Tag: diet

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Food Lite Blogs

Egg really a rich source of dietary cholesterol?

“More studies are needed to verify the causal roles that lipid metabolites play in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease,” he added…reports Asian Lite News

Study has found that how moderate egg consumption can increase the amount of heart-healthy metabolites in the blood.The findings were published in the journal, ‘eLife’.

Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol, but they also contain a variety of essential nutrients. There is conflicting evidence as to whether egg consumption is beneficial or harmful to heart health. A 2018 study published in the journal Heart, which included approximately half a million adults in China, found that those who ate eggs daily (about one egg per day) had a substantially lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who ate eggs less frequently.

Now, to better understand this relationship, the authors of this work have carried out a population-based study exploring how egg consumption affects markers of cardiovascular health in the blood.

“Few studies have looked at the role that plasma cholesterol metabolism plays in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, so we wanted to help address this gap,” explained first author Lang Pan, MSc at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University, Beijing, China.

Pan and the team selected 4,778 participants from the China Kadoorie Biobank, of whom 3,401 had a cardiovascular disease and 1,377 did not. They used a technique called targeted nuclear magnetic resonance to measure 225 metabolites in plasma samples taken from the participants’ blood. Of these metabolites, they identified 24 that were associated with self-reported levels of egg consumption.

Their analyses showed that individuals who ate a moderate amount of eggs had higher levels of a protein in their blood called apolipoprotein A1- a building-block of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as ‘good lipoprotein’. These individuals especially had more large HDL molecules in their blood, which help clear cholesterol from the blood vessels and thereby protect against blockages that can lead to heart attacks and stroke.

The researchers further identified 14 metabolites that are linked to heart disease. They found that participants who ate fewer eggs had lower levels of beneficial metabolites and higher levels of harmful ones in their blood, compared to those who ate eggs more regularly.

“Together, our results provide a potential explanation for how eating a moderate amount of eggs can help protect against heart disease,” said author Canqing Yu, Associate Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University.

“More studies are needed to verify the causal roles that lipid metabolites play in the association between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease,” he added.

“This study may also have implications for Chinese national dietary guidelines,” added senior author Liming Li, Boya Distinguished Professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Peking University.

“Current health guidelines in China suggest eating one egg a day, but data indicate that the average consumption is lower than this. Our work highlights the need for more strategies to encourage moderate egg consumption among the population, to help lower the overall risk of cardiovascular disease,” he concluded. (ANI)

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Lite Blogs

Add some new dishes for a peaceful eating experience

Many versions of sesame chicken contain batters or breading, making them unsuitable for low-carb diets. The blogger for Tasteaholics recreates the popular dish without all the carbs, using arrowroot to help the sauce stick…writes Olivia Sarkar

Do you want to give your taste buds a tasty ketogenic diet? Add these new dishes to your Diet menu for a more peaceful eating experience. The keto diet is a low carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein diet. It’s comparable to other grain-free, low-carb diets.

Your keto diet can add flavour to your life because it consists of eating meats, dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, butter, oils, and non-starchy vegetables.

You can include these recipes in your menu if you want to try the keto diet for the first time or add new dishes to your routine.

Thai BBQ pork salad

With shredded pulled pork and a creamy Thai peanut sauce, this recipe combines romaine lettuce, red bell peppers, and chopped cilantro. This teaches you a lot about healthy eating and weight loss, and it also makes us realise that pulled pork doesn’t have to be served on a bun.

Low carb cheese taco shells

It’s difficult to think of ways to improve on tacos, which are already quite tasty. The cheese taco shell has arrived. In this recipe, cheddar cheese is used to form the taco shell instead of a tortilla, making it the ideal vessel for all of your favourite taco fillings.

Pesto grilled shrimp

These pesto grilled shrimp are a delicious keto-friendly addition to your grilling recipes. This recipe includes everything you need to make fresh homemade pesto, giving you complete control over the ingredients in your marinade.

Low carb sesame chicken

Many versions of sesame chicken contain batters or breading, making them unsuitable for low-carb diets. The blogger for Tasteaholics recreates the popular dish without all the carbs, using arrowroot to help the sauce stick.



