Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Eat your way to health

The secret lies in knowing what to eat and when, says SHEILA KUMAR

RIGHT FOOD AT THE RIGHT TIME Whether you're a workout regular, frequent flier, an executive or suffering from a headache, it's important to know what diet works for you

We have read up on healthy diets, the right foods, quantity, quality and everything else on that sideboard of nutrition knowledge. In the process, we have slipped up on information of when to eat all this healthy food. Timing is as crucial as the right variety of foods. Get the time/foodstuff/portion right and you are well on your way to wellness.

For the workout regular: Whether you exercise late in the evening, after work, or first thing in the morning, your blood sugar levels are likely to be low. At this point, working out will seem more punishing than invigorating. If you are a calorie-counter, you will need to ingest at least 200 calories half-an-hour before you hit the machines or the road. A bowlful of cereal and a glass of juice should work just fine. If you are into really strenuous workouts, supplement that snack with a bowl of fruit. And drink water throughout the workout, every 15-20 minutes or so. A sports drink will be a more powerful boost for the heavy-duty exerciser. Stay off colas, coffee, tea or even fruit juices during the exercise. And please don't attempt to exercise after a heavy meal; leave, at the very least, a three-hour gap.

For the power planner executive: You have already put in half a day of work and there's a big presentation coming up after lunch. Lunch wisely and well so as to appear your best as the day wears on. You need to keep to food low in fats. Caffeine does not always put everyone on alert; if it works for you, then fine, have a cup of strong coffee. Basically, a light lunch of clear soup, a couple of rotis and some vegetables ought to do it.

For the frequent flier: The air is thinner up there, the high altitude effect works to one's detriment, be aware of that fact. Alcohol is both dehydrating and has a stronger effect than when you are back on terra firma. Colas can fill you up uncomfortably because reduced cabin pressure can create gases in the stomach. Eat light and drink lots of water. Avoid any food that normally doesn't agree with you.

For the out of sorts: You need to eat carefully when you are feeling less than on top of the world. If you have a cold, eat spicy foods, they will stimulate the reflex that loosens congestion, so that you can clear your nose and chest sooner. Milk products dull that reflex, so stay off dairy for a while. Soup is the universal panacea here, it really works.

A headache can be set right sooner if you replenish your body's fluids; drink lots of water. Take a tablet and wash it down with some coffee, the caffeine helps with headache relief.

Those with an upset stomach should eat simple, easily digestible foods, no sauces or oily food. Here the thayir saadam (curd rice) is the one-stop relief.

For the eternally hungry: Mealtime is hours away but you are already starving. You need a wholesome snack that won't evaporate in your stomach, leaving you back at Square One. Drink a milk drink (in shake or smoothie form if you can't ingest plain milk), eat some biscuits or crackers and top it all with some fruit, ideally an apple. A sandwich with a healthy filling or a bowlful of puffed rice is another good idea. Wafers, colas, hamburgers or even a mini burger is not.

Old credos and new. Latest studies seem to debunk the theory that you should not eat after 8 p.m. It seems your weight is determined by the number of calories you consume and burn over the course of several days, not just over 24 hours. What you do need to remember is, not to eat too much high calorie foods for dinner, low fat will help you sleep better and burn it all off better the next day.

Do not skip breakfast

However, the old credo still holds good: do not ever skip breakfast; you need it to boost your energy and concentration levels. And hold down your sugar intake to a dozen or less teaspoons per day. The average human consumes as much as 23 teaspoons of sugar; here, we need to state that colas and baked goodies hold as much as nine to 13 teaspoons!

Keep your portions modest. Never load your plate. Not only will this keep your weight down, it will help stave off BP and diabetes problems. Eat more iron (cereal, beans, spinach), calcium (milk, oatmeal, soya drinks), fibrous foods for roughage, and all the greens you can lay your hands on. Lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, all of it.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail