Month: July 2016

A customized 5-day detox diet program, specially created for your lifestyle, health status and necessary dietary needs. Crafted after a detailed phone consultation with Delna Pooniwala and top nutrition experts on the Fab n Famous panel.

The best part of this program is that, unlike those health-farm based and costly Detox programs which require you to take leave from your work for weeks, this program is specially designed so that you can continue taking care of your day to day responsibilities.

“3 essential facts you need to know during pregnancy” – by Delna Pooniwala

Pregnancy is the most crucial stage of life for a woman. She creates life and carries it for months & finally brings it into this world.

Here are these key rules that women should be aware of for a healthy baby and safe nutrition choices during this period. As we have heard over and over again, the diet has to be well balanced and fortified with a lot of healthy goodness.

Fact #1: ‘Fat’ is incredibly important for the baby as well as mother.
The Essential Fatty Acids help in the brain development of the baby. Maternal fat is vitally important and should ideally be stored in the first and second trimester. These stores would be used during the third trimester and during breastfeeding.

However, this does not mean your food should be fried, greasy and dripping with oil. You need to consume the right kind of fats. Pregnancy does not give you the licence to indulge on unhealthy food. So either use your sensibilities or speak to a professional nutritionist to guide you through a healthy happy term.

Fact #2: All Vitamins in right amounts.
Key ones being:
‘Vitamin A’ that you can source through carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, spinach, water squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots, and cantaloupe.
Choline- An important nutrient (part of Vitamin B complex) that should be included to the diet is choline which is found in egg yolks.
‘Vitamin-C’ such in oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, honeydew, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, green peppers, tomatoes and lemon.

Fact #3: There is no magic formula or a generic ‘one-size-fits-all diet’ for all women. Each woman is an unique individual and the appropriate nutrition planning needs to be done after individual assessment. It involves macro and micro nutrients planning in a holistic manner for safe nutrition choices. More importantly it needs to be constantly monitored and modified as per various stages of pregnancy period.

Feel free to ask me any queries or share your experiences in the comment section below. And Share this post for friends and family for whom it may be relevant.

“Personal Trainer for Fitness: Good or Bad?” – by Delna Pooniwala

Which is a better deal?

Option A: Save money on personal training fees, but risk injuries, de-motivation, inappropriate fitness plan & related risks.

Option B: Invest money on the right trainer & have an injury free fitness regime with desired results.

Most people take up a gym membership and are thrilled as they feel it would be the magic purchase that would make them lose weight or bulk up. However, the true secret to success is a good personal trainer who guides you in your journey to fitness. Your Personal Trainer is your best-friend and guardian in a gym or any fitness center.

Personal Trainers go through intensive and extensive training to study the muscular skeletal system, human body anatomy & techniques to ensure clients don’t suffer from any injury. Also they ensure that anyone with prior health issues is able to have an appropriate fitness regime.

Hiring a Personal trainer at a gym would help you understand each exercise & the technical form correctly. The personal trainer would not allow a client to use a wrong form or posture while working out and hence the chances of an injury would be less. They are also trained to be great motivators and would help you achieve your goal.

How to pick the right personal trainer?
In many outlets of the top branded gym chains you will not have to worry about it at all. For example, at the Gold’s Gym @ Powai, they have a structured process with detailed consultation with the Manager, Head Trainers and related professionals, to identify your goals and recommend the right personal trainer. They take this process seriously for the best outcome for you.

If you can afford it, try to start off with the Head trainers for the initial few months for best results, or stay in daily touch with them for tips and feedback.

Don’t focus on the muscles or perfect shape when choosing the trainer, just like you don’t choose your eye doctor based on his vision or your dentist based on his teeth! It is all about knowledge and experience. But you always have the option to request a different one, based on your comfort level with the individual.

You need to respect their knowledge and trust them completely, after all they would be your mentor and Guru! They are specialists in their field. Even the Hrithik Roshan’s and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s of the world use personal trainers. There is no reason why you should not!

Feel free to ask me any queries or share your experiences in the comment section below. And Share this post for friends and family for whom it may be relevant.

“What is Arthritis & a few foods that you can avoid” – Delna Pooniwala.

Arthritis is nothing but ‘inflammation of joints’. However, there are several symptoms and that can cause various types of arthritis.

There is ‘Osteoarthritis’ where a major root cause is wear & tear of the joint. ‘Rheumatoid arthritis’ that affects the joints of the hands and feet and could also cause elbow, shoulder, and neck problems.’ Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis’ that affects kids and adolescence. Gouty arthritis that is caused due to high uric acid and many more.

There are specific dietary restrictions for each type of Arthritis. However, we need to understand one common factor.’
‘Extra weight’ can definitely put additional strain on your joints. Hence, try planning a low calorie healthy meal. Unhealthy food choices can trigger inflammatory responses and exacerbate your condition.

Whole fat dairy is high in saturated fat and fried oily foods promote cholesterol build-up. Both of these hinder blood circulation and can instigate inflammatory responses and can aggravate your joint problems.

