Electrolytes include minerals like potassium, sodium and chloride. Their functions range from maintaining body’s water balance, helping muscle contraction, to transmission of nerve impulses. Potassium is found in fresh fruits and vegetables, while the main source of dietary sodium and chloride is common salt. Thus it is important to replenish your electrolyte stores frequently in summer to have a fatigue-free day.

Summer is also a time when food-borne diseases prevail. A healthy GI [gastro-intestinal] tract will build resistance. So it is better to include foods in your summer menu that benefit the GI tract eg: fermented foods.

Let’s take a look at food and drinks that are ideal for summer, based on their ability to provide water, electrolytes and maintain a healthy GI tract. Some have made it to the list also because they are refreshing and have varied health benefits.

1. Water

The topic of rehydration is incomplete without including water in the diet. If you live in hot conditions and spend too much time outdoors, it is recommended to drink at least 12 glasses [250 ml each] every day. Drink more during periods of increased physical activity. Adding a few slices of lemon, lime or orange provides a citrus flavour and encourages consumption. It is best to consume this within 24 hours of intense activity.

2. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables make ideal summer foods because of their high water content and potassium. Also, presence of antioxidants like vitamin C, carotenoids [beta carotene, lutein], flavonoids [flavanols, anthocyanidins] to name just a few, provide protection against cancer, heart disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s. Pectin, an insoluble fibre in apples, pears and some other fruits, reduces blood cholesterol. The list of benefits is endless. Here’s how to include them in your menu.

Home-made juices: A best option because of greater control over addition of sweeteners [e.g. sugar], cost factor and assurance of authenticity.

Frozen juices: If you want to try something different, freeze the juice of sweet orange, tangerine [santra], lemon, grapes, and melons in different ice cube trays. Use a couple of cubes from each, to make an interesting drink. Keep the trays clean, away from other frozen foods and consume within 48 hours.

Vegetables like tomato, carrot, beetroot, make tasty juices, solo or combined. Mixed juices can be made by combining compatible fruit and vegetable juices like tomato and grape, cucumber and apple.

Aam panna: An indigenous drink made from raw mangoes, sugar, salt, spices and herbs. It is an excellent source of vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium and sodium-chloride. It can be stored in a concentrate form.

Sherbet: In its true form, is a drink made out of fruits, vegetables, flowers, roots and herbs. Make your own by combining fruits [orange, watermelon], with vegetables [carrot, spinach]. Further, add rose petals, either mint or cilantro [coriander] and khus [wala in Marathi]. This proves to be a powerful source of antioxidants and potassium.

Fruit pops: Puree fruits like banana, papaya, mango or muskmelon. Put them in small paper cups with wooden ice cream sticks and freeze. This is a good way to make children eat fruits.

Chilled salads: Combine fruits like strawberry, orange, grape, pomegranate or apple, with vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprout, carrot, green pepper [capsicum] and tomato. Add coarsely ground peanuts/almonds. Consume chilled. You can even convert this into a meal by adding macaroni.

Chutney: Is akin to the Latin American ‘Salsa’ or the European ‘Relish’. It can be made of almost all vegetables, fruits and herbs. For example, vegetable chutneys can include tomato, onion, garlic, pumpkin; herb chutneys can include mint or cilantro; fruit chutneys can include mango, lime, papaya, gooseberry, and dates.

Home-made preserves: Preserves are similar to jams and are made of fruits/vegetables. A murabba is an Indian preserve, traditionally made from mangoes. In addition, vegetables and fruits like carrots, gooseberry, apple, peach, can also be made into murabba.

Give the pickle or sauce a skip and use these chutney options as an accompaniment/side dish.

Cold soups: Home-made soups are nutritionally best. Prepare clear soups of vegetables like tomato, carrot, spinach, beetroot or cucumber and consume them chilled.

3. Chilled dairy products

Dairy products are foods made from milk. They are good sources of protein, retinol [form of vitamin A found in animal foods], vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous. Given below are two categories of dairy products for summer.

Tip: preferably use low-fat varieties of milk.

Fermented dairy products

They are produced by fermenting milk. In fermentation, the milk carbohydrate [lactose] breaks down into lactic acid, under the influence of suitable bacteria. These products offer improved digestibility, intestinal health, taste and shelf-life.

All fermented dairy products do not contain probiotics or ‘live’ beneficial bacteria. These are specifically gram positive bacteria belonging to two genera—Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Products with probiotics need to contain 100 million live bacteria per dose to be effective.

Given below are fermented dairy products.

Curd: Made by coagulating milk with an acidic substance eg: sour curd. Consume plain, sweetened or spicy.

Buttermilk [Chaas]: It is the fluid left over from the butter making process. Add cumin powder or pepper for digestive benefits.

Lassi: Blend curd or yogurt with water, sugar or salt and spices until frothy. Variation: blend with mango pulp to make mango lassi.

Yogurt: Made by adding specific cultures of bacteria [Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus] to pasteurised milk. Consume yogurt as a quick summer snack/ dessert.

Shrikhand: An Indian dessert made out of strained yogurt, sugar, cardamom and saffron. Its variation is Amrakhand, which is made with mango pulp.

