Our planet - The Earth has conducive atmosphere for life in our solar system by virtue of ecological balance between Living & Nonliving and Flora & Fauna, since the evolution began. Living ones have been provided with 4 natural instinct and 'Indris' for use of re- sources provided by Nature to live healthy life span ,to continue the progeny and peaceful passing away for recycling of energy.
One species of living kingdom brought about tremendous changes and developed one more tool - Intellect. By using intellect, they developed at much faster pace than other living being - they are re- ferred to as Homo Sapiens- Most Advance Auto-programmed computer of our planet 'HUMAN BEING'. Human being established harmony with Nature- by framing Basics rules of Lifestyle -to restore stress free life on wheels of spirituality.
By virtue of wisdom, since ancient time, visionary people visualized STRESS ( Physical , Mental & Oxidative) is an instrumental component, which governs the human health.
STRESS
The food plays an important in managing stress, specially, Oxidative STRESS,the most damaging type of stress - it may cause - Cancer, Auto-immune disease by gene mutation, Diabetes, Arthritis, Osteoporosis Libido, Hypertension even Psychiatric disorders, if goes beyond the thresh-hold limit.
(1) Yogic Food: The Yogic food are those edible substances ,which are available for meal as good as in natural form accordance to particular geographical conditions, environment & season.
Brief Sientific deliberation about Oxidative Stress
The Human being existence is not possible without energy, produced by food digestion in intestine with help of enzymatic reaction and combustion at cellular level in both processes can't be takes place without oxygen. The oxygen content of air has its negative character for living organism .After reacting with other element in body at cellular level produces- the super oxide radical, hydrogen peroxide & extremely reactive hydroxyl radicals are common, The radicals are responsible for oxygen toxicity
(2). These radicals are known as free radicals.
More complex food more enzymatic more oxygen requirement and in result more free radicals formation creates the Oxidative Stress.
The oxidative stress damages the cell membrane, DNA, precipitate as chronic disease or problem, whenever the amount of radical cross beyond control of inbuilt defense mechanism. All living beings generate water & lipid- soluble antioxidants & synthesized antioxidant enzymes called as Super Oxides Dismutase(SOD) to nullify the reactive oxygen free radicals
(3). To deal with oxidative damage number of repair enzymes produce in the body for proteins, lipids & DNA repair
(4). The oxidative stress is non-static, always fluctuate, provided the human being the adaptation mechanism to deal with such fluctuations
Religious activity
Meal Pattern
2 times /day But last meal before sunset
Food Item
(4). Traditional Management to Deal with Oxidative Stress
By virtue of wisdom, since ancient time, visionary people visualized an individual is compel to face stress, unknowingly off course willingly too. The body is capable of maintaining the internal environment with in very narrow range called 'Normal Range'. For example in Hindu Mythology - Frame an unique 9 day systematic religious fasting system bi-yearly during Navratri ( In April & October ) along with deferent mode of worship.
For fasting period, visionary people have laid down guidelines for the meal pattern & food item restriction and linked them with religious Astha, so community in mass can fallow that and remain healthy, manpower can contribute at optimum level in development.
In April & October month, the season in under window period of change from winter to summer, summer to winter, The Human body is in process of making adjustment according to change in outer environment, so many chemical reaction are going on, In result heavy amount free radical are being produced and body self mechanism busy to deal with these free radical to keep the oxidative stress with thresh-hold limit.
So, any kind of extra demand made on body may lead produce more free radical taking oxidative stress beyond threshold limit, may leads to any permanent damage or chronic aliments or acute ailments may convert in chronic one. Prescribed Meal pattern & food item during, fasting period.
Meditation: The meditation is not only few minute state of closed eye static posture but it is a state of meditative posture throughout the day to keep the Central Nervous system in proper order to achieve the positive health i.e. Mental, Physical, Social & spiritual health.
This is a type of Meditation , lowers BMI , conserves energy - Lower the Free radical production .
Lowers the burden of digestion & combustion - minimizes free radical production.
Problem of today: In today's world, very scientific concept of bi-yearly fasting formula to keep healthy life, taken either as fashion or mistaken or wrongly taken people taking more heavy or taking no food or not aware about biological base of concept.
Conclusion: Fasting is an activity, to provide space to our body systems to rearrange the physiological activities to you away from so many ailments at same time provides you healthy life & economy, formulated by visionary people. Suggestion: Due to hectic life schedules , environmental im- balance, irrational use of medicines the level of Oxidative Stress is much higher in human body. So, weekly fasting is advisable.
