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Lacto-Vegetarian Diets Are Not Protein Deficient!

There are plenty of myths about proteins in vegetarian diets.

A common belief is that the there are not much proteins in vegetarian foods.

Many vegetarians are worried about the protein sufficiency of their diet. 

Some of them even turn to protein supplements like protein powders, whey protein powders and some even try to become eggetarians meaning adding eggs to their diet, albeit forcibly.

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What is the truth? 

These fears are totally unfounded and vegetarians needn’t worry about any protein insufficiency of their diet, especially if they are lactovegetarian.

A balanced lactovegetarian diet can be as good in protein sufficiency as any omnivorous diet.

The three major protein sources of lactovegetarian diet are milk and a combination of pulses and cereals.

Nuts and seeds are also good sources of proteins and good fats, but since they are high in fats, they are also high in calories, and you can’t consume them in large quantities if you are watching your weight.

Milk of course is a complete protein providing all the nine essential amino acids.

Pulses and legumes and whole grain cereals provide ample proteins in vegetarian diet.

It is true that cereals and pulses individually do not provide the full range of all the nine essential amino acids.

Cereals lack lysine while pulses lack methionine, tryptophan and cysteine.

But cereals have methionine, tryptophan and cysteine and pulses have lysine.

Thus when taken together, cereals and pulses provide all nine essential amino acids and become complete proteins.

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How much proteins do we need?

We need 0.8 gm of proteins per kg body weight.

So a 60 kg adult needs 48 gm protein daily.

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How much protein does a lactovegetarian diet provide?

Two glasses of buffalo milk (500 ml) provide 20 to 21.5 gm of proteins 

Two glasses of cow milk (500 ml) provide 16 to 17 gm of proteins

One bowl (100 gm) of buffalo milk curds provides 4.1 to 4.3 gm protein

One bowl (100 gm) of cow milk curds provides 3.2 to 3.4 gm protein

Four chapatis (made from 100 gm dry wheat flour) provide 12 gm of protein

Two bowls (200 gm) cooked rice provide about 5 gm of protein

Two bowl (200 gm) dal or usal provide 12 to 16 gm proteins

Vegetables and fruits, though low in proteins, still can contribute 1.5 to 2 gm protein per 100 gm, meaning they too can contribute over 5 gm protein if taken adequately.

So it is not too difficult to exceed 50 gm or more, of proteins, from a balanced vegetarian diet.

And as long as we eat a wider variety of protein sources, our body can easily assemble complete proteins from the available amino acid pool.

Lactovegetarians who consume half a litre of milk also get their recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of Vitamin B12.

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Conclusion: Protein anxiety of vegetarians is totally unfounded

Lacto-vegetarians who consume a variety of whole foods, pulses and legumes and whole grain cereals, and dairy, fresh vegetables and fruits have no reason to fear protein deficiency or their overall health.

In fact, they have better intestinal health, lower risk of chronic diseases like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and strokes and some cancers and healthier blood and weight profiles.

The idea that vegetarians must struggle to meet protein needs is not supported by current nutritional science.

So stop worrying and focus on eating a wider variety of whole foods and low fat dairy, your protein requirements will automatically be taken care of!

Pure vegans, who don’t consume milk, of course will struggle a little to get enough proteins. They of course do not get any Vitamin B12 in their diet, they have to take it as a supplement.

Also read the article ‘Basics Of Nutrition’ on this website.

The Cluster Of Visceral Fat, Inflammation And Metabolic Syndrome!

The interrelationship between inflammation, excess visceral fat, and metabolic syndrome is central to understanding many chronic diseases, especially those involving the heart, blood sugar regulation, and lipid balance. Here’s a clear breakdown of how these three are interconnected.

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Visceral Fat as a Source of Chronic Inflammation

Visceral fat (fat stored around internal organs, especially in the abdomen) is biologically active.

It secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as:

TNF-α (Tumour Necrosis Factor alpha)

IL-6 (Interleukin-6)

These compounds create a state of chronic low-grade inflammation in the body, unlike the acute inflammation seen in infections or injuries.

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Inflammation Promotes Insulin Resistance

Chronic inflammation interferes with insulin signalling pathways.

Cytokines like TNF-α disrupt insulin receptors, making body cells less responsive to insulin.

This is a key mechanism in the development of insulin resistance, a hallmark of metabolic syndrome.

