Fighting Heart Disease with Food

Heart disease is also referred to as coronary heart disease or arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. According to a study conducted by lancet on 30,000 individuals predisposed to heart disease-90 percent of them were able to reduce the risk of heart disease by modifications in lifestyle, eating right food and exercise.

According to Mona Johar-“Heart diseases mostly result due to the accumulation of waxy plaque in the arteries of the heart, which resulted in obstruction to the blood flow resulting in serious concerns like heart attack.”

Causes of heart disease:

Unhealthy diet
Smoking
Alcohol consumption

Obesity is a contributing factor- In obese persons heart has to work extra or pump more blood to supply blood to the organs, which results in heart diseases. Hence, obesity acts as a contributing factor in causing heart diseases.

Good fat and bad fat-

Saturated fats are regarded as bad fats; however they are required in small proportions for the correct functioning of heart, liver and brain. Sources of saturated fats are butter, ghee and cheese.

Unsaturated fat is regarded as good fat and is found in extra virgin olive oils, nuts and seeds

Cholesterol is another form of fat, which is produced 70 percent in liver and rest 30 percent we get from we eat.

Good cholesterol acts as a cardio protector, whereas bad cholesterol is a source of blockage in our arteries

Diet for Heart Patients-

Foods rich in vegetables and fruits. They are low in glycemic index which can prevent many heart diseases
Vegetable high in fiber like cauliflower, cabbage- High fiber vegetables trap the bad cholesterol responsible for causing heart diseases and remove it from the body.

Mona emphasis that – “As per the current research it is not the fat, but the sugar which is more dangerous. Consuming sugars for a long period of time is the prime cause of heart diseases.”

According to Mona- Genetics solely are not responsible for heart diseases. By employing healthy eating habits and exercise one can turn off the gene expression responsible for causing heart diseases.

Heart Healthy diet-

According to Mona there consuming certain foods are good for heart. Some examples include-

Eating high calorie foods in moderation
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Foods rich in Omega-3
Less processed foods
Moderate amount Red wine- It is rich in polyphenols which acts as a cardio protector
Foods rich in lycopene like tomato
Ginger, tulsi or turmeric having anti-inflammatory properties
Pomegranate- It is rich in polyphenols and anthocyanins, which reduce the cholesterol levels

According to Mona – Consuming garlic on a daily basis has exceptional benefits in combating heart diseases.

Foods to avoid heart problems

Trans foods
Refined Sugars
Refined carbohydrates

Good heart health can be achieved by eating right kind food. A functional medicine expert can advice certain food items which can act as a medicine in fighting a particular disease. Heart diseases can be prevented by not eating certain kind of foods, but at the same time certain foods as discussed above have proven exceptional benefits in treating heart diseases.

Fighting Depression with Food

Depression is becoming rampant in India. According to statistics 300 million in the world suffer from depression. About 5 crore Indians suffer from depression and 3 percent of Indians suffer from anxiety disorders. In the year 2012 about 8 lakh Indians committed suicide owing to depression.

According to Mona –“Depression is not a sign of weakness. It can happen to anyone and at any age. The person looses interest in performing the daily life activities. Affected person shows extreme behaviors like excessive crying or sleeping. ”

Causes of Depression

Depression can cause due to lack of various essential nutrients in our diet. Some essential foods which are essential to prevent depression are:

Vitamin B family foods- Deficiency of vitamin B12 (Methylated)helps in fighting depression
Vitamin D – Sunlight is the natural source of vitamin D which is essential in fighting depression
Omega 3 rich foods- Fatty fish, nuts like walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds are rich sources of Omega 3 Fatty acids, essential for fighting depression
Consuming antidepressants over a period of time leads to the loss of vitamin B12 , which inhibits in fighting against depression
L-tryptophan rich foods- Sweet potato is a rich source of it , which is essential in fighting depression
Probiotics- Yogurt is a rich source of probiotics which helps in fighting against depression.

Stress releases cortisol ( a hormone), which causes inflammation in the gut which ultimately enters brain and results in brain inflammation. This process results in depression.

Certain foods are moods elevators like chocolate. They release high amounts of serotonin(known as reward hormone) which causes addiction. Sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine.

