Foods Mother Should Avoid When Breastfeeding

To meet our dietary needs, nutritionists throughout the country have begun looking at substances accessible in India. They're looking at ancient wisdom and seasonal local possibilities, which is unsurprising. These solutions are not only environmentally friendly, but they also help the local economy! "Each season offers an array of gorgeous fresh vegetables, each rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and phytonutrients in their own way," explains Dr. Rajyalakshmi Devi of Lovlife Hospital. Furthermore, the climate provided by each season makes seasonal produce easily edible and absorbable by our bodies." It's crucial to note, however, that these indigenous fruits and vegetables are sprayed with pesticides to prevent insects and pests from spoiling them. "Always choose seasonal fruits and vegetables as they are filled with the nutrients needed to aid you during that time," says Chef Kunal Kapur, who promotes eating seasonal cuisine. However, keep in mind that these pass through numerous hands, potentially transferring germs. So wash your food with a natural action fruit and vegetable wash like Nimwash, which removes chemicals and pathogens while ensuring that it is safe to eat." Further, he also shares his expertise on the various benefits of consuming seasonal food: Seasonal Food Offers High Nutritional Value: Fruits and vegetables that naturally ripen taste better, are fresh and offer the highest amount of nutrients as compared to those that are preserved. Seasonal Food is Cheaper: Crops produced seasonally are cost effective since farmers invest and harvest them in bulk. Sourcing of local stock also reduces the cost of logistics drastically. Seasonal Food is Ecological: Eating seasonal food decreases the demand of out-of-season produce, increases the consumption of local farming and more importantly lessens the time for refrigeration, decreases the cost involved in transportation and irrigation of the crops. Seasonal Food Tastes Better: Since the food produced in a particular season is fresh, it tastes better, sweeter and is perfectly ripened. When fruits and vegetables are harvested at the right time, it will be more flavourful. Read More► Superfoods for Healthy Skin During Winters

Breakfast is the most crucial meal of the day, and starting your day without one is like trying to fly a kite without wind. A nutritious breakfast is essential for children not just to give them a powerful start to the day, but also to refuel their bodies after sleep, as their brains and bodies are still developing. The most difficult task for parents is to ensure that their children have a nutritious breakfast. About 20-30 per cent of youngsters miss meals, therefore a breakfast for them should be quick, easy, filling, and, most importantly, delicious. Aditya Bagri, Director at Bagrry's shares delicious and healthy breakfast options for your kids: Wheat Bran Pancakes: Pancakes and waffles are the breakfast of champions (when it comes to fixing our tastebuds), but it doesn't need to be all unhealthy. Wheat bran, along with atta and oats, is a great substitute for maida. Just change the grain and add a lot more fibre and protein to your kid's breakfast. You can sweeten the batter with honey, jaggery, and bananas instead of sugar as well, along with some cocoa powder. Quinoa Upma: Like a veggie breakfast -why not add quinoa instead of suji to your kids' Upma? It packs a lot more protein and fibre along with Omega 3 fatty acids. Peanut Butter & Wholegrain Toast: A easy peasy peanut butter and toast combo are great for kids. Be sure to use actual wholegrain toast and unsweetened peanut butter, topped with some bananas for sweetness. You can even sprinkle some honey or chia seeds for more crunch. Oats Idli: Idli's are an all-time breakfast favourite - why not change the base from white rice to Oats along with dal, adding more fibre, more protein and better energy. Chocolate Muesli: Chocolate cereals are often laden with sugar. For older kids, muesli is a much better choice, laden with whole grains, nuts, berries and much less sugar. It gives energy for the whole day and needs no preparation time. Banana Berry Smoothie: In case parents are short on time to cook breakfast, portable breakfasts for eating on the go act as an exceptional option. The simplest sugar-free, on-the-go meal for kids is a simple blend of bananas, berries, oats, and a dash of milk. Just blend it all together and it's got the fuel needed to start your day. Overnight Oats: These are easy to prepare and way to healthy. Make them in Mason jars the night prior, and let your child customise this dish with their preferred toppings. You need to mix about 1/4 cup (26 grams) of rolled oats and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of your choice of milk in a small Mason jar. Garnish with nuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, and dried or fresh fruits. As an alternative to cooking them, leave the jar in the fridge and allow the oats to soften overnight. Pumpkin-Quinoa Porridge: Quinoa is a quick-cooking, gluten-free grain, and this breakfast porridge packs a punch of vitamin A. Boil one part of quinoa with two parts of milk of any type and let it cook for 10 minutes on a medium-low flame. Stir in some pumpkin, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg and allow it to simmer. Top it with brown sugar, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut before you serve it. Berry Yoghurt Parfaits: Layer high-protein Greek yoghurt with fresh berries and a sprinkle of granola for an easy and on-the-go meal. Read More► 68% of Indian Ultra-Processed Food Products Have Excess Salt, Sugar

