Category: Journals

It is said that marriages are made in heaven. There is indeed some divine element that holds the couples together in a loving relationship and takes them forward in their journey. Although no marriage is without its fair share of issues, with good faith and the right words, everything has a solution.

Ever wondered how important communication is in a marriage? When a husband and wife are together and openly talk about their concerns and difficulties, it helps solve a good amount of tension and issues in their lives. Most married people will have a personal story to share where effective communication has helped save their relationship. But is it always that easy?

The truth is that even the most ideal couples sometimes suffer due to miscommunication. Past studies show that around 65% of failed marriages cite poor or miscommunication as the primary reason for the split. Good communication between couples is very crucial to avoid unnecessary conflicts as well as to nurture their bond for years.

So, are you doing it right? Do you and your spouse communicate effectively? If you feel that something is missing in the way to respond to each other, here is an opportunity to listen to one of the best Marriage and Family Therapist in the UAE, Dalia Sheiha, as she takes you on a journey to understand the dynamics of Effective Couples Communication. 

Join the first of the free talk series by our wellness center in Dubai to listen to Dalia, as she gives you the right guidance to effectively communicate with your spouse without starting a fight. With her extensive experience in Emotionally Focused Therapy, CBT, NLP, Talk therapy, Satir family therapy and many more, Dalia is well versed in the best tools and practices to help you master your communication skills.

The talk will also address some of the most common issues in communication among couples like-

• What exactly is communication in marriage and why is it important?
• What leads to misunderstanding between couples and what are the obstacles to effective communication?
• How can you communicate better with your spouse?
• What are some of the effective communication skills?

With the right knowledge, you can work on your communication and build a stronger relationship with your spouse.

So join us this January 20th from 10 am to 12 pm at The Hundred Wellness Center and listen to Dalia, as she shares her insights on improving and establishing effective communication between couples.

The winter months bring in the holidays and good times but they also tend to welcome the cold and flu viruses. This is also the time that kids are most susceptible to catching infections. While vaccines and medicines help, they also happen to weaken your child’s immunity system by rendering them dependent on these medicines to make them better. 

However, there’s a way to boost your child’s immune system naturally and that is through naturopathy. With naturopathy, natural treatments and medicines are used to encourage the body’s inherent ability to restore and maintain optimal health and vitality. Let’s take a look at a few ways to improve your child’s immunity through this holistic approach.

An all-inclusive diet

Before you resort to external medicines and healing of any kind, it is important to ensure your child’s internal system is well taken care of. And that is done naturally through their food intake. So making sure your kid is eating a well balanced and healthy diet is key to staying healthy and protecting their internal systems. This means completely staying away from including preservatives, sugar, additives and food intolerances in their daily diet. Naturopathy healing relies mainly on consuming naturally occurring foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants and help protect your child’s immunity. Besides these, the addition of nuts, legumes, eggs and meat also helps ensure your child is eating an all-round and well-balanced diet.

Maintaining your child’s gut

Probiotics are the naturally occurring bacteria in our gut that protect our digestive tracts and shield our bodies from invading viruses. So introducing a probiotic at an early age for your child can help your child fend off infections. However, ensure you do this only after consulting your child’s physician.

Help deal with their anxiety and stress

In today’s fast-paced world, parents and kids are equally overstressed and overworked. And stress is not your immune system’s friend. In fact, an increase in stress automatically lowers your kid’s immunity response. Hence, making sure your child has enough downtime or creative time to play, paint or stay mentally and physically active in other forms is extremely essential for their health.

A good night’s sleep

This one’s a no-brainer. Sleep is essential for every human and even more for kids. Depending on their age, kids require anywhere between 10-14 hours of sleep every day. And it’s not just the quantity that matters here but also the quality of their sleep to ensure the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone) in their body. A good night’s sleep is one of the basic steps of naturopathy healing.

Nutritional supplements

Although a healthy and balanced diet will take care of your child’s immunity, nutritional supplements can be beneficial as well, especially in the case of fussy eaters. Along with probiotics, supplements of Zinc, Vitamin C and Vitamin D3 are essential in keeping your child’s immune system healthy.

Herbs

One of the best naturopathic healing techniques is incorporating herbs in your kid’s daily diet. Although these might not be quite up to their taste (literally), it is one of the fastest ways to ensure your kid’s gut stays healthy and clean. A few relevant ones to introduce into your kid’s diet are elderberry, olive leaf extract and cinnamon.

Since naturopathy is a holistic form of treatment, doctors usually view all the aspects of an individual before tailor making a treatment that works for them. So ensure you first consult with your child’s physician for a personalized treatment plan best suited to your child’s needs.

Of the many physical workouts we have seen and heard of, yoga is one that provides a complete mind and body exercise. The origins of this practice are speculated to date back to pre-Vedic times in ancient India and is often considered to have likely developed around the sixth and fifth centuries BCE. Today, the impact of yoga on the overall well being of a person is discussed all over the world, with many systematic studies being conducted on the impact of postural yoga on physical and mental health. Evidence says that regular yoga practices are highly useful for reducing and controlling lower back pain and stress.

