Directing My Dreams

Category: Health Handbook

  • How a healthy diet helps in your child’s overall development #63PercentMoreProtein

    How a healthy diet helps in your child’s overall development #63PercentMoreProtein

    I have been on a roller coaster ride for a few months now with the hospitalisation of an elder from my home. The hectic schedule has affected everyone’s sleep routine and eating cycle. Mornings are usually the packing time for members going out and that includes my son too. Sometimes, he is accompanying his grandparents and sometimes, he’s at home but I am constantly juggling between places.

    My biggest concern is whether my child’s diet is being compromised. Though I try my level best to keep fruits at home, cook healthy snacks for his small cravings and provide home-cooked food, in the end, every day doesn’t go as planned.

    Importance of a healthy diet for my child’s overall development

    Some days, we order food from outside or we reach home late and our meal times are disturbed. Therefore, I tried to make a meal schedule for my son that provides him with a healthy diet for his overall development. Every child is different and therefore their nutrient consumption is too.

    Consider these nutrient-dense foods

    Protein

    Choose lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.

    Fruits

    Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh and seasonal fruits. Keep in mind that 1/4 cup of dried fruit counts as one serving of fruit.

    Vegetables

    Serve a variety of fresh and green vegetables. Include green and colourful vegetables daily

    Grains

    Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, oatmeal, quinoa, or brown or wild rice. I always add Chapati/roti to either one of my son’s meals; lunch or dinner.

    Dairy

    Encourage your child to eat and drink dairy products, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese. Thankfully, my son loves his milk with Complan. If you wonder why Complan then the first and foremost reason is that it’s always been there in my kitchen since my childhood.

    Secondly, Complan has 34 essential nutrients including 100% milk protein and also has 63% more protein than any other nutrition drink. It supports memory, and concentration and is clinically proven to support 2x faster growth.

    Nutrition impacts cognitive development (source)

    Nutrition significantly impacts cognitive development. A balanced intake of essential nutrients supports children’s brain function, memory, concentration, and overall cognitive abilities.

    Companion to a healthy diet

    I am relieved that along with a healthy diet, my son enjoys his glass of milk with Complan which supports his daily nutrition.

    Life is never the same so however hectic our schedules may be, we have decided to eat at least one meal of the day together, preferably dinner. Time spent together with good and nutritious food brings along many health benefits to both adults and children.

    Well, we are sorted at home and with our daily routine coming to normal soon, we are enjoying our meal times together. Eating together and listening to everyone’s stories are the best ways to promote healthy eating habits among your children.

    How do you provide a healthy diet to your children for their overall development?

    Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog post are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Complan.

  • How Does CGM Data Help People With Diabetes.

    How Does CGM Data Help People With Diabetes.

    Diabetes is a condition wherein the blood glucose levels are high. It develops when your pancreas don’t make enough insulin or any at all, or when your body isn’t responding to insulin properly. Diabetes can be managed, with right medications, food habits, exercising and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

    “Living with diabetes requires determination, and a positive attitude. – Jay Morton”

    Being a caregiver to a person with diabetes, I know the above quote is 100% true. To manage diabetes well, you need to be determined towards a disciplined lifestyle. From eating, exercising to monitoring glucose, everything is time bound and you need to follow a strict schedule.

    The most important part of your daily routine to manage diabetes is monitoring glucose levels and keeping a track of the readings. Trust me, this was a tiresome process until we switched to continuous glucose monitoring.

    In a recent FB event that I attended, it was mentioned that the best way to manage diabetes is to monitor diabetes regularly. And the event introduced me to CGM – Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices. CGM devices make monitoring glucose levels every few minutes possible and the best part is there is no finger pricking involved. CGM devices monitor your glucose levels at regular intervals and you can also use it to see the impact of different food items and exercises on your glucose level that help you plan a better food and exercise routine for a healthy living.

    With Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices, like Freestyle libre, you can check your glucose levels without any pain or prick, see trends, and accordingly adjust food intake and ensure that your glucose levels are in optimal range throughout the day.

    CGM systems track glucose levels through a sensor applied on back of your arm. The sensor measures your interstitial glucose level, which is the glucose found in the fluid between the cell.

    A glucose meter only provides your glucose level at a single moment in time whereas a CGM system gives you a greater view of your glucose trends. CGM can provide valuable information at different point of day and before and after any activity, medicine or even food items and help you know what impact your glucose levels and how.

    Regular glucose monitoring is the most important thing you can do to manage diabetes. You’ll be able to see what makes your numbers go up or down, such as eating different foods, taking your medicine, or being physically active.

    Understanding your Personal Glucose Levels
    FreeStyle Libre helps you understand your glucose level trends, shows you where glucose levels have been and where they are heading.

