Balance: A way of life

Striking a balance, something we all strive to do in many parts of our lives may not be easy in a few aspects but in the nutrition, it is easy. Mother Nature has provided us with exactly what we require to live a healthy life. We have everything that is needed to feed ourselves to ensure we live a wholesome life. After my weight loss, going from 160 kilos to 60 kilos, I understood that the only way I could live a satisfying life is if I received the correct nourishment from a balanced plate of food.

Once I started viewing food as the fuel for my body, it made me a much better decision maker regarding the food I chose to put in my body. I opted for more fresh, local and seasonal fruits and vegetables to adorn my plate and I veered away from processed foods like white sugar, white flour and other junk and fast foods. However, the most important thing I understood was that balance and consistency was the key to it all when following a diet.

I learnt that the body shifts out of balance when it is fed too much of processed foods that are packed with chemicals. This is often topped with alcohol and tobacco. We are mimicking the Standard American Diet, which is popularly known as the SAD diet. I know that we gain weight due to toxicity in our body, understand one thing, that going on fad diets or cutting out any food groups, whether it is fat, carbohydrates or proteins will get you nowhere.

This is sheer foolhardy because how long will you stay off food which your body is designed to eat. The building blocks of our body are fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Whether you are a child, adolescent, teenager, adult or senior or a pregnant or lactating woman all of these groups need a balanced diet. With due respect to all parents, I often ask who is planning the menus and how can a young brain have the right food knowledge?

After exploring many diets from various regions and countries, I found out that the Indian diet was Intelligent, Nutritious, Delicious, Incredible, Appetising and Nourishing. It consists of fresh fruits, an array of grains, numerous vegetables, a wide variety of pulses, dairy products and the best options in good quality fat. Spices are added on to make the food delicious and not only this, each and every spice has some or the other medicinal property which helps keeps us disease free. Often seeds are used as mouth fresheners after a meal and dry fruits are used to leave a sweet taste in the mouth.

A balanced way of food would be half the plate full of seasonal, regional vegetables accompanied with a grain like Bajri, Jowar, Nachni, Ragi, Unpolished Rice, Wheat and Amaranth to name a few. Pair this with a daal using any of the pulses like Moong, Urad, Toor, Masoor or a chicken or a fish if you are non-vegetarian. Cook all your foods in cold pressed oils and spices. Freshen your mouth with a digestive seed mix and digest your meal with a glass of buttermilk.

Remember, your best drink is water. Balance your food life by sleeping enough, waking up early in the morning, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. The food you eat is what shapes your whole day and the way you think too. Pay constant attention to what you put in your bodies because if you don’t who will? Invest in good food, balance and consistency instead of a hospital bed.