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Metabolic syndrome is cluster of following conditions and it creates hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and also diseases like fatty liver and PCOS in ladies and increases the risk of developing some cancers.

Metabolic Syndrome and Its Inflammatory Roots

It also increases the risk of development of fatty liver disease and in women, polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS.

These conditions include:

High waist circumference (central obesity / visceral fat)

High blood pressure

Insulin resistance (high fasting blood sugar)

High triglycerides

Low HDL (good) cholesterol

Chronic inflammation exacerbates these conditions and metabolic syndrome and they in turn fuel more inflammation, creating a vicious cycle.

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Diagnostic Clues

Assessment of visceral fat

It can be done by measuring the waist circumference and by using the body composition scans.

Waist circumference of over 37 inches (94 cm) in Indian men and above 31.5 inches (80 cm) indicate presence of excess visceral fat in the abdomen.

CRP (C-reactive protein) is elevated due to inflammation.

Elevated hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) is a marker of inflammation linked to metabolic syndrome.

Levels of hs-CRP above of 1 mg/L indicate moderate inflammation and over 3 mg/L indicates significant levels of inflammation and indicates increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.

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Breaking the Vicious Cycle

Losing weight helps reverse abdominal obesity and this helps reduce inflammation.

Adapting an anti inflammatory diet made up of whole grain cereals and pulses, fruits and vegetables, low fat milk and sea fish if possible (a diet rich in fiber, antioxidants and lean protein and omega-3 fats) helps.

Cardiovascular exercise helps reduce visceral fat and inflammation.

Medications like metformin or statins prescribed by doctors may help in some cases.

Also read the articles ‘Abdominal Obesity, Diabetes And Heart Disease’, ‘Acute And Chronic Inflammation’ and ‘Metabolic Syndrome’.

The Cluster Of Conditions That Define Metabolic Syndrome!

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

It is also associated with fatty liver disease and PCOS or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

It is not a single disease but a group of risk factors.

These include the following five conditions, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, high blood levels of triglycerides and low levels of HDL (the good) cholesterol.

A person having three of these five conditions is said to be suffering from metabolic syndrome.

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Key Components of Metabolic Syndrome:

Abdominal obesity:

Waist circumference of more than 90 cm (35.4 inches) in Indian men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) in women is considered to be abnormal obesity.

Waist measurement has to be taken with the tape placed horizontal at the mid point between the lowest point of the last thoracic rib and the highest point of the iliac crest or the hip bone, this level generally coincides with a point about one inch above the navel (umbilicus), but the position of the navel can vary in grossly abdominally obese persons.

High blood pressure:

Blood pressures greater than 130/85 mm Hg, or on treatment for hypertension

Insulin resistance:

Very broadly speaking, fasting blood sugar levels being higher than normal  (70 to 99 mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L)  in spite of fasting insulin levels being high (normal 2 to 25 miU/L) indicates  insulin resistance.

High triglycerides:

Blood triglycerides levels of 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) or higher, or people on treatment for high triglycerides.

Low HDL (the good) cholesterol:

HDL cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL in men and less than 50 mg/dL in women

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Health Risks Associated with Metabolic Syndrome:

Heart disease

Type 2 diabetes

Stroke

Fatty liver disease

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women

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Causes and Risk Factors For Developing Metabolic Syndrome:

Insulin resistance

Sedentary lifestyle

Poor diet high in refined carbohydrates, sugars, and unhealthy fats; low in whole grain cereals and pulses, vegetables, fruits and low fat milk and healthy fats.

Obesity, especially abdominal obesity

Genetics

Aging

Smoking

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Diagnostic Tests:

Waist circumference measurement

Blood pressure measurement

Fasting blood sugar

Blood insulin levels 

Glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

Lipid profile

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Treatment and Management:

Lifestyle changes are the first and most important treatment:

They include adapting healthy diet and regular physical activity, weight loss, stress management, quitting smoking and quitting or at least drastically limiting alcohol, treatment of underlying medical conditions and taking necessary supplements.

Healthy diet consisting of whole grain cereals and pulses, vegetables, fruits and low fat milk and healthy fats.

Reduce processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates like rava, maida, refined corn flour, limit white rice, white bread, sweets, colas.

Avoid trans fats and limit saturated fats.

Increase fiber in your diet: Helps control blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight.

Add healthy fats: From moderate amounts of nuts, seeds and fatty sea fish like salmon. 

Adding small amounts of olive oil as dressing for salads but avoiding overheating or overcooking them also helps add healthy fats to the diet.

