All posts by Sumana Rao

Don't worry about the people in your past; There's a reason they didn't make it to your future.
FIBER RICH DIET CAN HELP TO REDUCE RISK OF LUNG DISEASES

Fiber Rich diet can help to Reduce Risk of lung diseases

A new research and studies from The American Thoracic Society suggests that a high fiber diet could help to reduce the risk of lung conditions. So far we knew that diabetic and heart patients get much benefit from fiber rich food and now lung patients can also get benefit of fiber rich vegetables and fruits.

The study’s lead author Corrine Hanson, an associate professor of medical nutrition, said: ‘Lung disease is an important public health problem, so it’s important to identify modifiable risk factors for prevention. However, beyond smoking very few preventative strategies have been identified. Increasing fiber intake may be a practical and effective way for people to have an impact on their risk of lung disease.’

Analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) researchers report in “The Relationship between Dietary Fiber Intake and Lung Function in NHANES,” that among adults in the top quartile of fiber intake:

  • 68.3 percent had normal lung function, compared to 50.1 percent in the bottom quartile.
  • 14. 8 percent had airway restriction, compared to 29.8 percent in the bottom quartile.

In two important breathing tests, those with the highest fiber intake also performed significantly better than those with the lowest intake. Those in the top quartile had a greater lung capacity  and could exhale more air in one second) than those in the lowest quartile. Fiber consumption was calculated based on the amount of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains participants recalled eating. Those whose diets included more than 17.5 grams of fiber a day were in the top quartile and represented the largest number of participants, 571. Those getting less than 10.75 grams of fiber a day were in the lower group and represented the smallest number of participants, 360. Researchers adjusted for a number of demographic and health factors, including smoking, weight and socioeconomic status, and found an independent association between fiber and lung function.

Although the team acknowledged the study’s limitations such as not factoring in physical exercise or analysing fibre consumption and lung function over a longer period, they still concluded that there was a link between low consumption of fibre and a decrease in lung function.

Researchers believe that benefits of fiber on lung function can be explained by results of previous studies.Previous results demonstrated, diet fiber’s ability to reduce inflammation in the body, a factor in many lung diseases, and have shown fiber also has the ability to change the balance of microbes in the gut, which could in turn help to release chemicals into the body, which help to protect the lungs.

How much fiber one should get per day? : Women should get about 25 grams a day and men at least 35 to 40, but the average person gets just 15 grams a day.

Which are high fiber rich foods? : High fiber foods include bran, broccoli, cabbage, berries, leafy greens, celery, squash, beans, mushrooms, and oranges. How much fiber these foods supply?

1: Bran (Corn)

Fiber in 100g (Crude)  1 Cup (76g) 1/2 Cup (38g)

79g (316% DV) 60g (240% DV) 30g (120% DV)

Other types of bran high in fiber (%DV per cup crude): Wheat Bran (99%), Rice Bran (99%) and Oat Bran (58%).

2: Cauliflower & Broccoli (Raw Cauliflower)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Chopped (107g) 1 Cup Cooked (124g)

2g (8% DV)      2g (8% DV)      3g (12% DV)

Broccoli contains 2.4g fiber (10% DV) per cup raw, chopped and 5g (20% DV) per cup cooked.

3: Cabbage (Raw Savoy)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Shredded (70g) 1 Cup Cooked (145g)

3g (12% DV)    2g (9% DV)      4g (16% DV)

Other Cabbages High in Fiber (%DV per cup shredded and cooked): Red Cabbage (16%), Common Cabbage (12%) and Chinese Cabbage (8%).

4: Berries (Raspberries)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup (123g)   Per 10 Raspberries (19g)

7g (26% DV)    8g (32% DV)    1g (5% DV)

Other Berries High in Fiber (%DV per cup): Elderberries (41%), Blackberries (30%), Gooseberries (26%), Cranberries (18%) and Strawberries (12%).

5: Leafy Greens (Romaine Lettuce)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Shredded (47g) Per 3oz Serving (85g)

2g (8% DV)      1g (4% DV)      2g (7% DV)

Other Greens High in Fiber (%DV per cup shredded): Turnip Greens (7%), Beet Greens (6%) and Spinach (3%).

6: Celery

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Chopped (101g) 1 Medium Stalk (40g)

2g (6% DV)      2g (6% DV)      0.6g (2% DV)

Celery contains just 16 calories per 100g and 6 calories per medium stalk.

7: Squash

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Cubed (205g)

5g (10% DV)    10g (40% DV)

Other Squash High in Fiber (%DV per cup cooked): Acorn (36%), Butternut (26%), Winter, all varieties (23%), Pumpkin (11%) and Summer, all varieties (10%).

