How to create a heart-healthy Indian diet plan during the holidays  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: Its that time of the year again - perhaps, a special time for all of us to spend with loved ones and indulge in some mouth-watering Christmas feasts. Its also a time for overseas workers to head home for holidays. But, the festive season can pose a huge challenge for individuals concerned about maintaining their heart health. Yet, youcan make holiday feasts happy and healthy - and yes, you can do it without a lot of effort.

It would be wise to assess the heart healthvalue of whats on your plate especially around the holidays when most of us are more likely to overeat. This would mean planning well-ahead of time, enjoying festive treats in smaller portions, and make healthy substitutions where you can.

To help you stay fit and mindful as you spend holidays with your family and friends, Timesnownews.com talked to Dr D Prabhakaran, an internationally renowned Cardiologist and Epidemiologist, Director, CCCI and Vice President (Research and Policy), Public Health Foundation of India. One mayuse this Indian diet sample plan, designed by Dr Prabhakaran, as an example of heart-healthy eating. This nutritionally balanced meal plan (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian) contains 1,600 calories a day, and is suitable for both men and women who want to keep their heart healthy.

Sample menu: Northern India

Bed Tea

1 cup tea/ coffee

1 cup tea/ coffee

Breakfast

2 rotis.(wheat, bajra, maize, missi) with

1 cup vegetable curry/ dhal

OR

2 stuffed roti.

1 cup tea/coffee/milk

2 rotis (wheat, bajra, maize, missi) with

1 egg white

OR

2 stuffed roti.

1 cup tea/coffee/milk

Mid-morning

Lunch

2 rotis (whole wheat),

katori rice,

1 katori dhal,

1 katori seasonal vegetable,

1 katori salad,

1 katori low-fat curd

2 rotis (whole wheat),

katori rice,

1 katori dhal,

1 katori seasonal vegetable,

1 katori salad,

1 katori low-fat curd

Evening

1 cup tea/coffee

1 cup roasted snacks

1 cup tea/coffee

1cup roasted snacks

2 roti (whole wheat),

1 katori dhal/ paneer curry,

1 katori veg curry

1 katori salad

1 seasonal fruit (100-150gms)

2 roti (whole wheat),

2 pieces of (baked/ roasted) fish/chicken,

1 katori veg curry,

1 katori salad,

1 seasonal fruit (100-150gms)

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup low-fat milk

[1 Katori = 150 ml. The above diet gives Calories: 1615 Kcal, Proteins: 56 gms, CHO: 257 gms, Fat: 40 gms]

Breakfast options: Sweet/salted dahlia, porridge, wheat bread sandwich, chidwa, roti, paratha made with minimum vegetable oil with (any dhal/vegetable curry), sattu roti/ panni.

Salad options: Onion, cucumber, tomato, radish, cabbage, carrot, sprouted dhal flavored with lemon juice, spices and condiments, low-fat curd instead of oil/cream-based salad dressings.

Snacks options: Nuts like groundnut (roasted/soaked), almonds, walnut, dried figs, dates, puffed rice (bhel puri), roasted chhana, any fruit, and baked samosa/patties. Fried snacks like homemade pakoras, potato chips, samosas, kachori, litti, fried namkeens can be taken occasionally.

Sweetmeatoptions: All sweets to be made in low-fat milk without using condensed milk. Sweets made with ghee to be taken occasionally. Sweets made with Vanaspati to be completely avoided.

We hope the above suggested tips would be of great help to you and your family in creating a heart-healthy meal plan.

Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

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How to create a heart-healthy Indian diet plan during the holidays - Times Now

Not all fat is created equally and visceral fat, which lies deep below the surface, near vital organs such as the heart, liver and intestines, can be life-threatening. The fats proximity to vital organs means that carrying an excess amount of it hikes your risk of developing chronic complications, such as heart and liver disease.

To keep visceral fat bay, evidence backs limiting your intake of foods that lead to the harmful weight gain.

One of the primary culprits is high carb intake so cutting back on this food group can bring fat-burning benefits.

Studies have shown that diets with under 50 grams of carbs per day cause belly fat loss in overweight people, those at risk of type 2 diabetes and women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Lower-carb weight-loss diets may be better for losing visceral fat than higher-carb weight-loss diets, according to a study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

You dont have to cut out carbs completely to reap the benefits.

READ MORE:Angela Rippon health: The plant supplement star used to help get rid of visceral fat

Many sugar-sweetened beverages are made with high-fructose corn syrup instead of sugar, according to medical website LiveStrong.

Drinking beverages sweetened with fructose may increase visceral fat, reports an article published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The study involved overweight and obese people, so further research is necessary to determine whether fructose has the same effect in normal weight individuals.

To keep visceral fat at bay, try replacing these beverages with naturally calorie-free options such as water, tea or black coffee, advises LiveStrong.

Findings published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society also makes a case skipping diet fizzy drinks as this may be associated with increases in waist circumference, and thus potentially visceral fat as well.

In addition to dieting, exercising regularly also offers a robust defence against visceral fat gain.