According to Mona-“One must not look depression as a weakness and take below mentioned necessary steps to fight depression”

Seek professional help
Ask your therapist for any lifestyle modifications
Try yoga, meditation
Exercise- It releases serotonin which fights depression

Foods to fight Depression

Consume whole unprocessed foods
Probiotics-which feeds good bacteria
Nuts like walnuts increasing serotonin levels
Sesame seeds-releases tyrosine , which fights depression
Dark green leafy vegetables-releases phytonutrients , which fights depression

Rainbow foods – A boon in fighting depression

Mona suggests eating rainbow foods to fight depression. This includes eating different colored fresh fruits and vegetables. This supplies essential phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals which are essential in fighting depression.

Foods to avoid depression

Caffeine
Refined sugars
High fructose sugars
Foods cooked in hydrogenated oils

Mona says that research has indicated consuming wheat and gluten increases the chances of depression. So avoiding these foods will be good for brain health.

Grocery shopping-Depression fighting foods

Buy a fatty fish- Fatty fish is a great brain food.
Avoid farm fish as it may be high on antibiotics and heavy metals
Say No to stinky fish
Consume fish the same day you bought
Keep fish in insulated bag after buying, it keeps the fish cool
Vegetarians can eat walnuts; however the serving size has to be the amount which fits your fists. Try snacking 2-3 times it a day
Almonds are rich in magnesium. Magnesium is called calming mineral
Flax seeds are high in fiber (1 Table spoon contains 2 mg of fiber)

Super foods against depression

Herbs like ashwagandha and rhodiola ( available in the form of pills)
Green Tea
Beans and legumes
Yogurt

Preventing and Dealing with Prediabetes by Famhealth

Preventing and Dealing with Prediabetes

Functional medicine is a system approach which addresses the underlying cause of the disease. A functional medicine expert is a super generalist who aims to treat the body as a whole to suppress a disease condition. For an instance- A functional medicine expert will consider brain and gut connected and deals with body as a whole. Hence, functional medicine is also regarded as precision medicine.

According to Mona Johar a trained functional medicine expert-“Eating local, organic, and fresh food not only supplements good nutrition but also acts as a medicine to fight against many diseases”.

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are high but are not enough to be regarded as diabetes. However, if remain unchecked and uncontrolled prediabetes usually converts to diabetes.

According to Mona – prediabetes results due to the combination of genetic, environmental and unhealthy lifestyle factors.

There are no obvious signs and symptoms which can result in prediabetes, however a periodic blood test is the only method which can detect the spikes in the blood sugar levels.

It is myth that fat people are prone to diabetes. Mona says that it thin individuals are at an equal risk. She terms thin people as walking time bombs or TOFI (Thin from outside and fat from inside). Fats is not visible in such individuals, however it gets accumulated on the internal organs which leads to serious complications.

Causes of prediabetes

Prediabetes primarily results from factors such as:

Poor diet
Toxins in the environment
Genetics

Mona addresses most of the concerns w.r.t food to curb prediabetes In spite of having a genetic predisposition towards the disease, genetic suppression for diabetes can be achieved by:

Eating healthy
Avoiding eating foods in plastics(minimize the use of plastics)
Avoiding sugary foods and drinks-which shoots the blood sugar levels
Including whole fruits and vegetables
Eating foods which are low in glycemic index such as high fiber foods(green leafy vegetables, cauliflower and fruits )
Refraining from foods high in glycemic index (e.g potatoes)

Mona says- Rule of the thumb is that high fiber foods are low in glycemic index e.g fruits and vegetables. She emphasizes on below mentioned points to prevent or deal with prediabetes:

Eating healthy

Art of stacking-Pairing the food appropriately-Just for an instance you are eating rice and dal, club it with foods rich in fibers such as vegetables and salads. Include proteins such as tofu. Non- vegetarians can add chicken, meat or fish.

Consuming sweets in moderation-Try consuming sweets in moderation. Gradually reduce your sweet intake. Mona says- According to research it takes about 14 days to fully curb the craving of a particular food. So do not give your body a shock and try eating foods in moderation.
Avoid artificial sweetners– Mona says – Artificial sweeteners can be regarded as poison. They attack our gut microbiome and kill good bacteria, which are essential for maintaining good health.
Prediabetics can include dates, coconut to replace the sugar in their diet

Healthy lifestyle

According to Mona leading a active life and a 30 mins of daily physical activity can reduce the risk of prediabetes. So one must include a minimum of 30 mins work out schedule in daily regimen.

