Stop blaming menopause for weight gain

‘Iv gained weight after my menopause set in’. How commonly we encounter such statements from women in their mid life or mid 50s?  It’s so easy for them to blame their hormonal changes for the steadily gaining weight and thus sit back reconciled to the fact that nothing can be done to prevent this weight gain. But the fact is that actually menopause does not cause the weight gain as such. It is the gradual changes in your lifestyle around middle age that slowly bring about the change in your body. It is the estrogen secretion that declines which was so far protecting you from a lot of harmful physiological components, thus making you more vulnerable to metabolic disorders. This also causes your body to store fat around your abdomen and that is why it is also jokingly called the ‘meno-pot’! The waning estrogen levels also lowers your metabolic rate, the rate at which your body converts stored energy into working energy. Moreover, this may also cause your body to metabolize starches and blood sugars less effectively, indirectly leading to fat storage. This is also the time when you gradually observe your pear shaped body transforming into an apple shaped figure that is more rounded and full at the waist and abdomen –the site of fat deposition.

But estrogen decline is only one factor, which should not be blamed entirely for this. There are other more significant factors which we may not realize in our day to day life. If taken care of, these external factors can actually nullify the effects of your natural hormone changes in your body without any negative consequences. These are basically, your activity level over the day. You tend to become less active (unless you are in a job which keeps you on your toes most part of the day) since you may have more help at home to do your chores, or even your rise in your job to an administrative level, or may be some physiological limitations of mobility e.g. any joint pains or inflammation etc. m ay be restricting your mobility.

 

Besides, decreased activity with increasing age, your eating pattern too may not have decreased proportionately. On the other hand, you may be inclined to eat more or indulge in parties and dining out days more often than before! Even if your appetite may have reduced, again that may lead you to eat less of proteins too, and invariably for vegetarians it becomes very less, if they avoid milk or legumes due to fear of indigestion. The lack of proteins in your diet over a considerable period may prompt your body to displace fat stores in place of muscle mass. On the whole you may even end up eating too less and that also leads your body to slow down your metabolism and thus gain weight.

So, young ladies (yes I call you young, since life has actually begun for you now!), break away from the ‘myths’ and ‘blues’ of menopause and gear up to take control of your body from a new perspective. Here are the things you will need to take care of, to keep off fat accumulation and thus prevent weight gain and also enjoy a happy post menopause phase:

Maintain physical activity – This is a must to boost your metabolism and burn off fat cells. A brisk walk of about 45-60 minutes can help mobiles your stored energy and defer fat accumulation. It will also help keep your heart, lungs, joints and bones healthy. The calcium from the bones starts depleting fast after menopause, but a good physical activity can prevent those losses. Strengthening exercises or weight training workouts at least 3 times a week is important at this age to maintain a healthy muscle mass like dumbbells, resistance bands and certain yoga postures.

  • Eat Healthy – It’s important that you watch what you eat. You need not starve; on the contrary small but frequent eating of healthy foods can keep your body to work and burn extra fat. Good sources of protein should be encouraged which will help maintain your muscle mass and keep of fat deposition. Non fat dairy and mill products, legumes, nuts and seeds and whole grain cereals are good options to choose from for your protein requirements. Besides, a good helping of fresh fruits and vegetables will take care of your minerals like calcium, iron, zinc and selenium, and other important vitamins. Anti oxidant food sources with omega 3 fatty acids can be obtained from flax seeds, red and yellow fruits and vegetables.
  • Avoid high/bad fat foods – It’s important to keep off foods which are inherently high in fats like whole fat milk  and products made from them, organ meats, processed and ready to eat foods, excessive bakery foods which contain saturated and trans fats. Use of oils for cooking should be limited to a minimum possible.
  • Sugars and salt – Beware of hidden sources of sugars and slat! Intake of food sources with high sugar and salt content should be avoided. Ready to cook foods, bakery stuff, processed foods, preserved foods; packaged drinks, fruit juices, sodas etc are all high in the unhealthy sugars and salt. These are the harmful or bad carbs and will lead to unwanted fat deposition, raising risks of diabetes, cardio vascular problems and even cancer.
  • Use of High Fiber/Good Carbs – Foods like whole grains, oats, whole and husked pulses, salads and other green leafy vegetables, fruits and nuts and seeds like flax seeds are good sources of fiber and helps maintain a healthy gut, besides warding of diseases like cancer, and diabetes.
  • Water Intake – To maintain a healthy digestive tract and keep off accumulation of toxic byproducts, a good amount of water intake should be maintained. About 2.5-3 lts a day will be ideal to have to maintain healthy physiological functions of the body.

