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Comparison is a Happiness Killer – Instead Do This

Most people are so busy comparing themselves to others that they forgot to compare themselves with themselves – Means with their past versions.

Recognizing other’s talents is important to get motivated to improve ourselves. We need to identify, invest and cultivate our inbuilt talents. Let focus our energy in learning and growing.

If we do not grind to nurture our passions when we are young, there will be nothing left for us to share, contribute and enjoy when you are old.

We need to give our 100% when we can and when we are in are in a peak state. For instance when it is morning, attack some task with your fullest self. We become what we say to ourselves. We are preparing for your future self and let us not disappoint our future self .

Nothing goes wasted, if you fail even after giving everything in pursuit of something, don’t worry, it leads to something . It’s worth it. Never adjust your performance to the crowd, always give your best and be your best authentic self. You don’t know who is watching you and who is taking notes.

If we cannot do ordinary things extra ordinarily, we cannot expect us to do great things any better. Everybody starts small, it is how we handle the small trivial insignificant things that defines how you will do the important and significant things .

Figure things out . Nature gave us fire and it is up to the human to make use if it. Nature gave us fire. Nature did not give us cooked food out of fire, make tools out of fire, and hell number of things we made by using fire. God did not give us this wooden door, wooden chair, that big ship or boats, god just gave us trees and it is up to us to figure out to make all these amazing things out of tree wood. Nature or god gives us many valuable things and resources and it is up to us to judiciously use them in a purposeful way.

Now the problem is many people want these things instantly without putting in much effort or using god given talents and skills. Very few people want to use the best asset they have that is human brain and do something meaningful with it. Everything is earned and nothing comes easy. If something comes  easy, it goes easy. If you escalate to some position quickly, most probably you might go the slippery slope not so far away.

What can I do now, my time is running out. What is the best that I could do with what I have now. How can I be resourceful instead of search for resources. Nature and god gives you raw materials, and it is up to us to make them resourceful.

It is not how focused and determined you go after something , it is important what you are willing to leave behind to reach you goal. It is the law gravity in force. When you are picking up the pace and going against the gravity to take off to newer heights, you will be pulled down and it will not be easy for you. You will dragged down by your own community and resistance will come from your close quarters. You must not give up. You have to keep going.

If you want to sore high, you have to break some walls.

Right strategy matters. If you do the right thing in a wrong time, it might not take off. Look at the trend of the day and direction of the wind to add fuel to fire .

Create laser focus and just keep people, things , habits , attitude, behavior , skills that add value to you . Why do you want to hang out with the stuff that does not serve you in any way.

Don’t go into business to make money but just focus on solving the problem or challenges of the day. When you jump into the gap and create a bridge for the people to use the bridge to walk, run, drive they are willing to pay for toll. Don’t talk about your problems because 90% of the people don’t give a shit about your problems and rest of them would be happy about it. People welcome problem solvers.

Becoming Famous is just a side effect of being effective.

When you gain momentum and when you are raising above your tribe you have to get tougher and not mean. Mean is to lash out at your critics and become resentful. Tough is to have the self-control, calmness and resistance against all your distractions and irrelevance that are trying to bring you down.

Don’t feel privileged and entitled . It is not about claiming your rights but becoming responsible for your circumstances and taking full responsibility for your decisions and outcomes.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

References:

Excerpts from famous motivations speaker T D Jakes

Metabolic Syndrome – How Does It Affect Us Unknowingly

Excerpts from Book – ‘The Diabetes Code’ by Jason Fung

Indicators of Metabolic Syndrome

  1. Abdominal obesity, measured by waist circumference: men over 40 inches, women over 35 inches;
  2. Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL): men less than 40 mg/ dL or women less than 50 mg/ dL or taking medication;
  3. High triglycerides: over 150 mg/ dL or taking medication;
  4. High blood pressure: over 130 mmHg systolic (top number) or over 85 mmHg diastolic (bottom number) or taking medication;
  5. Fasting blood glucose > 100 mg/ dL or taking medication.

The liver lies at the nexus of metabolism and nutrient flow, particularly for carbohydrates and proteins. Situated immediately downstream from the intestines, nutrients enter the blood in the portal circulation and pass directly to the liver. The major exception is dietary fat, which is absorbed directly into the lymphatic system as chylomicrons. These chylomicrons empty into the bloodstream without first passing through the liver.

When carbohydrates and proteins are absorbed, the pancreas releases insulin. It travels in the portal vein, an expressway to the liver.

The liver prefers to store extra glucose in long glycogen chains since it is an easily accessible form of energy. However, there is limited space inside the liver for that glycogen.

It transforms this glucose through de novo lipogenesis (DNL) into newly created molecules of triglycerides, also known as body fat.

Hypertriglyceridemia

THESE NEWLY CREATED triglycerides are made from the substrate glucose, not from dietary fat. This distinction is important because fats made by DNL are highly saturated. Eating dietary carbohydrates, not dietary saturated fat, increases saturated fat levels in the blood. Saturated fats in the blood, not the diet, are highly associated with heart disease.

These two forms of storage fulfill different and complementary roles. The stored glucose, or glycogen (fridge), is easily accessible but limited in capacity. The stored body fat, or triglycerides (freezer), are hard to access but unlimited in capacity. The two main activators of DNL are insulin and excessive dietary fructose. High dietary intake of carbohydrates— and to a lesser extent, protein— stimulates insulin secretion and provides the substrate for DNL. With DNL running at full production, large amounts of new fat are created. Excessive DNL can overwhelm the export mechanism, resulting in abnormal retention of this new fat in the liver. As you stuff more and more fat into the liver, it becomes noticeably engorged and can be diagnosed on ultrasound as fatty liver. But if the liver is not the appropriate place to store this new fat, where should it go?