    Time In Range
    Time in range (TIR) is a measure of time your glucose levels you spend in the target glucose range. FreeStyle Libre automatically calculates the percentage of time you spend in, above and below the target range. Time In Range report helps you to see how food, activities and medications impact your glucose levels. It helps you in increasing your TIR and it will have a direct impact on reducing your HbA1c.
    The Freestyle libre TIR graph shows what percentage of time sensor reading is above, within range and below.

    Daily patterns
    With atleast five days of glucose data. FreeStyle Libre shows the variability of glucose levels overs hours and days in a graphical pattern.
    Low glucose events

    FreeStyle Libre also take a note of your low glucose events. A low glucose event is when your glucose levels are lower than 70mg/dL for longer than 15 minutes. And it is maintained in a graphical pattern on the device as well.

    Benefits of CGM Devices
    Convenient: It measures and stores your glucose readings automatically and gives you a clear picture of your glucose levels.

    Discreet: The quick one second scan is painless as you don’t need to prick your fingers again and can be read even through your clothing. The FreeStyle Libre Reader can capture data from within1cm to 4cm of the sensor.

    User Friendly: It stores your glucose level readings and shows how it changes in last 8 hours. You can keep a check on your glucose data and trends. To get a 24-hour glycemic picture, scan at least once every 8 hours.

    Easy: It is easy to use, just apply the sensor once, track your glucose levels for up to 14 days. The sensor is water resistant in up to 1 meter (3 feet) of water.

    Using a FreeStyle Libre CGM device is easy and it helps you to understand your glucose levels and manage them properly. It keeps a record of your glucose levels and shows your current glucose readings and glucose level trends. It indicates the fluctuation in your glucose levels and that helps you to maintain your glucose levels and make changes to manage it. CGM keeps you aware about your glucose levels.

    Diabetes care and management are very doable when you are constantly monitoring your glucose levels, eating nutritious foods, and getting adequate exercise, along with recommended medication. I have used it as a caregiver and would recommend it to everyone wanting to monitor their glucose levels with ease and without pain.

    To know more about Continuous Glucose Monitoring, visit this website.

    You can buy Freestyle libre here.

    The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive/for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information

    Any photos displayed are for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted in such photos is a model.

  • Why Parents Of Preteens And Teens Should Know What Causes HPV

    Why Parents Of Preteens And Teens Should Know What Causes HPV

    For every parent, their child’s health is the top-most priority. We do everything to make sure they have a healthy present and healthier future. On our last visit to our family doctor, we discussed HPV, as it is the cause of almost all cases of cervical cancer worldwide¹ and then he mentioned HPV education and prevention should begin in childhood.

    Most of the HPV infections don’t have any visible symptoms so it is difficult to know if one is infected. My son will be a teenager in a few years, and even though he is yet to reach the phase where he might get infected with HPV, this is the right time to know what causes it and how to prevent it. As a mother, I want to ensure my child enters adulthood being unafraid and confident.

    HPV is mostly sexually transmitted but our doctor suggests that protection against HPV should be taken at a young age.

    So, if you are a parent, talk to a doctor for more information about HPV prevention including the HPV vaccine.

    Continue reading further to know all about HPV, its risks and prevention.

    What is HPV?

    HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection.² HPV is a group of more than 100 types of HPV viruses that infect sexually active men and women.³ HPV can be high risk that can cause cancer, and low risk that is not cancerous.³ Around half of these infections are with a high-risk HPV type.³ Some HPV infections can lead to certain types of cancer.

    Low risk HPV types can cause warts on various parts of the body, including genital warts.

    Most HPV infections clear out on their own. However, if it remains in the body, in women it can cause growth of abnormal cells to begin in the cervix. If left undetected and untreated, these cells may develop into cervical cancer. Early-stage cervical cancer generally produces no signs or symptoms.³

    Apart from cervical cancer, HPV can cause other cancers as well including cancer of the vulva and vagina in women. Some strains of HPV can also cause genital warts.⁴

    Symptoms Of HPV.

    Mostly HPV doesn’t have any visible symptoms, but the possible symptoms can be⁵

    1. Common Warts
    2. Plantar Warts
    3. Genital Warts (in teenagers or young adults)
    4. Weak immune system
    5. Itching
    6. HPV can lead to cancer, if not treated for a long time.

    HPV doesn’t show any symptoms in many patients, but when symptoms develop, they occur from 3 weeks to many years after contracting the infection. ⁶

    How is HPV transmitted

    1. The virus is transferred primarily by skin-to-skin contact. ⁷
    2. HPV infection can be passed from one infected person to anther during vaginal, oral, or anal sexual activity. ⁷
    3. It can also spread through oral sex or deep kissing. ⁸
    4. HPV infection can occur if the virus enters your body, usually through a cut, abrasion, or small tear in your skin.

