Food and Health this Festive Season

Many people find an excuse to eat more during the holidays, they pile on the sugars with cakes and biscuits disregarding the impact this is having on their health. Over the years through reading Health magazines, books on nutrition and my basic knowledge of biology i have come up with a simple conclusion: Food if care is not taken can harm you. We see the evidence of this everyday with all the conditional diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart diseases etc.

Here are a few rules on food:

Breakfast should be the heaviest meal of the day. It should include at least three major classes of nutrients. You need to break the fast to maintain a stable metabolism through out the day. Go for good carbohydrates which are wholewheat carbohydrates and brown bread. Mealier meal should be roller meal, millet or sorghum. And according to a research paper by a nutrition student cassava meal is good a carbohydrate. 

Meat should be had at Lunch... Makes more sense because meat takes long to digest especially red meat. Go for white lean meat if you want to lose weight. Avoid fried foods at all costs... The amount of cooking oil we use is pretty unnecessary I can assure you. Roast the meat by either using a brazier or just grilling it. 

Avoid carbohydrates at supper... Simple theory is since the body is generally inactive they will easily be converted into fats and easily stored around the gut and important organs.

For some reason a number of parents believe buying a child junk food is a reward. When did sweets, pizza and fried chicken become a form of reward. Don't Jump-start your child on the road to obesity and shorten his/her lifespan. Give your child fruits and veggies. Pack healthy sandwiches in their lunch boxes. And let them carry water.

Drink lots of water. See: Why Water Should be Your Body’s Best Friend

Eat lots of veggies. See sample recipes here Recipes with vegetables

Avoid alcohol maybe once in while. See: Guide in Drinking Alcoholic Beverages

Capitalise on seasonal fruits e.g. mangoes. See: Why you should always include fruits in the diet

Health-Destroying Foods

Merry Christmas and Healthy New Year!!!