GUIDELINES FOR GOOD HEALTH

 1.  Maintain regularity in your routine.  

 Although our bodies are flexible, they also have a biological clock that adjusts to our daily schedule and the changing of the seasons. It's important to stick to a schedule once your body has been accustomed to it. Maintaining your routine on a regular basis has benefits for normal sleeping patterns, bowel movements, and at least two healthy meals. Individuals that disregard their biological clock are the ones who experience constipation or insomnia.

2.    Eat as much natural foods as you can. 

When compared to preserved foods, the majority of natural foods are higher in nutrients. More vitamin C can be found in a glass of lime juice than in artificially flavored lemon squash. It's important to keep in mind that natural foods don't have any additives, which are substances—natural or artificial—added to food to make it more palatable. All natural foods need to be processed, save fruits and salads. Cooking is a processing technique that eliminates bacteria, softens food to make it easier to chew and digest, and, in some cases, eliminates the anti-nutritional elements. Therefore, in order for the customer to benefit from most meals, they must be cooked and processed. Natural foods have been chosen over those that imitate them; for example, a glass of fruit juice shouldn't be substituted with a soft drink concentrate. Naturopaths have emphasized the need to eat a wide variety of natural foods

3.  Consume seasonal foods as far as possible.

Seasonal changes have an enormous influence on our bodies, which has an impact on our health. When dietary modifications align with climate conditions, our bodies experience minimal shock and readily adjust to seasonal shifts. For instance, in the summer, when sweat loss is significantly higher than in the winter, one needs to drink more water and electrolytes to replenish lost fluid. Mangoes, a summer fruit, are high in fluid, so they can also help replenish lost nutrients. 

4.   Eat well but do not ‘overeat’.

Eat healthfully yet sparingly at each of the three to four meals you have each day. Meals should be taken at the appropriate time, according to Ayurvedic practice. In order to prevent indigestion, its quantity should also be such that two sections of the stomach are occupied by the food, one by water, and one by being left vacant to allow the stomach's contents to be churned and gastric juices to flow. This will make the primary cause of dyspepsia extremely clear. Maintaining good health can be achieved by avoiding overindulging in any meal, whether it be a snack or dinner. Overeating can occur when eating while talking, reading, or watching TV.  It's likely that many readers have went overboard during a buffet a delicious meal. Consuming too much in food, even in small amounts, can eventually result in obesity and overweight.

 5 . Avoid excessive salt and spices. 

Anything that is done in balance cannot be bad for the body; nonetheless, daily small excess might have long-term negative effects. A straightforward illustration would be salt, which different people consume in different amounts each day. Largely sodium-containing salt needs to be treated with caution, especially by those who are predisposed to high blood pressure. There is a clear clinical association between salt and high blood pressure. The primary source of sodium is table salt. Only a modest amount of salt should be used when cooking and much less at the table to prevent overconsumption of sodium. Salted popcorn, potato chips, potato wafers, and salted peanuts are examples of foods that are heavily salted. Added sodium can be found in pickles, cheese, tomato sauce, ketchup, brined veggies, brined onions, and soy sauce. Before ingesting processed meals, make sure you thoroughly read the food labels. By subtly using ingredients like lime juice, black pepper powder, coriander, etc., one can learn to appreciate the flavor of food without adding salt. Foods that are really hot should be avoided since they damage the sensitive lining of the stomach. 

6. Avoid too much sweets, especially sugar.

Excessive consumption in sweets should be avoided. It has been established that sucrose is one of the factors that cause tooth caries. Canned fruits ought to be avoided in favor of fresh fruit. Minimize the amount of concentrated sugar sources that you consume, such as jams, jellies, and marmalades. 

7. Eat Foods which contain carbohydrates, especially starch and fibre

It is recommended to consume complex carbs, such the starches in cereals, rather than simpler sugars, which can be found in honey, fruits, table sugar, and milk. This is due to the fact that complex sugars digest more slowly than simpler ones do. It is possible to replace fats and sweets with starches, and a diet rich in dietary fibre should contain wholegrain cereals, green leafy vegetables, pulses, and legumes. Dietary fibre reduces blood cholesterol. Chronic constipation, poor bowel habits, colon cancer, and rectal diseases have all been linked to avoiding fibre or eating a diet free of it.

8. Avoid foods that contain large amounts of cholesterol and saturated fats.

Eating foods high in cholesterol, such as beef, fish, poultry, organ meats, and eggs, in moderation will help you achieve this. Use vegetable oils if you choose. It is essential to consume sweetmeat cooked in pure ghee, butter, and vanaspati in moderation. Limiting the intake of fried and high-sugar foods is crucial. The secret to excellent health is to only consume these foods in moderation. 

9. Watch your weight and maintain ideal weight.

Being slightly underweight is always preferable to being overweight. Every gram of extra weight puts strain on the heart and other essential bodily functions. If losing weight is recommended, it should be done so at a rate of 0.5 to 1 kg per week until the target weight is attained. Extreme weight loss should never be undertaken as it might have adverse effects and cause serious health issues. Good eating practices, such as eating slowly, thoroughly chewing each mouthful, and preparing smaller meals and helpings, are essential to the weight loss process. It's crucial to up your weight loss-promoting physical activity, cut back on fat and starchy meals, stay away from empty calories found in alcohol and soft beverages, and stay away from sweets and sweetmeats.

10. Avoid eating the same kind of foods all the time. Eat a variety of foods

The majority of meals contain a variety of nutrients, but no one food can supply all the nutrients required for optimal health. For example, while milk is a complete food, it is low in iron and vitamin C, therefore it is important to add citrus fruits, which are high in vitamin C. This is insufficient because it doesn't contain enough iron, thus adding green vegetables or liver to your diet is important. This example merely serves to highlight the idea that a diet with a greater diversity of foods will have more nutritional content and a lower risk of nutritional deficiencies. You can choose at least one food from each of the following major food groups by using the following as a reference. 

Milk, Dal, meat, fish, egg

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Cereals and cereal Products

Oils, fats, sugar and jaggery.

 

 References: Nutrition and Dietetics (With Indian Case Studies)