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Iron Rich Foods for PCOS One of the common health issues that is raising concerns in today’s times is PCOS. Genetics, sedentary lifestyles, erratic eating and sleeping times, lack of exercises and junk food etc are the causes, to be blamed.  Prolonged bleeding or very heavy bleeding in PCOS, can cause iron deficiencies which can cause anaemia in such patients.  Fatigue, pale skin, weakness, headache, irritability and depression, hair loss, shortness of breath etc are typical symptoms of iron deficiency in such cases. But taking iron supplements in PCOS may not be always advisable. Dietary modifications to include iron rich foods becomes necessary in such cases. Meats, poultry and seafood are the richest in heme iron sources. Other vegetarian IRON rich foods are: Spinach Sweet potatoes Peas and beans like red kidney beans and soya beans Broccoli Beetroots and beet greens Nuts and seeds Millets like ragi and bajra Some other important things to consider to improve iron levels: Reduce intake of tea and coffee which inhibit iron absorption. Keep a gap of atleast 20 to 30min between your breakfast or snack and tea/ coffee. Consume vitamin C with each meal – having a vitamin C rich fruit in midmeal or adding lemon to your daal can do the trick! Cooking subjis in iron cast vessels Do not skip meals.   Making conscious efforts towards in including iron rich foods in meals from an early age and especially in teens can prevent iron deficiency and related complications for teenagers  and women especially in PCOS.

7 Nutrition Habits Of Highly Efffective People It is rightly said that “ We are what we eat” Our physical and mental well-being is directly linked to what we eat and drink. The nutritional content of what we eat determines the composition of our cell membranes, bone marrow, blood, hormones, tissue, organs, skin, and hair. Our bodies are replacing billions of cells every day — and using the foods we consume as the source. In fact in vedic culture  ‘अन्न’ is known as “ पूर्णब्रम्ह” which literally means that food in itself is complete god or the creative energy of universe. A well-balanced diet not only results in better health and overall body composition, but because of the “brain-gut connection” — can also make us feel great. Food consumed has direct impact on our energy levels/ mood swings/ mental alertness and concentration. A person is known to be an effective person if he / she is Pro- active, has optimum performance – physical health / tenacity and stamina, is good in balancing emotions, has balanced thinking and excellent focus ,has good capacity for bearing stress , can develope Healthy inter-personal relations, has good cognitive and problem solving skills and is good at prioritizing and execution of his tasks. 7 golden rules/ effective habits: Most efficient and successful people follow these to maintain their Energy cycles at the optimum levels and also achieve the best of their health. Great professional performances, healthy relationships, balanced thought process, good emotional control, balanced persona, all are connected to your food habits. What you put in your stomach is converted in to the kind of person you are. Its prudent therefore to follow these 7 efffective habits that will help you get the optimum health, optimum energy and a balanced mind. 1. Eating at regular intervals: A better way would be to eat 5 to 6 healthy meals at an interval of 2 to 3 hours instead of over eating or starving completely.  Following this meal cycle or pattern results in : Helps manage appetite Lesser nil calories, more nutrition base to the body Avoids over eating due to strong hunger pangs Keeps blood sugar levels under control Keeps energy levels of the body stable Avoids the body going into ‘Starvation mode’ Promotes digestion Lesser lethargy and irritability from low sugar levels or hunger. Better brain function due to steady and slow calorie supply. 2. Have complex carbs: It is a wide misconception that NO CARBS meals are healthy. Infact our brain functions on glucose so having a zero carb or very low carb diet is never healthy. The right way should be having COMPLEX carbs instead of simple ones.  Hence ensure that every meal has right amount of complex carbs, never avoid carbs. We should remember that having complex carbs results in : Improving digestion Prevents over eating Stabilizes blood sugar due to slow and consistent release of glucose Manages weight. Essential for muscle building post workout Naturally stimulates serotonin production Good gut health ensures a light body and sharp thinking. Researches prove that there is a link between gut bacteria and depression or anxiety and also influence your mental flexibility, thought process, intelligence and thinking speed. Better the fiber intake , better is the gut health. 3. Have complete and balanced meals A full plate is not a balanced meal , a balanced meal is when you have all the essential macro nutrients in the right proportion and variety to give you optimum nutrition. Variety in food elements and makes a plate nutritious in vitamins and minerals. So keep in mind the following thumb rules – Have meals with all macro nutrients – balance between complex carbs, good quality proteins, healthy fats! Try to combine food items that have complete amino acids. Not necessary to have full Indian meals – some smoothies , easy snack options, food items like quinoa are also complete amino acids. Include dairy products/ fish / eggs / quinoa/ amaranth 4. Adequate Water Intake The most ignored and most important nutrient of all – WATER !! Most of us don’t consider water as an integral part of nutrition and balanced diet. But this element is what is crucial in the entire digestion and assimilation process of food along with overall health of the organs. Great skin, great hair health and good immunity are only a few of the vast amounts of benefits that good water intake bring. 7 to 8 glasses of water everyday is a must Depending on the season , add to your hydration levels Exercise levels , levels of physical activity also will influence the water intake. Try to avoid waiting to drink water till you are thirsty , thirst marks the beginning of dehydration. Regulate water intake – avoid too much before and after the meals. 5. Scheduled meals In today’s work especially with hectic lifestyles  both professional and personal, meal times have become erratic, resulting in erratic moods, erratic digestion process, improper assimilation of nutrients and lifestyle disorders. When you have planned your meals for the day and have fairly regular meal timings, it helps engaging your metabolism throughout the day, results in optimum energy levels and also helps in better detoxification of the body. Try to follow these golden rules to regularise your meal timings. Plan your meals at a fixed time , make a weekly/ daily meal chart to rotate your veggies/ carbs/ types of proteins. Plan your work to leave a small gap for your lunch/ dinner at your decided time. If you do not have time to have an elaborate meal some day , take a quick healthy brunch snack, or a small bite to satiate your hunger. Avoid eating too late at night Avoid eating same type of food everyday. Give your body and taste buds variety. 6. HARA HACHI BU Hara Hachi bu in Japenese means  ‘ Eat until you are 80% full’ . The people in Okinawa used this technique to control their eating habits resulting

Keep Your Lungs Healthy One of the most important organs of our body and probably one of the most ignored ones too are our lungs! A part of the respiratory system of the body, lungs make oxygen available to all organs of the body and remove gases like carbon dioxide. Usually, we do not realise the importance of lung health unless a problem occurs and once the lung health is affected, it significantly impacts the quality of the life of the person and may even result in reducing the lifespan. Over the years, especially during the COVID period, health of the lungs came in to focus. Some of the common disorders and conditions of the lungs are :  Looking out for symptoms like breathing difficulties , Wheezing, coughing , chest pain, chronic cough , swelling of extremities etc as an alarm that one may have a lung condition. Awareness has now been created that exercises can help improve the lung capacity and keep lung diseases at bay. So how do you keep these two buddies healthy? – Avoid smoking – active or passive Minimise exposure to outdoor pollution Equally important to protect yourself from indoor pollutants  – like fragrances, dust, moisture, unclean humidifiers etc. Protect yourself from infections Regular check ups Exercise! Exercise! Exercise!! We can also include some these foods which are good for your respiratory health, in our daily diet :   Beetroots and beet greens – rich in nitrates which have been shown to benefit lung function by relaxing blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, and optimize oxygen uptake. Vitamin C rich fruits and veggies  – rich in anti-oxidants, this category of fruits and veggies like bell peppers, tomatoes, citric fruits , guava etc benefits lung function and infection prevention, especially for active and passive smokers. Apples – loaded with anti-oxidants, they help slow down the lunch function decline. Curcumin – the main active component in turmeric, may be especially beneficial for supporting lung function. Green tea  – Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a catechin concentrated in green tea. It boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to inhibit fibrosis or scarring of tissues. Olive oil – Olive oil is a concentrated source of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, including polyphenols and vitamin E which protect against conditions like asthma.