The biggest casualty of our stressful and hectic daily itinerary has been sleep. Nearly 10 per cent of Indians are suffering from sleeping disorders and the number is rising. Sleep is essential because it rejuvenates the mind and body, keeps us healthy and improves our performance during our waking moments.

Some of the most important causes of sleeping disorders are long and untimely hours of work, stress and wrong food habits. Addressing these issues and some other tips can help you get a sound sleep. The most important thing to do before going to bed is to calm down and unwind. Try and leave aside all your office thoughts and other worries and let yourself relax. If you rev up your brain you will find yourself loitering in the dark of the night. Drinking milk before bedtime also helps. This is because the calcium in milk helps build up trytophan, an amino acid that helps in calming the brain. Other dairy products, meat, poultry, seafood, whole grains, vegetables and pulses also help in building trytophan.

For a great sleep:

• Keep your bedroom dark, so that light does not hamper your sleep.
• Make sure your bed is large and comfortable to ensure good sleep.
• Keep your bedroom peaceful and comfortable to make it a healthy place to sleep.
• Take a mustard oil massage followed by a warm bath.
• Avoid exercising before going to bed as it would stimulate your body.
• Don't eat a large, heavy meal before bed.
• Set up a regular bed-time.
• Avoid 'over-the-counter' sleeping pills.
• Have healthy meals at fixed timings.
• Avoid watching television just before going to bed.

We all know that excess fat causes overweight and obesity, but we must also know that fat is essential for our body. Fat is the most concentrated source of calories and supplies energy to our body. It provides linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid for growth and metabolism. Ideally, fat should not exceed 30 percent of our calorie intake.

Knowing which fats to consume and which to avoid can help you regulate your fat intake.

Good and Bad Fats:

• Fatty acids in full-cream milk and red meat increase our cholesterol level - avoid them.
• Use non-fat or low fat milk and milk products.
• Avoid saturated fatty acids like lard, butter, cream, ghee.
• Low cholesterol unsaturated fats found in olive, canola, peanut and mustard oils prevent formation of blood clots and are good for you.
• Polyunsaturated fats found in cold-water fish, nuts, oils and seeds, dark leafy vegetables, flaxseed oils are good source of omega 3 fatty acids (an essential fatty acid) and should be consumed.
• To avoid consumption of excess fat stay away from fried stuff.
• Exercise regularly to burn excess fat.

Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow the damage that free radicals cause to our body. Free radicals are molecules caused when our body cells use oxygen to break down food or when our body is subject to harmful environmental exposures such as radiation and pollution. Our body needs certain amounts of free radicals but an overload of them is dangerous. Free radicals through oxidative damage cause health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and also accelerate the ageing process. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent and repair the damage done by them. Antioxidants also boost our immune system and therefore lower the risk of infections and other common ailments.

We can get antioxidants for our body by eating the right kind of foods. Excellent sources of antioxidant include:

• Beta-carotene: mangoes, carrots, apricots, spinach, pumkin
• Lutein: leafy green vegetables
• Lycopene: tomatoes, watermelon
• Selenium: sea food, lean meat, whole grains
• Vitamin A: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots
• Vitamin C: citrus fruits, spinach, broccoli, capsicum, amla
• Vitamin E: nuts, seeds, whole grains, edible oils like mustard oil
• Flavonoids: pomegranates, tea, black grapes

Eating adequate quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables along with nuts, whole grains and milk will ensure a good supply of antioxidants to your body. As the process of creating free radicals is also accentuated by lifestyle factors like smoking and stress, these should be avoided.

Taking food supplements such as vitamin, calcium and mineral supplements is a huge fad nowadays. Most people complain that they do not have time to eat a balanced diet and hence take supplements. However, one should remember that food supplements cannot replace food. To ensure good health it is mandatory to have healthy food. Despite a good diet if you feel that you are not getting sufficient nutrition or you have a specific medical condition then you must consult your doctor and take supplements under his supervision. Taking food supplements without medical guidance can prove harmful because excess intake of any vitamin or mineral can lead to health problems. For example mega doses of Vitamin C can cause nausea, diarrhea, kidney stones, inflammation of stomach lining, etc. Also, certain supplements may have side effects by themselves or when they interact with our medications, hence, consulting a doctor is a must.

Remember:

• Food supplements cannot substitute food.
• A balanced diet is a must.
• If you feel you need to take supplements always consult a doctor first.
• Take only those supplements that are recommended by your doctor and only in the prescribed quantity.

Acidity is caused due to presence of excessive acid in the stomach which irritates the gastrointestinal covering. This causes burning pain in the stomach and when the excess acid leaks back into the esophagus it causes burning pain in the upper abdominal and chest area. This condition is medically known as 'heartburn'. It is common for people to have heartburns but if these attacks occur frequently then that may indicate a disorder called as GERD (Gastro-esophageal reflux disease) or acid reflux disease. Burning pain in the lower part of mid-chest usually after eating or lying down is the main symptom of heartburn. At times one may also suffer from vomiting and bitter acid risings in their mouth. GERD if untreated can lead to a complication called erosive esophagitis, which in turn can lead to ulceration, bleeding of the food pipe making it difficult even to swallow food.

Acidity or heartburn can be managed with lifestyle changes, but for those who do not respond and frequently suffer from it, consulting a doctor is a must.

Following are the factors that trigger excessive acid in stomach causing acidity and heartburn.

• Eating spicy and oil rich foods
• Eating in a hurry without proper chewing
• Eating at irregular intervals
• Improper digestion
• Eating quickly while under stress
• Improper sleep
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Excessive pressure on the digestive tract - pregnant women may suffer from heartburn because when the baby grows, the uterus exerts pressure on the digestive tract. Obese people usually suffer because of excessive pressure on their digestive tract.

Thus, improving your food habits and digestion and managing stress can help you prevent heartburns. There are a few easy to follow methods for getting relief from heartburn attacks

Controlling heartburn:

• Include cucumber, bananas, amla and watermelon in your diet.
• Chew tulsi leaves to get relief from the burning sensation.
• Drink cold milk for quick relief from acidity.
• Chew haritaki after meals.
• Generally have foods that aid digestion and have a cooling effect on the body.
• Do not lie down immediately after meal. Maintain an upright posture for some time after your meal to prevent acid flowing back into your food pipe.
• Sleep with your head and shoulder on a high pillow for elevation.