The Healthy Bee

Diet is an important component of staying healthy and aging well. As an acupuncturist, I have studied food and dietary therapy from the standpoint of Chinese medicine. The Chinese view food as medicine that we eat three (and sometimes more!) times a day. Beyond good digestion and eating certain foods for specific conditions, a number of my patients have asked us what makes up a “good” diet.

My first answer is always to eat for your specific body type or health condition. For example, if you have digestive problems, it is important to eat cooked, easily digestable foods such a soups, stews, and stir fried dishes. If you tend to feel hot much of the time, eating foods that are energetically cooling, such as bananas, melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, and mint are appropriate. If you are chronically cold, warming foods, such as lamb, ginger, and cinnemon can be helpful. Eating for your particular condition is best done with the consultation of a practitioner of acupuncture or Chinese medicine.

 A general guideline for eating according to Chinese medicine, is to incorporate the following into your diet:

 -Lots of dark-colored cooked vegetables

-Whole grains

-A little fruit

-Small amounts of protein

-A wide variety of local foods

-Avoid ice cold foods and drinks, concentrated juices, saturated fats, sugar, and sweeteners

Eating according to the principles of Chinese food therapy is just one way to better health, however. There are a number of theories as to what makes up the optimal diet.

Some current research on diet points to the Mediterranean Diet as another optimal way to eat to maintain good health. The Mediterranean Diet incorporates foods from the countries around the Mediterranean, and its benefits include increased cardiovascular health, weight maintenance, a decreased risk of some cancers, reduced inflammation and decreased cognitive decline. The good news is that very modest lifestyle changes, like incorporating only one or two components of the diet, or starting changes later in life can still produce significant health benefits.

So what is the Mediterranean Diet? While there are a number of versions, the key components include:

 -Olives and olive oil products along with lots of fruits and vegetables

-Red wine (up to three glasses a day!)

-Deep sea fish

-Whole grains

-Legumes (beans), nuts, and seeds

-Fermented low fat dairy products (yogurt, kefir, etc.)

-Limited red meat, sweets, and full fat dairy products

While it’s always better to incorporate changes early in life, the take away message here is diet does matter, and regardless of when you start, small changes can impact your health.

 Bon Appetite!

 



By: Lynn Jaffee

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Often, developing healthy food habit is not as restrictive or as confusing as several individuals imagine. The first and foremost principle of healthy nutrition is simply eating a wide range of foodstuff. This is more important, since varied foodstuff make varied dietary contributions.

Secondly, vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains are necessary, since these foods are high in carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and low in fatty substances and are cholesterol free.

It is also better to balance between calorie expenditure and calorie intake. That is, avoid eating more foodstuff than what the body can consume. Otherwise, there is a possibility of gaining additional weight. Therefore, the more the active an individual is, the more he can eat and uphold this balance.

It does not mean that aforementioned three fundamental steps suggest an individual to sacrifice the favorite food. As long as, an individual’s diet is rich in fiber and nutrients and well balanced, there is nothing improper.

Individuals also can view healthy foodstuff as a chance to expand range of alternatives by trying some healthy food such as vegetables, fruits or whole grains. A healthy nutrition does not have to imply eating foodstuffs, which are unappealing or bland.

Benefits of Healthy Food:

Nutritious and healthy diet is very much significant for maintaining a healthy body. Healthy diet involves timely and regular food, snacks, nuts and juices. A balanced meal and appropriate food habits are essential for leading a healthy life. In due course of life, everyone forgets to take essential nutrition for proper body function, hence fall under several life-style diseases. Hence, it is necessary for an individual to understand and know about the benefits of healthy food such as vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Below discussed are some of the benefits of healthy food:

* Beetroot: It has good amount of potassium, manganese and foliate. It also contains fewer calories and helps to cure skin problems.

* Cauliflower: It is extremely nutritious and is much effective in curing several ailments. It is rich in folate and apt for pregnant women.

* Mangoes: They are very popular and largely available fruit. They are rich in potassium and good for healing wounds.

* Nutritional Values of Banana: It aids in the healing of anemia, depression, brainpower, blood pressure and constipation.

* Egg: It is nutritious and healthy food. Eggs lecithin prevents the absorption of egg’s cholesterol and other sources as well.

Overview:

Research has witnessed that, those who eat less processed food and saturated fatty items live longer and healthy life, and are very less prone to disease and illness. Good health food along with proper exercise gives tons of energy and makes feel stronger and healthier.

Good health food can assist individuals in maintaining a healthy weight. The phrase Healthy Weight is not only important for those individuals who are overweight, but also for individuals who are underweight as well. With eating healthy food, individuals can control their body weight without being underweight or overweight.

Healthy livelihood is all about understanding the body requirements and rendering it with good supplies for proper body function. Unhealthy eating habit can affect the individuals’ body severely, hence intake healthy foodstuff to avoid such consequences.



By: Silvia Goodman

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