Your glycogen “fridge” is full, so the only remaining option is to export the newly created fat (excess food) somewhere else. This mechanism is known as the endogenous pathway of lipid transport. Essentially, triglycerides are packaged with special proteins to create very low– density lipoproteins (VLDL), which are released into the bloodstream to help decompress the congested liver. More dietary glucose and fructose means more DNL which means more VLDL must be released. This mass export of triglyceride-rich VLDL particles is the major reason for high plasma triglyceride levels, which are detectable in all standard blood tests for cholesterol. Ultimately, eating too much glucose and too much fructose causes this hypertriglyceridemia.

Simply put, higher insulin levels and fructose ingestion produce higher blood triglyceride levels. There’s just too much sugar.

Low high-density lipoproteins (HDL)

AS VLDL PARTICLES circulate through the bloodstream, insulin stimulates the hormone lipoprotein lipase (LPL), which is found in the small blood vessels of muscles, adipocytes, and the heart. This LPL transports the triglycerides out of the blood into adipocytes for safe storage. As VLDL releases its triglycerides, the particles become smaller and denser; now called VLDL remnants, the liver reabsorbs them. In turn, the liver releases these remnants back into the bloodstream as low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which are measured by standard blood cholesterol panels and are classically considered the “bad” cholesterol. High blood triglycerides strongly and independently predict cardiovascular disease. High levels of LDL are pointedly not one of the criteria for developing metabolic syndrome.

Low levels of HDL are found in close association with high levels of triglycerides. High levels of triglycerides activate the enzyme cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP), which reduces HDL levels. Given this close association with triglycerides, it should be no surprise that low-carbohydrate diets raise HDL, even independent of weight loss.

What is clear, however, is that the lipid profile typical of the metabolic syndrome— high triglycerides and low HDL— results from the excess of VLDL, which ultimately stems from hyperinsulinemia, which ultimately stems from eating too much glucose and fructose. Again, too much sugar.

Abdominal obesity

THE ADIPOCYTES GET larger as they take up the triglycerides for storage. This is not particularly dangerous to our health since adipocytes are designed to store fat. But being too fat is dangerous from an evolutionary standpoint, because fat animals get eaten. The adipocytes protect themselves against overexpansion by releasing the hormone leptin. This signals the hypothalamic area of the brain that we need to lose fat. We stop eating, insulin drops, and we lose weight. In this way, obesity serves as the first line of defense against hyperinsulinemia. Insulin encourages fat storage, whereas leptin strives to reduce it.

If you have too much body fat, leptin is released, which decreases food intake. Insulin should fall, and you should lose weight. In insulin-resistant states, insulin levels stay persistently high, which tells the body to keep storing fat. Leptin therefore stays persistently high too. As with all hormones, exposure creates resistance, so persistently high leptin creates the leptin resistance found in common obesity. It’s a tug of war between insulin and leptin, and if you are eating too much sugar, ultimately, insulin wins. Insulin allows glucose to move from the blood into the cells. Persistent hyperinsulinemia crams even more glucose into the liver, creating even more new fat.

When hyperinsulinemia persists, the pedal-to-the-metal production of new fat overwhelms the adipocytes. Fat backs up, causing fatty liver. Fructose is directly converted to liver fat and leads to the next stage, insulin resistance. If allowed to continue, the engorged liver will become distended and injured. The liver cell cannot safely handle any more glucose, yet insulin is still pushing really, really hard to shove more inside. The liver’s only option is to refuse entry. This is known as insulin resistance, and it develops as the body’s second line of defense against hyperinsulinemia.

The liver feverishly tries to relieve the fatty congestion by exporting triglycerides, and blood levels increase in a classic sign of metabolic syndrome. Ectopic fat accumulates in other organs, such as the pancreas, kidneys, heart, and muscle. The predominance of fat around the abdomen becomes noticeable as an increase in waist size, which can be described as a beer belly

High blood glucose

IN ADDITION TO accumulating in the abdominal region, fat accumulates within organs that are not designed to store it. Distention of the liver and skeletal muscles with fat increases insulin resistance, even though the pancreas increases insulin to keep blood glucose levels relatively normal. But that’s not the end of the story. Ectopic fat clogs the pancreas and interferes with normal functioning, so insulin levels fall. When the fatty pancreas fails to produce the compensatory hyperinsulinemia, blood glucose skyrockets and becomes symptomatic when it exceeds the renal threshold. Glucose spills out into the urine, and the classic symptoms of diabetes— excessive urination, thirst, and weight loss— appear.

High blood pressure (hypertension)

Insulin increases blood pressure through multiple mechanisms. Insulin increases the cardiac output— the contractile force of the heart— and the volume of blood in circulation by enhancing the kidney’s ability to reabsorb sodium (salt). In addition, insulin stimulates the secretion of anti-diuretic hormone, which helps the body to reabsorb water. Together, this salt and water retention mechanism increases blood volume and thus causes higher blood pressure. Insulin also constricts blood vessels, increasing the pressure inside.

Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes cannot cause metabolic syndrome because they are part of the syndrome. Hyperinsulinemia causes it. The very core of the problem is hyperinsulinemia from excessive fructose and glucose, but especially fructose intake.

Metabolic syndrome, of which obesity and type 2 diabetes are a key part, are ultimately caused by— you guessed it— too much sugar. Obesity, insulin resistance, and beta cell dysfunction are all protective mechanisms. Obesity tries to prevent DNL from overwhelming the liver by safely storing the newly created fat in the adipocytes.

Fat cells actually provide protection against metabolic syndrome rather than causing it. Why? Because without adipocytes, fat must be stored inside the organs, where it causes metabolic syndrome. If fat can be stored inside adipocytes instead, no metabolic damage results. Obesity is the first line of defense against the root problem of hyperinsulinemia/ insulin resistance. Similarly, insulin resistance is the body’s attempt to prevent fat from amassing in the internal organs by preventing it from entering. The liver refuses to allow more glucose to enter because it is already overfilled, and the result is visible as insulin resistance, which represents a second protective mechanism. The final line of defense lies in shutting down pancreatic production of insulin. Blood glucose rapidly rises above the renal threshold and causes all the classic symptoms of diabetes. But this toxic load of glucose has been safely discharged out of the body, and is unable to cause further metabolic damage.

All the conditions we thought were problems— obesity, insulin resistance, and beta cell dysfunction— are actually the body’s solutions to a single root cause— too much sugar. And when we understand the root cause, the answer to all of these problems— and to type 2 diabetes— becomes immediately obvious. We need to get rid of the sugar and lower insulin.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

What Social Media Shows Us and Why We Need to Be Careful

Let us just think about some of the promos of upcoming movies. We all know that a movie promo showcases the most exciting and awesome scenes in the movie. Only then the audience are stimulated to wait eagerly for movie release and watch it. Nobody wants to see normal lecture kind of stuff in a movie promo. The movie would be a disaster even before release if the promo is not crafted well and if it is boring.

Now what do we see on social media. Most of the photos and videos posted there are filtered versions of themselves. Everybody just shows their best part, best photos, happy faces, feel good content and ‘Life is Awesome’ kind of stuff.

We see only the best parts in everyone’s life and assume that we are the only ones having problems and miseries in life. And everybody else thinks the same. We might get a feeling that everyone has something that I lack. It makes you think of your limitations and drawbacks.

Just believe and remember that they are the commercials by others, that may or may not be the reality. Mostly they are not as everybody else is a human and going through their own life dealing with their own ups and downs. Even if someone is amazing flawless life, it is not a thing of concern to you. Having flaws, having problems, having lack is ok and fine. Just be grateful.

When you are conscious of this false, artificial, impressions that the word around you projects, then you will be just fine with what you have. You compare and you will be unhappy about something.

If you are authentic , you are supposed to have blemishes, spots, and some imperfections . You must believe that you are good enough. Even if you are missing something, you must know that anything is attainable and you deserve it for the reason you value it.

  • Finally, it is not enough for you to just believe that you are good enough and you have what it takes to deserve it.
  • You must take action and stop procrastinating.
  • You must stop blaming others and external circumstances and take full responsibility for yourself.
  • With discipline, tenacity and daily consistent steps we move closer to our desired objective.
  • The progress we make keeps us going and ward of any negative influences of this world.
  • Growth and improvement is more important than perfection.
  • Many times it is important who we become during the roller coaster ride of the journey than the goal itself.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Nootropics

Nootropics – sometimes called smart drugs – are compounds that enhance brain function. They’re becoming a popular way to give your mind an extra boost.

Nootropics and smart drugs are natural or synthetic substances that can be taken to improve mental performance in healthy people.

They have gained popularity in today’s highly competitive society and are most often used to boost memory, focus, creativity, intelligence and motivation.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Fitness and Nutrition for Beginners

Weight lifting and strength training isn’t just about winning or losing the weight lifting competition, rather muscle strength is something that can help you live a healthy life and results in strong mind. If you are intending for such a lifestyle, then you need to look forward to lifting weights, which can increase your level of endurance, resulting in muscle strength.

Right diet and Nutrition is the fundamental you need to look forward to. Your muscle needs to regain the energy they lose during the workout, and this can only be achieved by having a proper diet along with training. Along with diet a nice good night sleep of 7 to 8 hours is a must.

Cardio workouts along with strength training, are one of the best ways to start improving your overall health and your fitness level. HIIT and strength training increases your metabolic rate on a long term basis, which means that even when you are sitting still, you will be burning more calories than before you started your exercise program.

If you have only just begun to think about exercise, then it is highly likely that your fitness level will be quite low. So take one step at a time and don’t be intimidated by the work ahead. Bringing in any additional movement, within your daily routine, will be an excellent start like using stairs, walking to the nearby store rather using the vehicle etc.

Exercise can reduce your risk of lifestyle diseases. Many lifestyle diseases, such as heart attack, obesity, depression, anxiety etc. can be prevented by undertaking regular exercise. Cardio exercise improves the flow of blood around your body, which makes the pumping more efficient. Reduces LDL and increases HDL cholesterol. Exercise can help to prevent osteoporosis and arthritis.

Exercise can reduce stress and boost your mood. Exercise releases endorphins which your brain produces. Endorphins are natural hormones that act as both painkillers and antidepressants, boosting your mood and helping you to feel better, even if you have only been exercising for a short time.

You can experience Improved energy levels. Heart and lungs are strengthened and they work more efficiently. This will increase the amount of oxygen getting into your bloodstream, and then it will be transported to where it is needed more quickly, along with all of the other nutrients that your muscles need in order to work.

Better sleep. It is important that you don’t exercise immediately before going to bed, as this can lead to the adrenaline from the activity still being present in your body, which will keep you awake and make sleeping even more difficult. However, as long as the activity is carried out at least three hours before you go to bed, you should notice the benefit.

You will find that combining cardiovascular exercise and weight training will lead to even more fat being burned than cardio would manage alone, so even if you are skeptical, give it a try. The results after just a few weeks may surprise you.

Basic Nutrition

Not all of the weight lifters intend to be professional bodybuilders or fitness models, but still, nutrition is important to ensure you enjoy a sound life. Nutrition can serve as a make or break factor, therefore, you need to keep that in mind. If you work out regularly, then you cannot achieve the desired outcomes, without following a proper diet plan.

  • For starters, let’s keep the ratio to 30 to 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20 to 30% fats. This ratio works from most.
  • If you are overweight or obese then reduce the carbs. Here, you may keep the ratios as 50% protein, 20 % carbs, 30 % Healthy natural fats (unrefined).

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) are more slowly digested, absorbed and metabolized and cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose and, therefore usually, insulin levels.

Unhealthy foods – avoid them if possible or minimize them

  • Processed foods
  • Sugar and sugar rich foods or drinks
  • Foods with High GI like rice, wheat flour (Maida) products, noodles, white pasta
  • Refined grains
  • Junk food, any food deep fried
  • Starchy potatoes
  • White Flour products
  • Alcohol
  • Smoking

Foods with low GI:

  • Green tea – fat loss
  • Herbs – fat loss and natural health
  • Spices – fat loss and natural health
  • Whole grains
  • Seeds
  • Nuts
  • Beans
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables

Complex Carbs:

  • Brown rice
  • Whole wheat
  • Whole grains
  • Oatmeal
  • Quinoa
  • Sweet potatoes

Fruits:

  • Berries
  • Papaya
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Melons
  • Bananas

Proteins from animals and plants:

  • Fish
  • Lean turkey
  • Lean beef
  • chicken breasts
  • Lentils
  • Peas
  • Chick beans
  • Soybeans
  • Skimmed milk
  • Cottage cheese or panner
  • Yogurt
  • Peanuts
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Pista

Vegetables:

  • Broccoli
  • Spinach
  • Sprouted grain
  • Carrots
  • Mushrooms
  • Zucchini
  • Tomatoes
  • Peas
  • Brinjal
  • Cauliflower

Dietary Supplements

  • Protein Powder – Whey protein, whey protein Isolate preferably, vegetarian based protein powder like pea protein isolate or rice protein isolate – a must have. Protein is the king of nutrients and responsible for multitude functionalities in body. Most importantly muscle tissue growth and cell regeneration. It is needed for healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, joints and the list goes on. It is the most important macronutrient for muscle repair and recovery in a fitness program.
  • Meal replacements – protein bars, fruits, nuts like ground nuts or almonds
  • A good quality Multi-Vitamin and Mineral supplement
  • Vitamin D3
  • Omega 3 fatty acids supplement
  • Fat Burners – If you are looking to overcome the excess fat from your body, then these fat burners can be handy. These compounds increase the body temperature, which helps in achieving the metabolic rate that can be handy in overcoming body fat.
    • If you are following a weight loss program, then you need to add green tea in your diet plan. Though, green tea alone doesn’t help in reducing weight, yet an overall combination of low-caloric food and a proper training program can help you get the job done. It has several other benefits and a powerful anti-oxidant.
    • Caffeine is the major player in terms of thermogenesis. Keeps you focused and get on with the workout. May be a cup of ‘pure black coffee’ should help.

Final word

  • Being fit can bring about a peace of mind in your life, therefore, you need not take that for granted. Fitness is no longer associated with men, fitness is for all including children.
  • Physical appeal isn’t the only reason men and women work hard in the gym. Self-satisfaction and enhanced personal performance are other reasons which prompt people to hit it hard in the gym. Staying healthy is another reason for which people undergo intense workout sessions.
  • Exercise, improve strength, do cardio, play some sport but do it properly so that you would meet your goals. Next eat right food, proper nutrition and diet plan in absolutely must to lead a healthy and prosperous life. Then have a good rest and sleep well for your body to recover.  If you train hard and complement the training with proper and natural diet, then your body will definitely react positively to it. Therefore, you need to consider physical and mental fitness as a natural process, and avoid expecting overnight results.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Metabolism- Carbs, Fats and Proteins for energy production

Metabolism basically refers to all the chemical reactions within the body used to produce energy. This involves a complex set of processes that convert fuels into specialized compounds loaded with energy. In the body, the primary final agent to produce energy is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). When ATP is broken down or used by cells huge amounts of energy is released. This energy is essential for cells to grow and divide, synthesize important compounds, for muscles to contract and numerous other important functions.

The body has three main types of molecules it uses for energy:

Carbohydrates: These are the sugar type compounds in the body. Carbohydrates come from foods such as bread, cereal, potatoes, fruits and sugar-containing foods or bevarages. When carbohydrates are digested in the gastrointestinal system they are broken down into smaller molecules such as glucose (a simple sugar). The main storage sites for carbohydrates in the body are the liver and muscles.

Lipids: This basically refers to fats (such as cholesterol) from the diet or stored in adipose tissue (in other words the body fat). Lipids are broken down into smaller components called fatty acids for energy. Therefore lipids are really just chains of fatty acids joined together.

Proteins: These make up nearly three quarters of all the solid materials in the body. Proteins are thus the basic structural components in the body. They are made up of smaller agents called amino acids – considered the building blocks of proteins. Protein is present in the diet in foods such as meat, eggs, nuts and dairy products.

In general, carbohydrates form the main energy source for the body. They are the most efficient at producing ATP or energy (meaning they produce lots more ATP per amount of the fuel broken down). The body preferentially breaks down carbohydrates first, and then fats and finally proteins only if the other two fuels are depleted. This is important as proteins are generally less efficient at generating energy. In addition, proteins perform several important functions so if they were broken down several systems could fail.

To illustrate an example, in the event of starvation, the body has fewer carbohydrates available so will start to breakdown the fat stores in the body. Once all the available carbohydrate and fat stores have been depleted, the body will start to break down proteins to provide energy.

If your body runs out of other sources of fuel, it will start to use muscle tissue for energy. This is not a normal condition, and your body will only start to use muscle tissue for energy under extreme conditions, such as if you are very sick, severely malnourished or not consuming enough calories over an extended period of time to support normal body functions.

The first line of defense in maintaining energy is to break down carbohydrates, or glycogen, into simple glucose molecules — this process is called glycogenolysis. Next, your body breaks down fats into glycerol and fatty acids in the process of lipolysis. The fatty acids can then be broken down directly to get energy, or can be used to make glucose through a multi-step process called gluconeogenesis. In gluconeogenesis, amino acids can also be used to make glucose.

Remember that the body burns carbohydrates first, followed by fats and proteins only when the other two are depleted. Therefore if the carbohydrates in the diet are limited, the body will start to burn fat stores.

  • Eat a balanced diet – appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, fat and protein
  • Do not eat excessively – for most people, a diet of 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day is sufficient to maintain a healthy weight
  • Exercise regularly
  • Sleep well

Ketosis

Ketosis refers to an increased concentration of ketone bodies within the blood.  When carbohydrates are unavailable for energy the body switches to metabolism of fatty acids. The body takes these from adipose tissue (the body’s fat stores). The fatty acids generated can either be broken down for energy or may be converted to ketone bodies within the liver. Some ketones can be excreted in the breath and give it a sweet smell (acetone breath).

Reference:

Content collected from various articles

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Plant Protein for Vegetarians – Legumes, Cereals, Millets, Dry nuts, Vegetables

Cereals:

They are simply grains. Cereal grains are grown in greater quantities and provide more food energy than any other type of crop .

  • Rice
  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Millets
  • Oats

Millets

Millets are coarse grains which are good in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Non-gluten.

  • Jowar (sorghum), 
  • Ragi (finger millet), 
  • Korra (foxtail millet), 
  • Arke (kodo millet), 
  • Sama (little millet), 
  • Bajra (pearl millet), 
  • Chena/Barr (proso millet)
  • Sanwa (barnyard millet).

Legumes

  • Pulses – Dry beans, Lentils, Peas
  • Soybeans
  • Black eyed peas(Lobia)
  • Chickpeas(channa) all kinds
  • Green gram – Whole moong beans
  • Yellow gram – Split moon beans
  • Split pegion peas – Toor dal
  • Kidney beans – Rajma
  • Red gram – Masoor dal
  • White gram – Urad dal
  • Green peas and white peas

Nuts

  • Almonds
  • Ground nuts
  • Cashew nuts
  • Pista
  • Walnuts
  • Hazelnuts

Seeds

  • Hemp Seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Sesame seeds
  • Quinoa
  • Chia seeds

Vegetables (Has trace protein):

  • Broccoli
  • Mushrooms
  • Green peas
  • Spinach
  • Cauliflower
  • Sweet corns
  • Ladies finger
  • Carrot
  • Beat root

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises

Activities are considered aerobic or “with oxygen,” if they stimulate your heart rate and cause your breathing to increase and they can be performed at a level that can be maintained for an extended period of time.

Benefits of aerobic exercise include:

  • Reducing the risk of developing heart disease, hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes
  • Managing chronic health condition such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar
  • Strengthening your heart and keeps your arteries clear—aerobic exercise helps lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol
  • Warding off cognitive decline
  • Increasing stamina
  • Improving mood and manage certain mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety

Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, cardio equipment (elliptical, stair climber, stationary bike), aerobic classes and hiking.

Activities that are considered aerobic use fat, with the help of oxygen and carbohydrates, to provide a steady supply of energy for activity. Unlike anaerobic exercises, the intensity of aerobic exercise is lower and doesn’t require fast and powerful contractions to produce force.

However, aerobic exercises can become anaerobic if performed at a level of intensity that is too high. For example, if you’re cycling on a spin bike and increase the tension or get out of the saddle too much, your heart rate may not have a chance to go back down to the aerobic range. 

In Aerobic exercises, our body majorly uses stored fat as primary energy source and glucose/glycogen to a minor extent.

Anaerobic exercises

Anaerobic exercise is considered short-lasting, high-intensity activity, where your body’s demand for oxygen exceeds the oxygen supply available.

Let’s say your workout consists of heavy squats, deadlifts and bench. Typically, when you finish a set of heavy squats, you’re out of breath and you know there’s not much gas left in the tank to squeeze out a few more reps. 

Unlike the nice, easy jog you took the day before that relied primarily on the aerobic system, lifting weights—which is an anaerobic exercise—requires a huge amount of energy to produce large amounts of force. Other examples of anaerobic exercise include sprinting, high-intensity interval training, powerlifting and most athletic sports.

The benefits of regularly performing anaerobic exercise include:

In Aerobic exercises, our body majorly uses stored glycogen and glucose in our blood for energy. Only a very minor part of energy comes from stored fat.

Reference:

Content collected from various fitness articles

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Muscle Types

Our muscle fibers can generally be classified as fast-twitch or slow-twitch:

Slow twitch fibers (Type I): These muscle fibers can carry more oxygen and sustain longer periods of aerobic activity (activities that require your muscles to use oxygen) than other types of fibers, using fats or carbs as fuel.  They can contract for long periods of time, but are weak.  Think: long distance running or hours of cardio.

Fast twitch fibers (Type IIb): These muscle fibers can carry less oxygen and only work with short periods of anaerobic activity (activities that require your muscles to burn glycogen) before becoming exhausted.  They have the greatest potential for strength and for gaining size. Think: sprinting, powerlifting, strength training.

Fast twitch fibers (Type IIa): These are a mix of Type I and Type IIb fibers, and thus can be used for either aerobic or anaerobic activities.

We can actually change our muscle fibers based on our training. It might be a difficult task but Body type, metabolism, muscle fibers, can be altered by our sheer work and dedication.

We can change our size and the percentage of our muscle fibers with the right training, just like we can change our body composition with the right diet.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Body Types

Not every human being fits exactly into one of these categories but contains characteristics of each, although one is usually predominant over the others.

In order to determine your body type, one needs to look back at your adolescent years to determine which category your body type you possessed before changes due to age and lifestyle transformed you into what you are today.

The Ectomorph Body Type

The Ectomorph is a form of opposite of the Endomorph. Physically, they tend to have:

  • Narrow shoulders and hips.
  • A thin and narrow face, with a high forehead.
  • A thin and narrow chest and abdomen.
  • Very little body fat.
  • Thin legs and arms.

