One of the five pillars of vitality is nutrition because what you put into your body is what you get out of it. In other words, when you’re fueling it properly, you’re getting the most out of every day, which helps to fill your cup of life with energy, happiness, and resilience. The diet secrets here, provided by Dr. Partha Nandi, go beyond covering the basics so you can live a long life filled with health and wellness.
Avoid Processed Foods
After a long day at the office, it’s much more convenient to throw a prepackaged lasagna into the oven and call it a day. However, that prepackaged food isn’t providing you with all the energy for your body to recharge and obtain all the nutrients you need to thrive.
Not to mention, processed foods are notorious for carrying all the bad ingredients that our bodies shouldn’t have in excess, such as salt, saturated fat, and processed sugar. These are the ingredients that lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues that not only negatively impact your life but can harm your longevity as well.
Instead, make the most out of each meal by skipping the convenience foods; they’re not convenient for your health.
And, by the way, eating whole foods doesn’t have to cost a fortune or be difficult. Many meals you can make from scratch use only a handful of ingredients, and take less than 30 minutes to prepare. Just take some time to research. It’s worth it in the end.
Eat for Your Gut Health
Not just from a gastroenterology standpoint… but your gut plays a major role in your systemic health. Your GI tract is partially responsible for filtering out the bad, and when it becomes overwhelmed, it’s not always able to absorb the good stuff as it should.
By keeping your gut healthy, you maximize nutrient absorption, optimize your immune function, lower inflammation throughout the body, and more. Plus, helping the gut may even improve your mood. Did you know roughly 90% of your serotonin (a feel-good neurotransmitter) is in your gut?
Some gut microbiome-balancing foods include:
- Onions
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Artichokes
- Yogurt
As a side note, your stomach will thank you for limiting alcohol and artificial sweeteners.
Stay Hydrated
While this technically isn’t a diet tip, it affects the health of your GI tract and organs like your heart and brain. Plus, excess weight gain may stem from inadequate hydration because your body can’t always distinguish between thirst and hunger, especially when you’re consuming too many foods rich in saturated fat and sugar.
Plus, to obtain all the nutrients you need and dissolve fiber, your body needs adequate hydration.
And to keep stool passing through your system smoothly, your intestines require water.
The list could go on…
You’ve probably heard you need eight glasses of water each day, and that can seem like a mountainous feat if you’re not the biggest fan of it. This recommendation isn’t necessarily based on scientific fact, though. While it’s a good overall rule, you may not need nearly as much depending on your weight, diet, and activity level. For example, if you’re eating plenty of foods with water, such as cucumbers, watermelon, etc., you may not need as much. In case you weren’t aware, drinks besides water hydrate as well, unless they have caffeine which’ll counteract the hydrating effects.
Ultimately, to know if you’re getting enough fluid, you should listen to your body. Your lips should feel plump and soft, not dry. Your urine output should stay in the pale yellow range. Moreover, your mouth should be moist, not sticky.
Take Your Time While Eating
Maybe you start your day chugging a mocha latte and quickly shoving a cookie down your throat, making sure you get to work on time.
And you have to get right back to life after your lunch. You don’t have 10 extra minutes to spare, so you scarf it down so you’re back in the office on time.
Dinner rolls around, and little Susie and Tommy have sports and Girl Scouts… can’t slow down to eat then.
However, all this eating under time restraints isn’t healthy for your digestive tract. For one, you’re probably overeating because, by the time your body tells you no more, you’ve already eaten more than an average portion.
But even before that has had a chance to happen, your saliva didn’t have an opportunity to start moistening and breaking down the food. You may not have even chewed it enough, either. All this leads to your digestive tract having a harder time digesting your food to obtain all the nutrients from it.
As a major diet tip for Dr. Nandi: chew your food slowly and actually give yourself enough time to eat.
Add Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and Spices to Your Cooking
Widespread inflammation throughout your body increases your risk of various health conditions, such as heart disease. Besides limiting foods that elevate it, you can add some spice to your life to reduce it, including:
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Fresh garlic
- Cayenne pepper
- Black pepper
- Clove
- Ginger
Not to mention, your immune system can work to the fullest of its abilities when you ease inflammation because it’s no longer trying to defend itself against the inflammation.
Ultimately, these super spices add flavor and have healthful benefits to help you extend your life.
Dr. Partha Nandi uses his Vitality Advantage, which includes eating a wholesome diet to improve health and enhance longevity. Professionals like teachers (and anyone really) can use it to reduce stress and live more fulfilling lives.