Ajit Patel Wellbeing - How Kitchenware Can Affect Your Health

How Kitchenware Can Affect Your Health – Ajit Patel Wellbeing

When choosing and using cookware and utensils, you may take quality, durability and design into account. You may even consider their eco-friendliness but do you give much thought to how they might affect your wellbeing?

Lead glazing on some ceramic cookware may, in certain circumstances, can leach into food. Children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. Acidic foods such as tomatoes, citrus fruit and foods containing vinegar can cause more lead to be leached from the ceramic. Be wary of ceramic dishes or cookware bought from overseas, or antique ceramics – they may not meet the current food safety rules.

Copper pots and pans are popular due to the even distribution of heat they provide. Unlined copper cookware may introduce copper into food, which can result in nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Fortunately, most copper kitchenware sold today is lined inside (for example with stainless steel). However, over time, the coating can break down, especially if the lining is scratched or abraded.

Teflon (a brand name for polytetrafluoroethlyene or PTFE) is a common, non-stick coating used in modern cookware. In normal circumstances, Teflon is convenient, safe and non-toxic, however it is designed for cooking at low to medium heats. If heated excessively, the non-stick coating starts to deteriorate and may release irritant fumes. Always consult manufacturers’ guidelines on maximum safe temperatures for non-stick cookware, and try not to leave pans unattended on the hob.

Damaged or scratched cookware is more likely to cause problems when the inside surface is affected, so it’s often best to avoid using metal or hard plastic utensils (spatulas, spoons, ladles) when cooking or dishing up. Instead, opt for utensils made from wood, silicone or bamboo. If the coating of a pot or pan is damaged, starting to peel or wear away, then it’s time to replace it.

Wooden chopping boards have an undeniable appeal, but are more difficult to clean effectively – consider a plastic, marble or glass board instead. It’s also a good idea to have separate chopping boards for different uses: One exclusively for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and another for vegetables, bread and other foodstuffs.

If you’ve used the same kitchenware or utensils for years, it may be time to replace them!

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

Ajit Patel Goldshield - Fostering Spirituality In Your Home

Fostering Spirituality In Your Home – Ajit Patel Goldshield

Medical studies have shown that spiritual people, irrespective of the faith they practice, exhibit lesser self-destructive behaviours, experience less stress, and have a greater total life satisfaction. Among the keys to a successful family life are the spiritual values of a family. 

Even though most of the research linking spiritual and physical health has involved elderly patients, a connection between a spiritual life and good health for people of all ages is very real. A family that has a spiritual life of its own has unity and direction and offers love, support, and a sense of identity to its members. It is this love and spirituality that proves to be healing and a positive influence on the wellbeing of everyone in the family irrespective of their age.

Spirituality has been shown to reduce depression, improve blood pressure, and boost the immune system. When combined with proper medical care it may be the answer to your family’s emotional and physical health issues. So what exactly is spirituality and how can it enhance your family’s health? Spirituality is an awareness of the divine that underlies everyday life. Studies show that spirituality and faith in the divine powers can help promote good health and fight disease by offering additional social support, such as religious outreach groups and improving coping skills through prayer and a belief that all things have a purpose. Medical studies have confirmed that spirituality can have a profound effect on mental states. In a study of men who were hospitalised, nearly half rated their faith as helpful in coping with their illness. A second study showed that the more spiritual patients were, the more quickly they recovered from some disorders. A third study revealed that high levels of hope and optimism, key factors in fighting depression, were found among those who practiced their faith sincerely. The advantages of having a spiritual life at home are:

· Spiritual beliefs determine how people deal with life’s joys and hardships. It can make you more optimistic and resilient.

· Spirituality can provide people with a sense of purpose and guidelines for living. When families face tough situations, including health problems, their spiritual beliefs and practices can help them fight feelings of helplessness, restore an order to life situations, and promote regaining a sense of control.

· For some families, spirituality can be a powerful source of strength.

· Spirituality brings family members together by encouraging forgiveness and reconciliation of relationships.

· Strong families share a belief in something greater than themselves. They agree about what is right and wrong and what is really important to them. These shared values give families purpose and help them unite on goals.

· Your spiritual beliefs enhance your parenting. Some parents emphasise faith in God, others focus on faith in humanity, moral behaviour, and unity with all living things. Some may introduce their children to practices like prayer, meditation, and scripture study. Still others refer to conquering faults and developing virtues like honesty, integrity, and kindness towards others. To foster spirituality within your own family, you may want to examine your own values. The parents who inculcate the right values in their children automatically are more successful in their role as way-showers and guides to their children.

