Being Healthy this Party Season

It’s the season to be merry and celebrate the new year. Are you looking forward for the celebrations with your loved ones? Am sure you are but is your body looking forward for the chaos of late night bingeing, excessive alcohol consumption and irregular sleep cycles? Keeping a check on your health is difficult while attending back to back weddings, parties and functions. However some simple tips can help.

Partying, drinking, over-eating and indulging in some of your favourite foods is inevitable during the festive season, but don’t let your health suffer. Change is not easy, it needs a lot of effort. That means that it’s often easier for us to continue to do what we’re doing even if it’s unhealthy or makes us feel worse. One way to maintain your health and fitness goals is to find the right motivation and support. Finding too much information online can sometimes get you overwhelmed. Here are some top tips to help you look and feel great without worrying you’re missing out on all the fun.

1. Extra Calories Try to keep your calorie intake at normal levels. Instead of bingeing on junk food, choose healthy dips and salads at parties. You can also have a light meal at home before stepping out for a party.

2. Commit to stay fit A little exercise is better than nothing, try to go for a short walk or jog if gyming looks difficult.

3. Diet plan It is difficult to resist festive treats, hence it is advisable to incorporate healthy snacks like curd based dips and baked dishes in your diet during day time. Combine this with a revised but realistic exercise plan for the new year.

4. Calorie check Curb the dessert pangs with options that are low in calories but big on flavours such as low calorie desserts. Replace sugar in sweets with jaggery, honey or dates.

5. Drinks Always eat well before you start having alcohol, as alcohol makes you more hungry and more likely to indulge. Alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water or non-alcoholic drink. Avoid binge-drinking, stick to the recommended daily alcohol allowance (men 3-4 units, women 2-3)

6. Stay safe Alcohol can make you feel overly-confident and you could ultimately take more risks – know your limits. Always nominate a driver if you’re going to be indulging, and make sure you leave sufficient time before you next get in a car to drive.

7. Stay hydrated Drink enough water which will help flush out the toxins from your body.

8. Small serving size Take small portions of dishes to avoid over-eating and also satisfy your taste buds.

9. Say No to carbonated drinks Try to avoid sugary mixers such as soft drink sodas, tonic water, canned juices rather opt for fresh juices and shakes.

Within a month of new years, the crowded gym will be back to normal, and the conversation on weight loss will diminish. Studies suggest that almost three-quarters of people who set fitness goals as New Year’s resolutions abandon them. Stay focussed on your health goals and then nothing will be impossible.

Here’s wishing you all a very Happy New Year from the entire team of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Do follow these health tips to be healthy and safe this new years. Looking forward for a healthy and nourishing 2018!

Sleep plays a significant role in optimum health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety. Hence, don’t let anything come in the way of your sleep every night. Here are a few tips to ensure that you get a satisfying, deep sleep every night.

1.Stick to a sleep schedule every day, even on the weekends.

Following a strict routine helps regulate your body’s clock and can help you fall asleep at the ideal time every night.

2.Avoid naps

Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can’t fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short naps may help.

3.Exercise daily

Even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise keeps you going throughout the day, and encourages your body to rest at bedtime. However, aim to finish any vigorous exercise 3 to 4 hours before you head to bed.

4.Evaluate your room

Ensure that your sleep environment is ideal. Your bedroom should be cool and free from any noise that can disturb you. Finally, there should be no light during bedtime. Check your room for noises or other distractions. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, earplugs, fans or other devices that can help make the environment more comfortable.

5.Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows

Make sure your mattress is comfortable and suitable for you. Make sure the room is free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up.

6. Pay attention to what you eat and drink

Don’t go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet.

7.Manage stress

When you have too much to do or too much to think about, your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace, consider ideal ways to manage stress by getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks.

8.Power Down

The blue glow from a mobile phone, tablet, or digital clock on your bedside table may hurt your sleep. Turn off TVs, computers, and other blue-light sources an hour before you go to bed.

For any sleep-related problems or disorders, you can start diagnosis by opting for a Sleep Study Test from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital’s Pulmonary Medicine Department. For more details, visit https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/pulmonarymedicine/sleepstudy.html

The unpredictable weather patterns and changing seasons can take a serious toll on your health. Hair fall, acne, diseases, dull skin, losing weight, are some of the punishments you get from shifting seasons. Worry not, browse through this blog to learn simple health tips to be followed while this season changes. Now you can say cheers to the sunny days!

Hydration

Water is essential for healthy living. Drinking water detoxifies and moisturizes skin from inside. It can keep a check on any season change sickness and also replenishes lost fluids. So, when you feel the corners of your mouth dry and chapped lips and you’re thirsty, you are “dehydrated”- drink minimum 8 glasses of water a day, which will keep away health issues.

Seasonal Nutrition

To stay healthy, it is a must to include theseason’s fruits and vegetables. Seasonal nutrition means it is fresh and the naturally occurring minerals and vitamins in them are also fresh. At this time of the year, include watermelons, muskmelons, papaya, lychee and other summer fruits to your diet!

Keep Insects Away

The onset of summer invites a ton of insects into our homes. These uninvited dangerous guests can hurt you and put your health in danger. Cover the trashes, the open drains, the stored water, just bug-proof your home, surround your outdoor areas with non-flowery greenery and banish the blooming plants, clear off the weedy bushes and apply insect repellent often.

