MANGOES: The Summer Fruit with Amazing Benefits

Mirza Ghalib has sung its praises and Rabindranath Tagore, Amir Khusro have written poems on it, mango is not called the ‘king’ of fruits for nothing.

Hailed by Ayurveda as ‘Sheeta’ (coolant) and ‘Laghu’ (light to digest), it makes for the ideal summer fruit for you.

And if it’s great taste makes you feel it cannot be healthy, then check out just 10 good reasons why you should “cool” your summer with mangoes!

1. DIABETES – Low in GI, mango is not only safe for diabetics but highly recommended as it delivers sustained energy without spiking the blood sugar levels

2. OVERWEIGHT – It is fat-free, cholesterol-free and does not make you fat even if you eat it every day. The soluble fibre, pectin along with the vitamins and minerals in it helps to keep you satiated and full for a longer time.

3. INFERTILITY– Abundant in Vit E, mango is called the ‘love fruit’ as it regulates sex hormones and boosts sex drive. Think Aamsutra!

4. BLOOD PRESSURE – Being an excellent source of Vit C, it works towards lowering the body’s blood pressure.

5. PCOD – Rich in Vit B6, a mango a day will help regulate hormones and reduce PMS

6. THYROID – The Magnesium in mango converts the inactive T4 thyroid hormone into the active form of T3, thus enhancing the metabolism of the body

7. CHOLESTEROL –The high levels of folic acid in it reduces serum cholesterol levels, especially the LDL cholesterol in the body

8. CONSTIPATION – The Prebiotic fibre it contains eases the bowel movement and keeps the digestive tract clean

9. ACNE – Vit A in mango makes it the skin’s best friend. It helps fight acne and is anti ageing

10. HEART DISEASE– Loaded with compounds called polyphenols which are strong antioxidants, it protects against heart disease and cancer.

No excuses, go grab a mango, right now!

 Other Indian summer foods & drinks that will benefit you-

1. Sugarcane Juice- A Summer Drink To Relish
2.  Enjoy local Tadgolas (toddy palm) in Summer
3. Rice- To Beat the Heat
4. Are Sabja Seeds part of your Summer Diet?
5. Cool and Healthy Indian Summer Drink- Variyali Sherbet
6. The ancient and exotic Neera!

Meet Aditi Saraf, she has been our client since 2.5 years. In Jan 2017, when we started, she had PCOD, was overweight and because she was facing problems conceiving, the couple was making the rounds through all infertility clinics in town.

5-6 months of eating right & exercising, not only her periods got regular, she lost tonnes of weight too. Click this link to hear her talk in the throwback video that we had published in 2017.

Though both me and her were happy with the way she was progressing with each passing month/year, yet the pressure on her was mounting, both from her family and her doctor who kept persuading her to go for IVF. “It is not going to happen naturally”, they insisted. “Yeh lifestyle se kya hoga. Does your nutritionist know more than the doctor?! “- conversations like these became commonplace at her home. Yet she stayed strong and with faith, patience and compassion towards her own self, she walked the path of consistency and discipline.

And then, one fine day, it just happened-Without any treatment, any pills, any medicines. A natural pregnancy. Aditi is currently 6 months pregnant and happy. From “kaise hoga?” the conversations at her home has changed to “Yeh toh kamaal ho gaya”😀

– The humble spice, jeera (cumin seeds) hydrates, has detox benefits, reduces body heat, cures itchiness and works wonders for those troubled with acne and pimples.

Soak one tsp of jeera overnight along with a tsp of mishri (rock sugar). In the morning first thing, strain the mixture and drink the water. Alternatively, you can put jeera powder to your buttermilk or curd.

– Lemongrass is a great herb for the summers. It treats indigestion, keeps you hydrated, improves gut function and cools the body. You can make lemongrass tea by seeping the grass in water. Also, you can use lemongrass by soaking a mesh bag with a handful of leaves in your bathing water.

– Avoid having alcohol. Alcohol is dehydrating in nature and can add up to the dehydration the heat brings along. If you must, then ensure you drink plenty of water along with your drinks. One glass of water for every glass of drink is a good way to start.

