often, PTSD, as it relates to vets, has a stigma of ‘broken’ or ‘violent.’ ” Instead of using the term PTSD, Brian Anderson focuses on supporting veterans by addressing compounded nature of their experience and the challenges they face during their transition back to civilian life. In his center yoga is included as part of healing. The positive effect and positive energy that yoga brings to mind heals the body eventually. This is one of the reason, many veterans are willing to go on yoga mat. In fact, in many fitness centers one can see veterans attending yoga classes. Yoga provides access to and connection between the mind and body, it allows one to overwrite the fight-or-flight response (that dictates PTSD) over time, by integrating yoga postures, breath work, and meditation.

According to Agnieszka Golec de Zavala, senior lecturer in psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, “Yoga helps people in moving away from negative thoughts” ; “The beneficial effects are due to the increased ability to focus on breathing that, firstly, focuses a person on a present moment and breaks rumination on negative traumatic thoughts, and secondly, increases ability of ‘intraception’ – observing and understanding internal states and the ability to control them, or understanding them as temporal and passing”.

How yoga helps veterans and soldiers?

It calms the nervous system: A guided breathing helps veterans to calm down the nervous system that used to over active due to stress and hormones.  Pranayama breathing helps in focusing and bringing back mental balance. Yogic breathing, defined as a manipulation of breath movement, has been shown to positively affect immune function, autonomic nervous system imbalances, and psychological or stress-related disorders.

Sudarshana Kriya Yoga – that uses breathing as a main technique helps in nervous system imbalances and psychological or stress-related disorders.

Social re-integration: Practicing yoga with community helps with social re-integration and gives them a sense of normalcy.

Change in body habits: The environment and tough time that veterans would have faced in war zone results in certain body habits – stress in the body, anxiety and pain. Yoga helps them to let go of these habits.

Getting back to present:  A common symptom of PTSD is a sense of disconnection of the mind and body, as well as feeling disassociated from surroundings and the present moment. Meditation followed by a mindful of yoga helps veterans to calm their mind and slowly brings them back to present.

Retreats and yoga classes for veterans and their families are springing up worldwide. Veterans who are attending yoga classes are showing positive response in mind and body with reduced stress, improved ability to connect emotionally with friends and family members, less sleeplessness, and an overall feeling of well-being.

References:

  • http://www.lexingtonhealingarts.com/
  • http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
  • http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/11/health/
  • http://www.veteransyogaproject.org/
Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 27, 2017
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Those with a family history of a disease, such as diabetes, may reduce their risk of developing the disease if they

  • live a healthy lifestyle with balanced food and activity choices.
  • continue their current activity level since developing diabetes is inevitable.
  • adhere to a strict dietary restriction of all carbohydrate foods.
  • limit the amount of calories consumed.

The answer is: Live a healthy lifestyle with balanced food and activity choices.

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 26, 2017
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The brain requires a constant supply of fuel from which energy nutrient?

  • amino acids
  • trans fat
  • carbohydrate
  • biotin

The answer is: Carbohydrate

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 25, 2017
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Tomato Capsicum Rice

Tomato Capsicum Basmati Rice

Tomato Capsicum Basmati Rice is delicious lunch or dinner item one can prepare with easily available ingredients. Basmati rice is gluten-free and low in fat. It contains all eight essential amino acids, folic acid, and is very low in sodium and has no cholesterol. Basmati has a low to medium glycaemic index, meaning that energy is released at a slower, steadier rate leading to a more balanced level of energy.

Tomatoes and capsicum are good combination of vegetables together will give good taste for basmathi vegetable rice.

Do you know these facts? Capsaicin, a chemical present in capsicum increases the fat-burning rate in the body without spiking blood pressure and heart rate, thus helping with weight loss. In addition, tomato has lycopene that helps to boost prostrate health, prevents cancer and promotes eye health.

Try this healthy rice recipe.