Unfermented dairy products

These are a great source of vitamins and minerals as they provide all the nutrients of milk.

Milkshake: It is typically a combination of chilled milk and flavour, with or without ice cream. Make one by blending chilled milk with either, honey or a fresh fruit like water melon. Skip the ice cream/cream to keep it low-calorie.

Flavoured milk: Chilled flavoured milk is a refreshing and healthy summer beverage. The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, recently reported that offering children flavoured milk can increase milk consumption. So if a child dislikes milk, add a few drops of vanilla essence and serve chilled. The health benefits far outweigh any extra calories the beverage may now contain.

Smoothie: A typical smoothie is a combination of milk and/or yogurt, fruits or vegetables and juice. Some may exclude milk/yogurt and just be a concentrated fruit/vegetable blend. Take a fresh fruit like banana, mango, musk melon, or chickoo. Add milk, yogurt, orange juice, sugar and blend. For a vegetable smoothie, blend tomato, carrots and cucumber with yogurt.

Thandai [minus bhang]: Though it is popular during the festival of Holi, don’t limit its consumption to just then. It is made from milk, sugar, saffron, cardamom, poppy seeds [khus khus], almonds and pepper. It is a refreshing chilled drink and its varied ingredients offer digestive and anti-carcinogenic properties.

4. Other foods

Rice water [Kanji]: It is the liquid left over by overcooking rice with excess water. It can also be made by cooking rice powder and water in equal proportions. Salt is usually added. The starch is an energy booster and the salt provides sodium-chloride.
It is also effective for infantile gastroenteritis.

Sugarcane juice: A popular drink, it is a good energiser on a hot summer day. Ensure hygienic preparation, you can add ginger, mint and lemon for better taste.

Coconut water: Comprises 95 per cent water and has a good potassium content. It is the ideal low-calorie drink. Choose fresh tender coconut water over the packaged one.

Finger millet [Ragi] drink: An indigenous drink made of ragi flour, rice water, curd [optional] and salt. It acts as a coolant and is rich in calcium, phosphorous and potassium.

Iced tea: Tea contains powerful antioxidants which protect against heart disease, stroke and cancer. The highest concentration of these is in green tea, followed by black. During summer, consume home-made green or black tea with ice.

Jal jeera: An indigenous drink, contains cumin [jeera] and either rock or black salt. Cumin is an effective digestive. The drink is an excellent cooler and a good source of sodium and chloride.

The post A season to chill appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Alfalfa

Botanical Name: Medicago sativa

Commonly known as: Vilaiti gawuth, Jungli Lucerne

Alfalfa is a leguminous herb and nutritionally one of the most versatile. The credit of its discovery goes to the Arabs. The name is derived from the Arabic ‘Al-fac-facah’, which means ‘Father of all foods’. It’s a great source of protein, vitamins [A, C, E and K], minerals [calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, and potassium] and phytoestrogens [dietary oestrogens].

The juice of fresh Alfalfa leaves is effective for most problems of the heart and blood vessels. It yields best results when consumed in combination with carrot juice. The sprouts are a popular salad ingredient, but not recommended for individuals with autoimmune disorders like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [SLE].

Side-effects: Alfalfa has the tendency to act as a laxative and a diuretic.

Arjuna

Botanical Name: Terminalia arjuna

Commonly known as: Arjun, Kahu

A native of India, the Arjuna is considered as a sacred tree. Medicinally, the most useful part of the tree is its bark. Containing substances like beta-sitosterol, ellagic acid and arjunic acid, the bark of the Arjuna has anti-oxidant properties equal to that of vitamin E.

The bark/preparations made from it, serves as a cardio-protective agent and are useful in alleviating chest pain [angina pectoris], treating heart failure and coronary artery disease. Arjuna also reduces cholesterol by inhibiting its hepatic biosynthesis.

Consume the powdered bark daily, in doses of 0.75 – 2g, either with water or milk. This formula called Arjuna-kshira-paka has been in use for treating heart diseases for more than 1000 years.

Side-effects: Arjuna consumption may have a diuretic effect.

Hogweed

Botanical Name: Boerhaavia diffusa

Commonly known as: Punarnava

A creeping, perennial herb, the Hogweed is indigenous and the name Punarnava means ‘one which renews the body’. The active component of this herb is the alkaloid punarnavine. The plant also contains large quantities of potassium salts which accounts for its diuretic properties.

Medicinally the most important part of this herb is its root. The root powder is used in treating Congestive Heart Failure [CHF], a condition characterised by the inability of the heart to adequately supply the body’s organs and tissues with oxygenated blood. One can consume the powdered root in small doses of 2 – 3 g, thrice daily, with water.

Side-effects: Nausea and diuresis.

Indian Gooseberry

Botanical Name: Emblica officinalis

Commonly known as: Amla

The Indian Gooseberry is a small or middle-sized tree and a native of India. The name amla in Sanskrit means ‘the sustainer’. Ayurveda practitioners and hakims have been using various parts of the tree—fruit, flowers, root and bark—in their medicines, since early times. Amla is the primary ingredient in an ancient herbal preparation called Chyawanprash. The fruit is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. It also contains minerals like chromium, zinc, copper and amino acids like glutamic acid, proline, aspartic acid, alanine and lysine.