Avoid trans fats and limit saturated fats.

Trans fats are present in commercially made fried snacks like shev, farsan, samosa, wada, kachori, chips, wafers, French fries, etc. and sweets like jilbi, imrati, balushahi when the same oil is used repeatedly for frying large amounts of these fried foods.

Trans fats are also developed in foods made using vanaspati ghee, partially hydrogenated oils (Dalda), like bakery products (breads, biscuits, cakes, pastries, pattice).

Saturated fats come from palm oil, coconut oil, whole milk and cream, butter, buttermilk, ghee, vanaspti ghee and meat and poultry.

Limit salt: Helps lower blood pressure.

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Regular physical activity

At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week.

Aerobic exercise: 30 to 45 minutes a day (walking, slow jogging, slow running, dancing, cycling, swimming) most days of the week. Helps burn calories and improves cardiovascular fitness, helps lower blood pressure, blood sugar and weight.

Strength training 2–3 days a week helps improve insulin sensitivity.

Keep moving through the day, avoid sitting for long.

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Weight Management

Losing 5 to 10% of body weight can dramatically improve all five markers of metabolic syndrome and significantly improve symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

Even small, steady weight loss reduces insulin resistance and blood pressure.

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Sleep Management

Sleep: Aim to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep at night; poor sleep worsens insulin resistance and hunger.

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Stress management: Stress increases cortisol, worsening blood sugar and fat storage.

Practice yoga, meditation, yoganidra, pranayam or deep breathing, or breathing techniques, they reduce stress.

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Quit smoking and limit alcohol.

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Medications whenever necessary 

To control blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels.

Reversing metabolic syndrome is very achievable, especially in the early stages, through consistent lifestyle changes and, in some cases, the use of targeted supplements, like omega 3, magnesium, Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA), Vitamin D, berberine,  cinnamon and probiotics.

Also read the article ‘Abdominal Obesity, Diabetes And Heart Disease’ on this website.

Sudden, Painful Spasms Of Muscles!

Muscle cramps is a sudden and very painful condition that most people have experienced some time or another in their lives.

Muscle cramps means a sudden, involuntary and very painful contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles that actually freezes a person in that position, making it very difficult to move.

Such cramps are more common in the calf muscles and occur more often at night, but cramps can occur in other muscles and anytime of the day too.

Common Causes of Muscle Cramps

Dehydration:

Loss of fluids through sweating or inadequate intake of water can disturb electrolyte balance.

Electrolyte Imbalance:

Low levels of magnesium, potassium, calcium, or sodium can trigger cramps.

Overuse or Strain:

Prolonged exercise or muscle fatigue can lead to cramps, especially in hot weather.

Prolonged Sitting or Standing:

Holding one position too long, particularly with legs bent or crossed.

Poor Circulation:

Reduced blood flow to muscles, especially in peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Nerve Compression:

Spinal nerve issues (like lumbar stenosis) can cause cramping pain, especially in legs.

Medications:

Diuretics, statins, or certain blood pressure medications can cause cramps.

Medical Conditions:

Diabetes, kidney disease, thyroid disorders, or liver cirrhosis.

Pregnancy:

Common in the second and third trimesters due to changes in circulation and pressure on nerves.

Treatment and Relief

Immediate Relief:

Stretching and Massage

Gently stretch (e.g., flex the foot for a calf cramp) and massage the cramped muscle

Apply Heat or Cold:

Use heat (e.g., warm towel or heating pad) for tight muscles.

Apply ice packs for soreness of muscles after that comes after the cramp.

Hydration

Drink adequate water or an electrolyte drink, especially after sweating or exercise.

Long-Term Management & Prevention

Stay Well Hydrated:

Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Correct Electrolyte Deficiencies:

Eat foods rich in potassium (bananas, oranges), magnesium (nuts, legumes), and calcium (milk, leafy greens).

Stretch Regularly:

Gentle stretches before bed, especially if you get night cramps.

Adjust Exercise Routine:

Avoid overtraining and allow time for rest and muscle recovery.

Use Proper Footwear:

Use supportive shoes, especially if you’re on your feet a lot.

Medication Review:

Consult your doctor if cramps persist, or if they started after a new medication.

Also read the article ‘Occasional Heaviness Or Weakness In Legs Of Regular Walkers!’ on this website.

Occasional Fatigue And Pain In Legs Of Regular Walkers!

