Editorial Team
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : November 18, 2018 12:17 PM IST
Eat healthy and stay fit. ©Shutterstock
An individual's health primarily depends on 3 basic factors- his genes, the environment he lives in and behavioural characteristics. Among the three, it is only the last factor that is entirely dependent on the individual. "According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 60 per cent of factors that affect health and fitness is correlated to an individual's lifestyle. A very small percentage of people actually make a conscious effort to lead a healthy lifestyle, while the majority fail to do so, thus encountering various illnesses and disabilities, which often even lead to death. Metabolic diseases, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and mental illnesses have become quite common these days because of malnutrition,, unhealthy diet, excessive stress and sedentary work life," says Pavithra N Raj, Chief Dietician, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital Yeshwanthpur. She tells you what to eat to stay fit.
Changing lifestyles and its impact
Fast food and processed food is extremely popular in today's fast way of living. While such foods successfully satisfy your hunger pangs, they do not necessarily have the best nutritional value. When it comes to various variables of lifestyle that influence your health, diet and overall body mass index (BMI) is the most important. Diet and nutrition have a direct positive relationship with health. Another chief variable of lifestyle is physical activity and exercise. Nutritious food and exercise go hand in hand. You need to intake nutrient-rich food for energy and positively utilize the energy for the optimum metabolic activity of the body. Exercise may be in the form of yoga, meditation, going to the gym, running or playing a sport. Apart from nutritious food and exercise, proper sleep, that is, a minimum of 8 hours a day is absolutely necessary.
Foods you must include in your diet
Nutrients in food help the body grow, develop and function properly. This implies that if a nutrient is missing in the body, it is unable to function effectively and stay healthy. A popular belief states that more focus should be laid on foods that need to be included in the diet rather than foods that need to be excluded. Staying healthy does not mean maintaining a stringent diet plan, it means taking in a variety of foods every day that are rich in nutrients.
Focus on the big picture and eat a balanced diet including a number of colourful vegetables and fruits, dairy products, beans, nuts, whole grains, poultry and lean meats in the diet. The occasional seafood is also welcome. A balance of protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals is the key to living healthy.
Certain foods that are very nutritious and can be easily included in the diet are- spinach, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, yoghurt, eggs, beans (rajma), lentils, lamb and chicken as well as nuts like almonds and cashews. Today's urban population is increasingly becoming diet conscious taking major efforts to eat healthily and stay fit. Avocado and different types of seeds such as flax seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds have become a popular choice of superfoods among many health conscious individuals in Indian cities. Oats and quinoa along with yoghurt and fruits is the new breakfast alternative to butter and toast. Ear salads and have soups apart from the regular dal, roti, vegetables and rice.
When it comes to switching up your diet, always make sure that you keep trying new foods. The same old fruits and vegetables can become quite boring. Definitely stick to the seasonal food items as they have higher nutritional value, but the occasional kiwi, pineapple, kale or berries will just add more flavour and fun to your diet. Also, drinking plenty of water every day is necessary. Smoothies and fresh juices are the way of life these days among the young.
