June 2021 // Archive

Date based archive
07 Jun

What is Nutritional Deficiency?

The body requires many different vitamins and minerals referred to as micronutrients which are important for growth and disease prevention. These micronutrients are obtained from the food we eat. The amount of each nutrient required by the body depends on many factors including your age, health status, level of activity etc. When the body lacks the necessary amount of a nutrient, it causes nutritional deficiency.

Why Nutritional Deficiency Occurs?

Mostly, inadequate intake is the basic cause of the nutritional deficiency. However, increased requirement of a nutrient (like during pregnancy) which is not met or inadequate absorption of nutrients by the body also causes deficiency.

Deficiency Due to Malabsorption

One may have a nutritional deficiency, despite eating the right food. Inadequate absorption of nutrients by the body is also referred to as Malabsorption. It can be caused due to digestive problems where the body can’t absorb enough of certain nutrients and fluids. So, it is important to understand that eating right is not enough.

Absorption of Nutrients

The food we eat undergoes a chemical and mechanical digestion process. During this, it is broken down into macro and micronutrients by the digestive enzymes produced in the stomach. If the stomach is not able to produce these enzymes, the body will not be able to absorb the nutrients from the food.

Therefore, a healthy digestive system is important for this nutrient absorption process to work optimally. If our digestion or gut health is not good we may not absorb nutrients well.

Besides, good levels of hydrochloric acid, good gut bacteria and good cell integrity of the gut are important for nutrient absorption.

How to Improve Nutrient Absorption

Here are a few ways in which you can treat malabsorption.

Enzyme supplements

These supplements can help your body absorb the nutrients it can’t absorb on its own.

Nutrient supplements needs to be change

Consult a nutrition expert to understand which nutrients are not being absorbed by your intestine and how to address the deficiency through supplements.

Nutrient deficiencies can have a profound impact on your health. Nutrient replenishment can make a world of a difference in energy levels, brain health, physical fitness, and more.

Talk to our nutrition expert to know more!

07 Jun

When talking about food, you’ll often hear people refer to the word nutrients. Nutrients are the substances in food that our bodies process to enable them to function. They are the building blocks for the repair and growth of our body and provide us with energy to carry out life processes. There are six major nutrients that our body needs; viz Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, Water.

When the body does not get or is not able to absorb the required amount of nutrients from food, it leads to a variety of health problems. And to avoid this, these nutrients are supplied to the body in various other forms.

Dietary supplements can provide adequate amounts of essential nutrients when taken under expert guidance.

Generally, people with the following conditions are advised to take dietary supplements:

  • Pregnant and breast-feeding women
  • Women during their post-menopausal state
  • Women suffering heavy menstruation bleeding
  • People having chronic diarrhoea
  • People are allergic to certain kind of food group or those who have food intolerances
  • People who have removed dairy products from their diet

If you are not falling under any of the above categories, and are eating all the fruits and vegetables, getting enough rest and staying hydrated, why would your body need supplements?

People take dietary supplements to maintain their general health, support mental and sports-related performance and provide support to the immune system.

Let us understand how dietary supplements when administered under expert guidance can benefit our lifestyle.

Extensive physical activity can increase our nutrient needs

Athletes or people who exercise extensively, require a lot of nutrients to match up the activity level. The nutrients used by the body during excessive physical activity needs to be restored to promote recovery after an intense workout. That’s why athlete’s diets include TONS of carbs and protein.

The body does not meet the dietary recommendations

If our diet is not able to fulfil the nutritional requirement or due to strict dieting, poor appetite or the body’s changing nutritional requirements, dietary supplements can bridge this nutritional gap.

Supplements together with food can provide a proper balance of nutrients.

Ageing affects nutrient absorption capacity

Ageing affects the body’s capability to break down and absorb nutrients from food. Supplements like digestive enzymes can help break down carbohydrates, fats and protein and optimize nutrient absorption.

Wrong Food Choices

Wrong food habits like eating junk food or avoiding a certain type of foods can make it difficult for our bodies to get all the nutrients it needs from food. Although supplementation cannot replace a healthy diet, it can help prevent the damage poor eating habits are causing.

Food grown or treated chemically can lose some necessary nutrients

Pesticides and herbicides used in farming deplete the food of its natural nutrients. These chemicals create free radicals that attack our digestive and immune system. Supplements like antioxidants help fight harmful free radicals and protect our bodies against these dangerous toxins.

Dietary supplements are meant to augment your daily intake of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Many are safe and offer significant health benefits, but some possess health risks, especially if overused. Therefore, it is recommended not to take any supplements without consulting a nutrition expert.

If you want to check if your diet is fulfilling all your nutrient requirements according to your age and lifestyle, talk to our expert today!

07 Jun

What is Detoxification

Full body detox or cleanse typically implies getting rid of toxins from the body to improve overall health and well-being while also promoting weight loss. Our body has its way of cleansing itself with the help of our detox organs including the liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, and skin.

When the body gets overloaded by toxins these organs get knocked out of balance. And that’s when it needs a little help in detoxing.

Why Detox?

Few symptoms tell when our body needs help in detoxification. Persistent fatigue, constipation or irregular bowel movements, inability to lose weight despite clean eating and regular exercise etc are some of the signs that indicate toxins in the body.

When you experience one or more of these symptoms regularly, it’s time to reclaim your good health by making some positive lifestyle changes and proactive health choices.