(Writer is a Lucknow-based naturopathy consutant)
The UK finest asian artist now makes a challenge for the UK pop charts combining the blessed vocal of the eastern world with the dynamic western production of 'Ripper Productions'. There is always a first and Asha J is taking on all challengers to be the first asian women of pop in the UK after Jay Sean we need a UK Female asian artist so girls watch your back. Asha J's in town. Born and bought up in the UK in a musical family singing and performing was always a must at family gatherings has bought and developed the music talents.
Asha J Asian Pop Diva Punjabi parents originating from the Punjab 'Jalandhar' is now crossing over into the mainstream world of music after spending a few years in the music circut as a singer/songwriter writing for her own album 'Diwana' also Supporting Uk and Bollywood group 'Stereo Nation' on worldwide tours biggest tour in Olso Norway of 90.000 audience.
The time has come now being recog- nised by mainstream teams in Uk and Usa 'Ripper Productions' mainstream Producers/remixers for the likes of Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Usher, Justin and many more American and Uk artists have taken Asha J on board to deliver her into mainstream music with her first a National Uk Chart single over the next few months. she is looking to sign a big major deal with one of the biggest labels in USA in the coming months.
The model and film Industry are also waiting to get a chunk of Asha J with Bollywood and Hollywood showing a keen interest and model projects in demand. Herself formed charity work also continues 'Asha for Peace' will support children with 'Thalassaemia' a rare blood disorder in children solely depending on Blood donations and med ications. She will support Ravinder Ji http://www.thalassaemia.in bringing awarness to the project as well as donating funds raised from album single sales.
Worldwide children charities will also benefit as Asha J quotes 'She is here to make that change and use her sources and monies raised and earned to help kids in poverty'.As an Ambassador for World Peace for 'World Peace Organizations' Asha J will represent at Diversty and Equality events as well as all official world Peace conferences summits this year. Set to be a busy year for young artist multi talented Asha J and we are looking foward to her launch and proud to be part of the new Phenomena.
By Kapil Dudakia from London for Opinion Express Fashion Desk.
What kind of research have you done for your role?in the film “New York” since the first half you look all cheerful and happy whereas in the second half the serious mode takes over?
The research actually started accidentally when I and Kabir were doing ‘Kabul Express’. We met a lot of people out in Afghanistan, Pakistan and also met a lot of Talibans. I watched a lot of Kabir’s documentaries and we tried to under- stand the concept of Jihaad if I may say so. We tried to understand why the world looks at certain communities in a certain manner and vice versa. We have always tried to maintain that New York is not a jingoistic America film but have been very biased about whatever we have portrayed in the film. In terms of my character I have stuck to my director’s brief as what I am supposed to do, where I am supposed to and the thought process I have to take. I have simply followed orders. We have just made an honest and a simple film.
We heard that you took your role very seriously and went into a shell especially in the second half of the film to justify your character?
Honestly during the shoot we enjoyed every day. I didn’t go into any kind of shell except for the last three-four days where Kabir wanted me to take that portion of the film very seriously. We have had a great time during the shoot.
You have studied the Quran while filming for the movie “New York”. Why was that study required?
Kabir actually gave me some insights about Quran and how some of it is interpreted at times by certain people for their own benefit. That is something we went through in detail before we started filming for “New York” in terms of character sketch. But that is just a kind of backdrop for my character as we had to build a character history for my character. That was just an individual thing done and not to make a serious research based film.
Kabir made you do some edgy stuff during your first film together and we believe you have done some stunts for “New York” as well. What made you do that those stunts?
When we went to New York and Philadelphia, Kabir looked around at the buildings and I said that this was not dangerous enough for him. I think he made up for it by sending me down a forty-six storey building. But the strange part of the shoot was that once you come down you can’t go back up. I had to go to the ground floor once up there. When I reached the twentieth storey, the unit went in to pack up and move location and I realized I was all on my own.
What is the story line of the film “New York”?
Sam is a typical American jock. The story is about three friends. An incident takes place which is 9/11. After that how their lives change is a brief on the story.
“New York” is your second film with Kabir Khan. What kind of development as a director have you seen in him?
Kabir is a brilliant director. I remember I had told him while shooting for ‘Kabul Express’ that he will win a National Award for it and he won it. I feel he will win an award for this film as well and I can’t be wrong.
How was it for you shooting for the film?
I felt very nice. We shot in New York first and then we went to Philadelphia as well. It was great shooting there. It was great working with Neil, Katrina and even Irfan Khan who is the principal character. After watching the film people will realize the strength of everyone’s performance. Everyone is absolutely wonderful in the film and the film is a very commercial thriller.
What parts of the film do you like the most?
Well I like the climax of the film and the second half of the film is brilliant. I have liked them.
Tell us something about the music of the film?
The music of the film is great. My favorite is “Sam’s Theme” which I think is beautiful. ‘Hai Junoon’ has become a popular number. I am just waiting for the film to release. The audience wants a good film and we hope “New York” is that film.
