TRUTH ABOUT FRUIT JUICES

TRUTH ABOUT FRUIT JUICES

·         Fruit juices are healthier than aerated drinks.

·         But they are not really a healthy substitute for actual fruits.

·         Eating a whole fruit or having its juice are not the same thing.

·         The common misconception that both provide the same nutrition could be the reason for your failing diet.

1. Health benefits of fruit juices and fruits

·         Fruit juices are definitely a healthier option when compared to the sodas and aerated drinks which are so popular nowadays.

·         Apart from vitamins like vitamin C, B and A, fruit juices are also rich in minerals like potassium and phosphorous.

·         If they contain fruit pulp, then they provide fibre as well.

·         But a whole fruit has more nutrients, more fibre and no preservatives.

·         Remember that fruits and fruit juices both contain calories, but fruit juices have more with the added preservatives and sweeteners.

·         Fibre, which is present in copious amounts in a whole fruit, tends to fill you up, restricting you to one or at the most two helpings.

·         However in case of juice, this fibre content is very less which leads to consuming more calories without feeling full.

2. Preservatives used in canned fruit juices

·         These are added to increase the shelf life of fruit juices.

·         The following are permitted preservatives used in fruit juices:

• Sulphites and Sulphur dioxide:
• Inhibit the growth of yeasts, moulds and bacteria.
• Preserve the colour of fruit while drying.
• Sorbic acid:
• Inhibits the growth of moulds and yeasts.
• Benzoic acid:
• It has broad spectrum anti-microbial activity.
• Inhibits many spoilage bacteria, fungi and yeasts.
• Citric acid:
• It is used as an acidifier of foods.

·         Due to inappropriate food labelling in India, not much is known about the sugar substitutes used in juices.

·         However, in juices labelled “sugar free” or “light”, sugar substitutes like Aspartame and Sucralose are used.

3. Fresh juice or packaged juice?

·         A fresh juice from the juicer is much better than a packaged one.

·         It has vitamins and enzymes which get destroyed in the processes of preservation.

·         Fresh juice is also higher in water content and low in sugar, with no added preservatives or sugar.

·         Packaged juice has added preservatives to enhance its shelf life, and added sugar or sugar substitutes to reduce the sourness that occurs when juice is kept for long.

·         Therefore a fresh glass of juice is better in terms of taste and nutrition in comparison to packaged juices.

·         However, it should be consumed within 30 minutes.

But eating a fruit is always more beneficial to drinking juices!!!

SIGNS OF OVERWORKING

  

1. Ignoring the family

·         Whatever position you are working in, don't avoid participating in family issues.

·         You should look out for the following symptoms:

o        Avoiding family shopping/movies.

o        Unable to help the kids in their homework.

o        Romance is elusive in your life.

o        Not anchoring family responsibilities.

2. Excessive smoking and drinking

·         Avoid smoking and drinking to de-stress yourself.

·         Never ignore your health to make a dream career.

·         Any health lapses may prove to be catastrophic.

3. Sleep Deprivation

·         This is the most common sign of over-working.

·         Insomnia is inevitable if you are overstressed.

·         Lack of sleep can cause a breakdown and spoil your career.

·         Avoid circumstances where one needs a capsule to rest.

4. Prolonged sickness

·         If you start suffering from body ache or perennial cold, then there are chances that you are going overboard with your work.

·         You can rejuvenate and replenish your body by taking a break.

5. Committing silly mistakes

·         Don’t become negligent in other areas of life, as they can prove to be costly.

·         Do not let work govern your own moves in life.

6. Getting Angry and frustrated

·         Keep yourself free from any work load trauma.

·         This creates friction with other family members.

7. Copious caffeine intake

·         Drinking lots of coffee at work is a sure indicator of overworking.

·         It is an addiction which reduces sleep and causes insomnia.

STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING YOUR SELF-ESTEEM

1. Attack those prejudices which lead you to undervalue yourself.

2. Acknowledge your qualities and don’t discount them.

3. Accept compliments as signs of acceptability, rather than deflecting them, recognizing that they matter.

4. Stiffle the inner critic by thanking it and apologizing to it.

5. Put the inner critic and the exaggerator in a box with the lid shut.

6. Bury the judge within you that applies double standards – an unfairly strict standard to you, and a generous standard to others.

7. Do not let the judge bias your expectations or make negative productions.

8. Do not let it make you impervious to success and susceptible to failure.

9. Put it in the same box as the critic.

10. Do the best you can, but don’t berate yourself for not being perfect.

11. Make the ideal a guide but not a daily standard.

12. Do not be a perfectionist, just aim at better self-esteem.

13. Evaluate yourself independent of your achievements.

14. Spend time with people who make you feel good.

DO YOU FACE OFFICE CONFLICTS?

HOW TO HANDLE CONFLICT AT THE WORKPLACE

·         When you are faced with conflict at the workplace, your primal instinct kicks in—fight or flight.