    Prevention of HPV

    1. HPV with common warts is hard to prevent but avoid touching or picking the warts, so it won’t spread
    2. To prevent HPV with plantar warts, wear shoes or slippers in public areas
    3. To prevent HPV with genital warts, it’s advisable to use condoms
    4. HPV vaccine is the most effective way to prevent infections caused by Human Papillomavirus
    5. Regular screening helps in early diagnosis if a woman has been infected

    For more information about HPV, its causes and prevention, checkout the website – https://bit.ly/Letsfighthpv Here you can read all about HPV and even talk with an experts if you have any queries or want to know everything in more detail.

    Remember,
    80% sexually active men & women get infected with HPV at some points in their lifetime. 5
    So it is important to think about prevention of such infections that can delevop into cancers for your children at an early stage.

    Issued in public interest with MSD India

    References:

    1. Walboomers JM, Jacobs MV, Manos MM, et al. Human papillomavirus is a necessary
      cause of invasive cervical cancer worldwide. J Pathol. 1999 Sep;189(1):12-19
      https://hpvcentre.net/statistics/reports/IND_FS.pdf
    2. National Health Portal,
      https://www.nhp.gov.in/disease/communicable-disease/human-papillomavirus-hpv-infection-and-cervical-cancer , accessed on 5 March 2016
    3. World Health Organisation. Factsheet. Human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer,
      https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer , 3 March 2021
    4. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm
      Accessed on Oct 2020
    5. WebMd. What is HPV
      https://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-genital-warts/hpv-virus-information-about-human-papillomavirus , accessed on 3 March 2021
    6. Harvard Health Publishing,
      https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hpv-transmission-during-oral-sex-a-growing-cause-of-mouth-and-throat-cancer201306046346#:~:text=Sexual%20contact%2C%20including%20oral%20sex,cancer%2C%20depending%20on%20your%20age , June 2013
    7. American cancer society
      https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/infectious-agents/hpv/hpv-andhpv-testing.htmlagents/hpv/hpv-and-hpv-testing.html
    8. Centers For Disease Control & Prevention
      https://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/latex.html assessed March 2022

  • What I learnt about diabetes management this Diwali

    What I learnt about diabetes management this Diwali

    Festive season is best part of the year. Fun times with family and friends bring everyone happiness. Last 2-3 months of the year sees a lot of festivals including Diwali, Christmas and New Year. This Diwali, I realised, festive season also brings lots of preparations from deep cleaning to decorations and we have to change our daily routine to get everything done on time.

    Being a caretaker to a person with diabetes, I felt diabetes management is getting tougher during festive season. But it is very important to keep one’s glucose levels in the normal range to enjoy the festivities with friends and family.

    Festivities need some extra preparation to make it an amazing experience for people with diabetes. It helped that I attended a Facebook session on effective diabetes management where I learnt all about healthy meal choices, exercises and the importance of glucose monitoring. Sharing what I learnt about managing diabetes can be useful for upcoming festive and holiday season too.

    Managing Diabetes During Diwali.

    1. Keep a check on your diet – Festivals include feasts for everyone. To prevent your glucose levels getting you stressed, always indulge in low carb and natural sugar food items. So, this Diwali we avoided sugar laden and deep fried food and included healthy snacks and natural sweetener like dates and jaggery based sweets.
    2. Check your portion size – Heavy uncontrolled feasting can lead to health issues, hence, eating in moderation is important for diabetes management. Instead of one big meal, I planned small meals for entire family, that way we enjoyed the festival together. Make sure to not skip meals, as this can negatively impact glucose levels.
    3. Choose your beverages wisely – Avoid sugary drinks always. During festive season when beverages are served very often choose fresh fruit juices or sugar free lime water over carbonated drinks. Use natural sweetener in tea or coffee. And never forget that a glass of milk before bedtime, will help in maintaining sugar levels till early morning.
    4. Eat fibre rich food – Fibre rich food like oats, apples etc help in regulating blood glucose levels. During festive season make sure your food includes proper nutrients and fibre. Also, limit intake of carb rich food as it impacts your glucose levels the most. A plate full of salad during meals and a plate full of fruits as snacks always help.
    5. Exercise daily – No matter how busy your day ahead, always start the day with exercise and yoga, to burn some calories and maintain glucose levels. Try to stick to your routine as much as possible.
    6. Never skip your medications – Medicines plays an important role in regulating blood glucose levels. Make sure you always keep a check on your medications. Keep them handy, in case you are out for some work and make sure you have your medicines as prescribed.
    7. Monitor your Glucose Levels – During the festive time, it’s very important to keep a check on your blood glucose level and enjoy your favourite food items accordingly. Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems make monitoring glucose levels easy. With Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices, like Freestyle libre, you can check your glucose levels without any pain or prick, see trends, and accordingly adjust food intake and ensure that your glucose levels are in optimal range throughout the day. In fact, attaching the sensor to the upper arm is very easy. The reader is used to scan the sensor and get the reading. It’s very convenient, hassle-free and discrete to use, especially when you are outdoors or at a party. It also helps you to understand how any food, medicines or activity impacts on your glucose levels and makes managing it easier.
    8. Talk to your doctor – Right guidance is always helpful. Make sure to talk to your doctor before the festive season and make plans accordingly, so that you can enjoy the festive season with your family. Well-balanced diet, continuous glucose monitoring, and exercise along with a few precautions as mentioned above help a person with diabetes better manage their condition, even during the festive season.