The Mesomorph Body Type

The mesomorph is somewhere between the round endomorph and the thin ectomorph. Physically, they have the more ‘desirable’ body, and have:

  • Large head, broad shoulders, and narrow waist (wedge-shaped).
  • Muscular body, with strong forearms and thighs
  • Very little body fat
  • Genetically gifted; greatest bodybuilding potential.
  • Long torso, full chest, good shoulder to waist ratio.

The Endomorph Body Type

The Endomorph is physically quite ‘round’, and is typified as the ‘barrel of fun’ person. They tend to have:

  • Wide hips and narrow shoulders, which makes them rather pear-shaped.
  • Quite a lot of fat spread across the body, including upper arms and thighs.
  • They have quite slim ankles and wrists, which only serves to accentuate the fatter other parts.
  • Wide bone structure.
  • Slower metabolism.
  • Weight gain is easy, though fat loss is difficult.
  • Tends to store fat, which hides muscle gains.

~Praveen Jada

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Exercise Your Way to Power Up Your Life

What do you think are the main benefits of exercise or physical fitness or sports activities. Immediately we tend to remember weight loss, healthy heart or if you are looking into physical appearance aspect, you can even say it could be beneficial for well-toned body or bodybuilding.

According to a research, it was found that exercising daily or doing some kind of physical activity has no correlation to weight loss or healthier heart. Now I am not completely discarding the benefits related to heart and weight loss when one exercises regularly when combined with a healthy diet plan. But why do we tend to associating fitness or exercising with something to do with physical appearance or heart health or some diseases. Do we realize the impact it has on the other aspects of human life like mental and emotional wellbeing.

Basically if you want to be stronger, fitter and more muscle mass and simultaneously reducing fat, then  you need to do certain exercises and strength training that basically increases muscle mass. During an intense physical activity, minor muscle tears are formed. After which when we follow a healthy diet and get enough sleep, these muscle tears or abrasions are recovered or filled with new muscle cells. These muscle cells obviously have mitochondria. More muscle , more muscle cells, more cell mitochondria require more energy. Hence this results in increased metabolism. This results in increase in lean mass and reduction in fat. The extra fat is burnt during the exercise and fat is converted to energy by body after workout as well.

A famous Neurologist did a research and said that right exercising could be a treatment to most of the mental ailments. Effective exercise produces all essential hormones in the brain to mitigate the mental and emotional issues. Sometimes they could be completely cured.

Remember that brain is adoptable. It grows only if you challenge it. It controls body mechanisms efficiently only if you challenge it by the means of various forms of physical movements and activities.

Many researchers suggests that brains of many different animals have shrunk or changed in size due their evolutionary movement or behavioral changes. If you do not work certain parts of the brain for extended periods of time, it becomes weak. And evolutionarily our brain and body continues to grow only the when there is a constant stimulus. Be it muscle or bone or metabolic activities or even the areas of brain.

So more diversity in movements, more flexibility, newer challenges and more musculoskeletal usage would lead to better brain muscle activity and development.

It is similar to we buying a mobile phone for 1 lakh having advanced features and using it only for doing calls. Not using any other function. Over a period of time, it could be possible one of the features might not work or not respond properly when you require it.

There are many proven researches in which subjects who are clinically depressed and having some kind of mental disorder have been put through tailored fitness programs. There were many cases where the subjects have drastically recovered from the  disorders like depression or ADHD.

Researches conducted in US showed that students with higher fitness scores or active in sports usually do better in academically we well.

After an intense bout of exercise, the probability of learning goes up by 20%. This is due to the release of protein call called Brain derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This protein enables strengthening and development of neurons and prevents brain cell death.

A well-defined fitness program and conditioning combined with a proper nutrition plan would greatly improve the functioning of the brain, the way it responds to situations, efficient release of hormones, the way brain controls other organs.

Take a look at some of the famous bodybuilders or WWE champions. For instance Arnold or Rock. Their fitness and bodybuilding background does benefitted them in having a career in entertainment industry. Arnold did not become a successful politician and a businessman due to his muscles. Rock did not become the highest paid actor due to his huge body. It is their motivation, drive, discipline, consistency that has taken them to new heights.

It has been observed that many clinically depressed patients have low level of dopamine. Dopamine is key played in reward system. Dopamine is needed for motivation and attention and responsible for the feeling of satisfaction when we achieve something. This is the reason why when we accomplish something and rewarded, we feel more motivated, elated and in a mood to go for better goals.

Now there are drugs to treat many mental disorders like ADHD, depression and so on. Basically these drugs mimic what dopamine does. They get the patients to get focused and motivated so that they could go ahead with their lives.

Exercise and physical activity helps in enhanced release of Dopamine along with other neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline. These are all good mood and feel good hormones. They normally are generated when we have an exciting, happy, jubilant moments or when we feel happy and proud of ourselves. That is going to increase your mood right after that workout. This improves the reward center of the brain.

Exercising properly reduces the level of cortisol. Cortisol is released in stressful situations. For example, when we see a tiger we need to run. Here cortisol shuts down all essential processes in our body and propels us to run for life. Cortisol for short period of times in good, but if you have cortisol in your body for extended periods then it is going to effect the brain functioning by damaging brain cells. A proper exercise routine would control cortisol release and enables us to react better to stress in our lives.

A physical activity like simply moving your body has protective and long lasting benefits on your brain and mental activity. And if done correctly with focus and dedication the amazing benefits could last for your lifetime. Your increased focus and attention could last at least for 2 hours if not more. It increases reaction times and reflexes.

Exercises improves not only your brain power but your mood, alertness, optimism for this day unconsciously but also you could protect your brain from depression, mood swings, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other mental issues at later stages of life.

