EATING RIGHT FOR GOOD HEALTH

The other day I happened to watch a programme in which a doctor was speaking on certain simple things one can do to be healthy. I don't know the name of the programme. I just came across it while clicking away from one channel to another.

An interesting thing he said was people who consume non-veg take in quite a quantity of meat, fish, chicken etc. in a week. Actually a person need only take a maximum of 700 gms of meat, fish, chicken in a week and not more. We are not built to consume and digest large quantities of meat. Meat items can produce cancer causing agents when cooked at high temperatures such as frying, baking, barbecueing. It is also said that meat consumed everday, upon digestion can create cancer causing agents. Make it a point to have lots of vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. They do you a whole lot of good. If you are worried about your protein intake, legumes and dals and mushrooms are a good source. Consuming wheat and brown rice not only gives you the energy from carbohydrates but gives you the fibre as well. The most easily available fruits like apple, banana and orange in your daily diet will pep you up and give you vital nutrients as well. The green leafy vegetables are definite must in your diet. Fried foods are best avoided. Milk and yoghurt are excellent sources of protein. You can choose to consume skim milk and low fat yoghurt if you want to avoid the fat content in it.

It is pleasurable to consume food that is 'tasty'. But before you cook at home, buy food or order food in a restaurant or invite guests over, be caring towards yourself, family and friends, and choose to prepare/consume food that is rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals and which is low in fat and sugar. If you have healthy and low calorie meal, you can actually feel energised and alert and comfortable whereas if you were to consume a high calore meal, high in fat and sugar, you end up feeling sluggish and sleepy and your mind would be in no condition to perform its optimum.

Stay away from processed, ready to heat and eat foods, foods with additives and preservations, packeted juices, chips and soft drinks.

A change in lifestyle and food choices can alter your health to a large extent, with an exercise regimen of atleast two hours per week, be it walking or a combination of cardio, yoga and aerobics, whatever you please. To kick start your day, have a good breakfast.

Eat right and feel good, feel healthy!