What a healthy diet really is?
If there ever was a time when we had sufficient access to knowledge and information about health – it’s now. We are almost living in in the midst of information overload. Still, the number of lifestyle diseases is rapidly growing and there hardly seems to be any improvement in the health of people around us.
So, being aware about leading a healthful lifestyle and staying healthy, is obviously not enough.
Also, most of the information available on eating the right kind of foods, is not applicable to people living in India. We neither have the culture of eating lettuce, avocados and blueberries as our staple, nor are these foods readily available.
Following my interaction over the years with a multitude of people with regard to health, I have zeroed down on a few observations.
About 60% of people are ignorant eating their way to a premature grave. The remaining 40% know the basic principles of good health but do not know how to apply them, or how to start.
The issue is not so much of the junk that we end up eating… but the readily available healthy foods we are NOT eating.
I simply got my family rid of the practice of consuming white rice for meals, many years ago. We eat black unpolished rice, or red rice. Not on some days, but MOST of the days. In the beginning, there was a lot of grumbling, especially from my husband. But now, they are all used to it. And if that does not work for your family, be practical and mix 1/3 black unpolished rice along with the white polished rice.
Most people want quick results hence start by making too many drastic changes. The all or nothing approach almost always results in disappointment. Consequently, none of the changes last.
So, why not start small and take one step at a time?
Instead of NO fruits – make a conscious decision to eat two. Instead of regular white rice, purchase unpolished organic rice. How about a conscious decision to eliminate protein deficiency by supplementing with a high quality, non-GMO plant protein powder that can easily be mixed in chapatis, etc.? And, top it up snacking on 8-10 nuts every day?
My two young daughters get 4-6 nuts in their tiffin boxes for school nearly every day. What’s the health benefit of eating those 6-8 nuts for one day? None! But over a year, it’s equivalent of 1500 odd nuts consumed, with high quality omega3 fats, proteins, and right carbohydrates!
Start small. And make one sustainable change every day!
