Have a Guilt-free and a happy Diwali

A season full of joy,happiness and festival.Don't spoil with guilt and fear of enjoying the goodies.Here are a few tips keep you fit during the Diwali season!

1.Sweets: Sweets that are home-made can be relatively harmless. Dry-fruits ,milk with ghee sweets can be a better alternative to too sugary and oily ones made of refined flours like Besan and Maida. Also go for healthier versions using palm candy and jaggery instead of white sugar. Use millet flours as a combination with refined flours.It will add that much needed fibre too. Unless you are a Diabetic never go for ‘sugar-free’ sweets. Also try using more fruits and veggies in sweet format. Increase the fibre and good minerals at the same time and good for Diabetics.Ghee is great on polyphenols ,anti-oxidants and have a healing effect.Just use them prudently.


2. Savories: Use unrefined flours such as millet flours such as red-rice as the main ingredient. Choose a combination of oil like vegetable oil with sesame oil for frying as far as possible. Do not forget to add Hing (Asafoetida), Jeera or cumin seed, Ajwain addition in them. They not only enhance the taste but also aid in digestion .Try baking a few of the savouries .Adding nuts is good for providing good vitamins ,good fats and anti-oxidants.A South Indian mixture can have walnuts and Ragi flakes, the North Indian Chiwda can have dried dates and Bajra flakes.Diabetics can safely have all grain falkes that are baked.Just spice up the mixture.
Use Gingelly oil with any vegetable oil you use in a ratio of 20:80 for deep frying to get better fat .




3.Re-hydrate: The rise in environmental temperatures due to cracker bursting and eating of high-fat and sweet laden foods can be highly de-hydrating. There will be a considerable rise in BMR levels heating up the body.Drink loads of water - both a rehydrant and detoxifiers. Keep drinking some in the intervals. If you are bored up with plain water try fruit flavourings or mint. Also take generous servings of curd. Try water invigorated with lemon,Tulsi,orange or ginger. Keep some bananas for an immediate acid neutralizer.

4.Eat a wholesome meal: Your meals can become a big factor during these sweet and at munching days. A good meal with some whole dals/legumes, veggies ,rice or chappathis with a fruit can be very satisfying and can stuff you up in a such a way that your mid-meal munching will go down naturally. A wholesome meal becomes a natural detoxifier.Raithas and salada can do the magic.Green tea is a great leveler and a great anti-oxidant too. Just drink them when your tummy is not empty.

5.Eat fresh: Make sure you are eating freshly home made preparations. Preferably with zero preservatives and no chemicals. Also keep those home-made Churans/Leghiyams handy in case your cravings take over the better of you. Diwali Marundhu is a traditional preparation used in south India , a must-have during the ‘glory gobble’ days.

6.Exercise well: Take walks and just try burn out those calories. Take a game out with your kids or just play hard with your friends. This helps in a big way to control the accumulation of unused fats and can prevent the heaviness in a great way.

7. More tips:
Plan some family events to bring people together. Destress and have sometime of your own. Manage food wastage well. If your homes are over-flowing with sweets and food , try to give away who deserve them in some part of the town even while they are fresh. Crackers are a must but cut down a little to have a less polluted atmosphere.Decorating your homes with more flowers and Rangoli can infuse loads of positive energy.
Festivals are meant to be enjoyed with happiness and fun. Just don’t let the guilt come in the way. Try celebrating an eco-friendly one and take some time out for charity and spirituality.Have a safe one too

Some healthy,tasty recipe searching refer these blogs:
Radha Natrajan






Image Courtesy :http://fineartamerica.com/featured/indian-sweets-louise-blaize.html
#diwali #healthy #Sweets #diabetic #detox

My Yoga story

Yes! It is international yoga day on June 21.What so great? It is an awakening of sorts. A health tool , a way of life that our ancestors followed for centuries saw an almost death till some recent years.But the world awoke before us ,that it is a billion dollar industry today. 
       
Very rightly said in Bhagwath Gita too.

"yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga uchyate"
(http://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/2/verse/48)
Also, in the words of our PM Modiji  when he called observing an International Yoga Day, describing the ancient science as "India's gift to the world." 
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Narendra-Modi-calls-for-International-Yoga-Day/articleshow/43665102.cms)

All  this said and done. I have to tell you 2 instances where Yoga has changed my life .It has given me a multi-dimensional outlook to my life.The  holistic touch that continues to support me in all my ups and downs is itself a great pointer to the healing power of Yoga.Yoga is just not an exercise regimen but it is a way of life.It cleanses your body,soul and mind.