While yoga practitioners talk about its seemingly endless advantages, at the Hundred, we primarily focus on the Ashtanga Vinyasa method of yoga. Our yoga classes focus on the dynamic and continuously flowing sequence of moments, which are intermixed with a series of static positions, all of which are termed as “asanas”.

So how does yoga affect one’s body?

Yoga is a free-flowing exercise that focuses on utilizing the body’s core strength. Apart from building this strength, yoga is known to increase flexibility, improve posture, increase muscle strength and correct blood circulation to the different organs in the body. The controlled asanas in yoga can also strengthen the spine and assist in the body’s natural detoxification process.

As mentioned before, yoga can improve mental health as well. Regular practice of this will reduce mental stress and increase emotional wellbeing, which makes it a much-appreciated exercise form that people around the world have embraced as part of their daily routines.

Although people practice the asanas in all seriousness and enjoy yoga’s many benefits, one thing that they miss out in the process is understanding the significance of breathing. Here, we are discussing more about the importance of breathing in yoga and how it affects our bodies.

Decoding impact of breathing in yoga

If you have attended a yoga class in Dubai before, you might have already come across instructions to breathe consciously, deeply and to retain the breath at some places. Each asana or position is usually accompanied by a breathing technique, to help the practitioner get the most out of the movement. Here is what they all mean and do to your body-

 

• The relation between your breathing pattern and length of life

 

According to the principles of yoga, the slower you breathe, the more you live. Shorter breaths can shorten your lifespan. It is said that if you breathe 15 times in a minute, you will most likely live up to 75 or 80 years and if you can reduce it to 10 breaths per minute, you will live up to a hundred. Longer and sustaining breaths can increase your lung capacity, which is one of the scientific reasoning behind this principle.

 

• The need for practicing conscious breathing

 

In a yoga class, the trainer usually instructs to breathe “consciously”. Yoga practitioners believe that conscious breathing can help the individual connect with his or her energy flowing within. When breathing with consciousness, breathing is said to have a biological tie with our physical, mental and emotional state.

Conscious breathing is all about being in the present. Being in the present helps an individual let go of the past as well as worries about the future and focus on the moment he or she is living in. Conscious breathing is, in fact, a form of simple meditation.

Science also tells us that while unconscious breathing is an involuntary action that is controlled by the medulla oblongata, which is a much more primitive part of the human brain. On the other hand, conscious breathing can activate higher and evolved parts of the cerebral cortex, which in turn affects the way you control your emotions and thought processes.

 

• Breath control and change of breathing patterns

 

According to the principles of yoga, by changing your breathing pattern, you can raise your mind into different emotional states. For instance, slow and conscious breaths send inhibitory impulses into the respiratory center in the midbrain. These impulses move from the cortex to the hypothalamus, which essentially soothes and individual’s emotional state.

 

Understanding the concepts of pranayama

On understanding yoga at a deeper level, you might have come across concepts like prana and pranayama, but never fully understanding them. In yogic practice, prana is the vital force that flows within an individual and pranayama is the process of controlling it. The principles of the practice further state that controlled breathing can control prana. Keep in mind prana is not your breath, but rather the energy that powers the lungs and other vital organs in the body. The yogic principles state that prana can be controlled better with pranayama, which in turn improves your overall body functioning and its wellness. 

Final thoughts

To understand the exact meaning and impact of breath control during yoga practices, one has to spend years in practice and read texts related to the subject. With much of the concepts intertwined with Indian philosophy and spirituality, it requires constant dedication and interest to understand the meaning behind each asana and breath control that accompanies it. In a nutshell, yoga is simply the practice of channeling your vital energy through breathing and movements to maintain your body’s wellbeing. And ideally, you have to learn the techniques from a yoga class, where the trainers themselves have practiced it for years.

At the Hundred, our trainers equip you to navigate the basics of numerous disciplines, from ashtanga vinyasa to hatha yoga. Join our yoga classes in Dubai to start your journey towards physical, mental and emotional wellness and balance.

 

At some point in our lives, we all have given in to food cravings, haven’t we? Think about the number of times you have eaten something out of pure impulse. How do you feel about it now?

Our nutritionists in Dubai understand two types of hunger – the physical and emotional hunger. The physical hunger is straightforward. Your body needs energy and it starts sending signals that tell you that you are hungry. This kind of hunger is gradual and can be postponed. When you are physically hungry, your body just requires some kind of food that will help keep it functioning. You eat till you are comfortably full and you feel satisfied afterward.

Emotional hunger is entirely different. This type of hunger is attributed by emotions like sadness and anxiety and has little to do with your body’s actual need for food. It starts suddenly, comes as cravings for particular types of foods and will be completely impulsive. Strong emotions can make you eat until you are uncomfortably full and leaves you feeling guilty about it afterward.

Unhealthy eating habits like these will not only ruin your physical health, but your mental and emotional wellness. Simply put, your physical, mental and emotional health are interconnected. You function as a healthy individual when all of these aspects fall in track and work together. At the Hundred, we understand this simple fact, which is why our wellness experts and nutritionists help you find the right balance.

As we have already established, nutrition is a very important factor in maintaining good health. But is nutrition just about the food you eat? Or is it also about how you respond to your food at a deeper level?

Mindful eating is a method our nutritionists often suggest to help people acquire the physical, mental and emotional benefits of consuming good food. In simple words, mindful eating is just about being aware of how you eat by paying attention to what you consume in every bite. When you are mindful of what you are eating, you are paying respect to the food in front of you. In each bite, you are letting your senses understand the many layers of your food, satisfying you with the right kind and amount of food.

Here is how you should engage your senses to enjoy your meals and practice mindful eating-

Gaze at your food

When a plate of food is set in front of you, what is the first thing you do? When you are distracted or eating for the sake of it, you just ‘dig in’ without appreciating it properly. To practice mindful eating, our nutritionists suggest starting by gazing upon your food. What do you see? Are you aware of its rich color combinations? How much space does it take up in your plate? Observe the shape of your food. Is it solid or some form of liquid, like a soup? Take a moment to wonder how the food in front of you reached there. Imagine the journey it took to be in front of you right at that moment.

Feel between your fingers

Dining etiquette often tells us to use cutlery to eat our food. But is cutlery a necessity for all kinds of food? Does solid foods have to be eaten with a spoon, knife and fork? When you practice mindful eating, try keeping the cutlery away. Pick up your food with your hands. Touch and feel its texture and shape. Is it smooth, prickly, soft or hard? Having better awareness of your food makes it more enjoyable.

Smell the aroma

Culinary experts often say that the taste of a food starts with its smell. Without enjoying the aroma of the food, you will never truly appreciate it. Mindful eating also suggests the same. Once you have your food in your hand, bring it closer to your nose. Take a whiff of its aroma. How does it smell? Does it feel like something that you want to put in your mouth? 

Savor the taste

Once you smell your food and like it, your body will start activating your digestive system. Wondered why you salivate on smelling something tasty? It’s your body’s natural response to foods and smells we are partial to. Now start by taking a small bite of your food and chewing it slowly. Feel the texture and flavor. Let your taste buds get a good sensation of the different components in your food. Is it sweet, salty, sour or spicy? Experience every aspect of your food as you chew on it in your mouth.

Listen to what you eat

Mindful eating doesn’t stop with tasting. As our nutritionists say, you have to engage all your senses while eating. But how can you listen to your food? Here is how you should do it.

When you bite into your food, does it make a crunch? Or is it a soft bite? As you chew, can you hear any sound of the moment of your food in your mouth? Listen to your teeth biting into the food and against each other. Now swallow it slowly. 

Why should you try mindful eating?

Mindful eating is a kind of meditation. Instead of clearing your mind off thoughts and feelings, you eat your meals with awareness of what they are and how healthy they can be for your body. Mindful eating technique will help explore the type of hunger you have and ensure that you eat healthy. By paying attention to what you eat and how your body responds to it, you are listening to your body and what it is trying to tell you.

Although it may feel a bit uncomfortable and awkward at the start, you will be able to develop a real practice that will help you enjoy healthy food physically, mentally and emotionally. Practicing mindful eating will help you reflect on why you are choosing a particular food before you start munching on unhealthy things. 

At the Hundred, our nutritionists focus on helping people realize the joy of eating healthy food through techniques like mindful eating. Rather than following a set diet, such methods help you explore the many layers of your food and how it impacts your body. 

Are you interested in learning more? Reach out to our nutritionists in Dubai today.

 

 

 

How often than not do you find yourself stressed out during holiday seasons? Although holidays are meant to be spent with your family and friends, sharing love and joy, a lot of people are just unable to let go of their stress. From the residual workplace stress to the worry of getting everything in order for the upcoming holidays, people can get stressed over a number of things during the busiest time of the year. 

We all have different thresholds when it comes to stress. While some people are really good at handling their stress, others crack under its pressure and lose sight of their way forward. If you are an individual who gets worked up easily for the smallest of things, then it’s time to find a solution for your troubles. 

If you have tried most of the conventional ways to manage your stress, why not give naturopathy treatments a try? Before you move onto the next task on your to-do list for the holidays, here is a little something to understand about naturopathy treatments and how it can help you ease and manage your ‘end-of-season’ stress!

A peek into the principles of naturopathy

Naturopathy is often quoted as a holistic form of medicine, where the body is viewed as a whole. Here the physical, emotional, mental, genetic, environmental and spiritual aspects of one’s body are taken into consideration before the practitioner prescribes you an effective treatment. Unlike modern medicine, naturopathy treatments are more functional and focuses on the diagnosis of the root cause of a disease or discomfort and provide therapeutic treatment to the issue. Here the doctor focuses on igniting the body’s self-healing powers, rather than providing medicines for the symptoms.

As stress is more of a lifestyle disorder, naturopathy has the perfect solution to help individuals manage the same and improve overall wellbeing.

How does naturopathy treatments work?

Holiday related stress often appears as a fight or flight response. This particular stress stimuli can come from anything; work, relationships, finances or lack of nutrients/sleep/exercise. Here the body suffers from undue stress, which is nothing but an emotional and mental response to a situation.

Our naturopathic doctor starts by identifying the core issue- whether it is connected to one of these 6 stimuli. Instead of quick fixes, the doctor suggests bringing in some lifestyle changes that eliminate one stimulus at a time. 

For instance, your diet and nutrition can play a key role in managing your body’s stress levels. When your mind is stressed, your body tends to produce a hormone called cortisol. Elevated levels of cortisol along with the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine that constitute the fight or flight response mentioned earlier. As cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism all the while stimulating insulin release, the combined effects increase your appetite. Due to these chemical imbalances, poorly managed stress can cause people to reach for the most convenient food without nutritional value, leading to weight gain.

As stressful times are physiologically demanding, more nutrients and minerals like vitamin B,C healthy fats, and magnesium are required to sustain your body. On consulting with our naturopathy doctor, you will be able to identify which foods will help you stay healthy during the holidays, without letting your body push you to your limits.

Our specialist also recommends regular exercising to keep stress under control. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins or “happy hormones”. This will keep you feeling good, thereby counteracting the effects of holiday stress and anxiety. So even if you are busy with your planning and preparations, find some time to work out and bust your stress.

Is there any one-plan-fits all method to manage stress?

Stress management is never the same for two people. While hormonal imbalances are fairly common, the resulting effects of stress on one’s body differs from person to person. Besides, the psychological effects of stress are widely varied and cannot be brought addressed similarly for all.

Our naturopathy treatments are focused on proper lifestyle education addressing nutrition, physical activities, correcting hormonal imbalances, counseling for emotional difficulties, and nutritional supplementation that can support the overall physical, mental, and emotional health of an individual. 

Stress management should be a continuous process. By adopting a healthier lifestyle that promotes good physical, mental and emotional health, curbing stress during the holidays or any time of the year will be easier. If you are interested in busting your stress and live happy and healthy this season and all year long, reach out to us at The Hundred Wellness Centre and start your naturopathy treatment sessions today.

Centuries ago, our world was nothing short of a haven. Everything from the air to the water was clean and free of toxins. Fast forward to the 21st century, we live in a world were toxins have become part and parcel of daily life. Air, water and even the very earth we walk on is polluted in multiple ways. Even so, a lot of people fail to understand its implications.

The truth is, even if a large scale change might take years to come by, each and every one of us can contribute to a cleaner world through a healthier lifestyle. Personal detox programs are always helpful in bringing small but effective changes to your life and the surroundings you live in. We have already discussed the various ways in which you can detox your home in a previous post. So here, we share a few more ways in which you can ensure clean living. These are the detox practices we maintain at the Hundred Wellness Centre.

Natural Products For Our 100 Café  Kitchen

Most cafés and restaurants may not always have a menu that caters to your specific food goals. Often times, the foods will contain refined sugar and dairy which may not be mentioned in the menu. Further, the vegetable and meat produce and other ingredients are usually bought in large quantities from local markets without enough quality checks. In short, eating from outside should be at your own risk as you have no idea what exactly you put into your body.

At the 100 Café , we have a carefully curated menu of plant-based dishes, free from refined sugar and dairy. Most of the fresh ingredients we use in our kitchen are sourced from the IGR organic farm in Abu Dhabi. Apart from ensuring the quality of the foods we put in front of you, we also ensure that the ingredients used are gluten-free, reducing the chance of food allergies.

Bokashi Compost From Plant Wastes

According to the research results from Project Drawdown, effective reduction of food wastes along with smart recycling practices will help reduce more than 70 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

With that understanding, we have installed Bokashi bins, to convert our plant-based food wastes into natural compost at our centre. Bokashi is a very effective way to manage organic waste generated from homes or restaurants through an anaerobic process. Here,  all organic kitchen wastes are deposited into the bokashi bin over which inoculated barn containing Lactobacilli is spread, to ferment the waste. All the input waste in the bin are then fermented, eliminating greenhouse gas emissions in the process. 

At the centre, the liquid runoff called Bokashi tea is drained, collected and diluted with water to be sprinkled over our garden. By utilizing the nutritional value of the waste, the garden’s soil ecosystem is also revived in the best way possible, without the use of harmful chemicals. 

Safer cleaning products from Anosan

With a deeper understanding about the various chemical constituents of cleaning liquids we normally use at home or at our workplaces and how it affects the environment, there are a few companies who have pioneered the production of toxin-free products such as Ecabiotec® – a brand which we use and recommend for cleaning and disinfection.

ANOFOOD® from Ecabiotec® is a disinfectant specially used for cleaning and processing edible products. From microbial reduction in food processing to cleaning of fruits and vegetables at home, this product can be utilized without the fear of ingesting toxins. ANOFOOD® can kill 99.995% of bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores on organic foods with immediate disinfection and minimal water wastage. The product is also hypoallergenic and free of alcohol aldehydes, dyes & scents.

ANOSAN ECO® is another disinfectant product from Ecabiotec®, which can efficiently remove odor and disinfect hard to reach areas at your home or workplace such as AC ducts and vents. The product can also be used to control mold formation near air vents. ANOSAN ECO®  is completely non toxic with no need for evacuation or any precautions during its application. In fact, it is safe to inhale and consequently promote good health by suppressing dust and allergens.

Environment-Friendly Pest Control

If you have ever tried your hand at gardening or farming, you may already know how tough it is to keep the pests away. However, chemicals pesticides like glyphosate, Acephate, Deet, Propoxur, Metaldehyde, Boric Acid, Diazinon, Dursban, and DDT are not only harmful to the pests, but also to the humans who consume the fruits or vegetables that have come in contact with these products. Studies show that approximately 5.6 billion pounds of chemical pesticides are intentionally released into the environment and global food supply every year. These staggering numbers suggests that it is high time we look for a safer alternative.

HPL is one such pest control company in the UAE, focused on providing toxic-free pest control products and treatment methods. Their innovative approach reduces the chance of exposing people, pets and wildlife from all sorts of contamination and eliminates ecological risks. At the centre, we rely on their completely non-toxic treatment plans for pest control.

Detoxing your life shouldn’t be a chore, but a way of living. By making fundamental lifestyle changes and using sustainable solutions for maintaining your surroundings will help to keep toxins away from your life. I can personally vouch for these products as they have proved to be 100% effective in my detox program for The Hundred Wellness Centre. Take the next step and join the toxic-free movement. Stay healthy while contributing something towards the world we all live in.

With the dawn of affordable DNA testing, the world is now gripped by the wonderful notion of personalized diets. According to this concept, your genomes and the food you consume interact to create a life-long impact on your health. Many nutritionists in Dubai and all across the world are now looking into nutrigenomics- the study of how nutrition influences the expression of the genome. By studying an individual’s DNA test results, nutritionists are now identifying how food components interact with the cells, organs and the whole body.

Personalized nutrition has become analogous to personalized medicine. While the food market produces foods and products based on long-time consumer science, the introduction of nutrigenomics has brought new preferences and requirements among the consumers, which is slowly impacting the mainstream food production industry.

In this blog, we will discuss how personalized nutrition based on nutrigenomics must be approached.

Rule no.1: Understand that there is no ‘one diet for all’

As nutrigenomics is based on the individual DNA test results, one thing has become clear to nutritionists- There is no single diet that works best for all. No two individuals respond the same way to the same dietary interventions. Even people with similar metabolism, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels respond differently to the same diet. While some people lose more when they reduce carbs, others lose more weight when they increase complex carbs and reduce fats. 

All these point to the same thing. For unique results, it is best to skip trial and error methods and go for individual diet plans based on their DNA test results. Results from the PREDICT study by researchers from Kings College in London and Harvard Medical School also reassured the role of genetics and individual make up which translated into people’s unique responses to food. So what else is there to know about nutrigenomics?

Rule no.2: Understand that genes alone are not the deciding factors

While we stated that genes play a key role in deciding an individual response to diets, it is NOT the only factor. Most DNA testings will account for insights into how each individual reacts to carbohydrates and saturated fats, other factors like exercise, sleep habits, stress responses and even gut microbes play equally important roles.

The important thing to remember here is that personalized diets has to consider the individual as a whole to be able to give the best results. Although DNA test based diets work in favor of individual health goals, the results can be improved by managing stress levels, improving sleep quality and putting in the right amount of exercise. 

Rule no.3: Consume fresh vegetables in the meantime

In ideal circumstances, every food item you consume must help you stay fit and healthy. Even when the principles of eating healthy looks complicated, the one thing everyone should do is to put your trust in fresh vegetables. 

Plant-based diets are higher in carbohydrates. But for most people, these diets can really help their body settle into a rhythm, without starving them of the essential nutrients.

Having detailed information about your genome, biomarkers, daily habits and microbiome (gut health) are all ways to empower our nutritionists in Dubai to help prepare the best suited dietary plans. Even when you get the right meal plan, remember that what ultimately matters is your dedication and perseverance towards healthy living and complete wellness.

Pilates is one of the greatest wellness workouts out there and is steadily gaining popularity in our region. As a tool that helps in improving flexibility and strengthening the core muscles, this wonder workout has something for everyone. At The Hundred Wellness Centre, we not only use pilates as a powerful exercise style but also as a unique physiotherapy program for people recovering from injuries. Our pilates classes in Dubai are greatly focused on its rehabilitative abilities and use it systematically to condition and help our patients’ body function efficiently.

Pilates is generally known for its strengthening capabilities, affecting even the deepest muscles of the core, optimizing its alignment and creating corrective movements and patterns. This capability is leveraged by our trainers to develop a system to prevent and rehabilitate patients who have muscular injuries. In this blog, we will discuss some of the fundamental reasons why Pilates is so effective in injury rehab and prevention.