Stress

Keep stress at bay. Stress not only contributes to prediabetes condition but also contributes heavily to other lifestyle chronic conditions.

Foods recommended for prediabetics

Lean proteins
Foods rich in chromium like brocilli
Foods rich in magnesium like almonds, spinach and pumpkin seeds

Karela juice is an age old Indian method which is scientifically proven to prevent diabetes and has exceptional benefits in lowering down the blood sugar levels.

Whenever you visit a restaurant it is a good idea to:

Take time in understanding the menu
Take time to order
Select intelligently
Ask questions to the server
Customize food
Avoid foods rich in sugars and carbs e.g bread basket
Swap few items e.g remove french fries, avoid salad dressings instead use olive oil
Avoid fried foods like chilli paneer
Avoid cheesy pizza. Customize pizza and add more vegetables
Share your food
Eat fruit bowel instead of conventional desserts

Power foods to prevent diabetes:

Green Tea
Cinnamon
Coriander
Ginger
Sprouted foods

To read more on Diabetes, click on the link below.

https://famhealth.in/infocus-detail/diabetes

Dealing with Gut Issues and Maintaining Healthy Gut

Stomach or gut issues are common these days. There are over 200 prescribed medications which are used to treat the stomach problems. According to Mona Johar a poor gut health is the leading cause of mood disorders, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders.

Gut means our intestines. Gut hosts 100 of trillion bacteria called microbes. The collection of these bacteria is called microbiome. Microbiome controls all the digestion, absorb nutrients, and control the response of our hormones. Dr. Mona says-“Gut is also referred as second brain”.

Symptoms of Unhealthy Gut

Some common symptoms of unhealthy gut are:

Gas or flatulence
Bloating
Diarrhea

According to Mona Johar leaky gut is the main cause of the above mentioned symptoms. A leaky gut is a condition when the lining of the stomach gets compromised. Factors such as imbalanced diet, heavy metal toxicity leads to leaky gut. The walls of healthy gut are intact which acts a barrier against seepage of certain elements which can lead to infection. However, when the walls become loose and allow the passage of various toxins it is the prime cause of stomach infections.

Mona says– “To treat gut infections the aim is to treat the leaky walls of intestines. Preventing certain foods like processed foods, hydrogenated fat oils can stop the damage to the walls of the intestines. On the other hand, consuming foods like probiotics, omega 3 foods repair the leaky gut.”

Treating patients with right food

Food sensitivity– In some patients stomach infections may result due to consumption of certain foods. e.g glutamine .During a case study Mona says one patient was found allergic to even garlic and coriander. Hence elimination certain foods can cure the problem, however consult a functional medicine expert to find out the exact cause.
Food Intolerance-Stomach issues can also result due to a poor lifestyle. Eating processed and junk food adds to a poor lifestyle, which leads to food intolerance
Less production of digestive enzymes– According to Mona some patients face stomach problems due to less production of digestive enzymes.

Functional medicine treats every patient differently and treats the patient based on his/her condition.

Mona says- A healthy lifestyle includes:

Eating on the fixed times and at right intervals
Consuming Omega 3 fatty acids
Saying No to processed foods

Dysbiosis is condition in which there is a imbalance between good and bad bacteria in the gut. It is strange yet surprising to know that dysbiosis can affect our brain too. Example- Serotonin is hormone (a mood elevator hormone) which is released if one eats high sugar foods. Hence, the kind of food we eat affects our gut, which in turn also controls the regulation of hormones.

Foods to eat to prevent stomach problems

Fermented foods like dosa, idli
Probiotics like yougurt, dahi
Prebiotics- like onion, garlic, Asparagus-Prebiotics feed good bacteria in the stomach

Foods to avoid stomach problems

Artificial sweeteners-As they destroy good bacteria in the gut.
Hydrogenated vegetable oils
Foods containing artificial colors and flavors

Tips and tricks by Mona Johar for grocery shopping

Always prefer buy fruits and vegetables from the periphery of the grocery shop. As it contains fresh fruits and vegetables.
Plan grocery shopping after meals –As you will be less tempted to buy unhealthy food items
Read labels carefully

How to read instructions in a food item

Mona says prefer buying a food item which has less than 5 ingredients-as it will contain less of chemicals and dyes
Try to avoid rich in synthetic flavors and colors- Prefer eating a homemade Jam

Some super foods for maintain good gut health

Sprouts-Germination process begins in sprouts which contain growth enzymes, which contribute to healthy gut.
Flax seeds
Dates
Fresh fruits and vegetables

Eating healthy foods contributes to a healthy gut. Healthy gut not only prevents stomach related infections, but also fights other infections. It was always believed on treating one condition independently but functional medicine takes the whole body in to account and eliminates the root cause of the disease.

To read more on Gut Health, click on the link below.

https://famhealth.in/infocus-detail/gut-health-deworming

Fighting Childhood Obesity with Food

Childhood obesity is becoming common these days. Eating unhealthy and less nutritious food is a major contributing factor. India has the second largest number of obese children in the world and it is estimated that by 2025 this number is estimated to grow by 70 million. On one hand many children in our country are deprived of right amounts of foods, on the other hand some children are facing obesity as a major concern.

According to Mona – “Childhood obesity results primarily due to limited or no outdoor activity, high calorie intake and irregular eating habits of children.”

In Indian society a chubby child is regarded as healthy. Whereas a chubby child does not mean that the child is healthy.

Childhood Obesity Complications

Childhood obesity can lead to serious complications such as:

Heart disease
Diabetes
Autoimmune disorders
Cancer
Arthritis
High blood pressure

Mona says- “Childhood obesity is not a result of genetics, whereas it is actually a result of parent’s behavior, if parents are eating unhealthy the child will mimic the same and ultimately becomes obese as his/her parent.”

Right Food for Obese Children

Pay attention to breakfast-A poor breakfast affects child’s concentration and results in poor performance especially in schools. Feed the child early with well balanced foods which includes proteins, complex carbohydrates.

Mona does not recommend low fat food in children as the process of making a low fat food involves extracting the fat content and replacing it with refined carbohydrates to make it palatable. Refined carbohydrates are bad for the health and causes obesity.

Moderation is the key-Whenever you take your child food. Moderation is the key make the child eat in small portions and feed his with a small snack, preferably with nuts, so that the child eats in small amounts.

Macro balanced diet- Child’s diet must contain a rich supply of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, which makes a healthy macro balanced diet.

Mona says- “Combine the foods to make it more nutritious and healthy. Example-If you are giving aloo parantha to child club it with yogurt and butter to make it more nutritious. Instead, try giving a vegetable parantha like gobhi or mooli parantha.”

Sit with your child and ask for his preferences – It helps the child to be involved. Suggest him with healthy options. Educate him about the right food.

Food During Exams

As parents we feed the child with whatever food he/she asks for especially during the exam time. Mona says -It is important to replace high carbohydrate food with foods rich in phytonutrients, omega- 3 fatty foods, extra virgin olive oil, and antioxidants.

These foods supplement optimum nutrition and improve the performance of the child. Foods high in carbohydrates kill gut micro biome.

Value of Rainbow Food

Mona suggests eating rainbow foods at an early age to all children. This includes eating different colored fresh fruits and vegetables. This supplies children with essential phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Eating unprocessed foods, fatty fish (a rich source of omega-3), and cereals aids healthy nutrition in children

Power Food-Simple and Easy Early Breakfast Recipe

Berry smoothie- Make simple smoothie which contains flax seeds, berries, yogurt and little bit of honey. This is an ideal food for kids, as it contains good combination of macros.

Foods to Completely Avoid

Below is the list of some foods which are to be completely avoided

Cold drinks
Packed foods
Processed foods

Foods to be Given to Children in Moderation

Cookies
Cakes
Pastries

Food Essential for Growth and Development

Mona says- “Calcium is one mineral essential during early development years. Maximum calcium requirement is there during 9-18 years of age. 1000 mg/day is the essential requirement of the child during this phase.”

Foods rich in calcium are

Dairy
Green leafy vegetables
Almonds

To read more on Obesity, click on the link below.

https://famhealth.in/infocus-detail/obesity

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