Do you have any interesting experiences or any anecdotes that you want to share?
The best on the set experience was when I was coming down the forty-six storey building during the presidential elections and Obama was passing from below. So I was stuck around the twentieth floor for about two hours with the breeze blowing and flying around buildings. But I felt like Spider Man. So it was great.
What is the USP of the film?
The USP is a combination of a lot of things. Kabir Khan has directed it, Yash Raj productions and brilliant actors in the film. Audience exactly knows when one is giving a good film or a not so good film. So let the audiences decide but the film is a sensible film.
– Mumbai Bureau arrangement courtesy movie talkies
Dimple Sharma is a proud product of a new generation of modern Indian women. She is a professional model both in agencies and freelance.
Dimple has beautiful sharp features with absolutely hypnotizing eyes and of course her trademark dimples. She's extremely modest and humble. At first many perceive Dimple as a very shy and reserved person because she tends to listen more than speak when she first meets anyone but once she opens up, people are pleasantly surprised when they discover her sense of humour and quick wit. Dimple is a very simple person. She enjoys spending time with her family and close friends, reading,watching movies and eating as she is a complete foodie.
Background
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada; Dimple comes from an extremely close-knit family of four girls.
Dimple graduated from prestigious McGill University which is the top ranked university in Canada and one of the top leading universities in the world.
Dimple speaks English, French, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi.
Dimple is also a very talented and graceful dancer. She has been danc- ing since she was a child and has performed at many shows and events with her friends while growing up.
Career
Dimple has an extremely photogenic face so it's no surprise she holds two Miss Photogenic titles.
Dimple has been interested in modeling from a young age and always wanted to go Mumbai to model.
Dimple is a successful full-time model in Mumbai and has worked with some of the industry's top actors such as: Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Aishwariya Rai, John Abraham, Saif Ali Khan, Lara Dutta etc.
She has shot television commercials with celebrated Bollywood directors such as Abhinav Kashyap, Anurag Basu, Rensil D'Silva, Nikhil Advani and acclaimed Hollywood director Jeffery Darling.
Q&A
How do you rate fashion industry of North America viz global fashion scenario including India?
They're at odds to each other. North America's is elegant and tasteful. India's is glamorous and exciting. The jewelry is a great example, consider how bold and ornamental Indian jewelry is versus Western jewelry.
What is interesting is the harmonious co-existence of both extremes within India. Indians continue to embrace and comfortably, wear designs from both sides of the world. Consider your typical young professional in Mumbai. She could wear an extravagant saree and jewels for a wedding on a Sunday, a smart business suit for her CEO meeting on Monday and a tasteful dress for din- ner with her husband on a Tuesday night. That variety is simply less prevalent elsewhere in the World.
What is even more interesting is the edge that Indian designers enjoy. They could combine the Indian designs they grew up around with the Western designs they have come to know. As someone who proudly traces her roots to both sides of the world, I love to wear designs from each. It's nice to be surrounded by fellow Indians who gen- uinely appreciate the full range of designs.
The creativity of PIO/NRI artists must reach global platform: Internet do offer a platform but physical appearance is vital to show case creative work, hence you need to be present in India. How do you face this challenge?
Despite being present in India, I really don't believe physical presence in India is a pre-requisite to success in this country. Firstly, our people are not so nationalist so as to shun any artist not working out of India. Secondly, there is a slew of distribution channel through which the work of NRIs is brilliantly showcased here: Internet, print media, television, cinemas, etc. It doesn't take long to come up with a long list of examples: Actors like Dev Patel and Aziz Ansari, directors like M Night Shyamalan, writers like Rohinton Mistry, thinkers like Amartya Sen. I could go on. The list knows no bounds, nor does the creativity of our people in this global arena.
Revenue generation in the West is a challenge during recession, how the fashion community have sustain this challenge?
All over the world, especially in the West, the fashion community has come up with innovative ways to cope with the recession. For example, some designers are focusing a lot more on eco-friendly products, or products derived from eco- friendly ways. At the same time, campaigns that are targeting a market which is easily accessible are implemented.
There are great designers at every level of the market. And when times are tough, it creates opportunities for quality, lesser known designers. Along with new innovative designs and more economical campaigns, one is likely to see new talent emerge with hyper-focus on quality and cost-effectiveness further expanding the dimensions of the fashion community.
Leaving family and living in India must be a tough decision for any Individual, how do you connect with them on daily basis emotionally?
My family was very supportive of my career choice. Moving away, by contrast, has been trying for them because we are so close. Luckily, we live in a time where technology is so advanced that one has many options to stay in touch with loved ones.