    Role of continuous glucose monitoring technology in managing diabetes

    Managing diabetes is possible through the right diet and nutrition and maintaining a physically active lifestyle. Fluctuating glucose levels can be a constant source of concern and stress. That’s why it is necessary to know what are the changes, that you can make in your lifestyle that can help you manage your levels better.

    Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices device make monitoring sugar levels every few minutes possible and the best part is there is no finger pricking involved. CGM devices, once used, monitor your blood glucose levels at regular intervals and you can also use
    it to see the impact of different food items and exercises on your blood glucose level and help you plan a better food and exercise routine for a healthy living.

    Diabetes care and management are very doable when you are constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels, eating nutritious foods, and getting adequate exercise.

    CGM devices like Free Style Libre are hassle free, convenient, easy to use, gives accurate results and you can keep a track of your blood glucose levels on the go. I have used it as a caregiver and would recommend it to everyone wanting to monitor their glucose levels with ease and without pain.

    To know more about Continuous Glucose Monitoring, check this link. You can buy Freestyle libre here.

    Disclaimer:
    The information mentioned in this document is only suggestive/for patient education and shall not be considered as a substitute for doctor’s advice or recommendations from Abbott. Please consult your doctor for more information.
    Any photos displayed are for illustrative purposes only. Any person depicted in such photos is a model.

    #Sponsored #ad

  • Monitor Your Glucose Levels On-the-Go

    Monitor Your Glucose Levels On-the-Go

    Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it effectively. This leads to high blood sugar.
    Diabetes can be controlled, with right medications, food habits, exercising and maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle.

    “Diabetes Teaches You Discipline”

    Being a caregiver to a person with diabetes, I know the above quote is 100% true. To manage diabetes well, you need to have a disciplined lifestyle. From eating, exercising to monitoring blood glucose, everything is time bound and you need to follow a strict schedule.

    The most important part of daily routine to manage diabetes is monitoring blood glucose levels and trust me that’s the most difficult one too. You cannot miss your schedule and it’s a whole process, pricking fingers for blood, taking the reading and managing the logs for future references. And you can miss taking readings on time, if you are anywhere other than comfort of your home or travelling.

    Recently, I came across a wearable device that help you monitor blood glucose levels on-the-go and you don’t need to prick your fingers anymore. Isn’t it amazing? FreeStyle Libre by Abbott is a revolutionary continuous glucose monitoring system.

    What is FreeStyle Libre?

    FreeStyle Libre is a revolutionary product that helps you monitor and keep track of your glucose levels without finger pricks. FreeStyle Libre is a sensor-based glucose monitoring system and comes with a reader and a sensor. The sensor is applied on to the back of your upper arm and can be worn for up to 14 days. Just swipe the reader over the sensor and scan and monitor your glucose levels, anytime, anywhere, on-the-go.

    FreeStyle Libre is,

    Convenient: It measures and stores your glucose readings automatically and gives you a clear picture of your blood glucose levels.

    Discreet: The quick one second scan is painless as you don’t need to prick your fingers again and can be read even through your clothing. The FreeStyle Libre Reader can capture data from within1cm to 4cm of the sensor.

    User Friendly: It stores your blood glucose levels and shows how it changes in last 8 hours. You can keep a check on your blood glucose data and trends. To get a 24-hour glycemic picture, scan at least once every 8 hours.

    Easy: It is easy to use, just apply the sensor once, track your glucose levels for up to 14 days. The sensor is water resistant in up to 1 meter (3 feet) of water.

    The FreeStyle Libre is designed to make the life of people with diabetes hassle-free. It makes glucose monitoring easy and there is no need to prick your fingers repeatedly.

    The FreeStyle Libre system has two components:

    FreeStyle Libre sensor: It’s a small, disposable 14-day sensor that is worn on the back of the upper arm and continuously measures glucose levels and stores them for a period of 8 hours. Every time the user scans the reader over the sensor, the glucose data from sensor is transferred to the reader in one-second.

