Nutrition online clinic

11/09/2022

Staying healthy is not that difficult after all.

03/09/2022

"Water" the elixir of life. Make it your drink of choice because there more reasons to it than you had ever thought . Someone has truly said ,and I quote, " The fire of life burns in water ".

21/08/2021

Guavas! Don't they immediately remind us of a refreshing flavour and crunchy taste. Indeed the humble countryside fruit is much more than that. It is loaded with nutrients and fibre. Vitamin C which so essential for healthy tissues and immunity is packed in a guava, besides many other minerals.
Guavas, any day would score much higher than any of its hyped fruit cousins.
It is highly beneficial for diabetics.
So, please try to make the most of it when they are around.

08/03/2020

Addressing women of microfinance group on importance of healthy diet on International women's day at bhubaneswar.

07/10/2019

Volunteering for SOS(NGO) , empowering marginalised women by helping them improve their family's nutrition using locally available resources.

21/04/2019

COOL DRINKS FOR THE SUMMER

The summer heat often robs the appetite of most
people and usually people relish more of cool
beverages as compared to heavier meals. More so
in the humid coastal areas, where the levels of
sweating is much higher, the right choice of beverages
can help to replenish the fluid and electrolyte needs
of the body ,besides adding to the variety . By right choice we mean beverages made of fresh fruits, herbs or vegetables and not the ones which are canned , bottled, caffeinated or carbonated. So here are some easy to make beverages and desserts :
MANGO PANNA: Ingredients :Raw mango 2 medium sized , sugar 2T , salt ½ t , few twigs of pudina.
Method – Wash the mangoes , give one or two slits on each mango and then boil with just enough water in a pressure cooker . Once the mangoes are boiled and the cooker lid can be opened , put the pudina twigs into it and cover the lid. Next in a wide bowl put the sugar and the salt . Place a strainer over the bowl and pour the boiled mangoes along with the water onto to the strainer and then with the help of a spoon or masher just push the mango pulp through the strainer . Once done just stir the and blend the ingredients in the bowl . Adjust the consistency by adding water and serve with ice cubes.
DIGESTIVE LEMONADE: Ingredients : Lemon 2 , Ginger 1” piece ,sugar/jaggery 3T , water 2 cups, black salt to taste, few ice cubes .
Method – Peel the ginger and grate it . Put the ginger , lemon juice, sugar , salt in a mixer and run for 2-3 minutes . Serve by pouring onto ice cubes in a glass .
DATES SHAKE: Ingredients- Dates( seedless)-1/2 cup ,milk 1cup , sugar /honey to taste, few ice cubes
Method – Combine the ingredients in a blender and serve cold.
FRUIT PUNCH : Ingredients – Apple 1medium(cored) , Watermelon 500g , Orange 2 peeled , Pineapple (chopped) ½ cup , few fresh mint leaves , few ice cubes.
Method – Put the fruits into the juicer one by one and collect the juice . In a tall glass put the ice cubes and pour the juice mix over it . Add the pineapple bits and finally serve with a garnish of chopped mint leaves .
Punch can be tried with different fruits and squashes but fresh fruits are always better .
JAL JEERA: Ingredients – mint leaves (paste )/mint chutney 1 T, Jeera powder ( roasted &powdered) 1T , sugar 1T, Tamarind pulp 30g , black salt and red chilli powder to taste ,Water 2cups, lemon juice from ½ a lime.
Method – Tamarind has to be soaked in water for an hour or so and then the juice can be extracted by mashing the softened pulp. To this extract add the mint paste, salt , sugar , jeera powder , chilli powder,