I speak with my family on a daily basis via video chats, text, email etc...Nothing rivals being there so I do fly back and forth from time to time.
Your favorite Indian & West Model?
Aishwariya Rai. Growing up, I remember freezing when flipping to a picture of her in a magazine. She was, and continues to be, absolutely stunning. I had the privilege of meeting and working with her and she is even more breath taking in person. She remains humble and sweet despite her tremendous success.
Across the world, it would have to be Tyra Banks. As a teenager, I bought her book "Tyra's Beauty, Inside and Out" which was basically a Resource book with tips on healthy eating, skin care, exercise etc... The book had this one picture of her sans make- up. It's rare for a celebrity to openly publish a photograph like that given the often vicious public and media scrutiny models endure. But to Tyra that was no concern: She went ahead and published it. How inspiring. She shows her following, many of whom are young impressionable girls, that models come with their own set of imperfections and that one must learn to embrace oneself as one is. What matters more is the content of one's character. While it may be possible to go a life time concealing one's imperfections, one can never conceal flaws in one's character.
Inputs from Nithya Ramesh - Fashion desk & Canada Bureau Herman Silochan
Donning 6 different get-ups in a matter of 2 hours is no mean feat but Saif Ali Khan, Brand ambassador for Metro Shoes made it look like a ‘cakewalk’ as he transformed into several unique styles while shooting for a print campaign for the brand. The autumn-winter collection for the brand comprised of loafers, patent leather formals, suedes, driving shoes and chappals with the colour palette ranging from molten chocolate browns to cherry reds, blacks and slate grey’s.
The concept of the ad was unique as the entire set-up was done up in mirrors and being a true photographers dream, Saif posed effortlessly for lens-man Amitabh Kame. Styled by Tanya Fraser, Saif is seen exuding attitude in all his looks. Be it the Formal Red Carpet Ensemble with patent laceups, the breezy linen casuals with black studded chappals or the biker jacket look with leather slip ons. Leaning against his own reflection and also posing with utmost dexterity, Saif finished the shoot in record time and the outcome has been perfect! Saif also shared some interesting tidbits while shooting: “I own over 60 pairs of shoes from boots to formals. I had a great time doing this shoot as the team was superb, Metro Shoes had a brilliant concept and they made me look good…”
On being asked whether he has any indulgences…the Chotte navab replied, “I go through phases…I have an indulgence from shades, to shoes to clothes to sun glasses. I dress more for comfort and of-course style is important. I also keep in mind the weather”
The following looks were donned by him:
1) Red Carpet
2) Casual
3) Corporate Wear
4) Ethnic Casual
5) Party
6 ) Casual
As submitted by PR agency to Opinion Express.
Donning 6 different get-ups in a matter of 2 hours is no mean feat but Saif Ali Khan, Brand ambassador for Metro Shoes made it look like a ‘cakewalk’ as he transformed into several unique styles while shooting for a print campaign for the brand. The autumn-winter collection for the brand comprised of loafers, patent leather formals, suedes, driving shoes and chappals with the colour palette ranging from molten chocolate browns to cherry reds, blacks and slate grey’s.
The concept of the ad was unique as the entire setup was done up in mirrors and being a true photographers dream, Saif posed effortlessly for lens-man Amitabh Kame. Styled by Tanya Fraser, Saif is seen exuding attitude in all his looks. Be it the Formal Red Carpet Ensemble with patent lace – ups, the breezy linen casuals with black studded chappals or the biker jacket look with leather slip-ons. Leaning against his own reflection and also posing with utmost dexterity, Saif finished the shoot in record time and the outcome has been perfect! Saif also shared some interesting tid-bits while shooting: “I own over 60 pairs of shoes from boots to formals. I had a great time doing this shoot as the team was superb, Metro Shoes had a brilliant concept and they made me look good…”
On being asked whether he has any indulgences…the Chotte navab replied, “I go through phases…I have an indulgence from shades, to shoes to clothes to sun glasses. I dress more for comfort and of course style is important. I also keep in mind the weather!”
