A Healthy Diet For Life
Namita Nayyar

Having established that your body needs a well balanced diet, with a good supply of carbohydrates, especially high – fiber foods, water vitamins and minerals, and a certain amount of protein, fat and bacteria, you need to know how to put it into practice.
Much media attention is focused on foods that one should not have, yet there has been very little to tell women how they can use food to enhance their life rather than make it more difficult. Forget the labels; every figure is relative and food manufacturers are frequently very selective about what they tell you, making your task of deciding what is right for you an impossible one. Instead build your choices on the following guidelines.

RESPECT YOUR MOUTH AND BODY: GET INTO THE HABIT OF ONLY EATING THINGS YOU LIKE AND NEED

Before you put anything in your mouth, ask yourself three questions: Do I want it/ Do I like it/ Do I need it?

If you want it and like it then go ahead and enjoy it, if you dont why bother wasting the eating experience? Throw all the boring, unnecessary eating out of your life.

The worst thing you can do with food is to feel guilty about eating it. If you have eaten something that you know is not the healthier but you really fancied it or were in a situation where you didnt have any choice, enjoy it an forget about it. Dont beat yourself up with guilt. Guilt is a negative emotion, which is likely to lead you to bingeing on comfort foods. This can then get you into a negative sugar or salt cycle in which you eat more of these foods, which in turn makes you feel even more guilty. You might then decide its not worth continuing with you healthy eating lifestyle. It is always worth persevering. Remember that life is for living and food is there to help us, not hinder us.

AIM TO EAT FIVE PORTIONS OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES EVERY DAY

This provides your body with a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, to maintain your body in peak condition to fight diseases. Fiber helps your food to move effectively through the body, keeps you feeling pleasantly full and satisfied and in control of your eating habits, and your energy levels steady.

EAT THREE MEALS A DAY

This is usually made up of one main meal, a smaller snack or lunch-type meal and breakfast. You may, however, feel that you need two smaller snacks, such as a piece of fruit, a small sandwich or a piece of cake, in between two smaller meals. It all depends on your body rhythms. Meals should be based on carbohydrates, such as pasta, whole-meal bread, wholegrain cereals, rice or potatoes, along with fruits and/or vegetables. The main meal should include a source of lean protein, along with carbohydrate and plenty of vegetables and fruits.

CHOOSE LEAN SOURCES OF PROTEIN

Fish, shellfish, lean red meat, game, poultry, eggs or pulses meet your bodys protein requirements without overloading on fats.

TRY TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF USING JUST A SMALL AMOUNT OF FAT

You can use butter, olive oil, sesame oil or walnut oil to enhance the flavor of your food or for cooking, but do try to keep the quantity low.

KEEP YOUR INTAKE OF REFINED SUGAR FOODS LOW

Too much sugar disrupts your natural energy balance, and can cause headaches; mood swings and if eaten in large quantities sugar sensitivity problems such as hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus. It is much better to get into the habit of using the natural sugars in fruits to provide sweetness.

INCLUDE SOME DAIRY PRODUCTS OR ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF CALCIUM IN YOUR DAILY DIET

This has far reaching benefits for all women of all age group .

DRINK TWO THREE LITERS (FOUR TO FIVE PINTS) OF WATER EVERY DAY

Water helps the fiber in your food to swell and perform its duties. It also helps to metabolize other nutrients from your food, keep your skin and hair healthy and prevent your body from becoming dehydrated.

TRY NOT TO DRINK MORE THAN THREE CUPS OF COFFEE, TEA OR COLA .

All such drinks contain caffeine, which inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals from the gut, causes your body to excrete vital nutrients and interferes with the fluid and energy balance mechanisms in your body. Caffeine also causes your body to be stimulated in an artificial way, which in the long run has the opposite effect of supressing your performance and general feeling of well

INCLUDES SOME GOOD BACTERIA IN YOUR DAILY DIET, IN THE FORM OF LIVE YOGURT CONTAINING BIFIDUS AND ACIDOPHILUS

A small pot of bio yogurt a day should help to keep a healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut. If you dont like or are unable to eat live yogurt, seek the advice of your dietician

TRY TO EAT REGULARLY AND IDEALLY NOT LEAVE YOUR STOMACH EMPTY FOR MORE THAN FOUR TO FIVE HOUR

This helps to keep your gut functioning effectively. Regular eating helps your gut maintain a steady supply of digestive enzymes, protects it from excess acid secretion and enables it to metabolize food in the most efficient way, to keep your energy level and moods on an even keel

KEEP YOUR ALCOHOL INTAKE MODERATE

Some drinks, especially young red wines such as Beaujolais, contain anti-oxidant vitamins and minerals, which can help to reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers. Beers and Champagnes can also provide beneficial nutrients. Drinking can be a very pleasurable part of a healthy lifestyle, but drinking to excess can cause liver damage, mood and energy-balance problems. Try not to drink on an empty stomach as this can cause your blood sugar levels to crash.

FOOD COMBINING/SEPARATING

The issue of whether you should eat proteins and carbohydrates at the same meal is one that regularly crops up in the media. Some diet consultants feel strongly that proteins and carbohydrates should be separated, and advocate that proteins should be eaten only with vegetables and fruit, not mixed with carbohydrates. Many people feel that their body functions better if they out this into practice; it is commonly known as food combining.
From the physiological and nutritional viewpoint, proteins (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, nuts, pulses) provide the body with amino acids, used as building blocks within muscles and other tissues. Carbohydrates provide energy and fiber. If you eat proteins on their own, without carbohydrate present, the protein can be broken down into energy, rather than used for building body tissue. Proteins also have other important functions to perform in maintaining body health and carbohydrates protect proteins, enabling them to fulfill these functions.

