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pragya bhatt yoga

Travels

A Day Trip to Kaivalyadham

September 2, 2017
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Swamy Kuvalyananda and his disciples.

A couple of days ago I decided to visit Kaivalyadham.  I first heard about the institute when I started to explore yoga courses.  This was many years ago and at the time Kaivalyadham seemed inaccessible.  I read that it was one of the oldest yoga schools in the world.  They’ve done a lot of research on Yoga, Ayurveda, Naturopathy etc. and have helped people world wide manage and treat ailments and illnesses.  I read up on Swamy Kuvalyananda.  References to him came up in ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’ and a few commentaries in the first volume of the Yogamala Ashtadala.  It was fitting then that I got in touch with an old friend of mine from Bangalore who happened to be in her last week of internship there and invited me over to see her campus.  Things fell in place – I had a day off, was only about 60 km away from Lonavala and the weather was beautiful.

The last 34 aphorisms of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras are grouped under a chapter called the Kaivalya Pada (pada = chapter/part).  Here Patanjali describes the many ways in which the practitioner can attain the state of Kaivalya.  Kaivalya is the state wherein the practitioner is emancipated from the cycles of birth and rebirth.  It is an indivisible absolute state of aloneness.  ‘Kaivalyadham’ then means the place of Kaivalya.

The drive from Pune to Kaivalyadham is amazing.  Mist covered the hills and trees and I couldn’t take my eyes off the scenery.  Sadly I forgot to take pictures.  By the time we reached Kaivalyadham it was pouring cats and dogs and we had to wade through deep puddles to reach the main building.

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It’s always great to meet old friends.  We strolled around the campus as we talked.  Mamata took us to the gowshala where she spends a lot of time.  Kaivalyadham has a large Ayurvedic hospital and I even managed to get a quick consultation!  Like most residential yoga institutes, Kaivalyadham serves only sattvic food and we loved the lunch there.

They also teach cleansing kriyas as a part of their courses.  I was delighted to finally find clay neti pots in their gift shop and picked up a few for my friends as well.  Bangalore friends – now you know what I’m bringing back for you.

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RIMYI Experiences

RIMYI – The Story So Far

August 15, 2017

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My third week here in Pune has begun and I think I can finally get my thoughts together to put into a blog.  They’ve given us a day off and I thought a mid-week break is a great time to do some laundry, catch up on sleep and write this blog entry.

First things first: to my surprise and delight I have been put into the Intermediate 2 classes, which is a level above what I was in last year.  And for this reason I think I’m finding everything a bit overwhelming.  Or at least I have been so far, perhaps this week will be better..

POMELO_20170814212044_saveI’m staying at the same place I stayed in last time.  For some reason, ever since I got here, I’ve been unable to get a restful sleep.  When you spend a lot of time upside down during the day, you just feel like crawling into bed.  There have been times when I felt like I should sleep during the day, but strangely, I wouldn’t be able to!  Then one day while walking home after a super long self-practice session, I realized what was happening.  The backbends that I have been practicing daily are the culprits.  I’ve observed that whenever I practice backbends, I am an emotional wreck for a while.  It’s not something that I can distract myself from with inane stuff on Netflix.  It’s a bit more serious.  And it happens to a lot of other people as well.  When you bend backward, your emotional centre is exposed and open.  Sometimes this causes the flood gates to open.  You remember insignificant things and start to feel bad about them.  Or events that you thought you’d already dealt with come to the fore and you realise that things aren’t ok.  It’s a barrage of emotion that erupt and possess you and bring you to tears.  But if it’s an emotional detox, then it’s probably good to get this stuff out of your system to clean up your space.  So despite the fact that I absolutely dread backbends, I keep pushing through.  I figure that once I’m done purging all this emotion I’ll be able to sleep better.  At least I hope so.  Time will tell.

What I like about the classes I’m taking this year is that we are being taught to look at asanas from a higher vantage point.  Instead of the technicalities of asanas, we are being guided on the syntax and semantics of our approach to yoga.  I feel this helps in consolidating asana practice with the other limbs of yoga.  And since I’m making it a point to spend some time at the library, I’m able to focus on the subject as a whole, instead of just the asana bit of it.

