Most commercial loaves of bread are made from refined wheat, which may lead to spikes in blood sugar. They are low in fibre and other essential nutrients. Your body converts carbs (particularly in refined foods) into blood glucose, which may affect collagen and other wrinkle-fighting proteins. Swapping from white bread to wholegrain bread is a good way to keep your weight in check. The whole grains in wholemeal bread can help improve your heart health and reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.

1. Flavoured yogurt: If you want to preserve your youthful complexion, you would definitely want to avoid or cub back on flavoured yogurt often filled with added sugar, which can accelerate the normal ageing process by contributing to saggy skin and wrinkles. Added sugar is also a major risk factor for heart disease, weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, etc. Instead, choose regular, plain homemade yogurt that is more nutritious and can be a healthful addition to your diet. To satisfy your sweet cravings, you can mix it with fruits.
2. 1. White bread: Most commercial loaves of bread are made from refined wheat, which may lead to spikes in blood sugar. They are low in fibre and other essential nutrients. Your body converts carbs (particularly in refined foods) into blood glucose, which may affect collagen and other wrinkle-fighting proteins. Swapping from white bread to wholegrain bread is a good way to keep your weight in check. The whole grains in wholemeal bread can help improve your heart health and reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, etc.
3. 1. Flavoured yogurt: If you want to preserve your youthful complexion, you would definitely want to avoid or cub back on flavoured yogurt often filled with added sugar, which can accelerate the normal ageing process by contributing to saggy skin and wrinkles. Added sugar is also a major risk factor for heart disease, weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, etc. Instead, choose regular, plain homemade yogurt that is more nutritious and can be a healthful addition to your diet. To satisfy your sweet cravings, you can mix it with fruits.
4. 1. Commercial cookies: You must stay away from these calorie-laden snacks if you want to avoid pilling on the pounds and stay healthy as you grow older. They are loaded with fat, sugar and calories that can raise LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol level. If you want to eat cookies, make it at home for yourself and your family using real ingredients – oatmeal cookies made with whole grains and other nutrients.
5. 1. Canned soup: It’s a good idea to cut back on fat and sodium, a mineral that raises your blood pressure when overdone. Meanwhile, a study by Cambridge University researchers found a link between high blood pressure and skin ageing, although how they are linked remains unclear. Moreover, canned soups are laced with bisphenol A (BPA), a harmful chemical used to line the tin. This chemical can leach into your soup and end up in your body. BPA has been linked to various serious conditions, including weight gain, infertility, cancer,  heart problems, etc. So, why not head to your kitchen and make your own healthy soup whenever you crave something warm and comforting?
6. 1. Sugar-free snacks: If you think that sugar-free candy and other treats are a healthier alternative to regularly sweetened candy and snacks, we hate to tell you that it is a myth. The truth is, these sugar-free snacks are filled with artificial sweeteners which may pose health risks – such as an increased risk of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. While smart use of non-nutritive sweeteners could help reduce your intake of added sugars, experts have given a cautious nod to the use of artificial sweeteners.
   Tips to age gracefullyThe bottom line is, your lifestyle choices play a vital role in your health and well-being.  And some things that you do can help reduce body changes linked to age. These include:
   • Eating a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and the right amounts of healthy fats and other nutrientsGetting regular exerciseLimiting alcohol useQuitting smoking and other tobacco productsManaging stress and staying mentally activeGetting quality sleep
   You must talk to your doctor in case of experiencing any symptoms that may concern you.

Here are 10 foods to avoid after 30 for a youthful and lean body:

