Eat less to live more

 

Eat less to Live more

   

Crash dieting is not possible for all of us for different reasons and is not advisable either. But maintaining good health is important for all of us. So, what’s the solution? Let’s adopt the middle path. Less eating can help us achieve our objective.    

Since ancient times when medical sciences came into existence, diet assumed great importance. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was the first man to establish that unbalanced diet and improper food are the causes of diseases.   

Dr. Samuel Hannemann, the father of Homeopathy, discussed effects of diet on a healthy body as well as on patients.  

Anything which is fully-loaded has some disadvantages. For example, just try to visualize a fully loaded bus or a fully packed luggage bag and how clumsy they are. For optimum performance there should be a little bit space in everything.  

Stomach, gall bladder, small and large intestines, rectum and the anus constitute our digestive system. These body parts expand and contract and help move the food forward. However, food taken in large quantities and gulped in forcefully, create dumping in the system. This drastically lowers the digestion efficiency. The quantity of digestive juices and acids are not enough to digest the voluminous food intake and indigestion results. This leads to stomach colics, flatulence, loose motion and vomiting.   

The stomach remains loaded with undigested food which begins to rot and this definitely is detrimental to the body. This is an invitation to many disorders. Ayurveda says that minimal diet is easily digested and as a result vital nutrients are supplied to the body for health and vigor.   

Food should be cooked at very low temperatures so that the nutrients are preserved, and eat only that much as is required by the stomach. One should never stuff or gulp morsels of food and dump the digestive system.  

Many would tell you that they do not feel energized after eating so much. The more you eat before you go to bed, the more tired you will tend to feel the minute you wake up. What is the reason for feeling so fatigued after eating? Isn’t eating supposed to give you more energy? The reason you feel so tired right after eating is because digesting food consumes so much energy. Unfortunately, only animals and babies retain their natural instinct when sick and they choose to refuse food.   

Here are some tips for you:  

Eat enough calories but not too many. Maintain a balance between your calorie intake and calorie expenditure—that is, don’t eat more food than your body uses. The average recommended daily allowance is 2,000 calories, but this depends on your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity.   

Eat a wide variety of foods. Healthy eating is an opportunity to expand your range of choices by trying foods—especially vegetables, whole grains, or fruits—that you don’t normally eat.  

Keep portions moderate, especially high-calorie foods. In recent years serving sizes have ballooned, particularly in restaurants. Choose a starter instead of an entrée, split a dish with a friend, and don’t order supersized anything.  

Drink more water. Our bodies are about 75% water. It is a vital part of a healthy diet. Water helps flush our systems, especially the kidneys and bladder, of waste products and toxins. A majority of Americans go through life dehydrated.   

And finally,   

Don’t be the food police. You can enjoy your favorite sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries aren’t!     

Vaishali Parekh 

 www.indian-cooking.info