5 Health Benefits Of Fasting; How Does It Help?

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Hi guys, it’s May already! Time flies and we are through with 5 months of the year. Feels unreal, doesn’t it?

Anyway, I think now is a perfect time to write about fasting and it benefits. With all of us staying at home, it is quite easy to get carried away and binge-eat.

I personally have been watching my food portions during this circuit-breaker period in Singapore (lockdown/stay at home whatever you call it). Other than that, like always, I fast once a week, on Mondays. It was around 4 years back that I started fasting a day a week, on a regular basis. Initially I ate food allowed for the vrat/upwas but I didn’t feel a lot of difference. When I began fasting by limiting my food intake to minimal (usually fruits/dry fruits & lots of water), I began to see the benefits.

Fasting is a concept which has been practiced for centuries in India in the form of vrat/upwas and on special occasions. It is also practiced in other religions & cultures across the globe.

Fasting may or may not be done for religious purposes, but it can certainly be done for health reasons.

There are various types of fasting and intermittent fasting has gained a lot of traction in today’s world with a lot of people opting for it. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. There are many different types of intermittent fasting, such as the 12 hour intermittent fasting or the 16:8 or 5:2 methods.

Irrespective of the type of fasting, the benefits attached to it are innumerable.

Here are 5 benefits of fasting:

1. Fasting improves your immune system

Fasting improves the immune system because it reduces free radical damage, regulates inflammatory conditions in the body and starves off cancer cell formation.

In nature, when animals get sick they stop eating and instead focus on resting. This is a primal instinct to reduce stress on their internal system so their body can fight off infection.

Our immunity improves if there is a faster regeneration of cells, which happens when you fast.

According to one study, a three day fast can lead to the regeneration of the entire immune system and the production of totally brand new white blood cells which have a stronger ability to fight disease.

How cool is that?

2. Fasting aids weight loss & improves metabolism.

Fasting can be a great way to lose weight as many studies have shown that fasting allows the body to burn through fat cells more effectively than just regular dieting.

Fasting allows the body to use fat as it’s primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates. Many athletes use fasting as means to hitting low body fat percentages for competitions.

Fasting also gives our digestive system a rest, and this can energise our metabolism to burn calories more efficiently. If our digestion is poor, this can effect our ability to metabolise food and burn fat. Fasts can regulate our digestion and promote healthy bowel movements, thus improving our metabolic function.

3. Fasting Can Reduce Insulin Resistance, Lowering Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has become incredibly common in recent times with unhealthy lifestyles & high amount of sugar intake in people due to improper diet and over consumption of processed food.

The main feature of Type 2 Diabetes is high blood sugar levels in the context of insulin resistance.

Anything that reduces insulin resistance should help lower blood sugar levels and protect against type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, fasting has been shown to have major benefits for insulin resistance and lead to an impressive reduction in blood sugar levels.

Thus, because fasting is extremely beneficial in reducing insulin resistance & increasing insulin sensitivity, which can be of much significance in lowering blood sugar levels, it thereby proves to be helpful in reducing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

4. Fasting Helps Clear The Skin And Prevent Acne

Fasting can help clear the skin because with the body temporarily freed from digestion, it’s able to focus its regenerative energies on other systems.

Not eating anything for a while has shown to help the body clean up the toxins and regulate the functioning of other organs of the body like liver, kidneys and other parts.

Since the digestive system gets detoxified and bowel function improves, the skin also benefits from it and flushes out the toxins it has accumulated thus becoming clearer and healthier.

5. Fasting Improves Your Brain Function

Fasting has shown to improve brain function because it boosts the production of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF.)

BDNF activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons, and triggers numerous other chemicals that promote neural health. This protein also protects your brain cells from changes associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Ageing of brain cells can slow down, thus increasing mental alertness & awareness which helps to improve brain function.

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These were a few health benefits of fasting. There are numerous benefits of fasting apart from the 5 listed here. Fasting is known to improve heart health, reduce risk of cancer and also helps in regulate hormones. The list of it’s benefits is very long.

It doesn’t matter what type of fasting you practice; intermittent or not, any form of fasting is beneficial.

I personally have experienced feeling mentally alert and more active when I fast. My ‘fast day’ is usually more productive and more creative than the rest. I feel quite energetic as well.

Fasting should be done carefully and it does not mean starving yourself. Also, prolonged period of fasting is counter-intuitive and can cause more harm than good.

Fasting should only be done once or twice a week with regular meal days in between.

Anyone with diagnosed medical conditions and on specific medications should avoid fasting. Fasting should also be avoided by underweight people, people with eating disorders and by pregnant or lactating women.