    FreeStyle Libre reader: A compact, handheld reader that displays glucose readings and stores up to 90 days of glucose data. When the reader is scanned over the sensor, it shows a current glucose reading, last 8-hours of data as well as a trend arrow (indicating if glucose is going up, down or staying steady).

    Its hassle free, convenient, easy to use, gives accurate results and you can keep a track of your blood glucose levels on the go. I have used it as a caregiver and would recommend it to everyone wanting to monitor their glucose levels with ease and without pain.

    Buy FreeStyle Libre here.
    Know more about Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

  • Gestational Diabetes: Risks and Management

    Gestational Diabetes: Risks and Management

    You never understand life until it grows inside of you.

    I relate to this quote a lot. When I was pregnant, my way of seeing life changed entirely and that changed me as a person. My pregnancy was the most beautiful phase of my life but it wasn’t easy. From morning sickness, difficulty in breathing, swollen feet to gestational diabetes, I had it all and that made the entire journey really tough.

    I knew that gestational diabetes can impact the life within me adversely. From diet restrictions to monitoring sugar levels regularly and extra medications, I did everything to keep the baby safe and healthy.

    Recently I had the chance to attend an event on Living Fully With Diabetes and how continuous glucose monitoring can help monitor glucose levels effectively. This is something every pregnant woman will find helpful.

    I’ll first talk about what is gestational diabetes, symptoms and risks and then move on to the role Continuous Glucose Monitoring plays in managing diabetes better.

    Gestational Diabetes

    Gestational diabetes is a form of high blood sugar affecting pregnant women who don’t have a history of diabetes. It occurs when the female body cannot make enough insulin during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health.

    Symptoms of Gestational diabetes

    Gestational diabetes doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms but a few symptoms that you should keep a check and never miss to discuss with your doctor are:
    • Increased thirst
    • Parched mouth, despite drinking a lot.
    • More frequent urination
    • Fatigue
    As gestational diabetes can affect you and your baby, you should not ignore any change in your body.

    Risks of Gestational diabetes

    Gestational diabetes can have adverse effects on you and your baby. It has risks like:
    • Women can develop diabetes in later life.
    • Can lead to high blood pressure and preeclampsia.
    • Baby can be born with excessive birth weight.
    • Baby can have an early birth and face difficulties in breathing.

    Managing Gestational Diabetes

    important role in helping manage gestational diabetes.Gestational diabetes can be managed easily with the right meal plan and exercise routine. With blood sugar regulation, you can prevent complications in pregnancy and ensure that mother and baby are healthy and diabetes-free, after delivery. And the caregiver plays an important role in helping manage gestational diabetes.

    • Always intake well-balanced meals, which include lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains, which are good to manage blood sugar.
    • You should check glucose levels on a regular basis. You may need to test, before meals and snacks and before and after exercise.
    • Exercise regularly, exercise is one of the key ways to manage diabetes as it helps regulate your blood sugar levels.

    Continuous Glucose Monitoring

    In the event I attended, it was mentioned that the best way to manage diabetes is to monitor diabetes regularly. And the event introduced me to CGM – Continuous Glucose Monitoring devices. CGM devices make monitoring sugar levels every few minutes possible and the best part is there is no finger pricking involved. CGM devices, once used, monitor your blood glucose levels at regular intervals and you can also use it to see the impact of different food items and exercises on your blood glucose level and help you plan a better food and exercise routine for a healthy living.

    They also mentioned that managing diabetes is possible through the right diet and nutrition and maintaining a physically active lifestyle. Fluctuating glucose levels can be a constant source of concern and stress. That’s why it is necessary to know what are the changes, that you can make in your lifestyle that can help you manage your levels better.

    To know the changes to make, you must first understand what makes your glucose levels fluctuate. Here are some important factors that affect glucose levels:

    Diet – Healthy eating is a very important aspect of glucose management. Take advice from your doctor, nurse, or dietitian about the nutritional intake and the appropriate balance of food types.

    Staying Active – An active lifestyle helps you to control and manage your glucose levels in a better and more prominent way.

    Stress Management – Stress can produce hormones that can cause a rise in your glucose levels. Also, being stressed can take you off your daily routine, and that eventually impacts your glucose level. Make activities and relaxation techniques like deep breathing and yoga part of your daily routine to keep stress at bay.

    Proper Glucose Monitoring – Opt for using a simple yet highly effective continuous glucose monitoring to monitor glucose levels and how everything in your daily routine impacts your blood glucose levels. Continuous glucose monitoring makes glucose monitoring more frequent and easy and lets you check the impact of every food item or activity on your glucose levels and you can make diet and lifestyle changes accordingly.

