HEALTHY DIET

Introduction

For some people eating a healthy diet conjures up images of unsubstantial meals consisting of lettuce and seeds, not suitable for growing and hardworking men, whilst for others eating healthily means filling their body with a variety of colorful and natural foods that provide energy and goodness and protect against disease.

• Healthy eating is about meeting your daily nutritional requirements, while avoiding the deficiencies and excesses that contribute to the risk of diet-related diseases.
• This entails making informed choices about what foods to eat, and practicing good food habits.
• You can achieve these when you keep three things in mind - balance, variety and moderation.

Even though a lot of people who do not eat healthily are not fat, they would still experience other effects of eating a poor diet. This could include rotting teeth from eating too many sugary sweets and drinks, mood swings, headaches, tiredness and lethargy, constipation, poor concentration, dull hair, skin and nails, osteoporosis, insomnia, and heart disease due to high levels of cholesterol in the blood amongst others.

Not only this but many overweight people due to depression and low self-esteem to make themselves feel better, they will turn to food for comfort and thus be stuck in a vicious cycle.

Many unhealthy eaters complain that it is due to a lack of time that they do not eat more healthy meals, which may sound like a good excuse, but it is just an excuse.

Eating healthily does not mean that you have to spend hours in the kitchen peeling and chopping vegetables. More often than not, the problem is that most people are uneducated about eating a healthy diet and what a healthy diet actually consists of. Most people do not realize what effect food has on our body and this problem should really be treated and discussed at home and in schools.

Here's how you can feel better today, and stay healthy for tomorrow

• Make smart choices from every food group.
• Find your balance between food and physical activity.
• Get the most nutrition out of your calories.

Enjoy a Variety of Foods

• Eat a variety of fruits - whether fresh, frozen, canned or dried - rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. You will need 2 cups of fruit each day.
• Vary your veggies. Eat more dark green veggies, such as broccoli, and other dark leafy greens; orange veggies, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, beans, peas and lentils.
• Get your calcium-rich foods. Get 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk - or an equivalent amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese - every day.
• Do not take too much of whole grains. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta.
• Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. And vary your protein choices - with more fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.
• Know the limits on fats, salt and sugars

In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil - (Proverbs 21:20)

Vegetarianism vs. non-vegetarianism controversy - in providing more strength and stamina.

Vegetarian diet

• It is more natural and useful to human nature.
• Fruits & vegetables are rich in dietary fibers that reduce incidence of coronary heart diseases, cancer of intestinal tract, piles, obesity, diabetes, constipation, hiatus hernia, irritable bowel syndrome, dental caries and gallstones.

Daniel ate only vegetables, and looked healthier and better than those who ate non-veg (Daniel 1:12-15)

Non-vegetarian diet

• It contains cholesterol that is the root cause of heart problems, strokes, eye disorders & high blood pressure.
• Only 60% of its contents useful for human body, the rest 40% contain harmful toxins.
• It is usually heavy for the stomach and produces 10 times more amount of hydrochloric acid and also causes problems in the gastrointestinal system.
• Disease causing organisms are transmitted through and thrive in animal protein. Eg:- Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria can be passed on through consumed eggs, causing diseases like pneumonia, bronchitis and typhoid.

The man who eats everything should not look down on the vegetarian, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does (Romans 14:3)

Influence of food on behavior

Alcoholic drinks

If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. (Moderate drinking means up to 1 drink a day for women and up to 2 drinks for men. Twelve ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits count as a drink for purposes of explaining moderation). Remember that alcoholic beverages have calories but are low in nutritional value.

Generally, anything more than moderate drinking can be harmful to your health. And some people, or people in certain situations, shouldn't drink at all.Generally, anything more than moderate drinking can be harmful to your health. And some people, or people in certain situations, shouldn't drink at all.

Drinking can make you mock at others and start violent fights.

Wine is a mocker, and beer a brawler (Proverbs 20:1)

Sweets for diabetic patients

High sugar level in the blood can cause hot temper, anxiety and depression.

Exercise

When we diet to lose weight, we will not be able to continue losing weight unless we also exercise. This is because exercise prevents the decrease in metabolism that occurs when someone diet without exercising. Exercise also prevents loss of muscle. If you diet without exercising, you lose muscle along with the fat, which is not healthy.

During a fast weight loss diet, if it is not done correctly it can reduce muscle mass, especially if you are trying to lose weight fast. Muscle burns fat even during rest periods so it is obviously a good thing to maintain muscle while trying to lose weight.It is important to supplement with high quality protein to avoid muscle loss during a quick diet / fast diet. Rapid reducing diet should be accompanied with exercise and drinking lots of water.

These tips for diet are general recommendations as everyone is different and responds differently to weight loss diets based on age, gender, genetics, health, medications and a multitude of other factors. Toxins are stored in your body fat and by losing fat fast; you are overloading your body's detoxification mechanisms - liver, kidneys, skin, bowels, lymph and other systems. The rest of your body suffers through the elevated toxins also - brain, organs, blood so it is best to go at it slow and steady and drink plenty of water. If you feel ill from the toxins from a weight loss diet, slow it down.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

• Go jogging, swimming, cycling or do brisk walking.
  

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Walk instead of driving for short distances.
• Wash your car, clean your house briskly, do gardening.
  