– Avoid refrigerated water as it hampers digestion. Ayurveda also has always advised against the consumption of chilled water. Instead, drink ‘matka (earthen pot)’ water. It is naturally cool and has the unique property to reduce the temperature of water in accordance with the climate

– Avoid processed foods like chips, cookies & packaged sugary drinks and beverages. They are actually dehydrating and can reduce the amount of fluid that your body actually retains. Instead, have fluids like coconut water, homemade sherbets, buttermilk, curd etc.

Unsure about the right diet for you? Are you torn between what you’d love to eat and what you hear is unhealthy for you? Sign up for a one-on-one nutrition & diet consultation with leading Mumbai dietitian Munmun Ganeriwal

1. Bael– It is a North Indian fruit with great medicinal value. It’s rich in vitamin C, controls diabetes, boosts energy and has immense digestive benefits.

How to have it- You can dilute the pulp with some water, sugar & few drops of lemon juice to make a sherbet out of it. Or scrape just the pulp and mix it with jaggery to take away some of the sourness.

2. Jowar– It is one of the most cooling grains and is rich in iron, magnesium, copper, and vitamin B1. Also, this grain is free of gluten and rich in fibre.

How to have it- Make bhakri/ roti out of it. Like most millets, this one is also drying, so you must eat it with ghee.

3. Gulkand– Rich in live helpful bacteria, this rose petal jam is our traditional, therapeutic mixture for acidity, heartburn & bloating.

How to have it- Mix 1 tsp of gulkand in cold milk to have at bedtime. Or have a teaspoon of it after your meals.

4. Jeera– This humble spice has detox benefits, reduces body heat, cures itchiness and works wonders for those troubled with acne and pimples.

How to use it- Boil jeera seeds in water. Once it is cooled, take a bath with that water. You can also put jeera powder to your buttermilk or curd.

5. Cashew apple – The cashew apple, also called cashew fruit, is the fleshy fruit attached to the cashew nut. It has anti ageing, anti- carcinogenic properties and enhances fat utilization in the body.

How to have it- Enjoy the tangy and juicy fruit by biting into it like an apple, or by cutting it into slices.

6. Lemongrass– It is a great herb for the summers. It treats indigestion, keeps you hydrated, improves gut function and cools the body.

How to use it- You can make lemongrass tea by seeping the grass in water. Also, you can use lemongrass by soaking a mesh bag with a handful of leaves in your bathing water.

Keep yourself happy by keeping yourself healthy. Let well-known Mumbai dietitian and fitness expert Munmun Ganeriwal design a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation program that elevates your overall sense of well-being. Contact us now for an in-depth consultation.

A well-rounded exercise program consists of warm-up as an important component. It is intended to literally warm up the exercising muscles so as to prepare for the upcoming work-out. It is an essential part because it allows the body to gradually transit from the resting state to the higher demands (biomechanical, physiological, bio energetic) of the exercise. The heart rate, breathing rate and core body temperature gradually (and not suddenly) increases, preparing the body and system for physical activity.

Benefits of a warm-up

1. Prevents any potential injury to muscles or joints during the work-out
2. Enhances the range of motion (ROM) of the joints
3. Enhances muscle performance by accelerating metabolism and decreasing muscle resistance
4. Enhances oxygen supply and blood flow to the heart muscle as well as the skeletal muscles
5. Reduces muscle soreness post work-out

The basic components of a good warm-up-

1. Duration- Should be of at least 5-10 minutes
2. Intensity- low to moderate intensity
3. Mode- Cardio activities like slow walking, slow jog, cycling etc. and muscle endurance activities like shoulder circles, neck rotation etc.

The most important principle of a warm up- SPECIFICITY

Warm-up is always specific to the exercise, mimicking the movement that will be performed in the subsequent work-out.

For example, if your exercise session consists of brisk walking, then a slow walk would be an ideal warmup for you. Similarly, brisk walking serves as an appropriate warm-up for those who jog during their active exercise session. Low intensity jabs, punches and kicks are performed as warm-up movements before a kickboxing class, and few rounds of Surya namaskars open up the body for the upcoming challenging asanas in a yoga class.

Keep yourself happy by keeping yourself healthy. Let well-known Mumbai dietitian and fitness expert Munmun Ganeriwal design a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation program that elevates your overall sense of well-being. Contact us now for an in-depth consultation.

