|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Healthy eating need not have exotic and expensive foods that can mess up your budget. Many fresh and local foods can also provide several health benefits
Healthy food is the way to succeed in life. It is the sole way to improve one's performance, memory, and mood, increase immunity, prevent diseases, putting on or losing weight. The secret of so called "fountain of youth" lies in lots of healthy food. It is also a myth that healthy eating needs to have many exotic expensive foods that can mess up your budget. There are many fresh and local foods that have a large number of health benefits. Here are a few tips Eat seasonal: It is the best way one can stay healthy, as these foods are fresh, wholesome and far cheaper than non-seasonal vegetables and fruits. For example, peas in winter are available in abundance at reasonable price, as are the leafy greens, carrots, yams, brinjal, oranges apples, etc. These seasonal vegetables and fruits are fresh tasty and inexpensive. So best is to eat according to the season. Eat local: Vegetables and fruits and other products which are available in your area would be more fresh and cheap than similar things arriving from far-off places. Choose healthy, low-priced beverages: Opt for water, green tea and black tea (unsweetened), vegetable soups, lemon water (sweet or salted), buttermilk plain or salted, etc. Herbal infusions can be made at home by adding lemon-grass, ginger, mint, tulsi, etc. Fruit smoothies: These are better and more filling than fruit juices. Water: It costs nothing, add a segment of cucumber or rose water or grapefruit it adds a zing to it. Banana: It is a staple fruit in India. It is one of the cheaper fruits, nutritious and available throughout the year. Besides, it is caloric dense, gives you energy, maintains normal blood pressure and aids healthy digestion. Turmeric: It is worth its weight in gold. It has loads of medicinal properties; it is a natural antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-histamine, anti-Alzheimer's, a powerful anti-oxidant that prevents free radical damage and cancer cells from multiplying, a natural liver detoxifier, blood purifier, aids in fat metabolism and is a beautifying food. Add it to your food. Curd: It is an excellent probiotic and can be easily prepared at home rather than buying from outside.
Lemon the super food: Lemon is full of vitamin C and can be added to all foods. It fights infections, is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti -acid, increases immunity and acts as a liver cleanser. Onions: It regulates blood sugar, encourages production of good cholesterol, and its compound quercitin helps in prevention of cancer. Garlic: It lowers cholesterol thus improving cardio vascular health and reduces hypertension. It has anti-biotic properties. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects the cell from free radical damage. Leafy greens: They are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, are good source of calcium, iron and proteins. So add on the green, spinach, fenugreek, coriander, mint etc.. Omega 3: A reasonable source is flax seeds. Omega 3 is an anti-inflammatory, improves cholesterol levels, powerful antioxidants, helps prevents multiple types of cancer. Omega 3 is necessary for the functioning of a healthy brain.
Tomato: It reduces cholesterol and is excellent for men's health especially for the prostrate and contains lycopene that helpful in prevention of cancers. Sprouts: These are a good source of protein, enzymes. These are life-giving foods. These give you energy for longer time as these sprouts have a low glycemic index there by keeping you full and preventing binging. Add it to your food daily cooked or steamed. Grains: Bajra, jowar, ragi, rajgira are a good change from wheat. These whole grains tend to keep you fuller for a long time, thereby you eat smaller quantities of food. These are a good source of carbohydrates. Coconut: It is a miracle food. It contains good quality fat that lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, helps maintain healthy thyroid gland and regulates blood sugar levels. Whole grain bread: Whole grain bread is a far better substitute than white-flour bread which has zero nutrition. It contains fibre, vitamins, minerals, and has essential nutrients that helps maintain a healthy digestive system. It's a good source of vitamin B and complex carbohydrates. Rock salt: Rock salt is less salty, not chemically processed rich in minerals, contains 83 trace minerals, including small amounts of iodine. Most of these minerals are not present in the table salt. This can be used as a substitute for common salt, controls high blood pressure, aids in digestion, relieves gas, can be used as a body scrub as well. The 2007 report of WHO shows India is not iodine deficient except for a small village in central India. Thyroid problems today are normally caused by D3 deficiency today and not so much by Iodine deficiency as that is very rare. Tulsi: When consumed, tulsi can relieve gas and reduce stomach cramps, nausea, headaches, fevers and colds. An infusion aids digestion and is antibacterial. Applied externally, it's essential oily, may be beneficial for tension, cuts, wounds, abrasions, may boost the immune system. The juice of tulsi leaves can be used to bring down fever, and chewing tulsi leaves relieves colds and flu. Ginger: Ginger has wonderful medicinal properties. It is known for its anti-nausea effects, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-oxidant; anti-inflammatory, which makes it valuable for pain relief for joint pain, menstrual pain, headaches and more. It is also a must have if you struggle with indigestion. Many people enjoy ginger tea on a regular basis. This is one of the simplest ways to use it. So making small changes like substituting common salt with rock salt, white flour with whole grain is a positive way to change to your diet without increasing your budget, while gaining multiple health benefits. Spice up your food, remember that the only thing standing between you and your healthy goal is the story you keep telling yourself why you cannot achieve it. — The writer is Mumbai-based obesity, lifestyle & disease consultant. She has a website: www.nainisetalvad.com.
|
||
|
|
||
Salad
dressing: Lemon, honey, chaat masala, herbs, soya sauce are
less expensive and an healthier option than the dressings available in
the market.
Cabbage
and cauliflower: It belong to the cruciferous group of vegetables
retard the growth of cancers.