Archive for the ‘Diet’ Category

Keep Your Stomach Clean

Monday, December 15th, 2008

I have a horribly embarrassing problem of gas. According to my friends and colleagues I expel noxious smells every half hour. I follow a healthy diet of western culture. In fact, I’m pretty lean and active.
Although people frequently attribute various symptoms to excessive bowel gas, neither the volume nor the excretion rate is readily measurable. In reality, many symptoms arising from Irritable Bowel Syndrome are wrongly attributed to gas, so get a proper diagnosis first. Bowel gas or intestinal gas may arise from swallowed air or intake of foods like dried beans, containing oligosaccharides — carbohydrates that are incompletely absorbed in the healthy human small intestine.
A nutritionist can help you make the necessary dietary adjustments. If the problem persists, consult a gastroenterologist. Nutritionist says
1. Instead of milk take plenty of curd, which has the useful bacteria to aid digestion.
2. Eliminate beans and pulses from your diet for a short period and see if it helps.
3. When you do get back to eating throw away the soaked water to get rid of the indigestible gas-forming sugars(oligosaccharides) these beans contain.
4. Fibre is also a culprit in gas formation. So limit raw salad intake.
5. Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes daily. Motion helps expel gas faster.
6. Cut back on fermented rice dishes and replace rice in at least one meal a day.
7. Avoid long intervals between meals. Have a small snack every 3 hours.
8. Take a probiotic(useful bacteria) supplement. A health food store or chemist will stock these.

Dieting because of Overweight

Friday, June 20th, 2008

Obesity is the commonest problem worldwide and overweight individuals go to any extent to shed those extra kilos, at any cost. But, lack of knowledge is the root cause of fat. Unlike the old myth, over-eating is not the only cause of obesity. Factors like heredity, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and water retention plays an equally important role in making you overweight. After you detect the right cause of excessive fat in your body you should work out the right plan to achieve the desired weight. In all cases of obesity, one must eat enough to keep calorie intake equivalent to the energy required by the body which will keep your system functioning the whole day.

This still does not mean depriving yourself of the food of your choice! It only goes to prove that any extra calories mean more fat. Keeping a constant check on your weight is easier than letting it become a chronic problem as fat becomes more stubborn to dissolve.

Dieting is the worst enemy of fat. It you discontinue to diet and get back to regular eating habits, you tend to put on more weight, as your metabolism slows down while you were eating less. Fasting once a week is a healthier suggestion as your body mechanism needs rest too.

Ten to fifteen minutes of exercise is a must, especially for people living sedentary lives. Vigorous and heavy exercise is not really required, do just enough to keep your blood circulation in check.

Obesity or overweight is a frequently recurring problem in adults. It is mainly caused by limited activity. Over-nutrition can be singled out as the most important etiological factor where food behavior plays a crucial role.