Low carb Mexican cauliflower rice

The ability to cook dishes that you enjoy is essential for maintaining a low carb lifestyle. When you’re craving a stir-fry or beans and rice, cauliflower is an excellent rice substitute.

Keto chicken pot pie

It’s difficult to imagine a pot pie without carbohydrates, but this chicken pot pie manages to keep the flaky crust and creamy centre of the dish. For added flavour and aroma, the sauce has a garlic base and thyme.

ALSO READ-Healthy and easy recipes to cook at home

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Why these diet plans don’t work for women

Carb intake in the keto diet is typically limited to fewer than 50 grams per day, which can cause shock to women’s bodies…writes Dr. Kiran Rukadikar

Whether we want to accept it or not, biologically men and women are very different. One of the important differences is in the way men and women use and store fat. Men on average have about 3 per cent essential fat as part of their composition – women have 12 per cent.

Essential fat is a percentage of total body fat mass that is necessary for insulation, protection of our vital organs, vitamin storage and building key cell messengers like steroids that are necessary for effective cell communication. Without this fat, the body does not function properly and our immune and neurological systems get affected.

Women have four times as much essential fat. Stored fat in women is actually beneficial to overall health. A baseline of 12 per cent of essential fat protects women from type two diabetes and even heart disease. This is important to understand because:

It helps with expectations and goal setting when you choose weight loss programmes:

Striving for 20 per cent body fat is unhealthy

There are three popular diets in the world: Keto Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and GM Diet. Unfortunately, these diets are not helpful especially for women who are thinking of significant weight loss (more than 15-20 kgs) and maintaining it permanently.

Let’s look at these diet plans in detail:

Keto Diet: The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high-fat diet. Restricting carbs and increasing fat intake can lead to ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body relies primarily on fat for energy instead of carbs. “Women’s bodies always resist losing fat as it is essential for pregnancy and lactation, and it’s essential.”

Carb intake in the keto diet is typically limited to fewer than 50 grams per day, which can cause shock to women’s bodies. When the carb quotient depletes, it switches to ketones and fat for fuel at the start of this eating pattern, women’s brain and metabolism starts resisting fat loss. It results in a complete imbalance leading to hormonal and metabolic changes. Also, Keto-type diets usually work only for a short term and can have side effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation.

Further, most of the initial weight loss is water weight. Once the body enters ketosis, we begin to lose muscle, become extremely fatigued, and eventually enter starvation mode which actually makes it even harder to lose weight.

A keto diet does more harm than good to the majority of women especially if they have any underlying medical conditions like PCOS, Irregular menses or Infertility.

Intermittent Fasting: Fasting is a practice that involves completely abstaining from eating or avoiding certain foods for a fixed period. In recent years, intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular with people looking to lose weight.

During studies, it was found that although intermittent fasting produced favourable results in people who were overweight or obese, women who tried it, had the following negative effects:

Severe mood swings

Extreme hunger

Low energy/fatigue

Obsessive thoughts about food

Overeating on days without restricted calories

Depression

Anger

Most women exhibit such behaviours in the first few weeks of intermittent fasting. It is also observed that by restricting calorie intake in this manner, it may interfere with their menstrual cycles.

GM Diet: The GM diet aims to help people lose weight by focusing on a specific food or food group each day for a week. The GM diet consists of a 7-day meal plan. Each day focuses on a specific food or food group.

Although the idea of substantial weight loss within a short period may seem attractive, the GM diet does come with risks which are:

Lacks vital nutrients: Women following the GM diet may not get enough of certain important food groups, such as healthy fats and protein. This diet may also lack essential vitamins and minerals that come with eating a wide variety of healthful foods.

Short-term weight loss: The GM diet is not a sustainable long-term weight-loss strategy. A woman may regain weight once they stop following the diet. One reason for this is that the diet does not necessarily teach techniques for healthy cooking or eating which is essential for long-term weight maintenance.

Other risks which are very common and can be aggravated in women in a few weeks include dehydration, headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness and inability to concentrate, In a nutshell, balanced calorie intake – macronutrients like carbs, proteins, fats, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals which are essential for pregnancy, lactation and overall health of the women. Hence, eating a balanced meal during weight loss is advised.

