You are what you eat

In the city that never sleeps, people are always into their busy schedules and have started taking their body for granted.

They have forgotten that our nutrition determines how we look, act and feel. The type of food that one eats, is quality and quantity determines ones physiological and psychological well being. And for being healthy, one requires to eat well. Here are some must-haves in your diet:

1 . Consider water
Hydrate your body. Drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water every day. Start your morning with a glass of lukewarm water.

2 . Eat timely meals
Eat at regular intervals. Have five meals a day in which three can be main meals and two can be mid meals.

3 . Breakfast is a must
Breakfast is a must because it provides 25 per cent of the total energy and nutrients required by the body.

4 . Quality call
Good quality of food is a must. Remember the quality of food you eat determines your efficiency in your work. Avoid refined foods like white rice, maida-based products like bread, pasta etc.

5 . Go green
Make sure to include green, orange, and yellow fruits and vegetables - such as broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, berries and citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, which may help protect against various types of cancer and other diseases.

6 . Say yes to herbal tea
Include herbal teas. Having two cups of green tea can do wonders for the skin and also increase the efficiency of our immune system.

7 . Opt for healthy fat
Enjoy healthy fats. Include omega 3 fatty acids and unsaturated fat rich foods like olive oil, flax seeds, sesame seeds, soyabean, walnuts, seafood such as tuna and salmon to increase your immunity.

8 . Fibre is important
Have fibre rich foods like oats, barley, ragi, bajra, whole wheat grains, different variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.

9. Protein perfect
Having protein is essential. Vegetable sources of protein are beans, nuts, pulses and whole grains. These are good choices as they offer fibre, vitamins and minerals. The best animal protein choices are fish and poultry.

10. Calcium
Include adequate amount of calcium in your diet by having milk and milk products, soybeans, shrimp, ragi, sesame seeds, and leafy vegetables.

11. Vitamin B12
This is a rare vitamin. A slight deficiency of it can lead to anaemia, fatigue and depression. Vitamin B12 rich sources are oysters, liver, fish, beef, eggs, fortified cereals, milk and milk products.

12 . Healthy snack
Have healthy snacks in between to keep up the energy levels the whole day.

13 . Plate of salad
Consume a bowl of green salad every day - a simple trick to keep away excess calories.

14. Two fruits at least
Have at least two fruits everyday.

15 . Spice it up
Include spices/herbs like saunf, basil leaves, one to two cloves, ginger or garlic in your daily diet to enjoy its enormous medicinal properties.

16 . Go nuts
Have a handful of nuts a day. They are calorie dense foods packed with proteins, healthy fats and some essential vitamins and minerals.

17 . Dine right
Have early and light dinners.

Source:-The Times of India(13-10-2011)