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I’m always reading something yoga related.  Personal accounts of yoga journeys are my favorites.  I had been meaning to read Elizabeth Kadetsky’s ‘First There is a Mountain’ every since I saw it on Amazon.  I found it in the RIMYI library.  Although the book is a bit long-winded, I feel a lot of students who are on a quest for ‘something more’ will find this book insightful.  Now that I’m done with this one, I’ve started reading the first volume of ‘Astadala Yogamala’ which is comprehensive collection of BKS Iyengar’s speeches and articles through his entire career.  To read him in his own words is to maybe come a little bit closer to the mind of the genius.

 

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Mr. Iyengar’s own copy!  Very exciting!!!

 

 

RIMYI Experiences

The Use of Props

July 28, 2017

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Blocks and belts have become a permanent fixture in most yoga classes.  If you are into this practice for the long term it might be helpful to invest in a few props right now.  For me props are indispensable and I use them daily.  Some I use more than others.

Mat – There are many different kinds of mats I use depending on what I’m practicing.  I have a thick mat for when I need to practice the Halasana or any other pose where I feel I need some cushioning.

Most Iyengar teachers call your regular yoga mat the ‘sticky mat’.  I own two sticky mats and I’ve had them forever.  One stays in my car and the other one I use for my personal practice.  And I’ve had these mats for over 5 years now.  I think the best thing to do for your yoga mat is to wash it regularly and hang it out to dry.  The stickiness somehow gets replenished and they are as good as new. Someone gave me this tip during my teacher’s training and I’ve recommended this to others.  I haven’t heard any complaints from anyone (yet).

Floor – I think it was in a Manouso Manos workshop that I heard that the floor is your first prop.  It gives you a solid foundation.  It stays strong during your standing, seated, prone or inverted asanas.  A clean, uncluttered surface looks inviting.  In my teacher’s class it’s a clay floor.  When it’s really hot I sometimes practice on the cool bare floor.  In my house I get the floor cleaned every day so that I have a fresh palette to play on daily.

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Wall – I started practicing the Adhomukha Vrikshasana in Pune last year.  I continued to practice it at home and have steadily moved away from the wall.  When it comes to some asanas – like handstand or the headstand – you need to determine when you are ready to move away from the wall.  In this way, the wall helps you in exploring yourself and taking risks, but at the same time staying available for you always, should you need it.

Blocks – My first blocks were foam ones that I got as part of a ‘yoga set’.  Foam blocks work well when you’re just using them for minimal support.  However, when I’m working on chest opening or the Setubandhasana, I prefer the sturdier wooden variety.

Chair – during my last retreat I shared a personal story about the Viprita Dandasana.  Basically, I would have a horrible reaction to this pose.  I would feel queasy, my heart would start racing and I would start sweating profusely in only 20 seconds.  When I went to RIMYI last year the dreaded asanas was part of a the women’s only class.  I resigned myself to 2 minutes of queasiness.  But I was pleasantly surprised.  The way Gulnaz explained the asana was so clear and concise and it opened up the asana for me.  It was one of my biggest takeaways from my time there last year.  An asana (or a problem) can seem unsurmountable until someone guides you correctly.

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Blanket – When I think of blankets I think of softness.  I use my blanket under me when I do forward folds.

Ropes – I use these daily.  Because I do traction for my back daily.  Because you should do traction for your back daily.  Because everyone should do traction for their back daily.

Belt – I use belts mainly when I need to work on shoulder opening in various asanas.  In fact, watch this video  illustrating an easy shoulder opening trick using the belt.  Also, as most of my students know, I almost always use belts in the final relaxation.

Props ALWAYS enhance your practice.  I know a lot of people think that they don’t ‘need’ props.  I used to think so too, but I now feel that if you utilise your props well then you uncover nuances of the asanas that you wouldn’t otherwise.

Leave me a question if you have one!

 

 

Travels

Resetting

July 15, 2017

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The last few months have seen me travelling almost every two weeks.  Last weekend I hoped on a bus to Auroville.  I was hoping to  work on my book as well as take a break from my routine (which has become increasingly hectic).   I’ve been to Pondicherry twice before and each time I’ve done the usual tourist trail.  Tax free liquor and lots of leather.  Also handmade soap and pretty incense.  Can never resist some of that incense….

 

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Long bus ride.  Waiting to be picked up.

 

Pondicherry has long been known for it’s French architecture and quaint cafes.  Usually you base yourself in Pondicherry and then take a day trip to Auroville to get as close as possible to the Matri Mandir.  You shop in the boutiques at the Visitor’s Center and go back to your hotel in Pondi feeling very excited with your exotic purchases.  This is how my last two visits to Pondicherry have been, with the exception that last time I took a tour of a few temples and the paper making factory.  You can register for this tour at the government run tourist info center located right on the beach.

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This time I wanted to go off the tourist trail a little bit.  We got lucky because my friend Joel (an Aurovillian) booked us into a heavenly guest house.  Joel, incidentally, is an amazing photographer.  For those of you who follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you may already have seen a lot of the work the two of us have done together.  If you’re looking to get a few shots taken you should contact him.  He does really unique and artful stuff.  You can check out some of it here.

 

InstaFit_1499937145Our days in Auroville were filled with cycling to the beach, eating at Bread and Chocolate (highly recommended) and lots and of pool time.  We submerged ourselves in the pool every chance we got.  I particularly loved the Krishna statue perched on one side of the pool.  After seeing my pictures of the guest house a lot of people have asked me about it.  Here’s your link to the Sharnga Guest House.

And we can finally surf folks!  While in Bali earlier this year I looked wistfully at InstaFit_1499937303everyone enjoying the sun and waves and thought…one day.  Little did I know that the day would come so soon.  If you’re in Auroville I highly recommend going to the Kallialay Surf School and book a surfing lesson.  The instructors are professional and experienced.  Our instructor Eddy was amazing.  He broke down the lesson into simple and easy to understand modules.  This ensured that we eased our way into the ocean and handled the waves well.  His instructions and manner is so clear and concise that I would recommend him to even those who don’t know how to swim.  You can surf even if you don’t know how to swim!

And as always, my favorite part of my time in Auroville was connecting to nature.  Whether it was the pool, surfing the waves or eating simple organic food at the various kitchens – I felt we were always connected to nature and the earth.  This helps in resetting your system both mentally and emotionally.  I try and remain centred and focused through daily meditation, but some time living the ‘simple’ life allows me to revel in the feeling of wellness.  Luxury vacations with a huge group of friends to exotic destinations full of new sights and sounds is great.  But every once in a while it’s good to pare down to the basics and allow your mind and body to detox.

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@Bread&Chocolate. French-pressed, consciously sourced coffee with coconut milk.

Yoga

A Note on Teachers

July 11, 2017
I love this stotra about the importance of teachers.

I love this stotra about the importance of teachers.

Admittedly when I started yoga I had a healthy mistrust of the entire ‘guru’ culture.  I associated it with blind faith, pointless rituals and baseless beliefs.  This perception influenced me for a very long time.

It took me years to find my teacher.  Even when I found him I actively made it a point to reiterate, “He’s my teacher, not my guru.”  Today I don’t even know what that meaIMG_20161218_143346ns!

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Yoga

Hybrid Yoga

June 29, 2017

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Yoga teachers are frequently asked about their journey.  What drew us to yoga?  When and how did we know.  Much like their personalities, every teacher’s journey to teaching is also unique.

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The Urdhvadhanurasana has come a long way…

The more time I spent practicing yoga, the more I felt there wasn’t enough time!  I registered for a yoga teachers’ training course and started thinking realistically about the profession.  I knew that I was teaching to become a better student, and not the other way around.

Over the years, as demand for my teaching grew, I realized that I was constrained by IMG-20160731-WA0044time and geography.  There are many who express an interest in my classes, but are unable to travel from, say, Bannerghatta Road.  Just making YouTube videos, or creating a generic module wouldn’t work.  Live interaction is essential when it comes to movement-based practices.

The idea for the ‘The Yoga Practice‘, came to me while discussing ‘what more’ with a student during a break in class.  Why not create a hybrid module of customized videos and face to face interaction.  All students will get videos customized for them, and they will be able to practice yoga at their convenience AND in the comfort of their own homes.  Plus, once a week we schedule a catch up call where I observe students’ asanas, answer questions, clarify doubts and plan the next week.  Below is an example of a video we shot for a student.  It’s one of the prettiest videos we’ve done and I watch it all the time.

 

So, if you or someone you know wants to incorporate yoga into their lives but dIMG_20170610_172540_411on’t have access to a good teacher, or has time constraints, then you might want to take a look at this module.  It’s helped many people steadily improve their health and increase their wellness quotient.  Leave us a query on the blog with any questions you have.

Keep an eye out for the video about this module.  If you haven’t subscribed to the YouTube channel yet, do so asap!!!

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Yoga

We’re Working Hard And…

June 18, 2017

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“The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new,” -Socrates.

The last couple of months have been crazy busy for me.  I’ve been meaning to do this post for many many weeks now, but was only able to get to it today.  I’ve been teaching my regular classes, have a couple of retreats and workshops under my belt, have designed new classes and modules (including The Yoga Practice, which I’m so incredibly excited about) and have found time to travel as well!

The year is far from over, and I have my annual trip (study retreat?) to Pune coming up in August and September.  We’re also working on refining The Yoga Practice and getting the word out there as much as we can about it.  My practice is going well, and I see improvement in my students almost daily!  The first half of this year has been very rewarding.

I’ve also been working on consolidating everything I do under one platform.  As my practice gets more focused, so does my vision for ‘Yoga With Pragya’.  At the beginning of this year I had an idea of where I was headed and over the past couple of months the vision has became clearer.  Our new website is a step towards a more organised initiative.  As my practice deepens, my teaching becomes more refined and I’m getting very creative with how I can help people across the board.

We’re building something useful, helpful and, most of all, accessible to all those who are interested in yoga, holistic health and a wholesome lifestyle.  Most of you have been following this blog for many years.  I hope you will stay with me as I grow, expand and evolve further.  Subscribe to our new blog here: http://yogawithpragya.in/blog/.  While you’re there, please browse the site and leave us constructive feedback.  We’re really excited about the great things we have in store for you.  Please share with all your friends and subscribe to our other platforms as well (Facebook, YouTube & Instagram).

 

 

 

Yoga

Hello Wonderful World!

June 13, 2017

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“And suddenly you know…It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings.”

Life is continuously changing, evolving and growing.  And if you’re a yoga practitioner who is also an entrepreneur then change truly is the only constant.  To be honest, I’m not very comfortable with the term ‘entrepreneur’ because I see myself only as a practitioner and a teacher.  I don’t consider myself a part of the energetic and pulsating Bangalore start-up/entrepreneur scene.  Teaching yoga came organically to me, as it has to many who decided to make it their life’s work…but who also have to pay the rent.  The philosophy and practice of yoga is ancient, mystical and vast.  I would need lifetimes of study before I can bring in innovation which can be turned into a business opportunity.  However, I do realize that I have been able to make a significant contribution to the lives of many individuals who have trusted me and have had faith in me to guide them through their own journeys towards holistic health.

In our closely connected world,  it was inevitable that word about my work would get out and many people separated geographically from me would evince an interest in working with me to give direction to their practice.  With that came the conceptualization and later the implementation of The Yoga Practice.  The process unfolded at its own pace.  Today this online module is a combination of what my students need and the best way for me to provide it to them.

Seeing my work and perhaps identifying with it, an old friend decided to come on board and help me structure and organize my work.  Once I recognized the need and accepted the help, the floodgates opened.  Mentors appeared with helpful guidance, supporters came in droves, constructive advice started pouring in…and the result is greater clarity and sharper focus.

For many years I have been designing and leading workshops and retreats, conducting group and private classes, helping people far away through online sessions, making videos etc…and now we are organizing all of these under one roof so that the message has more impact.  Most importantly, our work is accessible to everyone everywhere who wants to improve their quality of life.

This website is all of my work under one roof.  Here you can read my blogs, access my YouTube videos, take a look at my upcoming classes & events, see what others are saying about my work and even send me a few lines!  As we get busy planning our activities for the rest of the year, we hope you will subscribe to our blog and share it with your friends too.

I sincerely hope our work adds meaning to your life.

Yoga

Improve Your Digestion

February 12, 2017

img-20170201-wa0002.jpgA few days ago I mentioned in one of my updates that you may eat the best food that you can possibly find, but if your body doesn’t assimilate all the nutrients then eating healthy food is an exercise in futility.  To the right are 6 poses which are beneficial in stimulating and massaging the digestive system and maintaining its good health.  However, remember, as always, that yoga poses can’t be practiced in isolation.  For the practice of yoga to work for you, you must incorporate these asanas in a regular yoga practice.

