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Health Matters, So Does Diwali- Learn Hacks To Cut Down On Calories

In India, the mention of festivals remains incomplete without Diwali. Diwali is one of the most treasured festivals and celebrates the eternal fight between good and evil. It celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of knowledge over ignorance. That is why people place diyas, candles and lamps in various corners of their houses to welcome positivity. Another very important facet of Diwali is the celebration of good food and sweets! 

For calorie-conscious and fitness enthusiasts, the time of Diwali can prove to be quite the battle between restraint and temptation. So this Diwali how can you win the fight of health over empty calorie consumption?

Tendency to binge on oily and sugary foods

If you are prone to giving into oily and sugary foods, Diwali and all the delectables that are prepared during this time can amount to the feeling of a kid in a candy store. From samosa, nimkis, murukku, kebabs, kachoris, barfi, Gulab Jamun, kheer, soan papdi, laddoos, kalakand and various types of halwa, every item is made with love and a whole lot of ghee and/or sugar syrup!

How this might affect your health

Diwali doesn’t just upset your weight loss plans but unhealthy consumption of sweets and deep-fried snacks could usher in a horde of other problems. Some of these are:

  1. Weight Loss Goes for a Toss: Not only do weight loss goals go for a toss but you will be gaining kilos that you will find extremely difficult to shed. Consuming even a few sweets at a stretch can mean months of hard work gone to waste as most of these snacks (both sweet and savoury) are packed with lots of sugar, butter, oil, and refined flour that are strictly off-limits for people on a diet.  
  2. Detrimental for Diabetics: People at risk of diabetes due to family history or diagnosed with it are at an increased risk of a sudden blood sugar spike due to unmonitored sweet consumption. Those who are diabetic and are also born with a sweet tooth find it extremely difficult to keep their hands off the sweets at home. Diwali is a mentally taxing time for diabetic patients.
  3. Terrible for Your Teeth: Consuming excess quantities of sweets can be really bad for your teeth.
  4. Disrupts Your Sleep: Having too much sugary or fried food at night especially, after dinner, over-stimulates you making it increasingly difficult to fall asleep at night. As per a study conducted in 2016, those who consumed sugary food items at night were found to be restless and reported poor sleep quality. When you do not get a good night’s rest you tend to crave more sugary items the next day, thus the vicious cycle will keep on continuing throughout your Diwali celebration, making it increasingly difficult to just stop at one sweet.  

Drink warm water with lemon juice after a heavy meal or dessert. Choose healthier desserts containing fewer calories. Avoid treats that are high in sugar and fat and look for fruits. Always share your dessert platter with your family/friends so that you get to eat less.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Hacks to Cut Down on Calories

Although you may not be able to run away from indulging in festive cheer altogether there are certainly a few hacks by adopting which you can lessen the impacts.

  1. Drink Water
    It is a known fact for those trying to lose weight that drinking water often and especially before your meals prevents you from overeating. Drinking water at regular intervals makes you feel full. Additionally, festivities call for a lot of running around. You need to stay hydrated at all times so that you feel energized and do not fall sick from dehydration.
  2. Drink Less Chai and Coffee
    Steer clear of milk tea and milk coffee, though the temptations might be really high. As per tests, an average cup of Indian milk tea with sugar contains around 40 calories. Restrict yourself to just one cup if you have to and choose healthy drink options such as nimboo paani (salty), plain lassi and kokum sharbat in its place. You don’t want to add an extra dose of sugar to your system during Diwali.
  3. Choose Nuts Instead
    A traditional Diwali platter across Indian households comprises mithai, namkeen and dry fruits. When offered a bite make sure to grab a handful of the dry fruits as they are rich in minerals and nutrients and also keep you feeling full for longer.
  4. Protein Power
    Protein is a vital food component for all. It is not only essential for those looking to shed kilos but also for those who are aspiring to gain weight (muscle). Protein contains amino acids that are necessary for muscle repair and growth and also to make various other enzymes and hormones. So, this Diwali, add a whole lot of protein to your plate and diet in the form of Tandoori kebabs, roasted chana, grilled paneer preparations. You can also enjoy Dahi kebabs and Dahi vadas because milk is a good source of calcium and protein essential for bone development.
  5. Take Note of Portion Control
    Learning the science of portion control can do wonders when you are trying to watch your weight. Restrict yourself to one small serving of whatever food you are offered. If you find saying no a bit challenging you can try an effective hack; always get the smallest plate for yourself from the kitchen or dining area. When you do this you trick your mind into eating less. This optical illusion is known by the name of Delboeuf Illusion and is highly effective for weight loss.  

Foods to Avoid Totally

During Diwali, there are some food items like dry fruits and kebabs that will not make you go on a guilt trip ride. However, there are a few that you should totally avoid or just restrict yourself to one helping if you are insistent upon incessantly.

When making savoury snacks at home consider adding items to your Diwali menu that can be roasted/ baked in the oven or cooked in the air fryer to minimize health damage. You can also use skimmed milk for sweets (that require milk as the key ingredient such as Kalakand and halwas) instead of fattening full cream milk. 

Conclusion

Diwali or any festival is the time when you get to spend time with your friends and family and forget all about your worries. But letting your hair down completely and getting swayed by the infectious festive mood will do you more harm than good. Keeping healthy living as the main goal, modify your Diwali celebrations so that you can optimize your fun minus damage to your overall well being. This festive season, win the fight against guilty indulgence!

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

What Are The Physical And Mental Tolls Of Sleep Deprivation?

Introduction

To compete with the pace of life getting faster every year, it seems like we have forgotten to give adequate rest to our mind and body. With work and other responsibilities demanding a lot of our attention and energy, regular and healthy sleep is almost seen as an inconvenience rather than a necessity. 

A recent study showed that about 53% of Indians sleep late, preferring to scroll through social media instead of getting an early night and a few others had disturbed sleep through the night. Sleep is involved in physical and mental health and sleep loss can lead to severe negative impacts on both of them.  

What are the common causes of Lack of Sleep?

The causes of lack of sleep are varied across individuals but a few common themes can be seen. Social media and the internet itself has become a battleground for grabbing and keeping the attention of user’s, whether it’s through algorithms or addictive apps and games. People fall into a routine of winding their day down with social media or YouTube, assuming this helps them relax before bed. 

The fact is, these apps and the internet as a whole, stimulates the brain keeping it engaged and not allowing for any mental relaxation to take place. This leads to a delay of sleep, sometimes for hours on end, which of course leads to several physiological issues. Of course, there are many other causes of lack of sleep and social media/apps/the internet when used appropriately can have many benefits. It isn’t just something negative that you have to avoid all the time. 

Having a newborn may also be a sweet cause of sleep loss, while other causes of lack of sleep include insomnia and anxiety, stress, depression or a change of schedule. Some diseases, medicines, sleep disorders and illnesses may also lead to improper sleep such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome. Ageing may also lead to chronic sleep loss. 

How does Sleep Loss impact your health?

Sleep Loss on a few occasions typically does not lead to any drastic effects on your mind or body, except that you might feel tired. However, the effects of sleep deprivation, especially chronically lacking sleep, can be grave and may require treatment.

How can Sleep Loss be fixed

Despite the issues associated with it, sleep loss can be fixed. Fixing your sleep cycle depends upon the causes of disruption of sleep. The hopeful fact is that, once your body is trained, a lot of your symptoms and issues will disappear or reduce in intensity. Getting to the point where your body is following a natural rhythm of sleep and being awake requires effort and planning.

Some home remedies include a warm bath before bed to relax you physically and loosen your muscles and joints. Additionally, you should keep your phone away whenever you get into bed, creating a separation between being on your phone and being in bed. This can train your body to accept that when you’re in bed, sleep is the goal. You can use your phone to play soft, calming music in case it helps, but set the music and leave the phone!  Avoid watching any video or movie that has violent or disturbing content especially before your sleep-time.

Keep your bedroom clean, ventilated and organised, for a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes quality sleep. Relaxation techniques and meditation can be of great help too. The temperature in your room also plays an important role in allowing you to fall asleep quickly, when your body is uncomfortable it will be really hard to fall asleep. Figure out what the best temperature for you is and do your best to keep your room within that range.  

Lastly, you may want to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist, since you may have issues that require expert treatment. You may be prescribed sleeping medication, apart from any treatment for the underlying causes of your sleep loss. 

Conclusion

From the effects sleep loss has on our body and mind, it’s clear to see that sleep is an essential and vital body function. When you lay in bed social media may be engaging or your brain may be busy reliving the busy day you’ve just been through- remember that you won’t be able to function fully the next day without a good night’s rest. If your problems persist for over a week, you should definitely seek professional help, whether a counsellor, a psychiatrist or a sleep specialist. 

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.

Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.

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Attention Millennials: Regular Sleep is the Key to Good Health!


Disproportionate working hours–even at night–are becoming more and more common in our society.

Lack of sleep affects thoughts and awareness universally. It is proposed that humans need sleep, for the maintenance of energy and handling of information. Sleep deprivation occurs when insufficient sleep leads to diminished performance, decreased alertness, and a decline in health. It also increases failures to carry out intended actions, which may raise severe concerns in certain circumstances. It also has a detrimental effect on our ability to process emotional information. Reduced quantity of sleep increases the risk for depression, which in turn increases the risk for decreased sleep. It also raises the risk of increased pain perception. Decreasing either the amount or quality of sleep reduces the effectiveness of the insulin in our body and glucose tolerance. It may also lead to an inconsistent increase in food intake, a decrease in physical activity, and weight gain. Therefore, it is probable that decreased sleep duration may increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

Thus, sleep deprivation not only increases the risk of various lifestyle diseases but also can cause unfavorable behavioral changes, in turn, increasing stress and loss of sleep.

It is essential to deal with the loss of sleep and its effects early on to avoid long-term consequences.

To ensure a good night’s sleep, avoid a heavy dinner, tea, coffee, aerated drinks and any other item that stimulates your brain. If you generally have difficulty falling asleep, avoid naps during the day.

Practice planning things to avoid longer working hours at night. Habituate yourself to stop work and shut down all gadgets at least 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed. Read something pleasant or meditate or take a hot shower to put yourself to sound sleep.

If some assignment on the next day is going to deter you from sleeping well, finish it off early in the day; else it is sure to spoil your next day with the reduced alertness due to lack of sleep. This is equally important for children.

Fix your sleeping time and duration. Plan everything else around it, not the other way round.

Read More: How to Get a Good Night Sleep?

You are bound to perform better with sound sleep than otherwise.

Also Read: Can Sleep Apnea Kill You? Uncovering the Truth

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute fairly common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.