LIVER DAMAGE:Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

The main causes of liver damage are:
1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are the main cause. 
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener. 
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit. 
8. Consuming overly done foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store. 

We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our body to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.' 


Because: Evening at 9 - 11pm : is the time for eliminating unnecessary/ toxic chemicals (de-toxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on her health. 


Evening at 11pm - 1am : The de-toxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state. Early morning 1 - 3am : de-toxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state. 

Early morning 3 - 5am : de-toxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the de-toxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process. 
Morning 5 - 7am : de-toxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.


Morning 7 - 9am : Absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 -10am rather than no meal at all. Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. 

Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

What killed Ranjan Das and Lessons for Corporate India

A month ago, many of us heard about the sad demise of Ranjan Das from Bandra, Mumbai. Ranjan, just 42 years of age, was the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India. He was very active in sports, was a fitness freak and a marathon runner. It was common to see him run on Bandra's Carter Road. Just after Diwali, on 21st Oct, he returned home from his gym after a workout, collapsed with a massive heart attack and died. He is survived by his wife and two very young kids.                                                     

It was certainly a wake-up call for corporate India. However, it was even more disastrous for runners amongst us. Since Ranjan was an avid marathoner (in Feb 09, he ran Chennai Marathon at the same time some of us were running Pondicherry Marathon 180 km away), the question came as to why an exceptionally active, athletic person succumb to heart attack at 42 years of age.

 Was it the stress?

A couple of you called me asking about the reasons. While Ranjan had mentioned that he faced a lot of stress, that is a common element in most of our lives. We used to think that by being fit, one can conquer the bad effects of stress. So I doubted if the cause was stress.

 The Real Reason

However, everyone missed out a small line in the reports that Ranjan used to make do with 4-5 hours of sleep. This is an earlier interview of Ranjan on NDTV in the program 'Boss' Day Out':

http://connect.in.com/ranjan-das/play-video-boss-day-out-ranjan-das-of-sap-india-229111-807ecfcf1ad966036c289b3ba6c376f2530d7484.html

Here he himself admits that he would love to get more sleep (and that he was not proud of his ability to manage without sleep, contrary to what others extolled).

 The Evidence

Last week, I was working with a well-known cardiologist on the subject of 'Heart Disease caused by Lack of Sleep'. While I cannot share the video nor the slides because of confidentiality reasons, I have distilled the key points below in the hope it will save some of our lives.

 Some Excerpts:

 ·        Short sleep duration (<5 or 5-6 hours) increased risk for high BP by 350% to 500% compared to those who slept longer than 6 hours per night. Paper published in 2009.

As you know, high BP kills.

 ·        Young people (25-49 years of age) are twice as likely to get high BP if they sleep less. Paper published in 2006.

 ·        Individuals who slept less than 5 hours a night had a 3-fold increased risk of heart attacks. Paper published in 1999.

 ·        Complete and partial lack of sleep increased the blood concentrations of High sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-cRP), the strongest predictor of heart attacks. Even after getting adequate sleep later, the levels stayed high!!

 ·        Just one night of sleep loss increases very toxic substances in body such as Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumour Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) and C-reactive protein (cRP). They increase risks of many medical conditions, including cancer, arthritis andheart disease. Paper published in 2004.

 ·        Sleeping for <=5 hours per night leads to 39% increase in heart disease. Sleeping for <=6 hours per night leads to 18% increase in heart disease. Paper published in 2006.

 Ideal Sleep

For lack of space, I cannot explain here the ideal sleep architecture. But in brief, sleep is composed of two stages: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM. The former helps in mental consolidation while the latter helps in physical repair and rebuilding. During the night, you alternate between REM and non-REM stages 4-5 times.

 The earlier part of sleep is mostly non-REM. During that period, your pituitary gland releases growth hormones that repair your body. The latter part of sleep is more and more REM type.

 For you to be mentally alert during the day, the latter part of sleep is more important. No wonder when you wake up with an alarm clock after 5-6 hours of sleep, you are mentally irritable throughout the day (lack of REM sleep). And if you have slept for less than 5 hours, your body is in a complete physical mess (lack of non-REM sleep), you are tired throughout the day, moving like a zombie and your immunity is way down (I've been there, done that L)

 Finally, as long-distance runners, you need an hour of extra sleep to repair the running related damage.

