Kam Gillar, Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, helps you cope with easy strategies. Plus, how to stop the negative chatter in your head.
Feeling low, worried, negative? The following strategies will help you cope better and put the spring back in your step.
1. Take time-out
Practice slow, relaxed breathing, listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. Stepping back from the problem helps to calm your mind. Start to form a habit of…
Registered Dietitian & Diabetes Educator Ujjwala Baxi offers stress-relieving diet tips We’ve all done it. Reached for the box of chocolates, or tub of ice cream or drink or cigarette when feeling stress. You put a calorie-dense food into your mouth. The result: It shuts off the brain from feeling the negative effects of the stress and you are disconnected from worry temporarily. Isn't it a nice feeling to forget your worries while you are busy spooning ice cream…
By nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju Being overweight has been linked with the increased risk of breast cancer, endometrial (uterus), and colorectal cancer. So keep your BMI at 25 or less with these foods that reduce your waist and your cancer risk: Fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses are rich in vitamins and minerals, boosting your immune system. Go for dark coloured beans (rajma, brown beans, green beans, black-eyed beans) and brightly coloured vegetables and…
A Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting, leading doctors have said. Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The PMJ editorial argues a focus on food intake is the best approach, but it warns crash dieting is harmful. They criticise the weight-loss industry for focusing on calorie restriction rather than "good nutrition". And they make the case…
Just choose one of the following options, says nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju • Yong Tau Foo (Hakka dish) Make it healthier still by choosing bee hoon, mee sua or kway teow (100-140 calories) instead of yellow noodles (200 calories per 100g of cooked noodles). Limit the intake of crab sticks, fish balls and cakes, and fish-paste stuffed veggies, which are loaded with sodium (15g of fresh fish comes with 10mg of sodium compared to 15g of crab stick with130mg…
By nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju What are Chia Seeds ? They are a member of the mint family Why love them? • Chia seeds improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. The soluble fibre in the seeds helps to stabilise blood glucose levels. When soaked in liquid, they develop a gelatinous texture. This gel formation phenomenon creates the barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes that ultimately slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into simple sugar.…
Non-invasive alternative therapies can clear an anxious mind Up to 80% of American patients with breast cancer will undergo complementary therapies to manage anxiety and stress after they receive a diagnosis. Though there’s no clear consensus on which integrative and alternative therapies work and which are ineffective, more and more medical practices have incorporated practices like mindfulness and acupuncture into their offerings. But a new study published in the Journal of the…
Here is a healthier, vegetarian version of the classic sizzler recipe. This is an interesting way to incorporate tofu, which is such a heart-friendly food. This recipe is also rich in antioxidants, calcium, magnesium and protein and has a low glycaemic index. Hence, recommended for diabetics too. Baiye tofu is dried bean curd, structured in the form of sheets. It's easily available. But if you cannot get it, regular tofu will also do. You can play around with the ingredients and toss in…
Dietitian Ujjwala Baxi helps make sense of the diet guidelines and tells you what you can eat guilt-free. Good kidney function is essential for removing the waste material from food that we eat and other byproducts of the body. The kidneys excrete a dietary protein called urea, as well as sodium, potassium and phosphate. These substances can build up in the body if kidney function is impaired. If your kidneys are not working optimally, you need to follow a prescribed diet to lessen the…
