Protein is said to be a building block for the body. That being said, a high protein diet can either have some great results to show, or some terrible consequences. As long as a person is willing to learn more about it, only the former will appear!

When a person thinks of a diet which is high in protein, the automatic association is with the famed Atkins diet. This is a diet which is not only high in the amount of protein consumed but is low in the relative amount of carbohydrate.

Who is it For?

A high protein diet is a way to go, if a person is looking to build a little muscle and does not consume enough protein in his or her current or normal diet. However, studies have found that only professional endurance athletes showed any benefits from a hike in their consumption levels of protein and that too, they could have received these benefits by just eating more food. So, it is fair to say that the normal person is not likely to need more protein than what he or she already gets by the way of his or her run of the mill diet.

It can be bad too, in addition to this, if a person has an amount of protein which is beyond what is good for him or her according to the activity level, it can be quite bad. This is because a lot of the sources of protein which most people receive their protein from also happen to be quite high in terms of the saturated fat content, which can put the heart at a great amount of risk. Moreover, gout can also occur and it is something that is not curable, but can only be managed. A person who is considering the prospect of going on a high protein diet should take these possible side effects into due account prior to making his or her decision regarding the same.


Small is Big A, modest increase in the protein part of a person’s diet can be good and there are a variety of ways a person can go about this including by having some simple munch foods such as almonds. Things like these can serve well as snacks and can go a long way in preventing a person from bingeing on something less healthy just due to his or her being ravenously hungry. Another option is Greek yogurt, as is chia seeds, which can be added to almost anything!

Given that detox diets won't rid the body of impurities or lead to real weight loss, are there any benefits of using them? The only thing one can say positively is that:
A detox diet may encourage you to eat more nutritious foods. Some detox diets recommend nutrient-rich foods like:

lemons
green tea
fruit juices
colorful fruits and vegetables
All of these could, in part, increase your intake of certain nutrients. Some of which might help the body deal with incoming toxins or offer other health benefits.However, a three day detox diet won't move the dial on toxicity (or health) anywhere near as much as maintaining a healthy lifestyle the other 362 days of the year.

Disadvantages of detox diets: For most people, the disadvantages of a detox diet are much more numerous than the potential benefit.

Detox diets are often inconvenient: Any diet will take some effort to organize, and detox diets are no exception. Ironically, you'll probably never put as much work into eating less as you do into a detox. People with limited time, money, and resources won't enjoy juicing seven kgs of veggies and fruits each day. Especially if they're feeling weak, listless, or dizzy, some of the most frequently reported side effects of juice cleanses.

Detox diets are often too low in energy:

Most juice diets are extremely low in calories. In fact, some people argue that juicing is just a way to starve and feel good about it. With the low energy intake you'll often notice other things slowing down, you may feel colder, or sluggish, or notice digestion taking a while.

Detox diets may cause blood sugar swings that is cleansing built on fruit juices can cause major swings in blood sugar, making them downright dangerous for people with diabetes, and potentially risky for many others.

Detox diets can be tough on your GI tract: The fruit juices used for many detox diets contain very little fiber. Fiber is a cleanser. It's like a street sweeper for the GI tract; it slows down digestion and aids absorption of nutrients.

There is no credible information saying that the GI tract does better when it doesn't get solid foods (unless the GI tract is damaged). Instead, the gut does well with probiotics, glutamine from protein rich foods, and fiber. You'll struggle to get all of these on a cleanse.
Detox diets are often low in essential fats.

While some less extreme detox diets allow things like nuts and seeds, hard core cleanses typically eliminate most fat-containing foods, even healthy fats. Extreme variations in fat intake i.e. swinging from high (pre-cleanse) to low (cleanse) to high (post-cleanse celebration) to low (back on the cleanse train again) can cause trouble for organs that process dietary fats, like the gallbladder.

Detox diets may cause electrolyte imbalances: Many cleanses involve drinking a lot of liquid (such as water, herbal teas, and/or juices) while removing many foods that contain salts. Some "detox diets" also suggest using diuretic supplements. This can cause potentially dangerous imbalances in your electrolytes, charged chemicals found in fluids throughout your body. The imbalance is even more likely if overhydration is combined with low energy intake.


In fact, there's a name for this phenomenon, well known to health care providers who deal with extreme anorexia, malnutrition, or any medical condition with severely restricted food intake that is refeeding syndrome.

To keep operations running when nutrients and energy are low and electrolytes are disrupted, the body may adjust its metabolic environment (for instance, it may deplete cells of minerals to keep blood levels of those minerals stable).

Not only can this affect health during the detox diet, it can cause potentially cause serious problems when a person on a detox diet (especially a longer-lasting one) starts eating normally again.