The juice of amla fruit controls high blood cholesterol [hypercholesterolemia] by reducing levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL [low density lipoprotein]. It also reduces fatty deposits [plaques] in blood vessels, which would otherwise cause their clogging/hardening [a condition know as atherosclerosis].

You can consume one tablespoon of [fresh] amla fruit juice daily [plain or sweetened with honey]. In case of non-availability of fresh fruit, amla fruit powder can be used.

Side-effects: The fruit also acts as a diuretic and laxative.

Holy Basil

Botanical Name: Ocimum sanctum

Commonly known as: Tulsi, Tulasi

An indigenous herb, the holy basil plant is branched, stout and aromatic. It is considered a gift of Christ and the name ‘holy basil’ means ‘holy king’. Its also one of the most cherished herbs in India, quite in sync with its other name, tulsi, which in Sanskrit means ‘the incomparable one’. Its primary constituents like oleanolic acid, rosmarinic acid, carvacrol and ?-caryophyllene, have proven therapeutic effects.

This herb helps overcome the malaise associated with cardiac diseases, lowers cholesterol and strengthens the heart and blood vessels. It’s also an adaptogen [agent which helps the body combat stress, anxiety and fatigue]. Prepare a decoction, using approximately two dozen leaves in suitable amount of water, and consume twice daily. One can also try chewing the leaves.

Side-effects: Increased perspiration and urinary output [diuresis].

Indian Spikenard

Botanical Name: Nardostachys jatamansi

Commonly known as: Jatamansi, Bal-chad

This perennial herb is named Jatamansi which in Hindi means ‘lock of hair’, probably due to the ‘bearded’ appearance of its rhizomes. This herb yields an essential oil, containing jatamansone, jatamansic acid and virolin.

The oil helps in cases of cardiac arrhythmia or dysrhythmia where the heart beat may be too fast or too slow and may be regular or irregular. This causes disturbance of the heart rhythm in which there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart. Make an infusion by steeping the herb in water. Consume once or twice daily, in doses of 30 – 60g.

Side-effects: Excessive dosage may cause nausea or diarrhoea, so do exercise caution.

Indian sweet fennel/Fennel

Botanical Name: Foeniculum vulgare

Commonly known as: Saunf

The Fennel is a hardy, perennial herb. The word ‘fennel’ traces its origins to the Latin word fenum meaning ‘hay’. As per Greek mythology, Prometheus, a deity, stole fire from Zeus [the king of the Greek Gods] in a fennel stalk and gave it to humans. Widely cultivated for its strongly flavoured seeds and leaves, this aromatic herb yields an essential oil containing anethole. The fruit similarly has pentosan, trigonelline, fenchone, seselin and choline.

Effective in controlling hypertension and hence the stress on heart and blood vessels, consumption of fennel may cause increased urinary output. Consume fennel seeds as it is or as an infusion made by boiling a tablespoon of seeds for half an hour, in 100ml of water. The infusion can be consumed once daily.

Side-effects: In very rare cases, allergic reactions have been noted, of the skin and respiratory tract.

Peepal

Botanical Name: Ficus religiosa

Commonly known as: Peepal, Peepul

Large, dry season-deciduous, the Peepal is one of the best known trees in India. Gautham Buddha attained enlightenment under this very tree and it’s hence also known as the Bodhi tree or Bo-tree. Its bark and the leaves are used in many a medicinal preparation.

A rich source of phytonutrients, an infusion made from the leaves of this tree can treat palpitations and cardiac weakness. Infuse the leaves in water overnight, distill the next morning and store in white coloured bottles. Administer about 15mg, 2 – 3 times daily.

Side-effects: This infusion can also serve as a laxative when taken in large doses.

Rosemary

Botanical Name: Rosmarinus officinalis

Commonly known as: Rusmari

A sweet scented evergreen shrub, the leaves of the Rosemary yield a volatile oil called Oil of Rosemary. Apart from this, the leaves also contain active compounds like saponins, tannins, ursolic acid, carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid.

The Oil of the Rosemary is a proven circulatory and cardiac stimulant. One can consume a few drops of the oil directly on a daily basis. Another option is to use the dried and powdered leaves as a condiment in soups, stews, sauces and garnishing.

Side-effects: This herb induces excess perspiration [diaphoresis].

Remember.

The active constituents of the above herbs can enter the body in many ways. As an alternate to consuming them in form of decoctions or infusions, one has options like [a] application on the skin via a poultice and [b] steam inhalation of the essential oils.

While most herbs have little or no adverse effects, some may cause undesirable reactions in certain individuals. Thus, try only one herb at a time, beginning with small doses. Keep an eye for side-effects and consult your physician for guidance. Also, not all herbal medicines are effective in solving a problem in each and every individual. In addition, these herbs are not recommended for pregnant women, infants and children.

The post World Heart Day Special: Herbs for a healthy heart appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.