Ajit Patel Goldshield - How to feed your child a balanced diet

How to feed your child a balanced diet – Ajit Patel Goldshield

Children can be fussy eaters, so it can be tough knowing what to feed them in order to encourage healthy eating habits and a strong nutritional intake. There are plenty of healthy snacks for kids which make tasty treats, in addition to being good for them – it’s simply a case of knowing how to prepare and serve them to make them appealing to youngsters. Here are some ideas as to how you can keep your child’s diet healthy, without them craving sweets and crisps instead.

Space out your snacks

Kids live for those afternoon treats, but more often than not they result in sugary snacks, crisps and fizzy drinks which do nothing for their health and offer no nutritional value. The first rule of thumb should be to limit your kids snacks to just two a day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. You can keep these healthy, too, simply by being smart about how you serve them. For example, keep a big bar of chocolate in the cupboard and cut it up into regular squares or chunks, so that the kids get a sweet treat without eating an entire bar – not only is it good for their health but it’s cost effective as well.

Keep an eye on your snacks as well as theirs, so that you all eat more nutritionally beneficial meals instead of empty calories. And if they’re still claiming hunger pangs after you think they’ve had enough, give them a drink – sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Water or skimmed milk make healthier alternatives to fizzy drinks and sugar-laden squash.

Keep an eye on the treats

If you’re busy, quick food fixes are easy to rely on – however, that can mean that your child ends up eating junk food, if you’re opting for ready meals and fatty foods such as nuggets and chips. Look for healthier alternatives that kids will love and you’ll feel happier about them eating. Look for foods which count towards their five a day quota, such as tomato sauces on pasta, soups and vegetable sticks with houmous.

Be creative

Kids love a bit of creativity, so why not look for fun names to call meals to encourage them to eat them (and also request healthier meals in the future!). For example, spaghetti and meatballs can be shoelaces and footballs; carrot sticks and broccoli could be fairy wands and little trees. You can also get them to help make and prepare meals, so that they have fun and feel more inclined to eat healthy dishes. The moment your kids start to feel more involved in the process, they’ll be more tempted to taste their creation and it will encourage healthy habits. You can also create five a day charts, so that they can keep count of their fruit and veg intake – if they meet their goal, they get a treat such as an extra bedtime story.

Replace junk food with healthy alternatives

If there’s no sweet treats and crisps in the house, you and your kids will both stop craving them. Clear out the nuggets, chips and pizzas from the freezer and replace with vegetables or fruit. You can look for healthy snacks to offer kids too, such as popcorn, vegetable crudités and dip, fruit salads and yoghurt. You’ll be surprised how quickly kids forget about those sugar cravings once they have something healthier to snack on – nutritious drinks also count towards, so why not make tasty smoothies for snack time or offer a milk-based drink before bedtime for a calcium boost.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbeing - Sleep Like a Baby

Sleep Like a Baby – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellbeing

 In the past parents regularly put their babies outside in their prams to give them a good dose of fresh air each day. But today many parents worry about babies being too hot or too cold and so keep them indoors more often. And with the increase of cars and indoor shopping centres, children are spending less and less time outside.

There is however a big incentive for parents to take their children out for fresh air each day and that’s a good night’s sleep! Recent research has shown that babies who are exposed to natural daylight during the afternoon will sleep longer at night time. The study which was published in the Journal of Sleep Research suggested that spending time outdoors in natural daylight helped babies to establish their circadian rhythm which is essential for setting the body clock, allowing babies to distinguish between day and night.

Interestingly, the time of day is important when heading outdoors with baby as experts have found that afternoon daylight in particular is most beneficial. During the study the sleeping habits of 56 babies were recorded and those who slept the longest at night time were found to have been exposed to twice as much light between midday and 4pm.

So if you’re a parent who would like to improve your baby’s sleep patterns, try to get out in the fresh air each day. Don’t worry about the weather – even on an overcast or rainy day, your baby will still get the benefits. Keep waterproofs and rain covers ready so that you can pop out whatever the conditions.

For more information about healthy sleep for all ages, visit: www.sleepcouncil.org.uk

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness - The Jetsons Diet: Why Seeds Can Take Us into the Future

The Jetsons Diet: Why Seeds Can Take Us into the Future – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness

If you were ever into science fiction as a kid, you probably thought that, by the time you reached the age you are now, your diet would be comprised of nutrient-dense, wellness boosting pills (just like in The Jetsons). However, if you’re disappointed that food still looks very much the same as it did 30 years ago, there is still solace to be found: seeds. They may be a little less sci-fi and a little more natural, but seeds give you the opportunity to take care of your wellbeing in (sort of) pill-popping form, and that’s pretty cool.