To sum up finally, I would say you are on the threshold of a new phase of your life and now it is up to you how you can make the best from this new era, experimenting new things without the limitations and burden of disease. After all, say ‘Me-no-pause’ to your active healthy life!

Human Kidneys- It Needs Greater Attention!

Human body is an amazing creation of God with a complex system of functionality and performing roles, each one of which is no less important than the other. For a human body to keep working without a break, it is important that the by-products it generates get filtered and excreted timely to avoid accumulation of unwanted toxins in the body, which would else cause disease. This function is performed by the renal system of your body. It consist of two little bean shaped organs, called the kidneys. These are the powerful filters which screen all the waste products generated from all that you eat and drink. And, later it excrete out he unwanted toxic products and re-circulate the purified substances back into your circulation.

Thus, it is greatly essential to ensure a conducive environment for these organs, in order to make them perform their important role. In addition, they save us from severe complications too. So, how can you do this?

Well, the answer is quite simple. You can easily take care of your entire system by measuring what you put in to the body, i.e. the food and drinks you consume whole day. In all, you need to follow a healthy lifestyle as follows:

Ensure a healthy diet:

Consume lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain and cereals. The diet you take should be devoid of too much of fats and sugars, which is generally available in a concentrated and refined form.  A natural balanced diet comprising of various food groups assures to provide adequate nutrients required for normal functioning of the kidneys.

Manage your salts:

The intake of salt needs to be particularly paid heed to, the reason being that excess salt can trigger an osmotic load and cause an imbalance between the fluid volume inside and outside the cells. Make sure you use the required amount of salt in cooking food. But, strictly avoid high salt or sodium foods like bakery products, processed foods, packaged foods and all preserved foods like sauces, pickles, jams, sauces etc. The processing of these food items make use of excess salt. However, you can consume these foods occasionally. It is not harmful to the kidneys in small amounts, as your kidneys are strong enough to bear an over load once in a while!

Keep your body hydrate:

It is very important that you take adequate fluids, mainly in the form of water throughout the day. Doing so, the filtration process of the kidneys becomes smooth. On the other hand, in the absence of adequate water intake, the process of these organs is affected and the waste products may not be excreted out completely. Don’t ignore this! It can lead to many diseases likehigh blood pressure, infections and inflammations.

Besides, there are some points you always need to take care of. Have a look:

  • You should avoid excess consumption of alcohol, soda drinks or any carbonated drinks like colas. Along this, excessive tea, coffee or concentrated juices are also not good for you.

 

  • If you are already suffering from problems like blood pressure or diabetes, it is very important to keep their levels in check to avoid causing undue stress on the renal circulation.

 

  • In case of any infections of the kidneys like UTI or any other, immediate attention needs to be given for avoiding major complications later on.

 

  • Smoking can cause polluted toxins to be channelized to the kidneys, which can cause toxic accumulations in the renal pathway, thereby disturbing their normal functioning.

 

  • Undue or prolonged use of over the counter medicines, addictive substances or any form of chemical ingredients hidden in any contaminated food etc. can also injure the kidneys and cause serious complications. Same is the case with the medicines taken without knowing their composition, like in case of self-medication.

 

  • In a bid to have a strong body, health conscious people go over board to have a muscular physique. They generally switch to certain supplements containing high or purified proteins, health tonics and capsules. But, this practice of taking such diet supplements can actually do more harm than good in the long run. The over consumption of proteins like ‘creatine’ might help you to build good muscle mass, but it may take a toll on the functioning of the kidneys leading to renal failure finally. Therefore, you need to consult your dietician before you start with any such supplements.

Rainbow Diet For This Winter

RAINBOW DIET FOR WINTERS

Come winters and along with, bloom fresh,colourful variety of foods available from the farm to the homes. This is one such time of the year when one is also tempted to indulge, and if not wary can leave you heavier at the end of the season! So how exactly can we make the best of the bounty of foods at our disposal and yet maintain a healthy fit body? Well, it’s not difficult at all, if we make a couple of good choices from the plethora of multi colour fruits and veggies available using the rainbow formula. Yes, just think the 7 colours of the rainbow and plan your day’s diet, and vow there you are with a completely balanced multi nutrient diet at your disposal!