    Conclusion

    Diabetes care and management are very doable when you are constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels, eating nutritious foods, and getting adequate exercise.

    CTA

    Know more about FreeStyle Libre and Continuous Glucose Monitoring.
    You can buy FreeStyle Libre here.

  • Choose Well For Good Health With ICICI Lombard

    Choose Well For Good Health With ICICI Lombard

    Making small, sustainable healthy choices every day is very advantageous to your well-being. Your everyday hobbies influence your health, along with stress levels, sleep habits, and ingesting patterns. Everything from what you do the first moment in the morning to what you do at night performs a function in your standard health. Although it can be tempting to make extreme changes at once, focusing on small habits and doing them every day is the best way to create a healthy lifestyle.

    I recently attended an online orientation with ICICI Lombard General Insurance. They have launched BeFit which wants to help consumers create a healthy lifestyle. ICICI Lombard is one of the key drivers of fitness and health in the country. As one of India’s main non-public generic insurance corporations, ICICI Lombard has brought a special answer – BeFit (serviced through its ILTakeCare app). It affords clients the advantages of OPD offerings i.e. physician consultation, pharmacy and diagnostics services, and physiotherapy in a cashless manner. What’s more, BeFit empowers customers to take advantage of a host of health services.

    BeFit by ICICI Lombard. Serviced through ILTakeCare App

    BeFit will provide clients insurance for their entire OPD requirements, on a cashless basis. Customers can avail an array of insurance products, including sessions with a general, specialist, and super-specialist medical practitioner. Catering to the different out-of-pocket expenses, BeFit covers pharmacy and diagnostics services that don’t require hospitalisation. ICICI Lombard’s BeFit rider will give policyholders the 360-degree coverage they require.

    Launching BeFit, Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance said, “ The COVID pandemic made consumers realize that health insurance does not end with having a cover just for hospitalization expenses. It is equally important to have a powerful solution that can encourage the practice of good health on a day-to-day basis. Our new BeFit solution will address this part. This is because it provides cashless and contactless solutions to customers who want to stay fit and address their medical problems at a nascent stage, without having to reach the stage of hospitalization.

    Sanjeev Mantri , Executive Director, ICICI Lombard General Insurance

    This comprehensive offering provides a digitally enabled health ecosystem that integrates and brings more than 11,000+ doctors spread across 20 cities. The pharmacy service provides customers with an express service, i.e. medicine will be delivered to the customer’s home within 60 minutes and lab tests will be provided both at home and the center visit. This product will offer 24×7 consultations (telephonic and virtual) attended by our expert panel of doctors. These benefits related to preventive healthcare such as health check-ups, health risk assessments, diet and nutrition counseling sessions, and even chat and e-counseling are available to all our customers. In a nutshell, this unique cashless solution fits perfectly into our umbrella of a comprehensive health insurance proposition, providing an end-to-end solution to our valued customers.”

    The ILTakeCare app also offers deals and rewards to those who participate in a healthy lifestyle. True to ICICI Lombard’s dedication in promoting fitness and wellness, BeFit is a complete solution, and its advantages go beyond covering OPD and preventive healthcare via incentivizing a healthy lifestyle. Currently, the rider has launched in 20 places namely, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Jaipur, Nashik, Bhubaneswar, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Indore, Vishakhapatnam, Surat, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Bhopal, Dehradun, and Raipur and will expand in different geographical areas in the subsequent few months.

    They have additionally come up with unique cashless OPD and well-being mixture to clients.

    • All-inclusive coverage providing a digitally enabled fitness ecosystem which is built-in to carry 11,000+ medical doctors throughout 20 cities.
    • The pharmacy provider offers Express Service i.e. medicines delivered at home under 60 minutes and lab tests can be done at the lab or at home.
    • Offers 24×7 consultations with their panel of specialist doctors.
    • Benefit of health practitioner consultations, pharmacy expenses, diagnostics assessments, and minor scientific procedures, physiotherapy sessions, preventive healthcare, and a host of different value-added services on a cashless foundation.
  • Good Health = Good Life

    Good Health = Good Life

    If you’ve ever requested any person how to be healthy, you’ve possibly heard this advice: Eat a wholesome diet. Really, though, what does that even mean? If you ask many followers of the modern-day ketogenic diet, it ability shunning candy potatoes and quinoa in want of cheese and coconut oil. For every other person, it would possibly imply warding off sugary meals like ice cream and sweet at all costs. And anyone else can also inform you to keep away from all dairy and mix gluten.

    The trouble is, this back-and-forth about what’s simply wholesome can reason a complete lot of confusion, now not to point out immediate human beings to strive unsustainable and unnecessarily restrictive diets in the identity of health. If that’s you, there’s no want for embarrassment: Just be relieved to study that wholesome consuming is some distance easier than you may also think.

