You can – and should – start putting yourself first for 2012.
After
the excess of Christmas and New Year’s Eve it is tempting to jump on
the detox bandwagon. This time of year everywhere is awash with talk
about detoxifying diets to rid our bodies of such impurities and cleanse
the system but they should not be taken too literally. Whilst they can
be wonderful, go easy – any form of fasting or detoxification can be
stressful.
Most of us have a pretty good idea of what makes a
healthy lifestyle and diet but can find it difficult to make the right
changes. It can be hard to move away from the ’comfort’ factor of sugary
or starchy foods or, most significantly, getting out of the habit of
eating ‘on the hoof’ due to social pressures such busy demanding
routines.
However, this is where you must start. Eating ‘on the hoof’ not only
decreases our enjoyment of food and mealtimes, but is responsible for
poor digestion,preventing absorption of the nutrients our bodies need.
So the main thing to remember is to start by simply trying to cut out
those foods that give us that temporary ‘feel good’ feeling. Most of
these foods are high in fats, sugars or salts such as chocolate,
biscuits or chips.
These food can give us a quick ’high’ by
artificially raising our energy levels for a short time and by
chemically stimulating the brain they can cause the body to go into
overdrive and use up valuable resources of essential vitamins, minerals
and enzymes.
Instead, try then to increase your intake of foods
rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids which help to
destroy damaging toxins and chemicals that build up within our bodies.
It
is important therefore to start by creating set mealtimes and eating
proper meals. Look also to include more fresh fruit and vegetables as
well as foods high in fibre. Go easy by introducing extra foods to your
diet in a gentle fashion.Think about adding things to your diet rather
than having to go without and as your confidence grows you will able to
explore and be more creative.
Indulge and delight in cooking and
eating and enjoy the healing which comes from nurturing yourself as you
start to build a new relationship with your body.
If you’re
determined to clean up your diet and get in shape this year, stay on top
of your New Year’s resolutions by setting some realistic goals. Cutting
back on calories and avoiding junk food will help you reach your diet
goals that much faster, but there are several other things you need to
do to keep your diet on track.
Here’s a little checklist to help you along your way:
- Reduce your intake of sugary foods it can set you up for a sugar high-low cycle that leaves you fatigued and hungry
- Increase your daily consumption of fibre by switching to wholemeal
breads and pasta or increasing the amount of beans and pulses in your
diet. Fibre will fill you up faster and also help to improve your
digestive system. Switch to wheat products and brown rice to increase
your fibre content - Eat plenty of fresh vegetables every
day especially green leafy ones as they are full of antioxidants and can
also help you stay fuller for longer - Exercise regularly –
even a little a day can help like taking the stairs instead of the lift
and walking wherever possible - Plan your meals, eating
late at night can take its toll on your digestive system and also set
you up for calorie overload. Eat healthier meals throughout the day so
that you don’t get hungry late at night. Eating on a schedule can
prevent extreme hunger pangs and help you stick with your 2012
resolutions - Cut out and collect great recipes with as many
of your favourite foods to encourage you to cook proper meals and take
the time to enjoy mealtimes - Cook with spices. Skip the
salt and use healthier spices such as turmeric and cumin to add flavour
to your food. These spices not only add flavour but can also reduce
inflammation in the body and improve digestion - Get as much
support as you can from your family or friends, they can be a great
help to you maintaining the changes you make - Boost your
metabolism with chilli peppers. Green and red chillies contain capsaicin
which helps to heat up the body and boost your metabolism - If you have a sweet-tooth and must have something to finish your meal
with, ditch the dessert in favour of dark chocolate. Pure dark chocolate
is also rich in antioxidants and some research suggests dark chocolate
can lower blood pressure and support a healthy heart. Eat a small piece
of dark chocolate for dessert to curb those cravings!
Any comments? Email conferencenews@mashmedia.net