Many regular walkers experience days of weakness, fatigue or heaviness and pain in legs when they wake up in the morning and want to go out for their regular walk.

It could happen due to a few reasons, mostly not too serious.

Sweating heavily on long walks especially on warm and humid days and not drinking enough water can cause dehydration which can cause interference in normal contraction and relaxation of muscles causing this kind of heaviness or fatigue in leg muscles.

Same kind of interference in normal contraction and relaxation of muscles can occur due to the deficiency of magnesium, potassium or calcium and can cause this kind of heaviness or fatigue in leg muscles.

Repetitive use of quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles in walking sometimes can cause building up of lactic acid in these muscle groups or can cause micro tears in muscles, causing heaviness or drained feeling in these muscles. This happens more often if you have increased the intensity or duration of walks or have added some upward slopes in walks recently.

This can also happen if the muscles haven’t gotten enough time to recover from long walks or prolonged standing.

This can also happen if your shoes do not provide proper support to the arch of your feet or if the sole of your shoes have worn thin with long use, or you have been walking on hard surfaces, causing strain on your leg muscles, making them painful.

Pain in legs could also be caused by vertebral problems causing pressure on the nerves going down into the legs or due to some neurological diseases, but these pains are less likely to be temporary.

Preventive tips: 

Drink ample water, more so in hot climates.

Use good quality walking shoes of a good brand.

Try walking on softer surfaces like on natural ground or lawns.

Lie on your bed with your legs elevated, preferably against a wall close to the bed, or on cushions or roll of a blanket, after a walk.

Have a rest day between walking days to allow the muscles to ‘recover’.

Include magnesium rich foods like pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, cashew nuts (in moderation if you’re watching your weight), brown rice, oats, black , lentils (masur, toor, mug, matki), chickpeas, soya, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, sea fish, in your food.

Happy walking to all!

Also read ‘Magical Health Benefits Of Walking’ and ‘Walking To Be Slim And Healthy’ on this website!

Effect Of Walking On Muscle Tone!

Many people imagine that walking does not help tone up body muscles.

But it isn’t true.

Walking does improve various lower body group of muscles and also the core muscles.

Walking is an excellent low-impact exercise that also helps tone and strengthen several key muscle groups, primarily in the lower body and core. Here are the muscles groups that are engaged and toned through regular walking:

Leg Muscles:

Quadriceps is the group of four muscles (Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis, Vastus medialis and Vastus intermedius) in front of thighs, that helps flex the hip and extends the knee with each step.

Hamstrings is the group of three muscles (Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus) at the back of thighs that helps extend the thigh and flex the knee.

Calves have two muscles (Gastrocnemius and Soleus) that help us push-off while walking.

Tibialis anterior is the muscle in front of the lower leg that lifts the foot during the swing phase.

Glutes (Buttocks)

Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius and Gluteus minimus are the muscles that help with hip extension and stabilisation of hip. Walking uphill, climbing stairs or brisk walking especially activates the glutes more intensely.

Hip Muscles

Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Pectineus, Iliacus, Psoas Major) help lift the leg towards the chest and help us bend forward.

Hip Adductors (Adductor longus, Adductor brevis, Adductor magnus, Gracilis, and Pectineus), they help bring the leg towards the midline of the body from a lifted sideways (abducted) position and help stabilize the pelvis as you walk.

Hip Abductors (Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus and Tensor Fasciae Latae) help lift the leg sideways, away from the midline of the body and help stabilize the pelvis as you walk.

Core Muscles

Abdominals (rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques) help stabilize your torso and maintain posture.

Lower back muscles (extensors, flexors, and oblique muscles) provide spinal support and help maintain balance.

Arm and Shoulder Muscles (Deltoids, biceps, and triceps) are also slightly engaged if you swing your arms naturally or walk with weights in your hands.

Walking briskly (4.5 to 6 km per hour) with good posture, including some stretch of upward slopes in your walk, increasing walking pace or light jogging in intervals, consciously engaging your core (below the naval) muscles and pumping arms as you walk help improve muscle tone.

Also read ‘Magical Health Benefits Of Walking’ and ‘Walking To Be Slim And Healthy’ on this website

Walking Benefits Every Organ Of The Body!

Walking is a safe, low impact exercise that only requires proper clothing and footwear, it can be done outdoors or indoors, requires no trainers or special gear.