Benefits of Detoxing or Cleansing

There are a lot of health benefits associated with the body cleansing or detoxification process which is designed to eliminate toxins from your body. Here are a few of them:

  • Weight loss
  • Clear & Healthy Skin Health
  • Improved Digestion
  • High Energy Level

How to Detox?

Here is how you can optimize your body’s natural detoxification system.

  • Drink more water – Water helps in digestion and nutrient absorption and detoxifies your body by removing waste products.
  • Limit the intake of processed foods – By consuming less junk food, you can keep your body’s

detoxification system healthy.

  • Regular exercise – Exercise can help your body’s systems — including its detoxification system

— function properly and protect against disease.

  • Meditate – Meditation helps you detox your mind and enhance your ability to focus.
  • Ensure adequate sleep – Sleep reorganizes and recharges the brain and body while removing toxic waste byproducts.

Summary

Your body’s body’s natural detoxification system (liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, and skin) can be enhanced and improved by following a few simple steps and bringing some positive change in the lifestyle.

07 Jun

It is normal to feel tired, exhausted and low on energy when you have been sick and down with any viral infection. This tiredness is a part of the healing process which can linger for weeks or months.

This lack of energy that you experience while recovering from any viral infection is known as post-viral fatigue. It can make you sleep more, feel unsteady on your feet, make standing for long periods difficult and also affect your ability to concentrate on work.

Post-viral fatigue mostly continues for some time after the infection has cleared. However, it is important to recover from this fatigue in the due course of time. Because, if not addressed in time, it can make you susceptible to other viruses and infections.

Symptoms of Post-viral Fatigue

While lack of energy is one of the significant indicators of post-viral fatigue, one might also experience other symptoms including:

  • Poor concentration
  • Headache or pain in muscles and joints
  • Muscle stiffness or weakness
  • Sore throat and swollen glands
  • Breathlessness and heart palpitation
  • Weak immunity
  • Sleep disruption and depression

Addressing Post-viral Fatigue

So what should you do if you’re suffering from post-viral fatigue?

While there are no precise treatments, there are many things you can do to ease your symptoms and aid your recovery.

Nutritional Support

It is important to provide some extra nutritional support to enhance mitochondrial function. Some herbs and supplements can help restore energy. They can help in overcoming the effect of the virus on the immune system, liver function and digestive tract.

Good Rest

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important activities you can do for your health. When you sleep, the growth hormone is produced which repairs the tissue, regulates immune function and detoxes the brain and organ. Besides, sleep produces serotonin, the hormone that is responsible for regulating mood.

Moderate Activity

Moderate levels of activity like walking and stretching will increase circulation and improve lymph flow. The body takes time to recover and regain strength and stability. To engage in some moderate exercise, but don’t overdo it.

Sun Therapy

Soaking in the sun helps get the body Vitamin D. Since low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with a low performing immune system, it is important to take your dose of Vitamin D to recover faster.

The Bottomline

The recovery time from post-viral fatigue varies from person to person. Some people are back to normal within a few days to a week, while others experience the symptoms for long. However, getting an early diagnosis may improve recovery.

As your body gradually recovers from the illness, remember to keep a balance of diet, rest and exercise.

04 Jun

Ageing is a gradual process that can be slowed down but never stopped. Two people of the same age
may look different in terms of their age. This is because of a combination of factors including genetic
makeup, heredity traits and lifestyle.
While wrinkled skin is the first sign of ageing, it is not the only factor to be considered while you are
working on slowing down your ageing process. Anti-ageing is more than looking young. It’s about
having an active physical and healthy mental state to enjoy life.
Here is how you can ensure a better lifestyle and routine practices to delay ageing or slow it down.


Regular Exercise
Exercise can improve your health to the point where you look and feel younger than you are. Regular
exercise can help you build stronger muscles, stave off chronic illnesses, and make your clothes fit a
whole lot better.
As we age, if we are active, we maintain our ‘horsepower,’ or fuel economy. This means regular
exercise can maintain a better quality of life because it gives the body the flexibility to move around
easily.
Exercise keeps skin cells healthy and vital by increasing blood flow, sending more oxygen and
eliminating waste.


Right Nutrition
Irrespective of your age, the right nutrition is important at every stage of life. It is essential for the
health and the maintenance of optimal functions of many organ systems in the human body. It is also
one of the most important anti-ageing techniques.
Good nutrition gives you energy and can help you control your weight. Fueling your body with the right
nutrition can also help prevent some of the age-related challenges. Adequate hydration, nutrition and
intake of vitamins and minerals are essential anti-ageing techniques.


Mental Fitness
Many of the so-called age-related changes that affect the mind, such as memory loss, are
lifestyle-related challenges. The brain is like a muscle. Just as muscles get flabby from sitting around
and doing nothing, so does the brain. When the brain is not put to regular work, its functions will
decline. And therefore, these age-related changes in the brain can be addressed by keeping the mind
active and alert.

Reading, playing brain games and socialising will not only keep the brain active but will also keep
stress under control which is also one of the signs of mental ageing.


Conclusion
Ageing right is more than fighting the wrinkles on the face. Anti-ageing is about being healthy and
happy. While it is important to look youthful at the time, maintaining strength, endurance, and stamina
is also important to feel young. And all this requires a fine balance of nutrition, diet, and exercise.