8: Beans (Kidney)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup (177g)   Per Tblsp (11g)

6g (26% DV)    11g (45% DV)  1g (3% DV)

Other Beans High in Fiber (%DV per cup cooked): Navy (76%), French (66%), Pinto (62%), Black (60%) and Chickpeas (50%).

9: Mushrooms (Cooked White Mushrooms)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Pieces (156g)    Per Mushroom (12g)

2g (9% DV)      3g (14% DV)    0.3g (1% DV)

Other Mushrooms High in Fiber (%DV per cup cooked pieces): Shitake (12%) and Portabella (11%).

10: Oranges (All Varieties)

Fiber in 100g   1 Cup Sections (180g) Per Fruit (131g)

2g (10% DV)    4g (17% DV)    3g (12% DV)

An average orange provides 62 calories.

References:

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: January 28, 2016
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WHAT DID YOU DO TO GET RELIEF FROM YOUR BODY PAIN?

What did you do to get Relief from your Body Pain ?

“That is the thing about pain, it demands to be felt”

People suffer from various types of pains – neck, migraines, shoulder, knee, elbow, various chronic pains and then there is fibromyalgia. Many of these pains are related to stress that we go through in our mind.  Recent report by Partners in Pain reveals that half of 44 million household in America suffers from chronic pain. This applies to other parts of the world too. In India and European countries, the number of population who are suffering from chronic pain is increasing. Surprisingly majority of the younger generation between the age group 25-35 are also reported to suffer from chronic pain. People who are shaping up their career and family life are undergoing through lot of stress and are developing these pain symptoms. People are willing to live with pain due to increase in healthcare and medicine cost and by sick of taking those OTC painkillers -many are moving away from the conventional pain control medications and are embracing holistic and natural ways to reduce pain.

According to Ayurveda whenever the energy (prana) flow in the body gets disturbed we experience pain (it same as disturbance in blood flow and lymph). Pain can be caused by vata, pitta and kapha – that is, spasm, inflammation and congestion. Vata or congestion is involved in all pain. It is important to take care of this dosha.

How to manage pain?

Eat well and be well : Watch what you eat especially when one need to balance vata. Vata is cool, dry, rough and light, so eating foods that neutralize these qualities – foods that are warm, moist, oily, smooth, and nourishing – can help to balance excess vata.  Vata balancing foods are soft, mushy in nature and contains protein and fat. Eat warm and hot food that helps muscle to relax. When fat is taken in a moderate way, it lubricates the organs. It is important to keep moisture and warmth of the body to relieve the muscle pain. What food to eat? See below:

  • Drink plenty of warm or hot fluids. Do not drink fluids that are below room temperature.
  • Eat moist foods like berries, melons, summer squash, zucchini, and curd to offset vata’s dry quality. Drink various soup varieties
  • Oily foods like avocado, coconut, olives, buttermilk, cheese, ghee, whole milk, wheat, nuts and seeds are good too.
  • Avoid exceptionally drying foods like popcorn, crackers, white potatoes, beans, and dried fruits.
  • Eat moderate amount of sweets because sweet taste is the foundation of a vata pacifying diet. It is the predominant taste in most of vata’s staple foods.

Relaxation & Sleep well: It is important to relax the mind and then the body when you are undergoing pain.

  • Take a 10 minutes nap: Practice it. If you are at work, take a small break during lunchtime. If you are home, take a afternoon nap for 20-30 minutes. Let the body recover as mind relaxes.
  • Practice shavasana (corpse pose) : This practice can reduce muscle spasms, relieves tension and relaxes the aching parts of the body.
  • Soft music & reading: Take time to listen to some soft music of your choice. Read book that sheds positivity in your mind.
  • Go to bed early: Sleep is the best medication – make sure to go to bed early and sleep well (see how to get good sleep article People who have chronic pain need 7-8 hours sleep every day.

Aromatherapy: Use essential oils to reduce your stress. Try these oils as diffusers, in hot bath or for massaging purposes. Make sure to test it before applying on your skin.

  • Rosemary and thyme oil known to increase the blood flow by creating warmth in the body.
  • Chamomile oil is helps to relieve muscle pain and spasms, low back pain, headaches and pain caused by PMS.
  • Sweet marjoram oil has sedative properties. It helps to relieve muscle pain and spasms, stiffness, rheumatism, osteoarthritis and migraine.
  • Lavender oil is probably the most famous essential oil for pain relief and relaxation. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and sedative properties and it helps to relieve muscle tension and spasms, joint pain and headache.
  • Eucalyptus oil has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. This oil is good for muscle pain and nerve pain.
  • Peppermint oil is good for muscle and joint pain, headache and nerve pain.

