We are increasingly interested not only in what we eat and drink, but in how our diet might be affecting our general health and well-being. It has long been recognised that dietary deficiencies and imbalances can cause serious medical conditions. Remember the stories from your school days about sailors getting scurvy on long voyages, until an early nutritionist worked out that adding limes and lemons to their diet would eliminate the problem? That was nutritional therapy in action. Life span, health, immunity, energy, metabolism, complexion, strength, enthusiasm, mental and emotional clarity are all adversely affected by food.
Actually, you are what you digest and assimilate, and you become diseased by the foods that your body does not digest. People are plagued with many illnesses, primarily due to unhealthy dietary choices. Even those who have an interest in eating well are overwhelmed by the myriad of temporary popular views; these must be juggled with eating habits deeply ingrained in us from childhood. Here are some basic eating guidelines which have been tested and proved over thousands of years which we should try to cultivate in our eating habits:
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· Do not confuse thirst with hunger. Many times people confuse thirst with hunger. Grab a glass of water before eating anything in between meals. You might be just thirsty and not hungry.
· Try to eat at almost the same times every day for the digestive system to function efficiently.
· Last meal should be two hour before going to sleep.
· Sit down when eating and eat in a peaceful environment (that means no TV, reading, heated discussions, etc).
· There is a relationship between mood and food. People tend to eat wrong foods like brownies, chocolates, pizzas etc when emotionally upset. Try to indulge in some activity like dancing or cycling and de-stress your mind.
· Don’t over eat just because it’s tasty. Overeating causes problems like indigestion, acidity and creates toxins in the digestive tract.
· As much as possible, eat fresh and seasonal foods.
These dietary changes may feel like sacrifices in the beginning, but your optimum health and longevity is worth it. In understanding why diet is such a factor in optimum health, we can stay inspired to make these lifelong changes and reap many benefits at all stages of life.
Celebrity Harpreet Pasricha, who is also a practising nutritionist, assists people along the right path to weight loss and is also involved in planning diets for people suffering from lifestyle disorders and medical problems. Also specialising in Paediatric and Sports Nutrition, Harpreet is the author of the book ‘Nourish with Food & Flourish with Health’