·         Running away translates to denial that the issue exists and sidestepping the topic when it comes up.

·         Fighting involves an emotional outburst, needless aggression and fixing the blame.

·         There is a third, professional, option that you can choose: pursuing your best interests rationally.

·         Conflict is best understood through three principles:

o   First, that it is inevitable at work.

o   Second, that you can never win a conflict.

o   Third, you can stabilise and resolve disagreements while creating workable solutions.

·         A clash simply indicates that people are concerned sufficiently about an issue to disagree with each other, so accept it and proceed.

·         Pushing for an outright victory escalates it to a war, where everyone gets hurt.

·         Workplace fracas arises from structural or personal causes.

·         The former includes sharing of scarce resources, guarding one’s area of responsibility, and discrepancies in seniority and compensation.

·         Personal causes include ego, competitiveness, jealousy, status, and gender stereotypes.

·         These issues grow to full-blown clashes if either party has poor communication skills or indulges in strong emotional reactions.

·         However, you can master the art of conflict resolution.

1. Attitude

·         Each conflict is an opportunity to grow, irrespective of how painful the consequences.

·         Understanding what works and what doesn’t is invaluable for all future disagreements.

·         So listen well to learn and arrive at the best outcome in the current conflict.

·         This will lead to a deeper understanding of the motives of the other person, which will help you handle the issue better.

2. Approach

·         Choose your battles wisely, as you cannot win or fight them all.

·         Stick to those where the consequences matter to you.

·         In all other disagreements, give way to preserve energy, relationships and peace of mind.

·         Whether you or a competitor gets a reserved parking slot is not as important as getting the next big assignment.

·         Seek to confront and address the issue as early as possible in its lifecycle.

·         Unless there is a clear tactical advantage, procrastination or avoidance only serves to increase the cost to your career and personal happiness.

·         Finally, adopt an honest, open approach and plain communication.

·         Avoid sarcastic comments or loud interaction, and ensure that you exude a positive body language.

3. Action

·         Ask for a meeting to discuss the issue.

·         If the other person is willing, invite a mature, unbiased mediator, such as your common boss.

·         During the discussion, use neutral language shorn of judgmental tone and words, and focus on ‘I’ over ‘you’.

·         Speak about your issues and how you felt, not what the other person did.

·         Note down the points on which there is no disagreement and use these as a foundation to build the solution.

·         Acknowledge actions where you were clearly wrong while accepting the other person’s positive contribution, both past and present.

·         Your actions will help release some stress and bring forth reciprocal statements.

·         Next, make sure that both parties understand the price to be paid in terms of work output and relationships if the conflict continues to escalate.

·         Then try to generate various agreeable solutions.

·         Towards the end of the meeting, request for an assurance from all parties on concrete steps that each will take to reduce the level of conflict.

·         If there is no consensus, seek a commitment for another meeting, and on the medium of communication in the interim.

·         Each meeting will increase the comfort and defuse the intensity of the conflict. 

TOP FOODS FOR A FLAT TUMMY

TOP FOODS FOR A FLAT TUMMY

1. Flax seeds or linseeds (alsi)

·         Flax seeds (often referred to as linseeds or alsi) are nutritious seeds packed with monounsaturated fats (MUFAs).

·         MUFAs, unlike saturated fats (the "bad" fats found in junk food), not only lower cholesterol levels but they can also help to reduce body fat and bloating.

·         Flax seeds provide high levels of fibre and help to smoothen the digestive system, thus reducing bloating, constipation and other digestive problems.

·         Add a tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds to your morning cereal, lunchtime salad, or home made smoothie for belly-flattening benefits.

2. Berries

·         Those wanting to lose their belly fat should opt for fruit that is blue or red in colour (such as cherries, red grapes and many types of berries).

·         In fact, the chemicals responsible for giving these fruits their colour (anthocyanins), also help burn abdominal fat.

3. Yoghurt

·         Yoghurt is low in fat and calories, and also contains active cultures (probiotics) which promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and help with digestion, excess gas and bloating.

·         Yoghurt is easy to fit into any diet plan as part of a meal or a snack between meals.

·         Try combining natural yoghurt, berries and flax seeds in a morning smoothie or bowl of cereal, for a great tummy-trimming

4. Whole grains

·         Whole grains are great for weight management.

·         They are a low-fat source of slow-release energy and, due to their high fibre levels, help to regulate the digestive system and keep you feeling fuller for a longer time.

·         Eating whole grains also helps to lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and insulin in the body, both of which cause fat to be stored around the belly.

·         However, wheat is difficult to digest and can cause bloating.

·         Good alternatives to try are brown rice, oats, buckwheat, spelt and quinoa (actually a seed).

5. Water

·         While it's not technically a food, a lack of water in your diet hampers in developing a flat stomach.