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Health Lifestyle

Dietary tips for summer

Depending on your hunger levels, one can either go for buttermilk with a pinch of cumin powder and ginger or hing around midmorning time. You can also opt to have a bowl of salad at your convenience or even coconut water…Dr Manoj Kutteri

Unlike other times of the year, during the summer we naturally lose our appetite and need extra fluid to hydrate the body. It is common to resort to cooling drinks such as lime juice, Chaas, Nira water or something that we feel cooler.

It is extremely important for us to know this body language and get into a proper dietary habit so that we don’t tax our body even more and at the same time support our body’s tissues and cells with a nourishing diet to escape from the scorching heat. With a planned diet consisting of a range of refreshing drinks and fruit, we can cool down and face summer heat.

Consuming summer fruits and drinks is one of the easiest ways to lower the body heat and protect our body. The summer diet must also provide energy and help reduce tiredness and fatigue, something many of us experience during the summer season. Let the sun’s hotness be dealt with easily with a few of the following dietary tips.

Wake up routine

During summer, we tend to sleep under a fan or in an air-conditioned room. This can further dry up the skin and throat and when you wake up it is quite natural to feel the dryness of the throat, eye irritations or skin dryness. Start your morning with 2-3 glasses of water even. If required one can also use lime juice or cinnamon soaked in the water. Following this, a cooling drink is highly recommended like Ashguard juice with a few drops of lime and Amla juice. This is highly beneficial to health in keeping the blood glucose in check and also to regularize your weight. Ash gourd juice can be replaced by wheatgrass juice, moringa juice, celery and cucumber juice or even coconut water.

Breakfast during summer

It is important to consume at least 4-5 handfuls of fruits and vegetables during the day in summer. Breakfast should always start with a bowl of healthy seasonal fruits such as melons, papaya, mangoes, lychees, plums etc. Following this one can have either a miller porridge or smoothie bowl consisting of coconut milk along with sabja, seeds, chia seeds, buts and a few dry fruits. Dry breakfast such as bread or other fermented grain items can cause indigestion if eaten on a fresh stomach. Also, reduce the number of grains and other preparations for breakfast.

Midmorning boost

Depending on your hunger levels, one can either go for buttermilk with a pinch of cumin powder and ginger or hing around midmorning time. You can also opt to have a bowl of salad at your convenience or even coconut water.

Lunch options

The meal that you have at lunch also should have abundant vegetables. If you prefer to consume carbs this is the meal you can try adding carbs along with plenty of vegetables. Make it mandatory to include a soup for lunch. Reduce the macronutrients such as carbs, proteins and fats to only half of the lunch portion.

Sundown diet

Towards the evening, you may consider taking a bowl of summer fruits and can also include a few soaked nuts along with this. This can give you good energy towards the latter part of the day and prevent any form of fatigue or tiredness after a full day’s work.

Healthy Dinner

Night meals are better to be kept as light as possible. It is preferred to have a “Budha bowl” with lots of cooked vegetables sauteed, braised, grilled or boiled along with a protein option. Include a soup before the meals and a herbal tea post-dinner. Some of the great cooling teas are chamomile tea, hibiscus tea or even mint tea.

Hydration during the day

One has to consume at least 3-litres of water during the day to keep the body cool. Besides drinking water, herbal teas, soups, infused water etc are great ways to combat body heat. Water infused with vegetables like celery, parsley, lemon, orange, cucumber, kale etc is great during this time.

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Food Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Let’s make ‘HEALTH’ a long-term priority

8 ways to sleep better during COVID-19 stress. (Photo Courtesy: Pixabay)

Vitamin D supplementation is important not just for bone and immune system health, but it can also help avoid chronic health problems…writes Veronica Kumra

There are many ways to give a healthy start to the new year. Follow these tips:
Eat more whole foods: Making a conscious effort to fill your plate with more whole foods (such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and pure protein sources) and less processed foods is the easiest approach to start a healthy year (like bread, cheese, processed meats & pre-made frozen meals).

Choose a sustainable Diet: Rather than following fad diets that promise quick results while jeopardising your metabolism and mental wellness. Diets that you won’t be able to maintain in the long run once you’ve reached your ideal weight without feeling deprived. Then worrying that your weight will return once you resume eating without a fixed diet is not worth the effort.