According to Sharon Palmer, RD, author of the new book The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan for Achieving Optimal Health Beginning Today, edible seeds are packed with fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals. She comments, ‘People don’t think about grabbing seeds as a snack or as a food source. People think of them as bird food more than anything else.’ However, you should ignore seeds at your peril, as these little beauties also contain high levels of phytosterols, which are plant compounds that have been proven to be just as effective as prescription statins for lowering your cholesterol. Palmer adds, ‘And they’re such easy snacks!’ So, which seeds should you be loading up on?

1. Pumpkin seeds: Being high in protein, iron and zinc isn’t all that pumpkin seeds have to boast about; they’re also one of the best dietary sources of magnesium. This miracle mineral helps to stabilise your blood pressure, build the strength of your bones, and even reduce your stress. In fact, French researchers have found that having high levels of magnesium in their blood means men are 40% less likely to die prematurely compared to men with the lowest levels. Moreover, the phytosterols found in pumpkin seeds help alleviate symptoms associated with having an enlarged prostate, such as urinary difficulties.

2. Sunflower seeds: In just half-a-cup of sunflower seeds you’ll find more than 100% of your daily requirement for alpha-tocopherol, which is the most active form of vitamin E. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help you ward of damage from the sun, as it protects your cells from the damage of free radicals and UV rays. On top of this, sunflower seeds are also an excellent source of the antidepressant phenylalanine. Your body turns this amino acid into the brain chemical norepinephrine, which keeps you alert and focused. You can eat these seeds raw, or use sunflower-seed butter on toast if you’re getting sick of peanut butter every morning.

3. Sesame seeds: You probably already love these seeds on burger buns or sesame chicken, but did you know that these seeds are also providing you with an incredibly high amount of calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc? As they’re so small, sesame seeds probably aren’t the best for snacking but hummus is, and this contains a paste made from ground sesame seeds known as tahini. You can also buy tahini on its own and spread it on flatbreads or pitas, again, just like peanut butter.

4. Chia seeds: Nearly half of the fibre you need every day (11 grams) can be found in a single ounce of chia seeds. These little beauts also contain 18% of your daily calcium requirement, which is more than three times the amount of calcium that milk provides. As well as giving you good digestion and strong bones, chia seeds have some of the highest levels of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids of any seed – so you can throw good heart health into the mix too. Not bad for a little seed, Jetsons here we come!

- Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Sanda WeMet - It’s a Must-ard: Why this Herb is So Good for Your Health

It’s a Must-ard: Why this Herb is So Good for Your Health - Ajit Patel Sanda WeMet

Mustard is a much-loved ingredient around the world, but did you know it was also a powerful tool in complementary wellness? Not only is it one of the healthiest herbs with almost no calories, but mustard greens and mustard seeds have been used as herbal remedies for numerous ailments since olden times, and remain very popular today. Even if you don’t forgo your trip to the doctor for a hot dog with extra relish, mustard is very beneficial to your wellness, providing vitamins, protein, fibre, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant minerals, such as iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, zinc and selenium.

So, what can mustard do for your wellbeing?

1. Lowers your temperature
The myrosin and sinigrin found in mustard generate heat, which speeds up your metabolism and increases your blood flow. This causes you to sweat, and, in turn, brings down your core temperature.

2. Stimulates your digestive system
As mustard is hot and spicy, it stimulates your secretion of saliva, which aids the digestion process.

3. Prevents cancer
In black and brown mustard, there are isothiocyanates, which have been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. You can still prevent cancer with your mustard greens, as these contain cancer-fighting antioxidants such as flavonoids, indoles, sulforaphane, carotenes, lutein and zeaxanthin.

4. Improves your skin
If you suffer from skin ailments, the sulphur in mustard can be very beneficial.

5. Relieves your inflammatory diseases
Whether you’re affected by asthma, migraines or rheumatoid arthritis, the anti-inflammatory properties of mustard can help to reduce the severity of your condition.

6. Enhances your heart health
Mustard greens and seeds contain magnesium, which is very effective against high blood pressure. Moreover, the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in mustard make it effective against coronary heart disease. Plus, mustard greens have been proven to reduce your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase your levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, all of which is good news for your heart.

7. Protects your brain
The high levels of magnesium and selenium found in mustard seeds make them very effective against age-related memory disorders like Alzheimer’s.

That sounds great, but how do you include more mustard in your diet? Start with your condiments, and replace mayonnaise, cheese spread/dips, butter and oil dressings with the less fatty mustard. You can also use mustard as a salad dressing, which packs a flavourful punch when combined with vinegar and honey.

Mustard makes for an excellent marinade for your fish, chicken and meat dishes, while the seeds give any meal a rich, nutty flavour. If you fancy baking your mustard into your diet, try using mustard greens and spinach in flat-breads, adding butter, tomato, garlic and onion to mellow down the pungent flavour. Failing that, the greens also taste great with chicken, meat, and soup.