Fasting can also feel initially tough to those who have never done it before and any extreme form of fasting should be avoided. The body takes time to adjust itself to fasting and it is important to be gentle with your body.

Tht said, I hope you found the article useful and I hope you do give some form of fasting a try, keeping in mind your health & body capability too! 🙂

5 Simple Life-Hacks to Boost Immunity during Coronavirus Pandemic.

Hello everyone! I am back with Day 2 of our 10 day posts event.

In case you missed my last post, read it Here.

Today,I shall be taking up the topic of health & wellness & shall be writing about our immune system and why do we need to boost our immunity.

With the coronavirus outbreak gripping the world, much brouhaha has erupted about health & immunity.

In this post, I aim to write 5 simple things which you can do to boost your immunity levels and keep yourself safe during this tough time.

WHAT IS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM?

Let’s start with the fundamentals.

The immune system is the most complex system in our body. It is made of tissues, cells and organs.

The main parts of the immune system are:
1. white blood cells
2. antibodies
3. complement system
4. lymphatic system
5. spleen
6. bone marrow
7. thymus.

WHAT DOES OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM DO?

Our immune system looks out for us and fights against any invaders which enter our body. It is essentially like a soldier, warding off attacks on our system and it is our best line of defence against many illnesses.

For example, if you inhale a virus through your nose, your immune system targets that virus and either stops it in its tracks or primes you to recover. It takes time to get over an infection, and sometimes you need medicine to help; but the immune system is the cornerstone of prevention and recovery.

Hence, your immune system plays a vital role in staying safe during a global pandemic.

Apart from practising social distancing, it is essential to keep your immune system strong, so as to keep coronavirus or any other disease at bay.

There are several factors which can either weaken or strengthen our immunity.

Today, I shall be sharing 5 simple ways to strengthen the immune system and keep your health in good shape.

1. INCREASE YOUR WATER INTAKE

Drinking water to stay hydrated has a big impact on your immunity. The fluids in the body, help the systems in your body to function to their optimal level.

Drinking enough water throughout the day flushes out toxins, thereby preventing their build-up which could have a negative impact on your health.

Drinking water can also give you better digestion, which is an important factor for your health because it breaks down food into nutrients, vitamins & minerals that your body needs to stay healthy & maintain immunity.

Water also helps your blood deliver oxygen to your orgrans to help them function properly. Your muscle fibers & organs need water to function efficiently.

Thus, drinking enough water will help boost immunity.

2. REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SUGAR FROM YOUR DIET

Excess sugar in the diet is bad for your health. Not just for factors like gaining weight, but it is also known to weaken immunity.

An excess of sugar in the diet has serious consequences on your health.

In fact, sugar is an immunosuppresant.

Did you know? Consuming as little as 3.5 ounces of sugar can suppress the immune system by upto 50%

This is one of the major reasons why people who are diabetics (having high blood sugar levels) are more susceptible to diseases & infections. The primary reason being a weakened immune system. This is one of the biggest reasons for many medical issues today; as the consumption of sugar has increased,strength of the immune system has decreased.

Of course, it is practically impossible to avoid sugar completely all the time, but we can make certain changes in our diet such as replacing sugar with jaggery, coconut sugar, maple syrup, stevia, honey, etc and limiting it’s intake as much as we can.

3. EXERCISE

Exercising a few times a week can help to improve our overall health. When we exercise, our heart gets stronger and can pump more blood throughout the body. Our lungs also improve their ability to distribute oxygen to our ograns.

Just getting up and moving around and doing a few stretches and exercises can help in strengthening our immunity. Our lymphatic system gets a boost as movement helps in increasing the lymphatic flow, thereby making exercise an important tool for boosting immunity.

One need not exercise to the point of stressing oneself, since stress weakens the immune system. Just simple exercises & movements are enough.

4. INCORPORATE HERBS/SPICES

Now the average Indian diet is full of spices, but irrespective of where you come from, it is necessary to know the importance of spices & herbs in the diet.

Turmeric, pepper, ginger,lemon and holy basil (tulsi) are excellent for boosting immunity.

Citing a few examples:-

-Research says that the curcumin in turmeric may be a therapeutic agent in the fight against diseases like cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic uveitis & pancreatitis. Turmeric is an excellent immunity booster & in India, it was added to warm milk and given to children to drink, thousands of years before the ‘Turmeric Latte’ became fashionable.

