Vahchef with Indian food videos inspires home cooks with new recipes every day.
Vahchef with Indian food videos inspires home cooks with new recipes every day.
Continuing our pursuit in knowing more about Obesity which has become a deep seeded problem all around the world, we shall here mainly spread the word of our popular mantra – Be Fit. Be Cool!
About Obesity: Although obesity may look the same from outside, but a lot of examinations has revealed that there is considerable amount of personal differences in the numbers and size of fat cells as different people have different body types, similarly different people can become obese in unique ways.
Generally according to the size and number of fat cells, obesity is divided into adult type and child type. In the first type it is only the size of fat cells that is increased where as in the second type the numbers of fat cells increase. Studies have shown that people who have always been obese since childhood have 3 to 4 times more fat cells than people who became obese as adults. With adult-type obesity, the number of fat cells is close to normal, but the size increases.
This happens mostly after middle age. But generally, the reason child-type obesity is more dangerous and important than adult-type obesity is because it is extremely difficult to reduce the number of fat cells already made. Therefore, treatment is much more effective for adult-type obesity, where the enlarged fat cells just have to be returned to their original state, than for child-type obesity. Similarly, it is also said that
Obesity is of two types:
Type 1: Obesity is not caused by a disease and, in most cases it is caused by excessive eating habits and lack of exercise.
Type 2: Obesity accounts for less than 1% of obesity cases and is caused by a disease; abnormal weight gains occur with type 2 obesity even when little is eaten. Doctors usually define "overweight" as a condition in which a person's weight is 10%-20% higher than "normal," as defined by a standard height/weight chart, or as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30.
Obesity is usually defined as a condition in which a person's weight is 20% or more above normal weight or as a BMI of 30 or more. However, recent research has shown that it is not just weight, or even Body Mass Index (BMI), that is always a reliable predictor of health and/or risk factors for developing obesity
Healthy Eating Habits: Following an organized healthy lifestyle will be one of the most important points to prevent overweight and obesity. We all well know that we have to eat to live, but little do we understand that we require the right amount of food with a balanced meal a day will keep you going.
It is important that your diet should include protein, fruits, vegetables and carbohydrates, and less processed and fat-filled foods. Making a healthy diet and following a healthy lifestyle should be your family’s goal. Some tips on following healthy eating habits are: ü Follow a healthy eating plan.
Create and prepare a balanced meal with the right amount of calories you need. ü Focus on portion size, don’t serve seconds, share desserts or else choose fruit instead, skip buffets. ü Change your cooking or preparation method, cut on added fats, oils in cooking or spreads, prepare foods flavourful with fresh herbs, spices and low fat seasonings, serve several whole grain foods every day. ü Eat a healthy breakfast that includes grains, fruits, high-fibre cereal with low fat milk.
Do not let yourself become very hungry so that you overeat at mealtime, eat small frequent meals which is less taxing on your digestive system. ü Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly which aids in digestion. ü Keep a regular eating schedule. Do not eat late at nights. ü Eat green salads instead of fries and drink water before a meal. ü Snacking is good when you really feel hungry between meals but choosing a healthy snack will help you and your family stay healthy and fit.
Healthy Cooking Tips: For maintaining a healthy weight, it is great to set goal and have self-control. Following these simple healthy cooking tips will surely help you and your family meet this goal. Slight changes will naturally bring about great changes, along with physical activity and will keep you all fit and healthy.
You could help your family in eating balanced food by choosing lower calorie, low fat alternative to some of their favourite foods, hence do read the nutrition facts label on the food packages and make smarter food choices.
Try the below following tips, while checking the nutrition facts label:
Getting overweight doesn't happen overnight. It happens over a period of time—when the energy we take in by eating is not in balance with the energy we burn from being active. However, there are many ways to prevent overweight and obesity. Try to eat right and exercise well so that your BMI, cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure are normal.
Healthy foods to eat: It is said that the crucial part of healthy eating is a balanced diet. A balanced diet or a good diet means consuming food from the entire different good group in the right quantities. Nutritionists say there are five main food groups - whole grains, fruit and vegetables, protein, diary, and fat & sugar.
Whole Grains & products: Wheat flour is usually slightly darker than refined flour. Whole grains are rich in fiber, minerals and vitamins. Whole grains provide a unique combination of complex carbohydrates, water & fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, fiber, insoluble antioxidants and phytosterols.
Wheat: Roti, paratha, bhakri, puri, dhalia, whole bread, buns & biscuits.
Maize: Roti, bhutta or corn, cornflakes, corn soup.
Other Whole grains: Ragi balls, roti, porridge, dosa, bajra-roti, jowar-roti, buck wheat (kutu)-roti, poori, oatflakes, oatmeal.
Fruits and Vegetables: Fruit and vegetables have a high vitamin, mineral and fiber content - these nutrients are vital for your body to function well. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables and use appropriate cooking methods to minimise the loss of fibre and micronutrients. Whenever possible, try eating raw fresh fruits and vegetables after washing them thoroughly. Avoid unnecessary peeling and scraping of fruits and vegetable because the nutrients are concentrated close to the peel/ skin.
Wash vegetables thoroughly before chopping and do not leave chopped vegetables soaked in water as it drains the nutrition. Do not overcook the vegetable. Cook them in the right amount of water until they are just done. Consume whole fruits and vegetables rather than drinking their juices.
Protein: Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy products and beans and peas make up the protein food group. Although they’re included in the vegetable group for their fiber content and nutrient profile, beans and peas are also excellent sources of vegetarian protein Nutritionists advise that the fat in meat should be trimmed and drained away after cooking.
The skin should be removed from poultry. Most nutritionist advise that non-vegetarians can consume fish at least twice a week, preferably fish rich in omega oils, such as trout, fresh tuna, sardines, mackerel and salmon. For healthy eating, it is better to grill, roast or microwave meats and fish, rather than frying them. Vegans, who do not eat any foods from animal sources, may get their protein from nuts, seeds, soya, and beans. They may have to supplement their zinc and B12 vitamin intake as these foods are not rich in them.
Diary products: Dairy products include milk, yoghurts, cheese, and some soya dairy products. Nutritionists say we should aim for low fat dairy products. People who do not consume animal sourced foods can get their calcium intake from other products, such as broccoli, cabbage and soya milk and yoghurts with added calcium. Dairy products are an excellent source of calcium which is important for healthy bones and teeth.
Fats & Sugar: Fats give the body energy for growth, but we need to make sure we eat the right amount as too much fat can be bad for us. There are two basic types of fats - saturated and unsaturated. Cream, margarine and fried foods are high in saturated fats, while vegetable oils and oily fish are rich in unsaturated fats. Saturated fat consumption should be kept to a minimum because excess consumption significantly increases the risk of developing such diseases as heart disease.
Sugary products include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, jam, sweets and aerated drinks etc. This should be kept to a minimum consumption because they are high in calories and bad for your teeth.
Following these would surely get you out with keeping yourself healthy, fit and strong. Together with low fat milk and appropriate portion sizes, modified low-carb diets which are good for kids and isn’t overly restrictive and easy to follow. Come, let’s join together and encourage in spreading this brilliant mantra – “Be Fit. Be Cool! “
You could also follow this campaign to gain knowledge on some special features and advices from eminent doctors from AAPI (American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) and also get to know of healthy recipes and diets from popular Chefs that you and your family can relish and enjoy staying fit and strong.
To follow, do click on: https://www.facebook.com/AAPIChildhoodObesity
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