THE FOOD MAGIC
Most health-conscious people are familiar with the saying, “You are what you eat.” Food is the best medicine, the longer your waist line, the shorter your life line.” These are ancient sayings but today the nutritional scientists have confirmed that how true these are………
By Dr Harmohan Dhawan
Most health-conscious people are familiar with the saying, “You are what you eat.” Food is the best medicine, the longer your waist line, the shorter your life line.” These are ancient sayings but today the nutritional scientists have confirmed that how true these are………
Humans are primates and all of them eat the natural vegetation. Today we have hundreds of research studies that show that most common ailments in the world today are the result of unhealthy foods we eat. Nutritional science have provided extensive information that a diet rich in micro nutrients, fibre, anti-oxidants and phytochemical obtained from a variety of plant foods, can affords us the ability to not only prevent but also reserve life style diseases naturally and live a HEALTHY LONG LIFE
Since food is the root cause of good and bad health. Let’s understand the various foods and its composition which is responsible for weight gain, obesity and other life style diseases
There are two types of nutrients in foods we eat:-
- Macro nutrients- These are the nutrients that supply us the calories which our body needs for energy. They are carbohydrates, protein and fat. All the three are present in various combinations in the various type of foods we eat. One gram of fat supplies 9 calories whereas we get 4 calories each from 1 gram of carbohydrate and protein.
- Micro nutrients-These are the nutrients which are present in very small amounts. They include 14 types of vitamins (A,B,D etc) and 16 essential minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium etc). All these are essential for assimilation, elimination and growth. Both vitamins and minerals were discovered in the 1940’s. In the last decade or so the nutrition scientists have discovered thousands of phytochemical which play a much more important role even more than the vitamins and minerals do. The micro nutrients have no calories.
We must understand that both macro and micro nutrients are important for optimal health. Excess or deficiency of any of these nutrients will result in overweight, obesity and other related medical conditions.
We at Dhawans Nature Cure based on Gender, Age, Height and Weight and Medical conditions design an individualized menu. In our therapy the major stress is laid on micronutrients, which are primarily responsible for assimilation, elimination and growth. For optimal health, micronutrients rich diet along with physical activity like yoga, swimming, cycling, brisk walk, hiking etc are of paramount importance.
When you eat a micronutrient rich diet, you cab expert a significant drop in Blood pressure, decrease in cholesterol and reversal of heart disease and also significant relief from headache, constipation, diabetes, heart disease and bad breath. Nutritional excellence can enable you to reverse diabetes, heart disease, various types of cancers and it also help us to get rid of calories and dieting, through this therapy you can achieve optimal HEALTHY LONG LIFE free of the fear of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and various types of cancers. To achieve nutritional balance for optimal health, we have designed the DHAWANS FOOD PYRAMID which has taken into consideration the various recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR’s). “Nutrient requirements and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for Indian” and also own experience with hundreds of patients at DHAWANS NATURE CURE.
*For optimal health we recommend that all animal products like (chicken, meat, egg, milk, butter, gee, panner) should be avoided. In the Dhawan food pyramid we have shown Fish and eggs which is for the meat addicts only.
Now let’s understand the individual nutrients in various foods and there functions in our body.
Human life span is 100 plus years. Our grandparents have lived more than 100 healthy years the reason for that was that they were leading a simple life, eating natural foods and also used to do hard work. With the recent life style changes we have gone away from the nature and depending upon the processed foods and not natural foods which have resulted in our reduced life span. Every second person is suffering from one disease or the other like:- Diabetes, Obesity, Breast cancer, Colon cancer, Heart diseases, Stroke, Childhood Asthma, Constipation, Lipid profile (high blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides), Acidity, Heartburn.
Why people are suffering from the above diseases?
Scores of research study the world over has established that it is the wrong foods, over eating habits, Stress and sedentary life style primarily responsible for these diseases.
WHAT TO EAT
Most foods in their natural form are considered to be “good foods” and all those foods which have been processed are “bad foods” as they have been devolved of the vital vitamins, minerals and fibre. During processing various preservatives, additives, sodium and sugar etc. are added to increase the shelf life of the products which are harmful to your health.
HEALTHY FOODS
All foods in their natural form are healthy foods including whole grains, Brown rice, Whole pulses, Fruits, Vegetables, Soya milk, Tofu, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Seeds and Olive oil as cooking medium. The daily consumption of a variety of these foods provides you all the macro and micro nutrients to maintain good health.
UN HEALTHY FOODS
All processed foods including sugar, white flour (Maida) polished rice, washed pulses, red meat, milk, butter, ghee, cheese, ice-creams, cola, candy, bakery products and hydrogenated oils are considered bad foods. Regular consumption of these foods is the route cause of many diseases. To remain healthy our body needs six macro and micro nutrients that is protein, carbohydrates ,fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber and of course water.
The above nutrients are found in various types of food used to eat but their quantity varies in various foods. It is the important that we must eat a variety of food so that our body gets all the above nutrients to remain healthy. If there is deficiency of any of the above in our eating plan we will attract one or the other disease. T
o give an example grows two plants of equal size in two different pots. Give fertilizer and water to one pot and only water to second pot after a few days you will see the pot with fertilizer & water has a healthy growth where as the other one because of lack of the nutrients has a retarded growth.
(The author is Naturopathist and Ex Civil Aviation Minister, Govt of India)