 If you want to know if you are getting adequate sleep, take Epworth Sleepiness Test below.

 http://www.monitormedical.com/epworth.htm

Interpretation: Score of 0-9 is considered normal while 10 and above abnormal. Many a times, I have clocked 21 out the maximum possible 24, the only saving grace being the last situation, since I don't like to drive (maybe, I should ask my driver to answer that lineJ)

In conclusion:

Barring stress control, Ranjan Das did everything right: eating proper food, exercising (marathoning!), maintaining proper weight. But he missed getting proper and adequate sleep, minimum 7 hours. In my opinion, that killed him.

If you are not getting enough sleep (7 hours), you are playing with fire, even if you have low stress.

I always took pride in my ability to work 50 hours at a stretch whenever the situation warranted. But I was so spooked after seeing the scientific evidence last week that since Saturday night, I ensure I do not even set the alarm clock under 7 hours. Now, that is a nice excuse to get some more sleep. J

 

Unfortunately, Ranjan Das is not alone when it comes to missing sleep. Many of us are doing exactly the same, perhaps out of ignorance. Please forward this mail to as many of your colleagues as possible, especially those who might be short-changing their sleep. If we can save even one young life because of this email, I would be the happiest person on earth.

SOME MORE DARK SECRETS REVEALED

A recent study talks about added effects of dark chocolate. Read on Dark chocolate is not just a sinful indulgence, it also has certain medical benefits which you may have read about. But now there are more. A recent study have revealed new medical benefits of this dark delight — a few added reasons to indulge your sweet tooth.  PROTECTION AGAINST THE SUN'S AGEING EFFECTS      Dark chocolate can protect the skin against the ageing effects influenced by the sun, says a new research. According to scientists who carried out the study at European Dermatology London, UK, a daily portion of dark chocolate may also lower the risk of skin cancer. But it only works with dark chocolate that is very high in flavanols, the antioxidants that occur naturally in cocoa beans, reports a daily.      In the research, scientists found that participants who ate flavanol-rich chocolate could tolerate more wrinkle-causing UV light on their skin than those who ate a lower-flavanol chocolate. The researchers said, "The main mechanism is likely to be anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. But conventional chocolate had no such effect."  GOOD STRESS BUSTER      An Indian-origin researcher has provided people worldwide the perfect excuse to grab a bar of chocolate: eating dark chocolate every day can reduce stress. The study, published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research claims that an ounce and a half of dark chocolate (just a little over 40 gm) a day for two weeks reduces levels of stress hormones. Also, it was noted that chocolates partially corrected other stress-related biochemical imbalances.      The researcher and his team took into account the scientific evidence of the benefits of chocolate consumption for their study. Their special focus was on antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark chocolate. The scientists identified reductions in stress hormones and other stressrelated biochemical changes in volunteers, who rated themselves as highly stressed and ate dark chocolate for two weeks. The researchers said, "The study provides strong evidence that a daily consumption of 40 gm of chocolate during a period of two weeks is sufficient to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers." EAT UP: Dark chocolate is as much medically beneficial as it is a sinful indulgence

Develop healthy habits to manage your diabetes

Source; Theismaili.org

World Diabetes Day is observed every year on 14 November to raise awareness of diabetes. This year's theme focuses on diabetes education and prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is at least five times more common in South Asians than in the wider population. While there is currently no cure for it, people with diabetes can still live a full life by carefully managing their condition.

If you are affected by diabetes, it's important to avoid swings in your blood glucose (sugar), so it doesn't go too high or too low. What you eat and how often you eat has a direct impact on your blood glucose.

Also, people with diabetes are more prone to developing heart disease, but that doesn't mean you need to switch to eating boiled curries and Western foods. If you look after your diet and lifestyle habits, then you can significantly reduce your risks.

Eat regular meals. Eating regularly helps to keep your blood glucose levels steady throughout the day. It can also help you to maintain good energy levels as the day progresses. Get in the habit of creating a balanced plate.