A well done exercise or any physical activity which exhausts you can change brain’s anatomy, physiology and functioning. During a physical activity new brain cells are produced in some of key areas of brain especially in Hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. The more you’re working out, the bigger and stronger your hippocampus and prefrontal cortex gets. These are the two areas that are most susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases as we age.

Think of exercising as a pension plan. Since we are IT employees we do receive pension when we retire. But you can have this amazing pension plan for mental health free of cost. But now the crucial question is how much time do I need to invest in fitness and physical activity per week. Researchers say that as little as 30 min of focus and well planned workouts, 5 times per week would get you going initially. This itself can make you feel the positive difference.

  • Exercise is not just about fitness , aerobic capacity and muscle size. Sure, exercise can improve your physical health and appearance, reduce fat and cholesterol, sex life and may increase your lifeline. But these are not the only things that keeps many fitness enthusiasts get going.
  • Many people keep fit and exercise because it give a sense of wellbeing. They fell energetic and focused throughout the day, they cope up well with stress, they sleep well, they feel positive and motivated to perform various tasks. Hence, physical fitness and exercise is not only benefits physically but it is a powerful mental booster, in fact it alleviates and heals many mental conditions.
  • Exercise can be a remedy and natural self-made medicine for many mental conditions like depression, stress, anxiety, ADHD, PTSD. Not only helping with mental problems, more than this it helps us in improving memory, sharper thinking, higher self-confidence and self-esteem, stronger endurance, higher stamina. This is all possible because our brain release lot of endorphins and powerful hormones that are normally released in euphoric moments, rewarding situations, when we are very happy and joyful.
  • Now a very frequent and relevant question that many of us get is how can I dedicate time and put effort when we already are stressed, with nonstop tasks, feeling exhausted,  feeling overwhelmed, already tired physically or mentally. Exercise will make you feel better, but depression has robbed you of the energy and motivation you need to exercise, or your social anxiety means you can’t bear the thought of being seen at an exercise class or running through the park. For all these difficulties only solution is to take the first step and jump into action. It could be small steps but start without any doubt in mind. Believe and have full faith that the fitness and exercise you are going to take up is going to improve your condition definitely. Take exercise as priority and nothing else. As per your physical and mental boundaries do what best you could do, improve day by day, take help and support from fitness experts or do whatever you could but just be fixated on doing what you have decided to do. Be consistent. Consistency is key here.
  • Some of the things that we could do to get started are like take small steps, start small, watch motivational videos, listen to fitness expert motivational videos, focus of physical activities and exercise you enjoy do anything you need to do to get going. Starting and then being consistent is important here.
  • Even a short burst of 10 minutes’ brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood. Participation in regular physical activity can increase our self-esteem and can reduce stress and anxiety.
  • Impact on our stress – known as the ‘fight or flight’ response. It is these hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which raise our blood pressure, increase our heart rate and increase the rate at which we perspire, preparing our body for an emergency response. They can also reduce blood flow to our skin and can reduce our stomach activity, while cortisol, another stress hormone, releases fat and sugar into the system to boost our energy. Research on employed adults has found that highly active individuals tend to have lower stress rates compared to individuals who are less active
  • Impact on our self-esteem: Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves and how we perceive our self-worth. It is a key indicator of our mental wellbeing and our ability to cope with life stressors. Physical activity has been shown to have a positive influence on our self-esteem and self-worth.

  • How do I start?
    • Go to gym.
    • Play a sport regularly. Join some club to meet similar minded people.
    • Power yoga
    • Learn dancing
  • Overcoming barriers
    • Make time and be consistent
    • Be practical about goals
    • Choose a routine that is sustainable
    • Overcome barriers by combining indoor and outdoor activities
    • Try to be involved in household work and activities
    • AT work try to walk as much as possible, take stairs, do some leg and back exercise while at desk
  • In this era of exponential growth of the “metabolic syndrome” and obesity, lifestyle refinements could be a cost-effective way to improve health and quality of life. And exercising and physical fitness is the most essential component of lifestyle refinements.
  • The importance and effectiveness of exercising is not adequately understood by medical community to prescribe it for many of mental ailments and patients not understanding the fact that focused training could heal majority of health issues.
  • Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function.
  • Patients suffering from schizophrenia who participated in a 3-month physical conditioning program showed improvements in weight control and reported increased fitness levels, exercise tolerance, reduced blood pressure levels, increased perceived energy levels, and increased upper body and hand grip strength levels.
  • Many studies and researches say that strength and endurance training is more effective in reducing heart ailments. Compared to cardio exercises, strength training has more benefits even when done for a lesser period of time.
  • Researchers found that engaging in either cardiovascular exercises or strength training reduces the heart attack chances by 30% to 70%.

References:

Data collected from various fitness experts and medical articles.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

What is Well Being?

Wellbeing is ‘a positive physical, social and mental state’

  • The sense of feeling good about ourselves and being able to function well individually or in relationships.
  • The ability to deal with the ups and downs of life, such as coping with challenges and making the most of opportunities.
  • The feeling of connection to our community and all other beings on this nature.
  • Having control and freedom over our lives.
  • Having a sense of purpose and feeling valued.

Reference:

Content collected from various articles

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Why High Blood Sugar is Bad

Diabetes is called the “silent killer” because once symptoms appear, the damage has already started. But why does high blood sugar cause all these problems in the first place?

The Basics

First, why does it happen? Your digestive system moves glucose (sugar) from your food to your bloodstream. In non-diabetics, insulin carries this into your cells. If there isn’t enough insulin or your cells have stopped responding to it, that glucose stays in your bloodstream. It’s a little like leaving your groceries out in the kitchen because you’re either too tired to do it (low insulin) or your cabinets and fridge won’t open well (insulin resistance).