Purvottanasana or the Inclined plane pose

Benefits– Not only does it strengthen legs and arm muscles, it also strengthens your lower back and improves your sense of balance

Steps

1. While you sit on the floor with legs stretched straight out, place your hands few inches behind you making sure your fingers are pointing backwards.
2. Lean back slightly on your hands bringing your shoulder blades together
3. Lift the hips as high as you can, ensuring your knees are straight, feet are flat on the mat and not turning outwards.
4. At the final posture, body should be in a straight line. Hold the pose for 10 secs to 1 minute
5. Release the pose to sit on the mat and relax

Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward dog pose

Benefits- It helps to tone up arms and legs, strengthen the ankles. It also helps develop speed and lightness in the legs, hence especially good for runners and sprinters

Steps

1. Lie down on your stomach with your palms by the sides of your chest. Fingers pointing towards the head. Feet slightly apart
2. Exhale and lift your trunk, till your arms are straight. Move your head inwards towards the feet.
3. Turning your toes under, lift your knees away from the floor. Keeping elbows and knees straight, press the heels down on the mat
4. Hold the pose for about a minute and remember to keep breathing.
5. To release, exhale and lift your head, bend your knees and lower your body on the mat and relax

Urdhva Dhanurasana or the wheel pose

Benefits- Since the arms and legs are actively engaged in the pose, it helps to strengthen them. Being a backbend pose, it also works to keep the spine healthy and elastic.

Steps

1. Lie on your back. Keep your palms under your shoulders, fingers pointing towards the feet.
2. Bend your knees, feet flat on the mat. Walk your feet closer to your hips.
3. Exhale, lift your trunk and rest the crown of your head on the mat
4. Exhale again, this time, raise your trunk and head both, till your arms are straight. Arch your back and keep pulling your thigh muscles up, so as to ensure your body weight is resting on your palms and soles of the feet
5. Stay in the pose for up to a minute and breathe normally
6. To release, exhale, bend your knees and elbows and lower down the body on the mat

Keep yourself happy by keeping yourself healthy. Let well-known Mumbai dietitian and fitness expert Munmun Ganeriwal design a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation program that elevates your overall sense of well-being. Contact us now for an in-depth consultation.

Travelling can cause weight gain just as any other unplanned event in our life can, for eg, a family wedding or as simple as a late night movie for which you did not plan ahead. Failing to plan is planning to fail after all. Hence, travelling or any other real life situations that we often go through do not lead to weight gain but our approach towards it does. We need to plan for our food, exercise etc. before hand just as we plan other things in our itinerary. If that is done, travelling will only be a happy experience without the stress of gaining any weight.

IN-FLIGHT MEALS

During a flight journey because of reduced air pressure, our bodily function slows down and digestion gets sluggish. Keeping this in mind, one should follow these few points as mentioned below-

1. Do not leave home empty stomach. Have your meal just before you leave from home.

2. Carry some portable snacks like nuts/ dry fruits/ fresh fruit that can help you through the long check-ins and also upon arrival

3. For short duration flights, the in-flight meals can be brought from home (roti roll, sandwich, poha). For longer flights, you can choose to have one homemade meal (brought from home) and one in-flight meal. For the in-flight meal, choose hot meals (like rice & beans) instead of packed juices, muffins, cakes etc.

HYDRATION

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that
mild dehydration can cause metabolism to slow down by as much as 3 percent, causing weight gain. Hence, its important to stay well hydrated during travels as water also helps in digestion and flushing out of toxins from the body.

EXERCISES TO DO

I always recommend people to do Surya Namaskars while they are travelling as it helps to work out the entire body, without the need of any special equipment. Also, since it gets done within a short span of time (10-15 minutes) and can be done in the hotel room itself, it makes for a great choice for people looking out to fit in some exercise while they are traveling.

TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE ORDERING FOOD ON A JOURNEY

1. Always do a bit of research about good eating places before leaving for your holiday. Apps like zomato and trip advisor can help you to narrow down few options before you actually reach your destination.

