Diet for thought

” Health is not valued till sickness comes “

Thomas Fuller.

The Middle East is a food lover’s paradise and indulgence in food, a sin that we commit every other day. The extra pounds do not come alone for they bring along various lifestyle diseases as well. The occasional guilt and worries that pop up when we hear news of someone being diagnosed of such diseases or even losing their life to them are soon forgotten. When clothes become tight and fatty layers visible, crash diets come to our aid and thus the cycle continues.

On one such occasion while looking up for crash diets online I came across the risks associated with it which was a first because I usually follow my own diet and never give it a second thought. Crash diets not only deprive our body of nutrients but also make our body weak and lethargic. The chances of a rebound are high as we stop our diet which negates all the efforts and starving that we have put into it. Depriving the brain of essential nutrients will also lead to emotional disturbances, mood swings, depression etc. Crash diets are also associated with eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia etc and such self-induced sufferings are never worth anything in this world and definitely not in the name of beauty. Repeated crash diets also lead to skeletal defects such as osteoporosis resulting from calcium deficiencies, kidney and  liver diseases as well.

Scary isn’t it? But don’t worry regular exercise along with a healthy balanced diet will give us better and long lasting results than any crash diet you can ever find.

A balanced healthy diet supplies our body with  adequate amount of nutrients including vitamins and minerals and thereby keeping us free from deficiency diseases and also giving a boost to our immunity. It also protects us from lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and also certain variants of cancer. The brain is also nourished thus maintaining our emotional well-being.

A healthy diet includes more of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, dairy and cutting out on fat and sugar intake. Eat only when you are hungry and in small portions rather than gulping down too much food in one go. For better digestion, it is always better to have a heavy breakfast than a heavy dinner. Do not stick to only one kind of food item. Our food should always have variety not only to disrupt the monotony but also to provide us bits of everything. Small amounts of sugar and fat are required too. Sugar is necessary to keep us from feeling hypoglycemic and to remain energetic. Our Brain needs glucose  in order to function properly. We should also have a grip on our sedentary ways of life and not let laziness over power us. If exercise is not possible after a long day’s work try walking for at least 30 minutes a day.

Having discussed the benefits of a healthy balanced diet, I would also like to give some information on the benefits of adding honey to our diet.

• Weight management: A Spoon of honey taken with warm water in the morning is traditionally known to be useful in weight management.
• Sugar substitute: Honey is a healthier substitute to sugar when looking to reduce weight as it has lesser calories than sugar and contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are good for health.
• Source of energy: Honey is known to be a good source of energy as its natural sugar and carbohydrates are easily digested by the body.
• Aids Digestion:Honey when used in your diet is known to aid in digestion.
• Cough and cold:Honey is known to help in cough and throat irritation.
• Beautiful Skin: Honey is known to be useful for the skin because of its moisturizing and nourishing properties.

Didn’t I just give you food for thought? 🙂 And remember health is our greatest wealth!

Stay fit, stay young! 🙂