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), the apex trade association of the country, as part of its 'Illness to Wellness' campaign and in the light of the forthcoming 'World Diabetes Day' on Saturday unveiled a report on the findings of a National Level Survey conducted on the state of Diabetes in India. The release was followed by a webinar on "Diabetes Free India" organized with the objective of cascading awareness and disseminating wisdom on diabetes management and its prevention, which was attended by a panel of eminent experts and doctors from across the country. The survey report entitled "Diabetes in India" was produced by ASSOCHAM and the Delhi-based think tank, Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI). The survey was designed and conducted by IMRB-Kantar and covered 2,33,672 people and 673 public health offices in 21 state clusters covering appropriate regions and age segments. The key findings of the survey relate to the burden of diabetes and its primary causes or risk factors which lead to its rise and increasing spread in the country. According to the report, the prevalence of diabetes cases in India almost doubled from 42.6 million cases in 2005 to 85.4 cases in 2019. Globally, on the other hand, the prevalence of diabetes increased from 273.4 cases in 2005 to 460 million cases in 2019. Small wonder then that India has the dubious distinction of becoming the global hub for diabetes cases with prevalence of cases increasing from 15.6 per cent to 18.6 per cent cases in the same interval. Globally, diabetes accounts for 70.9 million DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years) and 36.7 YLDs (Years Lived with Disability) in 2019. In India, diabetes accounts for 12.8 million DALYs, 6.7 million YLDs and 0.3 million deaths during the same time-period. In terms of risk factors for diabetes, dietary habits related to high intake of junk / fried foods, most common in younger people today, has highest relative risk of 47 per cent. The next highest risk factors as elicited by the survey report relate to low physical activity (38 per cent), low intake of fruits and vegetables (28 per cent), and other causes such as stress, pollution, and high consumption of alcohol and carbonated/ sugary drinks. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Over the time, uncontrolled diabetes leads to serious body's systems damage, especially the nerves and blood vessels. There are ample studies conducted by RSSDI (Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India) which emphatically depict and highlights that diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation. The survey outlines the prevalence landscape of diabetes in that it accounts for 25 per cent of all NCDs in India at a rate of 2.9 percent. The disease incidence increases significantly in individuals above 35 years of age and affects men more than women. The report also finds that about 16.8 per cent of the male adult population (15 years) and 14.6 per cent of the female adult population (15 years) on average are estimated to be diabetic. Prevalence of diabetes is highest in southern states including Puducherry, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and lowest in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In terms of sufferers seeking treatment for diabetes, the survey presented some important insights in this regard too. About 7 per cent of the respondents who were suffering from diabetes stated that they were not seeking any treatment at all. However, more than 56 per cent of the respondents stated that they are seeking treatment for more than one year, a fact testifying to the indisputable and inevitable morbidity of this disease. Diabetes is proven through studies to be associated with a high risk of cardiac arrest and there have been substantial increases in new cases of diabetes during the Covid-19 pandemic due to various reasons. In the current situation, diabetes has become a serious health concern since large numbers of patients are already vulnerable to the coronavirus. Thus, diabetic patients affected by Covid-19 can cause a major health crisis. Reports show that large occurrence of diabetes makes it a serious comorbidity in Covid-19 patients. Diabetes also imposes a substantial burden on society in the form of higher medical costs, lost productivity, premature mortality, and intangible costs in the form of reduced quality of life. Setting the tone for the panel discussion at the webinar, Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council, said: "This year marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin. It is, however, unfortunate that diabetes has been underrated as a global public health issue. This needs to be addressed on priority and we as a nation need to take urgent important steps to address this challenge. It is a fact that diabetes is one of the top three NCDs in India and with each year the burden of this disease is rising." Dr. Banshi Saboo, President, Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), said: "Diabetes prevention must be part of a larger national mission. Students should be taught 'Health Science' as a subject in schools which can help in preventing this disease and creating awareness about healthy lifestyles among our future generations. We must also change the age limit for the cyclical three-year testing protocol for sugar from 30 years presently to 25 years of age." Dr. (Col.) Sudhir Tripathi, Chairperson and HOD, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital New Delhi, said: "Diabetes can be prevented even at the pregnancy stage. Healthy mothers give birth to healthy children. We must also educate and inform people that this disease is reversible with healthy lifestyle and timely interventions. Babies who are healthier, not obese, have a far lesser risk of developing diabetes in adulthood. It is advised that we must now have a National Diabetes Month in November to spread awareness and access about diabetes amongst people." Dr. Dinesh Agarwal, Senior Consultant Internist and Head of Department, Department of Medicine Marwari Hospitals, Vice Chairman, RSSDI Assam Chapter, said: "One of the key risk factors and causes of diabetes is stress and junk food. Even children undergo a huge amount of stress these days due to a highly competitive and strained environment. It is a fact that stress leads to hormonal changes which in turn can trigger diabetes in individuals. Add to this the fact that lack of exercise among both children and adults lead to an onset of the disease which could have easily avoided by following simple steps." Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director, Total Care Control, Delhi-NCR, said: "Diabetes free India is a dream for all of us. Diabetes, a chronic disease, has so many affected all of us either as families or as individuals. It is important to control this disease because not only does it cause many other diseases or co-morbidities and complications to take place, but also leads to a huge economic burden. The interesting aspect here is that 95 per cent of diabetes can be prevented, and it is important that we all work towards this." The webinar was addressed by Shri Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council; Dr. Kaushik Dutta, Founder and Co-Director, Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI), New Delhi and eminent doctors which included - Dr. Banshi Saboo, President, Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), Dr. (Col.) Sudhir Tripathi, Chairperson and HOD, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital New Delhi, Dr. Dinesh Agarwal, Senior Consultant Internist and Head of Department, Department of Medicine Marwari Hospitals, Vice Chairman, RSSDI Assam Chapter, and Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director, Total Care Control, Delhi-NCR. Read More► Is Pregnancy Related Low Back Pain Sciatica?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has associated approximately 4.2 million premature deaths per year with health issues related to air pollution. According to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) outdoor air pollution is related to more deaths than unsafe sex leading to HIV/AIDs, unsafe water, or malaria. Annual air pollution-related diseases also have a much higher death toll than Covid-19 to date. With the country's air quality plummeting to hazardous levels after Diwali, people are complaining of respiratory trouble such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and incessant coughing. The high pollution levels are also likely to impact more people this year as a significant proportion of people who recovered from Covid-19 might not have completely healthy lungs. People are opting for various measures to combat the ill effects of pollution. Listed below are some important products that you can get your hands on to fight pollution. 1. Phillips Air Purifier: This purifier is the one product that everyone should own. It comes with 4 stage filtration and automatically senses the air quality and removes 99.97 per cent of airborne pollutants. It can purify a standard room within 12 minutes and provide real-time air quality feedback. 2. GO2 Therapy, Portable Oxygen Cans: gO2therapy was launched in April 2021. It is the second generation of high-purity (99 per cent+) portable Oxygen can, which is highly useful in our day-to-day life situations like pollution and emergencies. gO2 therapy can be used to perform oxygen therapy at home to help the body fight the ill effects of the city's pollution and not only increase mental and physical performance among fitness enthusiasts but also help in dealing with respiratory issues. 3. SmileDrive Portable Air Quality Meter: This portable meter is a great way to detect air quality indoor and outdoor. It detects the air around through air scattering detection. The big monitor screen can be used easily at the home, office or outdoors in the car. It has an inbuilt rechargeable battery and runs 10 times faster to provide accurate readings. 4. Boldfit N95 Reusable Masks: The N95 face mask, as suggested by doctors provides personal protection against dust, allergens, fog haze and is anti-odour. It is made of activated carbon that has cotton to ensure that the skin remains fresh all day. It also provides protection against dust and could be worn outdoors and indoors. 5. Environics Envirochip: Envirochip is clinically tested and certified with proven health benefits. It protects you from the harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation. It helps to reduce stress and boosts protects your immunity so that you can use your tech gadgets safely. The small chip comes with one-of-a-kind technology that helps nullify the harmful effect of e-radiation emitted by a laptop/ mobile phone/ Smart TV/ Monitor, etc without compromising device performance. You can easily stick the chip at the body of your laptop or mobile phone the chip built on the foundation of radiation protection technology, changes the nature of electromagnetic radiation, making it harmless to the human body. (Agency) Read More► Management of COPD During Pregnancy