Choose a dietary plan that not only satisfies your objectives but also fits into your daily routine. Delivers slow but long-lasting benefits. It’s a privilege to have a diet that may become your lifestyle rather than a “diet.” Where you may strike a balance between your social life and your occasional treats without jeopardising your progress or making you feel bad. Making long-term health a priority, developing self-awareness, and eating intuitively is your recipe to a “sustainable transformation”.

Increase Vitamin D intake: Vitamin D supplementation is important not just for bone and immune system health, but it can also help avoid chronic health problems (such as heart disease, diabetes, and some malignancies) and even encourage hair growth. As a result, make sure to catch some sun for at least 15-20 minutes per day and complement with a vitamin D supplement (no more than 4,000IU per day).

Incorporate movement into your daily routine: It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a workout, playing a sport, or simply going for a walk. For maximum functioning, it’s critical to get your blood flowing and stimulate oxygen delivery to every region of your body. Make it a point to include some type of physical activity in your everyday routine.

Prioritize sleep: We often end up preferring socialising above sleeping as overworking has become a badge of honour in our society. We push our bodies to extremes by depriving them of sleep and over-caffeinating them, which leads to anxiety and weakened immunological systems. Sleep deprivation and poor-quality sleep can cause major health issues like insulin resistance, neurological issues, weight gain, depression, and anxiety, to mention a few. As a result, it is critical that we obtain 7-8 hours of excellent sleep each night in order for our bodies to function at their best.

Reduce stress: Stress is a major contributor to practically all health problems, from heart disease, obesity, and diabetes to digestive disorders (such as IBS, GERD, and gastrointestinal problems) and depression. Internal and external sources of stress are both possible. Although the ultimate goal should be to eliminate all stress.

However, while it is virtually impossible, you may reduce stress by engaging in activities such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, exercise, counselling, or whatever else you enjoy to help you disengage from the outside world and reconnect with yourself. “Me time” is not a self-indulgent indulgence.

Form a morning routine: Having a morning routine is similar to showing up for yourself and prioritising yourself. It’s the same as honouring yourself and prioritising your needs. Following a morning routine allows you to get your day off to a good start by allowing you to be in tune with yourself before dealing with the rest of the world. This way, rather of allowing your day to control you, you take charge of it.

Say your daily affirmations: Speaking your daily affirmations aloud will not turn you into a narcissist, but it will help you stay on track with the proper energy and mindset. Positive self-talk has the ability to transform unbelief, self-doubt, negative thinking, and body shaming attitudes into gratitude and romanticising your existence. So don’t dismiss the importance of positive affirmations.

Set daily intentions: Setting your daily aims has a lot more impact than you might believe. It opens up our receptivity, manifests, and sends out what we want to bring into our lives. Intentions provide us with a sense of direction as well as motivation and inspiration to attain our goals. Together, writing down your intentions and saying your affirmations for the day creates the most effective visualising tool for staying focused and committed to your goals.

10. Choose passion over perfection: Stop doing things half-heartedly. As a result, you put in more effort and become frustrated. However, if you are enthusiastic about a job or work, you should be able to complete it with less effort and more joy. Because you’ll give it your all and put your heart and soul into it. You are defined by your passion. It elevates you and allows you to shine.

(Veronica Kumra is a Holistic Nutritionist)

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Food Health Lite Blogs

Any connection between breathing and diet?

A bloated stomach can leave you gasping for air besides causing severe headaches. It is important to identify the specific foods which cause you to inflate and avoid them completely…writes  Naaznin Husein (Former president of the Indian Dietetic Association, Mumbai Chapter.) 

You didn’t ever think that your dietary habits could also determine your breathing patterns, did you? Yes, there is a relation between breathing problems and diet.

Nutrition from the food we eat circulates through every part of the body. Hence our diet can be the direct cause as well as the solution to all our problems. At a time when record-high pollution levels in major cities across the country are proving to be a nightmare for people with breathing difficulties, these easy-to-follow dietary habits can provide significant relief. 