Rewind to 2005 July 25,most of us remember the catastrophic flood that hit Maharashtra. The waters gulped down most villages.It devastated Mumbai the next day. We were staying a few kilo meters away from Panvel in the Raigad district.A beautiful township was our home that also housed my husband's factory.In the wee hours of  morning of July 25th me and my daughter were still asleep as my husband was away in his night duty at factory.Heavy rains were lashing already.Suddenly a gush of water entered our house.In a few minutes our house got flooded.The water was seeping rather silently and quickly. We were somehow rescued from the mess.Sooner our house was almost submerged with 10 feet high water.We lost most of our things and a lot more of our memories .Hours later me and my little daughter were reunited with my husband.What followed was an unimaginable and stressful chain of events.We moved forward thanking God for saving our lives. Though with help of relatives and friends we settled in our lives,I went into severe depression.That is when my aunt introduced me to Pranayama and Kapaal Bhathi and a few another basic Aaasanas .I was in my late twenties then and sincerely started practicing them for 3 years. Yoga taught me to face and survive.
                                            The next phase was more challenging.A huge untold tragedy struck our family when my husband lost his loving sister to cancer.Though he faced the eventuality with great courage soon he slipped into severe depression and acidity related issues.A good friend of ours introduced us to Isha Yoga.Both me and my husband learned it.He practices Shambahavi yoga till today.It has been 3 years now with some lifestyle changes like playing sports and right eating helped him to get on track.
                Both these life changing incidents have inspired me more than ever before to practice some form of Yoga in my life.Part of my career too involved in an organisation that promoted Yoga and I learnt how to apply Yoga for some therapeutic conditions.Today all my workshops have a compulsory 'Pranayama' teachings.Especially in corporate healthcare scenario of today Yoga helps to de-stress and lead a happy and healthy life.

My Pranayama time

Two women change to health

Just the other day two of my friends Sita Kumar and Minu Sharma came visiting me for consultations on weight-loss.Both were in their late thirties one was a gracious home maker-chef  and the other was an enterprising fashion designer. Both of then had kids were super women juggling home, family and work. They were over-wight,complained of fatigue and chronic back and knee pain. Minu also had issues with her menstrual cycles.All said and done I found out both of them didn't weight-loss programs but zing of some important nutrients and life style to their body. A small transformation in their diet and food style has helped both of them to be are right on track and feel great again.

                      Every women has a super woman in her.With multi-tasking being norm of the day 30s to 45 can be most testing years. And sadly a study has proved that Indian women are the most stressed on in the world.

                    But 2 main nutrients  can keep  you going this way all the way and help you to fight the health and emotional issues in a positive way.They are Iron and Calcium. I am going to take you through both these nutrients and help you to understand their importance in your daily life.

The white Power for women

Minu's problem was very acute.She was suffering from bone and joint pain and due to nature of her job,she needed to strain her bones maximum.What she lacked was proper Calcium nutrition.Calcium is very crucial for any woman at any stage of life. Entering the 30’s with enough bone mass is a huge challenge for in today’s modern lifestyle.

A look at the risk factors that makes your bones weak:

• Gender:The female population is more susceptible to bone issues atleast by 8 times due to primarily 2 reasons-pregnancy and physiological stress
• Race:White-skinned people face more risk .Constitutionally dark-skinned have higher bone density so lesser issues during aging. 
• Body size: Influence of weight and body fat distribution on bone density in postmenopausal women- a study has proved that  women with higher fat mass on the upper part of body tends to have higher bone density. Also the estrogen secretions are higher.
• Genetics:Some bone related issues are genetically influenced. But the issues may not follow a same pattern.At time it may not even occur.
• Disease:Diseases related to thyroid and liver and GI can considerably decrease the absorption of calcium.They create an imbalance of calcium in blood plasma. Kidney diseases can lead to changes in phosphate levels which impair the remodeling process in bone malformation.
• Drug therapy:Some medicines can accelerate the loss of bone density .Some of them are anti-convulsants, corticosteroids used in treating arthritis and thyroid hormones used in treating thyroid also may have an effect on bone density.

