Inflammation refers to swelling, soreness, or irritation. In this context, inflammation refers to the swelling that occurs in the body tissues. Inflammation usually manifests in four ways – redness heat, swelling, and pain. The foods you eat directly influence what happens in your body and in turn impacts your health. Inflammation and oxidative stress are major role players in the onset of chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, certain cancers, etc.  While several other factors play different roles in oxidative stress and inflammation that the body tissues experience at one time or the other, your foods and eating habits are factors that cannot be ignored.

My first counsel would be to follow the healthy eating recommendation by nutrition experts which emphasises varied foods in an as natural state as possible.

Inflammation could be good in the short term as it sometimes is a way your immune system naturally responds to self-heal in an injury or to fight infections. However, it becomes a problem if the situation is prolonged.

Many of the foods in their natural forms contain substances that help the body to fight inflammation. These substances include vitamins C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and phytonutrients namely polyphenols, carotenoids, antioxidants, anthocyanins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, and terpenes. Fruits and vegetables are generally rich in vitamins and minerals as well as phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are also found in many herbs and spices. Therefore, it is encouraged that you eat your foods in an as natural state as possible. Some of the anti-inflammation foods are as follows:

Grapes

Grapes contain anthocyanins, which are known to help in reducing inflammation. Furthermore, regular intake can help to reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and eye conditions. Also, grapes are one of the rich sources of resveratrol, a polyphenol that helps in protecting the body against damages that could increase your risk for certain cancers and heart diseases.

Peppers

The wide variety of peppers such as chili pepper, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, green/yellow pepper, cubanelle pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, jalapeno pepper, etc. are packed with powerful antioxidants that provide powerful anti-inflammatory benefits.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have a lot of nutritional benefits being rich in vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant with strong anti-inflammation properties which may play a role in reducing pro-inflammatory compounds that are linked to certain types of cancer. Cooking tomatoes helps to increase absorption of its lycopene in the body. Cooking tomatoes with healthy oils would increase their absorption because lycopene is a fat-soluble nutrient.

Green tea

Green tea is regarded as one of the healthy beverages that you can drink due to its high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea is especially high in epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a powerful flavonoid that imparts anti-inflammatory benefits by preventing the production of pro-inflammatory substances and damage to the beneficial fatty acids in the cells. EGCG is also shown to contribute to reducing the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and more.

Beans

Beans provide superb antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection through the rich content of polyphenols. Also, beans are a low-cost source of protein, rich in fiber, folic acid, and important minerals including iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Nutrition experts recommend that you eat at least one cup of cooked beans twice a week. There are a wide variety of beans to choose from and they include red speckled beans, black beans, lentils, peas, pinto beans, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, etc.

Broccoli and cauliflower

Broccoli and cauliflower are cruciferous vegetables that are extremely nutritious. They are rich in sulforaphane, an antioxidant that helps to fight inflammation by reducing levels of cytokines, a substance that drives inflammation. Including lots of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower in your diet could help to reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer.

Fatty fish

Fatty fish is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid contributes to reducing inflammation that is linked to diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. Fatty fish in this category include mackerel, sardines, anchovies, herring, and salmon.

Avocados

Avocados are packed with lots of important nutrients including potassium, magnesium, monounsaturated fats, and fibre. Anti-inflammatory substances in avocados are carotenoids and tocopherols, which are associated with reduced cancer risk and improved lipid profiles

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice with a strong flavour, often used in curries and many dishes. The phytonutrient of importance in turmeric is curcumin which has powerful anti-inflammation properties. It has been documented how curcumin helps in reducing inflammation in arthritis, diabetes, and other diseases. However, the use of turmeric as spices alone may not furnish enough curcumin to provide the desired benefit. However, the use of a combination of spices such as turmeric with black pepper (piperine) could increase the bioavailability of the curcumin

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats which provides many health benefits. The important anti-inflammation substance in extra virgin olive oil is oleocanthal, a powerful antioxidant that is linked with a reduced risk of heart disease, brain cancer, and other diseases. More on the benefits of extra virgin olive oil.

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder

Dark chocolate (not less than 70% cocoa) and cocoa powder are rich in flavanol which has a powerful anti-inflammation effect. Because dark chocolate is also high in fat, you may want to consider using cocoa powder as a hot or cold chocolate beverage.

Celery

Celery is a vegetable that is rich in anti-inflammatory substances. It contains a compound called apigenin, which has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial agent. Because of its richness in fiber and other nutrients, it can help in preventing constipation and promote overall health in many ways.

Other anti-inflammatory foods and spices that you can use in your meals include leeks, onion, ginger, garlic, kale, spinach, cherries, walnuts, almond, cinnamon, and many herbal spices.

Foods that promote inflammation

The following foods contain substances that promote inflammation and therefore should be taken sparingly if you cannot avoid them.

• Fried foods such as fried meats (including fish, chicken, beef) potato chips, donuts, chin-chin, fried buns, fat cake or puff-puff, etc.
• Processed meats such as bacon, canned meat (corned beef), salami, hot dogs, smoked meat
• Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, regular macaroni/spaghetti, white rice, white flour tortillas, etc.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages such as fizzy drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks
• Sugar-sweetened foods such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, sweet pastries, and certain breakfast cereals.
• Trans fats such as hydrogenated fat, margarine, commercial mayonnaise, etc.