Choose starchy carbohydrate foods, especially those which have a low glycaemic index (GI). Eating medium or low GI foods at mealtimes can help you manage your diabetes. Examples include dhals, beans, basmati rice, pasta, grainy or seeded breads (such as granary), bulgur wheat, sweet potato, cassava (mogo) porridge, and fruit and vegetables. Starchy foods will fill you up, often provide fibre, and tend to be lower in calories than fatty foods, but you also need to watch portion sizes.

We probably eat too much of the wrong type of carbohydrate. There's no need to have rice, chapati and potato in the same meal. And frying mogo is not a good idea! Instead, try boiling it and sprinkling with chilli and lemon.

Cut down on fried and fatty foods such as butter, ghee, full-fat cheese (like paneer), fatty meats, skin on chicken, chevda, ganthia, sev, samosas, crisps and pastries. Animal orsaturated fat (from fatty meat and full-fat dairy products) can raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol level, and lead to a build-up of fatty streaks in your arteries, which can in turn reduce blood flow to your heart. Instead, choose monounsaturated fats, like the fat found in olive and rapeseed oil, avocado, nuts, or polyunsaturated fats such as corn oil, sunflower oil, and spreads made from these oils.

Of course this isn't a licence to smother your salad in olive oil or deep fry your kebabs in rapeseed oil! It is still important not to eat too much of these healthier fats, as weight for weight, they contain the same calories as unhealthy fats. Find out more about healthy cooking.

Photo: Mansur Rupshi

Eat more fruit and vegetables. These foods are rich in valuable antioxidants which can help prevent damage to your arteries. Enjoy a variety of colours so you get a good range of nutrients. For example, beta-carotene comes from orange and yellow coloured vegetables like carrots and yellow peppers, and anthocyanins (a powerful anti-oxidant) are found in purple plums, red cabbage and beetroot.

South Asian cuisine is packed with brightly coloured vegetables, from bhindito brinjal, so enjoy at your leisure. Try the healthy okra recipe.

Enjoy fish and choose oily fish once a week. Scientific studies suggest that regularly eating oily fish can protect you from developing heart problems. The special omega-3 oils found in oily fish have been shown to lower a type of fat in your blood called triglyceride. They may also help to reduce blood stickiness, making your blood less likely to clot and cause a blockage in your arteries. Examples of oily fish include salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel, trout, sardines and herring.

Swap high sugar foods for low sugar foods. Cut back on tinned fruit in syrup, sugar, andmithai, and consider tinned fruit in natural juice, artificial sweeteners, and dried fruit instead. Be especially careful with sugary drinks, since they tend to get into your blood stream more quickly. Choose unsweetened fruit juice and have it with a meal so you slow down the rise in your blood glucose (because the juice mixes with other foods in your gut). Or choose diet drinks and use an artificial sweetener for hot drinks.

Note that many sugary foods tend to also be high in fat (think of cakes, biscuits, kheer,kulfi) and are generally unhealthy, so it's best to save them for special occasions.

Photo: Nazma Lakhani

Choose foods which are low in salt. We don't usually measure salt in traditional cooking — it's often a generous pouring straight from the salt container, and we don't think twice about it. However, there is now solid research showing that eating too much salt makes you more at risk of raised blood pressure and strokes. As you try out some of the healthier recipes on this site, you'll notice that they are low in salt yet high in flavour. It is possible to eat healthily and still enjoy traditional foods.

Get down to a healthy weight and stay there. Just by losing 5 – 10 per cent of your weight can make a significant difference to your blood pressure, blood fats and blood glucose control. Adopt a healthier lifestyle by choosing balanced meals and being more active.

Training like Rocky!