Ingredients:

  1. Basmati rice – 1 cup
  2. Onion – 3
  3. Garlic clove – 7
  4. Tomato – 5 to 6
  5. Garama masala powder – 1 Tbs.
  6. Green capscicum – 1
  7. Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
  8. Ghee/clarified butter – 1 tsp
  9. Oil – 2 tsp.
  10. Mint leaves – 1 tsp
  11. Coriander chopped – 1 Tbs.
  12. Cashew – About 12
  13. Cumin seeds -1 tsp
  14. Salt – as needed

Preparation:

  1. Wash rice and soak in water for about 10 minutes. Drain water and fry soaked rice in ghee in a frying pan.
  2. Soak tomatoes in hot water fro few minutes and remove the skin (if you prefer). Take tomatoes from hot water and grind to a paste. Add 1/2 cup water to tomato paste.
  3. Cut two onions to thin slices.
  4. In a vessel heat oil on medium flame. Add garlic, cumin and sliced onion and fry to golden brown color. Add cut pieces of green capsicum and continue frying for another one minute. To this, add garam masala powder, salt, chilli powder followed by tomato paste. Allow this mix to boil for few minutes.
  5. Transfer the tomato masala mix to a rice pressure cook and add fried rice and little amount of water to cook the tomato mix rice.
  6. Remove the rice from pressure cooker and add grated cheese, mint, coriander leaves and mix well again.
  7. Cut the left over onion into ring shape and fry to golden color.
  8. Before serving decorate the top of tomato rice with cashew and fried onion rings.
  9. Serve tomato -cheese rice with your choice of pickle or raita.

Recipe: www.werindia.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 24, 2017
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Panera Bread

Panera Adopts Menu Free of Preservatives, Sweeteners, And Artificial Colors

(Good news for all Parents and Panera fans – Panera Bread – one of the popular US restaurant chain featuring bakery products, sandwiches, and salads is adopting menu free of preservatives, sweeteners and artificial colors. Parents need not to worry about the alien words in the menu, instead they can happily focus on menu items that is familiar and free of junk stuffs! –Healthylife.werindia.com )

Panera Bread kicked the year off right by releasing its new menu in the U.S. which is now 100% free of artificial flavors, preservatives, sweeteners, and colors from artificial sources. Additives that were eliminated include FD&C colors, sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate. The monumental news was announced in a video (below) by Ron Shaich, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of the restaurant.

The restaurant prides itself on being one of the first establishments in the U.S. to meet consumers’ demands for higher quality food at affordable prices. In 2010, Panera became the first national chain to post calories counts on menus, inspiring other food businesses to follow suit. 2015 is when the restaurant announced potential provisions to its menu. Since then, the restaurant has added options that are lower in calories, switched its chicken to be free of antibiotics, and began sourcing luncheon meats in both their restaurant and grocery store foods that are free of nitrates.

Less than one month into 2017, Panera can now boast that it has reached its goal of becoming a “no artificial” restaurant by changing recipes and eliminating 122 ingredients that many nutritionists and picky eaters declare are less than ideal for health. Now that all ingredients one might not be able to pronounce have been nixed from the chain’s menu, it is deemed to be a “clean” eatery.

In the video below, the CEO of Panera explains that one of the company’s most basic commitments is to “actually be part of fixing a broken food system in this country.” With more than 1/3 of the U.S. population obese and 1/3 overweight, this is an initiative we can get behind.

Watch the video below:

Article by: Amanda Froelich as published in http://www.trueactivist.com/panera-adopts-menu-free-of-preservatives-sweeteners-and-artificial-colors/

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 23, 2017
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Mangalore Goli Baje

Mangalore Goli Baje

Goli baje or Mangalore bajji is a famous traditional and evening snack in Karnataka. The ingredients are simple and readily available at homes. The main ingredient is all purpose flour and yogurt. To enhance the taste urad flour can be added and it serves protein too. Healthy herbs – cilantro (coriander), ginger, asafetida, cumin seeds and curry leaves enhances the taste of golibaje and keeps our digestive system proper. One should have this hot with coconut chutney.

Kids love to eat this traditional item. Families generally enjoy having hot goli baje during cold and rainy season.

Why wait? Make goli baje this week end!