Activities that foster spirituality at home include the following:

Daily practice. Some families make prayer an important daily practice. You could gather for prayer before the rush of the day begins. Encourage each member of the family to set aside time for personal prayer and, for grown up children, even meditation would be a good idea.

Be inspired. Enrich your spirituality by letting nature inspire you. Taking evening walks in the park, around a lake, or any other natural setting can be inspiring. Plan an occasional hike in the mountains and take time to admire the beauty of nature together with your family members.

Build spiritual strength. This could include caring for the needy or acts of charity, reading sacred texts or other such literature together, visiting a place of worship at least once a month etc.

Try and inculcate spiritual values in everyday life. Merely knowing that curbing anger or greed is good for you is not enough. Making conscious attempts to make it a part of your day-to-day life at home and outside will have a calming influence. Help family members remember these values the next time they struggle with negative emotions. Family life will, automatically, be more harmonious.

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

Ajit Patel UK - Exercise As Nature Intended

Exercise As Nature Intended – Ajit Patel UK

One of the most rewarding ways to workout is to exercise in the great outdoors. While providing an unlimited source of fresh air, and a healthy boost of Vitamin D from the sun, studies show that people experience more pleasure and less tension and fatigue when exercising with nature rather than indoors. But what if you hate jogging or are bored by walking? Here are some ideas for enjoying the natural environment while getting your workout fix.

Get on your Bike Gym-bound exercise bikes might track your mileage and calories but it is more inspiring to cycle through beautiful countryside or your local park with a friend, rather than cycling indoors. No one to cycle with? Team up with others in your area.

Time for a Dip You may need to be brave when the weather is cold, but outdoor swimming is truly invigorating. Find outdoor venues and events in your area.

Head to the Beach If you’re lucky enough to live near the sea, why not work out on the beach? Whether it’s a jog across the sand or a game of cricket or beach volleyball, the beach is a great place to exercise and have fun.

Take a Hike Rather than pounding the treadmill, get fit and have fun in the fresh air with a refreshing hill walk. Pick a route with lots of ups and downs for best benefits. Find new landscapes to explore.

Pick a Team If you prefer to exercise with others, try an outdoor team sport such as football, rounders or netball to help you get fit and make new friends. Find a welcome from a sports team or club in your area.

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

Ajit Patel Goldshield - Don’t Let Them Skip Breakfast!

Don’t Let Them Skip Breakfast! – Ajit Patel Goldshield

A lot of children regularly go without breakfast before school. Girls are more likely to skip breakfast than boys, and while some sometimes have a morning meal, many don’t have breakfast on school days.

According to dieticians, compared to those who consume homemade breakfast or even ready-to-eat cereals, breakfast skippers are more likely to grow up overweight or obese, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol level and high insulin levels, putting them at risk of type 2 diabetes. Skipping breakfast also affect kids’ mental performance. Studies show that children who don’t have breakfast have reduced attention and visual memory, as well as lower levels of energy and cheerfulness. When 40 adolescents who usually skipped breakfast were given cereals to eat, they felt more alert, full and content so were better able to concentrate in school. Similar health benefits are seen in adults, for whom skipping breakfast increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attack, which provides yet more evidence why breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Healthy breakfasts can include:

·         ‘Wholegrain’, ‘Natural’ or ‘Organic’ porridge, muesli, granola or cereals. Check the sugar and salt content on labels. Serve with semi-skimmed milk and fresh berries. Brown toast, muffins, malt loaf

·         Fresh fruit salad, fruit juice, smoothie

·         Low-fat milk, low-fat cheese

·         Boiled, poached or scrambled eggs

·         A cup of tea, milk or herbal tea.

Many brands now offer healthier cereal choices with no added sugar or sweeteners, and extra nuts and seeds, and a variety of wholegrains rather than just wheat and oats.

If time is tight, try a piece of fruit, unsweetened yoghurt plus a sustained-energy breakfast biscuit containing no high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils.

It’s important to get your children in the habit of eating breakfast at an early age. A common reason for skipping breakfast is that children would rather sleep a little longer than eat breakfast. Some teenage girls might skip breakfast because they mistakenly think it will help them lose weight. Regardless of the reasons, breakfast is an important meal that everyone should eat. There are many ways to overcome barriers to eating breakfast, including thinking outside of the box, grab-and-go meals, and choosing wisely. And the old adage of having breakfast like a king and dinner like a pauper still holds good.

