Sorry folks.  I haven’t written in a while because I was buried under work after my return from vacation.  I’ll start writing regularly again.

During my recent holiday, I came across ‘flax milk’ made from flaxseed.  Over the years during my foreign travels, I had tasted rice milk, peanut milk, soy milk and almond milk.  This was the first time I saw flax milk.  Tasted it and loved it, although no one else in the family thought it was good. 

The highlight of flax milk is its omega 3 content.  A glass of flax milk has 1200 mg of omega 3 fatty acids and much lesser amounts of omega 6 and omega 9.  For those who are lactose-intolerant, this is useful because it contains no lactose.  Needless to say that there’s no cholesterol because it’s a plant product. 

If you’re wondering how to get good amounts of omega 3 in your diet with no access to flax milk, then include flaxseed powder or fish in your meals regularly.  Omega 3 fatty acids are useful for brain function, to possibly reduce the risk of inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and many other modern day health problems.

Feels good to take a break from routine.  I’m back from a fabulous, fun-filled vacation and will resume writing from today.  If you have anything interesting to say, please do write.

Not sure if any of you read my articles on ‘Lactose Intolerance’ and ‘Ragi’ in The Times of India.  If you did, comments are welcome.

I came across an article in Reuters which said there is no scientific evidence to support blood-type diets.  I felt good after reading it.  Nutritionists and dietitians have been saying over and over again that fad diets for weight loss are just that – fads – and no matter what fad diet you try, it doesn’t work in the long run.  The best and healthiest way to lose weight is to eat sensibly and exercise regularly. So, if you’re planning to go on a weight loss program, please do so with the help of a qualified dietitian, and do not fall for advertisements which promise quick weight loss.

There has been a lot of debate on whether to use plastic containers / wrappers, for food or not.  There’s still no uniform ban on storing food in plastics but I don’t think many researchers are encouraging it either.

All of us know that plastics contain chemicals.  There’s no knowing the long term effects of chemicals on food consumed by humans.  Some say that BPA (bisphenol A) which is used in making plastics and resins (water bottles, food containers, food cans, bottle tops, etc) can seep into the food or beverage that it carries and may affect brain or prostate of infants and children.  However, US FDA says its safe.  Some others say that phthalate chemicals used to make soft plastics and also used in cosmetics, can increase blood pressure and cause artery wall damage in children.

While the debate is still on, here are a few steps you can take to reduce plastic use for food –

• Cut back on canned foods
• Avoid putting plastic containers in microwave oven and dishwasher, because the plastic may breakdown over time, and the chemicals can leach into the food.
• Use bottles, glass, ceramic containers, to store foods and beverages.

I’m off on a vacation for 5 weeks and will resume blogging after my return, unless I have something interesting to share during my vacation!

Take care and wish you good health!

I came across an article on shilajit and its health claims.  This article quotes a western pharmacist who says that there is no known benefit of shilajit or other rock extracts.  The same article also quotes an Ayurvedic specialist who mentions the health benefits of shilajit when taken in small amounts.  My thinking is that shilajit might be new to the developed world but it’s been used for centuries in Indian traditional medicine. In the US, shilajit is sold as powder and capsules, and can cost anything from 10 USD to 100 USD.  I’m not sure if shilajit is similarly available in India.

Shilajit is a rock extract from the Himalayas containing a variety of minerals, and is an ingredient in many ayurvedic preparations including chavanprash.  According to ayurveda, it is a good antioxidant and helps in anti aging,  treating anemia, arthritis, etc.  But, it can be harmful to health when taken in large doses.  It’s best to check with a qualified ayurvedic physician before taking shilajit.

Somebody once remarked “When blackberry and apple were fruits, the world was a much better place”.

Similarly, when children ate fresh, home-cooked food, their health was far better.  New research has found that in children, type 2 diabetes (adult diabetes) progresses much faster and the complications related to diabetes appear much sooner in life.  This means  we might see heart disease, kidney disease and other diabetes-related problems in younger adults in future.  An excess of junk foods, processed foods, refined foods, eating out frequently, coupled with physical inactivity is leading children to adult diseases in their teenage years.  It is not uncommon to see obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes in school or college going children these days.  A preventive measure will certainly help.