Fitness matters. Review on Useful Healthy Eating Habits

We all have deep concerns

about fitness for cosmetic and health reasons. Tougher still is making

sense of his/her conflicting claims on the best ways to get fit.

However, doctors and nutritionists say the secret to lasting good

health is not a quick weight-loss plan, fad-diet, or gorging on

‘super-foods’ but building Good Eating Habits. This means consistently

watching what you eat - planning each meal and its timing, following simple rules.

A balanced meal sounds simple, but most times we slip up eating more

of one food over the other because it’s our favourite or easier to

source and/or cook. Result: nutritional imbalances.

1. Ensure your

meal incorporates the five food groups: cereals and grains; pulses and

legumes, fruits and vegetables; milk and meat products; nuts and

oilseeds/oil.

.

1. Drink two litres of water daily to maintain body’s water-balance,

flush out toxins, prevent dehydration and build-up of kidney stones,

etc.

1. Trim portion size.It's directly proportional to waist-size. Moderation is the key to healthy eating. Each person should determine for him/herself or in consultation with a nutritionist, how much they need to add or cut down and of what,  given their current constitution.

   
   




2. Limit portions even of healthy foods. Olive oil is healthy but an olive oil drenched vegetable/pesto-sauce isn't.

   
   




3. Eat plenty of greens.They provide iron, fibre, calcium, and prevent indigestion, constipation.

   
   

Minimalism is in. Cook using minimum oil/ghee/butter. Unfortunately,

some ruin that effect by smearing that dry roti or roasted papad with

oil/butter/ghee or adding dollops of ghee to steamed, starch-drained

rice.

6.  You can’t do away with oil, ghee and butter; some of it’s actually

healthy. Only, minimise their use. Steaming, broiling, roasting and

poaching are healthy alternatives to deep-frying, shallow-frying,

sautéing in lots of oil/ghee

1. Avoid recycled oil or ghee.It’s rich in cancer-causing carcinogens.Sadly many indian homes and street food vendors repeatedly recycle cooking-oil/ghee.

   
   




2. Fresh fruits and vegetables(including garlic, onion)

   
   

are weapons against cancer, digestive ailments, heart disease.

1. Conversely, limit foods high in cholesterol, saturated fat,

transfat, salt and added sugar; like   creamy pastries, cakes,

chocolates, doughnuts, cheeseburgers, French fries, soft drinks, sweets

Vitamin tablets are health-aids but your natural diet is the better source.

10.  Adhere to regular meal-timings. Else, your body is thrown

off-balance attempting to compensate. Also eat a good breakfast, followed by a moderate lunch and right dinner. High-fatty meals are particularly to be avoided at dinner as there is little physical activity after consumption so unused excessive calories are converted into fat stored in the body.

Finally, when it comes to the overall good-health menu, eating right

is a major but not the only item. For best results, include: Regular

exercise; regular check-ups. no -smoking; a package of positive

thinking; yoga; and meditation.