1. Processed meats: Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and ham, are high in saturated fat and sodium, which can contribute to heart disease, stroke, and other chronic health problems. They are also linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer.
2. Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks, such as soda, juice, and sports drinks, are packed with empty calories and added sugar. Consuming too much added sugar can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
3. White bread and pasta: White bread and pasta are made from refined grains, which have been stripped of their nutrients and fiber. Eating too many refined grains can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and other health problems.
4. Fried foods: Fried foods are high in unhealthy fats, calories, and sodium. Consuming too many fried foods can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic health problems.
5. Fast food: Fast food is often high in unhealthy fats, calories, sugar, and sodium. Eating too much fast food can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems.
6. Artificial sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners are often found in diet sodas and other processed foods. While they are low in calories, artificial sweeteners have been linked to a number of health problems, including weight gain, diabetes, and cancer.
7. Alcohol: Alcohol is high in calories and can damage the liver and other organs. Consuming too much alcohol can also lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems.
8. White rice: White rice is a refined grain that has been stripped of its nutrients and fiber. Eating too much white rice can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and other health problems.
9. Margarine: Margarine is a processed fat that contains trans fats. Trans fats are harmful to the heart and can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic health problems.
10. Processed snacks: Processed snacks, such as chips, crackers, and candy, are often high in unhealthy fats, calories, sugar, and sodium. Consuming too many processed snacks can lead to weight gain, obesity, and other health problems.

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The recent death of actress Mishti Mukherjee has made diet fads a concern. There are some diets out there that impact our body negatively with its serious side effects when followed for a long duration of time. However, other diet plans ensure quick results. Thus, the health impacts of a diet plan must be focused on before starting your weight loss journey.

The diet plan is specific for each individual.

Diet Plan Essentials

According to Dr. Ambanna Gowda, a single diet plan doesn’t exist that be beneficial for everyone. Moreover, the diet plan is customized according to the lifestyle of the person, particularly women. The diet plan for a housewife differs from that of a working women’s diet chart.

The customization of the diet plans occurs on account of the BMI of an individual, lifestyle, and eating habits. Furthermore, everyone has a different body and metabolism rate.

Thus, some basic tests must be considered before chalking out a diet plan. Moreover, consultation between a nutritionist and a physician is essential to healthily losing weight.

Dr. Priyanka Rohatgi advises avoiding diet plans promising quick fat loss. As these Fad diets do not last long. It is essential to know the type of food that suits an individual before beginning the weight loss journey.

Moreover, diet plans which promise to get into shape within no time, are difficult to follow. Magic foods or combinations that state changing body chemistry must be avoided.

Furthermore, Dr. Rohtagi emphasized avoiding the complete starvation of certain food groups or nutrients, for instance, carbohydrates. Diet plans imposing rigid rules concerning only weight loss are harmful to the body. These include; ketogenic diet, Paleolithic diet, general motor, Atkins, and HCG diets.

According to physicians, intermittent fasting must be avoided. Lately, there is a lot of interest in intermittent fasting. However, health experts don’t support the idea.

Dr. Priyanka believes that intermittent fasting may be safe for one or two months under the supervision of a health expert.

According to a study, Intermittent fasting helped 150 healthy adults to lose weight. Unfortunately, muscle loss concurrently occurs with weight loss. Thus, comprising the immune system and overall health of an individual.

The Dark Side Of Fad Diets

Around the globe, fad diet plans have been particularly common among celebrities. Furthermore, some celebrities promote a fad diet without understanding it properly.

The Right Diet For You

Here are some of the best diet plans to keep you fit and healthy.

Paleo Diet

Paleo or the caveman diet comprises of lean meats, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. You cannot eat processed food.

Caveat: It may lead to calcium and Vitamin D deficiency.

Keto Diet

Focuses on fewer carbohydrates, and instead offers moderate amounts of protein and healthy fats to the body. Individuals following the diet enter a ketosis phase. The body burns the fats instead of carbs in this phase.

Cons: Low blood sugar levels may lead to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney stones, and more in the long run. There have been reports of deaths due to kidney failure following a prolonged keto diet.

Atkins Diet

A low carb high protein diet plan with meat, fatty fish and seafood, eggs, low-carb vegetables, and full-fat dairy products.

Risks: In the short-run, it may cause weakness, nausea, and constipation. Long term following the diet may lead to serious health problems. Ironically, the doctor who formulated the plan was 258 pounds (117 kgs) at the time of his death.

Mediterranean Diet

Involves the intake of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, and fish, among other unsaturated fats. It has a better balance than most other diets.

Cons: May deplete the body’s calcium and Vitamin D reserves.

What diet plan suits you is a matter of opinion, and consulting a nutritionist is the best way. Some diets cause serious drops in Vitamin and Calcium levels, and so should be avoided by people who already have a certain deficiency.

