We all know the old saying, a healthy body means a healthy mind — and how difficult it is to work on maintaining either in today's fast-paced world. But with childhood obesity on the rise and an increase in stress-related illnesses, it is vital that we start taking good care of our bodies and try to form good habits in our children.
This doesn't have to be hard work — it can be as simple as taking moderate exercise, drinking enough water and cutting out fast food.
A key element is planning. Many of us complain that we don't have time to shop for fresh fruit and vegetables, let alone cook a meal from scratch. And as for exercise, when are we supposed to fit that in?
If you keep things simple and get organised, you'll be surprised at how easy it can be.
Make use of your freezer to store batches of home-made vegetable soups and stews to heat up when you get in from work; build more exercise into your daily routine by taking the stairs at work instead of the lift; encourage your children to switch off the TV and help in the kitchen.
We've broken down some of the key elements to maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Start small and develop healthy habits and before you know it, you'll get really big results.
Water — clearly a must
The human body is two thirds water. Water is involved in every function of the body; it helps transport nutrients and waste products in and out of cells, it is necessary for digestion and the absorption and utilisation of water-soluble vitamins.
In a hot climate it is easy to become dehydrated, which can lead to exhaustion, and in combination
with the sun, sunstroke may occur. In conditions
such as kidney stones and urinary infections, water
is required to flush and cleanse the system.
When exercising you need to drink more water;
one to two litres a day. Food and vegetables consist
of 90 per cent water and they supply water in a form that is easy to use.
Four pieces of fruit and four servings of vegetables can provide a litre of water, leaving a daily litre to be taken as water, diluted juices, herb or fruit teas.
Avoid sugary, carbonated drinks that steal the
body of vital nutrients for their metabolism, and try
to minimise the amount of alcohol, coffee and tea
you drink.
Take a break
The stressful lifestyles many of us lead in the UAE have an impact on our nutritional requirements in numerous ways. Many people neglect their health by working long hours and socialising most nights of the week, not making time for healthy meals. Cooking or shopping for food takes time and planning, and is often the first thing to be neglected.
We have heard of the "fight or flight" response
and in this day and age, we suffer stress in mental
or emotional forms. Your adrenal glands sit on top
of your kidneys and produce hormones that, amongst other things, help you to adapt to stress. This adrenal system works overtime to produce stress hormones, adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA.
When we're stressed blood sugar is released to give our muscles and brain a boost of energy. Your body requires extra nutrition to cope with stress — vitamin B5, magnesium and vitamin C. If these nutrients are not available in the diet, then the body will experience extreme stress and even burn-out if neglected continuously. Extreme stress combined with a diet high in sugar taxes the body and results in an inability to control blood sugar levels, which, if severe,
can develop into diabetes.
High stress levels can also contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) because the digestive system shuts down so the body can cope with the stress. Our immunity and ability to fight off illnesses can become affected by a poor diet and hectic lifestyle.
We need plenty of antioxidants, which are found in fruits and vegetables, to build a strong immune system.