  1. Cut down on the carbohydrate content

Carbon dioxide, the end product obtained after the breakdown of carbohydrates, can cause trouble breathing. Replace this with whole grains, fibrous fruits, and sources of proteins like pulses, eggs, fish, etc. 

  1. Include potassium in your diet 

Potassium deficiency can also be a cause of breathing issues. Fruits like apples, pears and amla can help you make up for it. 

  1. Avoid foods that cause you bloating

A bloated stomach can leave you gasping for air besides causing severe headaches. It is important to identify the specific foods which cause you to inflate and avoid them completely. 

  1. Drink lots of water

It lubricates the joints, forms saliva and mucus, and delivers oxygen throughout the body. It boosts skin health and beauty, cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues, and regulates body temperature. 

  1. About milk products

Avoid dairy products if they cause phlegm. 

  1. Monitor your salt intake

Limit the intake of salt as excess salt may cause the body to retain fluids, which can make breathing difficult.  

  1. Reduce weight

Shedding off those few extra kilos can reduce the pressure on your lungs, hence allowing them to function better. 

Despite following your medication sincerely and protecting your lungs from pollution, you find yourself breathless at some points during the day, it might be helpful to take a closer look at your diet.

ALSO READ- Delicious and healthy breakfast options for kids

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Food Lite Blogs

Delicious and healthy breakfast options for kids

Idli’s are an all-time breakfast favourite – why not change the base from white rice to Oats along with dal, adding more fibre, more protein and better energy

Breakfast is the most crucial meal of the day, and starting your day without one is like trying to fly a kite without wind. A nutritious breakfast is essential for children not just to give them a powerful start to the day, but also to refuel their bodies after sleep, as their brains and bodies are still developing.

The most difficult task for parents is to ensure that their children have a nutritious breakfast. About 20-30 per cent of youngsters miss meals, therefore a breakfast for them should be quick, easy, filling, and, most importantly, delicious.

Aditya Bagri, Director at Bagrry’s shares delicious and healthy breakfast options for your kids:

Wheat Bran Pancakes – Pancakes and waffles are the breakfast of champions (when it comes to fixing our tastebuds), but it doesn’t need to be all unhealthy. Wheat bran, along with atta and oats, is a great substitute for maida. Just change the grain and add a lot more fibre and protein to your kid’s breakfast. You can sweeten the batter with honey, jaggery, and bananas instead of sugar as well, along with some cocoa powder.

Quinoa Upma – Like a veggie breakfast -why not add quinoa instead of suji to your kids’ Upma? It packs a lot more protein and fibre along with Omega 3 fatty acids.

Peanut Butter & Wholegrain Toast – A easy peasy peanut butter and toast combo are great for kids. Be sure to use actual wholegrain toast and unsweetened peanut butter, topped with some bananas for sweetness. You can even sprinkle some honey or chia seeds for more crunch.

Oats Idli – Idli’s are an all-time breakfast favourite – why not change the base from white rice to Oats along with dal, adding more fibre, more protein and better energy.

Chocolate Muesli – Chocolate cereals are often laden with sugar. For older kids, muesli is a much better choice, laden with whole grains, nuts, berries and much less sugar. It gives energy for the whole day and needs no preparation time.

Banana Berry Smoothie – In case parents are short on time to cook breakfast, portable breakfasts for eating on the go act as an exceptional option. The simplest sugar-free, on-the-go meal for kids is a simple blend of bananas, berries, oats, and a dash of milk. Just blend it all together and it’s got the fuel needed to start your day.

Overnight oats: These are easy to prepare and way to healthy. Make them in Mason jars the night prior, and let your child customise this dish with their preferred toppings. You need to mix about 1/4 cup (26 grams) of rolled oats and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of your choice of milk in a small Mason jar. Garnish with nuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, and dried or fresh fruits. As an alternative to cooking them, leave the jar in the fridge and allow the oats to soften overnight.

Pumpkin-quinoa porridge: Quinoa is a quick-cooking, gluten-free grain, and this breakfast porridge packs a punch of vitamin A. Boil one part of quinoa with two parts of milk of any type and let it cook for 10 minutes on a medium-low flame. Stir in some pumpkin, cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg and allow it to simmer. Top it with brown sugar, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut before you serve it.