    Healthy vs. Unhealthy Eating Habits: What’s the Difference?

    Who doesn’t love to devour tasty meals each and every day? But whilst taking part in the tasty food, human beings forget about the great of their meals. Different ingredients include a range of sorts of healthful and unhealthy fats, so you want to select the meals alternatives that are true for your body.

    When ordering meals in a restaurant, most human beings assume about the style of their meal and no longer the true dietary price of the meals coming their way. You need to be conscious of healthful and unhealthy meals choices.

    But still, if you provide a choice to the style and forget about the dietary value, you’re asking for hassle or a fitness risk. This is due to the fact unhealthy meals choices like junk meals can also be too scrumptious however it includes horrific fat that will adversely have an effect on your ordinary fitness in the lengthy run.

    Before discovering out the cause why some ingredients are regarded as healthful and others unhealthy, let’s locate out what is healthful meals and unhealthy food.

    Why Should I Make Healthy Food Choices?

    A Healthy Diet Can Help Prevent Diseases –

    Smoking, bad nutrition, lack of exercise, and immoderate alcohol use are the pinnacle motives of continual disease, which consist of coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Food Choices Affect Your Mental Health –

    It’s now not simply our bodily fitness that can see a enhance when we prioritize a wholesome diet. The food we choose to consume plays a crucial role in affecting our mental health, eating healthy keeps us strong physically as well as mentally.

    Eat a Healthy Diet, and You May Lose Weight –

    Being obese or having weight problems are related to the improved threat of these fitness conditions, so weight loss can be vital if you have an excessive physique mass index Fortunately, following an extraordinary weight-reduction plan in which you pay interest to element sizes can additionally assist you to attain a wholesome weight. Another piece of the puzzle: consuming mindfully. Stop ingesting when you’re full, and do not devour too quick or for emotional reasons.

    Why Should I Strive for a Healthy Lifestyle?

    In sum, the payoff of a healthful way of life is huge. Over time, when you make healthful selections about food, you are at a decrease danger for cardiovascular disease, positive cancers, kind two diabetes, obesity, and even nervousness and depression. You will have extra energy, sense better, and may additionally even be in a higher temper on an everyday basis, have a healthy lifestyle for a better living.

    Establishing Healthy Eating Habits in Children –

    If you’re at a loss for words with the aid of the truth that Junior has declared he hates broccoli after liking it an ultimate week, or that he finds something however poultry nuggets or boxed mac ‘n’ cheese offensive, you’ll be completely happy to understand you don’t have to pressure healthful ingesting habits on your child. What works better? Modeling these wholesome habits yourself.

    That capacity getting them concerned in meal purchasing and practice in age-appropriate ways. Make good-for-them meals handy by means of inserting apples and oranges in a bowl on the kitchen counter, supply them a range of meals to snack on when they get home from college and they’re naturally ravenous and make an effort to have household dinner together. The remaining factor is especially important. Families who devour collectively normally eat more healthy diets, together with extra fruits and veggies, and much less quick and takeout food.

    Good food habits is the first step towards good life. 

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  • PCOD – PCOS

    PCOD – PCOS

    PCOD, commonly known as polycystic ovary disorder or Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It’s a very common disease that usually lasts for years or lifetime, found in the girls of the age group of 12-45 years that causes irregular periods, unbearable cramps, body ache, mood swings and sometimes it’s hard for a woman to conceive. The main cause of this problem is still unknown, hence there’s no cure for this. It cannot be completely vanished but can be controlled with your regular activities or healthy lifestyle.

    PCOD – PCOS can be controlled with regular activities and healthy lifestyle.

    Is PCOD and PCOS the same thing?
    PCOD and PCOS are almost two similar things, they are both caused by the hormonal imbalance and unhealthy lifestyle and lead to infertility problems. There’s a slight difference between the two, PCOS is a metabolic disorder and PCOD is developed by the imbalance of the hormones.

    This is the most difficult yet important part for people to maintain a healthy Lifestyle including sleeping and waking up early, eating on time, healthy and clean eating, exercising regularly and losing weight since in disease girls usually gain weight and fat, mostly around the thighs and waist, so losing weight can help in controlling the disease.

    Symptoms – The symptoms for PCOS are generally irregular periods, heavy or short menstruation, gaining excessive weight, hair loss, abnormal menstruation. If anyone is suffering from either of these things then recommended to consult a doctor immediately because uncontrolled PCOD can end up with uncontrollable heavy menstruation or no periods for months that can harm you in innumerable ways.

