After the festival -Mumbai Mirror ( 18/10/09) & Pune Times ( 19/10/09)

YO-YO? NO,NO !-Mumbai Mirror ( 18/10/09)
Don’t counter festive bingeing with periodic starvation, says nutritionist Sneha Jain
— CO-ORDINATED BY SONAL VED

One sandesh led to five during Durga puja, and now you’ve had one too many karanjis. But don’t try to banish the ghosts of pedhas past with sudden starvation or two-day detoxes. Nutritionist Sneha Jain tells us about the good, bad and ugly of yo-yo dieting.
WHAT IS IT?
Also known as weight cycling, yo-yo dieting is a continuous pattern of loosing and gaining. It encourages taking up fad diets, like the low carb-high protein and starving being the most common ones. Weight loss with the help of this method can range from two to five kilos per cycle; sometimes it can even go up to 25 kgs!
THE CYCLE
Step 1: People go on a crash diet that increases the metabolic rate and leads to instant weight loss.
Step 2 : Weight loss leads to quitting the diet plan and returning to the normal eating habits. Now you eat all the forbidden foods that have so recently helped you shed the weight. This lowers the metabolic rate.
Step 3: So you instantly put on weight and in frustration, go back on the crash diet. You lose weight immediately, but the pattern is set.
DISADVANTAGES

• LEADS TO WEIGHT GAIN
The body adapts to the chronic dieting pattern by lowering the metabolic rate to cope with the energy deficit during the starvation period. So if you need 1850 kcals to go through a no dieting day, on a low calorie diet, your body drops down your metabolic rate. When you return to your regular eating pattern, your body doesn’t require the calories you were taking earlier. The excess calories result in weight gain.

• LOSS OF MUSCLE MASS
Yo-yo dieting causes loss of lean body mass. Muscles are more metabolically active, i.e. help burn more calories as compared to fat. So a person with higher muscle mass burns more calories. Loss of muscle mass can further drop the metabolic rate, making it harder for the body to lose weight.

• EMERGENCE OF STUBBORN FAT
Yo-yo dieting results in formation of stubborn fat which metabolises slowly and hence is hard to lose.

• AFFECTS FAT STORING SYSTEM
Our body has two enzymes to metabolise fat — fat releasing and fat storing. The altering effects of yo-yo dieting on these can be permanent.

• AFFECTS THE HORMONES
The sudden weight gain and loss causes hormonal changes in the body. In women, these changes could lead to irregular periods.

• AFFECTS THE MOOD
Exposing body to several types of crash diets also causes a dip in serotonin levels, which is known to enhance the mood, thus resulting in depression. And since the body is undergoing constant stress, it releases a hormone called cortisol that plays a major role in accumulation of fat in abdominal region. Stress also causes people to eat more.

• CONSTIPATION
Most crash diets ask you to keep away from high fibre foods, disrupting bowel movement which could lead to severe constipation.

• AFFECTS THE ARTERIES
A high protein diet encourages consumption of animal proteins that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol, and clog the arteries. Thus, one is at the risk of developing a host of heart diseases.

• AFFECTS THE BONES
Excessive amounts of protein can increase uric acid levels nudging an ailment known as gout — a painful form of arthritis. A low carb-high protein diet, increases chances of developing osteoporosis. Also, excessive amounts of protein can lead to loss of calcium — an essential component of bone health.

• CHANGE OF ENERGY SUPPLIERS
Carbohydrates are the first choice of the body as an energy source. But a high protein diet forces the body to switch over to fat as the main source of energy. When fat is oxidised, ketone bodies are produced in the body which loads the kidney and causes bad breath.
(Sneha Jain is a consultant nutritionist with Centre for Obesity & Diabetes Support)

Beat the bloat!Pune Times ( 19/10/09)
So you’ve overdosed on sweets and rich, meaty foods yesterday? Here’s how to get your digestive system back on track after your Diwali indulgence
Times News Network


THANKS to that mutton do piyaaza or that egg fried rice with chilli fish, zipping your pants is going to be a real struggle. Abdominal bloating not only looks bad, but can cause physical discomfort. The good news? Experts say stomach bloating is a condition you can avoid pretty easily. Here’s how...
Avoid Constipation
Too little fibre, fluids, and physical activity can lead to constipation, which can result in bloating. To avoid this, eat a diet high in fibre (25 daily grams for women and 38 for men) with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Also, drink plenty of fluids (aim for sixeight glasses a day) and aim for physical activity for at least 30 minutes, five times a week.
Rule out allergens
Food allergies and intolerances can cause gas and bloating, but these need to be confirmed by your doctor. Don’t self-diagnose. Check this out with your doctor.
Hold the sugary drinks
The fizz in carbonated drinks (even diet ones) can cause gas to get trapped in your belly. Instead, drink water flavoured with lemon, lime, or cucumber. Or just reduce the number of fizzy drinks you consume each day. Try some peppermint tea for a soothing beverage that may help reduce the bloat.
Limit salty foods
Highly processed foods tend to be high in sodium and low in fibre, both of which can contribute to that bloated feeling. Get in the habit of reading food labels. When buying processed, canned, or frozen foods, shoot for no more than 500 gms of sodium per serving in any product.
Go slow with the beans and gassy vegetables
If you’re not used to eating beans, they can cause that gassy feeling. So can the cruciferous family of vegetables, such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. That doesn’t mean you should give up on these super-nutritious, high-fibre vegetables. Just work them into your diet slowly until your body adjusts to the compounds that can initially cause gas.
Eat smaller meals more often
Instead of three big meals per day, try eating smaller meals more often. This can keep you free of the bloated feeling that often follows large meals. Eating more frequently can also help control blood sugar and manage hunger. So go for five to six small meals each day, but make sure the quantity of food and calories are proportionate to your needs.
Don’t eat too fast
Eating quickly and not chewing your food well can cause air swallowing that leads to bloating. So slow down and enjoy your food. Your meals should last at least 30 minutes. Also, keep in mind that digestion begins in the mouth, and you can decrease bloating just by chewing your food more. There’s another benefit to slowing things down: When you take your time to thoroughly chew and taste your food, your snack or meal becomes more satisfying. And studies have shown that if you eat more slowly, you may end up eating less.
punetimes@timesgroup.com
Treating hangovers
Times News Network

Have some honey: Have a spoonful of honey or spread it over a slice of bread or even some crackers. This helps you get over your hangover faster because honey contains high concentration of fructose that helps in burning off the effects of alcohol quicker. Drink some juice: Have a glass of orange or tomato juice. Not only are these high in fructose, but also contain a lot of vitamin C, that will give you quick relief from a hangover. Skip the caffeine: Coffee will only make you feel worse than what you already do. Except making you feel more dehydrated, coffee won’t help you in anyway, so skip it completely!
Have plenty of water:
Alcohol dehydrates your system and you’ll only make it worse by avoiding water. Make sure that before you turn in for the night, you gulp down plenty of water. If you don’t feel like having plain water, squeeze some lime into a glass of soda water and have that. Ginger helps: Ginger is one of the most natural ways to cure a hangover. Add some pieces of ginger in water and let it boil for ten minutes. Strain it, add a little orange juice, lemon juice and a bit of honey and have the mixture.
Eat some bananas:
Since bananas are found to be rich in potassium, eat one after a night of heavy drinking and see your hangover vanish. One of the best ways to avoid a heavy hangover is to make sure that you don’t drink on an empty stomach. Eat well and always drink at a slow pace. The faster you drink, the quicker you get drunk.
punetimes@timesgroup.com