2. Look out for places that serve fresh, local food.

3. Always order 2 items max for a main meal, for eg- warm salad and pizza if you are traveling in Europe OR Rice & curry for a holiday anywhere in Asia

4. Order dessert as a separate meal and avoid having it post a big meal

5. Instead of looking out for calories, look out for freshness in the meal- how fresh are the ingredients, how freshly is it prepared/ cooked etc. Needless to say, avoid pre-packaged sandwiches etc. that are prepared long time back and kept on the shelves

DRINKING DURING HOLIDAYS

– Stay hydrated and take it slow

To pace yourself, have no more than one standard drink per hour, with water as “drink spacers” between your alcoholic drinks.

Note that for every person, no matter his size, it takes about 1 hour for the liver to completely digest one standard drink. Sipping on your drink slow and staying well hydrated, keeps the liver from being overloaded; it enables a person to maintain a safe blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and achieve the social relaxation effect that most people desire.

Unsure about the right diet for you? Are you torn between what you’d love to eat and what you hear is unhealthy for you? Sign up for a one-on-one nutrition & diet consultation with leading Mumbai dietitian Munmun Ganeriwal

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Make your own #TastybutHealthy recipe: Misal Pav!

Since the food industry has conditioned us to believe that food that is tasty cannot be healthy, we often mistake our regional, traditional snacks as fattening or unhealthy. So together let’s discover the health benefits of #TastybutHealthy Misal Pav so that not only you start cooking more of it at home, you also start enjoying the dish guilt-free!

1. High in good quality protein

People in general, especially vegetarians, are often worried about optimal protein intake in their diet. Misal that is cooked with various kinds of legumes& sprouts and eaten along with local bread (Pav), represents a complementary food combination where the limited amino acids in one food item is adequately supplemented by amino acids in the other food item.
The ‘Pav’ is deficient in the amino acid lysine but rich in methionine, while legumes/ sprouts are deficient in amino acid methionine and has plenty of lysine. Therefore, a combination of Misal & Pav works very well to give full benefits of all the essential amino acids/complete protein profile to the body. This concept (and wisdom) of using complementary food items and complementary proteins is deeply entrenched in Misal Pav since time immemorial.

2. Rich in fibre

The legumes/sprouts provide adequate roughage as well, thus making them easily digestible and ‘light’ on the system.

3. Rich in essential fats

The inclusion of copra (dry coconut), mustard seeds, curry leaves in the recipe provides for all the essential fatty acids that are required for immunity, healthy joints and yes, weight loss too!

4. Digestive

Thanks to the rich Indian tradition of using a multitude of spices in our incomparable array of cuisines, digestion is seldom a big issue with Indian food.The use of jeera, lavang, kalimirch, dalchini etc in the Misal masala makes sure that you can “have it and eat it too”

FUN FACT- Not many know that Mumbai Misal Pav has been recognized as the ‘World’s Tastiest Vegetarian Snack’. Beating dishes from across the world such as Barcelona, Perth, Athens and more, the humble Misal Pav was awarded in 2015 for its “wonderful textural colours and contrasts”; at the Foodie Hub Global Awards, London.

Keep yourself happy by keeping yourself healthy. Let well-known Mumbai dietitian and fitness expert Munmun Ganeriwal design a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle transformation program that elevates your overall sense of well-being. Contact us now for an in-depth consultation.

Make your own Tasty but Healthy Breakfast: Mysore Bonda and Coconut chutney (South India)

Here’s one of the mouth-watering dishes from South India that can give us some real Tasty But Healthy recipe goals: Mysore bonda and coconut chutney.

Read below for reasons to tickle your taste buds!

1. Healthy gut- The non-digestible component of plant fibers like that found in rice – known as prebiotics– stimulate the growth and induce changes to the composition of gut microbial populations. The gut microbiome (probiotics) play a very important role in the overall health of a person—whether it be in contributing to weight loss or fighting against diseases like cancer or diabetes.

2. Boosts immunity- The rice flour and urad dal in the bonda mutually complement each other and their combination provides full benefits of all the essential amino acids/complete protein profile. Antibodies that help fight disease are actually made of protein. Hence, it boosts your immunity and makes you less susceptible to infections.