On a signing off note he did wish everyone a heartz ‘Eid Mubarak’.The following looks were donned by him:
1) Red Carpet
2) Casual
3) Corporate Wear
4) Ethnic Casual
5) Party
6 )Casual
– OE News Bureau
The CBI probe is expected to end all conspiracy theories about his mysterious death and its politicization
Hopefully, Sushant Singh Rajput will get all the grace and dignity he deserves following his untimely death beyond the ruthless politicisation and blame games that have happened over two months now. But a young celebrity’s mysterious death has always sparked conspiracy theories and this one has been no exception. How could a “hero” go in an “un-hero” like manner unless foul play was involved? So yes, he deserves a closure and his honour as an actor/social entrepreneur restored. The Supreme Court has ended the political and jurisdictional row between the Bihar and the Maharashtra governments and police forces and paved the way for a CBI probe to clear doubts around his death. For his sake, we need to know if he indeed committed suicide because of depression, because he couldn’t handle the marginalisation by Bollywood’s incestuous and self-serving royalty or because he was battling financial problems. What was initially reported as suicide — and duly confirmed by the autopsy report given by qualified doctors, who are expected to know what they are doing — quickly turned into a murder conspiracy involving the actor’s family, embezzled money, black magic, an allegedly exploitative live-in partner, a political bigwig, Bollywood mafia and nepotism, insider-outsider debate, a media circus and what not. But above all, this tragedy was weaponised by political parties to settle scores among themselves, using his starry aura. What else explains the fact that a TV channel, known to speak for a national party, has been running a 24X7 coverage on the conspiracy theories while blanking out other human concerns? If the “intrepid” channel wanted to expose the plight of struggler and “outsider” actors in Bollywood, why did it not discuss other suicides by TV actors after Sushant’s death? Or were they not viewer-worthy?
For Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has been roundly criticised for his handling of the pandemic and the floods, the case of a “son of the soil” exploited in far away Mumbai couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Since the aam Bihari considers Sushant his “hero”, Sushant was iconised as “the pride of Bihar” though none of these politicians are known to have had an association with him. If anyone has any illusions about their intent, watch them falling over each other to claim they were the first to push for a CBI probe. As for the BJP in Maharashtra, it spares no effort to pull down the Shiv Sena-led alliance Government on some pretext or the other. In Sushant’s case, its troll army is playing up an alleged association his girlfriend had with Sena scion Aaditya Thackeray, raking up more falsities than proof. Where is the right to grieve and peace in all this?
Courtesy: The Pioneer
DC, USA. Born in Calcutta, India and grew up in Ranchi (now in Jahrkand) and did his MBA from Bangalore. Arnab is an hobbyist and semi professional photographer who is also a software engineer and has worked in various non-profits and multinationals including World Bank, Fannie Mae and Deloitte Consultancy. Although his first love is fashion photography he is equally enjoys nature photography. His unique style of photography involves combining fashion with nature and landscape. He has been published locally in various magazines for his photos of fashion shows including international fashion show ‘Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week’, Mercedes- Benz Swim Week, Miami. He has also worked with several designers for their fashion catalogues. His style of photography tends to be a bit on the edgy side and also part of the appeal.
– OE News Bureau
VITAL STATS
Gender: Female
Height: 5 feet 8 in
Weight: 120 lbs
Physique: Slim
Hair Length: Long
Eyes: Brown
Voice Type: Alto
FILMS
Son of Morning, The Goddess, Hothead entertainment/Yaniv Raz, Dostana, Anaita Dharma, Karan Johar production, Vale Tudo, Ringo's girlfriend, Devon Media Group, Infinite, Sara,79 Productions, Full Grown Men, Neighbor, David Munro/Grottofilms, SushiBar, Amelia, Lost Cause Productions/Thiago Lima Production
TELEVISION
Untitled Jamie Foxx Comedy Sketch, Fashion Model, Fox TV, MTV Video Music Awards, Opening Video-Live TeleCast MTV, South Beach(TV Series), Runway Model, Jennnifer Lopez production(UPN), Model Season(TV Series), Monika(as herself), Plum TV
Performance Skills: Singing, Dancing
Spoken Languages: English, Hindi, Urdu
Musical Instruments: Guitar
Dance: Belly, Club/Freestyle
AWARDS
Dulce Art Awards/Theatre Institute of South Florida, Nominated-Best breakthrough performance, 2007 Nominated by the Theatre Institute of South Florida The Emmys 2009 (regional- suncoast), Nominated Best entertainment/documentary
In Hollywood: There are so many fantastic projects and film-makers here. I love pushing my boundaries as an actor. I gear towards material that is edgy, but I recently worked on a comedy which was a blast. The next one may be action, maybe a musical. So I can't wait for the next surprise.
(Inputs from Arnab Kar, Fashion correspondent based in USA)
Indian tends to ignore the importance of diet & nutrition in their daily life. The problem is acute at the primary stage of life wherein Indian parents are obsessed with education priority ignoring health aspect. Indian women are largely ignorant on dietary issues making themselves victim of lifestyle diseases.
Healthy eating is not about strict nutrition philosophies, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about feeling great, having more energy, and keeping yourself as healthy as possible– all of which can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”—it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression. Additionally, learning the habits of healthy eating can boost your energy, sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a satisfying, healthy diet.
Healthy eating tip 1: Set yourself up for success
To set yourself up for success, think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small, manageable steps rather than one big drastic change. If you approach the changes gradually and with commitment, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.