A revolutionary new weight-loss program makes you workout and sweat at 15,000 feet in a High Altitude Chamber... Hey, all obese people... disheartened by diets whose weight-loss promises bounce back? Desperately considering liposuction or bariatric surgery next? Take heart, you can now lose weight in 21 days by training like world class athletes at high altitude in South Mumbai with Qi Train 21 — a revolutionary new weight-loss program conducted in a specialised High Altitude Chamber at Qi Lifecare, the gym and wellness centre at Eros Cinema building, Churchgate.      The chamber is located on the first floor, but the altitude within is that of a mountain, you could be training at 15,000 feet or 5,000 metres above sea level… where the oxygen content is significantly low, and where even mild exercise leads to increased cardiovascular fitness and accelerated fat loss. The condition is known as hypoxia. Even simple living at high altitude has been exploited by champion athletes (Muhammad Ali did it in his time and Sylvester Stallone for Rocky IV) to enhance their performances.      The program involves 21 halfhour sessions over five weeks. The training is not strenuous. And theworkouts, based on individual heart rate parameters, are created after an extensive pre-program physical evaluation. The sessions are fun. They are supervised by a young team certified by the prestigious American College of Sports Medicine. And include an exciting combination of technologies including the internationally-renowned Vibrogym. This is a vibrating platform that helps conserve and build muscle mass even as it promotes fat reduction. It is being successfully used by fitness conscious celebrities around the world ranging from rockstars to astronauts!      How does Qi Train 21 work? Very simply, the reduced oxygen in the chamber makes it difficult to exercise at the same intensity as you would in a regular gym, and you are forced to use more muscle fibres to workout... thereby burning more calories in the same time. The heart and lungs are encouraged to work harder. And the body's SAO2, that is the saturation of oxygen in the arteries — which is 97-98% at sea level, drops because in hypoxic conditions the body utilises oxygen more efficiently. This program substantially increases your caloric burn even after the session. In 30 minutes, you would burn double the number of calories than a conventional workout. The hypoxic air enhances the body's respiratory, cardiovascular and oxygen utilization systems, apart from stimulating the fat-burning process.      "The High Altitude Chamber is an amazing fat burner with no compromise on safety because the pressure within is not changed, only the oxygen is reduced, and this combination of mainstream science and exercise acts as a catalyst to a longterm weight loss fix," said Qi Train 21 programme director Ketan Ashar. "The results achieved have been incredible; our highest weight loss was 12 kg in five weeks, but most importantly, this 39-year-old gentleman today is far stronger and fitter than ever before. It's a 21-day kickstart into healthy living. Conducted at an altitude of 15,000 feet in South Mumbai... and you're just minutes away from home at the end of it."  Qi Train 21, Eros Cinema Building, 1st Floor, Churchgate, Mumbai 400020. Tel: 9833300100 or 9819860713 A Qi Train 21 training session in the High Altitude Chamber where the display monitor shows the altitude as being 2,397 metres (9,000 feet) above sea level

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

BT tells you why eating right is important to have healthy skin... Imagine how it would be if someone had discovered the fountain of youth, or a magic wand that could reverse ageing. Every one dreams of eternal youth, but unfortunately, ageing sneaks into our lives without too many warning signs. You may have even realised when you started getting those freckles on your face or when your skin started losing its suppleness. But, fret not. Although ageing is something that you cannot avoid, you can definitely combat the signs of ageing, gracefully. And all this, just by making a few changes in your diet.      "You are what you eat. What you consume on a daily basis has a major impact on the skin and its texture. The biggest problem with our diet is that we worry only about the taste and aroma of the food. To look good, you need to follow a certain diet pattern. Using wrong combinations in the diet will cause faster degeneration of the cells. These days, there are quite a number of blends that have been scientifically designed using the improved concepts of orthomolecular sciences," says Dr Amitabh Pandit, co-author of an antiageing book.      Stress and pollution may be the primary factors affecting ageing, but what about the toxins in our own bodies? "A gentle detox can do wonders for your skin. Be it lemon, turmeric or other food items in your kitchen, they can do wonders for your skin. For a simple homemade blend, take a few black pepper corns, thyme and raisins. Boil the pepper and thyme, and then strain the decoction. Now, add mashed raisins and drink a glass of this blend every day. See the difference. Blends like this will help keep your vital organs healthy," says Minnie Pandit co-author.      Facial rejuvenation, cosmetic surgery and anti-ageing treatments may be the norms today, but according to beautician Kamla, all these treatments have their backs turned on nature. "When we have natural and economical ways to fight ageing, why endure the pain of going through these harsh treatments. Your kitchen will have every thing you  need for a healthy skin," she says.      And people must not wait till they hit their forties to start taking care of their bodies and to combat the signs of ageing. "You start giving milk to your children right from the time they are born. Then, why delay the fight against ageing? Instead of falling prey to external treatments, start taking care of your skin today," urges Minnie.      "Avoid white synthetic sugar and  white flour (maida) in your diet. Your health will drastically improve. And last but not the least, eat and drink right," she sums up. GREEN DIET: Eat vegetables like Arzoo Govitrikar for a youthful glow