Conclusion

Many of the foods in their natural forms contain substances that help the body to fight inflammation. Therefore, it is encouraged that you eat your foods in an as natural state as possible to access anti-inflammation foods and their benefits. Contrariwise, highly processed foods contain substances that promote inflammation. It is just wise to eat these foods in moderation.

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One important thing that can help is to keep it simple. That way you will be able to carry on enjoying your meals and not endure them. Your main goal would be to control your blood sugar levels and to prevent diabetes complications such as heart disease, nerve, disease, and high blood pressure. The diet is one of the important strategies to control your blood sugar.

The healthy eating guidelines that emphasis, variety, least processed, and fresh produce are applicable in diabetes. Therefore, you can safely eat foods that fall in these categories while maintaining the correct portion size. However, certain foods provide exceptional health benefits and you can safely enjoy if living with diabetes, are as follows:

Leafy vegetables are vital foods to eat in diabetes

Leafy vegetables are very nutritious and low in calories. Because they are low in carbohydrates, they don’t significantly affect blood sugar levels. Leafy vegetables are good sources of many vitamins and minerals. Also, they are rich in antioxidants that help to protect the heart and eye health. Because leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin C, by increasing your intake of leafy vegetables, you can increase your blood vitamin C levels thereby reducing your risk for inflammation and cellular damage. Examples of leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, amaranth, lettuce, etc.

Avocados

Avocados are low in carbohydrates, but high in healthy fats and fiber, therefore, they don’t raise blood sugar levels. The intake of avocados is linked with improved overall diet quality, reduced body weight/body mass index (BMI), and invariably lower metabolic syndrome risk in a study. The link to reduced body weight is very beneficial as weight loss in diabetes can be desirable. You can safely enjoy avocados as part of your meals or as snacks.

Beans are beneficial foods to eat in diabetes

Beans are legumes and they are rich in B vitamins, beneficial minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. They are very rich in fiber, low cost, and super nutritious. Beans have a very low glycemic index, meaning it does not cause a sharp increase in blood glucose a factor that is important in the management of diabetes.

Fatty fish

Fatty fish such as sardines, anchovies, and mackerel are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids which are known to have profound benefits for heart health. By including enough of these fats in your diet regularly will be beneficial in protecting you from diabetes complications especially hypertension, and subsequently reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Fatty fish may help in regulating blood sugar according to a study that shows how high intake of fatty fish, positively affected after-meal blood glucose in overweight adults.  Moreover, since fish is also a good source of high-quality protein, it could help you feel full, thereby stabilizing your blood sugar levels.

Eggs

Regular intake of an egg may reduce your risk for heart disease through its contribution to decreased inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, increased good cholesterol levels (HDL). Though eggs contain a high amount of cholesterol, and earlier research findings linked eggs intake with heart disease. Recent findings are showing that eggs could be potentially beneficial when eaten in modest amounts such as 6 eggs per week as part of a varied and healthy diet.

Yogurt

A regular intake of yogurt may help in promoting healthy blood sugar levels and reduce the risk for heart disease. A study involving large participants showed how a daily serving of yogurt helped to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Also, because yoghurt supplies good amount of calcium, your bones and heart will benefit. Moreover, your gut will benefit from the millions of health-promoting live bacteria that yoghurt contains.

Chia seeds and Flaxseeds

Chia seeds and flax seeds contain high amounts of fiber, which may help increase the bulk, improve the feeling of fulness, and therefore improve the weight loss experience. They have also been found to help maintain blood glucose levels which make them superfoods for people living with diabetes. Also, the seeds may contribute to reducing blood pressure and substances that induce inflammation. Additionally, Flaxseeds have a high content of omega-3 fats which makes the seed highly beneficial in reducing your risk for heart disease.

Nuts

Nuts are both delicious and nutritious. They’re high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. Therefore, they may contribute to reducing blood sugar and bad cholesterol. However, since nuts are high in fats, their consumption should be in moderation.

Research evidence shows that regular consumption of nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts may reduce inflammation, lower blood sugar and improve heart health among people living with type 2 diabetes.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a vegetable packed with lots of vital nutrients such as vitamin C and magnesium and phytochemical compounds that help in protecting against various diseases. Because of its low carbohydrate content, it is low in calories thereby making it a wonderful addition to varieties in a diabetes diet.

Extra-virgin olive oil

Extra-virgin olive oil contains oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat that helps in the management of blood sugar. It also contains polyphenol, a powerful antioxidant. People living with type 2 diabetes can benefit from the many benefits of olive oil including protection against hypertension, and heart disease.

Berries are good to eat in diabetes

Strawberries and cranberries are low-sugar fruits with powerful anti-inflammatory properties which may help to improve insulin resistance. They are also high in antioxidants such as anthocyanins, polyphenols, and vitamin C all of which impart beneficial antioxidant properties such as the reduced risk for heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

Garlic

Garlic has been famous for its culinary uses. Beyond its use as a spice, it is packed full of vital nutrients such as manganese, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and selenium as well as phytochemical compounds. Garlic’s rich nutrient composition could explain its roles in lowering blood sugar, inflammation, bad cholesterol, and blood pressure in people living with diabetes.

Conclusion

Knowing the foods to eat in diabetes is not far-fetched. It could be as simple as following the recommended healthy eating plan for people. The rule of thumb is to be in control of the blood sugar and to prevent diabetes complications.