The choice is yours, but there is no physiological reasoning behind food combining. I believe that food is there to be enjoyed. Women should not have to agonize over whether they are allowed to eat certain things at certain times.

To know more on how to make healthy choices of food while eating ,log on to www.womenfitness.net,a complete resource for healthy living .

About the Author

Ms Namita Nayyar is a gold medalist in M Sc (Child development)and a fitness trainer with a sound knowledge of normal & therapeutic nutrition . She is the founder of Women Fitness (www.womenfitness.net)

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Winter has been unforgiving. What exceptional thing to do during the cold season than to sit in a couch and munch on some goodies while keeping yourself cozy and warm? It seems like yesterday when you were struggling to lose your winter coat; before you even know it, summer is in its full effect. The wee you feel warm enough to wear shorts, you realized something: The beach is beckoning and you are not prepared for it, physically! You panic and think of stapling your mouth for a week or two, until you look good on your swim wear, as your summer weight loss solution.

It can really be a tussle to shed excess fats and most people fall into a summer weight loss dilemma every time. Wacky diet, starvation, and diet pills are beckoning and giving you hopes of slimming down for that stinking rich costume. Summer weight loss doesnt have to mercenary starving yourself to slant your best in shorts or swimsuit. The uncelebrated to weight loss is to eat healthy foods; food choices are actually easy to make during summertime because high calorie dishes are less appealing during the hot season. Catch advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are at their peak and at their best in summer. Refreshing and light foods are bountiful and keeps you out of the hot kitchen.

Experts lip that the best summer weight loss diet is to load up with natures produce. Fruits and vegetables are blue in calorie but loaded with crucial vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and fiber to help your body flush those unwanted toxins and fats. Aside from their health benefits, they are delectable, juicy, and satisfy the taste buds. Berries, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, cucumbers, peas and other greens are available at farmers markets and grocery stores. Avoid portion control and go ahead and eat all the fruits and vegetables you can get your hands on. Summer weight loss with natures bounty will do your waistline no damage.

If you are wonderment what the healthiest summer weight loss foods are, here is a list of dieticians and experts food recommendation:

Berries are luscious and sweet but there is more to berries that meets the fascination. They are known to boost antioxidant levels and help dilute the effects of ageing. Berries are also rich in nutrients that help lower cholesterol level.

Watermelons are loved because they are watery, chewed, and crisp, perfect for satisfying thirst during the hot season. If you want a tasty summer weight loss, mix slices of watermelon with milk, water, and ice cubes. Whirl in a blender and your whole secretion is ready in a snap.

Garden salads are the best bet for time and cost efficient summer weight loss meal. They are easy to prepare and the perfect way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress your salad with healthy oils like extra headmost olive oil, walnut oil or your choice of other healthy oils. Salads are a great way of letting yourself off the hook from the hot kitchen.

Healthy eating is your best summer weight loss plan. Enjoy a hearty meal and reap the benefits of losing weight, staying fit, and living a healthy lifestyle. Jumpstart your summer weight loss with fruits and vegetables and get in shape for your favorite swimsuit.

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Winter has been unforgiving. What better thing to do during the cold season than to sit in a couch and munch on some goodies while keeping yourself cozy and warm? It seems like yesterday when you were struggling to lose your winter coat; before you even know it, summer is in its full effect. The minute you feel warm enough to wear shorts, you realized something: The beach is beckoning and you are not prepared for it, physically! You panic and think of stapling your mouth for a week or two, until you look good on your swim wear, as your summer weight loss solution.

It can really be a struggle to shed excess fats and most people fall into a summer weight loss dilemma every year. Wacky diet, starvation, and diet pills are beckoning and giving you hopes of slimming down for that swimming costume. Summer weight loss doesnt have to mean starving yourself to look your best in shorts or swimsuit. The secret to weight loss is to eat healthy foods; food choices are actually easy to make during summertime because high calorie dishes are less appealing during the hot season. Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables that are at their peak and at their best in summer. Refreshing and light foods are bountiful and keeps you out of the hot kitchen.

Experts say that the best summer weight loss diet is to load up with natures produce. Fruits and vegetables are low in calorie but loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, plus antioxidants and fiber to help your body flush those unwanted toxins and fats. Aside from their health benefits, they are delectable, juicy, and satisfy the taste buds. Berries, tomatoes, zucchini, melons, cucumbers, peas and other greens are available at farmers markets and grocery stores. Forget portion control and go ahead and eat all the fruits and vegetables you can get your hands on. Summer weight loss with natures bounty will do your waistline no damage.

If you are wondering what the healthiest summer weight loss foods are, here is a list of dieticians and experts food recommendation:

Berries are luscious and sweet but there is more to berries that meets the appetite. They are known to boost antioxidant levels and help reduce the effects of ageing. Berries are also rich in nutrients that help lower cholesterol level.

Watermelons are loved because they are watery, juicy, and crisp, perfect for satisfying thirst during the hot season. If you want a tasty summer weight loss, mix slices of watermelon with milk, water, and ice cubes. Whirl in a blender and your perfect juice is ready in a snap.

Garden salads are the best bet for time and cost efficient summer weight loss meal. They are easy to prepare and the perfect way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress your salad with healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil or your choice of other healthy oils. Salads are a great way of letting yourself off the hook from the hot kitchen.

Healthy eating is your best summer weight loss plan. Enjoy a hearty meal and reap the benefits of losing weight, staying fit, and living a healthy lifestyle. Jumpstart your summer weight loss with fruits and vegetables and get in shape for your favorite swimsuit.

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