·         Drinking water helps to flush toxins out of the system, curb hunger, improve the digestive system and reduce fluid retention, all of which will make for a flatter stomach.

·         If you are aiming for a flat belly, it is important to drink a minimum of eight glasses of liquids a day.

·         Besides water, it is best to go for liquids that are still (no fizzy drinks) and low in calories.

·         A good alternative is green tea - which has fat burning benefits - or fennel, dandelion or peppermint teas, all of which can fight bloating.

HOW TO AVOID JOB PITFALLS

A. HOW TO AVOID JOB PITFALLS

1. Be on time

·         Half the battle is won by showing up, so make sure you reach the office before time every day.

·         Do not come up with poor excuses.

·         Respect time and you will be seen as a professional serious about work.

·         Also, stay back with team mates who are working overtime on projects.

·         You will learn a lot and engage with your team better.

·         Remember that it takes 10,000 hours of effort to be world class in any sphere.

2. Double your job description

·         Each job description leaves a lot unsaid.

·         Being a great team member, go-getter, volunteer for all occasions, and a person who gets things done, comprise the critical half that was left unsaid.

·         Understand your requirement and increase it to include the unsaid terms.

·         You will stand out from your peers as a bright spark destined for greater things.

3. Remember names

·         First, get to know your team mates well, and then find out about everyone else in the office.

·         Keeping track of personal details builds camaraderie.

·         It will also get your work done much faster and make you welcome in the office.

4. A favour a week

·         Always lend a helping hand to your team mates.

·         Aim for an extra task every week and a favour to an over-burdened coworker.

·         You will learn more and build a strong bank of favours that will stand you in good stead over the year.

5. Share your meal times

·         Make it a point to join your team mates during lunch hour.

·         Do not avoid your supervisor or senior colleagues.

·         This is the best time to build positive workplace relationships and become part of the team.

·         In most professional organizations, it is also a time when the trickiest and most challenging issues are sorted.

·         Being around will help you learn how things work and how the team members relate to each other.

6. Stick to the best

·         Get attached to the best people and habits at the workplace.

·         Try to be friends with the best professional in the team – people who are positive about their work, the firm and its employees, and great at what they do.

·         Avoid the members who complain, back-bite and are negative.

·         The same is true of your work habits, where you need to sweat the small stuff and work hard on getting the details right.

·         Mind your e-mails, language, even the typos.

·         The little things that you believe everyone ignores will actually get you noticed in the long term.

7. Get out of school

·         Unlike school, you are not judged by your performance only on the day of the exam.

·         This is not about a system, where the emphasis is on treating everyone equally and carrying together underperformers at the cost of over achievers.

·         You are judged every single day and underperforming ones are the first to be axed.

·         Building a reputation takes time and requires you to deliver high quality results consistently.

8. Know your boss

·         Understand that your team leader is not your friend, relative or teacher.

·         Your supervisor may take the time and effort to treat you like a friend or be concerned about your problems.

·         However, he does not owe you any of these, and needs to ensure that work gets done.

·         Do not slip up by not delivering on results expected from you or take him for granted either in your conversation or behaviour.

·         Learn to take criticism and adapt quickly from the feedback.

9. Be professional

·         Professionalism in its simplest form means doing what is expected.

·         Start by following the dress code, your communication and impeccable manners.

·         Complete your tasks on schedule, report back both accomplishments and problems well in time.

·         Work towards your team’s goals and be flexible in your attitude.

·         When in doubt, seek the counsel of senior colleagues to figure out the right professional approach in a situation.

10. Complete the year

·         Work for the whole year at the job, irrespective of how bored you are or how terrible the organization appears to be.

·         Quitting the job in search of another merely delays your learning curve.

·         On your resume, it signals an inability to persevere, adapt and learn.

WHO ARE YOU AT YOUR JOB?

AVOID BEING ONE OF THESE

1. The liar

·         Don’t say the job is done when it isn’t, or call in sick when you aren’t.

·         If you’re caught, you’ll be asked to leave and the bad reputation will follow you to the next job.

·         Lying isn’t cool, and can be career-threatening.

2. The short-cut master

·         Don’t just rehash a report that you found online and give it to your boss.

·         This will earn you a warning letter and a reputation for being unreliable.

·         Learn to be thorough at your job.

·         You will earn respect and accelerate the learning curve.

3. The family person

·         The family or social person is constantly on the phone, Facebook or Twitter with family or friends sorting out personal issues.

·         The workplace is to work and learn, not chat.

·         Instead, invest time in professional relationships while in office.

4. The problem child

·         Save the problems in your personal life for after-office hours.

·         Find solutions for completing your project at work.

·         The eternal whine machine is a drag on everyone’s time and capacity.

·         Be a low-maintenance team member, and smile often.

5. The armchair expert

·         Avoid having an opinion on everything and a suggestion on every issue.

·         Spend your time in learning how things work.

·         Save your inputs for later when you have more credibility and information on the topic under discussion.