Eating healthy does not need to be complicated, or require a lot of effort. You need to just stick to the basics to improve your overall health. Understanding and observing our body, and becoming aware of the signals that our body gives us, is enough to take care of ourselves and be healthy.
To give an example; deficiency of vitamin B, which can be caused by poor adrenal gland function, results in low energy levels. So if you are low in energy, increase your food intake with vitamin B.
Including food groups rich in Vitamin B such as eggs, whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, like spinach, broccoli, sunflower seeds etc. will help raise the Vitamin levels in your body.
Health is our own responsibility, which cannot be blamed on anybody as you choose how healthy you are going to be. Medical problems and illness can be avoided or delayed, depending on the lifestyle that you lead. You should keep in mind the following tips to eat your way out of illnesses:
- Enhance your Breakfast: Studies show people who start the day with breakfast cereal have higher intakes of vitamins and fibre and lower intakes of fat and saturated fat. For the healthiest cereal, choose one with at least five grams of fibre and no more than eight grams sugar per serving. Pour on skim milk for an added bonus!
- Add fruits and vegetables to all your meals. Add one fruit or vegetable to every meal, which will help lower blood pressure and improve health. Try apples for breakfast, raw cucumber or carrots with lunch and fruit salad with dinner
- Proteins are responsible for building and repair of muscles and are also the energy source for our body so it is important for women to at least take 44gms and men 56gms of proteins in their diet on a daily basis
- Fibre acts as an important nutrient source with a minimal amount of calories. Fibre is absorbent in nature, when you eat fiber you consume more water, which serves the purpose of having clean bowels movement and an increasing your metabolic rate
- Go Vegan majorly. Eat meatless meals for at least 5 days per week or more. Choose a paneer/mushroom curry instead of chicken or mutton curry, vegetable sandwich in place of a chicken sandwich, veggie burger instead of hamburger. You'll consume less fat and saturated fat, plus increase your fiber intake!
- Have at least 5 small meals a day in place of 3 big ones to keep your metabolic rate high which in turn helps in weight loss. A good day’s diet should have small and frequent meals i.e.5 meals in the day rather than 3 big meals
- It is important to follow your body's signals and eat when your body requires. When you avoid food, your blood sugar levels drop and causes fluctuating energy levels, mood swings and cravings. Eat when the body demands; the food will be digested and absorbed better
- Do not fast, do not feast. Neither skip meals nor have everything in one meal. We need to learn to eat when we are hungry & stop when sufficiently full
Guest Author
The author is Nutritionist and Health Coach who has been practicing in Delhi for over a decade
