2018 is just a few days away and if you are someone who sets resolutions or goals, here are a few I’d recommend related to food and healthy eating. Do pick the ones that are relevant to you. As for me, I’m picking up #4, #6 and #9.
- Includes oats, cereal, muesli, bread, sandwich spreads, cheese
2) Keep weekly shopping cart free from processed/junk/ready-to-eat food
- If that’s too extreme, set a limit to only ONE pack per week
3) Cook/Eat atleast one fresh, home-made meal a day
- No pre-chopped veggies, frozen food, reheated food etc
4) Eat atleast one meal a day with full awareness (mindful eating)
- No gadgets, no books, no TV
- Chew food properly
- If possible, sit down on the floor and eat
5) Eat 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits a day
- atleast 80% of them will be local to the region I belong to (more guavas/chikkus/papayas and less kiwis/avocados/Washington apples etc)
6) Include more greens (keerai)
- Amaranth, drumstick greens, methi, gongura(sorrel leaves) etc are more nutritious than the expensive lettuce
7) Finish having dinner by 7:30-8PM
- atleast 2 hours before bedtime
8) Avoid starting the day with tea/coffee first thing in the morning
- Have it 30 min after breakfast
9) Include more raw foods in daily diet
- A % like say 20-30% would be easy to measure and track
10) Stop using refined white sugar
- Substitute with jaggery, palm jaggery or honey
11) Stop using iodised table salt
- Substitute with rock salt or unprocessed sea salt
12) Stop using refined vegetable oils
- Cut down oil as much as possible or switch to cold pressed oils
13) Set a limit to eating out in restaurants and stick to it
- max 1-2 times a week
14) Learn to cook a few basic healthy dishes
Just like the way we have incorporated exercise as part of our daily routine, we also need to start taking control of the food that goes into our body. It cannot be outsourced to food corporations or restaurants on a daily basis, if we care about our health.