Detox diets can create a cycle of restrictive eating and deprivation:
Detox diets, the entire concept of "cleansing", in fact can enable feast-or-famine style eating patterns:

The detox diet starts tomorrow, so I'll eat a bunch of "toxic" foods tonight.
On the detox diet now. Not allowed any stuff I enjoy.
The detox diet ends tomorrow, so I'll get set to eat all those "toxic" foods I missed! And so on.
Recognize that thought pattern? It's the classic dieter mentality. On the wagon, off the wagon, on the wagon, off the wagon. It's always more harmful than helpful. When you think and eat this way:

You never learn to find the sane middle ground.
You never learn to prepare real food and real meals that are both nutritious and delicious.
You're always in "all-or-nothing" mode. (Usually getting "nothing", because "all" is really, really hard.)
Worst of all is you never feel truly happy with any of your choices.
Fortunately, the body "cleanses" itself, if we can't ever avoid toxins, doesn't it then make sense to do some sort of detox? Not really. That's because our bodies have very robust detoxification systems. Our major organs of detoxification include are:

Digestive tract;
Kidneys;
Skin;
Lungs;
Liver,
Lymphatic system;
Respiratory system;
These systems break down chemicals (toxic or otherwise) into other form, which we can eliminate via the toilet, sweat, or breathing. And the body seems to do a pretty good job of this when placed in a balanced (i.e. healthy) environment.

Take Home Message:
The idea that you can speed up and improve your body's detox pathways by drinking detox water is nonsense. That said, it is still a healthy drink with a few health benefits. Nevertheless, you could probably get most of these benefits from drinking regular water. However, people often find plain water boring. If infusing your water with fruits and vegetables means that you drink more water and less sugary drinks, then it can only be a good thing.

The ability to create life and give birth is one of the greatest miracles of nature. Pregnancy can be tough, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It is uncomfortable and comes with a long list of dos and don’ts. However, it is also one of the most amazing experiences a woman can go through.

A common piece of advice expecting moms get in India is that they should ‘eat for two’. This along with plenty of advice about topping their food with ghee (so that the baby ‘slips out!!’), eating gond ke laddoo and many such traditions confuse the new-age woman. Given that there is a lot of wisdom hidden in age-old traditions and old-wives tales. However, with so much information available on your fingertips, it is a good idea to read more and gather expert advice.

I have always been very conscious of my dietary habits. After years of eating healthy, I was worried about letting go and making ill-informed dietary choices when I got pregnant. However, it was also very important to me that I got all essential nutrition for my own as well as my baby’s health. A baby’s only source of nutrition in the womb is from the mother, thus it is imperative to eat healthy and ensure that a recommended diet plan is followed.
The importance of eating healthy during pregnancy

Ideal Diet Plan for Pregnancy

How much should you eat?

‘Eat for two’ – this is probably one of the most damaging inputs you can get. No, you do not need to eat for two, for the better part of your pregnancy. The other ‘person’ you’re eating for, is a tiny foetus, the size of a peanut in the first trimester.

• An average woman leading a sedentary life requires around 1900 calories per day.
• In the first trimester of pregnancy, you do not require any additional calories. Instead, you should make a conscious effort to shift your dietary habits such that your entire calorific intake ensures you get all essential nutrients required in this critical phase.
• In the second term, you need 300-350 additional calories per day.
• The third term requires your intake to be 500 calories over your normal diet.

What should you eat?

It is critical that these additional calories do not come in the form of junk food or unhealthy and non-nutritious foods. Many people think of pregnancy as a free pass to indulge themselves and load up on all sinful and calorie-laden foods. That large bar of chocolate or burger is not really helping you send nutrition to your baby. It is only helping you gain weight and inches, not the foetus. Make healthy food choices, eat fruits, vegetables, dairy products, etc.

Dark chocolate

Important nutritional requirements

There are four things that are very important and must be included in your diet:

• Folic Acid – Folate or folic acid is essential for preventing brain defects in the baby and it also helps support the placenta. Recommended allowances are Folate 500µg/day. Best sources include Amaranth leaves, ambat chukka, mint and spinach dals like Bengal gram, black gram, green gram and red gram.

• Calcium – The baby’s bones and teeth formation requires calcium. If your diet lacks calcium, the body will automatically take this mineral from your own bones for the baby. Thus, one must ensure that a calcium-rich diet is followed. Calcium is essential for maintaining the health of mother’s bones and to ensure proper bone and teeth development of the baby. Recommended dietary intake for calcium is 1200mg/day. Milk and milk products are the best source of bio available calcium. Some other foods rich in calcium are ragi, Bengal gram, whole dals like horse gram, rajma, and soya bean. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, oil seeds and fish are some other sources of calcium.

• Iron – Studies have stated that as high as 59% of Indian women are anaemic. During pregnancy, it is important to keep an eye on your HB count and ensure that you get enough iron through your diet. Both mother and child need iron to meet the needs of red blood cell formation. The recommended allowance for iron intake is 35mg /day. Green leafy vegetables are the best sources of Iron. Something as simple as a mint and coriander chutney can help meet your needs. The richest sources are amaranth, Bengal gram leaves, radish leaves and cauliflower greens. Vitamin C helps iron absorption in the body.