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Olive oil is the oil obtained from olive fruits either through the cold press, extraction through centrifugation, or chemical solvents. The latter produces olive oil of low quality. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids (up to 75% by volume). Generally, the quality of olive oil is influenced by the way in which olive oil is produced. As a result, there are three main grades: refined, virgin, and extra virgin.

Extra virgin olive oil being the least processed has the highest quality and is the healthiest type. It’s extracted by natural methods and standardised for purity taste and smell. This method of extraction protects the antioxidants (called phenols) in the oil which are otherwise depleted in the more refined ones. Therefore, when you buy olive oil for your use, especially for health reasons, be sure you are buying the right quality. The extra virgin has a distinct taste and is high in antioxidants, which is the reason for its numerous health benefits.

Health benefits of extra virgin olive oil

The oil has numerous health benefits due to its high antioxidant content. Though the health effects of the fat composition are controversial, experts generally are of the view that extra virgin olive oil is good for health. The following are some of the health benefits.

The oil is rich in antioxidants

Olive oil is loaded with powerful antioxidants which are biologically active and may help you to reduce your risk of chronic diseases. Due to the antioxidant’s properties, they could fight inflammation as well as protect your blood cholesterol from oxidation. As a result, you could lower your risk of heart disease. The oil also contains a fair amount of vitamins E and K which are also having some antioxidant properties.

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats

The oil contains a predominantly monounsaturated fatty acid known as oleic acid. This fat makes up about 75% of the total oil content. About 14% of the olive oil is saturated fat, and 11% comprises polyunsaturated, including omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Research evidence suggests that oleic acid contributes to reducing inflammation. Chronic inflammation is understood to be a leading cause of heart diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. Extra virgin olive oil also contains an important anti-inflammation substance called oleocanthal, which is known to work like ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory medicine. Also, the antioxidants in olive oil can obstruct the genes that trigger inflammation.

Because monounsaturated fats are also relatively heat-stable, the oil is a healthy choice in cooking.

The oil and heart disease

Due to its inflammation lowering effect, it protects bad cholesterol from oxidation, helps to improve the lining of the blood vessels, and helps in lowering the blood pressure. The resultant effect is protecting against heart disease which is one of the most common causes of death globally. This benefit is confirmed among people who eat a Mediterranean diet with a reduced prevalence of heart disease. Extensive evidence has shown that the Mediterranean diet significantly reduces heart disease risk.

Therefore, if you have heart disease or a high-risk factor, you could benefit from including a good amount of extra virgin olive oil in your diet.

Extra virgin olive and strokes prevention

The link between the oil and stroke risk has been well documented. Stroke is often caused by a disturbance of blood flow to the brain due to a blood clot. Evidence has shown how monounsaturated fat in olive oil is linked with a reduced risk of stroke and heart disease by prevention of clot formation or blockage.

Extra virgin olive oil and obesity

The intake of high amounts of fat leads to weight gain. The healthy eating recommendation is to eat fat in moderation and to limit the intake of saturated fats. However, the intake of the Mediterranean diet which is rich in  olive oil is not associated with unwanted weight gain or obesity.  Nevertheless, the intake of your this oil should be in moderation.

The oil and Type 2 diabetes risk

Extra virgin olive oil is thought to be protective against type 2 diabetes due to its beneficial effects on blood sugar and insulin sensitivity. Research evidence suggests that the oil especially as demonstrated in a Mediterranean diet, can reduce people’s risk for type 2 diabetes.

The link Alzheimer

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by the buildup of plaques inside the brain cells. Substances in extra virgin olive oil have been linked with preventing the buildup of the plaques as well as removing them. As a result, the oil may help to enhance brain function and prevent delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Extra virgin olive oil and rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease characterized by deformed and painful joints. Supplementation with olive oil is shown to help in addressing the causes of the inflammation and to reduce oxidative stress in people with this disease. Therefore, this oil may benefit by reducing the swelling from rheumatoid arthritis and subsequently the pain.

The antibacterial benefits

Extra virgin olive oil contains substances that can kill harmful bacteria that live in the stomach which could cause stomach ulcers and cancer.

Summary

The health benefit of extra virgin olive oil is well documented. You will do your body a lot of good to take advantage of the benefits discussed here and many others. However, olive oil has suffered serious adulteration over the past years. Therefore, ensure you obtain your oil from credible sources. Moreover, read the label to be sure your oil is authentic extra virgin olive oil.

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Aside from ensuring a regular eye checkup and preventing injuries to your eyes, the following are the natural ways to improve your eyesight.

Foods rich in Carotenoids improve eyesight naturally

Carotenoids are a class of phytonutrients, and they are responsible for the bright yellow, red, and orange colors in fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids of health benefits are beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Dietary carotenoids provide health benefits by decreasing the risk of diseases including eye disease. (10.1046/j.1523-5408.2002.00004.x ). Lutein and zeaxanthin are particularly protective against eye disease because they help to absorb the blue light that has a damaging effect on the eyes. Interestingly lutein and zeaxanthin usually occur together in foods such as spinach, chard, kale, parsley, pistachios, green peas, egg yolk, sweet corn, and red grapes. Ensuring you have these foods in your diet regularly will give you access to the beneficial effect of the carotenoids. You can also have these carotenoids in supplement form; however, it is best to access them from foods.