Berry yoghurt parfaits: Layer high-protein Greek yoghurt with fresh berries and a sprinkle of granola for an easy and on-the-go meal.

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Food Health Lite Blogs

‘NOT OUT’ from diet while you travel

You confuse hunger with thirst and get sugary food cravings or indulge in binge eating. Do you know? Drinking water before every meal cuts the portion size and you end up intaking fewer calories…writes N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

Travelling calories don’t count but it’s important to keep yourself in shape. Working out has become more of a lifestyle than any leisure activity. It indeed gets difficult to maintain timely eating habits. But there are always some ways out if you are willing to choose healthily. Dietician and Nutritionist Sakina Mustansir shares few ways to keep a balanced diet:

* Try to eat homemade food/cook your own meal: There is an old saying, “your mood changes when you eat according to the person’s mood who made it.” Even when you cook unhealthy food it becomes healthy when it’s made at home. It’s always convenient to carry food from home rather than eating at roadside vendors or unhygienic food. So, try to cook your own meal wherever possible. Also carry munching snacks like nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter sandwiches or whole wheat/multigrain bread sandwiches, protein bars etc.


* Stay hydrated: No amount of soft drinks or hard drinks will subside the need for water in our body. It’s always recommended to be hydrated. Research shows when you are dehydrated it results in forced hunger cravings. You confuse hunger with thirst and get sugary food cravings or indulge in binge eating. Do you know? Drinking water before every meal cuts the portion size and you end up intaking fewer calories.

* Don’t skip or avoid breakfast: Most people skip breakfasts on the trip which makes them more lethargic which enables them to follow healthy eating patterns. If you eat a healthy breakfast your body fills up the nutrients and proteins it requires for the day and starves the carvings off. Buffet breakfast is a trap, don’t indulge in overeating either. Cater to the energy your body needs at the moment. While travelling, never skip breakfast. Always aim for a good healthy breakfast so as to avoid hunger pangs and binging on unhealthy snacks later during the day. Also carry some uncut fruits or boiled eggs or chickpeas from the breakfast table for later, to keep you energetic for the exploration.

* Avoid alcohol or sugary beverages: The calories in beverages are more reactive as compared to the calories in solid food. Being on a vacation doesn’t mean your liver is on a vacation as well. Cutting on calories or alcohol fat is more difficult than cutting down the vacation fat. Avoid sodas if that’s convenient.

* Local cuisine: Usually the most authentic local cuisine also happens to be the healthiest. So while travelling, always try the country’s authentic cuisine rather than fast food joints and processed foods. This will not only keep you healthy and give you more energy to explore but you will have an opportunity to taste different cuisines and experience their culture.

* Don’t stress about treats: Give yourself a break, don’t keep a count on everything you eat. You always end up eating more if you stress about what you eat all the time. Having a healthy relationship with what you eat is important. Plenty of vegetables are healthier than you are aware of.

Any weight you gain while you travel is most likely to be water retention or constipation. You are most likely to reduce this in a span of one week when you’re back to your lifestyle. Be diligent with your exercise or walks while travelling.

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Bollywood Lite Blogs

Taapsee ups her own game with her performances

The sports drama, which is directed by Akarsh Khurana, narrates the story of a small-town girl, who overcomes all societal barriers to become a national-level athlete, but is hindered when she is asked to undergo a gender test.

From changing her diet to training vigorously to ace her look, Taapsee Pannu has upped her own game for her film ‘Rashmi Rocket’. The actress says she does not want to see herself competing with others and she likes to up her own game with each performance she does.

“I don’t want to see myself competing with anyone and I try to maintain it like it because I just feel that I need to just need to up my game,” Taapsee said while in a conversation.

She added: “Every year whatever I perform I need to up it the next year. That has been the only thing that has put me in pressure… That pressure drives so it is a good pressure to have. That’s the pressure I like today and that’s the race like to run, where I am running solo. I am competing with my timing and not other competitors.”

The sports drama, which is directed by Akarsh Khurana, narrates the story of a small-town girl, who overcomes all societal barriers to become a national-level athlete, but is hindered when she is asked to undergo a gender test.