water and stir to dissolve the sugar . Leave it aside for an hour or so

and pour into a glass and add the lemon juice before serving. Serve cool.
Note*: The tamarind extract can be boiled well, cooled and then used for better results and also to prevent a sore throat.
ICED LEMON TEA : Ingredients –Water 1 ½ cup , sugar 2t , lemon grass leaves( chopped)1T/tea leaves 1t, lemon juice from ¼ th lemon, few ice cubes .
Method – Boil the lemon grass leaves/ tea leaves in water for about 5 minutes . Strain the decoction and then dissolve sugar in it . Let it cool down . Now put the ice cubes into a glass and pour the decoction into it . Squeeze the lemon juice and then serve .
WATERMELON POMEGRANATE JUICE : Ingredients : watermelon 500g(diced) pomegranate 1deseeded, lemon ½ , black salt to taste.
Method – Put the watermelon and pomegranate into a blender and run for 3-4 minutes . Strain the juice , then pour in tall juice glasses . Add lemon juice salt and serve cold .
BUTTERMILK CUCUMBER SOUP : Ingredients : cucumber 1(finely chopped ), buttermilk 2cups , mint leaves 8-10(chopped) ,ginger ½ “(chopped), black salt and black pepper powder to taste .
Method – Blend cucumber, ginger and mint in a blender till smooth. Now add the buttermilk and stir .Season with salt and pepper . Serve chilled with a garnish of few mint leaves on top.
Note* Mango ginger tastes better for this recipe.
Here is a long forgotten recipe which I chanced upon and I think should be tried considering the fact that red hibiscus is abundantly available now and has many medicinal properties.
MANGO SRIKHAND : Ingredients : Fresh curd 500g , Sweet mango finely chopped , Powdered sugar 3T , powdered cardamom ¼ t
Method - Tie the curd in a clean muslin cloth and hang it for about 2 hours so that water drains out and a creamy paste is left behind . Empty the curd into a bowl and add the sugar and cardamom .Mix well . Stir in the mango bits gently and serve into bowls. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Sagarika Mishra (Consulting Nutritionist)
srmishra_7@yahoo.com
Note* Reader’s can send their diet and nutrition related querries at the given email.

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13/04/2019

BRACING THE HEAT NATURALLY
Summers are really going to be very harsh this year, because the mercury has already touched 40+ even before the end of april. Govt. has already passed circular regarding morning schools fearing a further rise in the temperatures. So the coming months are really going to make us sweat. But what’s bad is that when we sweat we not only loose water but also loose vital nutrients and this makes us feel sluggish and tired. Excessive sweat causes rashes and irritability of the skin. Therefore it is important that we keep ourselves cool and that too naturally. Infact, there are many things around us which are readily available and we just need to use more of these during the summers.
MINT: Commonly called as pudina. It has an active ingredient called menthol, which is a coolant and adds a freshness to anything and everything that it is added to, be it salads, chutneys, beverages or for that matter mouth fresheners etc. No wonder it’s considered the coolest herb. Besides it aids in digestion, prevents irritable bowel syndrome, and helps to detox the body . It is a rich source of iron, Vitamin A, B, C, folate , Calcium and phosphorous.
RAW MANGO: Who hasn’t relished the taste of raw mango as a child? We should continue doing so because raw mangoes help beat heat strokes and also a rich source of vitamin C. It you find it too sour to consume raw, chutneys can be made using sugar/jaggery. It can be even boiled, the pulp extracted and made in into a tangy “panna” using sugar and salt. Mango khatta with jaggery is quite popular in odia households .
CUCUMBER : Cool as a cucumber , who ever said that is 100% correct , because cucumber is a natural diuretic and helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance in the body. It is very low in calories and so can be had in enough amounts , as an in between meal snacks. It blends well all types of salads and raitas .
WATER MELONS : Water melons are a good source of potassium, electrolytes ,fibre and water . However it is better to avoid the too red or too sweet, cut open melons due fear of adulteration and contamination. Water melons help in bowel movement and prevent constipation. These too are low in calories and so dieters can have them liberally.
GREEN COCONUT: Tender coconut water is a natural, isotonic beverage with almost the same level of electrolyte balance as in our blood. Some have even called it the “fluid of life”.It is sterile , well-tolerated and has a cooling effect and so should be preferred drink over and above carbonated /canned/ bottled drinks.
MANGO GINGER: Popularly called amba ada . It belongs to the ginger family but has a mango flavour. It finds varied uses in ayurveda. It helps treat skin itching and respiratory ailments because it is anti-allergic . It helps in colic, indigestion, anorexia .It has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It is used in salads , chats , pickles for its tangy taste and now we know why we should be using it more often as a natural flavouring agent.
BAEL: In English it has many names stone apple, wood apple etc. In some parts it is also called elephant apple because elephants like it. Bael grows luxuriously in most parts of south-east Asia and is almost revered by the hindus as a sacred tree. It has a number of medicinal uses. Bael boosts the immune system and helps fight infections. It is recommended for the treatment of peptic ulcers, piles and constipation. The pulp taken along with black pepper and salt helps to remove toxins from the intestine .The laxatives present in bael help lower the blood sugar level and so is highly recommended for diabetics. So do not forget to have a good glass of bael serbet on pana sankranti i.e, on 14th april and thereafter.
CURD: Curd is definitely divine for the summers because it soothes the nerves and provides lots of Vitamin C and B. It is better tolerated than milk. Curds should be freshly prepared and not too sour. It blends well as salad dressings, spreads for sandwiches and desserts. Sweet curd, Srikhand etc. are some low-calorie desserts.
PAKHALA: Simply rice with water. When water is added to cooked rice and left aside for 3-4 hours, it ferments slightly and gets enriched with vitamin B-complex which very essential for energy metabolism. Odias have been relishing this dish since ages and have raised it to the level of a delicacy by improvising it by adding ingredients like crushed lemon leaves, mango ginger , a spluttering with curry leaves and spices. Slightly fermented watered rice rehydrates the body and is advisable to have pakhala to bear the summer heat.
Some easy to make summery recipes:
Mango Panna : Raw mango is boiled whole. The pulp is then extracted and mixed with sugar and salt to taste. Can be refrigerated and be kept for about 4-5 days. Just dilute when needed ,adjust the sugar and salt and serve . It is a very refreshing drink that protects you from heat strokes too.
Srikhand : Tie freshly prepared curd in a muslin cloth and hang it for an hour till the water drains out completely and the becomes creamy. Now add powdered sugar and crushed cardamom . Mix well and serve cold after refrigerating for an hour or so.
Some do’s and dont’s for the summer :
DO’s DONT’s
-Consume light home made foods -Do not consume too many oily, salty /processed foods
-Have plenty of water. Have coconut -excess tea/coffee and caffeinated drinks.
water, buttermilk ,ORS for rehydration
-Prefer freshly cooked food - Do not consume stale, food preserved for long