Massage: Massage experts estimate that high percent of diseases and conditions are stress-related. In addition, perhaps nothing ages us faster, internally and externally, than high stress. Massage is an effective tool for managing this stress, which helps our mind to: Decrease the anxiety, enhance sleep quality, to get greater energy, to improve concentration and to increase energy circulation by reducing fatigue.

Read further: https://healthylife.werindia.com/body-and-mind/massaging-can-help-body-mind

Yogasana: Pain can stop anyone from stretching and exercising. But, many people does not know that by stretching the muscle one can remove the body pain.  By restricting ourselves or by withholding ourselves from stretching we will commit injustice to our body. Because by being stagnant all the toxins in the body retains inside. If we exercise then by sweating we remove toxins or by doing simple yogasana we can contract and relax our muscles so that there will be an easy flow of various fluids in the body -blood, lymph and synovial fluid.  Stretching for 15-20 minutes helps throughout the day.

Some of the asanas one can practice for chronic pain

It is very important to understand the problem of the body and the source of pain.  Before the pain overtakes and puts you down – find it and try to relieve it. This helps you to be positive, energetic and happy and keep focused in life.

References:

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: January 20, 2016
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JANUARY IS THYROID AWARENESS MONTH

January is Thyroid Awareness Month

January is Thyroid awareness month and it is important to understand the symptoms and conditions associated with thyroid.

What is thyroid? The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck. It produces thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body. Thyroid hormone helps the body to use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should. Both men and women will be at risk if the hormones are not secreted properly the way they should be. Some of the conditions associated with thyroids are listed below:

Iodine deficiency & thyroid: Iodine is an element that is needed for the production of thyroid hormone. The body does not make iodine, so it is an essential part of your diet. Iodine is found in various foods. If you do not have enough iodine in your body, you cannot make enough thyroid hormone. Thus, iodine deficiency can lead to enlargement of the thyroid,  hypothyroidism  and to mental retardation in infants and children whose mothers were iodine deficient during pregnancy.

Thyroid and body weight: It has been appreciated for a very long time that there is a complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight and metabolism. Measurement of the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) was one of the earliest tests used to assess a patient’s thyroid status. Patients whose thyroid glands were not working were found to have low BMRs, and those with overactive thyroid glands had high BMRs. Later studies linked these observations with measurements of thyroid hormone levels and showed that low thyroid hormone levels were associated with low BMRs and high thyroid hormone levels were associated with BMRs.

Thyroid cancer: Thyroid cancer is rare compared to other cancers. Fewer than 2000 patients die of thyroid cancer each year. In 2008 when statistics were last collected, over 450,000 patients were alive and living with thyroid cancer. Thyroid cancer is usually very treatable and is often cured with surgery  and, if indicated, radioactive iodine. Even when thyroid cancer is more advanced, effective and well-tolerated treatment is available for the most common forms of thyroid cancer.

Grave’s disease: Graves’ disease is caused by a generalized over activity of the entire thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). Symptoms of Grave’s disease include: Hyperthyroidism, eye disease (inflammation, swelling, bulging of eyes, irritation) and skin disease – patients with Graves’ disease develop a lumpy reddish thickening of the skin in front of the shins known as pretibial myxedema. This skin condition is usually painless and relatively mild, but can be painful.

Thyroid nodules: The term thyroid nodule refers to an abnormal growth of thyroid cells that forms a lump within the thyroid gland. Although the vast majority of thyroid nodules are benign (noncancerous), a small proportion of thyroid nodules do contain thyroid cancer. In order to diagnose and treat thyroid cancer at the earliest stage, most thyroid nodules need some type of evaluation.

Goiter: The term “goiter” simply refers to the abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland. It is important to know that the presence of a goiter does not necessarily mean that the thyroid gland is malfunctioning. A goiter can occur in a gland that is producing too much hormone (hyperthyroidism), too little hormone (hypothyroidism), or the correct amount of hormone (euthyroidism). A goiter indicates there is a condition present which is causing the thyroid to grow abnormally.

Reproductive system & thyroid: Women with hypothyroidism often have menstrual cycle irregularities, ranging from absent or infrequent periods to very frequent and heavy periods. The menstrual irregularities can make it difficult to become pregnant, and pregnant women with hypothyroidism have an increased risk for miscarriage during early pregnancy.