3. Reduces abdominal fat- The fats in coconut (known as medium chain triglycerides MCTs) are shorter than most other fats. This makes them a unique kind of fat that is metabolized differently in human body. Certain studies have found a significant reduction in waist circumference after consumption of coconut in the diet.

4. Heart protective- Coconut helps protect against heart disease by increasing good cholesterol and lowering the ratio of bad and good cholesterol.

Few more options that are quick, easy and equally healthy are-

1. Rava upma

2. Uttapam

3. Namkeen Sevaiyan

4. Egg and local bread

Confused by the misinformation about potential health problems with traditional Indian foods? Get in touch with award-winning Mumbai dietitian and nutritionist, Munmun Ganeriwal, a strong advocate of the holistic, wellness benefits of fresh, local, and traditional Indian foods

An Italian proverb says “A good beginning makes a good ending”. We all know the importance of starting our day with a healthy breakfast, don’t we? Our dadis and nanis have always told us – “subah subah khali pet ghar se baahar nahi jaate”. And does science agree with it. Hell yes, it does.

Several good reasons why you should eat first thing when you get up-

– Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helping you burn more calories throughout the day and increases fat burning in the body.

– When we sleep, all our body processes slow down. When we wake up, our blood sugar is low, the same blood sugar that is needed to make our muscles and our brain work. Breakfast helps to replenish this blood sugar and boosts our energy levels.

In my practise, I meet so many people who are always so rushed, no time to eat breakfast. And what I typically see in these people is that once they get through their day, they get so hungry later on that they are snacking on high fat high sugar foods.

Not getting your fuel by eating first thing in the morning, will make you overeat later in the day.

So the first take away is that if you do want to get thinner, lose weight, take charge of your diabetes, thyroid, PCOD, cholesterol issues or anything else, you should make time to eat your breakfast.

And for those who just don’t feel hungry enough to eat, for them two things –

– make sure you eat your dinner every night 2-3 hours before hitting the bed. If you are eating your food and straight away lying down to sleep, not only does it lead to acidity when you wake up in the morning, you also not feel hungry enough for breakfast

– and second thing, make sure you get sound sleep through the night. With sleep deprivation, you wake up not having a desire to eat and not feeling hungry.

What is healthy breakfast?

A bowl of Oats or ready to eat cereals with a few decorative strawberries on top like they show in TV ads or a tall glass of orange juice like they show in Bollywood movies. Wife is worried about husband’s cholesterol. Husband’s only chance of fixing his health issues is through the wife switching from home-cooked, traditional breakfast meals, to oats and cereals. And then there are ads of children indulging in chocolate cereals that would make them taller, stronger and sharper. Like really?

Let’s dissect their claims one by one-

– First thing is about nutrition profile- . They say that these oats and cereals are rich in soluble fibre and by virtue of that, it will reduce your cholesterol and lead to weight loss. What we need to understand is that the grains, pulses and millets that go into making our traditional breakfast are also a rich source of soluble fibre and can also work to lower our body cholesterol.

– Second thing is about taste and satisfaction, I call it Vit J, where J is joy. Unlike the western ‘consumerist culture’ of sweet and cold cereal breakfasts, we have a tradition of garam nashta that gives us Santosh meaning makes us feel more satisfied. Once you have received your dose of Vit J, you will see that you don’t experience sugar cravings through the day. But if you are eating your breakfast that fails to give you this vitamin J, then you will surely see yourself reaching out for a piece of pastry or a doughnut later in the day.

We need to embrace the huge food diversity that our country represents and not mindlessly follow the global uniform eating pattern of cereal and milk. Diversity in food that you eat is also important for your health and well being because the diversity of good bacteria in your gut thrives on it.

Few things you need to ensure are-

– You eat only one breakfast item at a time.

– Eat it slow, chew your food well, and make sure you are not multi tasking while eating with your phone or morning newspaper.

When you do all of this, you will see that you are not overeating, and in few days time, you will see your acidity and bloating disappear, higher energy levels with a sense of feeling light and nice. And yes, weight loss too!

Confused by the misinformation about potential health problems with traditional Indian foods? Get in touch with award-winning Mumbai dietitian and nutritionist, Munmun Ganeriwal, a strong advocate of the holistic, wellness benefits of fresh, local, and traditional Indian foods