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health benefits

Yoga

‘Tis Sesame Season

January 7, 2014

Here in Jorhat it’s really really cold.  In Delhi it’s colder still.  While in Bangalore I got phone calls from my mother in law fretting about my health because in Bangalore I wasn’t consuming the sweet goodies that are a staple diet during the winter season in Delhi.  When a yoga friend from Hyderabad asked me about sesame seeds, I thought I’ll gather my thoughts together about this seed and how it benefits us.  Here are the top 5 reasons you should consume sesame seeds during the winter season:

  1. According the Ayurveda, sesame increases body heat.  Which is why it’s used in laddoos and gajak made during the winter season.  However, moderation is the key.  Since most of us haven’t had our doshas examined and determined by a practitioner of ayurveda, it’s best to be safe and moderate the quantity of sesame that you consume, rather than taking a dosage every day (I’m anti anything which seems like ‘medicine’).
  2. Sesame oil is great for hair.  Personally I’ve tried Baidyanath’s Bhringraj oil, and it makes your hair strong and silky.  And conditions it too.  Add to that the heating nature of the seed, and you’ll have a stimulating head massage.  It’s great for a skin massage as well.  A lot of people use it for babies as well!
  3. Another reason for consuming these seeds in moderation is the high fat content.  However, if consumed in moderation these seeds actually help in lowering bad cholesterol, thereby decreasing the chances of heart disease, stroke and heart issues.
  4. In India, a lot of goodies made for expectant mothers contain sesame seeds.  This is because the folic acid in these seeds ensures healthy foetus growth as well as good health for the mother.
  5. Last but not least, sesame seeds are great for bones and therefore prevent osteoporosis.

So, buy the goodies if you’re in the colder parts of India and eat them without guilt.  Add them to salads.  And of course, get the oil and enjoy some invigorating head massages with it.  In fact, since the oil is edible, drizzle it on salads or use it for cooking!

Namaste!

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Yoga

Why You MUST Have Yogurt

October 30, 2013

In my morning class we’ve started a Health Tip Tuesdays where a student brings in a health tip every Tuesday.  Yesterday’s health tip was about yogurt but I found out new stuff about yogurt and wanted to share it with everyone.  A few of these facts are comonly known, others are not so well known.

1,  Yogurt promotes healthy bones.  It is loaded with Calcium and Vitamin D.  Both are essential in maintaining healthy bones.  Calcium helps in maintaining bone density and this helps in preventing osteoporosis.

2.  Yogurt is easy to digest than milk.  So people who are lactose intolerant can benefit from all the nutrients of this milk-based product.

3.  It contains good bacteria.  It has live and active culture of probiotics.  These ‘bugs’ live in your intestinal tracts and help remove micro organisms that can cause intestinal damage.  Probiotics help regulate digestion and strengthens the immune system.

4.  Yogurt helps in lowering high blood pressure.  It’s not only rich in Calcium but also in Vitamin K.  Vitamin K helps in lowering high blood pressure because it helps in flushing out Sodium.

5.  Yogurt is good for skin.  It gives you a clear and smooth complexion.  The lactic acid in curd acts as an exfoliator and helps get rid of dead skin cells.

6.  Yogurt boosts immunity.  The presence of probiotics helps in stimulating white blood cells which fight infection.

7.  It reduces the occurence of yeast infections.

8.  It reduces gut health.  Yogurt helps in relieving gastrointestinal conditions like lactose intolerance, constipation, diarrheoa, and bowel disease.

9.  Yogurt helps to lose weight.  The Calcium in it helps the body in utlizing the stored fats.  The fat around the waist produces cortisol, a stress hormone which tells your body to accumulate more fat.  The Calcium tells your fat cells to pump out less cortisol making it easier to lose fat.

10.  Yogurt helps keep the cold away.  People who consume 4 ounces every day don’t catch a cold that often.  They have active T cells which hlep in fighting the infection.  People who suffer from allergies  have low levels of T cells.

11.  Curd helps in easing migraines.

12.  Curd prevents wrinkles.

13.  If applied on hair it helps in treating dandruff and is an excellent conditioner for hair.

However, not all yogurt is equal.  Next time you go shopping for your yogurt read the labels.  Some things to keep in mind:

1.  Fruit yogurt has less Calcium as compared to plain yogurt because the sugar and fruit make up most of it.

2.  Yogurt is a high protein food.  Traditional yogurt has 5 grams of protein.  Greek yogurt has 20 grams.  Go for a yogurt that provides at least 10 grams of protein per serving.   Also your yogurt should have at least 20% calcium.  It should containt 20% vit D.  Sugar should be 20 grams or less.  The fat content should be 3.5 grams or less.

 

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