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

Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness - Are You Getting A Full Body Workout?

Are You Getting A Full Body Workout? – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness

Sometimes at the gym, people tend to concentrate on working only certain parts of their body. These training tips from fitness experts target your whole body and can help people get fit.

Legs

Deep squat – Start with your feet a shoulder width apart, put your hands on your shoulder to keep your back straight and keep your head up. Lower your bum ALL the way to the floor under control and then stand up. By going all the way down you will activate all the muscles in your legs and get that amazing all over look.

Lunges – Step forward, landing the heel first, and lower until the knee is at 90 degrees and directly above your toes. The back knee should continue until it nearly touches the ground. Drive up with the front leg to the starting position. This is great for tightening up the legs.

Arms

Diamond push-ups – Place your palms on the ground and touch thumbs and forefingers together to create a diamond. Perform the press-ups by slowly lowering the chest to your hands and push back up. Put your knees on the ground if you struggle to do 10 to 12 reps. This will get your triceps working hard and tighten them up in no time.

Bench dip – You’ll need a chair or a bench about knee height. Place hands on the bench directly under the shoulders. Legs are straight out away from the bench so they are behind you, lower your body slowly until your bum nearly touches the ground and push back up. Work hard through the burn and you’ll see the success at the other side.

Bum

To really achieve a shapely bum, you need to strip excess fat away:

The Tabata method – As an alternative to counting reps you can follow a timed method, which is one of the most effective methods for fat loss. You work at high intensity for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest. Repeat for 4 minutes (8 cycles). This is a great way to burn calories and it really works.

There’s no substitute for hard work and to get the amazing results of high intensity training, you need to work hard. The good news is these workouts are much shorter; a 20 to 30 minute high intensity workout will burn the same amount of calories as a 1-hour cardio session. With an increased metabolism for up to 36 hours, overall you will burn much more calories.

Abs

Spend 5 to 10 minutes, three times per week, working on your core muscles and feel the benefits.

Exercise 1 – The plank

Adopt a pose similar to a press up but keep your forearms on the ground and shoulder width apart beneath your chest. Keep your body straight and your feet together and balance on your toes. Pull the belly button up to your spine to feel the full effect. Just hold still in this position. Aim to hold for 20 to 60 seconds and lower slowly. Repeat three to five times.

Exercise 2 – Plank superman

From the normal plank, lift your left foot off the ground slowly. Then slowly extend your right arm in front of you. You should now be balancing on your left forearm and right foot. Again hold and squeeze in the abdominal area. Aim to hold for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat two to three times on each side.

Exercise 3 – Half sit

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent at 90 degree. Then squeeze your abs and slowly raise your shoulders and body keeping your back straight. Come about half way up so you maintain tension in the abs and then slowly lower but don’t let your shoulders touch the ground. Aim to complete 10 to 20 repetitions and repeat three to five sets.

Exercise 4 – V-sits

Lie flat on the ground and raise your feet off the ground about six inches. Slowly raise your legs and sit up with your torso, bringing your hands to touch your toes. You then slowly lower to the start position, keeping your back and legs straight. Aim to complete 5 to 15 repetitions and repeat two to three sets.

Bust

The T-Plank – Using five to 10-pound weights as handles, hold your body up in a pushup position, with your legs wider than hip width for more stability. Lift your right arm, holding the weight up, and open your body all the way to the right making a ‘T’ shape with your body. Return to your starting position and do the same on left side. That’s one rep. Do 10 to 20 reps.

The Chest Fly – Lay down on floor, keeping your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Start to raise your arms up with a slight bend in your elbows. Inhale and open your arms wide like you were going to give someone a big hug, stopping with your arms above your chest. Exhale and bring your arms back to a starting position. Repeat 10 to 25 times.

The Elbow Squeeze – Raise the weights up to eye level, pressing them together. Open your elbows wide, then squeeze your elbows back together without letting the weights drop down past eye level. Repeat 20 to 40 times.

Exercise and health vary from person to person. Always train under the supervision of experts. See your physician before beginning on a new exercise regime. This is especially important if your family has a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, obesity, or other health conditions. If you have any doubts whatsoever, consult your physician.

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