Healthy from the Inside — Diet Edition

In the last blog, we spoke at length about the aspect of making yourself Healthy by focusing on the Mental and Psychological aspects. For more details on that blog, please do click the following link; https://medium.com/@artovora/healthy-from-the-inside-chapter-1-799ef5e22d81

In this edition of Healthy from the Inside, we focus on what you put inside your body in terms of nutrition. It is essential to treat one’s body as a temple in terms of what you Eat. Each body has its own internal metabolism in the way that you digest the food, break down the chemicals, and then distribute it to the rest of your body. This all takes energy; and it requires that you give yourself the best way to digest food materials with the nutrients your body needs to function at an optimal pace.

A healthy diet also results in a healthy mind. It makes you more active, fresh, optimistic, and aware of your immediate surroundings. What are some of the foods that you should consume regularly?

1. Fruits — this is an essential source of the minerals that a body requires. Make sure to include at least 3–4 servings of fruit throughout the day. Some examples include Berries, which are very good as antioxidants. Also suggest including apples, kiwi, banana, pear amongst others of your preference.

2. Vegetables — especially leafy green vegetables, provide the body with ease of digestion, fiber, nutrients and energy to the body. This is the most essential of all nutrients, vegetables can be consumed in fairly large quantities with no harm to the digestive tract or nutritional intake of the body. Encourage you to eat more of this.

3. Green Tea / Hot Beverages — it is essential that you avoid all drinks that contain sugar, preservatives and fizz. It’s better to stick to Hot Drinks, especially Green Tea which has many healing qualities. Coffee is also ok, provided you stick to keeping it at low doses throughout the day. Water is best consumed with a piece of lemon and cucumber soaked inside to provide the added minerals to the body.

4. Grains — Whole Grain is a much better source of nutrients than your regular white bread. I even suggest Sourdough or Rye bread wherever possible as a better substitute. Personally, I’ve even switched out of White Rice and Pasta into more nutritionally better options.

5. Protein — Without going into the discussion of eating Non-Veg or Veg; it is important that whatever be your preference, you avoid processed products and try to eat freshly prepared protein sources only. In Veg options, where some feel protein is difficult to get, it is apt to increase the consumption of Nuts, Tofu, Tempeh along with lentils.

6. Dairy — this is not so essential as most people think; it is a source of calcium and some other minerals, but you can have them in small portions. It is also possible to use safe supplements to substitute the benefits of dairy.

What to Avoid making sure you are following a healthy Diet?

- Fried Food, this is the absolute Worst of all ways to cook food. Look towards grilling, broiling, baking as ways to cook your vegetables and meats.

- Sugar — this is an absolute No-No; especially if its processed and added additionally.

- Junk Food — there is absolutely no nutritional benefit from this kind of eating, and it results in poor digestion and damage to your internal organs.

- Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking inhalation

While being strict with your diet, do keep aside a couple of days once in a while where you can let yourself cheat with a Cake, Ice-Cream, Pizza and something else which you crave. Just ensure that you work double hard to burn it off at the gym, and get back to focused nutrition the next day. Feel free also to take some supplements which are safe for the body, such as a Daily Vitamin supplement, Calcium, Omega (if you don’t eat Fish), Curcumin. Wherever possible, first try to include it in natural form through the diet.

Try to incorporate this diet into your routine for a period of 30 days; and see the effect it has on your health, both physically and mentally. Write to me about your experience, I would be very happy to know and share my practices as well.