Yoghurt – Your Heat Wave Essential

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With the Met Office forecasting yet another heat wave – temperatures are expected to soar to 42 degree Celsius until October 21 in Karachi – health officials have issued a warning to people to take precautions to prevent heatstroke. These include using sunscreen, covering their heads and staying hydrated.

Given that recent research has highlighted a host of health benefits found in yoghurt, it is recommended that you have a helping of this ‘cool’ super food every day to stave off heat-related problems.

Nutritionists recommend substituting caffeine and carbonated energy drinks with a yoghurt smoothie to start the day. Or, if you are one of those people whose appetite is reduced in the hot weather, opt for a bowl of yoghurt – with the seasonal fruit of your choice to add flavour and nutrition – for an energy-packed lunch.

Should You Go On The Lemonade Diet?

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Several celebrities, ranging from Beyonce to Jared Leto, have been on the Lemonade Diet which is also called the ‘Master Cleanse’ in order to lose substantial amounts
of weight.

The Diet, as its name suggests, entails restricting your food intake to lemonade (made from lemon juice, water, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper) in addition to lots of water (with a pinch of sea salt) and herbal teas (including chickweed, dandelion root and flaxseed) for a period of up to
10 days.

While nutritionists recommend the Diet to a few of their patients (after several checkups), they are careful to warn them that they should not make it a permanent lifestyle choice. Furthermore, they are quick to point out that people should only go on the diet for a maximum of three to four days, rather than the recommended 10.

The Lemonade Diet offers a host of health benefits which include:

1. Weight loss. Since it is a liquid diet, your weight loss will be immediate, mainly because your carbohydrate and sugar intake will be next to none. This is what makes the Diet ideal for people looking to lose a few pounds quickly. However, the Lemonade Diet is not believed to deliver any substantial results for obese people, since it is not an efficient way of burning calories
   or getting rid of stubborn fat.

Aqua Aerobics

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aerobics, aqua aerobics, high-impact exercises, jogging, joint-related ailments, muscle toning, Stephan Andrew, strength training, total body stretch, waist trimmer, water aerobics, water marching, weight training, workout regimens

For people who are bored with the usual workout regimens, aqua or water aerobics is a great way of muscle toning, and cardio and strength training. Due to its buoyancy, water provides the best and safest exercising environment for people with joint-related ailments (who should avoid high-impact exercises), by encouraging a wide range of motion and improving flexibility.

Another advantage of aqua aerobics is that the heart rate remains lower during these exercises compared to other typical land-based exercises, such as weight training, aerobics and jogging. Since the body ‘floats’ in water, the cardiac muscles get a workout without being put under stress; the water has a cooling effect on the body, preventing sweating, that often results in cramped muscles. 

Ghee – Desi And Healthy!

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benefits of ghee, ghee, ghee consumption, Omega-3, preparing ghee at home, research about ghee, saturated fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin E

No traditional Pakistani recipe is ever quite complete without ghee. Although until a few years ago, it was believed that ghee causes a host of health problems, recent research studies have concluded that saturated fats such as good old desi ghee can help you stay healthy and strong.

Tempting Tomatoes

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Arthritis, benefits of tomatoes, calcium, chromium, digestion, eyesight, Fibre, lycopene, osteoarthritis, potassium, skin cancer in women, sodium, tomatoes, Tomatoes the new super food, Vitamin A, Vitamin K

Recent research has led nutritionists to dub tomatoes – the vibrant, tangy and juicy fruit – as the new super food.

Here are the four reasons you should add tomatoes to your diet:

1. Prevents cancer. Loaded with lycopene, regular consumption of tomatoes, along with broccoli, is believed to reduce the chances of contracting a range of cancers. Lycopene also decreases the skin’s sensitivity to ultra-violet light,
one of the primary causes of skin cancer in women.

How Women Can Stay In The Pink

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anaemia, International Women's Day, Iron, iron deficiency, iron deficiency in women, vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency in women, vitamin deficiency in women, Women’s health, women’s health issues

I tell my women patients that looking after their health is vital in ensuring that their family also stays healthy and happy.

Recently, a healthy looking 25-year-old woman came to my clinic complaining that she had been rejected as a blood donor: “I was told I am anaemic as my haemoglobin level is very low. I am young, I avoid fast food and exercise regularly, so how is this possible?”

For the Love of Cocoa

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antioxidants, box of chocolates, brain health, caffeine, chocolate, chocolates, cocoa, cocoa powder, Dark chocolate, energy boost, Fibre, flavanol, health benefits of cocoa, healthy gut, heart health, hot chocolate, Iron, Magnesium, phytonutrients, stimulant, super food, theobromine, Valentine's Day

On Valentine’s Day, nothing says ‘I Love You’ better than a box of chocolates, and it is ironic that for a very long time it was believed that cocoa (found in high amounts in dark chocolate) was unhealthy as it led to weight gain and damaged teeth. However, research conducted recently has revealed that cocoa is one of the healthiest super foods when consumed in moderate amounts.

Here are four reasons why you should indulge in cocoa, be it in dark chocolate, in its powdered form to make desserts, or in hot chocolate:

Are You Stressing Your Kids?

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As a wellness coach, many of my patients tend to be troubled teenagers whose parents bring them to me because they are concerned about the health of their high-achieving, yet sleep and nutrition deprived children.

Parents usually justify their children’s behaviour by saying, “Times have changed and studies are just so tough now” and proudly proclaim that their children are among the select few to have obtained admission in the country’s top-tier educational institutes. Their pride, I have come to realise, has more to do with the fact that they can boast about their children’s educational achievement in front of their friends, and less to do with the educational benefits they believe their children will receive. What they fail to notice is the unnecessary stress that they put on their children.

Don’t Miss A Beet!

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anti-oxidants, Beet, beet juice, beet tea, betaine, betalain, blood pressure, calcium deposits, cardiovascular disease, chukandar, detoxify, Expectant mothers, Folate, health, hypertension, Iron, manganese, nervous system, nitrates, relax, relaxation, Saba Gul Hasan, stress, tryptophan, Vitamin C

Juicy red beets (chukandar) are in season and here are four reasons why you should make them part of your diet.

Essential for overall health. The high dose of manganese and betaine in beets are essential to overall health as they promote the optimal functioning of the nervous system. The presence of betalain – the anti-oxidant that give beets their red colour – and vitamin C (the ultimate immunity booster) ward off illness and inhibit the formation of cancer causing cells.

Pomegranate Perks

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Pomegranates are in season and although the ancient Greeks and Egyptians revered them as symbols of fertility and immortality, recent research further attests that pomegranates possess the following health benefits.

Aid in weight-loss. One serving (100 grams) of carb-rich pomegranate seeds contains only 83 calories, giving you a burst of energy and keeping you alert and active throughout the day. If you are on a diet, indulge in pomegranates because their high fibre content will prevent you from feeling hungry and increase your metabolic rate. Better yet, pomegranates contain no saturated fats, making them an effective diet food.