Below are a few important points to remember when performing these asanas.

 

Setubanasana – The Bridge Pose

  • Elbows must be right under the wrists.
  • Back of the neck should be long on the floor.
  • Fingers should be touching while the thumbs are facing away from the body.
  • Knees should be above your ankles.
  • Thighs should be parallel.
  • Squeeze your glutes and lift from the hips.
  • Don’t rest your weight on your hands.

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Bhujangasana – Cobra Pose

  • Keep the neck long.
  • Keep the shoulders pushed back.
  • Push the chest forward and up.
  • Lengthen the spine and stretch the abdomen.
  • Tighten the glutes and the groin.
  • Shoulders and wrists should be in one line, arms perpendicular to the floor.
  • Feet not more than hip width apart.

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Dhanurasana – The Bow Pose

  • Neck should be long.
  • Shoulders should pushed back and chest should be open.
  • Keep your glutes and groin tight.
  • Push the legs away from the torso, which will also pull the arms back.

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Marichyasana – Lord Marichi’s Pose

  • Keep good engagement between the elbow and the knee.  Do this by pushing the elbow out and the knee in, creating a kind of tension.
  • Keep your backbone long.
  • Keep both buttocks on the floor.
  • Keep the straight leg active with the heel pointing out and the toes pointing straight up.
  • Rotate the neck and keep the chest open.

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Vajrasana – The Thunderbolt Pose

  • Keep your back erect.

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Pawanmuktasana – Wind Releasing Pose

  • Keep the back relaxed and be aware of the spine lengthening across the floor.

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Yoga

Delicious Yet Nutritious

November 20, 2016

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I get a lot of queries about diet and food.  Since holistic health is largely about diet and exercise, I make it a point to attend as many sessions as I can to gain insight into different food trends and beliefs.  Your diet, like your style of clothing, has to be something that you are comfortable with and that works for you.  Food trends that may work for others may not be suitable for your body chemistry.  A diet which is convenient for others may not be convenient for you at all.  For this reason, I feel we should all be very mindful about our diets, and also willing to experiment.  Beliefs that we’ve been holding on to for years may not hold good for us.  Alternatively, things that we think are not true and ‘don’t work’ may actually show results!

Growing up around the world at a time when Indian food wasn’t easily accessible ensuredimg-20161114-wa0000.jpg that I’m a simple and unfussy eater.  I did have my quirks (like all kids).  For instance, for some reason I couldn’t stand tomatoes in any sabjis and dals and would always fish them out of my food!  However, living all over the world ensured great gastronomical delights such as candy apples in the famous carnivals of Brazil, khubz and fasulia in the by lanes of Yemen and mishti doi in the mangroves of Bangaldesh knowns as the Shundarbans.  Food is a big part of culture and to this day I enjoy sampling local flavors and cuisine.

Rekha Diwekar is a proponent of local food.  Her talk was aptly titled ‘Delicious Yet Nutritious’.  She wanted to dispel the myth that food has to be tasteless and bland in order to be nutritious. Her contention is that it is possible to remain fit and healthy by eating clean and local produce.

Below are some points from her talk:

