Matters express_16+4 pages

4
Aahaar
Aahaar 5
How Do You Follow
A Balanced Diet?
The ancient yogis believed your diet had a that modern society faced today.
huge influence on not just your physical Seasonal cooking and eating is a key
wellbeing, but your emotional and spiritual practice to attune with Nature’s wisdom. We
wellness, too.
need to adapt our bodies through food, so
The principles of Ayurveda view food as that we enjoy the best of the energy of each
more than just nutrients – food is energy. And season. As an obvious example, in summer
in order to achieve great energy, you need to it makes sense to eat less concentrated and
eat foods that are not only rich in nutrients, warming foods than in winter, so you retain
but also leave you feeling light, satisfied and less heat in your body. The whole year has an
with a clear mind.
energetic cycle to follow.
As you eat right, you cultivate sensitivity When you start having a balanced diet,
and a subtler awareness, which allows you to you encounter feelings of transformation.
feel the variations of the imprint that different The mind expands, the body changes, and
foods create in your body and mind. When sensitivity develops
you know what to do in the kitchen, and so you
follow the blueprint of the seasons as a guide, experience
you soon experience more than just the taste yourself
of food; you feel its energy, or you could say differently.
its purpose, too.
Having a nonjudgmental
and
Nature, with all its expressions, is always
perfect just as it is. When you look into
compassionate
the wisdom of Nature, you see a wonderful approach to
teacher, and in a time when returning to changing habits is
simple foods is so vital to the Earth, you can fundamental for longlasting
results. We must
learn how to bring an ecological responsibility
to your eating choices. A wholefood, plantbased
diet stands out as a sustainable choice and develop a lifestyle
respect our bodies,
for both the environment and ourselves. that is creative and
On an everyday basis, a wholefood, plantbased
diet is essential to maintain good is celebrated as the fuel
enjoyable, one where food
health. It’s a simple way to prevent yourself for the sacred Fires of life
from attracting the many chronic illnesses on Earth.
Eat To Beat Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can not only be
successfully managed without
medication by diet, but nutritional
approaches can even reverse the
condition. This is what you could do:
Eat your Greens – ...And
plenty of them at every meal! Spinach,
kale, broccoli, celery, collard greens,
cos lettuce, watercress, cabbage, bok
choy, salad greens and so on. Packed
with vitamins, minerals and fibre these
foods keep you fuller for longer.
Go for Whole Grains –
It’s not just wheat and oats. Look for
protein-rich whole grains like barley,
quinoa, amaranth, spelt and millet,
to sustain energy without spiking or
crashing blood sugar.
Plenty of Proteins – Wild
caught fish, organic chicken and
organic eggs are excellent sources of
protein which helps stabilise blood
sugar.
Nibble on Nuts – Grab a
handful of almonds or walnuts for a
healthy snack that keeps you satisfied
and your sugar levels steady. Make
sure they are natural, and not salted or
fried. Nuts are full of fibre, healthy fat,
and protein.
Know your GI
Numbers – Those foods with
higher ratings cause higher blood
sugar spikes and should be minimised.
Your meals should be made of
predominantly low GI ingredients.
Though fruits are healthy be aware
of those that are high and try to eat
mostly lower-GI fruits like berries and
grapefruit.
Sweeten with Spices –
Adding sweet spices like cinnamon,
cardamom, nutmeg, all spice, cloves
and ginger to dishes adds natural
sweetness. Cinnamon is well known
to help control sugar cravings and
has long been used for this purpose in
natural medicine like Ayurveda.
Remove Refined Sugar –
Check food labels for hidden sugars
like dextrose, dextrin, high fructose
corn syrup, fructose, lactose, maltose
and glucose.
Purge Processed
Carbohydrates – ‘White’
processed foods like pasta, rice,
bread, biscuits, cakes, crackers have
been stripped of their nutritious
components and quickly elevate blood
sugars. Look out for the whole grain
and alternative options available in
supermarkets nowadays.
Eating regular, smaller meals, five
or six times a day, is the best. Don’t go
more than three hours without having
a small snack. Make sure you always
have healthy snacks on you like a
snack bar, fruit, seeds or nuts in case
your blood sugar drops when out.
Can Your Diet Improve
Heart Health?
Research consistently shows
highly processed foods and excess arteries, they are best avoided. It is
the positive effects of a plantbased
refined sugar can trigger a lowgrade
also important to remember that not
diet on heart health. This
approach has the potential to save
over a quarter of deaths related to
heart-disease as well as improving
your general health and waistline.
Many foods and nutrients have a
tremendous impact on cardiovascular
health such as fibre, healthy fats,
and some types of anthocyanins –
colourful pigments found in
abundance in superfoods.
Plant-based whole foods
have no cholesterol, and
often offer nutrients
that promote blood
circulation and
anti-inflammatory
activity, so lean
on them. The
more fruits,
vegetables, whole
grains, legumes,
nuts and seeds
you consume,
the better. Since
inflammation that contributes
to hardening and furring up of the
all fat is bad – healthy fats like the
essential fatty acids found in chia and
flaxseeds can actually boost
cardiovascular health.
wellness - express
wellness - express