What do we do?  Increase Vitamin D synthesis:

Keep yourself physically active always:(Useful for both Anemia and Calcium Deficiency)

                                                                Black power from Iron

Sita had this tiredness and fatigue always.She felt sleepy even when her enthusiasm was at peak.Her menstrual  periods were irregularand painful. So I suggested a hemoglobin test that confirmed her Aneamia.

The possible nutrients she might be lacking is Iron, Apart from that Folic acid and Vitamin B12  help to fix iron.Their  deficiencies also could lead to Anemia.Let us know more about that.Iron cannot be synthesized in your body it can only fixed from the food you eat.

 Reasons for Iron Deficiency: 

 Heme versus Non-heme iron:The bioavailability of iron depends on several factors. People who are iron-replete absorb iron less easily than people who are iron-deficient.In addition, absorption depends on the specific form that iron takes.

Heme Iron:Heme iron is the most readily absorbed form of iron present in most non-vegetarian foods such as  in shellfish, red meat, poultry, and fish. On average, people absorb between 15-35% of the heme iron they consume.But these sources are rich sources of fat,hence we need to limit their consumption.

Non-heme iron: Non-heme iron is found in plant foods, as well as in eggs, milk, and meat. Compared with heme iron, it’s less easily absorbed by the body. Moreover, sources of non-heme iron often contain phytates, which bind to iron and carry it through the digestive tract unabsorbed. As a result, the foods with high iron content aren’t necessarily the best sources of iron. By weight, soybeans have roughly twice the iron of beef. But only about 7% of the iron in soybeans is absorbed. Spinach is also high in iron, but less than 2% of the iron in cooked spinach is absorbed.But the problem can be solved adding some iron absorption enhancers like

• Vitamin C may be particularly effective. 
• One study reported that adding just 63 mg of vitamin C to a meal rich in nonheme iron yielded a 2.9-fold increase in iron absorption .
• Meat can also make a big difference. Experiments suggest that adding 50 to 85 grams of meat to a meal results in a 1.5- to 4-fold increase in iron absorption.
• Beef may more effective than other meats. 
• In one experiment, beef protein enhanced iron absorption 80% better than did chicken protein . 
• Also follow the below the image to strike the right combination of iron in your diet!
• I am very happy for Sita and Minu who took some steps towards positive health They considered themselves important.

So women..please gift yourself with power of black and white for a healthier future!  

( Disclaimer: Both are my friends who were happy to share their stories.Name being changed for privacy purposes)

The Big Fat Lies

You want to lose weight to stay  healthy? Just re-frame the question..do you want to gain health to stay happy? Most people today  Google  for the former issue more!

                              If it was just this easy to lose weight 'online',then believe me nutrition and dietary sciences will never have any existence.But when the weight-loss bug bites in the battle begins with a lot of homework on what to eat and not, then a series of exercise routines. There are also some great believable crash diets that promise more than they can in reducing the extra flab. All continue until, they hit a road block with  a point of no return. 

                     Most of them gain more weight than before.Some just have fallen off the cart with more burden on their health.So let us see some 'Big' fat lies that seems to be cheating all. 

Crash Dieting:

Simple, a crash diet is nutritionally imbalanced. It will lead you into troubles more than one. Eating one of those diets with only fruits, vegetables or juices can be detrimental to your health. You might lose some kilos here and there but it drains you of all the reserved energy and nourishment.

Missing meals:

The most common myth is that missing meals can reduce weight. But it is actually other way round. It puts on weight and leads to you into obesity. If you miss one meal you then you tend to binge the next but might not burn the food you ate that is converted in to more fat. Always remember break-fast is a must. Every big meal should comprise at least 2 servings of complex carbs.

Dieting with ‘Sugar-free’ foods:

The most dangerous myth about dieting is to go on Sugar-free beverages, sweets and artificial sweeteners  for weight loss.But all these contain Aspartame which can kill your heart’s health and in the long run invite Lifestyle disorders affecting you. It is better if you could use healthier sweeteners like Palm sugar, Agave sugar or honey instead .

Going without fat:

A little fat is good for you. A total fat-free diet cannot reduce kilos in a big way. It is important to have foods with good fats like omega fatty acids and MUFA. Nuts like walnut, Avocado and olive oil are sources of good fats.

Curbing cravings

Another weight loss myth is to resist cravings .Whenever you are tempted to eat your favourite food, just go for it. But have small portion of the same. If cravings exceed too much then it will surely have a bad effect on your weight loss program.