Effect of walking on health:

Weight loss:

Walking burns about 250 calories per hour and since it is a low impact exercise, one can walk much longer than high impact exercise like running or HIIT. So effectively, it can help burn a lot of calories if you can invest enough time into it, even spread over the day and this helps weight loss.

Weight loss helps lower blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol and protects us from diabetes, heart disease and strokes.

Heart:

According to the American Heart Association, walking is as effective in preventing coronary heart disease as running. A daily thirty minute walk lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and improves blood circulation, helping prevent heart disease and strokes.

Brain:

Walking regularly improves the brain health. A University Of Kansas study found that walking prevents early onset of dementia and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. 

Over 35 million people worldwide are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and scientists predict that the number will double in twenty years.

Those who have been active lifelong are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who are sedentary. Being physically active increases the volume of the hippocampus. It is a small, curved structure located deep in the brain’s temporal lobe. It plays a central role in memory and learning,

Walking reduces stress and stimulates the of release of endorphins, it not only stimulates the chemicals that improve brain health but also the growth and survival of the neural blood vessels.

Mind:

Walking calms your mind. In a study on fifty severally depressed individuals the Journal Of Psychiatric Research found that thirty to forty five minutes of walk five days week significantly improved their condition. If it can do this to severely depressed people you can imagine how easily it can improve your mood when you feel a little low!

Walking stimulates production of various beneficial brain chemicals including endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and brain derived neurotrophic factor. These chemicals improve self esteem and are also responsible for elevating mood, keeping us happy, energetic, improve focus, attention, and divergent thinking and problem solving abilities. It also reduces cortisol levels and brings in a sense of calm.

Eyes:

It helps relieve eye pressure and helps relieve glaucoma and its symptoms. The Glaucoma Research Foundation recommends walking as the best exercise for reducing the risk of developing glaucoma and also for relieving its symptoms. Both low and high intensity exercises improve the health of the visual cortex, that part of the brain that processes the visuals that our eyes send to it.

Lungs:

It improves lung volume and function. Walking is an aerobic exercise, it increases oxygen flow in the blood and helps eliminate toxins and wastes. Deeper and better breathing improves the lung function and helps significantly improve some symptoms of lung disease.

Immune system:

Stress and lung disease medication weaken the immune system, walking outdoors in green environment strengthens immune system.

Pancreatic health:

Walking improves pancreatic health and function better than running. Walking is a more effective way of preventing diabetes than is running.

A six month trial in a Duke University study of a group of people who walked regularly, showed a six times greater improvement in glucose tolerance than a group of runners. More efficient use of sugar allows the pancreas to produce less insulin and gives it much needed rest.

Digestion:

Walking improves digestion. Just thirty minutes of daily walk improves digestion and regulates bowel movement, helping prevent constipation.

It helps prevent colon cancer. It also helps people survive colon cancer even amongst those who have already been diagnosed of it.

This fact has been established in a study of over 1,50,000 people where the activity levels of people who had survived colon cancer were compared with those who had colon cancer and died of it.

Muscles:

Just thirty minute walk every day helps tone up your muscles. Walking about 10000 steps or about 7.5 km with some uphill walking included in it, is as effective as proper workout in a gym.

Bones and joints:

It helps build stronger bones and joints. Walking improves joint mobility, bone density and reduces the risk of fractures.

The Arthritis Foundation recommends thirty minute walks to reduce pain, stiffness and inflammation in the joints. Strong bones reduce bone loss and help prevent osteoporosis.

Backache:

Walking reduces back pain. It improves blood supply to the vertebral structures and pumps nutrients into the soft tissues around them.

Walking makes the spine more stable and strengthens the muscles those keep the spine upright.

This improves posture and flexibility.

In short, walking is a magical exercise that can completely revolutionise your health.

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So wear comfortable, breathable clothes, put on good quality walking shoes and start walking, any time of the day, indoors or outdoors, even better in natural, green, pollution free areas.

Walk as much as you comfortably can, at your own comfortable pace and keep walking consistently, increase the time and pace of walk as you get fitter.

Walk morning, evening if you can, try reaching at least 6 km a day and more if you can and watch how it works its magic on your health!

Also read the articles ‘Walking To Be Slim And Healthy’ and ‘The Safest Slimming Exercise In The World!’ on this website.

 

Preventing Heart Disease!

Nearly thirty per cent of adults over forty five years of age in India have a confirmed diagnosis of cardiovascular heart disease.

Nearly 350 men per lac men and 265 women per lac women in India die of cardiovascular heart disease.