-Ginger has been used in 5000 years old ancient Ayurvedic medicine as a way to cleanse the body & digestive system and boost immunity due to it’s anti-inflammatory & antioxidant properties and has been a cure for common cold & cough in many households.

-Holy Basil (Tulsi) has a strong spiritual significance in Indian culture, and is known as a miraculous Ayurvedic immunity booster. Therefore, it also gets its name “the Holy Basil”. It has purifying properties that help in fighting respiratory diseases, fever and any kind of infections by building one’s natural immunity. Include this as a diet supplement to beat infections & boost immunity.

Thus, the key to boosting immunity lies in our day to day habits & it doesn’t take much to add certain immunoboosters in the diet.

5. PRACTICE GOOD PERSONAL HYGIENE

This is basic and it is what every single health professional out there is telling you, including me.

Health & Hygiene go together, so your first line of defense is to practice good hygiene habits. This can help infections stop even before they start, especially now.

Washing hands several time a day for minimum 20 seconds, especially beofre preparing food and after using the bathroom. Making sure that you get the soap in between each of your fingers & under your nails as best as you can and drying your hands with a clean towel. This is a very basic yet extremely significant step to stop spread of any virus or infection. Also, please bathe daily, no matter how ridiculously unimportant or basic it sounds. It goes a long way in maintaining good hygiene.

Wearing masks when you need to go outside for groceries or if you need to use the public transport, cleaning & covering any open wounds on your body and making sure you tend to any wound right away so that they are not exposed to germs are great ways to maintain good hygiene.

While cooking, please ensure that you wash your fruits and vegetable thoroughly and store food in a clean place.

Mainting hygiene in all aspects of your daily life is a great way to strengthen and protect the immune system and prevent any attacks on it.

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Thus, the key to boosting immunity lies in our day to day habits & it doesn’t take much to follow certain tips which help in long term strengthening of our immune system & aid in keeping us healthy.

I hope you enjoyed today’s post.

See you tomorrow on the blog with a different topic!

Till then,

Dream, Imagine, Be Crazy, Be You.

Why I went dairy-free- This is what happened..

Food is something which is a very personal thing to each and everyone. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinions on food choices based on their culture and background.

However, with the rising awareness around food and food habits, one can’t deny the benefits of eating right and eating healthy and the effect of certain food groups on our body.

I was born in a vegetarian family in India, and have been a vegetarian almost my entire life, barring a few times in my childhood where I did try to eat meat. Whether you eat meat or not isn’t the topic of this post, since any discussion about it, requires an in-detail analysis, which I shall save for another time.

In this blog post, I shall be speaking of why I cut down dairy and dairy products (and essentially turned a vegan). Irrespective of whether you eat meat or not, this topic about dairy is a must read.

Today I will share with you my journey on why I quit consuming dairy and dairy products.

Since last two years, I was having health issues. Stomach bloating, digestion issues, etc. I had never really thought about the correlation between dairy and health issues. However, as the symptoms I faced increased, I realised it was time to make some lifestyle changes.

Soon, I started noticing that post consuming any dairy product, especially milk, my symptoms increased. That’s when I realised I had lactose intolerance.

Did you know, that 70% of human adults suffer from mild lactose intolerance? The human body, doesn’t really need milk after the baby grows up.

If you don’t believe me, think about this- The majority of humans naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase — the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk — sometime between the ages of two and five.

We are mammmals and for most mammals, the normal condition is to stop producing the enzymes needed to properly digest and metabolize milk after they have been weaned. That’s why you will see the young ones of mammals like cats, dogs, etc need milk only for a certain period before they wean off.

Our bodies just weren’t made to digest milk on a regular basis. Humans are the only species who drink the milk of another species well into adulthood.

Lactose intolerance can cause stomach pain and bloating, diarrhoea, muscle and joint pain, cramps, at times constipation, headaches, acne, rash and eczema. The symptoms vary from person to person and I was experiencing a few of these.

Thus, the more I researched on the topic, the more I realized that dairy is not benefical for me and thus, the process of eliminating dairy from my diet began.

It was a tough but much needed decision.

If you too are facing some of the above mentioned issues, it’s time to try and eliminate dairy from my diet.

Now, like most of us, dairy was an important part of my life too. Especially when it came to having my Chai. Through all my college days, my crazy job changes and hectic work schedules, some where tea and coffee became a much needed part of my life. It was hard to imagine my life without my Chai with milk or Coffee with milk.

