Life Diet habits for staying healthy and happy, we only get one chance at it and to make the most of that opportunity it helps to know the best ways to look after ourselves.
Navigating dietary advice in our modern world can be exhausting. Hence many of us end up thinking,
What should we eat?
A balanced diet contains
10 to 15% of fats
15 -30% of the carbs and
The rest of the proteins.
And to include Macro nutrients: Iron, Iodine, Zinc, calcium, vitamin A
Daily recommended minimal intake of fluid for adult is
2.1L for females
2.6L for males.
How to stay healthy with proper diet?
Main study suggests a diet high in vegetable seeds and olive oil is good for our health.
And to keep some basic points in mind while following healthy habits like:
- To cut down sugar from diet.
It is recommended to have a sugar of <4g/day to stay healthy.
Even 1/3rd a spoonful of sugar is equivalent to consuming a chocolate bar.
In terms of sugar soft drink contains approx. 10 tbsp.
Studies have shown that those who drink one can of sugary drink per day increases the risk of
Type 2 diabetes by 26% and
Heart Attack by 20%
Even Energy drinks, which claim to be healthy have higher concentration of sugar and sodium in them.
Coconut water is indeed refreshing and tastes good,
Studies have shown that no drinks can beat simple tap water in it’s benefits. Additionally it is cheaper and with lower calaries compared to other drinks. - Salt intake not more than 5mg/day
(Approximately 1tbs) - Switch from fruit juices to fresh fruit.
Apparently it’s a misconception that fruit juices are healthy,
It is full of sugar with low fibre and high in fructose.
Fructose is the most lipogenic sugar which get converted into fat in the body.
Green smoothies on the other hand retain all the fibre, Pulp and the skin of fruits and greens by blending everything at high velocity with water and is quite healthy.
But there is a study stating that smoothies may Rob you the satisfaction you get from eating the solid food which could lead to more eating.
and if too much fruits are added to smoothie it becomes acidic and sugary which can be dangerous to our dental health.
4.Hence, water is the best universal drink to keep ourselves fresh, hydrated and healthy.
Effects of healthy diet on our mental health
A study revolving around mood and diet is known as Nutritional Psychiatry.
New evidence suggests that a healthy diet may be good for our mental health too.
Good Food can make us feel happy.
AÂ Mediterranean-style diet
one with lots of vegetables, seafood, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, cereal and grains, supplemented with fish oil can reduce the symptoms of depression.
Gut microbiome that live in and within plays an important role in immune system, metabolism, body weight and also in Mood and Behavior.
Gut microbiome is inherited from our mother and environment around us.
They are in millions and are essential for our bodily function.
But these microbiome requires a steady supply of
Fibre rich grains, vegetables and legumes
( Peas, beans and other edible pods)
In order to maintain their function.
Daily requirement of fibre:
40g/2000kcal /day
But only only 5% of Australian adults meet this demand and 50% of kids.
Hence gut microbes anare unable to do their job and has a huge effect on our health.
Since the human immune system underpins every aspect of our health including our mental health, our fibre deficient diet affect both our mood and gut.
After Four generations of fibre deficient diet the microbiome diversity couldn’t be saved, rescued by introducing the fibre again.
It is very crucial for us to let our children have a proper diet right from the childhood and to make shure they enjoy eating so, this will stop the intergenerational transmission of disease, else reversibly bad gut and predisposition to depression will be prevalent.
Diet habits for staying healthy and happy
Different types of diets have been proposed for different conditions like:
1.Atkins diet
low calorie
low carbs diet
Help in reduction of weight.
The Atkins diet is divided into 4 different phases:
Phase 1 (induction):
Less than 20 grams of carbs/day for 2 weeks.
Eat high-fat, high-protein, with low-carb vegetables like leafy greens.This kick-starts the weight loss.
Phase 2 (balancing):
Slowly add more nuts, low-carb vegetables and small amounts of fruit in your diet.
Phase 3 (fine-tuning):
When you have almost reached you target weight, add more carbs to your diet until weight loss slows down.
Phase 4 (maintenance):
In this phase eat as many healthy carbs as your body can tolerate without regaining weight.
2.Traffic light diet
Red yellow green diet and hence the name.
Red:
Highest in calories, sugar and fat, Fatty meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, fried food, Reserved for infrequent treats.
Yellow:
Nutrient dense but increase in Calories and fat, lean meat, dairy, starches, grains.
Green:
Low calorie, low fat, nutrient dense and fibre, fruits and veggies.
This diet is recommended for severe acute malnutrition(SAM) in children.
3. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet:
The diet is used to lower or control Hypertension.
This plan recommends:
•Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
•Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils
•Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils
•Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets.
DASH eating plan targets for a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
When following the DASH eating plan, it is important to choose foods that are:
1.Low in saturated and trans fats
2.Rich in potassium, calcium, 3.magnesium, fiber, and protein
4.Lower in sodium