Eating Diet pills/One meal supplements:

There is no single food or magic potions that will lead you to weight loss. All are either gimmicks or quacks setting you up. Never go on them. A healthy lifestyle with sensible eating can do the wonder! Food supplements are very dangerous in the long run. They can lead to hormonal complications in your body. Never go for short –cuts.

Keeping yourself away from favorite fast foods:

Well not works always.But fortunately most fast foods are not part of our culture.So the only threat is o of craving for these foods as an alternative or a change.Just learn to make wise choice on menu cards and share a plate with your friend.

All carbs are bad:

Never think that all carbs are bad.Unrefined cereals and legumes are best form of healthy carbs.But it seen that people avoiding all types of carbs to reduce weight.It is importnat to note that when a diet is devoid of carbs you lose some amazing nutrients that help you  to lead a healthy life.

Magic foods to burn the calories:

There is no magic bullet foods that can burn extra calories.Nothing works best other than exercises.

So never fall prey to such products.

So don’t just go ga-ga about fad-diets and get carried away by quick-fix solutions. What you need is a weight-loss plan that is sustainable and gives you the desirable results on a long-term basis.

 Always remember the 3 Ps-Prepare, Perspire and Persevere.

 Prepare yourself well, work-out is a must and be patient in achieving your weight loss goals.

Try to strike a balance between your food style and lifestyle.So gain health not just lose weight.

Chips to Cherries:Super men with Acidity

Hey Men!
I know you are all superman wannabes. All of you want to do that and be there.It is tough to satisfy the needs of society,family and work at the same time.And now this whole thing is taking a toll on your health.It is reported that 7 out of 10 Indian men suffer from acidity or gastritis. It is branded as a lifestyle disease now.A condition can ruin the quality of life.The symptoms,causes and prevention of this condition is very confusion that a lay persons tends take a wrong step many a times. Mr.Shyam is all of 40 ,has a highly successful career and a good family.He is indeed a  'Super Man'.
                              But his sedentary and stress-filled life was unknowingly affecting his problem in a bad way. But has been suffering from acidity for 2 years Though initially the attacks were mild and sporadic but now it is  slowly turning into a GERD problem.When he came to me the attacks have become severe and chronic. We had to really look at the case in various angles.The first job was to control the symptoms and then was to address the root cause.If not treated immediately with present symptoms his body might pose a risk factor for oesophageal cancer .

What happens during acidity?
When excess acids are produced in the stomach  for some reason or other they start leaking into oesophagus and throat regions leading to heart burns .In  normal digestion, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens to allow food to pass into the stomach and closes to prevent food and acidic stomach juices from flowing back into the esophagus. Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when the LES is weak or relaxes inappropriately, allowing the stomach's contents to flow up into the esophagus. The acid flow can considerably disrupt the lives of the suffer by causing an irritating and uneasy feeling.This happens while they eat or drink and also affects their sleep badly.The burning sensation can be which can be mild/sporadic and severe or chronic heart burns are usually the symptoms of other diseases too that are related to stomach and gut like Peptic Ulcer,Gastritis and GERD. The severity of heartburn also depends on LES dysfunction as well as the type and amount of fluid brought up from the stomach and the neutralizing effect of saliva.

What were the causes of Mr.Shyam's acidity issues?

• He was always busy in his thirties that he had been eating irregular meals always.
• He did try a few days of physical exercise but at most time never flexed a muscle or did any physical activity.
• Increasing responsibilities at home and office did give him a lot of stress yet he could never figure out a way to de-stress .
• He never fell sick much but whenever something happened it  lead to regular intake of antibiotics which ultimately gave rise to acidity in the long term
• Most times he had to eat out with little control over spices and oil used.
• Since the attacks were mild and sporadic he had overlooked the problem by just controlling the symptoms and not addressing the root cause.
• Too many teas and coffees in his younger day.

Identify the condition earlier,it is better.But how to identify it so that you don't become Mr.Shyam?

• A sudden increase in appetite
• A mild pain in the chest portion
• Feeling of burns in the guts immediately before and after you eat anything.
• Feeling of uneasiness in the upper abdomen and irritation in the throat.