DON’T MAKE EATING HEALTHY BORING

Boring food at home is the main reason why people want to eat out and that begins the chain of unhealthy eating. Here are some healthy recipes with balsamic vinegar, a very versatile and healthy ingredient Turning healthy is quite traumatic if you love eating out thrice a week. But for most of us its either that or discovering that the gourmet dishes of the local hospital after a bypass at 40 are ...well... edible cardboard. But eating healthy doesn't mean being on a permanent diet. A permanent diet is the fastest way of losing it simply because it's not a long term solution.      That said, I am not a very good cook and neither am I a creator of recipes. What I do know is that if the food at home is not interesting and varied, the urge to order in or eat out is simply overpowering. So on the great adventure of finding what works there are always many failures and some great successes – time to try and test being our biggest challenge.      One ingredient I have find very versatile but healthy is balsamic vinegar. Some balsamic vinegars have been aged for over 100 years. It is this aging process that makes true balsamic vinegar from Modena in Northern Italy so expensive. Luckily, a little balsamic vinegar goes a long way much like saffron.      Several reasons to use it beyond the obvious one that it is a low fat ingredient – it assists in producing greater disease fighting oxidants even as the amino acids may work to slow ageing process. It aids the production of digestion enzymes thus improving metabolism even as the added minerals help in strengthening of bones and fight anaemia as well as fatigue.  RECIPES  ROASTED TOMATO SALAD  Slice large tomatoes (great anti oxidant). Season well and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Roast in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh basil. Put it on a bed of rocket or arugular salad and voila.... Salad  Hint: This recipe easily turns into a healthy snack if you simply put the mixture over a piece of toasted heatlhy bread.  CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR  2 skinless chicken breasts (about a half kg) – can be cut into pieces if you prefer Olive oil spray 2 small chopped onions 2 cloves finely chopped garlic 7-8 mushrooms sliced thiny 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup white wine 2 tablespoons of fresh or dried rosemary      1 teaspoon of butter      Salt and pepper to taste  Spray a non stick pan with the olive oil spray. Brown the chicken on medium high heat for two minutes each side and transfer to a plate. In the same pan add garlic, onion and mushrooms and saute on low heat for a couple of minutes till onion is midly transclucent. Add balsamic vinegar, wine, pepper, salt and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then return the chicken to the pan. Cover the pan and let is simmer until the chicken is cooked. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cook the sauce over high heat till it is reduced to about 1/2 cup and remove from heat. Whisk the butter and pour sauce over the chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Eat Less Rice!

The human body was never meant to consume rice! Our genes have hardly changed in more than 30,000 years. However, our food choices and lifestyle have changed dramatically. The caveman would hardly recognise our food or way of life. 

Caveman food was never cooked as fire was not yet tamed. Thus, he ate only those foods that you can eat without treatment with or by fire. He ate fruits, vegetables, fish (sushi anyone?), eggs, nuts and meat. Yes, even meat! You can even eat meat raw if you were starving in the forest. You have the necessary enzymes to digest meat. 

However, rice, like wheat and corn, cannot be eaten raw. It must be cooked. Even if you were starving in the desert, you cannot eat rice in the raw form. This is because we do not have the system of enzymes to break rice down. You were never meant to eat rice. To make matters worse, you not only eat rice, but also make it the bulk of your food. 

