Tips for A Healthier, Fitter Family

Image Courtesy: bbc.co.uk

 The old saying that "A family that eats together stays together" not only holds good even today but needs to be tweaked a little to suit today's health conscious world . It should now read as "A family who eats healthy and exercises together stays fit forever!"
As a dietitian my goal is not only to get my client on the right 'eating' path, but also to extend the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise to his/her family. Many a times clients (mostly women) give up as it gets difficult to make two different menus-one would be the regular food for the family and the other for themselves. My solution-if the present food and eating habits has resulted in weight gain and other related health problems,then it is advisable to change it not just for yourself,but also for the whole family.  To do that you need to make subtle changes not just in the cooking but also in the family's outlook towards health. Here's how you can bring about a change in your and your family's health:

1. Reduce oil used for cooking to half of your currant usage. 
2. Avoid making or buying fried foods like chips, pakodas, fried chicken and such on a regular basis.
3. If you must, then buy the smallest available packs/size of fried foods,sweets,chocolates, cakes-that way there won't be any left overs for snacking on later.
4. Use whole grains like brown/semi-polished rice, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, 100% whole wheat breads and locally grown millet and grains like ragi/nachni(finger millet) and jowar(sorghum).
5. Switch to eating fruits for desserts on a regular basis.
6. Buy skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, non-fat plain yogurt
7. Munch on healthy snacks like fruits, salads, a handful of nuts, edamame salad or other cooked beans/pulses like a chickpea salad.
8. Drink water when you are thirsty and with your meals instead of juices, aerated drinks, beer or energy drinks.
9. Buy only 100% fruit juices( or you could make fresh juices at home) instead of those loaded with sugar.
10.  Include a variety of seasonal vegetables (and not just potatoes) with every meal.
11. Avoid red meats like beef, pork, mutton(goat meat) and instead have fish or poultry.
12. Eat your meals together as a family and not in front of the television.
13. Try to inculcate the idea of physical fitness by including the whole family in outdoor fun activities like walking, trekking, hiking, biking, swimming or even playing outdoor games together.
14.  Include kids and/ or your spouse when cooking so that the resulting meal is a family effort.

Old habits are hard to change, the trick is to be persistent! Try introducing one or two changes every week, that way the changes may actually go unnoticed. Just bear in mind that IMPOSSIBLE can easily turn into I'M POSSIBLE!!

Andropause or Man-o-pause: Does it really exist?

Is your man over 40 years of age and been suffering from fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss and blaming it on “mid-life crisis”? Think again, researchers have long realized that these symptoms and some more could be a result of Andropause/ Male menopause or rather MAN-o-pause, which is a result of a gradual drop in the levels of testosterone in the body. A low level of testosterone in men can lead to:

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Loss of muscle mass
• Weight gain
• Reduced libido
• Premature aging
• Hair loss
• Breast enlargement (Gynecomastia )
• Depression, irritability, fatigue
• Mood Swings

Though this condition is known to those in the medical profession since the 1940’s, not many men are aware of this condition and generally think that age is finally catching up with them when they experience these symptoms.

Many experts dismiss Andropause as just a myth as the decrease in testosterone occurs over a period of many years which is unlike women who experience a sudden decrease in the reproductive hormones.Testosterone  levels tend to decrease on an average by 1% right through adulthood and this is the reason why men find rather low levels of the hormone when they reach their 40-50’s.

Like the controversial Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in women, the testosterone replacement therapy does have its own risks mainly worsening prostate cancer(which is of major concern among men). Most physicians feel that the safest way to approach Andropause is to make sensible lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly which can help in increasing the muscle mass and also strength.

So the next time you hear the man in your life complain about putting on weight-take charge and put him on a diet and exercise regime!