Harvard Medical School recommends getting 30 to 60 minutes of cardio per day, such as brisk walking, swimming, running or aerobics, and notes that exercising with weights may also be helpful.

Evidence demonstrates the visceral fat-burning benefits of aerobic exercise.

Continued here:
How to lose visceral fat: Cut back on this type of food to reduce harmful belly fat - Express

As the new year quickly approaches, the American Medical Association is offering 10 recommendations to help Americans make the most impactful, long-lasting improvements to their health in 2020 and beyond.

"With too many holiday sweets and not enough exercise likely in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to consider your personal goals and how you can make positive health choices in the coming year," said AMA President Patrice A. Harris, M.D., M.P.H. "The good news is that there are a few easy steps you can take that will set you on the right track for a healthier 2020."

The AMA's 10 recommendations for a healthier new year, include the following:

1. Learn your risk for type 2 diabetes--take the self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

2. Be more physically active--adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity.

3. Know your blood pressure numbers--visit LowerYourHBP.org to better understand your blood pressure numbers and take necessary steps to get your high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke.

4. Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar--eat less red meat and processed meats, and add more plant-based foods, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds to your diet. Also reduce your consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and drink more water instead. Drinking sugary beverages, even 100% fruit juices. is associated with a higher all-cause mortality risk, a new study published in JAMA Network Open suggests.

5. If a health care professional determines that you need antibiotics, take them exactly as prescribed--antibiotic resistance is a serious public health problem and antibiotics will not make you feel better if you have a virus, such as a cold or flu.

6. If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans--up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.

7. Talk with your doctor about tobacco and e-cigarette use (or vaping) and how to quit--declare your home and car smoke- and aerosol-free to eliminate secondhand exposure.

8. Pain medication is personal--if you are taking prescription opioids or other medications, follow your doctor's instructions, store them safely to prevent misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication.

9. Make sure your family is up-to-date on their vaccines--this includes getting the annual influenza vaccine for everyone age 6 months or older. If you're pregnant, you can receive the flu vaccine during any trimester, but should receive the Tdap vaccine early in the third trimester to protect yourself against flu and whooping cough.

10. Manage stress--a good diet, sufficient sleep (at least 7.5 hours per night), daily exercise and wellness activities, like yoga and meditation, are key ingredients to maintaining and improving your mental health, but don't hesitate to ask for help from a mental health professional when you need it.

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10 health recommendations for successful New Year's resolutions - Midland Daily News

Lets start with what to eat and the foods to avoid eating. What follows will likely sound familiar to aficionados of a Mediterranean-style diet: a plant-based diet focused on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and cold-water fish and plants like soybeans and flax seeds that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A Mediterranean-style diet is rich in micronutrients like magnesium, vitamin E and selenium that have anti-inflammatory effects, and its high-fiber content fosters lower levels of two potent inflammatory substances, IL-6 and TNF-alpha.

Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, strongly recommends limiting or eliminating consumption of foods known to have a pro-inflammatory effect. These include all refined carbohydrates like white bread, white rice and pastries; sugar-sweetened beverages; deep-fried foods; and red meat and processed meats. They are the very same foods with well-established links to obesity (itself a risk factor for inflammation), heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

In their stead, Dr. Hu recommends frequent consumption of foods known to have an anti-inflammatory effect. They include green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collards; fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines; fruits like strawberries, blueberries, apples, grapes, oranges and cherries; nuts like almonds and walnuts; and olive oil. The recommended plant foods contain natural antioxidants and polyphenols, and the fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, all of which counter inflammation.

Coffee and tea also contain protective polyphenols, among other anti-inflammatory compounds.

The bottom line: the less processed your diet, the better.

At the same time, dont neglect regular exercise, which Dr. James Gray, cardiologist at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, calls an excellent way to prevent inflammation. He recommends 30 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise and 10 to 25 minutes of weight or resistance training at least four to five times a week.

Although exercise is pro-inflammatory while youre doing it, during the rest of the time it leaves you better off by reducing inflammation, and after all you live most of your life not exercising, Stephen Kritchevsky, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, told me. Independent of any effect on weight, exercise has been shown to lower multiple pro-inflammatory molecules and cytokines.

Read the rest here:
Tackling Inflammation to Fight Age-Related Ailments - The New York Times

In northern Uganda, nestled in the Western Rift Valley homelands of the Acholi people, Immaculate Omona grows a local groundnut (peanut) variety called Acholi valencia. High yielding and drought tolerant, this variety reliably provides essential nutrients her family depends on. However, this plant provides more than just food, it also embodies her culture, telling a story of resilience and survival.

For many years the north of Uganda was plagued by a brutal warlord named Joseph Kony. Kony and his Lords Resistance Army (LRA) predated on the people of Uganda, abducting tens of thousands of children in his campaign of mutilation, torture, slavery, and rape. His horrific reign of terror led to millions being relocated to Internal Displacement Camps for over 20 years. It is at one of these camps that Omonas aunt waited for the terror to stop. For these 20 years, she saved a single family heirloom, the Acholi valencia. Every year, she cultivated this plant on the side of the camp, growing enough to keep it alive, furthering the very essential characteristics that make it unique. Even during the war, she understood the significance of this variety and did everything she could to keep it alive.

