Dr.Priyam Ahuja is an anti obesity expert, a passionate diet and health consultant. She is practicing dietician and founder of ‘Diet of a Dietician’ TM, having extensive experience in nutrition counseling in fitness center, hospitals, community and sports professionals.

Priyam deals with obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, Heart diseases, stroke, forgetfulness, thyroid, PCOD, post pregnancy weight gain, eating disorders and lifestyle modifications.

Priyam answered Sify readers’ queries related to the above in an exclusive chat. Read the transcript below.

I m over all slim but i have a bulged out belly. kindly advice how to get rid of it?

Healthy Diet along with Yoga and Massage helps in enhancing the circulation and toning up your body. Have good fibres , protein and fluids in your diet.

(more…)

The number of elderly people and nowadays young people developing heart failure is increasing. Before we look at what leads to heart failure, it’s necessary for us to understand what exactly heart failure is. The general notion is heart failure means that the heart has stopped working or will eventually stop working.

Heart failure is a condition in which a weakened heart is unable to pump the normal amount of blood carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Heart failure cannot be termed as a disease but is a chronic syndrome that generally develops slowly.

If the heart failure is mild, it may not significantly affect a person’s lifestyle and day-to-day living. On the other hand, severe heart failure can affect a person’s every move and can be fatal. Thus the severity can range from a very mild heart failure to a severe heart failure.

(more…)

Nutrition and Dietetics expert, Parvathy Radhakrishnan answers readers’ questions on nutrition. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Wednesday.

This week’s answers:

MY AGE IS 56+ MALE. I WAS DIAGNOSED ABOUT 14 YRS BACK SUGAR LEVEL OF 314 PP. OVER APERIOD OF TIME MY WT. HAS COME DOWN TO 74–75 KG. MY SUGAR LEVEL FASTING IS–116— PP–130—–145. I TAKE REGULAR MEDICINES LOKE GLIMY FORTE 2 AND GLIMY FORTE–I000MG, ECOSPRIN 75, REMIPRESS –5, CAPSULE–NURACT PLUS, ROSULIP F–5 AND CALICIUM CALCIA SACHE ONCE IN 15 DAYS. BUT I TAKE DIABETIC MEDICINE DAILY. MY LEGS AND MY BUTTOCKS BACK HAS SHRUNK ALOT. IS THER ANY NEGATIVE EFFECT OF THESE MEDICINES. MY ALL TESTS OF SUGAR, COLESTROL, URIC ACID LIPID, LFT ,RFT ECG ARE IN LIMITS. I WANT TO ADD ON SOME FAT ON MY BUTTOCKS AND LEGS. PL ADVISE BEC– IAM GETTING THINNER AND MY PANTS ARE LOOSE. PL ADVISE , GUIDE ME.
vinod
Vinod, you have not mentioned your height.So I am not able to say if your weight is normal or or if you are actually underweight. You can try strengthening exercises specific for buttocks and legs. If you need to increase weight then you need to eat more but then medications also may need to be increased accordingly.

(more…)

Dr Gowthaman, Medical Director, Dr Gowthaman’s Ayurveda Panchakarma Center, Chennai, answers readers’ questions on Ayurveda. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Tuesday.

This week’s answers:

I am 33 yrs old and underwent ayurvedic detox 2 months back. When I started detox I weighed 95 kgs but after completion of 60 days program, my weight reduced to 85 kgs and since then it is steady on this. I now do yoga everyday, eat home cooked food which is a mix of fruits, cereals, rice, rotis, sabzi, dal and in non-veg – eggs, fish, chicken. I am hypothyrodic and have PCOD as well. I was told that my liver is weak and so I now feel that inspite of following a healthy regime, I do not seem to be loosing weight. I need your guidance to make my lifestyle further healthier and how can I get my liver to work effectively and how can I effectively loose cholestrol.
Taruna

(more…)

Despite its bad reputation, beer actually has a number of natural antioxidants and vitamins that can help prevent heart disease and even rebuild muscle, a doctor has revealed.

Beer also has one of the highest energy contents of any food or drink, but one does need to set limits because one beer gets you going and four make you fat, Fox News reported.

There is no need to be worried about dehydration because beer is 93 percent water. Also, according to a Spanish study, beer may actually provide better hydration than water alone when you’re sweating it out under the sun.

Calorie-wise, one may be tempted to grab a light lager, but a dark beer is the better choice for health benefits.

Dark beers tend to have the most antioxidants, which help reverse cellular damage that occurs naturally in the body.

(more…)

An experienced clinical dietician, nutrition specialist and a Reebok Certified Fitness Consultant, Sheela Tanna has counselled at various health camps.

She deals with lifestyle disease management like diabetes, blood pressure, cardio vascular diseases, obesity, PCOD etc. Her special interests include child nutrition, menopause management, arthitis, hair and skin care.

Sheela answered Sify readers’ queries related to diet and nutrition in an exlusive chat. Read the transcript below

Why is Protien a vital element is our diet and from where do we get it ?
proten is building block of our body.. We need it on regular basis for wear and tear of tissues.. Natural diet like dals, pulses,lean meat has enough protein..No need to buy supplements.

(more…)

The body position of babies while they learn plays a critical role in their cognitive development, according to new research.

The research out of North Dakota State University, Fargo, and Texas A ‘n’ M revealed that for babies, sitting up, either by themselves or with assistance, plays a significant role in how infants learn.

The research was co-authored by Rebecca J. Woods, assistant professor of human development and family science and doctoral psychology lecturer at North Dakota State University, and by psychology professor Teresa Wilcox of Texas A and M.

The study’s results showed that babies’ ability to sit up unsupported has a profound effect on their ability to learn about objects. The research also found that when babies who cannot sit up alone are given posture support from infant seats that help them sit up, they learn as well as babies who can already sit alone.

(more…)

Nutrition and Dietetics expert, Parvathy Radhakrishnan answers readers’ questions on nutrition. Get your doubts cleared and see them featured on our FAQ page every Wednesday.

This week’s answers:

1. Hello Mam, I am Harish Shahi, My age is 25 and my height is 5 feet 9 inch and my weight si 80 KG. Mam I got heart attack two years back and I am taking medicines also. My doctor is saying to reduce weight. I am gaining weight progressively however I have reduced my diet 3-4 months back. Presently I take 250 GM milk with an apple in the breakfast some time poha I take.Then in the lunch I take 2-3 chapati with green vegetable and in the night I take 2-3 chapati.
I don’t use gee and any other oily things.
Mam Please suggest how to reduce weight.
Harish Shahi
Harish, please follow the diet given here

(more…)

General health checks do not reduce the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease or cancer, a new study has found.

(more…)

Tips to improve your diet

Keeping a balanced diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle – choosing enough of each of the different food groups will mean that you will look and feel better, and have more energy for day-to-day life.  We are not talking strict regimes; you can make your diet healthier with a few little changes. We’ve come up with 10 rules to follow that will improve your diet – without you even noticing.

Rule 1 – Always eat breakfast

(more…)