Cityplus
Greater Noida, Friday, October 9, 2009
03
GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT F
ood and nutrition is continually faced with the challenge of dispelling common myths about calories and weight management. Here are some myths and actual facts:
Myth: Yoghurt is the perfect diet food. But some yoghurt can be as fattening as ice cream. Fact: Yoghurt is good for people of all ages. Yoghurt is also important for those wanting to lose weight.No one food is going to prove magic, it is a combination of effective diet and exercise plan that will really work. Avoid yoghurt that contains added sugars or sweetened fruit, as these upset the delicate chemical balance that allow the cultures to thrive.
Myth: Eating most of your calories in the evening promotes weight gain. Fact: No matter when you eat them, you gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn off. Myth: Fat free is calorie free. Fact: Get the facts on fat-free foods by checking food labels for the serving size and number of calories per serving. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. However, other low fat or no fat foods may still contain a lot of calories. Myth: Exercise makes you eat more. Often people shy away from doing exercise using this excuse. Fact: Research has shown that after 20 minutes of exercise people ate no more than those who had done nothing.
Myth: Carbohydrates (or sugars) cause weight gain. Fact: Carbohydrates do not cause weight gain unless they contribute to excess calorie intake. The same holds true for protein and fat. However, some people who eat a diet that is extremely high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fat get hungry sooner, which may trigger overeating.
that, you can eat a food with low energy density, such as lettuce, and consume a huge amount for few calories. Lettuce leaves do not contain calories. A tablespoon of Myth: Lettuce makes butter has the same numyour figure slim. ber of calories as 10 cups Fact: The theory adopt- of leaf lettuce. Generally ed behind this fact is they are not eaten alone
and most lettuce sauces foods are just as nutritious or in some cases are high in fat. even more nutritious than Myth: You can burn fat fresh foods depending on by eating certain foods, the manner in which they like grapefruit and cab- are processed. Frozen vegetables are usually bage soup. Fact: The grapefruit processed within hours of diet requires you to eat harvest. There is little half a grapefruit before nutrient loss in the freezevery meal to reap the ing process so frozen vegbenefits of the fruit's fat- etables retain their high burning e n z y m e s . vitamin and mineral conGrapefruit has no fat, is tent. In contrast, fresh low in calories and sodi- vegetables are picked and um and is packed with transported to market. It vitamin C. But the very can take days or even low calories—and deficits weeks before they reach in protein, fibre and sev- the dinner table and vitaeral important vitamins mins are gradually lost and minerals— can make over time no matter how t h i s d i e t d a n g e r o u s . carefully the vegetables Similarly, the cabbage a r e t r a n s p o r t e d a n d soup diet proponents stored. Some processed report feeling light head- f o o d s , s u c h a s ed and weak because the breads and breakdiet is too low in protein, fast cerevitamins and complex a l s , carbohydrates. You may h a v e lose weight, but you'll v i t a probably be too queasy to m i n s a n d enjoy it. minerals Myth: Processed foods added for are not as nutritious as e x t r a nutrifresh foods. Fact: Many processed tion.
Myth: Extra protein makes you strong. Fact: The body is very adaptive. When we are active, our body uses its own fat and carbohydrate. A diet that includes animal and vegetable protein supplies all the body needs. High protein diet often lack key nutrients found in carbohydrate foods.
Keep your nose clean and stay fit T
he nasal wash has been integral to yoga practice for more than 5,000 years. Called jala neti in Sanskrit, this userfriendly practice involves drawing a warm saline solution through the nasal passages, with the aid of a small container called a neti pot.
YOGA Jala neti prevents and treats colds and other upper respiratory ailments that can crop up in the change of season, including allergies, asthma and sinusitis. In addition to washing away mucus, dust, bacteria, viruses and fungi, the nasal wash stimulates the optic nerve, relaxing the eyes and strengthening the sight while refreshing the mind.
On a deeper level, this practice helps in a fruitful meditation practice. How does the nasal wash work? If you're wincing at the memory of getting water up your nose while swimming as a kid, don't worry, jala neti uses a warm saline solution that's the same temperature and salt concentration as your bodily fluids and is soothing to the sinuses. Here's a basic recipe: Mix one heaped teaspoon of pure, non-iodized salt with two cups of warm water until the salt dissolves completely. Adjust the mixture to your own salinity; it should taste like warm tears. Then experiment with the following neti washes: one for beginners and another for the more experienced.
The pot should preferably be made of stainless steel with the edges rounded with a smooth spout. The bottom should be the diameter of the palm. The nozzle should not be welded to the main body so that it could be cleaned easily.
Nostril to nostril Fill your neti pot and lean over a sink, face downward. Keeping your nose slightly higher than your lips, twist your head to the right. As you breathe through the mouth, insert the spout into the upper nostril until it forms a tight seal. Raise the handle of the neti pot and let the water flow back through the nose and out the lower nostril. Repeat on the other side. Alternatively squat and place a closed fist on your knee and follow the above mentioned instructions. Tip: If the water flows into your mouth, lower your head slightly. If the water does not flow into the other nostril, you may need to raise your head or twist further. With a little experimentation, you'll get the hang of the head position.
Mouth to Nose: Fill your mouth three-quarters full with warm saline solution. Lean over the sink, face down. To expel the water, tuck your chin toward your neck and press your entire tongue against the roof of the mouth, forcefully exhaling the saline into the sink. Keep the opening from the throat to the nose relaxed through the entire procedure. Repeat several times. Did you know? The sensitive lining of the nostrils secretes mucus, which, in addition to trapping dust and dirt particles, contains antibodies that help protect against infection and irritation by foreign materials or organisms. This is important because you inhale between 15,000-25,000 times daily. —VINEETA GOGIA