Elementary Concepts of Food

DIET (NUTRITION)

In nutrition, diet is known as the sum of food consumed by a person .The word diet often implies the use of specific intake of nutrition for health or weight management reasons (with the two often being related).

MYTH: People often associate the term “DIET” with less intake of food or selected items for consumption which is a false ideology. “DIET” simply refers to your intake of food.

BALANCED DIET

A healthy diet or balanced diet is intake that contains the right amounts of all the food groups.

It includes fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, and protein. It does not include too much or too little of any kind of food.

WHY SHOULD YOU EAT BALANCED DIET?

A balanced diet is one that gives your body the nutrients it needs to function correctly.

COMPONENTS:

1. WATER

The most important and neglected part of diet.

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD YOU CONSUME IN A DAY?

Intake of water varies with lifestyle habits and a person’s physical activity.
It is generally recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water and ½ liter of other liquid intake which includes water such as juices, buttermilk, and others.

HOW?

1. DETOX WATER or INFUSED WATER

Any fruit can be added in variations and kept in water for about an hour before being consumed

2. COCONUT WATER

3. GREEN TEA/ HERBAL TEA

4. ICE TEA

5. JUICE (RULE 1: FRUITS ARE BEST CONSUMED ON AN EMPTY STOMACH)

VEGETABLES

6. FRUITS

They contain high amounts of sugars as sweeteners. They also have acidity regulators and preservatives which are bad to consume.

Carbonated and aerated drinks are again high in artificial sugars. Even if they are low in calories, they contain harmful acids which destroy the inner lining of the stomach and intestines.

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates, also known as saccharine or carbs are sugars or starches. They are energy giving foods. They consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen

SIGNIFICANCE: Carbs are nothing but sugars/starch if not utilized due to lack of activity or excess intake they convert into fat

UNHEALTHY CARBS

Rice
Noodles
Pastry
Ice cream
Chocolates
Chips
Puffs
French fries
Burger’s
Fried items, jams, sweets, ….etc

HEALTHY CARBS

brown rice
whole wheat noodles/ whole wheat pasta
oats
ragi
millets
grains
pulses
cereal
sago

HOW?

BROWN RICE
RAGI MALT
OATS AS CEREAL/DOSA/PANCAKES/UPMA
MILLETS UPMA
MULTIGRAIN FLAKES AS CEREAL/POHA
MOONG PESSARATTU
SAGO PEARLS

CAUTION: Never eat fried potato curry with rice. If you want to eat potato eat it boiled and seasoned according to your taste (example: potato chat)

(RULE: 2 ALWAYS EAT CARBOHYDRATES WITH NON STARCHY VEGETABLES)

PROTEIN

Protein is simply body building food

VEGETARIAN SOURCES

Dals
Beans
Chana
Soya (meal maker)
Paneer
Yogurt
Cheese
Peanuts
Nuts & Seeds
Mushrooms
Milk

NON VEGETARAIN SOURCES

Egg whites
Fish & sea food
Meat
Poultry

RULE 3: PROTEIN AND CARBOHYDRATES SHOULD NOT BE COMBINED

(NOTE: NON – VEG BIRYANI IS PERFECT EXAMPLE OF A WRONG COMBINATION FOOD)

HOW?

Protein should always be taken with non starchy vegetables.

Example: salad & fish / salad & chicken

MIXED DAL CURRY + PHULKA
MIXED BEAN CURRY + PHULKA
MIXED CHANA CURRY + PHULKA
PANEER CURRY + PHULKA
MEAL MAKER CURRY (SOYA)
NON VEG + SALAD
2 SPOON PEANUT BUTTER DAILY

VITAMINS

Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential in very small amounts for supporting normal physiologic function.
We need vitamins in our diets because our bodies can’t synthesize them quickly enough to meet our daily needs.
When absent from our diet, they will cause a specific deficiency.

MINERALS

There are 16 essential minerals: calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chloride, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, and selenium, molybdenum, chromium, and fluoride.

Our bodies and the foods we eat contain minerals which we absorb in a charged state (i.e., ionic state).

CAUTION:

The interest in vitamin/mineral supplementation to prevent diseases and/or increase longevity comes from the idea that supplementation is harmless. Yet, serious adverse events have been reported. Don’t use supplements unless you need to or until your doctor advises. Avoid super therapeutic doses — doses greatly in excess of recommendations.

HOW?

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
SEEDS
NUTS & DRY FRUITS

FATS & OILS

FAT – our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function—and we can’t make it from scratch. Triglycerides, cholesterol and other essential fatty acids—the scientific term for fats the body can’t make on its own—store energy, insulate us and protect our vital organs.

WHY FATS ARE IMPORTANT?

You need fat to help you absorb certain nutrients, such as fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) and antioxidants (like lycopene and beta-carotene) fat is important in giving your cells structure. … Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids are important for optimum nerve, brain and heart function.

HEALTHY FATS

AVOCADO
GHEE/BUTTER
OILS – RICE BRAN /GROUND NUT/OLIVE/SESME/MUSTARD
NUTS
SEEDS
SALMON FISH
FLAX SEEDS

WHAT CONSTITUTES JUNK FOOD?

MIND & BODY

HEALTHY HABITS

1. EAT CLEAN = HEALTHY ,NUTRITIOUS & WHOLESOME FOOD

What goes inside your body shows outside ,surely “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”

2. EXERCISE

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine.

Sun bath once /twice a week for 20 mins is recommended to keep vit d intake in check

Wake up an hour early, if not daily, at least on weekends
Pause, relax & think
what you do
why you do
Is your work making you happy ?/ Do you enjoy your work?
Are you making a difference?

Everyone has a hobby but let’s start with making exercise a hobby

3. MEDITATE

The goal of meditation is to focus and understand your mind—eventually reaching a higher level of awareness and inner calm.

Neurologists have found that regular meditation actually changes your brain in ways that can help you to control emotions, enhance concentration, decrease stress, and even become more connected to those around you.[ With practice, you’ll be able to achieve a sense of tranquility and peace no matter what’s going on around you.
There are many different ways to meditate, so if one practice doesn’t seem to work for you, before you give up consider trying a different type that works better for you.

REFLECTIONS (EXERCISE FOR YOUR SOUL)

1. ACCEPTANCE

HOW?

ACCEPT WHAT IS
LET GO OF WHAT WAS
HAVE FAITH IN WHAT WILL BE

I ACCEPT THAT IAM……..

2. FORGIVENESS

Not forgiving others is harmful, but so is not forgiving oneself.
When you don’t forgive others, it becomes a breeding ground for resentment and anger.
When you don’t forgive yourself, it deepens shame and guilt, and becomes a breeding ground for pathological self-blame.

HOW?

I FORGIVE MYSELF FOR ……

3. SELF LOVE = regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

HOW?

I LOVE MY SELF FOR ……

4. GRATITUDE = the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

HOW?

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ………

5.COMPASSION