Healthy foods

Proper nutrition and right exercise are two most important factors for good physical and mental health. A healthy diet is one that contains all good nutrients in proper ratios and quantity as required by our body without having bad ones like trans-fats.

Majority of people in the surrounding areas here (i.e. NCR) consume foods high in carbohydrates and saturated fats but deficient in quality proteins, minerals and vitamins.

 

Readers to note that the information provided here is a generalized one for people not having any disease. The requirements of the nutrients may vary from individual to individual that depends on a number of factors.  Some important ones are-

• Genetics  – It causes variations in                                                                                                                              – Digestion  .                                                          -Base metabolic rate.                                              – Overall base activity level.                                          – Other variations in metabolism.
• Intensity and type of physical activities.
• Body lean mass.
• Age.
• Gender.

General formula to calculate normal height and weight for children up to 8 years of age

Height   =   age (in years) x 6  + 77 = height in cm.

Weight = age (in years) x 2  + 8 = weight in kg.

Nutrition

Nutrition for a child between 3- 5 years of age

Total Calorie requirements-

Girls = 1200 to 1400 Calories ( depending on activity level and other factors)

Boys=  1200 to 1600 Calories

1- Proteins- About 1.2 g proteins per kg of child’s body weight per day or about 10 % to 15 % of total energy requirements should be met through proteins. Proteins should have all 9 essential amino acids.

The usual recommended total protein intake for a child between 3 to 6 years is 20 g per day. But it seems to be better to keep the quantity 30 g and above per day. For vegetarians it is better to take more proteins.

2- Fats- About 30 to 35 % of total Calories should be from fats.

Proteins are needed for body growth, repair & regeneration. Proteins are made up of amino acids. There are a number of proteins with variable number of amino acids. We need approximately 20 amino acids, out of these nine amino acids can not be prepared by our body hence to be taken from outside. These are called essential amino acids. Usually proteins of vegetative source lack in one or more essential amino acids. Proteins of non vegetative source e.g. egg, dairy products, meat, fish etc. contain all essential amino acids in appropriate quantity.

High quality proteins means proteins containing all essential amino acids in required  quantity.

High quality proteins result in to better physical and MENTAL growth.

Protein rich source –

Non-veg.- milk, paneer, cheese, egg, meat, fish and sea food.

Veg. source- Pulses, soy, ground-nut, sea- weed, mushroom.

Wheat contains more proteins ( approx.13-14%) than rice ( approx. 7%)

Antioxidants

Take anti-oxidants in appropriate quantity.

Top five anti-oxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, Zinc and Selenium.

Fruits and vegetables of five different colors to be consumed everyday as each has different phyto-nutrients.

Do not take-

• – much salt.
• -refined or processed foods frequently.
• – much red meat.
• -much saturated fats.
• – trans fats.                                                                      Pay heed to the following
• Do not over eat.
• Do not eat frequently the foods containing too much sugar.
• Do not overcook food. It may result in loss of nutrients.

Diet information for parents

Parents are requested to include minimum one food item from each of the following  groups  of foods in meals of a day.

Group-1

Cereals, Chapati, Roti, Parantha, Naan, rice, porridge.

Group-2

Vegetarian-

1-      Dal.( made from pulses like gram, green gram (Moong), black gram (Urad), Pigeon pea (Arhar), lentil, cow pea (Lobia) etc.

3-      Boiled/ roasted legumes and beans.e.g. green gram, chick pea white or brown ( kala ya safed chana),cow pea (Lobia), pea (Matar) etc. Besani Roti or Kadhi.

Non-vegetarian proteins sources-

1-     Milk, Curd or Paneer (low fat) or Chhachh/ Lassi.

2-  Boiled or cooked eggs. (Preferably white part more often)

3-       Steamed or Roasted chicken or other white meats. (Red meat may be taken once in a few days.)

4- Sea foods like fishes, prawns, crabs etc.

Note- Non-vegetarian protein sources are usually better than vegetarian sources in the sense that the former contain all 9 essential amino acids in proper ratio.

Group-3

1-      Nuts

2- about three tea spoon oil  (olive, canola, sunflower

3-    Oily fish e.g. tuna, salmon.

Group-4

1-      Mixed fruits – Fruits of five different colors.

Group- 5

1-      Semi -cooked leafy green vegetables like Palak, Methi etc.

2-      Other cooked or semi-cooked seasonal vegetables.

3-      Mixed vegetables  (steamed or boiled for short time.)

4-      Mixed sprouts.

Parents to note the following points-

1-      Protein, iron, Iodine, calcium & vitamin B-12 deficiencies are quite common.

2-      Human body requires proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins for proper development and functioning. Anti-oxidants keep healthier by controlling formation of free radicals.