Eat foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E to improve eyesight naturally

Vitamins A, C, and E contain antioxidants that help prevent macular degeneration; a disorder of the eye that results in vision loss. A combination of these vitamins and minerals in food may reduce disease progression. Foods that are rich in vitamin A include eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, cod liver oil, orange- and yellow-coloured vegetables, and fruits such as mango, butternut, carrot, etc. Also, other sources of beta-carotene such as broccoli, spinach, and most dark green, leafy vegetables. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, dark leafy greens, such as kale, mustard greens, and chard. Foods rich in vitamin E include vegetable oils such as wheat germ, sunflower oil, and soybean oils, nuts such as almonds, peanuts, and walnuts, seeds such as sunflower seeds, flax seed etc.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acids play several functions in the retina and subsequently preserving good vision. Scientific evidence has shown that people that consume an adequate amount of omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to develop macular degeneration (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11888/). Omega-3 fatty acids also help to reduce the risk of high eye pressure, help in the prevention and treatment of dry eye syndrome which is associated with eye itching, burning, and redness. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids are oily fish, including salmon, tuna, sardine, and mackerel.

Practice the 20-20-20 exercise to improve eyesight naturally

Experts advise that if your work involves gazing at screens all day, you should at every 20 minutes endeavour to look at something 20 feet away for about 20 seconds. This exercise is to give relief to your eyes thereby preventing strain to your eyes. Alternately, you can practice this by closing your eyes for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Strain to the eyes can result in eye-watering, blurred vision, dry eyes, headache, and eye redness. Furthermore, blinking your eyes occasionally helps to stimulate tear production thereby preventing your eye from getting dry.

Minimise the intake of highly processed foods

Excessive consumption of highly processed foods can expose you to inflammatory substances contained in many processed foods in form of additives. Refined grains, processed meats, candies, and confections may contain pro-inflammatory compounds. Pro-inflammatory compounds can cause swelling of the optic nerve, resulting in eye pain, vision impairment, and even complete vision loss. It is advisable to keep to healthy eating, let your foods be from fresh produce as much as possible and minimize the intake of highly processed foods.

Get enough sleep

Ensure you get enough sleep every day. Experts recommend 5 to 8 hours of sleep. A night of restful sleep allows your overworked eye muscles to relax completely. Your eyes will heal themselves from tiredness and strain when you sleep. Your body will have sufficient time to renew your eyes, produce better eye lubrication, furnish healthy eye nerves/tissues all of which will lead to healthy eyesight. With adequate sleep, you are less likely to experience eye-related headaches, Inadequate sleep can lead to having dry, itchy, bloodshot eyes or redness of the eyes.

Drink enough water

The fluid surrounding the eyes helps to protect the eye by washing away dirt every time you wink. You must be well hydrated to maintain a healthy balance of fluid in your eyes. If your body is dehydrated, the tear film of your eyes may become deficient. This could result in dryness, irritation of the eyes, and invariably blurred vision. Experts recommend the intake of 1.5 to 2 liters of clean water every day.

Conclusion

Improving your eyesight naturally is not far-fetched. Ensure you eat healthy by including fresh produce as well as varied foods which will enable you to have an adequate intake of vitamins and phytochemical substances that promote eye health. Also having adequate sleep and enough water is vital to maintaining the health of your eyes.

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When you experience stress, your body produces a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that controls a wide range of processes in the body, such as the inflammatory response, metabolism, and immune response. It also plays important role in the body’s response to stress. It is often referred to as the stress hormone because it is released when you are experiencing stress.

Though cortisol plays many important roles in the body, it can become harmful when it is in excessive amounts. It could lead to slowing down bodily functions including your metabolism.

The question about whether excess amounts of cortisol can lead to weight gain remains an issue to be clarified from research evidence. However, there are pointers to how weight gain may result when your body produces a high amount of cortisol due to stress.

How weight gain results from the body’s response to stress

When your body experiences persistent stress, leading to excess cortisol, ghrelin, the hormone that enhances appetite can be stimulated. Also, excess cortisol can reduce the body’s sensitivity to leptin, the hormone that regulates hunger. These actions in your body can increase appetite leading to unnecessary cravings for foods especially high in sugars, fat, and salt.

Reduced metabolism makes you gain weight

When you experience a surge in cortisol level because of stress, your basal metabolism could reduce. This will in turn reduce your body’s ability to utilise energy effectively, thereby resulting in excess calories which your body will store up as fat. More information here. If this situation continues over time, and your food intake does not change neither your activity level, you will inevitably experience weight gain.

Why prevent weight gain from stressful situations

The weight you gain due to a spike in cortisol level often occurs around the abdomen. The fat that accumulates around the waist area can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Beyond weight gain, other health issues including fatigue, depression, high blood pressure, and depressed immune system could result. For these reasons, you need to control your responses to stresses.

Positive responses to stress for preventing weight gain

You can control your response to stressful situations by wilful determination based on what you now know. The following tips will be of immense benefit to you.

1. Eat healthily. Ensure you eat varied foods and in moderate proportions that would provide your body the right amount of nutrients. When you crave food, eat the right kind of foods such as low-calorie vegetables like cucumber, carrots, etc. Check here for more information
2. Exercise regularly: Ensure you have not less than 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This may be simply walking to the nearest shops, treadmill, brisk walk, or walking the stairs.
3. Relaxation: Ensure you give yourself a good time to relax. People have different ways of relaxing such as meditation, warm foam bath, spa treatment, window shopping, listening to soothing music, breathing relaxation, and many more.
4. Engage in activities that helps you in dissipating negative energy. The use of anti-stress ball is a good example.