Considering the seven colours,the options are many:

RED: the colour red denotes richness and warmth. Foods like tomatoes, red bell pepper, strawberry, cherries, red apples, beets, guavas etc.are the fruits abundant in winters. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, the anti oxidant factor which provides immunity to the body and also known to be heart healthy besides reducing risk of cancer. To derive the full benefits of this nutrient it needs to be consumed in heated form like in tomato,gravies, soups and purees. It’s also rich in vitamin C which can be got by eating them raw like as salads and juices.

ORANGE: this is a blend of red with yellow and signifies activity, enthusiasm, optimism and confidence. Foods like oranges, papaya, peaches, carrots, apricots etc. are good sources of antioxidants and vitamin C which strengthen the immune system.

YELLOW: this colour also signifies warmth, illumination and life. Foods like banana, honey, corn, grape fruit, yellow zucchni are rich in photo chemicals which are needed for healthy function of the liver, gall bladder and pancreas.

GREEN: this colour signifies life, healing spirituality and freshness. Foods like all green leafy vegetables (spinach, asparagus, mint, mustard leaves, cauliflower leaves, broccoli, celery, peas, beans, lettuce and wheat grass. All these foods are a power hose of iron, magnesium, vitamin C, and calcium.

BLUE, INDIGO, VIOLET: these foods include blue berries, black berries, brinjal, purple cabbage, plums etc. contain pigments like anthocyanin, phytochemicals and flavonoids all of which reduce mortality and reduce risk of cancers

 .
Apart from the rainbow colours white also is equally important which include functional foods like garlic and onions which contain the enzyme allinin which help fight high cholesterol and hypertension, besides preventing cancers and infection. Foods like banana and potatoes are also rich in potassium and flavinoids which are anti inflammatory too.

Another colour other than the rainbow spectra is the earth colour- Brown.
Although not part of the rainbow, one just cannot escape the various shades and hues of this neutral colour! Even if you were to have all the 7 colours, your meal would be incomplete without this one – the staple cereal base of any country. It could be the basic brown bread or the whole wheat chapati or the equally nutrient dense millets like the bajra and the Jowar. Legumes and pulses too can not be ignored as without these your protein and energy requirements would still not be complete! Therefore, a wise combo of the rainbow foods along with a healthy cereal and legume combo, you could be having one of the most healthy platter at your disposal.

Even if one consumes five of the seven colour foods, you are sure to maintain a healthy, disease free life.
However, a word of caution would be in place to warn you against the traditional high fat associated foods more often being a part of any good meal or snack. Inclusion of butter, cream or ghee in liberal amounts even with the rainbow foods can tilt the balance and undo all the goodness of these winter foods. So folks rake up your culinary skills and get the best of Nature’s bounty this winter!

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Sweets Not Taboo For Diabetics

Attention all my diabetic friends! Enjoy this Festival of Light and Sweets. Despair not folks as the good news is that after all sweets are not taboo for you all! Did you hear or read right? Yes you did! It’s not the sugar free sweets I’m referring to but the actual sugar sweet! Rather sugar free sweets can be more dangerous and misleading than having an actual sugar sweet.

The trick lies in the choice of sweets and also tweaking your menu for the day you decide to have some sweet.

What actually matters for diabetics is the total amount of carbohydrates taken rather than the source to maintain their blood sugar levels. In any case you do consume almost 50%-55% of your total calories as carbs which come from the so called ‘diabetic food’ comprising cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables and milk and milk products. Now, in order to appease your sweet tooth, all you need to do is to swap the sweet with an equivalent amount of carb containing food item you would have had either from a roti or a bowl of pulse or say from a serving or two of fruits or milk. You would need to have some idea of the amount of carbs in various foods to be able to do this swapping. A serving of cereal like a chapati or a bowl of dal or a glass of milk normally contain about 15-17 grams of carbohydrate, which is also considered as one unit of carb. Equivalent amount of carbs would also come from 3 tsps of sugar. Most of the Indian sweets which are prepared from either cereal, plus or milk would comprise almost 25-30 gms of carbs. This means to be able to have one sweet you would have to forego either 2 servings of fruits or 1.5 serve of pulse or 1.5 serving of bread or chapati.

 
You could also opt for some home made sweets made with lesser sugar or a smaller portion size. Another way would be to make wise choice of sweets like the ones without syrup or excess sugar, e.g. A rasgulla or a khoya barfi.