Core strengthening properties

Many of the common body injuries are caused by muscular imbalances in our body. This could be due to anything from your posture, walking style, sleeping position or sports/workout sessions. An incorrect body movement puts undue stress on your body’s core muscles, weakening them in the process. Such imbalance puts pressure, strains, pulls or tears, leading to injuries, which consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine.

Pilates is focused on the center or core muscles of your body. By getting trained in pilates, you will be able to stretch and improve your pelvic alignment, which is vital for our movement to avoid most kinds of injuries. Our rehabilitative pilates classes provide the right techniques to help build core strength without aggravating existing injuries.

Mobility and stability

A strong body has to stable and but still very mobile. For body stabilization, it is important to attain optimal mobility. We often quote the example of a tennis player here. In an ideal situation, the tennis player should have deep core strength and stable shoulder girdle, and yet, tremendous mobility of the arm to hit the ball right. Lack of core strength or shoulder stability can easily injure the player.  

Being too mobile (hypermobility) or too rigid (hypomobility) can both impact a body negatively. Stretching programs from pilates are customized to focus on both stability and mobility, giving a perfect combination of both, providing optimal performance and prevent injuries.

Increased flexibility 

Another reason why therapists recommend Pilates for rehabilitation is because of its flexible nature. With an increased degree of flexibility than most conventional exercises, Pilates workouts can be ‘personalized’ for every individual and still be very effective. There are basic exercises to very advanced ones that are used all used for strengthening and maintaining the body positions correctly, thereby maximizing the results.

Concentrated on positive movements 

Pilates as a rehabilitation tool doesn’t just help increase muscular strength or improve overall functioning. This physical ‘therapy’ has the ability to evolve positive body movements- where the patient is able to make a move without feeling any pain. The more the patient is without the pain, the more confident and positive he or she becomes. This drastically improves the quality of their everyday life. This healthy rehabilitative cycle helps patients recover faster from their injuries and of course, stay away from them as well.

Final thoughts

While traditional workout routines are perfect for keeping a healthy body in shape, Pilates for rehabilitation is tuned in such a way that it can be considered therapy. The underlying principles of pilates are perfect for rehabilitation. By combining the movements with proper therapy techniques, Pilates can be used to recover from existing injuries and prevent new ones. At The Hundred Wellness Centre, our pilates classes are headed by classically trained Pilates teachers, who are also well versed in physiotherapy.  With our rehabilitative pilates, we plan to bring complete harmony to your body through continuous therapeutic sessions.

 

 

Living healthy is a lifelong process. However, most of us are inadvertently exposed to a lot of toxins in our daily life, which can negatively impact our bodies in the long run. One of the simplest ways to reduce the impact of toxins in our day to day life is through awareness and avoidance of chemicals and artificial products that have taken root in our lives.

As someone who wants to lead a healthy life, I strongly believe in the need to detox our lives. With that in mind, I have researched far and wide to find chemical-free products that can be used every day, reducing our exposure to toxins.

Below are some of the products that I use and recommended as part of the detox program.

Use A Non-fluoride Toothpaste – Desert Essence

Fluoride is a very misunderstood chemical that we encounter in our daily life. Small quantities of fluoride is essential for our teeth remineralization, keeping them healthy. Most of us get this required dosage from normal tap water provided at homes. However, in high quantities, fluoride is an extremely strong chemical that can harm our dental and general health. This is why it is best to avoid toothpastes with added fluoride. After understanding the effects of fluoride, I have switched my toothpaste to Desert Essence, a natural toothpaste devoid of harmful chemicals including fluoride.  Desert Essence toothpaste can be ordered online from Amazon.ae or can be bought from Organic Food & Cafe in Dubai. 

Natural Teeth Whitener – Ugly By Nature Organic Activated Charcoal 

Over-the-counter teeth whiteners are quite popular all over the world due to their ease of use. However, they are loaded with bleaching chemicals, which can strip off the teeth’s natural enamel and cause sensitivity or gum irritability. 

Apart from regular brushing and flossing, I prefer the use of Organic activated charcoal from Ugly By Nature for teeth whitening. You can buy this particular product online from Amazon.ae.

Skincare And Cosmetics – Katavi, Beauty Counter And Mad Hippie

You might have noticed that your skincare and cosmetic products come with an array of multi-syllabic chemicals. While most people assume that they’re safe enough to be applied, how much do we really know about these products? 

A 2013 study showed that 1 in 10 consumers in the UAE spends around DH60,000 a year on their beauty products, which may have only gone up since then. With the high demand for beauty products in the country, it’s necessary to identify brands that use natural and FDA approved.

I prefer to use skincare products and cosmetics from brands like Katavi, Beauty Counter, and Mad Hippie. These brands promote the use of ‘clean’ and ‘vegan’ products that are approved by the FDA and safe to use on the skin. Katavi skincare range is available in the UAE and can be bought from their official website katavi.ae. If you are interested in Beauty counter and Mad Hippie products you can shop and ship them to the country.