Serving size = 3 per person

Ingredients:

  1. All purpose flour (maida) – 1 cup
  2. Urad flour – 1/4 cup
  3. Rice flour – 1 Tbs
  4. Sour curd (yogurt) – 1 cup
  5. Baking soda -1/4 tsp
  6. Green chillies – 3 (finely chopped)
  7. Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
  8. Ginger – 1.5 inch (finely chopped)
  9. Coconut – Small pieces ( 2 Tbs)
  10. Curry leaves – 1 string (finely chopped)
  11. Asafetida – 1 or 2 pinch
  12. Cumin seeds -1/4 tsp
  13. Salt – as per your taste
  14. Frying oil

Preparation:

1) Mix all purpose flour, urad flour and rice flour in sour yogurt and prepare a thick batter.

2) Add salt, chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, coconut pieces into the flour mix.

3) Add baking soda. Keep batter aside for 2-3 hours (recommended for better taste)

4) In a deep container, on medium flame heat the cooking oil.

5) To heated oil release a golf ball size batter mix one by one.

6) Fry to golden brown color and transfer to paper towel to remove excess oil.

7) Serve hot golibaje with coconut chutney. Hot golibaje tastes very yummy!

* One can add cut onions into batter.

** One can buy urad flour in shop or can make at home by dry frying urad daal and grinding it to fine powder.

Recipe: www.werindia.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 20, 2017
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Lotus Peacock Pose

Lotus Peacock Pose – Padma Mayurasana

(Padma Mayurasana or Lotus peacock pose is an advanced yoga pose that yogi‘s want to  pose. The secret here is more than shoulder strength, it is belly center that holds this pose. To get into the pose Yogi’s should have immense patience, concentration and a relationship with gravity. A  soft belly, open shoulders, and strong flexible wrists helps in getting into this pose. If you have heart problem or pregnant  or any other conditions mentioned in below articles under “contradictions” then, we suggest not to take risk by doing this pose – Healthylife.werindia.com)

Sanskrit: Padma Mayurasana, (pahd-mah my-yur-AHS-anna), Padma = lotus, Mayura = peacock

BENEFITS

1. Strengthens the forearms, wrists, and elbows

2. Improves flexibility in the knees and ankles

3. Massages the abdominal organs

4. Improves digestion

5. Stimulates the elimination of toxins

6. Develops mental and physical balance

7. Brings the three Ayurvedic doshas into harmony

CONTRAINDICATIONS

  • Wrist or elbow injuries
  • Weak or injured knees
  • Sciatica
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart problems
  • Hernia
  • Peptic or duodenal ulcer
  • Pregnancy

HOW TO

1. Carefully fold your legs into Padmasana (Lotus pose).

2. Rise onto your knees and place your palms on the floor in front of you, fingers pointing toward your feet.

3. Bend your elbows slightly, and press your pinky fingers and forearms together. Lean forward and rest your torso on your upper arms. Your elbows should press into your belly at or below your navel.

4. Rest your forehead on the ground.

5. Shift your weight slightly more forward. Then exhale and slowly raise your folded legs off the floor, lifting your knees and extending your thighs.

6. Lift your head and gaze forward.

7. Stay in the pose for several breaths. Inhale and lower.

8. Come into Lotus pose with the opposite leg on top, and repeat the steps above.

MODIFY OR REPLACE

Alternatives:

  • Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes)
  • Chaturanga Dandasana (Four-Limbed Staff pose)

Modifications:

  • Rest your head on the ground and lift only the legs, until you feel ready to lift both the head and legs.

TEACHING CUES

1. Bring the torso and folded legs parallel to the floor

2. Keep the elbows together

VARIATIONS

1. Mayurasana, with legs extended rather than in Lotus pose

2. Pincha Mayurasana

WATCH OUT FOR

1. Body weight supported on the chest, rather than the abdomen

2. Straining to fold the legs into Lotus pose

This article and image published here with permission from https://beyogi.com. To learn more about yoga  poses visit https://beyogi.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: January 19, 2017
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