3-      Our body is mainly made of proteins. Protein deficiency hampers physical and mental growth as well as strength.

4-      Humans should take high quality proteins in adequate amount. The proteins should contain at least all nine essential amino acids and preferable conditional too.

5-      As a thumb rule about 15 to 20% energy requirements are to be meted out from proteins, 30 to 35% from fats and 50 to 55% from carbohydrates. Athletic or rigorous exercise may enhance protein and carbohydrate requirements.

6-      High quality fats should be consumed. Mono and poly unsaturated fats should be taken in proper ratio and saturated fats should be in a quantity to fulfill about 8% calorie requirements.  Higher intake than this make cause health issues.  Lower than this may affect testosterone production adversely.

All essential fatty acids should be in the diet.

For that use variety of oils for cooking.

 Do not consume trans-fats.

7-      Humans are omnivorous by nature. The best diet charts can be prepared by choosing judicious combination of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods.

8-      Excess of intake of a nutrient than required/ used by the body is not beneficial instead it is harmful.

Other points to note-

1-      Cooking of food may increase availability of some nutrients, destroy others.

2-Optimum cooking time usually helps in maintaining nutritional value besides sterilizing it.

3-Most healthy foods can be prepared by combining non- vegetarian and vegetarian foods. Sea foods like fishes and variety of fruits and vegetables is presently considered a good diet.

4-      Non- vegetarian sources of proteins are generally better than vegetarian sources in the sense that the former contain all essential amino acids.

5-      For fibers, some vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, vegetarian sources are better.

How to avoid obesity

General Suggestions

• Do not fulfill more than 50% of your energy requirements through carbohydrates.
• Do not fulfill more than 35% of your energy requirements through fats.
• Do not consume foods high on glycemic – index.
• Do not consume trans-fats.
• Do not take more than 8% calories  from saturated fats or 15 g of them (whichever is less) if you do not do rigorous exercise in routine.
• Take proper ratio of mono-unsaturated and poly unsaturated fats.
• Consume all nine essential amino acids in proper ratio and quantity.
• Consume essential fatty acids in proper quantity.
• Take proper amounts of vitamins and fiber.
• Follow proper exercise schedule.
• Take anti-oxidants in right amounts.

 Exercise schedule to control weight. (for adults)

• Walk for ten minutes.
• Then walk briskly for five minutes.
• Then start jogging and speed up after five minutes.
• Sprint for 50 to 200 m depending on your fitness level.
• Then start walking and walk the distance equal to the distance you sprinted i.e. 50 m to 200 m.
• Again sprint the same distance and walk.
• Continue this for 5 or more cycles depending on your age, fitness and purpose.

Calorie value

1-    Carbohydrates-               4 Calorie / g Approx.

2-    Proteins –                           4 Calorie / g. Approx.

3-    Fats-                                     9 Calorie/ g. Approx.

Protein source                               Protein in g.                           Total Calorie (or kilo-calorie).

Non veg-

1-    Milk ( buffalo 100g )-                         4 to 6g                                           100-125 approx.

2-    Milk (cow, 100g)-                                4to 5g                                            70    approx.

3-    Egg large(hen 50g)-                          6g/ large egg (50g)                    70-80 approx.

4-    Paneer 100g- (toned)                       25-30 g                                            200 approx.

(full cream)                                                   15 g approx.                                  250-300 approx.

5-    Cheese100g (mozzarella)-             30g/ approx.                                   300 approx.

6-    Fish/Chicken/Mutton(100g)-         20g approx.                                    120 approx.

Veg-                                                                                         Proteins/ 100g      (Approx. values)

1-    Pulsess                                                       dry                                                 cooked

a-       Gram (Chana)-                                     20g                                                    6   g

b-    Black gram(Urad)-                               25 g

c-     Green gram(Moong)-                          25g

d-    Pigeon pea(Arhar daal)

2-    Rice                       ——-                              6g                                                        3g

3-    Soyabean ——————–                 40 g.

Water is added for cooking. So the drop in concentration of nutrients depend on amount of water added.

Myths about foods

Note- The following information should not be confounded with allergies and anaphylactic reactions. A person may be allergic or may have anaphylactic reactions to certain substances like pea-nut butter, bee or wasp venom etc. This is general information for the masses. People having allergies, IBS or any ailment should consult the physician and take necessary precautions as advised.

Myth 1- Don’t drink water during eating food and afterwards for certain time because it adversely affects digestion.

Water is needed for digestion of food. If you feel thirst during food ingestion or afterwards, drink water. It will help in digestion and not the other way round.

It is false notion that ‘fire’ or ‘Jathragni’ sparks in stomach as we ingest food. How can then milk be digested if water hampers digestion? Energy of the food will be emitted in fire turning it in to useless ashes. Digestion is quite a long process. Till date no scientific study suggests that drinking water during meal is harmful.