Simplify. Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety, and freshness. This way it should be easier to make healthy choices. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients. Gradually, your diet will become healthier and more delicious. Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time.
Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different color vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, you can continue to add more healthy choices to your diet.
Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect and you don’t have to completely eliminate foods you enjoy to have a healthy diet. The long term goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of cancer and disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you— every healthy food choice you make counts. Think of water and exercise as food groups in your diet.
Water: Water helps flush our systems of waste products and toxins, yet many people go through life dehydrated—causing tiredness, low energy, and headaches. It’s common to mistake thirst for hunger, so staying well hydrated will also help you make healthier food choices.
Exercise: Find something active that you like to do and add it to your day, just like you would add healthy greens, blueberries, or salmon. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant and regular exercise may even motivate you to make healthy food choices a habit.
Healthy eating tip 2: Moderation is key
People often think of healthy eating as an all or nothing proposition, but a key foundation for any healthy diet is moderation. Despite what certain fad diets would have you believe, we all need a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to sustain a healthy body.
Try not to think of certain foods as “off-limits.” When you ban certain foods or food groups, it is natural to want those foods more, and then feel like a failure if you give in to temptation. If you are drawn towards sweet, salty, or unhealthy foods, start by reducing portion sizes and not eating them as often. Later you may find yourself craving them less or thinking of them as only occasional indulgences. Think smaller portions. Serving sizes have ballooned recently, particularly in restaurants. When dining out, choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything. At home, use smaller plates, think about serving sizes in realistic terms, and start small. Visual cues can help with portion sizes—your serving of meat, fish, or chicken should be the size of a deck of cards. A teaspoon of oil or salad dressing is about the size of a matchbook and your slice of bread should be the size of a CD case.
Healthy eating tip 3: It's not just what you eat, it's how you eat
Healthy eating is about more than the food on your plate—it is also about how you think about food. Healthy eating habits can be learned and it is important to slow down and think about food as nourishment rather than just something to gulp down in between meetings or on the way to pick up the kids.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating with other people has numerous social and emotional benefits—particularly for children—and allows you to model healthy eating habits. Eating in front of the TV or computer often leads to mindless overeating. Take time to chew your food and enjoy mealtimes. Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of our food. Reconnect with the joy of eating. Listen to your body. Ask yourself if you are really hungry, or have a glass of water to see if you are thirsty instead of hungry. During a meal, stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eat breakfast, and eat smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism, and eating small, healthy meals throughout the day (rather than the standard three large meals) keeps your energy up and your metabolism going.
Healthy eating tip 4: Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient-dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.
Some great choices include:
Greens: Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.
Sweet vegetables: Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.
Fruit: Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.
The importance of getting vitamins from food—not pills
The antioxidants and other nutrients in fruits and vegetables help protect against certain types of cancer and other diseases. And while advertisements abound for supplements promising to deliver the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables in pill or powder form, research suggests that it’s just not the same.
A daily regimen of nutritional supplements is not going to have the same impact of eating right. That’s because the benefits of fruits and vegetables don’t come from a single vitamin or an isolated antioxidant.
The health benefits of fruits and vegetables come from numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals working together synergistically. They can’t be broken down into the sum of their parts or replicated in pill form.
Healthy eating tip 5: Eat more healthy carbs and whole grains
Choose healthy carbohydrates and fiber sources, especially whole grains, for long-lasting energy. In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart.
A quick definition of healthy carbs and unhealthy carbs
Healthy carbs (sometimes known as good carbs) include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Healthy carbs are digested slowly, helping you feel full longer and keeping blood sugar and insulin levels stable.
Unhealthy carbs (or bad carbs) are foods such as white flour, refined sugar, and white rice that have been stripped of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. Unhealthy carbs digest quickly and cause spikes in blood sugar levels and energy.
Tips for eating more healthy carbs
Include a variety of whole grains in your healthy diet, including whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley. Experiment with different grains to find your favorites.
Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran can be deceptive. Look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat” at the beginning of the ingredient list. In the U.S., check for the Whole Grain Stamps that distinguish between partial whole grain and 100% whole grain.
Try mixing grains as a first step to switching to whole grains. If whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat pasta don’t sound good at first, start by mixing what you normally use with the whole grains. You can gradually increase the whole grain to 100%.
Avoid: Refined foods such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.
Healthy eating tip 6: Enjoy healthy fats & avoid unhealthy fats
Good sources of healthy fat are needed to nourish your brain, heart, and cells, as well as your hair, skin, and nails. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats called EPA and DHA are particularly important and can reduce cardiovascular disease, improve your mood, and help prevent dementia.
