Culinary Journey

#Immunity4Growth IndiBlogger Meet at Vivanta by Taj, MG Road, Bangalore

May 9, 2016

Horlicks in association with Indiblogger organized their #Immunity4Growth Bloggers meet at Vivanta by Taj on 8th May 2016 and I was privileged to be part of this Meet. I have attended many Indiblogger Meet ups and this one was something different. In this meet, the focus area was absolutely on the Immunity factor.

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The event was started with the registration followed by the Role of Micro Nutrients in the Immunity System by Jill Castle. Ms. Jill Castle is a registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN) and childhood nutrition expert located in New Canaan, Connecticut. As a pediatric dietitian/nutritionist, she trained in the specialized field of nutrition for infants, toddlers, children and teens, and have had many experiences working with kids of all ages, and in a variety of settings, such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Children’s Hospital-Boston as a clinical dietitian, and as a dietitian in private practice helping children with weight and growth problems, eating disorders, food allergies, sports nutrition, gastrointestinal problems and more. It was a great opportunity to meet her!

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Below are some of the strong points, where Indians should understand and take appropriate actions.

  1. India has the largest number of Vitamin A deficient children in the world with 130,000 children dying directly or indirectly due to this issue.
  2. Nearly 206 million school-aged children suffer from insufficient Iodine intake and currently, India has the highest number of children vulnerable to Iodine-deficiency.
  3. 30 % of the developing world’s children suffer from micronutrient deficiencies.
  4. There is a high prevalence of zinc deficiency in Indian school going children because of the high requirement of this micro nutrient during development.

Also, most of the children in India are facing a problem with Hidden Hunger. In simple terms, the lack of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, iodine and iron, is the main cause of “hidden hunger” and malnutrition in the world today.

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Image Courtesy: www.slideshare.net

Nutrition 101:

Our bodies were designed to require food and drink to stay alive. Providing the body with the essential nutrients and water it needs is what the study of nutrition is all about. Our bodies need nutrients that are provided in macro-amounts; protein, carbohydrates, fats and water, as well as essential nutrients in micro-amounts; vitamins, minerals and special plant nutrients.

Macro nutrients:

Carbohydrates provide the major source of energy that we need to live, grow and thrive. Every part of our body uses it for energy; without it, we couldn’t survive. Carbohydrates should provide 50-60% of the energy a child needs from food.

Fiber is the part of the plant that your body does not absorb; therefore, it contains no calories. Its role is to clean out the intestines so that toxins and left- over food particles do not stay too long in the intestine, where they can cause damage.

Protein provide our body with the building blocks it needs to grow. They also maintain and replace body tissue, such as muscles, bones, blood, and body organs.

Fat is an important part of a healthy diet. Children need it to grow up healthy, and strong. Fats are an integral part of every cell, they are used to make vitamin D and hormones, they protect the entire nervous system, and they also help to transport some vitamins into our bodies.

Vitamin A is important for vision, bone growth, reproduction and regulating the immune system. Good sources include sweet potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, winter squash, cantaloupe, red peppers, and Chinese cabbage.

B vitamins There are eight B vitamins and they are essential for cell metabolism, supporting the immune and nervous system, and skin and muscle tone. Good sources include fortified cereals, meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C is needed for a strong immune system and it promotes healthy gums, teeth, bones and cartilage. Good sources include red and green peppers, kiwi, strawberries, sweet potatoes, kale, cantaloupe, broccoli, pineapple, Brussels sprouts, oranges, mangoes, tomato juice and cauliflower.

Calcium is essential to build and maintain strong bones throughout life and is needed for muscles to work properly. It has also been found to prevent certain cancers. Good sources include dairy products, fortified juices and soy products, green leafy vegetables, and seaweed.

Vitamin D is necessary for calcium absorption and because of this it is essential for bone growth and bone health. It is also involved in the immune system; it reduces inflammation and it helps prevent cancer and heart disease. The majority of Americans are deficient in this vitamin due to insufficient sun exposure and the decline in milk consumption. Good sources include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, fish liver oils and fortified dairy and juice products.

Vitamin E is the most important antioxidant in the fatty part of our cells and as such it is important in protecting our bodies from cancer, arthritis, heart disease, diabetes and infection. Vitamin E is made by plants only. Good sources include wheat germ oil, salad oils, sunflower seeds, almonds, chard, mustard greens and turnip greens.

Source: http://www.buildhealthykids.com/

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Image Courtesy: http://dramyneuzil.com/

Horlicks is one of the most successful health drinks in India and the product doesn’t require any sort of Identity or an advertisement. Horlicks was invented by two British-born men, William Horlick (1846-1936) and his brother James (1844-1921) from Gloucestershire, England. James was a chemist, working for a company that made dried baby food. William, the younger brother, had immigrated to America in 1869 and James decided to join him in Chicago in 1873. That same year, they started their own company (J&W Horlicks) to make a malted milk drink. They called their product ‘Diastoid’ and their advertising slogan read: ‘Horlicks’s Infant and Invalids Food’.

Well, Horlicks is now come up with 2X Immuno-nutrients.

Immunity helps in growth:

Ensuring complete nutrition for their children is a universal concern for all mothers. While a well-balanced and nutritious meal that includes essential nutrients is theoretically easy to plan, practically children often manage to avoid nutritious foods and somehow find a way of laying their hands on ‘junk’ food instead. Experts agree that for optimal health and cognitive development in children, proper growth needs to go hand in hand with strong immunity. The link is often stronger than we imagine.

Right Nutrition and Immunity:

Your child’s growth needs and rapidly developing cognitive skills calls for right nutrient intake. In this competitive world, mothers can no more take a back seat and let things happen as they do. As mothers you have to be mindful that for your child eating food should not just be about satisfying hunger, but should be a means to build a strong immune system, maximize growth and ensure outstanding performance in all spheres of life.

Factors affecting immunity:

It’s that time of the year once again when the weather is changing, bringing in its wake a slew of infections, caused by the return to action of germs of various hues. And those most susceptible to this change of weather are children. A strong immune system is the key to your child being able to fight recurring seasonal infections caused by viruses, bacteria (pathogens) and free radicals, say health experts.

Source: www.horlicks.in

It was an incredible event and we understood the importance of complete nutrition in Children. If we follow some simple steps in adopting a good immunity, Children will be stronger inside and can grow well outside.

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I would like to Thank Indiblogger, Horlicks, National and international experts on the subject of immunity for having us at #Immunity4Growth IndiBlogger Meet.

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