And cardiovascular heart disease is largely preventible, and still we see a large number of people suffering from it.

It is not too difficult to stay heart healthy if we know what to do to stay heart healthy and are a little conscious about how to stay that way.

Staying heart healthy is all about consistent, balanced habits. 

Here are some of the key things that help.

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Eat healthy: 

Adapt a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and pulses, skimmed or low fat milk and its products like curds, buttermilk, home made paneer.

Non vegetarians can have lean proteins like fish, especially sea fish and lean meats.

Vegetarians can get adequate proteins through milk and the combined consumption of pulses and cereals.

It is also important to get moderate amounts of healthy fats from our food. In India, for our relatively high temperature cooking, groundnut oil if your cooking is low temperature cooking, like salad dressing, olive oil, nuts, and avocados provide good fats. But make sure your fat consumption is very moderate as we are also watching our weight.

Limit saturated fats viz. fatty meats, cream, butter, ghee, trans fats viz. vanaspati ghee, coconut and palm oils, fried foods, salt and added sugars.

Most of these precautions are also in confirmation with the DASH Diet or the Mediterranean Diet, both have been confirmed to be great for heart health.

Eating healthy can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 30 per cent!

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Get off your chair or the couch and get adequate workout.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise like brisk walking or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise like running or jogging per week.

Include strength training a couple of times a week, too, if you get proper guidance for it or have already been trained to do it. Small weights and more repetitions are more likely to be beneficial as there is lesser risk of injuries in it.

Regular exercise as simple as brisk walking 150 minutes a week can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 25 to 30 per cent!

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Lose weight, if you are overweight.

Getting completely slim from being obese can lower your heart disease risk by 50 per cent, especially losing weight by adapting a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

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Manage Stress:

Chronic stress can increase blood pressure and heart disease risk.

Practices like meditation, deep breathing, pranayam, yoga, yoganidra or just taking time to chill out can help.

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Sleep Well:

Get  7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Poor sleep can contribute to high blood pressure and other heart problems.

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Avoid Smoking and Limit Alcohol:

Smoking is one of the worst things for your heart. If you smoke, quitting altogether is the only option if you wish to stay heart healthy.

If you drink, do so in moderation. Western advice is maximum one drink a day for women, 2 for men, but this limit is probably guided more due to the culture of drinking daily in the West. 

In our culture, it should be limited to one and two a week, for women and men respectively, complete quitting is even better if you want to get heart healthy.

The DASH Diet also advises similarly.

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Keep an eye on your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight.

Regular check-ups can catch issues early.

Make sure they are all within normal range.

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Stay Connected:

Social interaction with family and friends is good for your heart. Staying connected helps reduce stress and improves emotional well-being.

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A 2021 study in the Lancet found that the modifiable risk factors, particularly diet, blood pressure and cholesterol, account for over 70 per cent of global cardiovascular deaths.

Meaning eating healthier and controlling the blood pressure and cholesterol can lower the global cardiovascular deaths by over 70 per cent.

The INTERHEART study (global case-control) showed that 90 per cent heart attacks can be explained by modifiable lifestyle factors.

Meaning probably that 90 per cent of heart attacks can be prevented by lifestyle modification.

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So making these lifestyle changes can immeasurably improve our heart health, the sooner we begin the better, but it is never too late.

Also read the article ‘Eating To Lower Your Blood Pressure And Become Heart Healthy!’ on this website.

The DASH Diet Or The Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension!

Most people know that a very large number of people in India suffer from diabetes and it is a very grave disease that can damage the health of multiple organs and can be fatal.

What is probably not as commonly perceived is that there are over three times more hypertensives than diabetics in India and hypertension is as grave a disease as diabetes.

And there is a way of eating that can lower your blood pressure and help you become heart healthy.

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The world famous hypertension prevention diet is the DASH (Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension) diet.

It recommends:

Eat ample fruits and vegetables.

Eat ample whole grains.

Eat lean meat, poultry, fish and legumes.

Consume low fat or fat free dairy.

Eat unsaturated fats, avoid saturated fats.

Limit red meat.

Limit salt, sodium consumption.

Avoid or limit alcohol consumption.

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Health benefits of the DASH Diet:

Lowers blood pressure.

Improves cholesterol.

Lowers heart disease risk.

Supports weight loss.

May lower the risk of diabetes and strokes.

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Adapting the DASH Diet to our food.

