You can’t fix your health until you fix your diet.  Diet is indispensable to the continuous of life. Healthy diet is called balanced diet in terms of nutrition. A balanced diet delivers body with all essential nutrients, for instance proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals in optimum quantity. These amounts of macro-nutrient and micro-nutrient will furnish our body accordingly, abundance as well as inadequacy is injurious to health.  So deviation in any single nutrient causes disturbance in whole body functioning. So here are some strategies to modify your day to day diet into balanced diet:

Eat slowly:

The rate at which you eat really matters, it is noticed that the people eating with high rate are more prone to gain weight and other complications related to gastrointestinal tract and serum electrolyte balance. It is investigated that our appetite is controlled hormones; definitely all hormones related to GIT are checked by hypothalamus (brain). This is our brain who decides the exact amount to be ingested. About 20 minutes are required by brain to decide it. So it’s necessary to eat slowly, give brain enough time to decide. On the other hand, eating steadily provide stomach with well chewed food, which is more likely to assimilate properly.

Prefer whole grains instead of refined:

Natural things are glorious and to know them is more glorious. Natural grains or whole grains are rich in complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index, which has slow influence on blood glucose level and prevents diabetes; also impart well fed state till the next meal.  Furthermore whole grains also comprise of essential vitamins, especially B vitamins and minerals including zinc, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese etc. It is necessary to supply your body with natural things if you are healthy. On the other hand, refined grains lack in one or more nutrients, processed according to demand. These refined grains are beneficial in case of any disorder or abnormality for instance allergies or body intolerance.

Add yogurt to your diet:

Yogurt is source of prebiotics and probiotics, the feed of microorganisms and live microorganisms living in our digestive tract respectively. They are live beneficial bacteria, involve in fighting many digestive problems, including diarrhea, constipation. They improve body immunity. Yogurt is rich in proteins, fats and sugars, so consuming it before any meal will reduce your food intake by inducing a fulfilled sensation, so try to consume it after meal. It is also preferred to take after your dinner, to provide your digestive tract with probiotics and prebiotics to combat problems related to GIT. Consumption of yogurt in the breakfast is healthy for weight loss purpose but without sugar addition, yogurt will sustain you for hours.

Healthy diet plan:

Plan your diet by your nutritionist and get balanced diet with optimal servings. Try to follow food guide pyramid, that recommends per day:

• 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and beans
• 2-4 servings from fruit group
• 6-11 servings of rice, bread and cereals
• 2-3 servings of milk and yogurt including cheese
• 3-5 servings from vegetables
• Use of fat sparingly

Include eggs in breakfast:

Eggs are healthy, accommodates good quality proteins, choline and omega 3 fatty acids. Consumption of eggs induces feeling of fullness whole day, maintains the meals timing. It prevent late nigh craving, hence plays important role in weigh lose purpose.

Drink plenty of water:

Plenty of water causes weight loss as water regulates many metabolic process burning 200 more calories. Before any meal it limits the food consumption, also maintains electrolyte balance by maintaining urination and sweating. Ask your dietitian to recommend you with proper fluid intake and stay hydrated.

Limit fried or grilled food:

Such food items form many toxic and carcinogenic compounds after high fat and heat treatment, which leads to cancer propagation and chronic heart diseases.

Gain vitamin D:

Vitamin D is naturally obtained from sunshine. Its deficiency causes bone weakness and loss of body immunity. Try to gain it naturally, or by supplementation to maintain body functioning properly.

Avoid fast foods:

Fast food is known to be empty caloric; such food items are caloric dense leading to obesity but are without nutrients.

Choose baked potatoes:

Potatoes are rich sources of potassium and magnesium; maintain blood pressure, muscle electrochemical contraction, neurotransmission and membrane potential. Try to consume them on daily basis as a snack but in baked form instead of fried.

Fresh vegetable salad:

Try to consume it with every meal as it is rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals and fibers. But restrict the salad dressings which are much harmful to body. Addition of vinegar or lime juice with salts and black pepper are acceptable choices.

Prefer raw fruits over juices:

Fruits are loaded with sugars, vitamins and minerals, but the sugar in fruits is different from the sugars of juices. Because they are found to be in bounded form with low glycemic index in natural fruits. On the other hand, juices elevate blood glucose level rapidly causing diabetes and obesity, because simple sugars are in excess and cause sudden elevation in blood glucose level.

Be physically active:

Physical exercise is a key to healthy and active body. Try to change your sedentary lifestyles with 30-60 minutes of exercise regularly. Exercise keeps your body cell receptors sensitive and maintains steady state of metabolism.

Limit sugary or energy drinks:

These drinks are abundant in sugars, elevate blood sugar level rapidly, causing loss of appetite due to which body is deprived of many nutrients. Extra sugar is deposited into liver and adipocytes, causing enlarged fatty liver and obesity respectively.

Sleep and wake cycle:

Consult your doctor or dietitian to recommend you with proper sleeping hours according to your body demand and stay healthy.

Promote healthy snacks consumption by your child:

Children require snacks to fulfill their high caloric demands for growth and development. Provide them with healthy snacks including popcorns, instead of fried items or sugary candies.

Healthy oil selection:

Oil is the sensitive part of our diet. A minute alteration in its requirements can cause serious health hazards, for instance hypercholestremia, hyperlipidemia and deficiency of HDL (good quality cholesterol).  Fats are involved in building up structure of body cells as well as tissues. So try to consume olive oil or avocado oils because others are imbalance in their constituents ratio and cause inflammations.

Tea:

Try to replace your tea with green tea to boost up your metabolism and burn more calories. Take your tea before or after 2 hours of any meal to prevent malabsorption of iron and other essential minerals from your feed.

Author: Rabiya Jamil