How to Perform a Thyroid Neck Self-Exam to test thyroid:

  • Use a mirror and focus on the lower middle area of your neck, above the collarbones, and below the Adam’s apple (larynx). Your thyroid gland is located in this area of your neck.
  • While focusing on this area in the mirror, tip your head back.
  • Take a drink of water and swallow. As you swallow, look at your neck. Check for any bulges or protrusions in this area when you swallow. Reminder: Do not confuse the Adam’s apple with the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located further down on your neck, closer to the collarbone. You may want to repeat this process several times.
  • If you do see any bulges or protrusions in this area, see your physician. You may have an enlarged thyroid gland or a thyroid nodule and should be checked to determine whether cancer is present or if treatment for thyroid disease is needed.

For more information on thyroid and its condition, please visit -American Thyroid association websites -http://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-information/ or http://www.thyroid.org/

http://www.womenshealth.gov/

www.health.com

Image credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thyroid_Cancer_(26990475791).jpg

Attribution: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) from Bethesda, MD, USA / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: January 19, 2016
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Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Pranamasana (Prayer Pose)

Salutation: Aum Bhaskaraya Namah  ( I bow to him who is responsible for all senses /luster)  Pranamasana or the Prayer Pose is the final pose for Surya Namaskara.

Description: Stand straight/erect with feet slightly touching together.  Knees should be tight (do not lock), chest forward Join the palms in front of the chest in Namaskara mudra. Focus in-between two eye brows and stand steady in a meditative mood. Breathe in and out slowly, steadily for few seconds.

Benefits: This pose helps to focus, concentrate, relax and brings calmness to the body. It prepares mind and body to absorb positive energy, the energy  which is called pranic energy at the center of heart region.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: January 14, 2016
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Urdhava Hastasana (Raised Arm pose)

Urdhava Hastasana (Raised Arm Pose)

Salutation: Aum Arkaya Namah (I bow to him who need to be worshipped)

Description: Exhale and slowly stretch the arms straight forward and above the head. The upper arms should be in line with ears, palms facing each other. Extend the wrists and fingers. Look up and check that the palms are facing each other and exactly parallel and then look straight ahead and slightly bend back.

Benefits: Strengthening arms, stretching whole body including palm and finger tips. Blood flows down from top to bottom and body becomes more active and meditation mood continues. Promotes balance.

Expands the abdominal viscera and promotes digestion. Exercises the arm and shoulder muscles and tones the spine.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Uttasana or Padahastastana (Hand to foot pose)

Uttasana or Padahastastana (Hand to foot pose)

Salutation: Aum Savitre Namah (I bow to him who produces everything)

Description: From Ashwa Sanchalanasana- bring left foot front to join the right foot – exhale and lower the arms and trunk down. Place the arms next to feet and open the fingers. If your palm does not touch the floor it is okay -just place the palms in front of your feet. Try to keep the legs straight, again do not lock the knees. Try to bring trunk potion slowly down so that your tummy sits on the thighs.

Benefits : This posture promotes good blood circulation. It keeps the abdominal tract well regulated and healthy. Stretches the leg muscles particularly hamstring and stimulating the spinal nerves.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Ashwa Sanchalanasana (Equestrian Pose)

Salutation: Aum Adityaya Namaha (I bow to him who is God of all the Gods)

Description: From Adho mukha svanasana slowly inhale and putting your weight on the hands bring the right leg between the two hands and straighten the left leg behind like a stick resting on the toes. Bend the left knee and place it on the floor and arch the spine backward. Lift the head and neck first up and then back. Roll the eyes up. The right foot remains between the hands.

Benefits: It stretches hamstrings of both legs, calves muscle and strengthens both legs. Helps in balancing the body and keeps mind to focus. This posture also massages abdominal potions, strengthens core and helps in developing self confidence.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Adho Mukha svanasana ( Downward Dog pose)

Adho Mukha svanasana ( Downward Dog pose)

Salutation: Aum Mareechaye Namah ( I bow to him who gives light rays)

Description: From Ashwa Sanchalanasana inhale and exhale while bringing back the left foot meet right foot. While doing so lift your hip facing the roof -similar to mountain. Push the heels and head down and look at the toes with the head down between the arms. Bring your shoulder blade together and push yourself more towards thighs.

Benefits: Core strengthening and we will be lifting our body weight which helps in weight reduction. Strengthens both arms and leg muscles. Blood flows either direction of the body. Stimulates blood circulation to the brain, strengthens the heart.  Also, relieves tension in the neck and shoulders.

Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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