Whole grains:

Our major meals basically consists of a combination of whole grain cereals in the form of chapati, rice, bhakri and whole grain pulses and legumes in the form of varan / amti / dal / sambar and  usal / pithla. So it is already rich in whole grains, as is advised on the DASH Diet.

Plus both cereals and pulses lack one and three essential amino acids respectively but the amino acid lacking in cereals (lysine) is available in pulses and the amino acids lacking in pulses (methionine, tryptophan and cysteine) are available in cereals.

So we should look to consume cereals and pulses together in both the major meals.

We also consume vegetables in both of our major meals.

So we should consume cereals, pulses and vegetables and moderate amounts of a good cooking oil to cook them, in every meal.

This is not difficult as normally also we eat in the same pattern.

This also implies that we should avoid simple carbohydrates like sugar, jaggery, honey, rava and maida (all purpose flour) and bakery products.

We should consume skim milk or low fat milk, legumes (pulses), fish, lean meats and chicken for proteins.

Skim milk or low fat milk and curds, buttermilk, paneer made from this milk should be part of this diet.

Vegetarians can have adequate low fat milk and pulses and cereals to get proteins sans fats, which the DASH Diet recommends.

Eating low fat dairy (milk and its products) and lean portions of meat and poultry satisfies this condition in people who also consume non vegetarian food.

Eggs too are low in saturated fat and can be included in moderation in this diet, no more than a whole egg a day, for four or less days, especially if you are watching your cholesterol as it has 210 mg cholesterol in a whole egg.

If you eat fish, include sea fish, especially the fatty fish in your food twice a week, it provides healthy fats and the heart healthy sea source omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA.

They prevent inflammation in the arteries and thus help prevent atherosclerosis of the arteries, helping lower the blood pressure and to prevent heart attacks.

It also allows nuts and seeds as they have good fats and are low in saturated fats, but eat them very moderately if you are looking to lose weight. They are high in fats and thus high in calories.

DASH Diet recommends stricter control on salt and sodium.

So use salt minimally in your cooking, avoid high salt, high sodium salty snacks like chips, French fries, fast foods and seasoned, frozen ready to eat meats.

Avoid alcohol consumption completely or reduce it as much as possible.

Also read the article ‘Hypertension’ on this website.

How To Interpret Lipid Profile!

Most people know that lipid profile is the blood test that doctors order to check if they have any heart disease risk.

Few probably also know that high levels of total cholesterol, LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol and VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) cholesterol are bad for their heart health and normal levels of HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is good for their heart health.

Lipid profile tests of most labs include blood levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and the ratios of total cholesterol to HDL  cholesterol and LDL cholesterol to HDL  cholesterol. The reports also include blood levels of triglycerides.

Normal levels of total cholesterol are less than 200 mg/dL, those for LDL cholesterol are less than 100 mg/dL, those of HDL cholesterol are above 60 mg/dL and those for triglycerides are less than 150 mg/dL.

But the optimal levels of LDL cholesterol are less than 100 mg/dL and those recommended for heart disease and diabetes patients are less than 70 mg/dL.

The normal ratio of total cholesterol to HDL  cholesterol should be lower than 3.2.

The normal ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL  cholesterol should be between 0.5 to 3.0.

LDL and VLDL are not the only cholesterols that are atherogenic, that is they cause atherogenesis or hardening of the arteries that leads to hypertension, heart attacks and strokes.

Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL) are similar to LDL and VLDL cholesterol and also are atherogenic lipoproteins.

Triglycerides are normal fats in blood and their normal levels are below 150 mg/dL.

Raised levels of triglycerides lead to the metabolic syndrome, hypertension, heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

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But there are other factors to lipid profile that should also be included in a lipid profile, but are covered by only a few laboratories.

These are Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and Apolipoprotein B (ApoB).

Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is the primary protein component of all of these atherogenic cholesterols namely LDL, VLDL, Lp(a) and (IDL).

Raised Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels indicate increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, even if LDL cholesterol levels are normal.

Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) is the primary protein associated with high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

Raised ApoB to ApoA1 ratio indicates an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, independently of LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations.

That is why the Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A1 levels and the ApoB to ApoA1 ratio are more significant than the  ratios of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and the LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol.

That is why, when you get a lipid profile test done, make sure that it includes Apolipoprotein B, Apolipoprotein A1 levels and the ApoB to ApoA1 ratio in it.

Also read ‘What You Must Know About Cholesterol’ on this website.