How best to Organize your Diet

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How best to Organize your Diet

The best way to organise your diet is by adding more of Vegetables and Fruits, cuting down on saturated Fats and to bring down as much as possible the amount of meat in a week.

Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients, and most are low in fat and calories. In addition, they contain several plant chemicals (often called phytochemicals ) that also contribute to health and possibly disease prevention — and you can’t get them from a vitamin pill.

Eating Vegetables and Fruits have to be in sufficient quantity. Five servings a day is ideal. It may sound difficult but by organising your food items, taking care of your likes and dislikes it is indeed possible by adding good amount of vegetables and fruits in every meal you take.

  • Include fruits and vegetables in every meal.
  • Convenience has to be important ground rule. Canned food items or fresh ones as per liking and availability.
  • Variety is also important. Eat diffirent vegetables and fruits rather than eating same type every day.
  • Vegetables should be focus of your meals. Try to skip meat all together couple of days in a week.

For many people, healthful eating is a temporary endeavor, cut short by unrealistic goals and bad feelings when those goals aren’t met. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Don’t consider yourself ‘on a Diet’. Diets are things people start and stop, while healthful eating should be a way of life.

Do not give up your favorite foods entirely. You may not banish chocolate or french fries from your menu forever, but do keep portions reasonable and view those foods as treats, rather than staples.

There is nothing like Good food or Bad food. Remember that all foods can fit in a healthful eating pattern — again, in the appropriate proportions. 

         A typical day’s healthy diet should include:

  • No more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and
  • No more than 30 percent of total calories from all types of fat.
  • 55 percent or more of total daily calories should come from complex carbohydrates such as those found in cereals, grains, fruits and vegetables.
  • Dietary cholesterol should be limited to 300 milligrams a day.
  • No more than six grams or one teaspoon of salt each day.
  • To choose most of what they consume from plant-based sources.
  • To eat five servings of fruits and vegetables.
  • To eat six servings of breads, pastas and cereals every day.

The good news is that we don’t need one diet to prevent
heart disease, another to decrease cancer risk and yet
another to prevent obesity and diabetes.

Calculate your Calorie requirement

Phytochemicals

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Phytochemicals As Cancer Fighters

Phytochemicals are non nutritive plant chemicals that contain protective and disease preventing compounds. More than 900 different phytochemicals have been identified. It is estimated that a single serving of vegetables may have more than 100 different phytochemicals. Some, such as Digitalis and Quinine have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries.

Some Phytochemicals reduce oxidative stress, others dampen inflammation, detoxify contaminants and pollutants, and some activate enzymes that block the uncontrolled division of cells, and some make it easier for nutrients to pass through cells.

Some of the best known phytochemicals are the flavonoids which grow naturally in broccoli, carrots, peppers, soybean, tomatoes, tea, red wine, citrus fruits, onions, apples and grapes. Flavonoids may protect against cancer.

Apples and onions constituted the biggest source. In a study, regular apple-eaters had the lowest risk of lung cancer overall—68 percent lower than people who ate the fruit infrequently.

Indoles another kind of phytochemical are found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and brussels sprouts and may offer protection against host of chronic diseases.

Other phytochemicals are Carotenoids and Isoflavones.

Carotenoids
Beta-carotenes, the best known carotenoids give colour to carrots and other orange, red and yellow produce and are converted to vitamin A in our bodies. Lutein and Zeaxanthin (from green vegetables) and Lycopen (from Tomatoes) many protect against coronary artery disease, cataract, macular degeneration and cancer.

Isoflavones

are plant estrogens – soy foods are a rich source and have same effect as estrogen. The benefits may be lowering of blood lipids, decrease risk of hormone related cancers of breast, ovaries, endometrium and prostrate, relief from menopausal symptoms.

Some important Phytochemicals containing food

Cruciferous Vegetables
Cauliflower (Gobhi), Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage (Bund gobhi), Mustard green (Sarsaon) and Turnip green (Shalgam)

 Contain Indoles and Isothiocyantes. These may help in trigerring enzymes that may act to block carcinogenic damage to the cell DNA.
Orange, Grapefruits and Lemon Vitamine C and Flavonoids act as antioxidants which can inhibit cancer cell growth.
Soya Products in soya beans and soya milk Contain Isoflavones. Diet high in these are associated with lower rates of cancers of Breast, Uterus and Prostate.
Garlic & Onion Contain sulphur compounds which triger enzymes that helps to excrete carcinogens from the body.
Tomatoes Contain Lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant. Diet high in tomatoes is associated with decreased risk of cancer of stomach, colon and prostate.
Carrots, Sweet Potatoes Contain alpha and beta carotene which protects against the environmental pollutants
Strawberries,Raspberries,Walnuts,almonds Contain Polyphenols
Beans, Oats, Barley,Whole wheat Contain Saponins
Ginger, Mint and Turmeric Contain Gingerols

Combination of antioxidants are needed for a complete, healthy diet and that it’s best to get these nutrients from foods rather than supplements

Natural sources of Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals

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Natural sources of Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamin A Mango, broccoli, carrots, tomato juice, sweet potato, pumpkin, beef liver
Vitamin C Amla, Spinach, broccoli, snow peas, tomato juice, mango, orange, grapefruit juice, strawberries, red bell peppers
Vitamin E Polyunsaturated plant oils, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, avocado, sweet potato, shrimp, cod
Selenium Seafood, meats, grains
Vitamin B6 Bananas, watermelons, tomato juice, broccoli, spinach, potatoes, white rice, chicken breast
Vitamin B12 Meats, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, shellfish
Folic Acid Tomato juice, green beans, broccoli, spinach, lady’s finger, lentils, black eyed peas
  Continue reading →

Add More Fiber to Your Meals

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Add More Fiber to Your Meals

A low-fat, high-fiber diet promotes gastrointestinal health and may protect against Heart disease, Diabetes, Colon & Rectal Cancer, Breast and Prostate cancer.

Fiber is not a nutrient. But is has a very important role in our diet.

High Fiber Food are low in calories and low in Fat and are more filling.
Fiber, found only in plant-based foods, is a general term for the complex carbohydrates in foods that pass through the body undigested. There are two different types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water; insoluble fiber doesn’t. Some foods contain soluble fiber, others contain insoluble fiber, and many contain a combination. The two types of fiber act differently in the body, and both are important. But increasing the overall fiber content of your diet is more important than focusing on the specific types of fiber.

All of these foods are good sources of fiber:

  • Whole grains. These are grains, such as wheat, oats, rice, barley and corn, that have not been refined. Refining is the process of removing certain parts of the grain — the parts that happen to contain the fiber. White flour is made from refined wheat grain, whereas whole-wheat flour is made from unrefined wheat grain.
  • Fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber.
  • Legumes. Legumes are dry beans and peas. In addition to being an excellent source of fiber, legumes contain vitamins and minerals and are a good source of protein.
  • Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are high in fiber, but are also high in calories and fat, so don’t go overboard.

Prefer Whole Wheat Bread ( Brown Bread ).
Prefer Brown Rice or Barley to white rice.
Eat bean based dishes more often.
Add nuts and seeds and dried fruits to salads.
When possible eat vegetables and fruits raw and with skin.

Omega 3 fatty acids

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 Essential fatty acids

There are two types of Essential fatty acids – Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the body and must therefore be obtained from diet.

Omega-9 fatty acid ( Oleic acid ) is considered as non-essential fatty acid can be synthesized by man. Its source is Animal fat.

Omega-6 essential fatty acids are derived from vegetables sources such as primrose oil and corn oil. They are available in commonly used cooking oils such as sunflower oil and corn oil that contain linolenic acid and gamma-linolenic acid.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids is found in fish and some other oils. It includes alphalinolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega-6 fatty acids offer a variety of potential therapeutic uses: –

  • In diabetics, omega -6 fatty acids supplementation lowers glycerated hemoglobin (HbA1) and helps to prevent complications such as neuropathy, cataract and retinopathy.
  • It may prevent heart diseases by lowering cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.
  • It may be beneficial in dry-eye conditions.

Some examples of Omega Fatty Acids

Omega-3 FA Alpha Linolenic acid Soya, flaxseeds, fenugreek
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Marine foods
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) Marine source, Mother’s milk
Omega-6 FA Linoleic acid (LA) All vegetarian & non-vegetarian (except marine) foods
Gamma linolenic acid (GLA) Evening primrose oil, mother’s milk
Arachidonic acid (AA) Groundnut oil, eggs
Omega-9 FA Oleic acid Animal fat


Omega 3 fatty acids

 It was found that the secret of protection in the Eskimos against Heart disease, Diabetes and skin diseases lies in regular intake of marine Omega-3 fatty acids.

 Omega 3 — A Boon to Cardiac Patients !

Ornega-3 are polyunsaturated fatty acids found all most exclusively in fish. They have become a hot topic- because they can reduce chance of heart attack in patients with heart disease.

It is reported that Omega-3 are vital from childhood to adults.

The protective effects of Ornega-3 were discovered by observing Eskimos who eat large amount of these polyunsaturated fatty acids in their foods. The Eskimos almost never developed heart disease. Thus researchers looked for the link and found Omega-3 in oils. Omega-3 makes your cardiac patients risk- free due to presence of EPA & DHA.

EPA & DHA

The most common long chain Ornega-3 PUFA fatty acids are known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) is a member of the Omega-3 fatty acid family. EPA is required for the production of a special group of substances in the body called prostaglandins, which control blood clotting and other arterial functions.

EPA also provides a natural approach in lower blood cholesterol & triglycerides.

Thus, EPA is a direct source of an important substance called prostaglandin E3. Prostaglandin E is directly responsible for making blood platelets less sticky thus, leading to an easier flow of blood throughout our bodies. This means that EPA is intimately involved in bodily process that inhibits blood clots, particularly in the small capillaries of the heart. Due to the body’s inability to synthesize EPA & DHA, it has to depend on external source. In early infancy and old age the body is not capable of producing adequate amounts of EPA and is true of people suffering from cardiovascular disorders, diabetes. As this fatty acids offer nutritional as well as medical benefits, it is recommended that the intake should be on regular basis.

Effects of EPA

EPA is known to:

Lower lipids – decrease TG, increase HDL

Have an anti-thrombotic – decrease blood clotting effect.

Have an anti-arrhythmic effect.

Have an anti-inflammatory – via eicosanoids, weakens the effect of pro-inflammatory hormones

DHA (Docosabexaenoic Acid)

Of almost equal importance, but not as widely researched is Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). It comprises of a significant amount of the tissue, which makes up our brains as well as large part of retina of eye.

DHA plays a vital role during pregnancy and infant development, and also during old age.

Effects of DHA

DHA is known to:

Lower lipids – decreases TG, increases HDL

Have an anti-inflammatory

Facilitate the normal growth – incorporated into membrane, development and function of the lipids of brain, nerves and eyes.

Improve the clinical symptoms – corrects abnormalities of depression & schizophrenia.

Omega 3 — Boosts Brain Power ?

In a study of more than 1 000 people (average age 75); those with high blood levels of an Omega-3 called DHA were more than 40% less likely to develop dementia (including Alzheimer’s) over the next nine years than people with low DHA levels. One theory why: We know the brain latches onto DHA – its favorite fat – to help build membranes around nerve cells; possibly the more DHA, the easier it is to zap messages from cell to cell.

Omega 3 — For Pregnant & nursing mothers

DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid is the predominant structural fatty acid in the brain & retina. It comprises approx. 40% of the polyunsaturated fatty acids in the brain & 60% in retina. The developing fetus & infant have particularly high requirement for DHA. They obtain at least half this requirement for brain development in the womb, with the rest coming from mother’s milk during nursing. If infants are not breast fed, they are usually fed infant formula. Unfortunately most formulas do not contain DHA. Instead they contain linolenic acid, the precursor of DHA. However the infants have limited ability to convert linolenic acid into DHA. Thus it may be said that DHA in the diet is essential for the developing nervous system of human infants.

Since, the human brain development takes place at the greatest rate during the last trimester of pregnancy DHA is transferred from mother to the fetus at a high rate during this period.

Maternal reserves of DHA are deficient in cases of closely spaces pregnancies or in case of twin or triplets in a pregnancy.

The cause of low DHA is because our bodies can convert other foods into DHA, but the process is inefficient. Thus pregnant or nursing mothers may not have adequate amount of DHA stored in their bodies to pass on adequate amounts to the developing fetus or breast feeding infants.

Research has suggested that increased long chain Omega-3 fatty acids intake during the pregnancy prolongs gestation, increases birth weight and reduces incidence of premature birth.

Omega-3 fatty acids, whatever their source, seem to offer various benefits, beyond reducing heart disease risk.

Like :

  • Weight loss. Australian researchers found in 1999 that eating tuna, salmon or other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids once a day as part of a weight loss plan helped people lose weight.
  • Mental illness and depression. Patients with bipolar disorder – known also as manic-depression – who took fish oil capsules regularly displayed fewer symptoms. It is believed that omega-3 fatty acids help stabilize mood.
  • Crohn’s disease. Several studies show that taking fish oil capsules appears to reduce symptoms and aid in the remission of this often painful inflammation of the bowel that can also cause diarrhea and weight loss. Fish oil appears to also prevent relapse of the disease.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis. In the past 10 years, several studies have suggested that fish oil can help reduce or control inflammation of the joints. Studies have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids have helped patients reduce their need for anti-inflammatory drugs.
  • Cancer. Several studies have found that people who consume a lot of omega-3 fatty acids seem to have a decreased risk of some types of common cancers – notably breast, colon and possibly prostate.
  • Blood pressure. A study showed that combining a daily meal that includes fish with a weight reduction plan lowered the blood pressure and heart rate for overweight people suffering from high blood pressure.

Source of DHA & EPA

Source of DHA & EPA – Cold-water fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, black cod, anchovies, and albacore tuna, are rich sources of DHA and EPA. Similarly, cod liver oil contains large amounts of DHA and EPA.

Who is likely to be deficient? Premature infants who are not breast-fed are often DHA deficient.

A link has appeared between DHA deficiency and Alzheimer’s disease; however, no evidence at this time indicates that supplementation with DHA will help Alzheimer’s patients. Similarly, preliminary evidence shows that children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have low DHA levels; however, no evidence demonstrates that DHA supplementation improves ADD