However, it is not just wars that threaten the worlds biodiversity. African governments are giving in to corporate pressure to adopt laws that deny farmers rights to save, plant, exchange and sell their own seeds. Well-funded promotion, subsidies, coercion, and advertising are being deployed in an attempt to roll out industrial seeds designed for monocultures and chemicals and to displace farmers varieties suited to organic farming. The end goal is clear: to prevent farmers from saving seeds so that they buy corporate hybrid seeds instead.

Today, Omona is committed to scaling up her production and is creating a local market for this variety. Supported by farmers organization, the Eastern and Southern African Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), she has already shared these seeds with many farmers in her community. Omana explained, we have our seed bank; now we dont wait for government or private seed companies to distribute seeds which often come too late in the season. We are now planting good indigenous seeds at the right time and getting good yields. These seeds provide more than just good yields; they weave the cultural fabric of their indigenous community.

Across Africa, this story is echoed as seed saving resists the cultural erosion that industrial agriculture thrives on. Behind every seed is a story. Encoded in their DNA is a rich history of folklore and cultural tradition. With the onslaught of the so-called Green Revolution, these traditional varieties are being lost, forgotten and discouraged by governments and some development NGOs. This has resulted in a form of ecocide where for many crops up to 80% of these local varieties may be lost forever. Seed banks are paramount to protecting this vanishing biodiversity and are the foundation for local food sovereignty. Across the world, farmer organizations, like ESAFF, are critical to building and maintaining these vital seed banks

A local seed variety is developed by the community for the community, in concert with the needs of the community. As seeds are selected each season to be planted the next year, they are chosen for a reason. That reason might be pest resistance, drought tolerance or high yield. These precious varieties were developed over millennia by unnamed scientists the farmers and they hold the answers to growing food with a changing climate and the inevitable extreme weather events that follow. Additionally, these varieties have been a crucial part of local culture, providing a diverse and healthy diet according to local tastes and traditions.

There is an okra variety called Otigo Tung Lacwarthe horn of the antelopea drought-tolerant seed that Vicky Lokwiya got from a friend and now cultivates and shares with other farmers. Lokwiya is the secretary of a seed saving group in St Mauritz parish. She has been with this group for 25 years now and is a mentor to many of the members. Watching her walk the farms of her fellow women farmers, she is a living library, remembering every detail about these seeds. She shares this knowledge freely as she walks the living seed banks, inspecting leaves and pointing out how the government seedsthe hybridsfail to perform. I think the hybrid seed is the one bringing us diseases we were not suffering from before, Lokwiya explains. We had been fooled for so long by private companies and some government officials that our indigenous seed system was backward. Now we have shown them that small-scale farmers can collect, multiply and store seed safely under good quality control.

The seed savers are organized around village savings and loan groups, where members pay into the collective. To illustrate just how much the group has grown in size and value, she says when they started the members contributed 800 Uganda Shillings in dues for the first year. By the year 2000, the members contributed over 500,000 UGS; today it is close to a million. The money is used to create a collaborative support network for farmers in need, as well as take care of health services.

Group member Beatrice Akello explained how this made a difference, I used to buy seeds very expensively, yet I didnt always have money given the other social responsibilities that I have as a widow. Now I sometimes sell seeds. What a good feeling I am independent!

Before the war, local turmeric was grown in the area called Bizali. It is rich in color and flavor but since the war had been removed completely from the local diet. However, Lokwiya found this variety alive in the bush, after 20 years of being left for nature to maintain. Amazed at how this variety continued to survive, she is now committed to not only growing this crop but educating her community on its various health and medicinal benefits.

After the war, many were given land around 4 kilometers away. Instead of waiting for assistance from the World Food Programme, the community wanted to grow their own, and especially cultivate the varieties that were developed by their ancestors. Unfortunately, unlike the Bizali, many crops were lost forever.

Lokwiya points to a cassava hybrid that the government was promoting and laughs as she compares it to a local variety called Oroo Ki Raa that towers over the hybrid even after a dry year. She notes this cassava variety disappeared during the war, but she has since found it again and is on a quest to promote it to her local communities. Oroo Ki Raa does not get spoiled after six months when the hybrid varieties are already rotten. Instead, it has a rich flavor and is drought tolerant. Lokwiya points out that even if animals eat the leaves, the cassava still produces a healthy crop. Seed saving groups empower women like Lokwiya to increase family food and nutrition security while boosting incomes. Here in northern Uganda, women are on the frontlines of climate change adaptation, working heroically together to meet the many challenges they face by affirming their rights to save, use, exchange and sell their traditional seeds.

More information can be found below and at Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa and by watching Women Seed Saving in Kenya.

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Every Seed Has a Story - Food Tank