 
Here are some simple tips to help you indulge and also maintain your sugar levels.
 

– avoid very juicy or syrupy sweets or with excess sugar contents.
 
– opt for home made sweets if possible

 
– stick to the golden rule of ‘ moderation’

 
– choose to have the sweet in the day time, so that you would have the margin to make adjustments with your balance carbs.

 
– avoid sugar free substitutes as they can be misleading and harmful too.

 
– avoid high fat foods or those deep fried

 
– make it a point to squeeze in some 45-60 minutes of brisk activity like a walk or work out to balance the input.
 

– try to include good high fibre foods before having a sweet to minimise sugar absorption.

 
– last and not least avoid making it a routine way of indulging. You would enjoy more when you do it in special occasions!

 
So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and celebrate this Diwali with your family and friends.
Happy Diwali to you all!

Is Sugar Free Really Free Of Sugar

It has almost become a fad these days with a number of ‘so called health freaks’ to omit sugar from their cup,of tea or coffee. So far so good! After all, we all know by now that sugar is considered as one of those white poisons in our day to day foods that we have. But then most of these people are resorting to ‘sugar free’ pills or artificial sweeteners as they are called. This is where they are faltering! What needs to be borne in mind is that these white pills may be sweetening their cup of tea, but at the same time may be poisoning their health! Recent research published in the Wall Street Journal has exposed some hard bitter facts of the sweet myth. According to studies in mice and people, the artificial sweeteners can actually raise the blood sugar by its action on the normal gut bacteria which can induce such adverse reactions.

Moreover, sugar free can actually, be deceiving you into over indulgence due to the fact that you may be tempted to eat liberally assuming that food to be non sweet or zero calorie. In fact it is just sugar free, but not fat free! Most of the sweets are laden with fats and will actually lead you to gain extra kilos.

So if you are diabetic or over weight, you would do better having a spoonful of sugar rather than those sweet sugar free poison foods. After all even diabetics are allowed around 1-2 Tsps of sugar, provided they count their total carbohydrates! So folks just chuck those pills or sachets containing the bitter sugar and keep healthy!

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Dine Out To Good Health

Dining out is a much happening concept in today’s world , be it a family, social, official, business or corporate event as can be appreciated with the fast growing hotel industry. But this culture of dining out or even ordering for ‘home deliveries’, has gradually given rise to a new dilemma of how to balance healthy dining with the compulsions or obligatory responsibilities of social dining, without compromising on one’s long term health consequences.
 
We know all restaurant foods are mostly laden with the undesired fats, carbs and sodium, the three musketeers acting against one’s long term health. So does that mean you have to deprive yourself of all these social activities and outings? Well no. You can still enjoy going out without compromising on your health, provided you act judiciously and practice a healthy eating. Yes, first of all you need to be motivated enough and have a good will power to choose wisely. Then go ahead, just keeping in mind some useful tips as follows:

• Firstly do not set out totally empty stomach. Fill up partially, say with a light healthy snack like some salad or soup or perhaps a bowl of fruit salad.

• Study the menu and look for items with minimum fats, carbs or refined products. Do not hesitate to ask. Have the waiter describe the recipe like the ingredients used and how it is cooked. If possible you could request to tweak the recipe to minimize extra cheese, cream or butter etc.

 
• Order for fresh lime juice to kick off while you decide on the menu.

 
• Order items that are steamed, broiled, roasted or grilled, requesting to avoid butter or cream etc.

 
• For starters non vegetarians can opt for grilled, roasted or steamed chicken or fish without excess fat. Vegetarians will be better off opting for some grilled seekh capsicum, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, onions etc. or some roasted papad (if sodium is not a concern). Avoid paneer as it is mostly the high fat variety. Addition of herbs and spices can enhance the flavor.

 
• Some of the worst appetizers to be kept off from are, paneer or chicken tikkas, chicken wings, potato, cheese burgers or potato fingers and all dips.

 
• Order for light clear soups, requesting to get the add ons separately so that you can make you own choice.

 
• You can choose from the salad bar, but avoiding items like potatoes, corn, grated cheese, creamy dressings, croutons etc. lemon squeeze or rice vinegar instead of salad dressing can do the trick.

 
• For enjoying the dip with the salad, just dip the fork into the dip before helping with the salad, rather than taking spoonfuls or spreading it over.

 
• Order for breads without added butter or ghee.

 
• Avoid paneer dishes as they are high fat as also the Indian vegetable recipes, unless they are stir fried or steamed or baked.

 
• Keep track of portion sizes, since portion control is the key to safe and moderate indulgence.

 
• Lastly, if you are too tempted to sweeten your taste buds, surely you can go ahead but just having a small bite or portion. If your companions are generous, you could just take a portion off from their share rather than ordering the whole serving.

 
Above all, not to forget that a regular good session of any physical work out, be it a brisk walk or any sport or even hitting the gym can balance the indulgences you might love to give in to occasionally.
So, guys go ahead and dine out to your good health.

Diet in Monsoons

This is that time of the year when risk of food borne infections and illness are at its peak. So friends, here are some of important factors to be kept in mind to keep fit and healthy to enjoy the monsoons:

    • Avoid heavy fried and fat rich foods -difficult to digest
    • Use only pasteurised milk and milk products from the same-curd, buttermilk good options.
    • Avoid cut fruit and other roadside juices and foods.
    • If desired use stew of chicken, rather than heavy curries or fried forms.
    • Eggs especially white portion can be consumed if boiled or cooked well to avoid infection.
    • Sprouts and salads cut at home are safe and healthy options.
    • Pickles and other preserved items to be stored in air tight containers to avoid fungal growth.
    • Spices like hing, zeera, pepper and cinnamon are good for digestion.
    • Dry cereals, pulses etc. to be stored in air tight containers to prevent worm infestations
    • Use of coriander and mint is gut friendly biput need to be washed well.
    • Wash fruits and vegetables first by soaking in potassium permanganate solution or vinegar solution and then rinsed with fresh water.
    • Refrigerate cooked food once it reaches room temperature. Freeze foods not intended to be used soon.
    • Have plenty of fluids like water , lime juice, coconut water etc. avoid aerated beverages like colas, sweetened drinks which can cause dehydration
 
     So friends eat healthy, stay healthy and enjoy the monsoons!

Summer Drinks

Well, if you have been under the impression that all these are ‘soothing’ or ‘refreshing’, especially juices, hold your breath, they are not! Surprised?  Well, the truth is that fruit juices and such drinks can actually harm your liver! Yes, they contain high levels of fructose (fruit sugar) besides being devoid of fiber. This fructose undergoes a unique metabolic pathway in the liver, whereby this is converted to fatty acids, which gradually deposit there, leading to the first stage of liver damage, ‘fatty liver’. These fatty acids over a period of time lead to enlarged liver, and if not controlled at this stage progresses to the irreversible condition, ‘cirrhosis’, which has its own complications. Therefore next time you head for a glass of juice, thin twice. Even if you must, it is a good idea to dilute it with water to lessen the harmful effect.

To be on the safe side, avoid all sweetened beverages, juices (fresh or canned), colas and other sweetened sodas. On the contrary, go for healthier safe options like lime juice, lassi or buttermilk, jal jeera, green tea, vegetable juice or just whole fruits. At the same time modify your lifestyle to a more active one and a diet with fiber rich whole grain cereals and pulses, low fats, and plenty of green vegetables. Most important keep well hydrated with plenty of plain water!

Coronary Artery Disease- Can It Be Prevented?

These are called the communicable diseases the incidence of which was very high about 2 decades ago. But gradually the incidence of these has considerably decreased, thanks to the boon of improved technology and better living standards. However, another set of diseases, called the non communicable diseases (NCD) have slowly crept in and now has laid its trap on mankind in this industrialized society. These are the ones which occur not due to contact but due to certain modifiable and non modifiable factors. In this class is one of the most wide spread disorders, the coronary artery disease (CAD).

The non modifiable factors are age, gender, race and family history. Family history could include incidence of diabetes, blood pressure, obesity or cardio vascular disease. The risk of developing CAD increases with age greater than 45 years in men and 55 years in women. A family history of early heart disease would mean heart disease in the father or brother diagnosed before age 55 years and in the mother or sister below 65 years. So what about the modifiable risk factors? Can we by some modifications in our lifestyle help avert the dreadful disease? Yes certainly. These are our lifestyle factors –dietary habits, our environment, our social life and habits like alcohol, smoking, physical activity and sleep pattern.