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01/6​ Foods to stop eating for quick weight loss?

Do you often feel that your diet and eating habits aren’t helping you lose weight? Well, it’s time to hit the pause and take a look at your food preferences that may be silently adding on to your weight and ruining your fat loss goals. So here are a few foods that you must avoid, if you are planning to lose weight and stay in shape.

02/6 ​Potato Chips

A bowl of potato chips or French Fries can be the best binging delight, when it comes to enjoying some quality time. A bowl of 100grams of potato chips contains as good as 536 calories. No wonder, these chips and fries are delicious, but at the same time the high calorie content as well as the addition of excessive salt and oil can silently spoil your weight loss plans. What’s more, packaged potato chips may often contain cancer-causing substances called acrylamides. Thus, the best way to eat healthy is by making chips or fries at home by baking or pan tossing with less or no oil.

03/6 ​Sugar loaded drinks

We often grab a bottle of juice or aerated drinks assuming that they are good for health, but did you know that 1 cup of packaged fruit juice may contain as good as 136 calories. Loaded with sugar and soda, these drinks can instantly spike your blood sugar level and in the long run can lead to weight gain and obesity. So, if you are planning to shed some weight, then ditch packaged drinks and go for homemade fresh juices and healthy blends.

04/6 ​Cookies and pastries

One of the most easily available on-the-go foods, cookies, pastries and other baked goods often seem like a treat to tastebuds, but you would be surprised to know that these baked goodies are packed with calories. So much so that 1 cookie may contain upto 40 calories. Apart from that, cookies and pastries are made of refined sugar, gluten rich flour and fats. Moreover, these baked goodies are also loaded with trans fats and sugar which adds on to the taste, but can end up spoiling your weight loss plans.

05/6​ White Bread

A meal without bread may seem incomplete, but have you ever wondered, this delicious addition to your meal may be secretly adding on to your weight? Well, if you are planning to lose weight or following a healthy diet, then consuming white bread can ruin all your efforts. Yes, white bread is loaded with gluten rich flour, added sugar and other ingredients that can simply add on to the calorie count.

06/6​ Caffeine rich drinks with milk and cream

Coffee is loaded with the goodness of caffeine, which helps in boosting metabolism and helps in burning fats naturally, but the addition of milk, cream, sugar and other ingredients like chocolate or caramel syrups can simply increase the calorie count and induce empty calories. Thus, if you are trying to stay in shape going for black coffee or cold brew can help in managing weight. However, too much consumption of coffee can lead to bloating and discomfort, so make sure you keep a check on your consumption patterns.

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Medical Matters

Last September the Medical Council issued warnings about the over-prescribing of medications for anxiety and insomnia. Belonging to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines, they first took prominence in 1963 with the arrival of Valium, a safer and better alternative to hitherto existing hypnotics. Its use skyrocketed along with newer versions in its class to become one of the most popular prescription medications worldwide.  Now in the same genre of tablets is ‘Xanax’ also used for anxiety as well as a number of sleeping tablets.

While not known initially, it later emerged that dependency could develop quickly and over time tolerance, meaning higher doses to achieve the same effect.  In fact, benzodiazepines should not be prescribed routinely for any more than 2-4 weeks precisely for this reason.

So how do they work? They act by boosting the effect of an inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA) in the brain thereby dampening activity in areas like the amygdala which is linked to anxiety. But they also have more global effects sedating other brain areas as an unintended consequence.

In practice, trying to limit or reduce dosing can be difficult especially in those who suffer with major anxiety or insomnia and develop dependency. A typical example might be someone who goes on treatment after a bereavement but lack of access to psychotherapy or counselling means that they may become reliant on tablets.  Indeed, they may even turn to the internet to get supply. Then when it comes to stopping there may be concerns about withdrawal side effects including rebound insomnia, tremor and feelings of panic.

Indeed, a problem that has arisen in recent years is a ‘black market’ for tablets like Xanax that in many cases contain dubious ingredients. In fact, such is the demand that there has been several large seizures of counterfeit medications.