So, I did a lot of research and experimented with recipes and came up with my own substitution for milk in my daily chai and coffee cups. Also, I cut down and limited my intake of these two most loved beverages. (My husband would disagree though. He still considers me a big time chai addict. Which I cannot deny 😀 )

Once I replaced the milk part, I was ready to cut out dairy from my diet. I was never really a big fan of too much cheese, nor did I like butter or ghee in my diet. Replacing milk was my single-most and biggest challenge.

I decided to observe whether I was feeling any different after eliminating dairy from my diet.

I noticed the following changes in 3-4 days of no dairy consumption-

1. No more stomach bloat
2. Improved digestion
3. No sluggishness. Felt fresh and more active throughout the day
4. No more leg cramps (which I never thought I was having due to dairy. Leg cramps reduced by 90%)
5. Mental alertness level increased.
6. Felt light from within.
7. Made my skin clearer and better.

Overall, cutting dairy out completely from my diet, boosted my confidence, helped solve my digestion issues.

If you are someone who has been facing the issues I did, do try to cut down your dairy intake and observe if you feel a difference. Of course, do take advice from your doctor or nutritionist if you aren’t sure.

You can replace your normal milk in beverages with oat milk, coconut milk and soy milk. If feel coconut milk works best with coffee and soy milk and coconut milk both go well with Chai or regular English Tea.

You can opt for no- dairy cheese instead of the normal one. Lots of options available to replace your dairy cravings. You can do your own research and see what’s available in your locality.

If you are worried about losing your calcium intake, I understan. You can always replace the source of your calcium. Did you know seasame seeds, kale. amaranth, etc have high levels of calcium?

1 glass of milk will give you 250 mg of calcium whereas just 3 tablespoons of seasame seeds integrated into your food will give you 265 mg of calcium.

There are tonnes of articles out there, where you can find lots of nom-dairy calcium sources. So worry not!

Also, it cannot be ignored that the dairy industry is cruel to animals as well. Just for that one glass of milk, a cow gets torturted. A glass of milk that you do not need anyway. A glass of milk which is probably adulterated with chemicals and contains harmful hormones injected in the cows body to make her lactate. All of this is not good for your body or the cow’s.

Thus, I would encourage all of you who read this to try and elimate dairy.

Remember, dairy is not really a necessity for good health. I encourage you to go dairy-free and see what it happens.

I’d also like to hear from all of you …

Do you agree or disagree that dairy is bad for you?

Have you faced any issues while consuming dairy?

What changes – for better or worse, have you experienced if you’ve tried eliminating dairy?

Would you like to go dairy-free for a month just as an experiment and see what it does to your body? I strongly encourage you to do that. However, no where am I suggesting that you stop consuming other healthy food groups that have been a part of your diet.

Also, if you are like me and love your coffee- Do read this quick and simple No-Dairy Coffee.

Plum Cake Recipe – Vegan, Gluten-Free & Healthy

The more I bake new things, the more I realize how much of an art it is. Baking requires absolute patience and of course, passion to stay dedicated.

I have a major interest in healthy baking and making healthy desserts, since the subject intrigues me and I am constantly looking for ways to live more consciously and be aware of the food choices I make.

That way we can eat all the yummy dessert 😀 without feeling guilty about our choices.

Hence, today I am presenting to you a recipe of mine which is a “healthy” cake.

This cake is gluten free and vegan. (you can substitute vegan milk with dairy milk if you are a vegetarian)

It has the goodness of plums. I decided to make the plums since I had a couple of fresh plums at hand and also because I remembered the plum cakes I used to love as a child 😀

The only sugar the cake has, is the one which I have sprinkled on top of the cake for aesthetic purposes and it’s not mandatory for you to do the same.

Other than that, this cake is quite a healthy dessert, with lots of goodness in it.

So what are you waiting for, go ahead, read the recipe and let us know when you try it!

Ingredients

1. 2 cups oat flour (Powder and grind rolled oats or any other type of oats you have)
2. 4 Fresh plums
3. jaggery 2 tablespoons (You can use maple syrup or agave if you don’t have jaggery or haven’t used it)
4. Vanilla essence 2 teaspoons
5. Baking soda 1-2 teaspoons
6. Vinegar 2 teaspoons
7. Soya milk (Or any other milk of your choice) half cup
8. Water 1/4 cup.
9. Vegan butter/ normal butter depending on whether you are vegan or vegetarian 1 and half to 2 tbsps
10. 3 tablespoons coconut oil.
11. Optional but will enhance flavor- Orange zest/ Lemon zest. (2 tablespoons)

You can use powdered sugar 1 tablespoon, to sprinkle on top like I have.

