These covid times have brought back safeguarding our health and wealth back in fashion. We were cruising along on the highway and suddenly have had to come to a screeching stop.
It is not surprising to see the focus shifting on physical health, mental health, financial stability, wealth management and connecting to family and friends!
Life is what you make from it.
I am going to suggest 5 easy peasy ways to eat well.
Eating well is a puzzle! While some will concentrate heavily on proteins, some may like to drink a lot of different teas or juices, while few others will only believe in eating freshly made food. But these are only the pieces of the puzzle!
To complete the whole puzzle, a balanced diet is necessary. A balanced diet is not impractical and is sustainable. Eating in tune to your likes and culture and tastebuds is not difficult.
It may puzzle you to know that even fruits(fructose) may cause bloating!
Choose foods that don’t come with a label
Packaged foods will more than often contain hidden preservatives and a long ingredient list! Your best choices should be cooking from scratch or buying foods with minimal ingredients on their package.
Nutrients are better absorbed and assimilated in the intestines if there are minimal cooking steps! For eg, Pasta with vegetables is a better choice to Ravioli!
Healthy does not mean less calories
Refrain from labelling foods as good and bad.
No particular food can be good or bad on it’s own.
Snacking on nuts and seeds throughout the day can add 500-800 extra calories per day without realization. Sometimes a burger can be more satisfying and may contain lesser calories than a traditional meal!
Tally colours, not calories
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables everyday. Most of us are quite conscious of this fact. But you may want to ask yourself if you are varying these colours daily. Every ingredient has its own magical properties and variation is the key instead of eating a bowl of berries everyday, for instance!
Limit that Cooking oil
Olive oil or Canola oil or any other, they all contain the same calories!
Oils are calorically dense, hence it is wise to limit the amounts anyways. But do not banish them completely as they have some very important functions in the body.
Coconut oil, ghee, butter are saturated fats and harden at room temperature. The liquid oils contain unsaturated fats and a balance of both is essential.
Hence, vary the oils in your kitchen!
Eating behaviour – let’s behave!
Eating at a table at all times is a small change which goes a long way in your journey to wellness.
Eating mindfully and chewing slowly is easier said than done!
Refrain from accompanying your meals with a crunchy little something or a sweet little something.
Eating habits need to be cultivated too. Children will look up to their parents as role models. So we need to first start practicing before we preach!
MANSi is a registered dietician in Belgium and practices online. Her path breaking No-Diet Approach has helped many on their journey to wellness!