In the 1990’s, a new class of tablets for sleep called Z drugs (zopiclone and zolpidem) also became popular. Though working in a similar way, they have a shorter duration of action and are considered to have a better side effect profile. For example, they are less likely to produce a “hangover effect” the next day and for this reason their use has increased significantly over the last decade as an alternative to benzodiazepines. However, tolerance, dependency and withdrawal symptoms can still occur.

Overall, it’s estimated that about a third of all benzodiazepine use is long-term with older adults accounting for the greatest proportion of these patients. A recent report found that Ireland had the highest rate of chronic benzodiazepine use (in the over 65s) among OECD countries. In fact, about 7.5% of this group were on treatment for over one year, yet are more sensitive to side effects including daytime drowsiness, confusion, falls and road traffic accidents. Some studies point to regional variation in the rate of use with a difference of up to threefold reported in one small investigation in Ireland. This may reflect in part differences in clinical need but also prescribing practises.

But anxiety and insomnia are common and in at least more severe cases, tablets may be needed to help get someone over a difficult period. As an alternative for generalised anxiety a class of antidepressants similar to ‘Prosac’ also work well.

For chronic insomnia, always try and look for causes before reaching for tablets. Some bodies recommend cognitive behavioural therapy as an initial treatment combining education on sleep hygiene with changes in behaviour. Unfortunately, such a holistic intervention is hard to come by but addressing some simple factors may greatly help.

For example, try and keep your sleep for bedtime only and establish a regular time for getting up every day. It’s important to wind down in the evening and avoid anything which is mentally demanding or too stimulating at least 90 minutes before bedtime – so choose your TV and reading material carefully!  Avoid using smartphones or other devices at night which emit blue light. Drinks that contain caffeine may keep you awake and alcohol, though helping to get you off to sleep, can reduce your sleep quality and result in you getting up to go the toilet. Make sure the bedroom is well darkened and quiet and not too cold or warm.  If you’re awake for more than 20 minutes consider getting up and even going to another room.

In summary, sedative hypnotics in the benzodiazepine class should only be used for about 2-4 weeks unless otherwise necessary. Sleeping tablets also reduce sleep quality with less time spent in the deeper or REM phase of sleep. Some studies also suggests that long-term use might increase the risk of dementia but research is conflicting. If you take tablets for anxiety or insomnia, consider talking to your GP about the option of reducing the dose and/or stopping.

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High blood pressure is one of the common ailments that people across the world suffer from. Hypertension is also known as a silent killer as the symptoms of the disorder is easily missed. That’s why the advice of regularly checking blood pressure is given. For the unversed, the ailment is one of the leading causes of death as hypertension, if left untreated, can lead to heart issues, brain, kidney and eye-related disorders and stroke among others.

The causes could be genetics, poor lifestyle and heavy smoking and drinking among others. Also, the risk of hypertension is more among the following: people over the age of 65, people who are obese, who eat salted and junk food moreover fruits and vegetables, those who hardly exercise and have poor sleep among others.

One of the common advice that doctors give is to increase the intake of potassium-rich foods such as tomato juice, orange juice, bananas, spinach, almonds, eggs, mushrooms and sweet potatoes among others. While sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense and helpful for high BP patients, white potatoes when consumed more can lead to a hike of BP level.

Potatoes, undoubtedly, are one of the commonly consumed foods and now we have learned that high and long term intake of this vegetable in the form either baked, fried, boiled or mashed can adversely affect high BP. The study was conducted on 187,000 men and women for three research for more than 20 years and one of them was potato’s impact on BP.

As per a study which was published in The BMJ, higher intake of potatoes is associated with increased risk of developing and increasing the levels of blood pressure among men and women.

The researchers added that when one serving of potatoes replaced with a non-starchy vegetable, the level of BP will be better and normal. The researchers also said that potatoes have a high glycemic index compared to other veggies and the same leads to a sharp rise in blood sugar levels as well.

An excerpt from the report read, “(Our findings) have potentially important public health ramifications, as they do not support a potential benefit from the inclusion of potatoes as vegetables in government food programs but instead support a harmful effect that is consistent with adverse effects of high carbohydrate intakes seen in controlled feeding studies”.

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