Healthy Diet

Summer season means holidays and beach time. In order to get into a summer shape, don’t compromise on your diet. Consume fresh food, avoid over eating. Try to eat within not too long intervals of time and give time to your food to get digested. Fuel your body’s basic energy needs with the right kind and in the right amount. Avoid too much of oily food or outside junk food during the summers, rather, eat food that is be light, hydrating and refreshing.https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutrition.html

Skin Care

Skin gets greatly affected by soaring temperatures and excess dust. As the heat increases, remember to pamper your skin. Let your skin breath with the right kind of moisturizing lotion or cream. Do not forget cleansing, exfoliating, moisturising and protecting your skin, always use a light, oil free moisturiser so that the pores are not clogged and the skin feels not greasy but hydrated.

For all types of skin and hair care, avail exceptional services from The Aesthetic Clinic: https://www.aestheticlinic.co.in

Dress for the Season

Give your body some solace from the heat by avoiding tight fitting clothing. Wear linen and cotton fabric clothes of lighter colours to cover your body. Do not keep yourself over-exposed, and let your skin get tanned in the sun or get bitten by the bug.

What is important during the season change is to stay healthy and familiarize with the seasons instead of cursing and hating them. Follow the above mentioned health tips and enjoy the summer!

Water is, and always has been, essential to everyday life. Humans are dependent on water to function. Our bodies are made up of nearly 70% water, and our major organs are much more dependent on it to function. The water in our bodies helps regulate our body temperature and powers our organs, muscles, and cells to function correctly. Whether you’re a sportsperson or a doctor, your body needs adequate amounts of water to survive and thrive on a daily basis.

Water is needed for most body functions, including to:

• Maintain the health and integrity of every cell in the body
• Keep the bloodstream liquid enough to flow through blood vessels
• Help eliminate the by-products of the body’s metabolism, excess electrolytes (for example, sodium and potassium), and urea, which is a waste product formed through the processing of dietary protein
• Regulate body temperature through sweating
• Moisten mucous membranes such as those of the lungs and mouth
• Lubricate and cushion joints
• Helps transfer nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide and waste products from one cell to another.
• Reduce the risk of cystitis by keeping the bladder clear of bacteria
• Aid digestion and prevent constipation
• Moisturise the skin to maintain its texture and appearance
• Boost your physical performance
• Serve as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord and in the amniotic sac surrounding the foetus in pregnancy.

How much water do you need to drink?

The amount of water you should drink on a daily basis depends on your lifestyle, fitness and other habits. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, but that number may be conservative for optimal health. It depends on your weight, activity level, and other factors that affect your health. However, there are other factors to consider when deciding how much you want to drink. Coffee and alcohol are diuretics that can lead to dehydration. If you’re exercising, you’ll want to increase your water intake. If it’s a hot summer day, and you’re moving around a lot, you’ll want to make sure you keep up by drinking water throughout the day. Under any of these circumstances, you’ll want to increase your fluid intake.

Keep in mind, commercially bottled mineral water contains salt, which can lead to fluid retention and swelling, and even increased blood pressure in susceptible people. Limit the amount of mineral water for optimum consumption.

On a concluding note, it is important to remember that water is essential to most bodily functions. The body has no way to store water and needs fresh supplies every day. It is up to you to fuel this machine that keeps you going every day.

For more information of creating a well-balanced diet, and to know the optimum water intake for you, take an appointment with our Nutrition Department: https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutrition.html

Packed with nutrients, minerals, anti-oxidants and vitamins, superfoods are the key to good health. They include items that shield our bodies from cell damage and help prevent disease. Here’s a quick read on various superfoods and how to include them in your diet.

Blueberries

Tasty, sweet and packed with disease-fighting phytochemicals, flavonoids and soluble fiber – blueberries have the power to help prevent serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stomach ulcers and high blood pressure.

When your sugar cravings surface, ditch the ice cream and pop some frozen blueberries into your mouth instead. They can also be eaten with yogurt or blended into smoothies.

Leafy Greens

Loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, leafy greens stock your body with the artillery needed to fight off potential killers like heart disease and cancer.

Include kale, spinach, mustard leaves and even broccoli into your diet in the form of omelets, sauces or simply in salads.

Beans

Beans help raise levels of the hormone leptin which curbs appetite. They also deliver a powerful combination of B vitamins, calcium, potassium and folate. All of this helps maintain healthy brain, cell and skin function and even helps to reduce blood pressure and stroke risk.

Beans can be used in a variety of side dishes instead of bread or potatoes, or in Mexican dishes.

Walnuts

Just a small handful of walnuts everyday will deliver a healthy dose of omega-3’s, alpha-linolenic acid, melatonin, copper, manganese and Vitamin E which helps protect your heart. Walnuts on your plate may also protect your brain and help slow the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Chop walnuts and add them to your daily bowl of cereal, or enjoy them as a snack.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are tiny, nutritional dynamos – the single richest source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids you can buy. They’re also loaded with antioxidants, protein and minerals, plus soluble and insoluble fiber to help keep your digestion moving in the right direction. What’s more, chia seeds have an unusual property – they swell to more than 5 times their weight in liquid, so adding a spoonful or two to meals will help you feel fuller faster.

You can drop a spoonful or two of chia seeds into just about anything, including smoothies, sauces, soups and salads.

Other superfoods include:

• Avocado
• Tomato
• Chocolate
• Brussel Sprouts
• Acai Berry
• Pomegranate

Visit a dietician and get a well-rounded diet plan curated just for you! Visit:

https://www.kokilabenhospital.com/departments/clinicaldepartments/nutrition.html