Add to your healthy diet:
Monounsaturated fats, from plant oils like canola oil, peanut oil, and olive oil, as well as avocados, nuts (like almonds, hazelnuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin, sesame).
Polyunsaturated fats, including Omega-3 and Omega -6 fatty acids, found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and some cold-water fish oil supplements. Other sources of polyunsaturated fats are unheated sunflower, corn, soybean, flaxseed oils, and walnuts.
Reduce or eliminate from your diet:
Saturated fats, found primarily in animal sources including red meat and whole-milk dairy products.
Trans fats, found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, candies, cookies, snack foods, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Healthy eating tip 7: Put protein in perspective
Protein gives us the energy to get up and go and keep going. Protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the body’s basic building blocks for growth and energy, and essential for maintaining cells, tissues, and organs. A lack of protein in our diet can slow growth, reduce muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system. Protein is particularly important for children, whose bodies are growing and changing daily.
Here are some guidelines for including protein in your healthy diet:
Try different types of protein. Whether or not you are a vegetarian, trying different protein sources—such as beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, and soy products—will open up new options for healthy mealtimes.
Beans: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, and lentils are good options.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and pecans are great choices.
Soy products: Try tofu, soy milk, tempeh, and veggie burgers for a change.
Avoid salted or sugary nuts and refried beans.
Downsize your portions of protein. Many people in the West eat too much protein. Try to move away from protein being the center of your meal. Focus on equal servings of protein, whole grains, and vegetables.
Focus on quality sources of protein, like fresh fish, chicken or turkey, tofu, eggs, beans, or nuts. When you are having meat, chicken, or turkey, buy meat that is free of hormones and antibiotics.
Healthy eating tip 8: Add calcium for strong bones
Calcium is one of the key nutrients that your body needs in order to stay strong and healthy. It is an essential building block for lifelong bone health in both men and women, as well as many other important functions.
You and your bones will benefit from eating plenty of calcium-rich foods, limiting foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and getting your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K— nutrients that help calcium do its job.
Recommended calcium levels are 1000 mg per day, 1200 mg if you are over 50 years old. Take a vitamin D and calcium supplement if you don’t get enough of these nutrients from your diet.
Good sources of calcium include:
Dairy: Dairy products are rich in calcium in a form that is easily digested and absorbed by the body. Sources include milk, yogurt and cheese.
Vegetables and greens: Many vegetables, especially leafy green ones, are rich sources of calcium. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, summer squash, green beans, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms.
Beans: For another rich source of calcium, try black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans.
Healthy eating tip 9: Limit sugar and salt
If you succeed in planning your diet around fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats, you may find yourself naturally cutting back on foods that can get in the way of your healthy diet—sugar and salt.
Sugar
Sugar causes energy ups and downs and can add to health and weight problems. Unfortunately, reducing the amount of candy, cakes, and desserts we eat is only part of the solution. Often you may not even be aware of the amount of sugar you’re consuming each day. Large amounts of added sugar can be hidden in foods such as bread, canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, instant mashed potatoes, frozen dinners, fast food, soy sauce, and ketchup. Here are some tips:
Avoid sugary drinks: One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit! Try sparkling water with lemon or a splash of fruit juice.
Eat naturally sweet food such as fruit, peppers, or natural peanut butter to satisfy your sweet tooth.
How sugar is hidden on food labels Check food labels carefully. Sugar is often disguised using terms such as:
Cane sugar or maple syrup: crystallized or evaporated cane juice
Corn sweetener or corn syrup: fruit juice concentrates, such as apple or pear
Honey or molasses: maltodextrin (or dextrin)
Brown rice syrup: Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, or Sucrose
Salt
Most of us consume too much salt in our diets. Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure and lead to other health problems. Try to limit sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.
Avoid processed or pre-packaged foods. Processed foods like canned soups or frozen dinners contain hidden sodium that quickly surpasses the recommended limit.
Be careful when eating out. Most restaurant and fast food meals are loaded with sodium.
Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
Cut back on salty snacks such as potato chips, nuts, and pretzels.
Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products.
Try slowly reducing the salt in your diet to give your taste buds time to adjust.
Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient.
Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually, you may find you like skim, too.
Born and brought up in Bombay to a middle class south Indian family, Vidya had a dream: to become an actress. But while other girls with that dream would want to be glamorous heroines, Vidya focused on the acting itself.
Each evening she would stare at the mirror and reenact Shabana Azmi’s dialogues from Arth. A particular favorite was the bit where Shabana tells Smita Patil to leave her man alone.
Good middle class south Indian families do not react with delight when their daughters tell them that they want to join Bollywood. So Vidya’s parents insisted that she went to St Xavier’s College and studied. She did her BA and then an MA in Sociology.