What should have Mr.Shyam done in his earlier years.Some pointers:

• Eat proper 2 big meals and 2 small meals daily. Create time you will have great choices of food are available ,just search for them.Eat them.
• Take small and frequent meals. Always carry some ready foods like Bananas,apples or soft cookies handy if you are travelling.
• Daily exercises are a must even walking fro 30 minutes would do.
• Have lots of water a little more than what you usually have to ease out the bad feeling in the gut.
• Do quit your habits like alcohol and smoking immediately.Make a slow and a conscious change.
• A light walk after your dinner will be greatly helpful to avoid the nightmarish heart burns that disrupt your sleep.
• For severe cases of heart burns it is better to take help from antacid drugs.A course or two is greatly helpful till put your food style and lifestyle in place.
• Eat lots of fibre and specific fruits and vegetables are good in alleviating the symptoms.
• Once you get your very first attack ,always take pre-cautionary antacids whenever you are on antibiotic courses.
• Let your doctor know about this whenever you for any treatment.Now you will be called hyper acidic.
• Always go on a detox diet when you have been travelling for long ad eating non-veg foods.
• Do Pranayamam and meditation to release your stress.
• Avoid caffeine completely.

What should one do while suffering with acidity to fight the symptoms?
Once acidity attacks you a need to have  two thronged solution needs to be addressed:
One to fight the symptoms and other to address the root cause:

1. Keep some raw ginger juice and consume a tsp whenever you get the bouts.
2. Take a tsp of Jeera seeds with water that can ease out the digestion causing lesser acid secretion at a given time.
3. Also try eating an apple after big meals .The carbs in apple can ease the digestion.
4. Have lots of water intermittently between your meals
5. Aloe Vera juice and fennel tea also helps curing short term heart burns.
6. Having chilled milk whenever you get slightest symptoms help a lot.
7. In case of severe heart burns go in for antacid courses ,never suffer with symptoms for long.
8. But simultaneously work on a better food style and life style change.
9. stick to cooked and half—boiled foods and avoiding eating raw. Once the symptoms reduce you could eat any raw fruit and vegetable.
10. Eat frequently .Foods have to be bland,cooked and not raw or spicy.Avoid baked products too.Curd ,milk,rice ,dals are great healers.

Mr.Shyam  did make some bad choices early in his life.But today he has changed his food style and life style.He is a badminton player ,does Yoga regularly and eating right wherever he is.He is happy and healthy. Continues be a Super Man too.(Mr.Shyam-name changed for privacy purposes.)

Chips to Cherries story 2- A mom changes!!

It was back in 2006 when I had entered corporate healthcare.I was working with a team of medicos who would trot between IT companies to provide counselling services.
          During one such visit is when I met Naina. A young sprightly girl in her early 20s who was a fresher from college and as joined as a software professional.With dream in her eyes she wanted to live her life happily. First time she cam to me was when she had completed 8 months with the com[any as her growing weight became a concern.She had gained almost 10 kgs with in short span of time.She wanted to reduce weight as also her family was in search of a suitor for her soon.
                               The reason for weight gain was very clear .There was so much of junk and fat laden food she had to eat because she was staying alone and was not equipped enough to cook on her own.With absolutely no time for any physical activity she had but no other go but kept accumulating lot of fat in her body.
                  I transformed her diet a bit,taught her to choose right when eating out and guided her with simple exercises routine.Importantly told her the weight loss would be a long process yet a  sure shot one and she might get back to her old weight in next 4 to 5 months.
                      But the real problem was that she was not ready to wait.She resorted to crash diets that are blatantly floated on many sites on internet even today.I cautioned her.But in vain.Anyway,she did reduce and got married too .
                      It was over 2 years now.One day she came to me.She looked very sick and tired.She showed all signs of under nutrition.She complained of lack of appetite and fatigue.She showed signs of severe anemia and was in initial stages of hypothyroid .I was more shaken when she revealed that she had conceived but her doctor has warned that unless she changes her eating ways and mend her well,she might not be able to withstand the pressures of pregnancy.She had severe Gastritis,Insomnia and didn't have any hope of getting back to normalcy.No medicine really helped her and in the process was determined not to harm her baby.
                   Now her dream was just to have a healthy child for which first she had to become healthy and happy herself first.It was tough for some one like her who had forgone breakfast for almost a year .She had only salads for lunch and dinner was the only meal she ate.She couldn't give up much on her junk food habits either.She was under the impression that her lunch sacrifices she made will help her in overcoming this.But she was all WRONG.
                        I was happy to see her back for now. I was sure she would follow my advice. The next 2 months we worked up to the challenge.A healthy diet, right exercises and a few changes in her thinking changed her life for good.She delivered a health baby girl and back on her feet .Blessed are both are now and she is  still in touch with me .
                       She was a truly inspiring story of a mom who would do anything for her unborn baby even before she could become one fully.Such captivating is mother hood.
                             Just to add that she is enjoying her life,being foodie not missing much still has learnt to live a healthy life.