If you are going to include more mustard in your diet, you need to store it properly in order to reap the benefits. Keeping whole mustard seeds in airtight containers in a cool, dry place will help them to last up to a year, while storing ground/powdered mustard in a similar manner can give them a shelf life of up to six months.

You don’t have to worry so much about sauces made from mustard, as they are made using an acid component and salt and so will last for ages. However, even if you don’t open the bottle, the pungency and flavour will start to diminish so store your mustard sauce in the fridge, and consume it within a year. You also want to refrigerate your mustard oil, or else it may go rancid.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Goldshield - Basil: The Secret Ingredient to Keeping Your Youth

Basil: The Secret Ingredient to Keeping Your Youth - Ajit Patel Goldshield

When it comes to anti-aging products, you may have all kinds of lotions and potions piled up in your bathroom cabinet and on the nightstand. Anything that claims to look after the wellness and wellbeing of your skin as you get older has got to be worth a try, right? What if we told you that one simple plant could be the key to the youthful glow you have been seeking?

Basil is a herb that is commonly used in cooking. It has a sweet and distinctive smell, and is commonly used in pesto, where it is mixed with pine nuts and parmesan cheese to make a delicious accompaniment for pasta.

Basil originally comes from Asia’s tropical regions, and nit is absolutely packed with nutrients and antioxidants. For this reason, it has all kinds of different health benefits. Amongst other things, it is known to have fantastic anti-bacterial properties, antimicrobial properties and, most importantly of all for you, anti-aging properties. Not only this, but basil helps to fight against serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and even cancer.

Having been used in Ayurvedic medicines for several hundreds of years, the effects of basil have been studied extensively. It is no surprise then, that the latest studies carried out at the College of Pharmacy in Maharashtra in India prove, once again, that basil can help stop the body from aging prematurely.

Researchers found that basil worked by protecting the body against the effects of free radicals. Basil contains something called flavonoids, which stopped the free radicals from causing damage to the body. The study showed quite clearly that the herb helped to keep the cells young and intact.

As well as the flavonoids, basil contains volatile oils, which help to fight against strains of bacteria called Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas and Enterococcus.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet

Ajit Patel Goldshield - Honey Medical Uses

Honey Medical Uses - Ajit Patel Goldshield

Honey can easily be seen as a superfood. More and more individuals now realize the fact that honey has so many medical uses you can easily take advantage of. Honey basically includes so many healthy ingredients, being jam packed with minerals, vitamins and other nutrients. According to an analysis done by healthannotation.com, most people do not really know much about honey. With this in mind, here are some medical uses you do need to memorize. In our beac house goa we will provide honey as sweetening agent instead of chemical processed sugar.

Antibacterial Agents
Harmful bacteria that enter the body can lead towards so many health issues and illnesses. This includes urinary tract infection and ear infection. The presence of antibacterial agents is great in honey since it will protect from bacteria that is truly harmful. In addition, these ingredients help in healing skin burns and abrasions.

Antioxidants
So many think of vegetables and fruits when we mention antioxidants. Honey is rarely considered but you want to rethink this due to the fact that a high quantity is included. The antioxidants offer so many healing functions as they neutralize the free radicals that are linked to various cancers and problems we can be faced with. The antioxidants will help in healing the cells that were damaged by various health problems. Also, we now know of research highlighting the fact that antioxidants will protect people from actually becoming ill in so many situations.

Reducing Inflammation
Skin infections are common. Most people will be faced with this a few times in their life. Skin infections can make the area that is affected to be inflamed and swollen. Honey can be applied to your wound and you will notice that the inflammation ends up being eliminated or at least drastically reduced. The entire healing process is practically faster. The most effective type for this purpose is Manuka honey. You can also use honey in the event that you are suffering from acne, eczema or even sunburn. Honey has been reported as being quite successful in treating acne since it can destroy bacteria that cause some types of acne while reducing redness.

Mineral And Vitamin Content
In honey we can easily find high quantities of vitamins B1, B2, B3 and Vitamin C, together with great minerals like zinc, sodium chloride, calcium and magnesium. These and others are essential for maintaining proper health while also working really well at boosting the body’s immune system.

Hair Health
The last thing that we should mention is a fact that most people are not aware of: honey can aidmaintaining proper hair health. This is because of the humectants properties that it has. This practically means that hair is prevented from becoming damaged and dry. We have sugar content that is high and that prevents the loss of moisture, which is a common reason why hair problems appear. To make matters even more interesting, honey has fungicidal, germicidal and antioxidant properties. All of these work together to prevent losing your hair.

On the whole, given all the health benefits that were mentioned above, honey is something that you want to add to your diet. Just make sure that you do not overdo it since sugar content is quite high and this can lead towards you putting on too much weight. However, if you feel that honey can help you with something that is more serious, you can also fix your diet in different ways.

-          Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet