Health

10 - Commandments for Good Health

Manage Contraception and Pregnancy

Change Your Lifestyle, Before Your Life Style Changes You

10-Commandments for your Good Health

1. Pay attention to quality of food

Perhaps, you already follow the think-before-you-eat maxim. But when it comes to food it’s easy to err on either side. Make sure more than half of your plate has good carbohydrates (whole grains, pulses, and veggies); about a quarter has proteins (pulses, low-fat dairy, fish, lean meat); and the rest has calories from good fats (cold-pressed oils, nuts, seeds). Simply fulfilling calorific values doesn’t suffice; a cup of atta and of maida far out-weight its refined counterpart. Follow the food pyramid for your day’s eating - 6-11 servings of grain, 6-8 of veggies and fruits, 3 servings of natural fats (nuts, seeds, oils), 2-3 for dairy, 2-3 for pulses and non-veg foods, and as little as possible of refined sugars.

Eat at the same time: every day and keep food simple, limiting the cooking processes and cooking for as short a duration as possible. Opt for steaming and stir frying wherever possible

Restrict indulgences (high-calorie, low-nutrient food) to the weekends and special occasions. Instead of dumping packaged and processed foods, pick whole-roasted foods or fruits and nuts as snacks. Buy organic fruit and veggies. Food minus the chemicals lowers risk of degenerative diseases (cancer, diabetes, heart disease). Check your refrigerator so that food is not left for too long. Maintain temperatures – freezer: -10 to -18^oC; refrigerator: 4-6^oC.

Avoid Peeling. If you can’t then peel as thin a layer off as possible, to preserve phyto-chemicals that have disease-fighting properties. Also, never cut veggies and then wash. You could also maintain a food dairy for the family. Get all the colors of fruit and vegetables in a week and include probiotic foods in your diet. Drink 8-10 glasses a day.