HYDERABAD: We live in a highly fast-paced world today, always scurrying around to tick boxes and meet deadlines. In the process, we may compromise on body, skin, and overall health. But perhaps it is time to start nourishing ourselves inside and out. With this in mind, The Committee of FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) recently organised ‘Nourish to Flourish - The secret to feeling good inside-out’ at Hyatt Place in Banjara Hills.
While FLO Hyderabad chairperson Priya Gazdar gracefully moderated the session, guest speakers Pooja Makhija, a celebrity nutritionist, author, and entrepreneur, and Suparna Trikha, an author, columnist, and wellness entrepreneur, unravelled some hitherto unknown truths about nutrition and skincare.
Handing each one of us a cotton ball soaked in rose water and ice, Suparna gave us a cool welcome. “My rose water recipe is a mix of tea rose and desi gulaab. It smells unlike any rose water in the market,” she said. Calling upon volunteers from the audience, she demonstrated a few recipes to tackle common skin issues and slow down the ageing clock.
For dryness, she made a paste of honey, avocado, alum, and castor oil. She threw a few wellness facts at us while she was at it too, like, “Avocado is high in omega-3, Vitamin E, and AHAs, which are Alpha hydroxy acids. And we’ve seen our grandfathers use alum after shaving, haven’t we? It closes pores and is amazing for the skin.”
The beauty of Suparna’s recipes for dryness, pigmentation, dark circles, and haircare was that all the ingredients are tucked away in our kitchens. Nothing fancy, nothing imported, just plain Indian concoctions. “How much research are we really doing before subscribing to foreign trends?” she asked.
But she cautioned that skincare and wellness is only effective if we keep our guts healthy. Indeed, it starts with what we chomp. And we need to make food a friend, said Pooja Makhija, who emphasised that we need to choose ‘intelligent nutrition’ over ‘omission nutrition’.
“The age-old myth of ‘Oh, carbs make me fat’ is wrong. Instead, rearrange your plate,” she said, holding up five fingers. “Proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. But no naked carbs please, as that increases blood sugar and body weight. Dress the carb up with some proteins and fibres. So if you’re having aloo paratha, eat it with dal and sabzi or chicken and salad,” Pooja explained.
When she underscored that women need to drink at least three litres of water every day, many in the room started to guiltily sip. “Ninety percent of our problems are due to lack of water. Learn to sip water and don’t drink much after sunset or you’ll be stuck in the toilet,” she quipped.
Further sharing about nourishment, the celebrity nutritionist says, “We need to teach toddlers about food and nutrition in schools. When they learn to talk, swim, and cycle, why shouldn’t they learn nutrition? Hyderabadis, you don’t have to give up your beloved biryani. Remember, no naked carbs, that’s all. If you have protein in your biryani in the form of chicken or mutton, just make sure you have a salad before your meal. And be diligent — my Bollywood clients and my Tollywood clients, be it Tamannaah Bhatia or Mahesh Babu, followed everything to a tee.”
Suparna seconded the importance of discipline, telling CE, “I’ve seen women sleep off with makeup. Let your skin breathe, ladies! Eat right, hydrate well, exercise, and sleep. Most importantly, de-stress. If you are stressed, it will definitely show in your eyes.”