Spinach, a good source of iron

• Protein - A ‘builder nutrient’, it is essential for the baby’s organ development. Proteins are essential for maintaining the integrity of the mother’s body and for the baby’s growth and development. An additional 6.9 gm in the second and 22.7 gm in the third trimester is advised. Good quality protein sources include eggs, fish and low fat meats, however vegetarians can achieve their protein targets by a combination of cereals and millets with dals, paneer, cheese, besan, nuts and milk.

Expert Speak: Dr.Rupali Datta, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at Fortis-Escorts

An ideal weight gain for a mother-to-be is about 10-12 kg. A healthy birth weight for a baby is 3kgs. To achieve this, you do not need to eat for two but additional requirements of the body have to be met.

Starting with total calories, the first trimester does not require any additional intake so the RDA of 1900Kcal is adequate (for a sedentary woman). From the second trimester, an additional 350Kcal are recommended. To achieve this goal, intake of nutrient dense foods like whole grains, millets should be promoted. Oils are a concentrated source of energy, additional oil calories can be included from natural sources like nuts and seeds. Traditional gond ladoo, besan and dal pinnis could also help. But they must be taken in moderation so that they provide the additional calories and proteins yet prevent excessive and unnecessary weight gain.

Ladoo

If all this sounds like a mammoth task, relax. The way you can achieve these goals is by eating a variety of foods, using seasonal variations to guide you along. Eating a balanced meal is the best way to receive nutrients. Supplements, as the word means, are a supplement to your food. These should be taken only under medical care.

Maintaining a healthy diet is of prime importance during a wedding season. Slightest of negligence can lead to unaccounted fat, leading to cardiovascular and other diseases. While working out can help to stay away from putting on the extra pounds, a healthy diet goes a long way in ensuring that the body functions at the optimum level.

Here is a list of important tips that will help to follow a healthy diet and refrain from putting on extra weight:

Stay away from unnecessary fat: Most wedding parties have numerous food options. The high fat items such as dairy product, oily dishes should be eschewed in order to ensure that the body is not overstuffed with unnecessary fat that is difficult to get rid of.

Look at the portion size: Another good way of maintaining a healthy diet is to pick and choose the right dishes and go for small portion size rather than going all out for the one dish one likes. There is no harm in trying multiple dishes, but the same should be done in small portion sizes.

Planning for the day: One critical aspect of eating healthy is to eat throughout the day. On the day of a wedding, there are many people who tend to save the stomach for the party meal or drink. This is a very bad approach as far as eating healthy is concerned. A good way to plan the day is to eat light throughout the day. Salad, for instance, comes as a relief during the wedding session.

Making a routine: Sticking to a diet chart helps a great deal in maintaining a healthy diet. The diet chart should comprise of multiple options. For instance, one need not stick to an oatmeal for breakfast every morning. Variety will help to break the monotony and encourage a person to stick to the diet routine.

Calorie count: In continuation of the diet chart, keeping a rough count of the calorie consumed on a daily basis also helps to stick to a healthy diet. Calorie count is a good way of keeping track of what one is eating and how much impact it will have in the longer run. Since wedding parties tend to possess a lot of food items, a rough calorie count will help an individual to balance the calorie count in the next few days.

Refrain from too much drinking: Staying away from alcohol can be difficult in wedding parties, but their consumption increases the urge to eat more. It, therefore, makes sense to not consume more than a couple of drinks in any wedding party.

Protein is said to be a building block for the body. That being said, a high protein diet can either have some great results to show, or some terrible consequences. As long as a person is willing to learn more about it, only the former will appear!

When a person thinks of a diet which is high in protein, the automatic association is with the famed Atkins diet. This is a diet which is not only high in the amount of protein consumed but is low in the relative amount of carbohydrate.

Who is it For?

A high protein diet is a way to go, if a person is looking to build a little muscle and does not consume enough protein in his or her current or normal diet. However, studies have found that only professional endurance athletes showed any benefits from a hike in their consumption levels of protein and that too, they could have received these benefits by just eating more food. So, it is fair to say that the normal person is not likely to need more protein than what he or she already gets by the way of his or her run of the mill diet.

It can be bad too, in addition to this, if a person has an amount of protein which is beyond what is good for him or her according to the activity level, it can be quite bad. This is because a lot of the sources of protein which most people receive their protein from also happen to be quite high in terms of the saturated fat content, which can put the heart at a great amount of risk. Moreover, gout can also occur and it is something that is not curable, but can only be managed. A person who is considering the prospect of going on a high protein diet should take these possible side effects into due account prior to making his or her decision regarding the same.


Small is Big A, modest increase in the protein part of a person’s diet can be good and there are a variety of ways a person can go about this including by having some simple munch foods such as almonds. Things like these can serve well as snacks and can go a long way in preventing a person from bingeing on something less healthy just due to his or her being ravenously hungry. Another option is Greek yogurt, as is chia seeds, which can be added to almost anything!