WORK THAT HEART

One of the best things you can do for yourself is EXERCISE! Its good for your body, your overall self-esteem, keeps you healthy, and your heart in tiptop shape!
Walking is the best, most convenient form of exercise and when coupled with a good diet, it helps you lose a lot of weight as well. A 30-45 minute walk can help build your endurance as well as strengthen your heart. Combine your walk with an inclusion of heart friendly fats called omega 3 in your diet. Flaxseeds, almonds, walnuts are good sources. Limit out fat and sugar intake in your diet as well and high cholesterol and those dreaded triglycerides will become a thing of the past.
Going to the gym works for me! A good one-hour workout has helped increase my stamina, endurance, muscle strength and flexibility. Above all, it de-stresses me like nothing else....its even better than shopping!! Three days a week of cardio and abs workout, and three days of weight training can help you lose weight as well as give definition to your body. If you have the world's best excuse ready i.e. if you don't have the time to go to a gym, there are certain gym exercises that you can do at home such as: Squats 20 each (2 reps), Lunges 15-20 each (2 reps), hold 3-5 lbs weights in your hands and do lunges eventually, Push-ups 25 each (2-3 reps) and ab crunches 25-30 each (2-3 reps). Of course there are a lot of variations in each that you can look up on the net and perform. Invest in 5-10 lbs weights initially or use 2 lt water bottles and do basic bicep, tricep work-outs as well.
Yoga is very beneficial again, for weight loss as well as for people suffering from heart complaints, diabetes, blood pressure, osteoarthritis etc. An exercise called Suryanamaskar is considered to be the best overall work-out for the body. 5 repetitions of this asana is equivalent to a 15-20 minute walk.
So people, get off that couch now! and get your daily dose of exercise or as I call it.....Vitamin X!

Detoxing

As a dietition, I'm frequently asked about 'detox' of the body by my clients. Well, detoxing is actually a relative term. Anything that helps in elimination of toxins from the body will help you detox. Just by drinking a couple of liters of fluid everyday, increasing your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, by including fewer meat and dairy products - will reduce congestion and speed up elimination. Apart from diet, other elements of detox include various treatments such as aromatherapy, massage and body scrubs which you can get done at a spa or even at home. A 'home spa' should include a clean and tidy room with a comfortable rug or duvet and lots of pillows, good reading material, some essential oils like lavender, rose or jasmine, scented candles and soft, soothing music.

Going on weekend detoxification is convenient as well as rejuvenating and relaxing. For a change, eat light over the weekend. Have lots of fluid in terms of water, thin buttermilk, vegetable juices, herbal teas, warm water with lime, a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, a selection of nuts and seeds, brown rice, skimmed milk yogurt and fresh herbs. Make up your own menu from the list of foods suggested. Here's how your diet should look like:

• UPON RISING: A glass of lukewarm water with lime and honey
• BREAKFAST: Fresh fruits + a handful of nuts/dry fruits + herbal tea (w/o milk and sugar)
• MID-MORNING: Spinach + mint + coriander + lime juice or any other vegetable juice
• LUNCH: Green salad + grilled vegetables with tofu + brown rice + thin buttermilk
• TEA: Herbal tea (w/o milk and sugar) + 1 fruit
• DINNER: A bowl of vegetable soup followed by a fruit

Avoid caffeine on this diet. Avoid the use of salt and oil, instead use fresh herbs and lemon or lime juice to dress and season your food. Eat smaller quantities of food in order to give your digestive system a rest. Try to eat a piece of fruit or raw vegetable when hungry.