Procedure:

1. Mix the oat flour, milk, vanilla essence, and water together. The batter should not be very thick. It should be runny but not very watery. Adjust quantity of milk if required, to get the right consistency.
2. Add the butter and oil, both. Melt and add butter if butter is too hard after you remove it from the refrigerator.
3. Add the jaggery to it. You can either chop the jaggery or grind it finely or melt it.
4. Chop the plums into whatever shape and size you want. I wanted big pieces so didn’t chop them too fine.
5. Add the plums to the batter and mix the batter well.
6. Lastly, add the baking soda and vinegar. Mix the batter in one direction only now.
7. Let the batter sit for sometime till you see bubbles forming.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F)
9. In the meantime, pour your batter into a greased cake pan of your choice.
10. Don’t forget to grease your cake pan with either oil or butter. You can use greased foil/ paper as well to not let your cake stick to your pan.
11. Once the oven has been preheated, place your cake pan in the oven.
12. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 mins at 180°C (356°F).
13. After 30 mins pass by, keep checking your cake. Use a toothpick to test whether your cake is done or not.
14. Once the cake is done, it will not stick to your toothpick.
15. Maximum time it should take is 45 mins, but it depends on what type of oven you have, since every oven is different and baking time may slightly vary. So keep a watch.

That’s it, your fresh plum cake is ready!!

Remove your cake from the pan and allow it to cool. Place it on a plate or cooling rack. Once your cake has cooled, you can refrigerate it.

You can top your cake with powdered sugar once it is done, just to add a little bit of effect of a nice plum cake. Do it only when it has cooled completely, since the sugar will melt if you immediately put it on top of the cake.

That’s it!! Your healthy, yummy, gluten-free cake is ready to be served and eaten. As you can see, there is hardly any added sweetness to this cake, except for the sugar we topped it with.

Hence, it makes for a healthy, guilt free dessert or meal and can be easily made any time, to satisfy your sweet tooth.

It’s a win win recipe for health freaks and dessert lovers.

Do try this recipe and let us know if you like it.

Until the next post,

Dream, Imagine, Be Crazy, Be You.

Pizza Toast- Simple cooking.

So it’s festive time! I hope you all are enjoying the recipes shared this month. My favorite month of the year. All festive and hopeful about the coming year. Today I am going to share my all time favorite recipe- The Pizza Toast.

This recipe is a quick fix for all your pizza cravings. My mother used to make it when I was a kid and I do make it occasionally now as well.

It’s fun and all pizza-ey. Makes for a great treat either as a snack or a full course for lunch or dinner. Makes for a great meal when you have guests coming over or don’t know what to make but want something lip-smacking.

Best part is you get the taste of melt in your mouth pizza, without a lot of effort. It’s a good recipe for your health, since it does not feel very heavy post the meal and of course it’s better for your wallet as well 😛

It can be modified with toppings of your choice. It’s vegetarian but can be made vegan too. 🙂

So here goes.

Recipe for Pizza Toast.

Ingredients.

1. Wholewheat bread (or white bread or any bread of your choice)
2. Pasta sauce (you can use tomato ketchup if you don’t have pasta sauce)
3. 1 chopped capsicum
4. 2 small chopped onions
5. 1 chopped tomato
6. Cheese. (any cheese of your choice) For my vegan friends- Use any non-dairy cheese of your choice.
7. Oregano mix
8. Black pepper powder
9. Salt to taste.
10. ajwain (carom seeds)- optional.
11. Frozen corn – optional.

Procedure.

1. Spread the pasta sauce over your bread slices.

2. Add the chopped capsicum, onion, and tomatoes.

3. Add the cheese. Make sure you shred it or break it into small pieces.

4. Sprinkle salt, oregano, pepper and carom seeds on top. That’s it. Your Pizza Toast is all assembled.

5. Pre-heat the oven at 170°C. Bake in the oven for 6 mins at 170°C. Once the cheese melts, your dish is ready. So keep a lookout whether the cheese is melting or not.

6. If you don’t have an oven, you can prepare using a pan. Heat the cooking pan on full flame for 5 mins, place the bread slices. Now turn down the heat to somewhere between medium to low flame. Cover your pizza toast with a lid on top of the pan. Keep checking in between. Once the cheese has melted, your dish is all set to be served.

7. That’s it, you are done. your Pizza Toast is ready!! cheesy and all pizza-ey!

Pizza toast is ready!

This recipe is a great quick fix for pizza and a treat for your taste buds too. So go ahead and enjoy this absolutely heavenly and yummy Pizza toast with your family and friends.

Yummy pizza toast

Stay tuned for the next recipe coming up on the blog.