Organic Deodorant – Dr. Organic 

Sweating is a natural process in which the toxins in our body are expelled. However, most of us are uncomfortable with sweating and body odor, which is why we tend to use deodorants. The sole purpose of deodorants is to eliminate body odor. However, most Aerosol deodorants or antiperspirants clog up the sweat glands, thereby stopping one of our body’s natural way of expelling toxins.  Aerosols antiperspirants are also known air pollutants, which is why it’s high time we say no to them and switch to a harmless alternative.

Dr. Organic roll-on deodorant is a really good product that serves the purpose without harming the body or the environment in any way. I use Dr. Organic Manuka Honey roll-on, non-spray deodorant knowing it’s helping the world around me as well. This is available online in Amazon.ae or at Holland and Barrett health shops around the UAE.

Replacing Plastic With Glass Water Bottles

Plastic is one of the most toxic materials that has invaded our everyday lives. While it has become near impossible to avoid them completely, we can reduce its use in numerous ways. For instance, replacing your drinking bottles with glass bottles will bring a lot of difference. This is especially useful for all of us who live in such a hot country. Plastic bottles heat up in hot weather, releasing chemicals into your drinking water. Imagine the amount of harmful chemicals you consume when you drink from a bottle of mineral water! The ideal way is to carry water in glass bottles as they can be reused without the worry about toxins. You can buy good quality glass bottles from any of your local hypermarkets or order them online from Amazon.ae.

Silicone Straws 

Plastic drinking straws are still one of the many things that people use every day, despite knowing its environmental impact. A lot of us even use it at home or while traveling, without thinking twice about them. 

If you are a person who uses a lot of drinking straws at home or your workplace, collapsible silicone straws are a good alternative to plastic straws. Personally, I have them with me whenever I am traveling as they are reusable and easy to carry. Collapsible silicone straws are available in Amazon.ae.

Reusable Bee’s Wrap, Cloth Bag & Reusable Food Storage Bag

How do you normally store your foods at home? People tend to keep their food in plastic containers or bags for long term storage. But is it really safe to do so? 

Studies show that plastic containers and bottles used to store foods leach small amounts of a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA) into the items stored inside them. Long term use of these materials to store your eatables can therefore negatively impact your health through the consumption of unwanted chemicals. 

A safer alternative to plastics for safe storage of edibles are reusable cloth bags, silicone bags or bee’s wrap. While cloth and silicone bags can be used to store raw foods, bees wrap can cover cooked leftovers while storing them in the refrigerator. You can buy reusable cloth bags from Amazon.ae, shop and ship Bee’s Wrap from their official website and silicone bags from Tavola.com or stasherbag.com.

Non-Stick The Original Green Pan & Stainless Steel

A lot of people depend upon Aluminium vessels for cooking their daily meals. However, cooking in Aluminium can negatively impact the users in the long run. According to Health Canada, cooking your meal in an aluminum saucepan can add approximately 1 to 2 mg of aluminum to your food, which can be highly toxic for your body.

Instead of this highly dangerous material, I have personally opted to use Green pan from The Original. This non-stick pan can resist heat, flaking and leaching harmful chemicals and thereby not react with your food in any way. Unlike stainless steel, which is also a safe option, green pan from The Original is non-sticky, which prevents the food from sticking to the pan while cooking. You can buy The Original Green Pan from Amazon.ae.

I also have quality stainless steel pots and vessels for more general uses in the kitchen. Similar to Green Pan, steel cooking surface also resists heat and flaking. Stainless steel products are ideal for heating water and cooking liquid foods like soups and gravy. With a wide range of stainless steel vessels available in the market, switching your cooking utensils has become a lot easier. Good quality steel vessels are now available online in Amazon.ae.

Eat Organic To Stay Healthy 

The food we eat plays one of the most important roles in our health and fitness. This is why many people have consciously shifted to organic foods. However, with the increased cost of these products, many of us find it hard to sustain this lifestyle in the UAE. 

If you have access to cheaper organic food in the country, always opt for the same. If you are looking to choose which foods to buy organic and which can be bought non-organic, here is a list of the ‘dirty dozen’ that you should remember. The 12 products with the highest levels of pesticides such as peaches, apples, cucumbers, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, potatoes, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and snap peas must be bought from an organic marketplace. By doing so, you can easily avoid consuming dangerous toxins along with your food daily. You can buy organic products from Organic Foods and Cafe.

Use Sea Salt Instead Of Table Salt

Although sea salt and table salt contain the same amount of sodium, the former undergoes very minimal processing, making it a much safer choice for consumption. Sea salt retains traces of minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which is essential for the body in small quantities. On the other hand, table salt is highly processed, which removes these minerals and instead uses additives to make the grains stop from sticking together. You can start buying sea salt from your local grocery store and use the same for cooking your foods.

Reduce The Use Of Processed Foods

Although our busy lifestyles force us to consume processed foods or eating out in restaurants more often than we should, it is important to consciously make an effort to reduce the consumption of such food. Ready-made foods are unhealthy and can harm your body in the long run, leading to diseases and conditions that may or may not be treatable.

The best way to look at this situation is to learn from our forefathers. Our parents and grandparents made everything from scratch as processed foods were not available during their times. By living off organic produce and home-cooked meals, they lived a much healthier life than what we have now; which is something we should look up to and follow. 