In some parts of Asia , rice forms up to 85% of the plate. Even if you take rice, keep it to a minimum. Remember, it is only for your tongue - not your body. Actually, rice and other grains like wheat and corn are actually worse than sugar. There are many reasons: 

Rice becomes sugar - lots of it! 
This is a fact that no nutritionist can deny: rice is chemically no different from sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This does not matter whether it is white, brown or herbal rice.Brown rice is richer in fibre, some B vitamins and minerals but it is still the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, you need to consume lots of kangkong-10 bowls of it. 

Rice is digested to become sugar. 
Rice cannot be digested before it is thoroughly cooked. However, when thoroughly cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugarwithin half an hour-almost as quickly as it would if you took a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the 'rainbow of anti-oxidants. ' 

This complete anti-oxidant rainbow is necessary for the effective and safe utilisation of sugar. Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, they are not empty calories as the fruit is packed with a whole host of other nutrients that help its proper assimilation and digestion. 

Rice has no fibre. 
The fibre of the kangkong fills you up long before your blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up your stomach. Sincewhite rice has no fibre, you end up eating lots of 'calorie dense' food before you get filled up. Brown rice has more fibre but still the same amount of sugar. 

Rice is tasteless-sugar is sweet.. 
There is only so much that you can eat at one sitting. How many teaspoons of sugar can you eat before you feel like throwing up? Could you imagine eating 10 teaspoons of sugar in one seating? 

Rice is always the main part of the meal. 
While sugar may fill your dessert or sweeten your coffee, it will never be the main part of any meal. You could eat maybe two to three teaspoons of sugar at one meal. However, you could easily eat the equal value of two to three bowls (20-30 teaspoons) of sugar in one meal. I am always amused when I see someone eat sometimes five bowls of rice (equals 50 teaspoons of sugar) and then asks for tea tarik kurang manis! 

There is no real 'built in' mechanism for us to prevent overeating of rice: 
How much kangkong can you eat? 
How much fried chicken can you eat? 
How much steamed fish can you eat? 
Think about that! 

In one seating, you cannot take lots of chicken, fish or cucumber, but you can take lots of rice. Eating rice causes you to eat more salt. As rice is tasteless, you tend to consume more salt-another villain when it comes to high blood pressure. You tend to take more curry that has salt to help flavor rice. We also tend to consume more ketchup and soy sauce which are also rich in salt. 

Eating rice causes you to drink less water. 
The more rice you eat, the less water you will drink as there is no mechanism to prevent the overeating of rice. Rice, wheat and corn come hidden in our daily food. As rice is tasteless, it tends to end up in other foods that substitute rice like rice flour, noodles and bread. We tend to eat the hidden forms which still get digested into sugar. 
 
Rice, even when cooked, is difficult to digest. 
Can't eat raw rice? Try eating rice half cooked. Contrary to popular belief, rice is very difficult to digest. It is 'heavy stuff'. If you have problems with digestion, try skipping 
rice for a few days. You will be amazed at how the problem will just go away. 

Rice prevents the absorption of several vitamins and minerals. 
Rice when taken in bulk will reduce the absorption of vital nutrients like zinc, iron and the B vitamins. 

Are you a rice addict? Going rice-less may not be easy but you can go rice-less. Eating less rice could be lot easier than you think. Here are some strategies that you can pursue in your quest to eat less rice: 

                                                               Eat less rice-cut your rice by half. 
Barry Sears, author of the Zone Diet, advises 'eating rice like spice'. Instead, increase your fruits and vegetables. Take more lean meats and fish.. You can even take more eggs and nuts. 

Have 'riceless' meals. 
Take no rice or wheat at say, breakfast.. Go for eggs instead. 

Go on 'riceless' days. 
Go 'western' once a week. 

Take no rice and breads for one day every week. 
That can't be too difficult. Appreciate the richness of your food. Go for taste, colours and smells. Make eating a culinary delight. Enjoy your food in the original flavours. 

Avoid the salt shaker or ketchup. 
You will automatically eat less rice. 

Eat your fruit dessert before (Yes! No printing error) your meals.
The fibre rich fruits will 'bulk up' in your stomach. Thus, you will eat less rice and more fruits. 

It's your life. Decide what you want to eat! But eat less rice!