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Most people who plan to lose weight and start a weight-loss regime (including diet), wonder whether they need to cut out all added sugar from their food intake in order to lose weight.

Sugar by itself does not contain fat in its chemical composition. And when it is consumed along with coffee or tea, and milk and curd, it does not register as fat in the body and thus is irrelevant to the ‘lose weight, quit sugar’ stuff . It comes in as carbohydrate food, which is immediately used as energy. Similarly, if you have a couple of teaspoons of jam, jelly or honey, the sugar is used up as energy. However, if you eat candies, with sugar content equivalent to about 3-4 teaspoons of sugar or take 300 ml of a soft drink (roughly 7 tsp of sugar) the excess sugar is converted to fat.

In short, as long as you are not diabetic you may safely consume 3-4 teaspoons of sugar every day, distributed through the entire day, and still lose weight. Moreover, giving up sugar completely and substituting it with a sweetener is not recommended, as they can have harmful side effects even though they say that such artificial sweeteners help to lose weight. What you could do, though, is give up sweet treats like cakes, ice cream, candies, pastries and other sweets instead. (more…)

A s a parent, you want your child to do well in the exams and move to the next grade smoothly. Along with your child, you burn the midnight oil to make sure that all aspects, including healthy meals, are taken care of. Nutrition is as important for the brain as for the body. Brain development, function, and communication between brain cells are all dependent on good nourishment.

Food for energy

Let’s begin with one of the vital nutrients for the brain - energy. Brain needs a constant supply of energy to function well. Complex carbohydrates provide this requirement by releasing energy steadily over a longer period of time. Carbohydrates also calm the mind and help concentrate on studies. Proteins are required for constant growth and development. While protein, iron and iodine are needed for brain development, iron is also useful for cognitive development. B vitamins are required for function of the nervous system and for manufacture and release of neurotransmitters. Omega 3 fatty acids are linked with good brain development. Low levels of these nutrients can affect development of the brain as well as its function.

Avoid heavy food

Sugary foods might make the brain sluggish. Some mothers feel that dry fruits like almonds, and foods cooked in pure ghee will boost the child’s memory, and therefore force the child to eat such foods repeatedly. (more…)

Children are very sensitive. They observe their surroundings very keenly and this will have a great influence on how they think.  Dealing with children and raising them is a difficult task for the parents. When you’re at the end of your tether, it’s easy to blurt out things you don’t mean. Here are some parenting tips for child discipline which can help you raise your children and deal with them in a better way.  Here’s what not to say to your child:

IF YOU KEEP DOING THAT, A WITCH/MONSTER WILL COME AND GET YOU

“Terrifying kids might work well in the short term,” says Joe, “but there’s a danger that this will traumatize them and lead to nightmares.” Plus it’s only a short-term fix. “Eventually the child finds out you’ve lied and that will erode their faith in you. It’s essential the authority comes from you, not from some outside force.” Instead, if children do not do as they are asked, Joe advises parents to rely on body language and tone of voice. “Get down on their level, look directly at them and tell them calmly what it is you want them to do. Good eye contact goes a long way.”

WHY CAN’T YOU BE MORE LIKE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER?

Comparisons with brothers or sisters won’t just make kids feel inadequate, they can also drive siblings apart, sparking rivalry and rows. Child expert Professor Joe Elliott of Durham University says: (more…)