Glycation

So what does it do? If you’ve ever touched a food that was sticky, chances are high that it was because there was sugar in it. When sugar gets wet, it likes to stick to things. Blood has a lot of water, so this makes the extra glucose stick to proteins and fats in your bloodstream in a process called glycation. At high blood sugar levels, your blood literally becomes like syrup.

In fact, this is exactly what an HbA1c test measures. It measures how much “sticky” hemoglobin (red blood cells) you have. Fingerstick blood sugar testing measures free-floating glucose, but an HbA1c test shows how well you’re controlling your sugar over the past 3 months or so.

Your body tries to minimize glycation when it can. Insulin moves sugar in cells properly, but if there is still excess sugar , your liver converts it to fat and stores it in body tissues. Also your kidneys will try to move it out through your urine. This is why excessive urination and thirst are early symptoms of diabetes. But as you know from touching sticky things, once the glucose has stuck to something it’s harder to remove.

A Slow Burn

A metaphor sometimes used to explain the dangers is that the sugar crystallizes in your blood and that these crystals cut to your cells to create the long-term damage of diabetes. That’s not quite what really happens, but it gets the point across. High blood sugar over time causes long-term damage to your body, especially parts of your body that do not regenerate well like your eyes and nerves.

What’s actually happening is a set of very slow oxidation reactions. These reactions cause other byproducts called AGEs (advanced glycation end products) to form in your body. It is these AGEs that are doing the real damage. They have been implicated in many of the symptoms that make up later-stage diabetes like eye problems, nerve problems, kidney problems and more.

These AGEs come into contact with different structures in the body and create a reaction that causes damage. It’s very little at first, but it accumulates over time. This is why when the long-term symptoms start to appear there’s little that can be done.

However, some AGEs are known to be benign to the body and some people with diabetes seem to never develop late-stage symptoms despite having uncontrolled blood sugar. Studying these products, their effects, and how they may differ between people is part of the current edge of diabetes research.

The formation of AGEs and their consequences is the end stage of a long process that starts with how you control your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is at normal levels then your body can handle the extra glucose and minimize glycation and the formation of AGEs.

Regular testing and changing your habits to control your sugars will reduce your HbA1c number over time and thus reduce the long-term damage that diabetes can cause your body.

References:

Various online medical experts articles.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Visceral Fat

  • Subcutaneous means “situated under the skin,” which tells us what subcutaneous fat is: it’s fat that’s all over your body under your skin.
  • Visceral fat is actually inside the abdominal cavity, and isn’t easily seen. It’s located near several vital organs, including the liver, stomach, pancreas and intestines. It can also build up in the arteries. Visceral fat is sometimes referred to as “active fat” because it can actively increase the risk of serious health problems.
  • While being too overweight is unhealthy, research shows that subcutaneous fat per se isn’t as dangerous to your health as visceral fat

The Problem With Too Much Visceral Fat

  • Too much visceral fat can interfere with how your liver functions and interrupt normal hormonal communications between your vital organs.
  • This can lead to insulin resistance (the beginning of diabetes), high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a higher risk for developing heart disease.
  • High visceral fat storage has also been linked to breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
  • Not only that, but an larger waistline, combined with high blood pressure, high triglycerides (fat in the blood), low HDL cholesterol and rising blood sugar characterizes Metabolic Syndrome, which starts with high visceral fat stores. 

How to get rid of visceral fat

  • Essential to follow a healthy, well-balanced diet. Eliminate processed, high-sugar, high-fat foods from your diet, and include more lean proteins, vegetables, and complex carbs like sweet potatoes, beans, and lentils.
  • Cut out all trans fats from your diet.
  • Don’t drink a lot of alcohol.
  • Do resistance and strength training, HIIT, cardio training. Visceral fat responds well to regular endurance exercises, such as running, biking, rowing, swimming, that elevate your heart rate.
  • Sleep more, stress less. Keep cortisol levels under control.
  • Good protein intake along with some thermogenic drinks like espresso coffee, green tea extract will support visceral fat loss. When your body burns calories, it generates more heat, so supplements that boost metabolism or fat burning are considered thermogenic. Thermogenic supplements boost metabolism, increase fat burning and reduce appetite.

~Praveen Jada

*Do read the Disclaimer

Nervous System – Briefly

In vertebrates it consists of two main parts, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system(PNS).

The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord.

The PNS consists mainly of nerves, which are enclosed bundles of the long fibers or axons, that connect the CNS to every other part of the body.

Nerves that transmit signals from the brain are called motor or efferent nerves, while those nerves that transmit information from the body to the CNS are called sensory or afferent. 

Spinal nerves serve both functions and are called mixed nerves.

The PNS is divided into three separate subsystems, the somatic, autonomic, and enteric nervous systems.

Somatic nerves mediate voluntary movement.

The autonomic nervous system is further subdivided into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems.

The sympathetic nervous system is activated in cases of emergencies to mobilize energy, while the parasympathetic nervous system is activated when organisms are in a relaxed state.

The enteric nervous system functions to control the gastrointestinal system. Both autonomic and enteric nervous systems function involuntarily.

Nerves that exit from the cranium are called cranial nerves while those exiting from the spinal cord are called spinal nerves.

At the cellular level, the nervous system is defined by the presence of a special type of cell, called the neuron, also known as a “nerve cell”. Neurons have special structures that allow them to send signals rapidly and precisely to other cells. They send these signals in the form of electrochemical waves traveling along thin fibers called axons, which cause chemicals called neurotransmitters to be released at junctions called synapses. A cell that receives a synaptic signal from a neuron may be excited, inhibited, or otherwise modulated. The connections between neurons can form neural pathways, neural circuits, and larger networks that generate an organism’s perception of the world and determine its behavior.

Along with neurons, the nervous system contains other specialized cells called glial cells (or simply glia), which provide structural and metabolic support.

Reference: Wiki

~Praveen Jada

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