  1. Your food is responsible for producing the digestive enzymes that will extract the nutrients that you body can use.  The process of digestion starts from the moment 20161115_122609.jpgyou see and smell the food and start to salivate  in anticipation of the delicious food.  Tasteless food creates no enzymes and therefore digestion doesn’t happen optimally.
  2. The process of aging occurs when the number of cells that are regenerated and renewed in your body are less than that number of cells that die.  This process starts at the age of 25.  In other words, you start to age at 25.
  3. We eat food, food eats us too.  Any food that doesn’t nourish you is eating you up from the inside.
  4. One of the main factors you need to keep in mind when choosing is the food miles.  The more local your food, the less it has travelled with artificial preservatives to  keep it fresh for longer.
  5. The food you choose should be traditional and seasonal.
  6. The best way to decided whether you should eat a particular food is to ask yourself two questions about the food: Can I eat this food repeatedly for 15 days.  For instance, panipuri is tasty and it makes you salivate, but in all honesty, can you eat it for 15 days straight with the same zeal and gusto?  Probably not.  The next question to ask your self is whether you feel light and energetic.  If you feel heavy and sleepy post lunch, it would be a good idea to analyse what you are consuming for lunch.  According to Rekha Diwekar, just like some clothes look better on the mannequin, some foods look better in the shop and should stay in the shop and not in our tummies.
  7. Rice is a superfood.  It is a popular myth that diabetics shouldn’t have rice because of the sugar content.  The sugar found in rice is different from actual white sugar.  Plain and simple sugars like glucose and cane sugar have a chemical formula.  They go into your system and react.  Rice has no chemical formula, so what happens to it once it enters your system is different from what happens when you eat sugar.  Rice is an anti allergen so its great for gluten intolerant people.  Also, rice contains Lysine which is the precursor to the Human Growth Hormone (HGH).  The reason you start to age at 25 is because the  HGH production decreases.
  8. Eating rice at night is a great option because rice is easily digested and you end uppomelo_20161115102745_save.jpg feeling light and fresh in the morning.  Although rice has a high GI (glycemic index), when mixed with something (such as curd or dal) the GI becomes low and rice becomes a superfood.  Single polished rice is recommended.
  9. The vitamin deficiencies that have become omnipresent now can be linked to the absence of healthy fats in our current diets.  Vitamins A D E and K are fat soluble.  So you need good quality fats to dissolve them.  Good fats are composed of SCFA – Short Chain Fatty Acids.  When we sit in the sun hoping to combat our Vit D deficiency, we need to also understand that the process of conversion from D2 to D3 will only happen in the presence of good fats.  Ghee is a good fat.  Traditionally we make gajar ka halwa during the winters.  When made with ghee, this combination contains good fats and Vit A.  Also, traditionally women are asked to eat a lot of ‘fattening’ food when they are pregnant.  This usually consists of ghee laden ladoos and panjiri.  During pregnancy your Thyroid has to work overtime and the healthy fats from these goodies ensure that your Vit D levels stay normal.
  10. Another source of good fat is coconut.  Coconuts contain MCFA – Medium Chain Fatty Acids and MCTs – Medium Chain Triglycerides.  Both these are responsible for your physical stamina and mental peace.  Coconut water helps in treating vaginal infections and muscle cramps as well.
  11. Many people I know (and I have to admit I’m guilty of this too) don’t have the coconut chutney with their idlis and dosas.  But the combination of the idli/dosa and chutney is optimal.
  12. Avoid LCFA – Low Chain Fatty Acids.T hese are found in biscuits, fried street food, bakery products and cakes.
  13. When cooking with oil, just use the oil once.  At high temperatures oil becomes rancid and not nutritious for you.
  14. Have local filtered oils.  In the south these would include peanut and coconut oils and in the north this would be mustard oil.  Seed oils are the best oils.
  15. When it comes to Indian food, you will get the most of the nutrients only by following combinations should be followed:
    • cereal + pulses (eg. dal chawal)
    • cereal + milk products (eg. kheer, curd rice)
    • milk + pulses (eg. kadi chawal)
  16. Another food label that we should become aware of is GRAS – Generally Regarded as Safe.  A lot of processed foods contain this label and it is misleading.
  17. The food plan for a typical day would be:
    • Wake up and drink water.
    • Have some fruits/dry fruits.
    • Tea
    • Breakfast
    • Mid morning snack: Fruit/Coconut/Sherbet
    • Lunch
    • Mid afternoon snack: Fruit
    • Another snack
    • Light dinner
  18. Eating a food for a particular nutrient (fiber, protein etc.) is impossible.  Food and our bodies have a complex chemistry and it is impossible to reduce the process of digestion and assimilation to a single nutrient found in a particular food.
  19. For those who are allergic to gluten, millets are a great idea.  Gluten is a non nutrient, so it is OK to eliminate it from your diet.  However, elimination of any food groups should only happen if you are allergic to that particular food.
  20. Sources of good fat: coconuts, nuts, filtered oils, and homemade butter.
  21. All sources of fructose have low GI.  So all fruits have low GI and are easy to metabolise by your body.
  22. Too much fibre isn’t good for you.
  23. Many of us rue our hunger.  However, hunger is a sign of youth.  A growing body feels hungry.  So revel in your hunger because it shows you that you are young and healthy.

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