Undesirable weight loss due to stress

A stressful situation can also lead to undesirable weight loss through several changes in the body and how the gut digests food. These changes may result in unhealthy situations such as bloating, swallowing difficulty, heartburn, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and more. Decreased appetite would naturally follow these situations and consequently loss in body mass to a dangerously low level. Excessive weight loss below the minimum healthy weight (18.5Kg/m²) increases a person’s risk of diseases.

Conclusion

Cortisol is associated with stress; it plays a role in metabolism and links with the hunger hormones. Therefore, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle to regulate your cortisol level. By improving your diet, engaging in regular exercise as well as finding time for relaxation, you can control your cortisol level to delivering maximum benefits for your body and not the harmful effects.

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Why losing weight

A slim figure is often associated with beauty. As a result, many of the beauty pageants give slim figures a high rating. While it is not a bad idea to desire a slim figure, losing unwanted weight means much than that. Health reasons are of prime importance in weight loss. I would like to emphasize here that the fact that a person has a slim figure does not indicate a state of good nutritional health or reduced risk for non-communicable diseases. While a person who is overweight or obese is obviously at risk for communicable diseases as a result of excess body fat, a person with a slim body may as well be carrying a high body fat percentage. This situation is called hidden obesity and equally increases a person’s risk for non-communicable diseases. This condition has been described in “What is in my body”.

Losing unwanted weight could be as easy as the way you accumulated them over the years. However, it will require your determination and consistency. Since you didn’t arrive at the weight overnight or instantly, it is logical that you will not be losing them as instantly as you may desire. My candid advice is to follow a healthy way to lose weight so you don’t end up losing your health in the process. Following these tips will help you in gradual weight loss while maintaining good health.

Check your portion size

If you are desirous of losing weight, the first practical thing is to minimize your food intake. Your intake of foods should match your physical activities. The foods you eat are used to produce energy which you need to support both the voluntary and involuntary activities that your body undergoes. If your body does not use up the energy produced from your food, the excess energy is converted into fat and stored in the body for use where there is a shortage of energy supply. If you reduce your food intake to match your physical activities, then you will achieve an energy balance and you will not have any storage of excess energy in the form of fat. Furthermore, if you reduce your intake to achieve a negative energy balance, i.e. your body needs more energy than what your food is supplying to support your activities. Then, your body will convert the deposit of fat into energy to support your activities. As this continues over time, slowly and surely you will begin to experience a weight loss. You may want to help yourself with a 7-day meal plan to help you achieve this, CLICK HERE.

Minimize the intake of foods high in fats and sugar

Foods and drinks high in fats and sugar quickly provide you with high calories you don’t need. While it may not be sustainable that you go off such foods some of which are your favourites, it is possible to minimize your intake. These foods include French fries, cakes, pastries, confectioneries, sweet dessert etc. Also, drinks such as fizzy drinks, carbonated drinks and even fruit juices contain a high amount of calories. You should reduce the intake by reducing the amount you take at a time and the number of times you take them in a week. Instead of fruit juice, take real fruit.

Eat foods rich in proteins

When you are trying to lose weight, it is important to ensure you prevent muscle loss while shedding the unwanted weight i.e. the fat mass. You will achieve this by ensuring adequate intake of foods rich in proteins. The body needs protein to build and repair tissues and muscles. Evidence shows that protein prevents loss of muscle mass while the body loses fat. If your body experience calorie restriction coupled inadequate amounts of protein, this will lead to undesirable loss of muscle mass and fat mass at the same time. Therefore, I counsel that you have an adequate supply of proteins in your diet as you embark on a weight loss program. How much protein is adequate is discussed in “My Optimal Body”.

Keep unhealthy foods out of reach

This is a very logical thing to do to avoid the unnecessary temptation to eating unhealthy choices of foods in excessive amount. You don’t have to keep foods like cookies, chocolate bars, candies, and cakes in your fridge or pantry. Instead, stock your fridge with wholesome fruits and vegetables and snack on these whenever you crave food or need snacks or refreshment. Remember, that when trying to achieve weight loss, you may not need more than a serving of fruit per day. Examples include 1 medium-size apple, ¾ cup grapes, 1 medium-size pear etc. Vegetables such as 6 spears of asparagus, ½ cup of cauliflower, broccoli, sweet corn, butternut, carrot etc. are healthy choices to eat as between meals or as snacks.

Eating fibre-rich foods is one of the easy ways to weight loss

Foods rich in fibre help you to feel full for a long time. Besides, you will benefit from the other health benefits of fibre which includes helping you to achieve easy stool as well as cholesterol-lowering benefit. Foods rich in fibre include beans, oats, green peas, sweetcorn, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, barley and rye.

Easy ways to weight loss include drinking enough water

The recommendations for healthy eating include drinking adequate clean water (about 6 to 8 cups) daily. When your body is adequately hydrated, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) will improve. The BMR is the rate at which your body utilizes energy at rest. The better your body can utilize energy at rest in performing basal metabolic functions, the better your body will burn calories. As a result, you will easily lose unwanted weight. Conversely, if you are inadequately hydrated, your BMR will decrease and your ability to lose unwanted weight will reduce. Furthermore, your body will benefit from the numerous health benefits of water in the body. Drinking adequate water daily will allow you to have easy digestion. Your bowel needs water to work properly. Adequate intake of water will prevent dehydration and will contribute to reducing many digestive problems.