    Very few people know that there are four types of PCOD/PCOS

    • caused by Insulinoma
    • Inflammatory PCOS caused by chronic inflammation.
    • Adrenal PCOS
    • Post pill PCOS

    What you can and can’t eat in PCOS :-

    Dairy products

    It is known that dairy products are harmful for people with PCOS, which is true but if we can limit the amount, it’s not at all a problem. For example, having Vegetable raita with lunch won’t harm you at all.
    With this it will also fulfill the need of vegetables.

    Right, for people with PCOS, a good amount of vegetables and fruits are recommended on a daily basis. So it’s a good option to have it with lunch as it contains a good amount of vitamins and Proteins.

    Carbohydrates

    Usually, people mistake between healthy and harmful carbohydrates. You can smartly opt for healthy carbs, since carbohydrates are necessary for our body to work properly. There are lots of options for the same, putting few of them below :-

    • Whole wheat pasta
    • Quinoa
    • Brown rice
    • Oats
    • Whole wheat bread

    Lean Proteins

    Protein intake is very important as it helps in losing weight by reducing your craving as well as increasing feelings of fullness.
    Some of the items you can take :

    • Eggs
    • Seafood
    • Nuts
    • Meat
    • Chane

    Junk food

    Well, in PCOS and to maintain a healthy Lifestyle, it is advised to avoid junk food as much as possible but again, if taken in small portions or small amounts, then it won’t harm you as such.

    Fats

    Like carbohydrates, fats are also important for our body but only in the right amount and right way. For girls with PCOS, it’s very important to check what you are eating because losing weight is one of the key factors in this disease.

    Remove deep fried food and added sugar items.

    Fried food and sugar leads to weight gain and obesity, which is again not a good option to go for.

    Along with the right food, it is also necessary to lose weight.

    Girls with PCOS find it hard to shed their weight but it is equally important as maintaining proper Eating manners. One should eat only when needed. They need to exercise properly on a regular basis for at least half an hour to maintain their body. Removing belly fat is very important, focus on those areas more while exercising.

    Getting enough sleep and maintaining stress level.

    It’s very important to sleep properly and at least 8 hours a day, which helps in maintaining stress level.

    Its really important to take care of your health and with PCOD/PCOS, one should be more careful. Taking proper care of your can help you beat PCOD/PCOS and have a good health forever.

    **It’s a harmful disease but not if controlled the right way and now you know how to control it.

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  • Relax Your Mind And Body With These Yoga Asanas

    Relax Your Mind And Body With These Yoga Asanas

    There are a few other routines that manage to quite benefit your mind and body in the way yoga asanas do. The practice of yoga is something that has been going on for centuries and deeply embedded as a part of Indian culture. Ayurvedic experts of the past as well as the present, along with scientists, support the multiple physical and mental benefits that performing yoga asanas daily offer you. Regular yoga can make changes in your body that help you be better equipped to fight off any physical health conditions and restore mental peace.


    Better cognitive function, enhanced lung function, reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, strength to manage anxiety and stress, etc., are just a few of the advantages of daily yoga practice. Undoubtedly, you should learn yoga asanas as a step towards taking better care of yourself and also passing them on to your loved ones. Here are a few yoga asanas you can practice regularly to relax your mind and body:

    • Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose): Begin by standing straight and then spreading your legs far apart. Turn your right foot out 90°, so your toes are pointing outward. Turn your left foot slightly inwards and bend your right foot forwards. Hold your arms out horizontally at shoulder level and face towards your right. Hold this pose.

    • Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose): Kneel with your knees and ankles close together. Sit back on your legs while you exhale. Make sure you’re comfortable and then place your hands on your thighs. Hold and practice breathing exercises.

    • Padmasana (Lotus Pose): Begin by sitting cross-legged on the floor. Place your right foot on your left thigh and vice versa, so the soles of your feet are pointing towards your lower belly. Place hands on your thighs while you exhale and inhale.

    • Balasana (Child’s Pose): Start by kneeling on the floor and sitting back on your ankles comfortably. Exhale while you bend forwards from your torso and touch your head to the floor. Place your arms by your side, stay in the pose and relax.

    • Trikonasana (Triangle Pose): Stand with your legs far apart and inhale. Lower your left hand and hold your left ankle on an exhale. Lift up your arm, so it is horizontal to your left arm. Ensure all your joints are straight. Look upwards and relax your neck. Hold this pose and repeat with your right arm.

    All of the above-mentioned yoga asanas improve your health by increasing flexibility, enhancing the digestive system, reducing stress, strengthening muscles and more.

    You can easily learn to practice these yoga asanas in the right way to reap its complete benefits with Cult.fit Live’s Live Asana Library. These sessions that are carefully curated and guided by professionals will push you towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced yoga practitioner, this pack has the right sessions for everyone. Get in on this amazing pack and form a better connection with your mind, body and soul with the help of these yoga asanas. Get started!