Sagarika Mishra (Consulting Nutritionist)
srmishra_7@yahoo.com
note* Reader’s can send their diet and nutrition related querries at the given email

21/07/2016

How to beat monsoon maladies?
To know more read on.. STAY HEALTHY THROUGH THOSE RAINY DAYS. on cityhealth on Mycitylinks, in the link below http://epaper.mycitylinks.in/

06/07/2016

FRUITS OF THE SEASON
It was during this time of the year when monsoons would have started, schools reopened and on the way to school we saw the street children gathering these black berries to be sold near the school. These were sold in small paper pouches with a dab of salt. All of us would try to grab at least a handful of the berries .Firstly , to enjoy the sweet and sour taste and secondly, to coat our tongues purple-black and tease others. Little did we know that this pigment called ‘anthocyanin’ helped us build our immunity for the rest of the season. Jamun, Jambu or black berries, whatever you call , start appearing around june and last till about the month of august. The jamun is a tropical fruit, that grows widely all over india. The size ,the shade of colour and pulpiness may vary but the fruit in itself is loaded with many nutrients and has many health benefits. As it is very rich in iron it helps build hemoglobin in the body ,there fore it is recommended for people with anaemia. Besides it also has good amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Phoshprous, Sodium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 , B1, Vitamin A and many other nutrients. The fruit has a low glycemic index and hence is good for diabetics also.
Jamun has many flavonoids, essential oils and bio-chemical compounds that impart it medicinal values. When eaten with a pinch of salt it helps in digestion. The fruit has astringent properties and thus ,eliminates bad breadth . Being low in calories it is perfect for dieters. It also prevents constipation. However here’s a word of caution, do not overdo it and about 100 gm of the whole fruit is just enough for an average adult in a day. The fruit is best eaten in its natural form.
The other fruit which also comes around the same time is the country cousin of apples that is the guava. Though guava literally grows well in almost all parts of the Indian sub- continent , it originally belongs to Mexico. The Guava has adapted nicely to our climatic conditions because it is a very sturdy plant , grows profusely with little or no maintainence. Moreso, it bears fruit twice in a year, once during the monsoons and then again in the winters. Most people love guavas for their distinct flavor and crunchiness. Guavas come in different sizes , colour and texture . Locally they are called ‘amrud’ , ‘pedu’ etc. However the fruit is full of essential nutrients especially Vitamin C , Vitamin A ( the pink ones being more rich) ,Pottassium ,and Calcium , besides having many other minerals and vitamins. Guavas have a high amount of pectin, a soluble dietary fibre and along with the seeds they provide enough laxatives for smooth bowel movement . Thereby, preventing constipation .
The fruit is best when eaten raw, but elderly people and those who are ill can be given the freshly prepared juice. The fruit is low in calories and also has a low glycemic index . So, it suits dieters as well as diabetics. The dietary fibre also has cholesterol lowering effects.
On the whole both the Jamun and guava :
• Help build immunity
• Lower triglyceride levels in blood
• Are Diabetic friendly
• Have anti- ageing properties
• Help prevent constipation

Sagarika Mishra
Consulting Nutritionist/Dietician
9438304160/9438186231
srmishra_7@yahoo.com