Practice mindful eating

As you work at shedding unwanted weight, enjoy your meals but be mindful of your intake. It helps to look forward to the next meal by desisting from unnecessary munching which you may regret. Also, endeavour to count calories of what you eat by estimating every meal. This will ensure you keep within the limit of your calories intake per day.

Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly

Leptin is the hormone responsible for reducing the appetite thereby making you feel full. The hormone is produced by the fat cells. As a signalling hormone, leptin communicates with the hypothalamus in your brain and regulates your appetite and food intake. Your brain needs enough time to signal that you have already eaten enough. Therefore, by taking the time to eat and chew your food, you are more likely to be satisfied with your reduced portion size even before you finish the meal.

Conclusion

By following these easy ways to weight loss, you are on the path to consistent and healthy weight management. Remember, it is an unhealthy weight that you aim to get rid, be sure to maintain the healthy weight; the muscle mass. Also, following these tips will help you not only to shed unwanted weight but to sustain it and continue with healthy eating as a lifestyle.

For further assistance, please feel free to ask your questions in the comments section. You may want to check the eBook “My Optimal Body” a practical guide for sustainable weight loss with a 7-day meal plan.

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My Optimal Body – Preview

This resource is an evidence-based hybrid weight-loss plan that is built on the principle of continuous calorie restriction, intermittent fasting and exercise. These principles have been shown to contribute to effective body fat loss, improved body composition and better health outcomes. It is designed to help you achieve the following:

• Develop a lifelong healthy eating,
• Develop and enjoy a healthy lifestyle,
• Drop unwanted weight permanently,
• Maintain a healthy weight afterwards,
• Improve body composition and overall health

What you need to know 

Excess body weight puts you at increased risk for a range of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, and psychosocial syndromes which could considerably reduce your quality of life.

Seven days meal plan towards my optimal body

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Firstly, I need to let you know that you are not alone in this situation whereby children refuse to eat vegetables. It is very common; children generally don’t like vegetables. There are several reasons for this. The foods that babies are fed with could be one reason. Many babies are fed with formula milk. The World Health Organization (WHO)  and UNICEF recommend that infants be fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months and thereafter complementary foods in addition to breastfeeding for two years and beyond. Despite this recommendation and promotion, not up to half of the world infants are exclusively breastfed. For the babies that are appropriately breastfed, the diet of the moms reflects in the breast milk. As a result, the baby easily identifies with the foods commonly eaten by the mom. Therefore, it follows that if the mom habitually eats vegetables, the baby will eat the vegetables when they are introduced to him/her at the right time. Unfortunately, many moms are guilty of healthy eating, they seldom eat enough vegetables.

Also, I would like to you know that it takes some extra work to get through this; i.e. getting vegetables attractive to the children and making the food acceptable to them all the time. However, it is worth all the effort considering the health benefit the children stand to gain both in the present and the future.

I have had to share these six ways to get children to eat vegetables several times with groups, families, and mommies and there has been a good report afterwards. I have also practised them and realized fantastic results.

1. Eating vegetables as a mom is one of the ways to get children to eat vegetables

Get it right from the onset, make sure that you eat vegetables and let them be a part of the family meals often. As previously discussed, your child will get accustomed to eating vegetables when you invariably introduce vegetables to him/her if vegetables form part of your meal during conception and breastfeeding. The right time to introduce vegetables to your baby is after six months. Start by giving your baby pureed vegetables with no added sugars. Vegetables such as butternut, carrot, broccoli, spinach, cucumber, and beetroot make a delicious and colourful puree that your baby will enjoy. Your child will get used to the natural and delicious taste and grow with it. Afterwards, he/she will readily accept the eating of vegetables in meals. I have seen this happen so many times.

2. Avoid storing unhealthy foods

As much as possible avoid stocking your pantry and fridge with unhealthy stuff such as biscuits, candies, cookies, and other confectioneries. Storing these foods at home sends the wrong messages to your children. 1. Your children see them as the best things to eat and as a matter of fact, they prefer to eat the confectioneries. 2. As long as they have those things around and can always have them whenever they want, they have a good reason not to eat real food including vegetables. Of course, when the stomach is filled with unhealthy stuff, there is no room for healthy ones. This does not mean your children cannot have confectioneries at all; you can give them as occasional treats.

3. Incorporate vegetables into favourite foods

There are foods children always love to eat. Identify such foods that your children like to eat. I know most children like to eat sweet things like sweet pastry, savoury pies, sweet dessert, and sweet pudding. Replace the sugar in the preparation of such foods with vegetables that are naturally sweet such as carrot, beetroot, and butternut. For those vegetables that are not naturally sweet, prepare them into savoury style. For example, if your children like meat pie, chicken pie, or meatballs, add a good amount of vegetables into the mix. Also, you may grind blanched vegetables into a paste using a food processor and add into your child’s favourite foods.

You may sometime add a little sugar to improve the taste. Improving the taste and acceptability of some vegetables by adding a small amount of sugar in their preparation is surely better than their outright rejection. Aside from improving the taste, the attractive colours of vegetables add to their acceptability.