“My father said that I could always become an actress,” she recalls. “But I couldn’t go back to college later in life. So I had to first finish my education and then I could do what I wanted. At the time I was not pleased but now, I can’t thank him enough. My parents were absolutely right.”
The education explains why Vidya started off late. But nothing explains why things kept going wrong for so long.
In a male dominated industry, Vidya Balan has forced her entry in the top league with some stupendous performances in the last few months. She has redefined the structure of Indian entertainment industry though she has been subject to serious criticism by conservative section of the Indian society. Is it because The Dirty Picture has stormed the box office? Is it because she’s so good in the film? Or is it because she has flouted every rule in the Bollywood book and emerged a winner on her own terms?
The obvious point of reference is The Dirty Picture. For two months before the movie released, Vidya was everywhere. Never before in the history of Indian cinema has a star done so much publicity for a film. And The Dirty Picture was not even a big budget special effects extravaganza like say Ra.One. But Vidya appeared on every television show you could think of (and many that you would never have thought of) and in every print publication. So perhaps India is going crazy over Vidya Balan because she is so ubiquitous today, more omnipresent than even Anna Hazare.
Or it could be that they all think that Vidya is terrific in the movie (which she is)? Few actresses could have carried off that role with so much aplomb and managed to hold their own against an actor o the calibre of Naseeruddin Shah who gives one of his best ever performances. But if you ask me it’s none of these things. India has fallen in love with Vidya Balan all over again (and we’ve been here before after the release of Parineeta and once again after Lage Raho Munnabhai though it’s- never been quite so intense) not because of her current ubiquity or because of any individual film but because we have finally come to terms with who she is.
In an industry full of size zero figures, dancing bimbettes and self-consciously trendy bejeaned muppets, Vidya comes off as a breath of fresh air. Basically, it’s this simple: she is a real person.
Everything about her is real: the curves, the little roll of fat that she makes no attempt to hide, the clothes that she chooses herself, the roles that she agonises over before finally selecting one that suits her, the hard work she puts into each performance and then into the promotion, and most of all, the guts she demonstrates in finding her own path against the advice of nearly everybody in Bollywood.But the road to success was painful. She had faced tremendous failure, trying hands in Malyalum, Tamil film industry with sting of disastrous movies. Desperate to find some work at least, she agreed- to act in a Euphoria music video directed by Pradeep Sarkar. This time she was not replaced and the video was completed but there was a fight between labels and the release of the video was stalled.
So, after three years in the film industry, Vidya Balan had been replaced in twelve Malayalam movies, two Tamil films and had made one music video which had been caught up in a legal quagmire and not released. You tell me: wouldn’t you give up at this stage? Anybody else would. But Vidya wouldn’t. And she didn’t. When asked her about her state of mind during that phase. She says that it took every ounce of will power to keep from giving up.
She went everywhere for roles: on one occasion she walked from Nariman Point to Bandra, a considerable distance. At other times, she sat for hours at the Saibaba temple praying with tears running down her cheeks. (“I am a person with a lot of faith and I have conversations all the time but I am not so religious in the conventional, organised sense,” she says).
Then, slowly, her luck began to change. She was cast in a Bengali film and discovered that she was a Bengali at heart and learnt to speak the language fluently. (She even sings Bengali songs, one of which she sang on cam- era for me when I seemed somewhat dubious about her linguistic abilities). Pradeep Sarkar who had kept casting her in ad films and other music videos never lost faith. He had planned to make Parineeta for producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra and insisted that Vidya would make a perfect heroine.
A nervous wreck. Her career had stalled in two different film industries (Malayalam and Tamil) and her reputation for bringing bad luck to projects had spread far and wide. This was really a make or break situation for her. But oddly enough, she says, she was never nervous. She knew what was at stake. She knew it was her last chance. And she knew that the camera was her best friend. (“The camera is my confidante,”she says. “I speak directly to it.”).
So she gave it everything she had. And the rest is history. It hasn’t exactly been an uphill struggle since the massive success of Parineeta. Lage Raho Munnabhai gave her the stamp of commercial accept- ability and it would have been easy enough for her to have joined the Bollywood rat race since success seemed to come so easily and naturally to her. But after some strange films like Hey Baby and Kismet Konnection in which she tried to pretend to be what she is not a Bollywood bimbette Vidya decided that this was not part of her original dream.
“At some stage my sister and broth- er-in-law sat me down and asked me why I had become anactress,” she remembers.
Coming to the movie itself, it talks about the life of the heroine who, like Silk Smitha, became the ultimate symbol of sensuality and the ups and downs such a typecasting has in an exploitative industry like Indian cinema. Full of raunchy dance numbers, red-lip- stick and bold dresses, Vidya is definitely at the centre of all this limelight.
– Divakar Shetty
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