Indian-related stories
Bollywood Booty - DVD Review
Who doesn't love Bollywood dancing? It's energetic, it's beautiful, and it's fun! And although I wasn't completely satisfied with the last Bollywood-inspired workout I did, I was excited to try Bollywood Booty, featuring fitness star and yogini Hemalayaa.
The video is beautifully shot, and Hemalayaa makes all of the moves look easy and natural. She has two other women dancing with her who also do a great job. And, some of the moves are guaranteed to get you giggling, which is part of the point -- throughout the 45-minute workout, you're constantly reminded to smile and enjoy yourself.
If you've watched much Bollywood dancing, you'll definitely appreciate learning some of the names of the hand and arm movements -- seeing those broken down definitely makes the whole style much more approachable. But is the video worth your hard-earned money?
Get Bollywood Fit With Masala Bhangra
Looking for a new, fun way to shape up that booty? How about going Bollywood?
One of this year's biggest movies, Slumdog Millionaire, isn't just bringing attention to the stars of the film -- it's also shining a bit of light on a form of fitness that's actually been around for awhile, Masala Bhangra. New York-based fitness instructor Sarina Jain is celebrating her tenth year of teaching the Masala Bhangra dance workout, and has six Masala Bhangra fitness videos out (the most recent being Back to Bollywood, which I'll be reviewing soon right here at That's Fit).
Masala means "spicy" and Bhangra is a folk dance from the northern part of India -- you can definitely see where both come into play! The workout has a bunch of celeb fans, too -- Paulina Porizkova takes Sarina's class every week, and Deepak Chopra likes the workout so much that he's had Sarina speak at his retreats. Additionally, So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Nakul Mahajan loves it, and after seeing the dance he choreographed for the show last season, who wouldn't love it, too?
Check out the video above to see what this cultural dance workout is all about, and be sure to click on the America Takes It Off badge below for more ways to shape up and lose weight!

3 post-workout power foods
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Workout wisdom says to put something in your body after exercise takes so much out. What's the best something, though? How about whole-grain cereal, a bite of Indian takeout, or a big fat non-fat latte? RealAge says these are real possibilities.Why these three snacks? Because they have something in common, capable of helping the body recover post-workout -- the three C's: Carbs, Curcumin, and Caffeine.
A carbohydrate-rich snack like cereal restores glycogen -- the stuff muscles use for energy -- and helps conquer fatigue. Curcumin, a substance found in the Indian spice turmeric, helps minimize muscle inflammation. And caffeine. It works to block muscle-pain-producing substances. Coffee has other health benefits too.
A spicy way to fight pancreatic cancer
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Can certain foods really protect you against cancer? RealAge thinks so and reports that turmeric is just the spice for the prevention of pancreatic cancer, the very disease that just took the life of The Last Lecture guy Randy Pausch and is giving actor Patrick Swayze a run for his money.It's curcumin, the yellow stuff found in turmeric, that works wonders on tumor cells. When researchers added the substance to cancerous pancreatic cells, production practically shut down. Thumbs up, then, for the spice that gives curry and other Far Eastern dishes it's strong and distinctive flavor.
These foods also keep pancreas happy: Onions, arugula, fish, eggs, poultry, D-fortified cereal, and dairy.
You Are What You Eat: Turmeric is terrific
Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!
Being someone who loves to travel, I'm drawn to ethnic foods, tastes from around the world. So many cultures have different forms of curry, but my favourite is a good, spicy Indian curry. Provided it's not loaded with too much cream or sodium, curry is loaded with healthy ingredients like fresh veggies and spices. One of the key ingredients, of course, is Turmeric, and it's one of the main reasons you should eat more curry.
Why? The reasons are almost endless.
Being someone who loves to travel, I'm drawn to ethnic foods, tastes from around the world. So many cultures have different forms of curry, but my favourite is a good, spicy Indian curry. Provided it's not loaded with too much cream or sodium, curry is loaded with healthy ingredients like fresh veggies and spices. One of the key ingredients, of course, is Turmeric, and it's one of the main reasons you should eat more curry.
Why? The reasons are almost endless.
Heal your brain with these six boosters
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
We all know 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week does the body good. Add these steps to your 30-minute routine, and Michael F. Roizen, MD, says you'll keep your brain young.
- Eat Indian. Each week, eat six curry dishes or six teaspoons of dark mustard, or a combination of the two, and you may lower your Alzheimer's risk.
- Teach. You're more likely to retain information if you explain it to someone else.
- Go Tomatoes. Take in 10 tablespoons of tomato sauce (with olive oil and no added sugar). Do this every week and your brain will thank you.
- Laugh. Laughter really is good medicine. It's good enough to improve memory, in fact.
- Drink Coffee. More help on the Alzheimer's front. No cream or sugar allowed.
- Go Fish. Make it fish with low toxins, three to four times per week, or take molecularly distilled fish oil each day.
Some very good reasons to spice up your food
I love spicy food -- though not as much as my partner Jon does (he's notorious for putting hot sauce on everything.) -- and it's a good thing I do because spicy foods are actually really good for you (though they might be hard on your gut if you're not used to them.) According to Fitsugar, spicy foods can do the following for you:
- Help you lose weight
- Help you build muscle
- Help you fight off Alzheimer's
- Help improve your overall mood






