Use Natural Products For Cleaning Your Home

To maintain a clean and healthy home, regular cleaning is very essential. However, I personally advise against the use of toxic chemicals to keep your home clean. For instance, the presence of bleach and acids in cleaning products like Clorox releases chemical fumes, which is very harmful to your body, paving the way to lung diseases through continued exposure.

At my home, I use vinegar, baking soda or tea tree oil mixed with water to clean various surfaces. 

Baking soda and water can remove the dirt from your bathroom tiles, white vinegar is great for floors, windows, and mirrors. Tea tree oil, on the other hand, has antibacterial properties which makes it a great alternative to Dettol and helps disinfect your home on a daily basis. These products are not only safe for your home, but will also help save some money! 

Choose Your Fabric Softener Carefully – Seventh Generation 

Most fabric softeners are loaded with chemicals that are harmful to us. The vapors from the softeners can irritate the eyes and the respiratory passages and can be absorbed through the skin as well. As our clothes have already been cleaned with soap or detergent, softeners are not exactly a necessary product.

However, if you want to use softeners occasionally to maintain the feel of the fabric, Seventh Generation Natural Fabric Softener is a good choice. This particular product reduces static without the use of animal-derived ingredients, dyes, and synthetic fragrances and uses a biodegradable softener formula that doesn’t harm the environment. You can buy this product from Momzworld.com.

You can also choose natural methods like spraying diluted essential oil or baby cologne on your clothes before ironing to help your clothes smell great and feel fresh. 

Laundry Ball

While there are a number of detergents available, both perfumed and otherwise, they are generally considered harmful to the environment. As an alternative to conventional detergents, I switched to laundry balls for washing my clothes. Contrary to popular beliefs and arguments, I personally find them quite useful. At the most basic Eco Balls are an alternative to washing detergent and are supposed to make the Laundry clean without the addition of fabric softeners, fabric conditioners and anything else you normally add to the Laundry to get it fresh and clean.

Laundry Balls contain no detergents at al and work on the principle of Ionic cleaning. The ions released during washing will penetrate deep into the cloth fibers, cleaning them without fading them. They lift the dirt via without the need for any detergents or any of the other normal additions that most of use to get clothes clean and smelling nice.

So there you have it – 14 ways to detox your life from harmful chemicals and its long-time side effects. The products mentioned here are some of the personal recommendations that I use at my home. If you are really interested in detoxing your life the way I do, try switching to these greener alternatives and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you heard the phrase “you are what you eat”?

Just like it’s literal meaning, every food and drink we consume has some impact on our body. The food we eat is broken down into its many constituents such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals and is absorbed into our body to constantly repair, heal and rebuild its many cells. 

Science tells us that every cell in our body has a “shelf life”. For instance, a red blood cell has about four months of lifespan, while a stomach cell only lives for a day or two. This means that your body is constantly making new cells to replace the ones that have expired. And unknown to most of us, the health of these new cells is solely dependent on what we eat and how well our body absorbs the essential nutrients from it. 

Health and wellness experts recommend eating clean nutrient-rich whole foods that help our organs work better and repair the many cells in your body.  This not only helps with cell regeneration but as a result reduces our susceptibility to premature ageing and diseases.

 With a greater understanding of the need for eating good food, we at The Hundred Wellness Centre conceptualized The 100 Café – a quaint little place for nutritious food. 

What to expect at The 100 Café

Like everything we say, give and do at our centre, The 100 Café emphasizes the wellness practices and ethos we live by. Our experience with good food has helped us ensure that healthy eating doesn’t have to be exclusive. With quality produce and the best methods, healthy food can also be delicious, nutritious and comforting to one and all. At our healthy café, we provide nourishing foods on a plate that can satisfy the hunger and taste buds of our customers.

Why we choose natural produce

Did you know that the way your food is grown has a major impact on your physical and mental health?

Naturally produced foods are nutrient-rich and have less exposure to chemical pesticides/preservatives. Without the use of chemicals to grow or preserve these foods, they are fresher and healthier than conventionally grown food.

When we consume natural foods, our body gets the right nutrients necessary for its cell generation, without inhibiting any of the biological processes with the presence of harmful chemicals. In essence, this will ensure good physical and mental health in the long run.

At The Hundred Wellness Centre, we have partnered with IGR, one of the first UAE-based organic farms to be certified by the Emirates Authority for Standardization. This allows us to bring naturally produced vegetables, freshly picked from their farms in Al Rahba and Al Khawaneej to our customers through our weekly vegetable market. We also source the vegetables for our healthy café from the same farm, ensuring that all our dishes are cooked with the best produce.

After sourcing the raw materials right from farms across the world, our team has carefully curated a menu that offers plant-based foods that are free from dairy, gluten and refined sugar. At the end of the day, we want to present dishes lovingly produced by our in-house café team, made from sustainable and eco-friendly products that provide you the right nutrition always.

So the next time you are at The Hundred Wellness Centre, don’t forget to drop by The 100 café to dig into some of our mouth-watering vegan foods.