What should I say? Change to health and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

(The name has been changed to guard her privacy.But she wanted her story to be shared as she didn't want anyone to undergo what she did.Thanks to her!!)
                    

My Chips to Cherries Story

                                                       

                 Once upon a time in the early nineties when meeting a friend was not over phone and junk food was not known,I was slogging out my 12th standard to become a doctor.I knew the dream was as distant as it could get.And nothing changed it.A time had come I became weak of health and was greatly  stressed out.I  had to be supplemented with all sorts of vitamin pills to keep me going till the exams.Exams got over and marks awarded I was nowhere near my destination. I had changed 2 schools in 3 years due to dad's nature of job.So,I had to continue my college in an altogether new place .
           A new place ,a new goal and an eye-opener article in Reader's Digest set me thinking to  join  nutrition field. At least I could take care of my health better.Thus at 18,I started dreaming of me being a nutritionist and first thing I wanted to do was to improve my own health. It was a journey I started with a thousand ideas in my mind with most people around me almost ridiculing me for my choice.The course was mostly meant to churn out dietitians to prescribe healthy food for clinical purposes with very less scope for any innovation. But my inspiration for the subject was greater than anything else.I was blessed to have a great role model ,my professor who taught the basics,the 3 years were fun and I improved my health too.I stopped stressing and started living.

                       Another place change for my dad brought me to my next challenge. I could not pursue my further studies in Nutrition yet continued to  read a lot about the field and always kept  me inspired all through the period as though I knew what I wanted to do.My passion was waiting for a second chance.But always there was a continuous flow of encouragement from my family to be I want to be ..

               
                           After my marriage I refueled my passion for the subject with my daughter just 3 years old I went on to do a Fellowship in Applied Nutrition with the encouragement of my family.With an internship  with Apollo hospitals,I was ready to take on the world.Soon I was a corporate dietitian and was also into kids diet counselling. Those days when I landed in Chennai it was already an IT hub.The worst part it was becoming India's number 1 Diabetic capital and youngest population with lifestyle disorders. During my brief stints as a home maker and a mother I continuously  applied most nutrition principles into practice.I was always the person to be something more than what is meant to be. To keep myself engaged in my small breaks from work I  conducted summer camps and classes for kids which involved atleast something about healthy food and eating.My friends and my parents were always my pillars of strength.
                        In the next few years, what came up were some highs and lows in my personal and professional life . But I kept reminding myself that I only wanted to live and not stress and marched towards my goal.After 9 long years of satisfying career in clinical and preventive nutrition with great organisations I was now a mom of two kids my little son still needing my attention.I  quit a rewarding job and decided to start off on my own and thus chips to cherries was born. Even before the idea was conceived, with all my counseling experience I inferred that people need a proper guide in making their life disease free and happy.What they needed was a food style and life style makeover!It worked wonders with my husband too who at a point of time had to deal with depression and acute acidity at the same time.
                    Together we drafted a change that could transform his life for good.Once this was done he was back on track enjoying his life.I understood stress was his key enemy .A conscious effort to turn around stress through right eating and living was need of the hour.

                              I was more affected by the attitude of people towards health,diet and nutrition than anything else.All they wanted was to post pone or manage the diseases ,none wanted to prevent it.None wanted to change themselves for good. Also all these were transferred to next generation too. I totally abhor the westernization of solutions that are offered for Indian eating and living problems.This made me more determined to raise my voice against nutrition
malpractices,misconceptions and myths.I thought reaching out to people personally was best.A humble start up now my baby-chips to cherries as a consultancy is just 2 years old. There have been testing times when I felt lonely and lost in my pursuit. Most time it was Facebook has been my anchor and I have been extremely fortunate to have had great friends who kept encouraging and trusting me.Most friends are foodies and I love being in their neighbourhood.I have learnt more about real food form them.
                             I derive a lot of strength from my kids and with His grace I am happy to see that many people are changing to health through my efforts. I am proud that the movement has begun . A positive change towards health by balancing food style and life style is all that is required.

                     Dreams are never about preparing oneself for it but it is about preparing the world for it. Chips to cherries is just about  making it happen,the change you want to be.