Myth 2- Certain eatables are ‘Cold’ and certain are ‘hot’ by nature (Taashir).

It is correct that some substances give more energy as compared to others but traditional categorization as ‘ hot’ and ‘cold’ is not based on it, hence incorrect.

Many people believe some eatables like tea, date, Gur, mango etc. are ‘Hot’ by their nature and some like Neemboo-paani, cold drink etc. are cold by their nature. They believe that consuming ‘Garm” eatables, even if their temperature is low, would result in appearance of symptoms in the body similar to that caused by heat exposure. This is a myth.  Eatables have their calorie and nutritional value. This categorization is not based on scientific grounds. Cold drinks have high calorie value. It means these give more energy.

Sugar and Gur both have almost same calories, while sugar is said to be cold while Gur as hot. Though they have different nutritional value.

Myth 3-Don’t take curd in night or after drinking milk:- It causes no harm provided you don’t have any disease or allergy to it.

Myth 4-Sour and sweet eatables should not be taken simultaneously or in succession.

Myth 5-Honey and ghee are poisonous if consumed together.

Myth 6- It is easier to digest vegetarian food as compared to non-vegetarian food.In fact it is the other way round. It is easier to digest non-vegetarian food as compared to vegetarian foods.

Myth 7- Don’t take curd in cold. It harms only if you are allergic to it, otherwise does not.

Myth 8- It is harmful to consume milk and citrus juice together or in succession. Citric acid present in it only coagulates proteins.

Myth9- Humans are vegetarian by nature– Humans are omnivorous by nature. Our digestive system and metabolism is naturally designed so. For quality proteins and fat soluble vitamin like B12, non-veg sources are better as our body cannot synthesize many of the nutrients like essential amino acids.  For carbohydrates, fiber, antioxidants and water soluble vitamins vegetarian sources are better.

Myth 10- Raw foods are always better than cooked foods– Cooking changes nutritional value of the food. Availability of some nutrients increases while of the others may decrease on cooking. Non-vegetarian foods should always to be cooked to kill disease causing organisms likely to be present in them. Though high temperature cooking of meat may cause formation of carcinogenic substances. Cooking of vegetables may destroy some vitamins. Intake of judicious mixture or raw and cooked food is advisable for a healthy diet. Deep fried and grilled meat may be harmful. Before consuming raw vegetables and fruits, they must be washed well to remove any eggs, larvae or other organisms.

Vegetables should be cooked at low temperature and short time period.

Myths about health and diseases-

Note- This is general information for the masses applicable under usual conditions. People should consult qualified physician and take prescribed precautions on falling ill.

1-    EXPOSURE OF THE BODY IN FEVER TO AIR CURRENT/ WIND CAUSES POLIO.

Both hypothermia and hyperthermia are harmful for our body functioning. Enzymes work in a narrow range of temperature. Gross metabolic mal-functioning may occur if temperature of the body goes above 102f or below 95f. Normalizing of body temperature, therefore, improves condition of the patient. In fever, as body temperature goes up, temperature must be brought down. Covering of body prevents heat dissipation from the body hence rise in body temperature.

Polio is a disease caused by infection of a virus. Fever appears first then weakness in limbs. Exposure of patient’s body to air does cause polio.

Get polio drops for your child to protect against polio as per recommendations.

2- Body should be kept covered in fever- Covering body during fever causes body- temperature to rise, hence it is harmful.

3-Taking food in fever is harmful- High metabolic rate demands more food. Stopping intake of food causes weakness hence delayed recovery. Take usual food if your digestive system is not involved or not allowed by your physician.

4- Curd, cold drink, Nimboo- Paanietc. are harmful in fever.

If your intestine or stomach is not harmed and you are not allergic, usual foods do not harm you in fever.

5-  Dengue can be cured by Giloy, papaya leaves and goat milk.

Dengue is caused by virus. Death rate is about 1%. Main cause of death is fall in blood pressure. To maintain blood pressure, fluid is to be orally consumed or intravenously infused depending on gravity of rate of plasma diffusion or hemorrhage. These substances are no better than fluids administered by a qualified physician. No scientific research proves efficacy of these in killing the virus or enhancement of platelet formation.

6-      Yog can cure most of the diseases. Yog exercises are mild exercises. The health benefits are restricted to a very limited extent only.  Beware of exaggerated claims that have no scientific ground. These claims are much accepted due to faith and not on scientific grounds. Placebo effect, though, may work in some cases.

Some studies show that B.P. may be brought down to 5 mm of Hg or so by doing Yog, which is of a little use in sever hyper-tension. Your outlook may bring it down to 10 or so.