Refined sugar and refined carbohydrates too like commercial white bread is known for causing inflammations. So try and consume homemade chapattis and say NO to pastries and deserts.

Sodium inhibits your body’s absorption of calcium and deters collagen production. A high sodium diet can lead to the loss of bone mass and reduced joint space.

There are several do’s and don’ts, based on the type of arthritis, that your doctor would advice you accordingly. However, the first objective would be to stay on a light ‘natural food diet’ and avoid the mentioned inflammatory foods.

“Foods that cure Arthritis” – Delna Pooniwala.

While we invariably hear about foods that may aggravate Arthritis, we usually are not aware that certain foods can actually help cure it.

We need to understand that Arthritis has 3 major symptoms – pain, swelling and inflammation & the consumption of certain natural foods can target each of these.

‘Omega 3 Fatty Acids’ is natural proven to have an anti-rheumatic action and reduce inflammation. This could be consumed either through fish oil capsules or Fish like salmon, mackerel, trout and sardines.

‘Raw Cabbage’ is another important food as it contains a compound called indole that neutralizes a lot of toxins generated during the metabolic processes of our body.

‘Garlic’ is proven to have various values and is often recommended as a preventive food and cure for various ailments because of its nutritional benefits. Garlic is a great therapy for gout and osteoarthritis. It helps reduce swelling due to its anti-inflammatory effects.

Capsaicin present in ‘Capsicums or chilli peppers’ reduces pain and swelling associated with arthritis.

Flavonoids found in ‘Red Cherries’ also help to eliminate free radicals from the system and strengthen the cartilage, joints and tendons. It also reduces symptoms’ of gout and uric acid, besides arthritis.

‘Bananas’ are rich in potassium, a mineral that is not only known for its anti-calcification property, but also improves the balance between calcium and phosphorous in the body and decreases bone loss.

With our current day lifestyle and access to fancy foods, cooked in a variety of multinational styles, we sometimes tend to forget the benefits that natural foods can give us.

To stay healthy, fit and youthful, I personally recommend at least 50% of a person’s total daily dietary intake in the form of natural & raw foods.

“An important diet over view for diabetics.” – Delna Pooniwala.

With an increased rate of diabetes, we often hear that consuming low glycemic index foods is better. What are these foods?

Carbohydrate foods that elevate blood glucose and insulin to a higher level are called high glycemic foods & complex carbohydrates or slower burning carbohydrates that do not spike the insulin and glucose levels high are called low glycemic index foods.

Consuming high glycemic index foods such as sweet bakery products, commercial bread, sugary cereals, and items made of refined flour and deserts increases your risk of type 2 diabetes. Instead switching to a low GI fiber rich carbohydrate such as Corn, wheat, rice, whole grains, dried beans, ragi, bajra, jowar, vegetables and oats is a healthier option.

A serving of Fruits or vegetables would add to the fiber, making you feel full for a longer duration while supplementing your diet with essential vitamins and minerals.
Lean Protein could also help you feel fuller for a longer duration compared to carbohydrates and fat.

For those who have a gluten intolerance, wheat, rye and barley could be replaced with rice, millet, amaranth and quinoa as substitutes. However, some of these foods may have a higher GI than their wheat-based equivalents. Leafy vegetables, many fruits, and lean proteins such as chicken, fish and tofu will not affect your blood sugar significantly and all are gluten-free.

Legume flours, including flours made from soybeans and chickpeas, have a lower GI than potato or corn flours. Quinoa, basmati rice and sweet corn have moderate GI values. Pasta and bread made from buckwheat, quinoa or rice flour can satisfy your carbohydrate craving without spiking your blood sugar. To decrease the GI of rice or chapatti’s, one could add psyllium husks (Isabgol). Husks and hulls slow down digestion and decrease a food’s impact on your blood sugar.

This is a general guide and you don’t have to give up your favorite high-GI foods completely. However, you do need to balance them with proteins, unsaturated fats and loads of low-GI complex carbohydrates to enjoy a healthy life.

“Importance of breakfast”- Delna Pooniwala

Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast is a source of important nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin B, protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day.

Nowadays with our hectic lifestyles, some of us make breakfast the last priority. However, as the term goes ‘break-fast is basically breaking of your fast and fuelling the body and brain with the petrol it requires. Or else your mind and body is like driving a car without fuel. Breakfast restores the glucose level which is an essential carbohydrate for the brain. It makes you feel happier & improves memory and the capacity to think.

Ideally, breakfast should be consumed within 2 hours of waking up and you should be consuming 20%-40% of your daily recommended calorie allowance. Your calorie intake could be calculated based on your age, activity and lifestyle.

Breakfast could be great for your waistline too. Research shows that people, who usually skip breakfast, reach out for unhealthy sugar high snacks during the day.

So instead, start a healthy day with a good nutritious breakfast that consists of lean protein, fibre, whole grains, fruits vegetables and low glycemic-index foods like oatmeal, bran cereal or whole-wheat.
Let’s plan to get health & strong.