‘Rashmi Rocket’ is very close to Taapsee’s heart as she has been attached to it since the idea was presented.

“If not the character definitely the film is the closest than any film has been because I have never been attached to film from that level … where you know the germ of an idea is presented and I kind of hand held it and gave it to someone else to develop because when I heard it I felt it deserves to be made into a film that our entire country sees,” she said.

Taapsee reached out to Pranjal Khandhdiya, the producer of the film, to discuss about the movie.

“That’s when I reached out to Pranjal (Khandhdiya) and I was casually discussing with him not with an intension that he will end up making this film… My partner and producer in the film he is the one who I shared this idea with… because it is an ambitious film not just for the actor but for the producer also because it deserves a certain scale… It deserves a scale. It’s his (Pranjal’s) conviction that help us get a director like Akarsh Khurana and then RSVP (producer) came on board then everyone else.”

The 34-year-old actress revealed that she has never been so attached and engrossed with a film.

She said: “I usually get a script I like it or not like… I see the final edit and that’s all. This is much more than it.”

The film will be released on ZEE5 on October 15.

ALSO READ-This is how Taapsee made herself for ‘Rashmi Rocket’

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Lifestyle Lite Blogs

Manushi: Ensure you are living a healthy lifestyle

I like to use limited products in my hair and generally avoid applying any kind of styling or leave-in creams, unless I’m working…Manushi speaks with N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe.

Hair fall is a common problem for Indian women as factors like dust, dirt, pollution and unhealthy lifestyle habits like unhealthy eating or excess blow-drying leads to dryness, and thus an increase hair fall.

Former Miss World Manushi Chhillar, who is the new brand ambassador for youth — favourite hair care brand, Pantene India, admits that she has struggled with hair fall, which began with dryness with all that styling during the Miss India pageant. Over the years the condition worsened as she was exposed to a hectic lifestyle and constant travelling while pursuing Miss World and her film career thereafter.

Manushi believes that your hair needs both internal and external care. She highlights the importance of discipline in a daily hair-care routine. Read on to learn more about Chhillar’s hair treatments, her favourite products and go-to hairstyle. Excerpt:

When did you realise you needed to have a serious hair care regimen?

I believe I have always been into hair care, when I was younger, my mother always helped me maintain and take care of my long hair. As I entered Miss India and subsequently Miss World, I started noticing hair fall and dryness because of my hectic schedule, excessive heat styling, pollution, frequent travelling etc. That’s when I realised, that I seriously had to take care of my tresses because it needs both, internal and external care.

How often do you wash your hair?

I don’t like to wash my hair very often, I would say about 2/3 times a week is sufficient to cleanse and condition your hair. I like to use limited products in my hair and generally avoid applying any kind of styling or leave-in creams, unless I’m working. My hair care regime is pretty simple — wash and air dry.

What do you do when you have a bad hair day? Your go-to hairstyle?

Usually when I’m in a rush and unable to wash my hair, I love doing the sleek-hair look, I guess that would be my go-to hairstyle.

Do you use any home remedies for hair care? Please share.

During my childhood years, I really enjoyed growing my hair long and my regular oiling sessions which I still do. I love using hot oil on my scalp, obviously whenever I get the time.

While you’re not shooting, do you give your hair a break from styling?

If I am not shooting, I like to give my hair some break from heat styling and instead style them naturally. So, after I wash my hair, I leave them to air dry and apply serum as the final step.

Your favourite hair care product and its benefits.

I love using the Pantene 2 in1 Shampoo and Conditioner because it offers dual benefits of a shampoo and nourishing conditioner in one bottle that helps prevent hair fall and doesn’t leave your hair feeling dry! It is enriched with Pro-Vitamin B5 and a luscious conditioning formula that strengthens and smoothens my hair.

One Manushi Chhillar hair care tip.

I would suggest these tips to our lovely readers — ensure that you are living a healthy lifestyle, consume nutritious food and keep yourself hydrated. I think with hair care you have to get the base right, One can’t expect the products to do all the work!

A woman with many achievements to her name, Manushi Chhillar will be seen debuting opposite actor Akshay Kumar in the upcoming film Prithviraj.

ALSO READ-Manushi believes in eco-friendly lifestyle