• Avoid all sodas, especially diet sodas - empty calories and chemicals
• Eat negative calorie foods - celery, apples more calories to digest than consumed
• Remove unhealthy snacks and deserts from your diet
• Avoid fast food, junk food, any food without nutrition
• Watch alcohol intake for it is mostly empty calories

Fats & oils

• Saturated fats (particularly from animal fats) and hydrogenated fats (in hard margarines and vegetable shortenings) can raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
• Moderate amounts of polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats (particularly from vegetable oils) are advocated to help lower blood cholesterol levels.However, long-term excessive consumption of essential fatty acids (polyunsaturated) have been associated with cancer, gallstones, suppressed immune function, lower HDL levels and higher risk of blood clotting.

Achieving desirable fat intake by

• Choosing foods that are low in fat and cholesterol.
• Using small amounts of ‘visible’ fats (eg margarine, butter, salad oils, cream and mayonnaise).
• Cooking foods in coconut milk or coconut oil less frequently.
• Choosing lean cuts of meat, discarding the skin where applicable (as with chicken skin).
• Using cooking oil in small amounts only
• Adopting alternative cooking methods (eg grilling, microwaving or steaming) instead of frying in oil.

Preventing excessive salt intake

• Choose fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and unprocessed grains, rather than convenience foods and ‘fast-foods’.
• Use a small amount of salt in cooking.
• Limit consumption of highly salted foods and condiments (eg soya sauce and oyster sauce).

Avoiding excessive sugar

• Encourage gradual sugar reduction in foods while taste adapts to the change.
• Use fresh fruit instead of canned fruit.
• Use spices, such as cinnamon or nutmeg, to enhance the natural flavour without adding sugar.
• Drink plain boiled water instead of sweetened beverages.
  

Keep yourself hydrated!

• Water is essential for our body.
• Your body loses a total of about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 litres a day from urine, faeces, sweat and vapour from the lungs.
• Don’t wait to feel thirsty before replacing the fluid that has been lost.
• Drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water.
• Fluids can also come from other beverages, fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Nutrient supplements

• Nutrient supplements cannot be used as a substitute for regular meals.
• vitamin and mineral supplements cannot supply other components in food that are important to health.
• Taking nutrient supplements can lead to toxic levels of certain nutrients (eg iron and vitamin A).

Good eating habits

• Eat breakfast, high protein most important meal of the day
• Add healthy more fruits and vegetables foods to your diet
• Spice up your foods so that it increases saliva and blood flow
• Stock healthy convenience foods like nuts, yogurt, kefir, fruits
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables since cooking inactivates healthy enzymes
• Don't eat if you are not hungry
• Avoid fast food, junk food, any food without nutrition
• Don’t drink too much liquid with meals - it dilutes stomach acids for digestion
• Eat slowly
• Chew food thoroughly for better digestion Do not eat for at least 3 hours before bed
• Eat smaller portions, more meals if needed
• Avoid night time snacks
• Instead of skipping a meal, have a drink or light snack
• Eat at the dining table and not in front of the computer or while watching TV
• When eating, focus on eating, not random thoughts
• Get a full night sleep
• Enjoy your food, savor the look, taste, smell, texture
• Have at least 1 bowel movement a day

Dieting has not helped. Why?

1. Easy tearfulness
2. Anger that seems out of proportion
3. Difficulty in concentrating
4. Feelings of social isolation
5. Guilt in his / her life
   

• Exercise consistently, preferably daily
• Increase the duration of exercise
• Increase the intensity of exercise

1. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal.
2. Temptation to eat less healthy foods because they might be easier to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving.
3. Finding the dieting process unpleasant because it takes a hard look at their habits as listed below:-

• Without eating at all day and overeating during dinner
• Eating out of boredom
• Eating just to boost the mood for comfort
• Taking trouble resisting snacks that others bring.

Don't give in when you eat out

It's important to make smart food choices and watch portion sizes wherever you are, may be at the grocery store, at work, in your favorite restaurant, or running errands. Try these tips:

• At the store, plan ahead by buying a variety of nutrient-rich foods for meals and snacks throughout the week.
• When grabbing lunch, have a sandwich on whole - grain bread and choose low-fat/fat-free milk, water, or other drinks without added sugars.
• In a restaurant, opt for steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried.
• On a long commute or shopping trip, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid impulsive, less healthful snack choices.

Master your Body

1. Fasting: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
2. Avoid eating too much: “Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.” Proverbs 23:2
3. If you find honey, eat just enough - too much of it, and you will vomit. Proverbs 25:16
4. Be self-controlled and alert - 1 Peter 5:8

How to Master our body?

1. Jesus said, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.” - Matthew 26:41
2. Jesus did not teach us to pray, “Lead us not into sin” rather “Lead us not into temptation”
   

So rather than praying “Help me to eat just a little” we should pray “Help me not to open the fridge unnecessarily”.
Instead of praying “Help me to stop drinking”, we should pray “Help me to avoid going to a bar”

Emotional well-being complements a good diet to good health

1. A cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22)
2. Be joyful always (1 Thessalonians 5:16)
3. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones (Proverbs 16:24)
4. Reduce stress because with more stress, hormone cortisol will be released which leads to abdominal obesity.

Accept Yourself

1. We are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)
2. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)
3. “Your hands shaped me and made me” Job 10:8
4. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
   

References

Adapted from "Finding Your way to a healthier you", US Dept Health and Human Services, and US Department of Agriculture, 2005. http://www. health.gov
Malaysian Dietary Guidelines
http://nutriweb.org.my
101 diet tips
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/101-diet-tips
www.helpwithcooking.com/healthy-eating

*****Author's Note: These are the summarized notes of 2 speeches given to the Sisters' fellowship held at St.Marks Church, Butterworth on 22nd Feb'2006 and to the Ladies' fellowship held at Christ Church on 26th Sept'2009.

© Malar Harris