Our dietary pattern and eating culture have taken a big leap from that of high fiber based cereals, pulses, vegetables and fresh fruits to refined, processed foods, high in fats and also in sodium content. Added to these, is the decreasing physical activity from that of a once more active lifestyle. These are the main causes of high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Consumption of alcohol, smoking and erratic sleeping hours coupled with a highly demanding stressful life have further added to the miseries.

In this context, therefore health workers have shifted focus on prevention of such diseases and thereby increasing our lifespan rather than just treat or cure them. The answer to these problems hence lies in to reverting back to the age old lifestyle of healthy diets, more physical activity and avoidance of alcohol and smoking. For this one can get involved in some relaxation activities like yoga, meditation or going out for long walks or perhaps a break from the demanding schedule once in a while.

In non modifiable conditions, where there is a family history of any one of the above mentioned problems, even there we can play some role in averting or perhaps delaying it or at least minimizing the severity of the disease. Timely action can always go a long way in developing more complications in the long run. It is advisable to maintain a routine check of those either annually or 6 monthly in case of high risk groups. For instance, one could get his/her blood pressure check done and monitoring it at the ideal or near ideal value of 120/80 mm of Hg.  A fasting blood sugar value of < 100 mgs/dl, a total cholesterol value of <200 mg, triglycerides <150 mgs, LDL (bad cholesterol) <130mg and a HDL (good cholesterol) of 45 -75 mg/dl should be the ideal target to be maintained.

So to avoid falling prey to the coronary artery diseases, the major focus in our lifestyle should be on healthy eating pattern, a healthy body weight, a desirable lipid and blood sugar profile and an acceptable blood pressure range.

A little care and effort in our day to day life can certainly help us remain healthy and disease free for a longer span in the times to come.

Is Your Child Having Enough Iron

You would wonder, the child is otherwise active and appears normal with no apparent problem, but when it comes to eating, he just refuses to. He might gorge on other products like milk, biscuits or chocolates or kurkure etc, but no food. Well, do you know the mystery behind this behavior could be nothing else, but just lack of iron in your child’s body? Yes, anemia, as it is commonly known, is a manifestation of iron deficiency. This phenomenon was earlier observed generally in the less privileged class of society due to lack of food availability or poverty etc. But now this problem is not restricted to a class of people, but widely prevalent across all sections of classes thanks to the western influence on our eating culture, to the extent that iron deficiency anemia is regarded as one of the National nutrition problems in our country.

There would be other subtle signs and symptoms which parents may generally fail to recognize, like growing very irritable, easy fatigueability, a pale look and pica, which is quite a common sign of iron deficiency, i.e. craving to eat mud, clay or wall scrapings and failure to grow. Pica and loss of appetite are one of the earliest signs in a child which should alert the parents that all is not well and their child could be suffering from anemia. According to studies, almost 53%-54% of children in a survey were found to be anemic, with greater prevalence of girls compared to boys.

The main causes of this high prevalence are nothing but faulty feeding habits right from infancy. Children who have not been exclusively breast fed till 6 months of age, children having diary milk which could be diluted too, excess of milk intake (as high as 1 lt/d), inadequate cereals, pulses and veggies in their diet, munching of biscuits, chocolates or other processed foods and most important those who are addicted to tea, all fall prey to iron deficiency anemia. Breast milk has a higher bioavailability of iron compared to other milk and a child deprived of this milk in early infancy can begin with a setback of deficient stores which are not easily repleted, as the child’s demands increase with age. On the other hand, prolonged exclusive breast feeding or any other dairy milk beyond 6 months, without adequate supplementation of cereals and pulses also can result in iron requirement not being met, because milk is almost devoid of iron. Once the iron stores are depleted in the body, the child will just refuse to eat, even though he may accept milk, tea or other non nutrient foods. Once this deficiency sets in, depending upon the severity, the symptoms too may get more serious like palpitation, shortness of breath, abnormally shaped nails, lowered IQ level and gastro intestinal problems. At this stage, just diet will not help alone and iron supplements in the form of capsules or syrup need to be given too.

Therefore, as we know prevention is better than cure, it would be wise on the part of the parents and care givers to ensure the child is breast fed exclusively for first 6 months followed by adequate cereal supplementation by way of healthy home based foods rather than encourage foods like bakery products, sweets, coals, or even excessive milk and milk products. Some good iron rich sources of foods are whole cereals and pulses, gram, ragi, jaggery, green leafy vegetables, dry fruits like almonds, raisins, dates and egg yolk.