4. Give fresh vegetables as snacks

Giving fresh vegetables as snacks is one of the ways to get children to eat vegetables. Children love eating lots of snacks between meals. Cultivate the habit of giving vegetables as part of the snacks. Cut two or three different vegetables into pieces and give as a snack for school or to be eaten at home. Example, cherry tomatoes, cut carrots and cucumber make a delicious and colourful snack that children would like to eat.

5. Educate your children on the benefits of eating vegetables

Vegetables provide lots of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for health and the maintenance of body systems. Some of the nutrients vegetables provide are potassium, fibre, folic acid and vitamins A, E and C. Notable is vitamin A that helps children to grow well, helps with good eyesight and skin health, protects against infection, aids in wound healing.

Also, it helps to link the eating of healthy foods including vegetables with the dream that your children would like to become. It is unfortunate how successful sportsmen and women/celebrities are for example linked with unhealthy choices of foods through advertisement in the media. These can be misleading for children. However, the education that your children get from you helps them to be better informed.

6. Involve your children in preparing vegetable meals

Children readily accept what they participate in doing. The same goes with involving them in preparing vegetable meals or dishes or snacks. At the appropriate age, begin to engage your child in the preparation of vegetables. If you have a home garden, let them be involved in harvesting. You will see the sparks in their eyes as they enjoy the activities. In the process discuss the benefits that are derived from eating vegetables. Your child will appreciate the efforts and will more likely desire to eat them.

Conclusion

Remember, that you as a parent you need to set the example. Children learn by what they see than what they are told to do. Help your child to get familiar with these vegetables right from conception and breastfeeding. If you practise the ways to get children to eat vegetables discussed, your children will grow up eating vegetables and enjoying them. Their health will be better for it in the now and the future. I would like to have your contribution to this discussion in the comment section.

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There are several schools of thoughts regarding the intake of snack. These include but not limited to the following:

• Don’t eat a snack between meals
• Eat snacks between meals
• Don’t eat snacks after dinner if you are trying to lose weight
• You can eat a little snack at bedtime to prevent hunger pang in the night.

While none of these is absolutely right or wrong, it is advisable that you do what works for you in terms of your dietary options such as the sugar levels, gluten-free, strictly vegan, milk-free etc. The golden rule is that your snack intake should be a healthy one. Whole-food-based snacks are best and that is what I like to recommend. They should be unprocessed and unrefined or minimally processed. Whole-food-based snacks are often rich in fibre which keeps you full, contain unrefined carbohydrate to supply you with energy and contain loads of vitamins and nutrients. Also, there are processed snack options that are available on the go and helpful for the convenience. They can be used to supplement the whole-food-based snacks.

The timing for snacks also depends on you; however, I personally like to give my system a good amount of time to rest from digestion activities. I enjoy feeling light. The frequent intake of water helps to keep me feeling full and refreshed. I have come to realize that this strategy helps a lot. The strategy is consistent with the principle of intermittent fasting which has been shown to provide the body with lots of health benefits. Lest I digress from the object of the discussion here, see the benefits of drinking water and intermittent fasting in my eBook on a practical guide for a sustainable weight loss. You can snack anytime, snacking at night can be good for you as long as you keep your snack light and not too close to bedtime

If you want to avoid hunger between meals, I will recommend that you snack on food selections that provide you with a healthy amount of protein and nutrients. Make your portion moderate; therefore, snacks with 200 calories or less are considered suitable options. Snacks that are high in fibre will help you to feel full, helping you to control your appetite for your next meal. If sugar intake is not an absolute no for you, a snack with not more than 10 grams of sugar will provide you with the needed satisfaction without leaving you with any guilt feeling.

The five ideas for a healthy snack discussed here are suitable for all, including school children, young people, adult men and women.

1. Seasonal fruits make great Ideas for a Healthy Snack

I like to go the natural way, and this will be my first suggestion for a healthy snack. You don’t have to go looking for fruits that are out of your reach. Go with the fruits in season. Examples are one medium-sized apple, pear, mango, banana, artichoke, peach, orange, ¾ cup grapes, cubed pawpaw, cubed pineapple, 3 small-sized apricots, plums, prunes, nectarine, tangerine, 1 cup cubed watermelon and more. Note that your snack intake should be moderate, hence the suggested amount indicated here. The fact that fruits are natural doesn’t mean they should be eaten without limit. They contain sugar and if taken in excessive amount can result in taking more calories than needed thereby placing you at risk for overweight.

2. Vegetables as good ideas for a healthy snack

Just like fruits, vegetables can be eaten in their natural fresh form or lightly heat processed. They are great and healthy options for healthy snacks. Unlike fruits, vegetables have the added benefits of not high in simple sugars, but with a good amount of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients all of which are of great benefit to human health. Good examples are 2 cups cubed cucumber, 1 cup sliced carrot, 6 spears asparagus, ½ cup sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, green peas, butternut and many more.

3. A variety of nuts makes a good snack

Nuts are delicious and healthy and they are great ways to snack options. They are relatively economical, easy to store and easy to pack when you’re on the go. They may be taken raw or lightly toasted. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids, proteins, vitamins and minerals with many great health benefits. For example, walnut has a neuroprotective compound that supports brain health. However, one shortcoming to eating nuts is that they are high in calories due to the high-fat content. Therefore, it is vital to limit the portions. Options for nuts include 15 halves of walnuts, 12 almonds, 10 cashew nuts, 3 tablespoons of peanuts and 9 pecans. The calories provided by these portions are less than 200.

4. Seeds are super good too

Like nuts, seeds are very beneficial to health. They are rich in unsaturated fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Also, because seeds are high in fat they should be eaten in moderation. 3 tablespoons of seed mix provide 145 calories. Examples are flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seed and more. Seeds are usually available as a mixture of seeds or sometimes in combination with dried fruits and nuts. It is advisable that you purchase a mixture of seeds only or better still, purchase separate seeds that you desire and combine as you like. You can always create your snack from a variety of this natural goodness and benefit from the loads of health benefits they provide.

5. Combination of foods

Be creative; skilfully combine foods to produce a variety of snacks. For example, a combination of fruits with milk and a few nuts blended into a delicious and healthy smoothie. Note that the golden rule here is still moderation. A 250 ml cup of smoothie serves as a good snack. How about baked squash stuffed sweet pepper? What about oven-toasted homemade tortilla? The list is endless. By combining foods, you explore the possibilities there are and increase your chances for a variety of healthy snacks. I like to experiment with foods and I do that a lot. Each time I come up with new snack ideas.

Conclusion

I hope you will find the ideas for a healthy snack shared in this post helpful to improve your snack intake and that of your family. There is a lot that you can do to create varieties from whole foods. The bottom line is that your snack should be healthy, and moderate in portion size. Perhaps you would like to share your ideas creating some healthy snacks, I will be glad to read from you in the comment section.

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My background

I am 55 years of age, a wife, mother, and a career woman. I have quite a busy daily work schedule mostly sedentary with home chores. Nevertheless, I need a concerted effort to achieve and maintain a consistent and adequate physical activity lifestyle of between 5000 and 10000 steps of moderate-intensity every day. Typically I am 1.57 meter tall, 59kg by weight and BMI approximately 24kg/m².

Previously

As a result of the strenuous advanced studies I undertook between 2012 and 2016, I lost a significant amount of weight. My weight came down to 52.5kg. I needed to regain my weight, but it has to be a healthy weight. In the process, I discovered that you equally need deliberate effort to gain healthy weight as you do to lose unwanted weight. What did I do?

• I increased my food intake. This time academic exercises had greatly reduced. I still do a lot but without the stress of timelines, examinations, presentations and the rest.
• I had more resting periods and more sleeping hours.
• I embarked on a daily routine of physical activity; jogging in place.

Results after 3 years

After 3 years; beginning of 2019, I have increased my weight from 52.5 to 56.6. Good news isn’t it. Yes, it is, however, let’s have a look at the statistics.

Results in February 2019

Necessary improvement to gaining a healthy weight

Since I am yet to reach my goal of 59kg weight, I needed to put more effort towards the desired weight by achieving a reduced fat mass level while increasing the skeletal muscle mass. I embarked on the following:

• I increased the intake of foods rich in proteins such as milk, beans, chicken and fish. Lean meat is also a good option in this case, but it is not my favourite.
• I added the weekly Parkrun jog and walk with my daily jogging in place.

Let me recount my first experience on my first Park run in July 2019. It was at the Botanical Garden Parkrun centre in Pretoria and it was winter. The 5km Parkrun has two hills making the exercise a heavy work through.  I started with my jacket; however, about 8 minutes into the exercise, I had removed my jacket because of sweat. As I finished climbing the second hill on that first day, I felt like fainting. I thought perhaps this exercise wasn’t for me. However, the consequent visits became bearable and I climbed the hills with fewer difficulties. This was an indication of improved muscle strength in addition to increased muscle mass as I found out from my body composition results shown below.

Results in September 2019

Insights from the literature on how to gain a healthy weight

My experience is substantiated by the views of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. It is recommended that adults should have adequate protein intake also with daily physical activity such as resistance training or aerobic exercise for as long as possible to sustain muscle strength and physical functioning into older age.

The ageing process is connected with a gradual loss of muscle mass associated with lowered strength and physical endurance. This condition is known as sarcopenia and it is commonly observed with ageing in sedentary adults. Regular aerobic and resistance exercise greatly contribute to reducing the effect of sarcopenia. Additionally, good nutrition, particularly adequate protein and energy intake, can help in minimising age-related declines in muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional abilities. Protein nutrition of not less than 1.0–1.2 g protein/kg body weight per day in combination with exercise is considered ideal for maintaining muscle function.

As you can see from the difference in my body composition results between February and September 2019; there were desirable improvements.  Muscle mass increased, the fat mass reduced, the visceral fat reduced and the basal metabolic rate improved. The improvements were as a result of the adjustment I made by adding the weekly aerobic exercise to my daily jogging on the spot as well as increased intake of foods rich in protein.  As I continue with my lifelong regime, the statistic will continue to get better and better. My regime is not cumbersome to me, as a matter of fact, it is enjoyable. This is why I counselled in my previous post that for your weight management endeavour to be sustainable; you must enjoy it and be ready to practice it as a lifelong commitment.

Conclusion

I believe you already have some vital insights on how to gain a healthy weight from my story which could assist you in achieving and maintaining the desired weight whether you are aiming at gaining weight or otherwise. Ensure you track the changes that are occurring in your body by checking your body composition every other month.  Following the results obtained from your body composition, make the necessary adjustment. Be consistent at your efforts in the right direction and see your desired body composition gradually fall in shape. I look forward to reading your story, please feel free to contact me through the email at the end of this article. I will be happy to communicate with you and assist you further not only on how to gain a healthy weight but other related issues you may have.

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